Elizabeth George's Blog, page 20

He is Always With You

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As young girls, many of us grew up dreaming of the fairy tale stories we were drawn to as children. Visions of the future looked like big weddings, beautiful dresses, a handsome prince, a white picket fence, and a couple of sweet babes to call our own. Oftentimes, things don’t turn out the way we envision it. Real life gets in the way and we result to worrying over things that have no eternal value.

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11).

Yes, the future is the great unknown and any and everything is possible, both good and bad. But the Bible says God is in control of the future. And Jesus promised, “Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20).

No matter what happens or how uncertain the future may seem, you can look forward with confidence because God is always present, and He will be there in the future when you get there.

One of the most spiritual things we can do to combat concern over the future is to pray. God’s will is not a secret. He gives us the framework for His plans throughout the Bible. Your job as you grow into a woman after God’s own heart is to understand what God is saying abut His desires for your future. Here are some specific things you can pray about:

Pray about your obedience.

As children of God we are to keep His commands. This must be the number one thing on our prayer list each morning.

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says” (James 1:22).

Pray about your spiritual growth.

Obedience is the key to unlocking spiritual growth. The more we learn about God’s will and pray for Him to help us abide by it, the more we grow spiritually.

“Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord” (2 Peter 1:2).

Pray about Purity.

The world we live in is sinful. It is full of people who lie, cheat, steal, use foul language, and dress immodestly. As a girl after God’s own heart, the goal is to remain pure in heart, soul, and body.

“But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do” (1 Peter 1:15).

Pray about your willingness to work.

The majority of us would likely much rather be lazy on a beach somewhere than doing hard work that produces Godly results. However, anything you want to do well requires time, training, education, dedication, and desire.

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters” (Colossians 3:23).

Pray for wisdom.

Wisdom is determined by your ability to know, recognize, and do what is right. Our Father is the source of all wisdom.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you” (James 1:5).

As you lift up your heart to God in prayer and dig into His Word, you will become more aware of His direction. That will enable you to make wise choices and face each new day with trusting God and looking to Him for guidance. He will hep you to stay on the path of His will toward His best and blessed future for you!

RESPOND:

Lord, You know the beginning from the end. I'm so thankful You are in control of all things. I know You hold me in the palm of Your hand, and You have a future full of hope for me. Please help me to always remain obedient to Your Word and Your Will. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES:
[image error] A Girl’s Guide to Prayer by Elizabeth George is a wonderful resource that will help your tween understand what prayer really is, how to pray effectively, and what they can pray for.

REFLECT:

Talk to your parents or your pastor about God. Ask them any questions you have about Him.

REMEMBER:

The more we learn about God’s will and pray for Him to help us abide by it, the more we grow spiritually.

Three Routines for Productive Home Management

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“So what did you do today?” I can expect this greeting from my sweet husband every day when he arrives home. He is glad to be home and content to make small talk, but more importantly, he graciously turns his attention to me and my day. This genuine thoughtfulness always amazes me, and it makes my heart race because for some reason my mind focuses on that one little word, do.

“So, what did you do today?”

I know Jim isn’t asking this question in order to hold me accountable, but I’m so tuned in on my own accountability that I instinctively respond, “I don’t know exactly what I did, but I do know one thing — I never sat down all day long!”

This type of vigilance about how wisely and effectively I spend my time has not always been the case for me, but that was before I learned a valuable lesson from the Proverbs 31 woman, a lesson about time, life, and home management:

The woman who is beautiful in God’s eyes “watches over the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness.” (Proverbs 31:27)

The wisdom from this verse vividly showed me what I should and should not do. It continues to challenge me over and over. I’ve become so established in a routine that idleness has no place and because it is second nature, I don’t even remember doing it most of the time.

There is something spiritual about the way a clean home can lead to a productive life. However, I also think life is more abundant when you have a home that’s actually lived in. That means messes are going to happen along the way. That’s where routines come in; specifically, nighttime cleaning routines.

