I’m blessed to have a great dad.  Growing up, I had security in knowing that he loved me, and would provide for me at all costs.  Yet I also knew that if I disobeyed him, I would be held accountable for my actions.  I respected his position as my father.

For me, that’s what it means to fear the Lord.  I don’t live each day in fear of God’s judgment raining down on me.  Yet I know that as His child, He expects me to obey the commands He’s laid out in His Word.  I reverence Him as God, and recognize that He will chastise me if I fail to respond when He corrects me.

 
So why am I listing fearing the Lord as the first step to becoming a wise woman?  Because the Bible clearly tells us that it’s where to start if we want to be wise.

Here we go.

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. ~Proverbs 9:10

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding
have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. ~Psalm 111:10

If I want to begin to be wise, I’m going to fear the Lord.  What does that mean, practically speaking?  Here’s a few thoughts I’ve had as I considered this idea.

1.  I get to know Him.  Because I had a relationship with my dad, I knew he loved me and wanted what was best for me.  A relationship with God begins with my salvation.  Beyond that, spending time reading my Bible, praying, and meditating on Scripture will cause me to know more about Him.  As I study the stories of the Old Testament and Jesus’ teachings in the New Testament, I begin to understand God’s character and how He deals with His people.  The more I know about God and see His love demonstrated toward me, the more I will want to please Him.

2.  I recognize His holiness and my sinfulness.  Don’t totally write off the word “fear” as simply meaning respect.  Just as I knew my dad could make my life uncomfortable if I chose to disobey him, so God is holy and will chastise me if, as His child, I choose to live in sin.  Old Testament stories of characters like Achan and Korah remind us that directly disobeying God’s commands can have serious consequences.  Yes, God does love us beyond belief, but even Hebrews 10:31 reminds us that, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”

3.  I respect His authority in my life.  Because I know God wants what’s best for me, I submit to what He seeks to do in my life.  Recently, a friend shared with me how she’d
wrestled with God when she got a cancer diagnosis.  Yet even in those difficult moments, she knew that the path God had put before her was ultimately what would be for her best and His glory.  Just as I may not have always understood the reasons behind my dad’s rules (just as my girls don’t always understand the reasons behind mine 😉 I was responsible for following them.  Which leads us to number four…

4.  I obey Him.  Typically my dad’s rules were pretty clear.  It wasn’t often that I was uncertain about what I should or shouldn’t do.  It was more a matter of my deciding if I was going to do the right thing or not.  As I study God’s Word, I can find commands like be kind to one another (Ephesians 4:32); be in a spirit of prayer at all times (I Thessalonians 5:17); and tell the truth (Ephesians 4:25).  If I want to be living in the fear of the Lord, I’m going to ask the Holy Spirit for help to know and obey what God tells me to do.

I think there’s a reason that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. My relationship with my dad moved years ago to one built on love. I still respect and want to please him, not because I fear him, but because I love him. So, as we grow in our walk with God, we should move from fear to love, to avoiding wrong not just because I don’t want the consequences of disobedience, but because I love and want to please Him.

Ultimately, we gain many blessings when we fear the Lord!

The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.
~Psalm 147:11

 By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life. ~Proverbs 22:4

The fear of the LORD tendeth to life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil. ~Proverbs 19:23

Sign me up for all of those benefits!!

As we seek to become wise women, we can take the first step by living in reverence and respect for our Lord.

Related posts:
10 Traits of a Wise Woman
A Prayer for Wisdom in Parenting My Children
Teaching Our Children to Fear the Lord

It’s rare that I post on Sunday (and I’m actually typing this on Saturday ;), but I wanted to share with you a new blog series I’m starting tomorrow.

The post I wrote on 10 Traits of a Wise Woman has been shared a number of times.  This shows me that many of us as Christian women have a goal of being wise as we grow in our walk with God and in our relationships with our husbands and children.

I started asking myself, what are some steps that I can take to become a wise woman?  I came up with a list of seven.  As I began writing about each one, I realized that it would be way too long to fit into one blog post, so I decided to make it into a series.

