Growing in Grace

He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake. . . First of all Scripture points out that most of us are a stiff-necked and stubborn lot. . . .It is inexorably interlocked with personal pride and self-assertion. . . We humans cling to the same habits that we have seen ruin other lives. Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death." In contrast to which Christ the Good Shepherd comes gently and says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6). "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). The difficult point is that most of us don't want to come. . . We have a sick society struggling to survive on beleaguered land. Amid all this chaos and confusion Christ the Good Shepherd comes and says, If any man will follow me, let him deny himself daily and take u

776. Errand done 777. Headache almost gone 778. Bed early 779. Ellie got over her bad attitude 780. Josh's tender, humble, servant's heart 781. Rainforest Café for dinner with coupon and birthday credit 782. Window shopping at the mall with the kids 783. Quiet evening 784. School work done 785. Nice weather; especially during J's golf lesson 786. Dennis' school field trip worked out 787. Pizza/movie with kids 788. Talk with Mom 789. E wrote out her frustration and was able to move on 790. We finished all work for the quarter; our first 9 weeks is done 791. I got a nap 792. My headache went away 793. I got some yard work done 794. Ice cream 795. Cooler weather 796. Good day at Friday school 797. Finished all the chores for the week 798. Time to soak my feet 799. Nice quiet time at dinner and then Amazing Race 800. Chiropractor; back feeling better

751. Cheesy scalloped potatoes! Yum! 752. Laughing together as a family 753. Josh did presentation and did it well 754. Ellie did language early and wrote a good analogy 755. Some chores got done 756. A little rest 757. Good time of worship and study 758. Ellie enjoyed the Homeschool Experience Day 759. Time with Josh 760. Rest/Movie 761. Talk with Mom 762. Pay day! 763. The team played amazingly well in spite of the heat 764. No one suffered from the heat during the game 765. Time with Josh; special treat 766. Nice visit with Grandma 767. Safety in traveling 768. Devotion, time to talk and prayer with hubby 769. Josh enjoying the book I chose for him 770. A nap 771. Pizza/movie 772. Headache went away 773. Time with hubby 774. Friday school things ready 775. Kids did chores well

726. Good volleyball game 727. No guest/ more relaxed 728. Safe travels 729. Dinner seating worked out 730. Time with family 731. Rain 732. Sleeping in 733. Slow, restful day 734. My girl cleaned her room without being asked 735. Family time - dinner and Amazing Race 736. Completed school work for day 737. Rain and cooler temperatures; rainbow 738. Signed loan docs/ no payment next month 739. Hubby got dinner; no cooking 740. Fun pets/ Mindy "popcorning" 741. Conviction, forgiveness; new day tomorrow 742. Completed school work for the day 743. Worked on character project and made good progress 744. Good time of study 745. Family game time after dinner 746. Cool weather 747. Finished school work for day 748. Working in the yard in the cool of the morning 749. Finished study 750. Nice time outside during Josh's golf lesson

If anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do." -Colossians 3:13 (NKJV) In any relationship, it is good to talk things out face-to-face. Most of us are not very good at navigating conflict and disagreement. Sometimes we try to make our feelings known through passive aggressive comments and/or actions. Sometimes we remain silent and keep our feelings bottled up. Often we let small issues fester. Then we impute wrong motives and end up with a wall. This can lead to bitterness and the breakdown of the relationship. If you are in a conflict situation with someone, here are some important principles to remember. Many disagreements come from misunderstanding. Ask the Lord to give you insight into the other's feelings and perspective. Choose not to overthink the problem. Choose, if possible, to overlook it. And always be willing to forgive. -From The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional by Debbi Bryson; February 22

The man (or woman) of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out. -Proverbs 10:9 (NIV) Integrity is doing the right thing even when nobody is watching. "Have the courage to say no. Have the courage to face the truth. Do the right thing because it is right. These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity." -W. Clement Stone If we purpose in our hearts to do the right thing, we will never have to cover our tracks. There will be moments when it is tough to have integrity. It might be easier to tell a little lie or take a shortcut. But God always sees and knows our hearts. May God give us the courage to always do the right thing. -From The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional by Debbi Bryson; February 21