Granted, if you still have little ones at home, it can be a challenge to clean while they are awake. By the time they are tucked in, the last thing you want to do is work on the house. The temptation to skip maintenance items to watch TV or sleep can be overwhelming.

If, however, you can muster up a little bit of energy to go through the three following routines, you’ll have a much cleaner home and a more productive morning.

Three Late Evening Routines for a Productive Home Management

Sacrifice a few minutes to prepare for that one chore. Some of you may not have laundry to do each day, but if you do, put the dirty clothes and detergent into the washing machine. The next morning, hit start and let the machine do the work. If tomorrow is the day you will be tackling the bathrooms, pull out the supplies the night before. You’ve already got a head start and you’re much more likely to do the chore early just to be able to put the supplies away. Soak the dishes in preparation for loading the dishwasher or washing the dishes the next day. This one simple step alleviates a lot of manual labor having to be put into getting those dishes clean and it takes mere minutes.
Spend five minutes doing a quick clean up every night. Go though the main living areas and put things back in their proper places. Throw away any trash you find. Wipe up spills or spots on the floor. Fold the blankets and fluff the pillows.
Take time today to prepare for tomorrow. Start with a brief to-do list of things that are a priority for the following day. This keeps a record of it and you won’t be kept up at night trying to implant it into your memory. After the list is made, pack lunches, pick out your clothes, lay out school supplies, or put your bags in the car. This gives a great head start for the day and gives you a much more peaceful and relaxed morning.

RESPOND:

Lord, make us masters of ourselves that we may be the servants of others. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES:
[image error] Beautiful in God’s Eyes : Exploring the timeless wisdom of Proverbs 31, Bible teacher Elizabeth George reveals how you can become a woman of true beauty.

REFLECT:

“She girds herself with strength, and strengthens her arms.” (Proverbs 31:17)

REMEMBER:

All that stands between your goal

And the deeds you hope to do

And the dreams which stir your soul—Is you!

Parenting is a Team Sport

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A significant number of men are sports fans. Some don’t even care if it is football, baseball, basketball, or racing, as long as it is competitive. They become couch commentators and coaches, yelling at the players in hopes of seeing their favorites win. If thy lose though, it’s usually easy to determine if it was because a star player tried to win the game all by themselves. Winning requires teamwork. Parenting is much the same. It requires a partnership with equal players.

Men must stand together with their wives as they love and serve God and raise their children to love and serve Him. We can find a great example of this in the bible with Aquila and Priscilla. They’re a couple that we meet in the New Testament. The bible gives us a glimpse into their lives as one team for God.

The Dynamic Duo

Aquila and Priscilla were a couple after God’s own heart. Though they didn’t have children, they perfectly model how effective you and your wife can be when working together as one to raise your children, serving in your church, and loving as a positive Christ-like influence in your community.

In several books of the bible we find praises sung to this couple. They were blessed, and they also blessed others no matter where they went. Here are just a few of the things that made them so successful as a couple:

They helped establish churches.
They opened their home to believers.
They earned the apostle Paul’s praise.
They were tradespeople and didn’t mind hard work.
They were sold out for Christ!

The Power of Team Effort

Aquila and Priscilla used their spiritual gifts in complete harmony, and if you read those verses in the bible that speak of them, you’ll notice that the two were always mentioned together. While each person is responsible for their own spiritual gifts and development, these two grew leaps and bounds together. They chose to grow together instead of separate from each other. Your children will see you when you work together as a team. If you work against each other, they will notice that too. Children do what they see a lot more than what they are told. Make sure what they see is harmony between you and your wife.

Another thing observed about the faith of Aquila and Priscilla is that their faith is exhibited without competition between each other. Instead, they are a team. Of course, you may say this couple had the advantage of having the apostle Paul as their teacher, but we have to remember we have a teacher that is far greater: the Holy Spirit (John 14:26).