Each Monday for the next seven weeks, I’ll be sharing one of the steps we can take toward being a wise woman.  This will be the home page for the series; as I publish each post, I’ll come back here and leave a link so that eventually all seven posts will be linked here.

May your Sunday be a day of worship and fellowship!!  Come back and join us tomorrow for the first step to becoming a wise woman!

Step One:  Fear the Lord
Step Two:  Live for Eternity
Step Three:  Trust God
Step Four:  Guard Your Heart
Step Five:  Be Content
Step Six:  Pray Always
Step Seven:  Build Your House

Some years ago, our pastor at the time did a lengthy sermon series on the subject of praising God.  I remember thinking that I hadn’t realized how much there was in the Bible on that subject!

These days, I often find myself considering the time I spend listing my blessings in my gratitude journal as a time of praise. And while I should be grateful to God for what He’s doing in my life at the moment, I believe praise goes a step beyond that.

Luke 1:46-55 is a record of what Mary prays after learning she’s been chosen to be the mother of the Messiah.  As I was looking at it recently, I noticed several lessons I can learn from Mary about praising God.

 
I praise God by celebrating His glory.  In verse 46, Mary says, “My soul doth magnify the Lord…”  Magnify means to praise highly, to celebrate in praise, to render or esteem glorious.  Praise is all about God.  As I’ve mentioned before, Psalm 145 is one of my favorite praise passages because it talks all about God’s awesome attributes as well as His mighty works.

God alone can give me joy.  I can’t get true joy from my husband or my children or my church family.  The joy that seeps deep down into my spirit only comes from a relationship with my Savior.  Mary says in verse 47, “And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior.”

Humility precedes my praise.  Mary had no thoughts of her own importance or worthiness for the role she’d been called to fulfill.  She says in verse 48, “For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden…”  Her focus was on the power of the one who had chosen her.  “For He that is mighty hath done to me great things…”  If I want to truly praise God, I have to recognize my human weaknesses and acknowledge His greatness and power.

I praise God both for who He is and for what He does.  Mary mentions God’s might, holiness, mercy, and strength in this passage.  She also praises Him for what He’s done – scattered the proud, put down the mighty, exalted those of low degree, and filled the hungry with good things. Thinking about those characteristics that are only God’s (He is perfect, unchangeable, all knowing, etc.) can keep us busy for awhile! Add to that the ways He’s cared for and guided us in the past, and we have much for which to praise Him.

Focus praise on God’s faithfulness to His promises.  Mary remembered the promises of God to Israel, and rejoiced in that He kept them.  Verses 54 and 55 say, “He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.”  In the same way, we have seen God keep the promises in His Word to us.  A wonderful Bible study is to find verses that detail a promise of God and think about how He’s proven true in that way in your own life.

I love the following quote related to Mary’s prayer that I read in a commentary.

“The intended effect of all His dealings is that we should think more nobly – that is, more worthily – of Him.”  ~MacLaren

We serve a God who is worthy of our praise, both for who He is and for what He’s done.  Let’s praise Him today!

Related posts:
Praise Ye the Lord
Praying and Praising with Scripture
Praise Changes My Attitude

Do you desire to walk in faith?

I do.  I want to trust God through every trial He allows, and bring Him glory by my response to His working in my life.

Yet I often fail.  The enemy of doubt creeps in and taints my thoughts and shifts my focus from my God to my problem.

When I check out Satan’s first appearance in Genesis three, I see him causing Eve to doubt God’s Word.  As I was studying this passage the other night, I saw several lessons I can learn from Eve’s experience.

 
I often make decisions based on what I can see.  Verse six says, “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat…”  Instead of basing her actions on what God had told her about eating from that tree, she sized up the situation for herself and took action.  2 Corinthians 5:7 fits so perfectly here.  “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”  We obey God’s Word because we know it’s true and eternal, rather than making the decision that seems to benefit us most in the moment.

