Have you ever seen the television commercial with the famous catchphrase, “Help!  I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” (I see that Life Alert actually has a registered trademark on those words!)  I didn’t realize that a version of that commercial was still running until I saw it again recently.

While a physical fall can definitely be a problem, sometimes we fall down spiritually and have a hard time getting our footing back.  Satan’s tool of discouragement can be well-aimed and effective.

Sometimes there are specific circumstances we can point to in our lives that get us down.  Other times, we may just have a general feeling of discouragement, and not be able to find any particular reason for it.

In I Samuel 30:6, we are told that David was “greatly distressed…but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.”  David found himself in a very upsetting situation, but he recognized what he needed to do in order to move forward.

When we find that we’re in a spot where we’ve lost our courage or are lacking hope, let’s follow David’s example and find some ways to encourage ourselves in the Lord.  Here are a few ideas to try.

1. Listen to Christ-honoring music.  I’ve been neglecting Alexa.  One of the reasons I wanted that “toy” for Christmas was so that I could have an easy way to play music as we started our day.  Last week I determined to get better about using her!  I want to send my family out the door each morning with uplifting music in their ears – and it’s helpful for me, too.  Find favorite hymns or other songs of praise, and listen to the words as you work around the house or drive in your car.  Or you could find a message from a preacher you enjoy or catch a particular podcast that has an encouraging message.

2. Meditate on a Bible passage of praise.  Psalm 27 and Psalm 91 are two of my favorites passages to read when I need encouragement.  It may even help to write or type out the words of a Psalm and post them where you can see them throughout the day.

3. Make a list of answered prayer in your life.  From the time you were saved up until the present, there are certainly a host of prayers that have been answered.  Write down physical needs that were met, but also remember the spiritual needs that have been fulfilled.  Read over the list; perhaps even share it with your children, if appropriate.

4. Choose a promise of God to focus on.  Are you discouraged because of a financial need?  God is the great provider.  Think of verses like Philippians 4:19. “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”  Are you struggling with guilt?  I John 1:9 tells us that if we confess our sins, God forgives us.  Are you anxious about something?  We’re told in I Peter 5:7 to cast all our cares on Him because He cares for us.

5. Write a thank-you note.  This is another habit that I’ve not kept up with lately, but need to get back to.  Think of someone who has positively impacted your life, either recently or in the past, then write and mail them a note that expresses your appreciation.

6. Pray for someone else’s needs.  Remembering our family members, friends, or fellow church members who are going through a difficult time gets our eyes off of ourselves.  By setting our focus first on Christ and secondly on others, we will often find that we can encourage ourselves in the Lord.

I hope that you’ll find one of these ideas helpful when discouragement tries to get a foothold in your spirit.  Can you share some other ways that we might encourage ourselves in the Lord?

Related posts:
Who’s the Boss – Feelings or Truth?
What This Forty-Something Mom Learned from a Football Movie
7 Promises of God to Carry Me Through the Week

Have you ever noticed that the heroines of some of our favorite books often have glaring faults?  Though they are endearing and good at heart, they might be stubborn, have a short temper, or act impulsively.

Think of Laura in Little House on the Prairie, Anne in Anne of Green Gables, or Jo in Little Women.  None of them are what we’d consider “perfect,” yet we enjoy reading their stories.  Maybe, in one way or another, we see a little bit of ourselves in their imperfections.

We can all identify with flawed characters.  God included flawed women in the Bible, and Sarah was one of them.

When we study Sarah’s life, we don’t have to look far to find a shortcoming – one that many of us probably share.  Reading the account of Sarah’s life in Genesis, we see her struggling with her faith.  Can you relate?  I can!  Yet Sarah is listed with the heroes of faith in Hebrews 11.

So in spite of how she failed – and how I’ve failed in my faith, too – I can learn a few lessons from her.

 1. It’s easy to doubt God when I focus on the circumstances instead of on His promises.  In Genesis 18:9-15, we read how Sarah laughed when, standing just inside the tent door, she heard the Lord say that she would have a baby.  Her immediate thought (and a very logical one) was that the promise she’d just heard couldn’t be fulfilled because of her age.  Sarah’s first reaction wasn’t faith, but doubt.  Yet God’s response was to remind her that with Him, nothing is impossible.  We know that God is able to keep any promise that He makes, no matter how the situation looks to us.