One final tried and true tactic that can be taken from their playbook is the tag-team approach they used. Make sure you are always in agreement with one another on the issues that matter most. When you aren’t, pray together, speak with knowledge to one another, and encourage each other until you find the Lord has put you united you on the subject. Then, share the weight and the blessings of that unity in whatever you must face and always be sure you do it together. Aquila and Priscilla were both willing to die for the gospel. While our current times won’t likely ever require such a sacrifice from us, a sacrifice of self is sometimes required. Always ask God to search your heart and reveal what He has found. Ask Him to remove the blinders from your eyes so you can see the condition of your own heart in situations. That simple prayer will go a long way.

RESPOND:

God, thank You for my wife. I want to be an encourager to her, to bless her, and work together with her—not against her. Please show us how and where we can serve You together. Amen

RENEWING RESOURCES:
[image error]A Dad After God’s Own Heart  by Jim George—in this fresh rerelease, learn the basics for how to be a good dad with your kids, including...

letting your kids know you love and care for them
learning the keys to positive and effective communication
knowing the qualities kids need most in a dad

REFLECT:

How do you and your spouse operate as a team? Celebrate and encourage these moments and traits. Is there an area you need to sit down and discuss where this teamwork is lacking? If so, make a date to discuss it together in the near future.

REMEMBER:

Ecclesiastes 4:9 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor.”

Listen, but Don't be Silenced

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Our world has been going through so many changes lately. Though most of you might agree that we’d be better off without them, they really do cause us to get to the heart of things and stir up areas we might never know are a problem.

In our home, we’ve greatly limited what is watched on TV, what books are read, what is allowed on digital devices and the like and what friends or family we allow to influence us. We are doing this even more so now than we have in the past. You see, we’ve prayed over and over to hear His voice. We want to know for sure we are following Him and not simply following the latest news headline, trend, author, or person we admire. We want to follow Him.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ~John 10:27

Too often we get caught up in the ways of the world and we begin to follow its voices instead of our Father’s voice.

Lately, when Jim and I have been on the road, we’ve noticed some things. There are a couple of splits on our roadways where there is always traffic idling, bumper-to-bumper, in the far right lane while the left lane is moving fast. What we’ve noticed is there is no one in the center lane! That center lane goes to both sides of the split yet hardly anyone goes that way. Those drivers simply follow the car in front of them instead of evaluating their surroundings. They just follow a leader not knowing that faster moving freedom is just a few feet away in the center lane.

This one incident happening over and over has prompted many conversations between us. In this day and age we have too many people telling us what to think instead of how to think. We blindly follow people we admire or trust because it’s easier than figuring it out ourselves. This is dangerous.

Be careful what you are believing from the pulpit. Be careful what you are “liking” on social media. Be careful which leaders you support. Whether they are a good friend or not, It doesn’t matter. People are human. We make mistakes. We go through seasons in life, good and bad. When others blindly follow us in our mistakes, it can have eternal consequences. At the end of this lifetime we will have to account for every sheep that chose to follow us, so we need to make sure we are leading them to Him. It would also serve our Father well to drop to our knees in prayer for those we perceive to be making mistakes. They are dearly loved by Him too. We are to walk in and serve one another in love.

…but don’t be silenced.

Don’t hesitate to stand up for what you believe in. Don’t be bullied into being quiet. The world will tell you your voice is just a whisper and it doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. Maybe they're right. In this world your voice may not be heard but I promise you that someone is listening to the cries of your heart. Your Father hears your every word. Don’t just throw your hands up and surrender to this world because we are the minority. When we get to heaven, where it really matters, we will be the majority.

When Jesus was being tempted by Satan in the desert, He spoke truth to combat the enemy. He didn’t remain quiet. When those money changers were making a den of robbers out of the temple, Jesus did not just walk past and say, "Oh well, that is just how it is in this day and age." When the pharisees attempted to prove Him wrong, He used His Father’s Word to speak truth to them. He walked in love, but He did not do nothing. And His Father, Our Father, was pleased (Mark 1:11).

RESPOND:

Lord, thank You for leading me to the center of Your will. Help me to listen to You and hear Your commands in everything that comes my way, as I follow You. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES:
[image error]A Woman's Walk With God  — is an invitation to experience the joys of moment-by-moment living in the Lord's power―and producing the fruit of the Spirit in every circumstance!