I question God’s goodness and His plan for me.  Verse six also says that she saw that the tree was “to be desired to make one wise.”  She didn’t trust that God was good and that if He told her not to eat from that tree, it was His best plan for her.  Eve believed Satan when He said in verse five that she would “be as gods, knowing good and evil.”  She assumed that knowledge would be a good thing, not understanding that God’s command was there to protect her – it wasn’t a good thing to “know…evil!”

I listen to other influences rather than staying true to God’s Word.  Eve chose to listen to Satan.   Eve had no written word of God, but she had God’s spoken words to obey.  Her statements about God’s command regarding the tree in verses two and three show that she knew what God had said.  This reminds me that in the midst of a temptation or struggle, the best place to run for help is to my Bible.

My doubt affects others, especially my family.  As verse six tells us, Eve “…gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.”  When my faith goes missing, my family will be affected in some way.  I can’t be the wife or mom I need to be when I’m not walking in faith.  Worry and fear are so quick to take over when I’m doubting God’s promises.

When I live in doubt, I try to control the outcome of my situation.  Verse seven says, “And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.”  Once Eve’s doubt led to sin, she and Adam tried to fix their nakedness.  If I’m not trusting God, I will wear myself out trying to control the people and situations around me.

I know there’ve been times when I (consciously or not) thought, “God, I know I should trust you here, but I think I know a better way.”  How thankful I am that God is merciful and, even when we doubt, He remains faithful!  We can grow in our own faith and overcome doubt as we believe God and obey His Word.

Related posts:
Having Faith in the Promises of God
4 Lessons for My Trials from a Man Who Knows
Where Is Your Faith?

I recently read Nancy Leigh Demoss’ book Choosing Gratitude.

Because while I write in my gratitude journal almost daily and tend to think of myself as a mostly thankful person, it’s so easy to slip into complaining and negative thinking while ignoring all the blessings around me.

Since reading Demoss’ book, Bible verses related to gratefulness and praise have been jumping out at me everywhere.  From Psalms (I try to read at least a portion of a psalm each day) to Colossians (the epistle I’m studying this month), I keep encountering verses that command or remind me to praise the Lord and be thankful to Him.

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Many times we have these big questions about God’s will.  What is God’s will for my life?  How can I find out exactly what He wants me to do?

Well, with this verse before us, we’re not left to guess.  We’re specifically told God’s will in this area.

Sounds simple enough – It’s God’s will for me to be thankful in every thing in life.

But sometimes that’s a tall order.

It’s easier when life seems good; not so much when times are hard.  When the car’s running smoothly and the kids aren’t fighting and we got an unexpected refund from the insurance company, blessings may just roll off our tongues.  Though sometimes I might be tempted to think I’m just living right and deserve these gifts, rather than recognize that every good and perfect gift comes from God. [James 1:17]

Then there are the trying times when the car’s in the shop for the second time this month and a child is in trouble at school and the bill for car repairs is higher than expected.  Then the search for blessings to list takes a little bit longer and I have to dig a bit more deeply to find those words of praise.

I think one sign of spiritual maturity is to look around in the midst of the hard and recognize a sign of God’s grace or a blessing here or a kindness there, and to thank God for those little rays of light in the midst of our darkness.

Beyond that is thanking God for what we’re facing in the midst of it, when we can’t even see a way out.  To sit, as Job did, surrounded by the ashes of our losses, and look to God and bless His name. [Job 1:20-21]

After all, the verse above says “in” every thing, which indicates to me that it’s while we’re going through the trial that we give thanks for it.  And while the giving thanks in the moment won’t magically make things better, it can thoroughly change our perspective and allow us to accept the peace and grace God has to offer.

How can I teach this principle of gratitude to my children? Modeling it is certainly the first step.  Actually naming my blessings for them, sharing what I’m grateful for, perhaps even gently pointing out an answer to prayer or a victory in their own life for which they can be thankful can get them thinking about their own blessings. Songs of praise and Bible verses that focus on God’s gifts to us can encourage them to have a more grateful spirit.

So do you want to do the will of God for you today?  Easy day or difficult one, sunshine or rain, health or sickness, smiles or frowns from those around you – we can choose to give thanks.