2. Trying to work out God’s plan in my own way never ends well.  Here’s where Sarah reminds me of myself at times.  She knew that God’s plan was to give Abraham a child.  Sarah, though, got tired of waiting for God’s plan to develop, and in Genesis 16:1-6, she took matters into her own hands.  She figured out a way for Abraham to have a son.  Sarah thought she knew best.  But we know how this story ends, with Isaac’s and Ishmael’s descendants still at odds today.  Surely there’s a reason there are so many verses in the Bible about waiting on God!  When I’m tempted to step ahead of His plan, may I remember what happened with Sarah.

3. It’s the character of the God in Whom I put my faith that’s key.  Hebrews 11:11 says,

“Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.“

Sarah counted Him faithful.  She took God at His Word.  Faith is not about my working up trust in God inside of myself.  It’s about the never-failing God in whom I put my trust, and His Holy Spirit giving me the ability to believe what God says in His Word.

4. Faith won’t always make sense to me.  Actually, it wouldn’t be faith if I could make sense of it all, would it?  I doubt that all those years of waiting made sense to Sarah.  Surely she wondered why a son for Abraham couldn’t have come earlier in their lives.  Yet God gave her “strength to receive seed” late in life, after the point where it even seemed possible.  We may never understand what God is doing – especially when we don’t see any evidence of His working at all – but He is always in control.

5. Faith leads to God’s blessing.  In the end, Sarah gave Abraham a son, in God’s time.

“And Sarah said, ‘God hath made me to laugh, so that all that hear will laugh with me.’  And she said, ‘Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have born him a son in his old age.'” ~Genesis 21:6-7

 What pleasure Sarah must have had in mothering Isaac!  Yet the blessings continued well beyond her lifetime.  Through the line of Abraham and Sarah’s son, we have all been blessed.  The seed that God promised Adam in the Garden of Eden, His Son Jesus, came to earth to win our salvation.

I’m thankful that I have Sarah’s example to encourage me in my own faith.  Though doubt will win at times, may I, too, grow in my faith as I judge my God faithful!

Earlier posts in this series:

What Hannah Teaches Me About Prayer
What Mary Teaches Me About Worship
What Ruth Teaches Me About Trusting God
What Mary Teaches Me About Praising God
What Eve Teaches Me About Trusting God

I wish I was always lovable.  You know, the kind of person who’s sweet, selfless, thoughtful, and kind.  A person who goes out of their way to help others, and meets a need without even having to be asked.

But if I’m honest with myself, I can often be anything but that!  Considering that I lost my battle with my temper over the weekend…again…and have I mentioned that pride continues to have its way with me?  That’s a side of me that definitely isn’t easy to love.

Certainly if it was up to me to be worthy of God’s love, I would continually fall short.

Yet I am loved by God.  And yes, God had a choice.  He chose to love me.  With all my faults and failures and shortcomings and the ugly stains of sin, He still chose to love me.

Sometimes I think I take God’s love for granted.  It seems like I’ve kind of always known that God loves me, so I just let that fact pass me right by, never taking the time to really dwell on it.  So today I want to consider some truths about God’s love for me, wonder at the magnificence of it, and praise Him for loving me.

I am loved by God.

1.   God’s love is His gift to me.  I can’t be good enough to earn it, I can’t be bad enough to lose it.  Perhaps the most well-known verse in the Bible, John 3:16, says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son…”  God didn’t just say He loved me; He showed me that He did by sending His Son to die for me.  As with any gift, all I have to do is accept this expression of love.

2.  Nothing can separate me from God’s love.  You’re probably familiar with this passage.

“For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” ~Romans 8:38-39

I think that about covers it all!!  No event, no past or future circumstance, no distance, no person can remove me from God’s love.

3.  There is no greater love than God’s love for me.  John 15:13 says, “…love one another, as I have loved you.  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.”  Jesus demonstrated the greatest love possible when He laid down His life for me.  As much as another person may love me, that love pales in comparison to God’s love.

4.  God loved me enough to make me His child.  “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God:”  ~I John 3:1  I know how much love I have in my heart for my children.  When I think about God loving me that much, how can I doubt Him and His plan for my life?  I like how Jesus addresses this in Matthew 7:9-11.  Just as we as parents want to give good things to our kids, don’t we realize how much more our God wants to bless us with what He knows is best for us?  How thankful I am to be a child of God.