 

Visit our Free Resources to download your copy of the Quiet Times Calendar.

REFLECT:

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Ephesians 6:13

REMEMBER:

Seek Him. Think for yourself. Don’t be quiet. Walk in love. Listen to His voice!

Listen, But Don't Be Silenced

[image error]

Our world has been going through so many changes lately. Though most of you might agree that we’d be better off without them, they really do cause us to get to the heart of things and stir up areas we might never know are a problem.

In our home, we’ve greatly limited what is watched on TV, what books are read, what is allowed on digital devices and the like and what friends or family we allow to influence us. We are doing this even more so now than we have in the past. You see, we’ve prayed over and over to hear His voice. We want to know for sure we are following Him and not simply following the latest news headline, trend, author, or person we admire. We want to follow Him.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ~John 10:27

Too often we get caught up in the ways of the world and we begin to follow its voices instead of our Father’s voice.

Lately, when Jim and I have been on the road, we’ve noticed some things. There are a couple of splits on our roadways where there is always traffic idling, bumper-to-bumper, in the far right lane while the left lane is moving fast. What we’ve noticed is there is no one in the center lane! That center lane goes to both sides of the split yet hardly anyone goes that way. Those drivers simply follow the car in front of them instead of evaluating their surroundings. They just follow a leader not knowing that faster moving freedom is just a few feet away in the center lane.

This one incident happening over and over has prompted many conversations between us. In this day and age we have too many people telling us what to think instead of how to think. We blindly follow people we admire or trust because it’s easier than figuring it out ourselves. This is dangerous.

Be careful what you are believing from the pulpit. Be careful what you are “liking” on social media. Be careful which leaders you support. Whether they are a good friend or not, It doesn’t matter. People are human. We make mistakes. We go through seasons in life, good and bad. When others blindly follow us in our mistakes, it can have eternal consequences. At the end of this lifetime we will have to account for every sheep that chose to follow us, so we need to make sure we are leading them to Him. It would also serve our Father well to drop to our knees in prayer for those we perceive to be making mistakes. They are dearly loved by Him too. We are to walk in and serve one another in love.

…but don’t be silenced.

Don’t hesitate to stand up for what you believe in. Don’t be bullied into being quiet. The world will tell you your voice is just a whisper and it doesn’t really matter in the grand scheme of things. Maybe they're right. In this world your voice may not be heard but I promise you that someone is listening to the cries of your heart. Your Father hears your every word. Don’t just throw your hands up and surrender to this world because we are the minority. When we get to heaven, where it really matters, we will be the majority.

When Jesus was being tempted by Satan in the desert, He spoke truth to combat the enemy. He didn’t remain quiet. When those money changers were making a den of robbers out of the temple, Jesus did not just walk past and say, "Oh well, that is just how it is in this day and age." When the pharisees attempted to prove Him wrong, He used His Father’s Word to speak truth to them. He walked in love, but He did not do nothing. And His Father, Our Father, was pleased (Mark 1:11).

RESPOND:

Lord, thank You for leading me to the center of Your will. Help me to listen to You and hear Your commands in everything that comes my way, as I follow You. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES:
[image error]A Woman's Walk With God  — is an invitation to experience the joys of moment-by-moment living in the Lord's power―and producing the fruit of the Spirit in every circumstance!

 

Visit our Free Resources to download your copy of the Quiet Times Calendar.

REFLECT:

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Ephesians 6:13

REMEMBER:

Seek Him. Think for yourself. Don’t be quiet. Walk in love. Listen to His voice!

Trusting God With Everything

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Contentment is almost an extinct virtue, yet it is one of the greatest blessings in the world. The Word of God calls us to be content. In fact, Paul shares with us in 1 Timothy 6 that godliness with contentment is great gain and that food and clothing are all we need to be content. I believe him. He was a man who knew how to be content in all circumstances.