Related posts:
Giving Thanks in Every Thing
Giving Thanks on the Normal Days
10 Simple Ways to Show Thanks

(This post contains an affiliate link, which means that if you click on the product link and make a purchase, I’ll receive a small percentage from the sale.  This does not affect your price in any way.)

“Truth has a powerful way of interrupting our runaway feelings if only we’ll get it in front of us.  So I let those verses march in front of me, boss me, redirect me.” ~Lysa Terkeurst in The Best Yes

How I can relate to having runaway feelings!  My mind will seize on a topic or situation and before I know it, I’ve imagined every worst-case scenario or gotten myself worked up into a frenzy or am ready to spout off to anyone and everyone about some injustice I’ve encountered.  (Insert note of thanks to longsuffering husband who usually bears the brunt of these runaway feelings! 🙂

It’s easy to let our emotions take over.  But that’s where truth comes in.  The truth of God’s Word can seep into the cracks of our emotions and put out that angry fire or put that fear to rest or calm that worry or give peace for that tension.

Rather than let my feelings of hopelessness or discouragement or other negative emotions take over my day, I want to let God’s Word rule my life.  Reading my Bible consistently is so helpful, but going a step further and actually memorizing Scripture allows me to meditate on it and have access to God’s truth whenever my emotions threaten to derail me.

Below I thought I’d share verses that help redirect my thinking when I begin to struggle in a particular area.  I hope these will be an encouragement to you – and I’d love to hear any verses that speak truth into your life when your “feelings” start to runaway with you!

Source

When I’m scared…”For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” ~2 Timothy 1:7

When I’m worried….”Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.  And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” ~Philippians 4:6,7

When I’m discouraged….“Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.”  ~Psalm 43:5

When I’m angry….”For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” ~James 1:20

When I’m discontent….”Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” ~Philippians 4:11

When I need wisdom….”If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.” ~James 1:5

When I feel unloved….”But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us.” ~Ephesians 2:4

When I’m disappointed….”For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” ~Isaiah 55:8,9

When I need direction….”Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” ~Proverbs 3:5,6

When I’m impatient….”Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.” ~Psalm 37:7

When I’m overwhelmed….“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” ~Matthew 11:28

I pray that I will allow God’s truth to implant itself in my heart so that I can live out His calling and bring glory to Him.

Are there other negative emotions you struggle with?  Let’s find a verse of truth to help redirect our thinking!

Related Posts:
We Cry Together
Daily Devotions
4 Helps for Our Children from Psalm 119

Source

Last week a young woman lost her long and difficult battle with cancer.  I only knew about her through other bloggers like Melanie Shankle, but I felt sorrow for her family and friends, knowing that she left behind a loving husband and a young son.

As I read about her passing, I thought about how often I look at my circumstances and say, “Why me? Why do I have to go through this?”

As blessed as I am, there are still times when I’m tempted to complain about a trial that I’m facing.

Yet how much more often should my question be, “Why not me?”  God could have chosen me to battle cancer and go to heaven at an early age.  Yet He’s allowed me to walk a different path than that, blessed with good health and still here to love on my husband and children.

Neither of the questions can really be answered; we don’t know the mind of God or His purposes nor can we understand His ways.  By all I’ve heard, Jen had an amazing testimony through all of her suffering and left a legacy of faith and trust in God.

God gives us each our own difficulties, our individual journeys through life.  He will also give us the grace and courage to face all of them as we rely on Him.

Jen’s death does remind me of the brevity of life.  Let me not sit at my pity party and whine.  God has given me this day – and every day that I wake up – to live for Him.  Since I’m still here, that means that He has something for me to accomplish – someone to love, to serve, to encourage.

So when we’re tempted to ask, “Why me?” let’s step back and realize that God is in control, that He’s growing us into His image, and be thankful for the “why-not-me’s.”

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.” ~Psalm 91:1-2

Source

Two weeks ago today, we had it all planned out.

Drop the girls off at church on Monday morning so they could leave with their youth group to go to camp for the week.  Spend the rest of the day packing and straightening up the house so my husband and I could catch an early morning flight to Quebec City on Tuesday.  We’d be there by lunch time, and spend the rest of the week celebrating our 25th anniversary.