Hatred stirs up dissension, but love covers over all wrongs. -Proverbs 10:12 (NIV) Picture Credit Les Miserables , by Victor Hugo, is an amazing and beautiful story of the redemption of an ex-convict, Jean Valjean. When he was released on parole, he couldn't find work. A priest found him, took him in, and gave him food and shelter. In the night, Valjean stole the priest's silverware. He was caught by the police, but the priest saved him by claiming that the silver was a gift. Then the priest gave Valjean two silver candlesticks, the last of his valuable possessions. In this scene in the musical, the priest sings these amazing words - first to the officers and then to Valjean: So Messieurs you may release him, for this man has spoken true. I commend you for your duty; may God's blessing go with you. But remember this, my brother. See in this some higher plan. You must use this precious silver to become an honest man. By the witness of the martyrs, by

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ."   -Galatians 1:10 It is quite easy to give in to doubt over the many roles and responsibilities I have. I can often give in to "poor me" thoughts like, "No one notices the things I do," "I'm not qualified to do this task," "I could have done this or that better," "If only I was smarter, more patient, more bold, etc." Sometimes this kind of thinking goes on for hours or even days and I begin to loose confidence and at the same time become angry or bitter at those who I feel should be affirming me. This devotion, however, reminded me that I shouldn't be seeking the approval of my husband, kids, family or friends; but that the only person I should be concerned about pleasing is the Lord. Colossians 3:23-24 says "Whatever you do, work at it wi

Blessings crown the head of the righteous, but violence overwhelms the mouth of the wicked. The memory of the righteous will be a blessing, but the name of the wicked will rot. -Proverbs 10:6-7 (NIV) "'The memory of the righteous will be a blessing.' This is their legacy. Wherever they go, they leave behind a fragrance of sweetness, of kindness, of grace and encouragement. We need to rub shoulders with people who have lived like that." Live It! "Sometimes we think that only famous people make a real impact on others around them. You need to know that's not true in God's economy. Today you can give someone a word of hope, today you can lift someone up in prayer, today you can simply and sincerely tell someone that you love them and that they are important. Be assured: sometimes it is the little things that truly are the big things." -From The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional by Debbi Bryson; February 20

The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish. -Proverbs 10:3 (NKJV) "Maybe you're struggling right now and wondering if you are going to make it. . . In times lie this, we need to read the stories of people who have faced physical famine and hardship in the past." The midwives during Moses' days feared God and did not obey Pharaoh's command to kill all Hebrew babies who were boys. Later in the Old Testament, we see that Joseph remained faithful to God. He never gave in to temptation, but stood for righteousness and integrity. The result for both was God's favor. The Lord was with them and blessed them. The midwives were given families of their own. Joseph married, had children and grandchildren, and he was reunited with his family. Harry Ironside writes, "Let the outward circumstances be as they may, the soul of righteousness is lifted above them all and finds cause to rejoice in the midst of tribulation! Our pockets may be empty, b

Many people have the idea that when a child of God falls, when he is frustrated and helpless in a spiritual dilemma, God becomes disgusted, fed-up and even furious with him. This is simply not so. When I read the life story of Jesus Christ and examine carefully His conduct in coping with human need, I see Him again and again as the Good Shepherd picking up "cast" sheep. Most of us, though we belong to Christ and desire to be under His control and endeavor to allow ourselves to be led by Him, do on occasion find ourselves cast down. As with sheep, so with Christians, some basic principles and parallels apply which will help us grasp the way in which a man or woman can be "cast." There is, first of all, the idea of looking for a soft spot. The sheep that choose the comfortable, soft, rounded hollows in the ground in which to lie down very often become cast. In the Christian life there is great danger in always looking for the easy place, the cozy corner,