I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. - Philippians 4:11-12

God promised us that He will provide all of our needs. Often, the issue isn’t food, clothing, and basic supplies. We are human, and we have wants. And though sometimes He will, we cannot expect God to provide material things. It is better to be content and receive an unexpected blessing than to live unsatisfied and frequently disappointed.

Contentment is Learned

If Paul had to “learn” how to be content, then we should too.

Contentment is Required When You Have Much

The more we have, the more we want. John Wesley once said, “When I have money I get rid of it as quickly as possible, lest it find a way into my heart.”

Contentment is Required When You Have Little

Do you ever have thoughts like, “If I just had a little more money I’d be fine” or “If I could just get that better paying job my life would be okay.” These things aren’t true. We can be content right now, in our present state, if we trust in the Lord.

Contentment is Not Based on Your Current Circumstances

You are God’s child; you already possess all the treasures of heaven. You have the hope of eternal life! No amount of turmoil or tragedy will erase that.

Contentment is Based on the Person of God

Look at God and see who He is. Look up His names: Provider, Almighty, Healer, All Seeing, All Knowing: God is our everything. Seek Him.

When we approach our financial life from the level of contentment, everything changes. The Bible teaches us to be good stewards and to be givers and not borrowers. God also expects us to trust Him fully and when we do that, the natural fruit of that trust is contentment.

RESPOND:

Dear Lord, I’m relying on Your grace to give me contentment as I go about my day. Thank You for Your Word and Your Spirit that guide me. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES:
[image error]Elizabeth George admits to being a disorganized, goal-less woman when she was in her 20s. Over the decades, the love and patience of God and the transforming power of his Word and Spirit have taught her the life-changing principles she shares in this book, Life Management for Busy Women: Living Out God's Plan with Passion and Purpose .

REFLECT:

Do you pay attention to where you spend your money? Does your spending reflect your trust in God?

REMEMBER:

We are to place all our trust in God alone.

Power in Prayer for Couples

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There are few things that can change a marriage the way prayer can. Over and over we witness couples whose marriage was on the brink of uttering the dreaded “d” word, unite together again in love and bliss after simply adding prayer to their daily routine.

Too often we find ourselves in a situation where things in our marriage are festering inside of us and instead of taking those things to God, we hurl them at our spouse or gossip about them to our friends and family. If we want things to change then why would we do this?

The Bible instructs us to make our requests known to God. In fact, we are instructed in Philippians 4:6 to make our requests known to God though prayer and supplication. Most of us know that prayer is the general term for conversing with the Father, but do you know what supplication means? It means to pray with a sense of need. What greater need might we have than to save our marriage if there is trouble on the horizon?

The Bible gives us many examples of others who have done this very thing:

Isaac prayed for his wife Rebekah to conceive (Genesis 25:21).
Hannah prayed for a son (1 Samuel 1:11).
Zacharias prayed for a child (Luke 1:13).
Paul prayed for the salvation of his countrymen, for the Philippians, and for Timothy.
Jesus prayed about His death (Matthew 26:36-46).

Our Savior and these heroes of faith prayed for specific needs, desires, and requests. You and I are to do the same. Be faithful to lift up the personal needs in your life and those of your loved ones to God through specific supplications and petitions. Then watch to see how God will answer. If you really want to see some change, take your spouse’s hand and unite together in prayer. Mountains will move. Try it.

From Jim’s Heart—

While I was an associate pastor, a couple came to my office for marriage counseling. After we pinpointed several areas of concern in their marriage that needed their attention, I asked the husband to commit the couple’s desires to the Lord. As the man finished praying, I looked up to discover that his wife was crying. She explained through her tears that this was the first time in ten years of marriage that they had prayed together as a couple!

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to strengthen your marriage. Make it a point—and a practice—to come before the Lord in prayer together as a couple. It doesn’t have to be elaborate, or formal, or take more than a few minutes. Make it as simple and easy and natural as you can for both of you.