Only, that’s not how it went. 

My husband got a message on his way home from work Monday evening that our flight was canceled.  He called the airline and found out that our only option was to switch airlines and fly out late the next afternoon, arriving in Quebec City around midnight.

In spite of our perfectly formed plans, circumstances beyond our control changed it all. 

I don’t have some kind of headline-grabbing story, like the plane we were supposed to be on crashed or the delay meant we avoided some horrific accident or anything like that.

But I do know that I was disappointed.  I wanted it all to go like we had planned.

Let’s face it – you don’t have to have lived very long to have encountered disappointment. When our girls were little, I used to wait until the last minute to tell them about a playdate or a fun family outing because I hated having to deal with their disappointment if something got canceled.  But there comes a time when they’re too old for that, and they, like the rest of us, have had to learn to handle disappointment.

In our head, we know that God is in control and that all things work together for good and He only wants what best for us, but sometimes, in the moment, that disappointment can make us feel pretty sad.

Thankfully, in my moment of disappointment (after a few minutes of initial despair, anyway), I was drawn back to Proverbs 16:9, “A man’s heart deviseth his way:  but the LORD directeth his steps.”  We plan and we prepare and we pray, but ultimately, the Lord directs our lives. 

Could our trip have unfolded flawlessly?  I’m certain it could have, as many of our trips have done before.  It helped to think of all the positives from the day – at least we found out the night before and didn’t get up early only to spend a fruitless morning at the airport; it was only the two of us traveling, which made it easier to reschedule everything; the girls made it to camp safely; and we still had time to do all that we wanted to do during our trip. 

It was another exercise in releasing my plans and exchanging them for His.  That day was a good reminder that my times are in His hands (Psalm 31:15) and that having a God I can trust to always have my best interest in mind is an amazing blessing.

Source

We have a large glass pitcher with a pineapple etched on the front that we were given as a wedding gift.  It’s in great shape after all these years, and our girls often use it to stir up lemonade or another beverage.

Just as we use that pitcher to serve our purposes, so God wants to use us, His children and His vessels, to serve His purposes.

Yet before God can use me, there are a few things I need to do.

1.  I need to be clean.  None of us is or ever will be perfect in this life, but we can ask God to keep our hearts tender to His conviction of sin in our lives.  I can also ask myself if there’s anything I’m unwilling to give up if the Holy Spirit speaks to me about it.

2.  I need to be empty.  In other words, I need to be willing to set aside my own agenda (including my to-do list) so that I can be filled with His plan for my day.

3.  I need to be filled for His glory.  When my girls drink their lemonade, the focus isn’t on what a great pitcher they’re pouring from, but about how good the drink tastes!  So when God chooses to use me, it’s not so that I can brag about what I did, but so that He can be honored.

Once I’m ready to be used, God can step in and help me minister to others.

Will He use me as a prayer vessel, to labor in prayer for a family member, a friend, or someone at church?

Will He use me to build up my husband through my words and attitude towards him?

Will He use me to share the gospel with someone who’s unsaved?

Will He use me to comfort my child who’s having a hard day?

Will He use me to serve my neighbor?

Will He use me to set an example before our children of how to have self control?

Will He use me to encourage someone through a phone call or a card or a text?

It would be impossible for me to list all of the ways God might choose to use us!  And while I don’t know how God might want to use me today, I want to be a vessel that’s clean, empty of my own will, and ready to serve for His glory.

Source

This very familiar Psalm reminded me again this week of God’s love and care for me, not just in a general sense, but in a very personal way.

He knows me like no one else does.  He alone knows my every thought, my every action, and my every word.  And in spite of all my failings, He loves me.

As I read further in the Psalm, I’m reminded that there’s nowhere I can go that He’s not with me.

He made me, just the way I am, to accomplish His purposes.  He knew just what I would be, even before I was born, and He has great plans for me.

Let’s be comforted today, that whatever we are facing, whether it’s a day of hope and promise or a day of doubt and uncertainty, God knows, He cares, He’s here.