5.  God’s love for me never ends.  “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” ~Jeremiah 31:3  The nation of Israel is being directly referenced in this verse, yet it applies just as well to His church, those of us who are saved.  Failure in my Christian walk today doesn’t mean God won’t love me anymore.  According to I John 4:16, God is love.  It’s His very nature.  That’s Who He is, and that can never change.

Will you join me today in praising God for His love for you?

He left His Father’s throne above,
So free, so infinite His grace;
Emptied Himself of all but love,
And bled for Adam’s helpless race:
’Tis mercy all, immense and free;
For, O my God, it found out me.

Amazing love! how can it be
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

~Charles Wesley

Related posts:
Lost Your Hope?  Find It Here
7 Promises of God to Carry Me Through the Week
Who’s the Boss – Feelings or Truth?

God grants some of us an easy road to parenthood.  You decide it’s time to start a family, everything goes along as expected, and babies are born right on schedule.

It wasn’t that way for us.  After two years of trying to have a child, I finally got pregnant, only to have our first daughter journey straight back to heaven on the same day she was born.  It was another two years before God blessed us with our now 16-year-old daughter.

So when I read the story of Hannah in I Samuel, I feel like I understand a little bit of Hannah’s heart. Admittedly, I had no Peninah to antagonize me, and the cultural pressure to have a son to carry on the family heritage wasn’t there.  But when I read of Hannah in the temple, crying out her soul’s deep longing to have a child, I think I know at least to some degree how she felt.

But as we look at Hannah’s plea, the lessons we learn from her about prayer can apply to any hardship, anxiety, sorrow, or disappointment that has your heart heavy today. Hannah was a woman who had a heartfelt need, took it to God, and saw Him answer her request.

1.  Every heartache and raw emotion can be brought to God.  There is no trial too difficult, no pain too sharp, no burden too heavy that He can’t help you bear it.  I Samuel 1:10 says that Hannah was in bitterness of soul and wept with anguish.  In verse 15, we’re told that she poured out her soul before the Lord. Tell Him every hurt you feel, empty your soul at His feet. He is able to empathize with every feeling we’re having.

2.  God is the only one who can solve my problem.  I Samuel 1:5 reveals that the Lord had shut up Hannah’s womb.  There was no special technique, no medicine, no person that could resolve this issue outside of prayer.  How often I want to look all around for solutions to my problem or relief from my trial instead of realizing that going to God in prayer should be my first resort.

3.  When I’ve left my cares with God, I can move on with my life.  When Hannah leaves the temple after praying, I Samuel 1:18 says, “So the woman went her way, and did eat, and her countenance was no more sad.”  Once I’ve unburdened my soul to the only one who can solve my problem, I need to leave it with Him.  Hannah didn’t continue to mope around; she was trusting God to answer her prayer in His way and in His time.

4.  Take time to recognize answered prayer.  Twice Hannah acknowledges that God directly answered prayer.  It’s recorded in I Samuel 1:20 and in 1:27, where she says, “For this child I prayed; and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him.”  Give God the glory He is due.  Celebrate answers to prayer by offering thanks to God and by sharing stories of answered prayer with others.  I know my own faith is always encouraged when I hear how God has worked in direct response to prayer in others’ lives.

5.  Know that our good God so often gives us even more than we ask for.  Here’s what we read in I Samuel 2:21.  “And the Lord visited Hannah, so that she conceived, and bare three sons and two daughters.”  What did she ask for in chapter 1?  A son.  Yet God gave her so much more.

Let’s praise God for the privilege we have to bring all our concerns, our worries, and our troubles to Him!  He loves us and knows the desires of our heart, and has the power to bring to pass what is best for us.

Related posts:
What Mary Teaches Me About Worship
What Ruth Teaches Me About Trusting God
7 Things a Wise Woman Can Pray For

Here we are at the end of January, several weeks into the new year.  Maybe you’re planning for this to be the year that you lose that weight, religiously follow an exercise routine, or actually read all the books on that list you created.

I dare say that hope inspired those goals – hope that you would actually do those things that will move you forward in a certain area of your life.