I guarantee you will both be blessed, and it will also do wonders for your marriage. After all, what is the old saying? “The couple who prays together stays together.” Prayer together is a shared spiritual experience. It is a strong tie that binds two hearts and souls together. And imagine the mutual joy you’ll experience as you witness God’s answers to your prayers … together!

RESPOND:

Dear Lord, my heart’s desire is to unite in prayer with my spouse. I pray that there would be no barriers between us. Guide us to keep our love directed toward one another. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES:
[image error]In Elizabeth and Jim's book, A Couple After God’s Own Heart , the couple teaches secrets to a great marriage by learning from biblical couples, such as Abraham and Sarah, Boaz and Ruth, Joseph and Mary, etc. Get started by taking their fun free challenge, “ 5 Ways in 5 Days to be a Closer Couple .”

REFLECT:

When your marriage is suffering… pray! Dare to step into the heart-wrenching cries of Psalm 55. It contains much-needed instruction for your own hurting, bewildered heart.

REMEMBER:

Some of your most meaningful fellowship with God will come when you unite together with your spouse in prayer and supplication.

Replace Worry With Faith

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As if a global recession weren’t enough to worry about, Americans are now facing a very real global pandemic. We should be guarding against anything that could divide us and yet, so many of us stand in judgement of others' decisions. We’ve all read the news stating the Covid-19 virus poses a significant health threat. States have been shut down, reopened, and then with what seems to be another rise in the numbers, some states face being shut down again. All of this at a time when our children and their teachers are preparing to go back to school.

For the first time since the 1950s, Americans are in the midst of a pandemic and understandably, people are worried. So how can you remain calm in the face of the unpredictable? How can we know if we are making the right decisions among so much misinformation and perceived media hype?

Motives Behind Decision Making

Have you ever analyzed what prompts you to make a particular decision? Very few, if any, decisions are made in a vacuum. There’s always something that provokes you or me to do what we do. Run through this short list of motives and emotions that contribute to many of the choices people make. Some are noble and others are not so noble.

Fear caused one of three servants who were given money to manage, save, and invest for their master, to hide money in the ground instead of investing it (Matthew 25:25).

Popularity pleased Pilate so much that he gave up on seeking to free Jesus and gave Him over to the murderous crowd (John 19:12).

Persecution influenced Peter to choose to deny Jesus three times out of fear (Matthew 26:69-74).

Approval induced Herod the king to kill the apostle James, and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he tried to kill Peter too ( Acts 12:1-4).

Obedience fueled Daniel’s choice to reject the king’s food rather than break God’s laws (Daniel 1:8).

Now it’s time to change or fine-tune how you’re gong to choose to make decisions from now on. Being concerned about making the right and best decisions is good thing. If you can learn few preliminary steps before rushing into something, or before choosing rashly, emotionally, or without consideration, then you can be less worried and more confident that you’re making right choices.

Review Each Decision

Clarify what is being asked of you. Pray and ask Him for guidance. Educate yourself on the options you are given.

Refine Your Options

What does each option entail? What does the Bible say about those things? Are there alternatives?

Remember God’s Word

The Bible is your standard. If any option does not agree with or align with God’s Word, then it’s a bad option.

Restrain Your Emotions

When emotions are involved we tend to make wrong, rash decisions. Get your emotions under control by praying and seeking Godly counsel. Then, approach your decision with a clear mind.

Re-examine Your Motives

Oftentimes, motives are deceptive. Our minds can justify anything. We must pray and ask God to reveal the condition of our own hearts and ask ourselves the tough questions to reveal our true motives.

If you’ve followed all of the steps above, then you can be confident you are making the right decision for yourself and your family. Why? Because you’re choosing to follow God’s leading. You’re not making decisions on your own. Instead, you are choosing to make God the essential element in your decision making process. Set your worry aside and trust in Him!

I’m a self-described “recovering worrier.” For many years, I struggled with anxiety over everything from health to finances. But today, in the midst of the unprecedented times we are in, I’ve found the secret to finding true peace in the midst of life’s most challenging circumstances. Because my own methods of getting rid of anxiety weren’t making any difference, I turned to the Bible for help. That’s when — and where — I found God’s life-changing truths that showed me the way to break my habit of worrying. You can do the same.