Photo Credit A foolish woman is clamorous; She is simple, and knows nothing. For she sits at the door of her house. . . To call to those who pass by. . . "Whoever is simple, let him turn it here"; And as for him who lacks understanding, She says to him, "Stolen water is sweet, And bread eaten in secret is pleasant." But he does not know that the dead are there, That her guests are in the depths of hell. -Proverbs 9:13-18 (NKJV) A foolish woman is clamorous. To be clamorous is to murmur, growl, roar, rage, to be troubled, in an uproar, in a stir, a commotion, boisterous, turbulent, raging. Here is a big clue for us. Every one of these definitions describes anything but a meek and quiet spirit. Usually if we women make an uproar on the outside, it's because there's an uproar on the inside. A clamorous woman lures other people into her whirlpool - or maybe a better word is cesspool. I know that the first level of application of

In Galatians chapter two, we find Paul talking about his trip to Jerusalem about fourteen years after his conversion. The Judaizers had infiltrated the early church insisting that the Gentile believers must submit to circumcision and the law. The gospel given to Paul by God was of faith through grace. It was important for that position to be defended if the gospel was to remain pure. Paul took Barnabas and Titus with him to Jerusalem to do just that. Acts 11:19-26 tells us that Barnabas was a good man who was full of the Holy Spirit and faith. We read in Acts 13:2 that the Holy Spirit spoke and said to set apart Barnabas for the work He had called him to do. And in 2 Corinthians 8:16-17, 23 we are told that Barnabas had the same concern for the Corinthians as Paul. He organized the collection, showed enthusiasm and initiative. Barnabas was Paul's partner and fellow worker. Paul held him in high esteem. Warren Wiersbe writes that Barnabas was one of Paul's closest friends. He

701. No migraine 702. Completed some of our school subjects; a needed break 703. Found the golf course and on time 704. Nap 705. Ice cream! 706. Another nap! 707. Red Robin for dinner 708. Hubby who pays the bills 709. Paycheck to pay bills 710. Cute kitten in the yard 711. Fast appointment 712. Pizza and movie with kids 713. Talked with Dennis 714. Towel provided and good weather so no jacket needed for Dennis 715. Time alone in the evening 716. Fun day with the kids - movie and the mall 717. Talked with Dennis 718. Time alone in evening 719. Stomach pain passed 720. Comfy bed and cooler weather 721. Good day at Friday school 722. My girl's glasses didn't break and she wasn't hurt badly by soccer ball to face 723. Dennis home safe 724. Good practice/fun team 725. Friends

676. A helper for Friday school 677. Answered prayer for family friends 678. Mom friends 679. Kids like my Friday school class! 680. Amazing day at the Safari Park 681. Felt good physically - energy, strength, rested 682. Accomplished many things 683. Hubby picked up dinner 684. Good time of learning and fellowship at Bible study 685. Enjoyed the pets today 686. Still feeling good - energy, feeling strong 687. Good talk with my mom 688. Kids feeling better after having bad colds 689. Enjoyable time at practice and dinner 690. Pay day/Loan approved 691. Won our volleyball match 692. Lunch with my hubby 693. Visit with good friend 694. Fun evening of food and games with friends 695. Kids over illness and able to enjoy time with friends 696. Able to buy groceries 697. Time with my girl 698. A nap 699. Family time watching Amazing Race 700. My girl opening up

By me (wisdom) your days will be multiplied, And years of life will be added to you. If you are wise, you are wise for yourself, And if you scoff, you will bear it alone -Proverbs 9:11-12 (NKJV) It's been said, "People cannot decide their future. But they can decided their habits, and their habits decide their future." So true. Although it's right to live right and that alone is a reward, there are also many, many benefits to making wise, right choices. So let's take a moment to look at some of the just plain practical, personal benefits of wise living for us as women. *Health.Wise living teaches us to be good stewards of our health. It is not wise to smoke or eats lots of junky food. It is wise to exercise and eat well. It is unhealthy to internalize anger and worry. It's healthy to live simply and forgive easily. *Beauty. A wise life is a beautiful life. I know several godly, gracious, wise women over eighty, and I have to say, I think they'