There’s something about hope that keeps us going on, even when we feel like the odds are against us.  Often in life, we’re even willing to go through some pain or hard times, if we think things will be better on the other side.

Dictionary.com defines hope as “the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best.”  Speaking from a human standpoint, some days it’s easier to feel hopeful than it is on other days.  When circumstances seem overwhelming and discouragement creeps in, or fear or worry about the future rears its ugly head, we can lose our hope.

 
Yet when we find, as David did, our hope in God, we realize that hope is not just a feeling.  It’s a confidence in our God that He is trustworthy, His Word is sure, and what He has promised will come to pass.

And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope [is] in thee. ~ Psalm 39:7

What more can I ask for than to have my hope in God?  If my trust is in Him, I know I won’t be disappointed.  While a situation may look bleak today, He is in control.  The One in whom I place my hope is God.  Hope is more than an expectation; it’s believing that God has planned what is best for me.

And what more encouraging passage than this one when we need hope!

“This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.
The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.
It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.”
~Lamentation 3:21-26

Verse 26 teaches me that hoping and waiting go hand in hand.

Think about the first time we meet hope, which is in the Garden of Eden.  God, in His mercy and in spite of their disobedience, offered Adam and Eve hope when He said that He would send a Savior who would take the full penalty for their sin.  (Genesis 3:14, 15)

Yet that hope wasn’t realized in the immediate moment.  In fact, Adam and Eve didn’t see it fully fulfilled in their lifetime, yet they had faith that God would keep His Word.  So when we base our hope on what God has said, we can completely rest in the knowledge that He will bring it to pass in His time.

Just as hope began with the promise of a Savior, so my hope for eternity, for a home in heaven, must be based in my accepting that Savior as my redeemer, my way to heaven.  That is my greatest hope, and one that we can all share!

So if today finds you a bit discouraged, and you feel like hope is lost, look for it in God.  Search His Word for promises you can claim.  Meditate on the above passage from Lamentations.  And, as Christians, let’s thank God for our greatest hope – eternity with Him.

Related posts:
Who’s the Boss – Feelings or Truth?
7 Promises of God to Carry Me Through the Week
He Is Enough

Have you ever identified yourself as a Mary or a Martha?

Yes, I’m talking about the story in Luke 10:38-42, where Jesus visits Martha’s house.

In case you need a refresher, here it is.

Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

Frankly, I’ve always identified with Martha.  My to-do list just doesn’t leave enough time to sit still for very long, certainly not if there’s obvious work to be done.  I wonder, could it be that I feel worthless, not enough, if I’m not accomplishing, doing, making progress somehow?

Yet Jesus clearly applauded Mary’s choice to sit at His feet.

Jesus called Martha “careful and troubled about many things.” Not only was her body in constant motion, but her soul was disturbed.  Can you identify?  Yes, Martha, I’m right there with you.

Do you ever crave a bit of soul rest, stillness before God?  I think that can be answered by setting aside our service for a bit, and worshiping at Jesus’ feet.

Since Mary understood this, let’s see what we can learn from her in this area. Maybe I can cultivate some Mary in my own heart.

 
1.  Mary made a conscious choice to worship.  In verse 42, Jesus said, “…Mary hath chosen that good part…”  I don’t know if people have always been as busy as we are – or at least as busy as we make ourselves – but we certainly have to make the choice to worship if we are going to do it.  It’s rare that we sit down and think, “Oh, I have twenty minutes free, let me worship.”  If we’re going to worship God on a regular basis, we need to schedule it.  There may be times it just happens – I’ve been riding in my car and gotten caught up in a song I’m listening to, and it leads me straight to worship – but that’s certainly not often enough.  I must choose to include time for worship in my day.

2.  Mary was willing to set aside service to worship.  I think we’d all agree that there is a time for service.  Certainly Martha was doing her best to serve the guests in her home.  And I am certain that on most occasions, Mary was right there working alongside Martha.  But Jesus said that in that moment, spending time with Him was the needful part.  It’s easy to get wrapped up in service, what I with my own two hands and my hard work can do.  If we’re worshiping, it’s all about being still – at least in our soul – which means being quiet and focusing on God.  I need the times of worship, so that I can have strength for the times of service.