RESPOND:

Dear God, I so easily focus on the bad and then I worry. Please guide me in redeeming my negative thoughts by using them as reminders to pray. I want to fully trust You in all things. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES:

[image error]Tackling the growing problem of anxiety, Elizabeth George draws on the Bible and her personal experiences to help readers develop their trust in the Lord and take steps to keep worry and runaway fear in check. Going beyond the simple “just pray and give your troubles to the Lord,” in Breaking the Worry Habit Forever, Elizabeth acknowledges how hard it can be to “let go and let God.” She offers practical step-by-step advice to help readers.

REFLECT:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart.” (Proverbs 3:5)

When trouble crosses my path, what is my first reaction: do I worry or do I pray?

REMEMBER:

The goal of spiritual growth is to exchange the bad habit of worrying with the excellent habit of trusting God.

God's Desire for Hospitality

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Learning from Our Elders

One of the most valuable skills we can learn from our elders is hospitality. I’ve never forgotten how important and cherished my elders made me, and others, feel when they came for a visit.

A wise person once said, “People might forget your conversations but they will never forget how you made them feel. Make sure they felt loved.”

Our elders embodied an art that is quickly fading in our fast paced, technology-driven culture. There are some things that should remain old fashioned. I believe hospitality is one of them.

Ways to Practice Godly Hospitality

Pray for Your Guests. This may seem simple, but it should not be overlooked. The Bible tells us that out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. It is a good thing to be sure that our heart is pure towards our guests and their visit or else they could feel more like intruders. If we have angst or stress it is sure to reveal itself through our talk and actions. Don’t allow that to prevent you from sharing your love and hospitality with your guests.

Learn More About Your Guests. Do they like Chicken Parmesan? Do they have food allergies? Do they have a preference for entertainment? Learning more about them will allow you to have things they enjoy readily available during their stay. Before a visit, my grandmother would call me 2-3 times just to ask me silly questions. Well, I thought they were silly at the time but it turns out that she was asking these questions so she could prepare for my arrival. It’s a great concept when you think about it: just ask.

Personalize Something. Instead of digital “likes”, emailing, or leaving a post on someone’s social media wall, leave your guests a note of welcome or a gift basket of pampering bath products complete with a card. Other ways to show them love is to make simple name cards to assign seating at the table. It is something inexpensive and simple, but shows that they were thought of well in advance.

Prepare for Their Arrival. The majority of the time, the guest room in your home is just that. However, when a guest is coming for a visit, do your best to make it “their” room. Make them as comfortable as possible. By having all of the preparation done before your guest arrives you will offer them the feeling of security, the warmth of love, and you give yourself the gift of time to enjoy their company. No one wants to be the hostess running around looking for pillowcases and extra place settings while the guest sits somberly on the sofa. Without a doubt, no one would want to be that guest either.

Remember, the most important part of hospitality is the quality time you spend with your guest. It reminds me of a familiar story in the bible. Martha was struggling to prepare and care for her guests while Mary sat at the feet of Jesus. Neither of them were guilty of wrongdoing, but one chose what was “better.”

There are so many people around you who need love, friendship, support, and a relaxing time. Begin nurturing relationships by cultivating the art of hospitality (Romans 12:13). Then open your heart and home to others.

RESPOND:

Dear Lord, I want to always love my neighbor as myself and be the good samaritan to those who visit my home. Help me to know what is priority for their visit and what is not. Help me to be more like you in this area. Amen.

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RENEWING RESOURCES:

A Woman After God’s Own Heart by Elizabeth George will help you embrace God's plans for you, and you will find real purpose in a life of prayer and practicing God's priorities as you become A Woman After God's Own Heart®.

REFLECT:

Ask yourself, “Who can I open my arms and my heart and my home to?” Then, talk to your family and pray together about making plans to open your home.

REMEMBER:

The most important part of hospitality is the quality time you spend with your guest.