"An important element of wisdom is personal responsibility. Many people blame others for their wrong choices and unhappiness. It is time to realize we are each accountable for our own emotional and spiritual well-being. . . You are. . . as joyful and wise and peaceful and full of God's love as you choose to be." -Debby Bryson; The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional ; February 11

In Genesis 38, Judah made a poor choice by not giving his youngest son in marriage to his daughter-in-law. He also made a poor choice by sleeping with a woman he thought was a prostitute, but ended up being his daughter-in-law. Proverbs 8 tells us that God's wisdom is available to us. We need to seek it through reading God's Word and prayer. Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. For whoever finds me finds life and receives favor from the Lord. But whoever fails to find me harms himself; all who hate me love death. -Proverbs 8:33-36 We should establish the priorities for our life based on God's principles. Once we know what our priorities are, we need to set boundaries in order to maintain them. Sometimes this means saying no to things, even good things, in order to maintain the best things for our lives. When unexpected things arise, we need to be flexible and a

My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you. Keep my commands and you will live; guard my teachings as the apple of your eye. Bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart. Say to wisdom, "You are my sister," and call understanding your kinsman; they will keep you from the adulteress, from the wayward wife with her seductive words. -Proverbs 7:1-5 Treasure God's word; obey it and live. "A love affair with God's word will make you immune to love affairs with the world, the flesh and the devil." -Debby Bryson; The One Year Wisdom for Women Devotional ; February 4

In the second to last chapter of Sally Clarkson's book Dancing With My Father, Sally writes about how we all love stories where good versus evil and the heroes, against all odds, win the ultimate victory. These stories give us hope. But the greatest epic begins with our Father, the Creator of the universe, who delighted in giving us a beautiful kingdom in which to enjoy life. But Satan, the evil enemy, came along; deceiving and captured the allegiance of God's creation. In order to retrieve the lost from the kingdom of darkness, Jesus, our hero, sacrificed Himself and conquered death. And as His redeemed, we each play a part by bringing "light, love, beauty, and His presence every place we go." (p. 186) Like the devoted heart of the princesses in the fairy tale stories we love, we too must have a devoted heart. "Joy is not found in doing - 'If I follow this formula and do enough good work, then I will find joy.' It is not dependent on our deserving - &

Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. -1 Peter 2:12 There can be no more valuable ministry than providing God's Word to people who have never had Scriptures written in their native language. All believers are responsible for a different type of translation. Our life is to be a translation of God's Word that can be read by those around us who might never open a Bible. All our actions should reflect God's love. When people watch us, they should see a living translation of the gospel of Christ. -From The One Year On This Day by Dianne Neal Matthews

I am suffering and in pain. Rescue me, O God, by your saving power. -Psalm 69:29 Even believers can get caught up in wrongs ways to deal with the pain of life's trials and disappointments. A relationship or an activity that starts out as wholesome may end up poisoning our life if it causes us to stray from God. We can be prepared to deal with emotional pain by having God's Word memorized in our head and heart. That way, our source of pain relief can never be tampered with. - The One Year On This Day by Dianne Neal Matthews Photo Credit

Christ, our Good Shepherd, made it clear that thirsty souls of men and women can only be fully satisfied when their capacity and thirst for spiritual life is fully quenched by drawing on himself. In Matthew 5:6 He said, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst for righteousness: for they shall be filled (satisfied)." . . . Saint Augustine of Africa summed it up so well when he wrote, "O God! Thou hast made us for Thyself and our souls are restless, searching, 'til they find their rest in Thee." . . . He (the Good Shepherd) leadeth me beside the still waters." . . Generally speaking, water for the sheep came from three main sources. . .dew on the grass. . . deep wells. . .or springs and streams. . . In the Christian life it is of more than passing significance to observe that those who are often the most serene, most confident and able to cope with life's complexities are those who rise early each day to feed on God's Word. . . But