3.  Mary’s worship was about Jesus, not about her.  Verse 39 says that Mary was sitting at Jesus feet.  She wasn’t in a place of prominence or seeking attention from the others that were present.  If we’re not careful, we can use service to seek our own glory.  We want others to recognize all that we’re doing, to applaud us for our sacrifice in serving.  And while God knows our intentions – and our service certainly can be all about Him – true worship from a sincere heart, is only about God.  It’s about praising Him for who He is and what He’s done.

I tried to think of a few practical ways we can worship God.

• Pray a Psalm back to God.  Here’s one of my favorites to use for that purpose.
• Read/sing/listen to a favorite hymn that focuses on praise to God.
• Take a set amount of time and meditate on one verse that describes God’s character.

I didn’t intend to write a series on lessons I’m learning from women in the Bible, but that’s what it’s turned into!  I have a few other posts along these lines in the works, but here are the first three in case you missed them.

What Ruth Teaches Me About Trusting God
What Mary Teaches Me About Praising God
What Eve Teaches Me About Doubting God

I’d love to know what other ideas you have for ways we can worship God!

Like many young girls, Ruth and Esther were two of my favorite Bible characters when I was growing up.  Both were brave and courageous, and both had to make hard choices when it came to following their faith.

I’ve studied the book of Ruth on my own several times, and my husband recently taught a series on her in our Sunday School class.  I’ve learned a lot from Ruth, but the overarching lesson that speaks to me is her trust in God.

I first see it in chapter one, when she tells Naomi, “your God will be my God.”  We know that Ruth lives out that faith once she’s settled in Bethlehem, because in Ruth 2:12, Boaz says to Ruth, “…and a full reward be given thee of the Lord God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust.”

I’m amazed at Ruth’s ability to leave her future in God’s hands.  She willingly followed Naomi to an unknown country and faced an uncertain future.  I would love to interview Ruth and find out what inspired her faith, and how she came to know the God she so fully trusted.  Was it her husband’s testimony?  Was it her mother-in-law’s example?  Did she compare Jehovah to the false gods of her homeland?

In my 40-plus years, I’ve come to realize that learning to trust God is going to be a lifelong process.  If I want to be a woman who trusts God like Ruth did, here are a few lessons I can learn from her story.

 
1.  There are no coincidences with God.  Ruth 2:3 says, “And she went, and came, and gleaned in the field after the reapers: and her hap was to light on a part of the field belonging unto Boaz...”  Ruth headed out to work, and “happened” to end up in the field of a kinsman redeemer, one of the few people who could provide a better life for Ruth and Naomi.  God knew exactly which field He wanted Ruth to be in, and He guided her there.  His plan for taking care of her was already at work, even when she had no clue about what was happening.

Just so in our lives, every step is planned, every circumstance is orchestrated.  Even when we can’t see or understand the direction our life is taking, He is working behind the scenes to direct us in the way He wants us to go.  Philip Yancey said, “I have learned that faith means trusting in advance what will only make sense in reverse.”

2.  There is confidence in obeying what you know to do.  In Ruth 3:5 we’re told, “And she [Ruth] said unto her [Naomi], All that thou sayest unto me I will do.”  Ruth did as her mother-in-law instructed her, and followed the plan for approaching the kinsman redeemer, Boaz.  Even though she may not have understood the customs, she obeyed what she knew she was supposed to do.

When I’m doing what I know God commands me to do in His Word, I can be confident in leaving the outcome to Him.  On the other hand, if I’m going my own way and doing my own thing, how can I trust that God is going to bless me?

3.  There’s value in sitting still and waiting.  I’ve long loved this passage in Ruth 3:18.  “Then said she [Naomi], Sit still, my daughter, until thou know how the matter will fall…”  I can just imagine Ruth pacing around the house, stopping to look out the window to see if anyone was coming who might could tell her how things had gone between Boaz and the nearer kinsman.

I think we’d all agree that seasons of waiting on God to work can be agonizing.  We often want to take matters into our own hands, to see if we can move things along in the direction we want them to go.  Yet how many references are there in the Bible to waiting on God!  One of my favorites is Psalm 27:14.  “Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.”  Truly, it takes courage to wait, yet this verse tells me that He’ll provide the strength I need while I wait.  Just as with Ruth, good things – yes, the best things – can come to us as we’re willing to wait on God.

As we enter this second week of the new year, let’s all seek to follow Ruth’s example of trusting God, with our present as well as with our future!