How to Study the Bible Effectively

[image error]Consider this as a guide to walk you through practical ways you can get the most out of your study time and to find out for yourself the meaning of scripture as well as its origin. Over time you will develop your own techniques and style for studying God’s word, and that is how it should be!

Choose a translation you can understand. There are many good modern translations you can use without having to stumble over difficult terms or archaic language.

KJV (King James Version) – This is the original English version written in the 1600s. Over time, as Old English was spoken less and less, it became increasingly hard to read and understand this version. It was written from the original Greek and Hebrew even though English is not spoken using the same word order.
NIV (New International Version) – This translation has tried to balance between emphasis on word-for-word translation and emphasis on meaning. It attempts to preserve the literal text, while bringing forth the concepts and ideas of the message.
NKJ (New King James Version) – This version is similar to the KJV but it was translated putting less emphasis on word order making it somewhat easier to read and understand. It still contains idioms and metaphors which are highly suited for more advanced readers.
NLT (New Living Translation) – This text is clearly written and easy to understand. It is translated thought-by-thought from the original Greek and Hebrew and places more emphasis on overall meaning instead of word-for-word translation.
NASB (New American Standard Bible) - This version translates the original texts as literally as possible, preserving word-for-word equivalency and original sentence structure in English wherever possible.
Amplified Bible – The Amplified Bible captures the full meaning behind the original Greek and Hebrew, fully defining the words along the way.
The Message – This vivid meaning by meaning translation provides the reader with an easy to understand and applicable approach to the original language. It is not translated word-for-word and uses modern slang.


Don’t try to see how fast you can read your Bible. Read at your normal rate or even slower. Don’t read just to see how fast you can turn the pages or finish a chapter. Read to have your life changed. Read for wisdom and encouragement. Read for greater understanding. Read so that tomorrow, or maybe even a year from now, you’ll remember what you read today. Be a thoughtful reader, and not just a quick skimmer. You can use the following resources to further research verses of scripture:

Concordance
Bible Dictionary
Bible handbook


Read with a pen or pencil in hand. Underline passages or words that stand out to you. If you don’t understand something, put a question mark beside it so you can research it later. Write an exclamation point in the margin for something that excites you, or a star next to verses you want to remember or read again. If you are nervous about marking your Bible, don’t be. It’s not the physical ink and paper that’s sacred, but God’s message itself. God wants you to understand your Bible, so go ahead and mark it! All your interaction with a pen or pencil will help you to better grasp God’s message to you.

Notebook (for recording your findings) – Any notebook will do. Just make sure you have one. There is no greater disappointment than knowing God showed you something about a particular scripture or event in your life but not remembering exactly what it was that He showed you. If you write things down then you will always be able to go back over it.
You can utilize colored pencils for highlighting in your Bible that speak to you. It is important to note that liquid highlighters leave marks, fade, and bleed so it is typically better to use dry colored pencils on the thin sheets of the bible.


Always read Bible verses with the surrounding passages in mind. Keep asking, what happened in the section before the passage you are currently reading. If you have a study Bible, read the explanatory notes and comments. If the book of the Bible you are reading has an introduction, read what it says. The basic formula for study could be derived from these key elements:

Choose a book or topic to study.
Pray.
Read and ask who, what, when, where, and why.
Study using tools to discover history, context, and author.
Record findings.

Good observation isn’t just about the simple mechanics of reading the words themselves. It’s about reading for understanding.

“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” –2 Tim. 2:15.

RESPOND:

Lord, my heart’s desire is to fill my mind with Your Word. I want to be able to pull up Your truths and promises in a split second, to be able to comfort my soul when needed, and to speak a word in season to those who are weary. Amen.

RENEWING RESOURCES: 
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God's Word can change your life―for real. But that can't happen until you commit yourself to knowing the Bible. A Young Man's Guide to Discovering His Bible by Jim George can help you do that.

 

REFLECT:

What are some ways that you study the word?

REMEMBER:

Immerse yourself in Scripture. And pray as you read. Commit yourself afresh to spiritual growth and the practice of Bible reading.