If there’s anything that causes us to evaluate our lives and think about ways we can improve ourselves, I suppose it’s the start of a new year.  It’s a fresh slate, a time of beginning new habits, a chance to plan ahead.

While I know I learned some lessons in 2016, I didn’t see, in hindsight, as much spiritual growth as I would have liked.  As we’ve looked ahead to 2017, I discussed with my daughters ways we can grow in our spiritual life, hoping that we could all set goals for the coming year.  We thought of seven areas we can concentrate on when we want to grow spiritually (in no particular order).

• Prayer
• Bible reading
• Memorizing Bible verses
• Meditating on Scripture
• Witnessing
• Giving
• Ministry (church, serving others, etc)

I chose two areas that I want to focus on this year – prayer and meditation. (I’m sure this means you’ll be getting posts about these topics off and on throughout the year. 😉

With those ideas in mind, I thought about the next 365 days, and what I want to see happen in my life and in the lives of my family.  I think the following three requests can be made by all of us, no matter how we hope to grow in the coming months.

 
1.  Pray for God to order your steps. 

“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.” ~Psalm 37:23

I actually have Sues to thank for this one!  In a comment on a previous post, she said that this is a prayer she prays each day.  I love this idea, as a daily prayer and as an overarching request concerning the way God will guide us in the year ahead.  We know that God is in control of every aspect of our lives, that each circumstance that comes up is no accident, but a moving of His hand.  He wants to grow and change us into His image, and to teach us to rely on Him as we recognize how much we need His help and power.

I want to have a heart that is ready and willing to follow His plan without question, to submit to His will without complaining.  It has to do with accepting daily “interruptions” as from Him, and allowing His schedule to supersede mine.  I am definitely still a work in progress here!

2.  Pray that you and your family will grow spiritually.

“But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” ~2 Peter 3:18

I want to look back at the end of 2017 and be able to see concrete growth in my spiritual life. That may involve trials that I’ve come through with a greater understanding of God’s peace and grace. It may be a temptation I’ve overcome by God’s grace. It may simply be a habit I’ve mastered that’s allowed me to learn more about Him through studying my Bible.

I think the best way to ensure that this will happen is to develop a plan.  For example, since I’ve chosen prayer as a focus for the year, I’m getting back to writing out my monthly prayer list for my family (something I’ve not been doing for the last couple of months).  I’m also following this Scripture writing program for January.  Each day I write out a verse about prayer in my journal, and then meditate on that verse for the next 24 hours.

Not only is it good to make a plan for ourselves, but we can also do it for our families.  Maybe there’s a particular Bible study you want to do as a family – or you could choose a Bible character or a book of the Bible to dive into.  Maybe it’s just reading a verse from Proverbs together each night and talking about what it means.  Having a plan to grow spiritually doesn’t guarantee it will happen, but it does give us a better chance at success!

3.  Pray that God will be glorified in all you do in 2017.

“Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” ~I Corinthians 10:31

We were created to bring God glory (Isaiah 43:7).  How often I’m tempted to do things for my own glory, so that I will be recognized by others.  This can affect my marriage and certainly my parenting.  Maybe I want my kids to obey so that others will think I’m a good mom.  I need to realize that God gave me these relationships to steward for Him, to raise my kids so that they will ultimately bring Him glory.

If I’m seeking to bring God glory, then I’m living in humility.  As I look at my goals for the year, am I using them to bring glory to Him?  Will my body be a better temple if I eat healthier foods and exercise?  Will I be a better wife if I set a goal to do something special for my husband every month?  Will I know His word better and learn what actually glorifies Him if I get into my Bible every day?  If our ultimate goal is to glorify God, we can apply that principle in every area of our lives.

I pray that each of us will grow in our walk with God in 2017, that we might look back at the end of our year and see how He has guided us, and be able to give Him praise and glory for what is accomplished!

What else are you praying for in 2017?  Do you have a particular area of your spiritual life that you want to focus on this year?

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While the three homes my family has lived in have all been new construction, only with our first home were we actually involved from the beginning of the building process.  We got to watch it from the ground up, choose the finishes and colors, and see each phase as it was finished.  It was an exciting day when we actually closed on the house and were able to move in!

While that’s not exactly the work that’s being referred to in Proverbs 14:1, many of the same principles apply.

“Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.”

I thought it would be appropriate to finish our series on becoming a wise woman with a verse that tells us exactly what a wise woman does!

As women, God has given us an amazing amount of influence in our homes.  We often set the mood – for better or worse.  It’s a lot of responsibility that can only be properly undertaken as we seek God’s help.

When we look at what it means to build our homes, I liked what Ellicott’s commentary on this verse says.  “Each person and each good work throughout the household grows, as it were, under her fostering hand.”  I think the perfect commentary on this verse, however, is in Proverbs 31:10-31.  Every detail that’s shared about the virtuous woman fits the description of one who is building her house.

For today’s post though, I wanted to think of specific ways we can build our house that are also related to the actual task of building a physical house.  Let’s look at what it takes to build a house, and, in contrast, how we might be tearing it down.

Here are a few items we’d need to build a house, in the physical and the spiritual sense.

• A plan to follow.  I don’t believe anyone would build a house without first thinking through its overall design.  A blueprint makes sure that the dishwasher actually ends up in the kitchen!  The best place for us to find a plan for building our homes is in God’s Word.  It tells us how to do marriage, parenting, and life in general in a way that will bring glory to Him and fulfill us in each of our roles.  In a practical sense, having a plan for your day (a schedule, even if it’s loosely followed!), your money (a budget), and even goals for teaching and training your children often helps things run more smoothly.

• Management skills.  There’s a lot of moving parts to be coordinated when a house is being built!  Things have to be put into the house in a certain order.  And while the husband is the head of the home, the wife is typically the one who actually manages the home.  Here’s where the Proverbs 31 woman certainly excelled!  To list just a few of her responsibilities – she fed and clothed her family, she bought and sold goods, she oversaw and provided for those who served her family, she reached out to those in need.  In our day, this can be as practical as crafting a meal plan, replacing the kids’ outgrown shoes, and making sure your husband has clean clothes to wear.

• Hard work.  It would be nice if we could just sit by and let the house build itself 🙂  It won’t happen that way.  Building your house is going to take hard work. It’s going to look like disciplining when you just want to ignore that misbehavior.  It’s taking time for your husband instead of finishing that novel you wanted to read.  It may mean staying up late and/or getting up early in different seasons. It’s being creative in order to save money, and making sure that everyone gets where they need to be at the right time.

• Patience.  I know that it often takes much longer to build a house than is originally planned.  In the same way, we aren’t going to build our homes in a week, a month, or even a year.  It’s a process that takes years to develop – and some of those periods (here’s looking at you toddler and early teen years!) may seem even longer than the actual time that goes by.  Yet good will come to our families as we are faithful to God and His Word.

Since we want to be wise and not foolish, let’s look at how we might be tearing down our homes.

• Neglect.  This may be the hardest one to recognize.  It’s not that you purposely don’t build up your family, you just fail to pay attention to them.  You get busy with other things.  Before you know it, that particular season has passed, and you haven’t done what you could have to love, encourage and care for those in your house.

• Idleness.  Rather than just neglecting your house because you’re busy with other things, this is just like plain laziness. This happens when we put our wants ahead of our families’ needs. Perhaps we waste time doing things that aren’t significant or find ways to avoid doing any work at all. Laziness often comes when we’re not focused on our purpose and the ways God has called us to help those around us.

• Poor management of resources. This could be in a financial sense, when we waste money and/or live beyond our means. It also involves wasting time, especially since we are told in the Bible to redeem our time [Ephesians 5:16].  God has also given each of us talents and abilities that can be used specifically to strengthen our families, if we apply them properly.

• Complacency.  Sometimes we may reach a point where we’re just willing to let things drift along the way they are, even though they we know we could do better.  Whether it’s in our marriage or in training our children or even in our personal growth, we don’t want to stop learning and improving.

We’ve reached the end of our series of seven steps to becoming a wise woman. There are obviously other steps you can take along this path. If I’d based the series on eight steps, I would have included the principle that a wise woman learns from other wise people.  This could be in real life – perhaps from your mom or a mentor or a Godly woman in your church.  It can also take place through books and podcasts and other media resources.

Thanks so much for joining me in this study!  Can you think of an additional step that would lead us to becoming wise women?

You can find previous posts in this series here.

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