The New King James Version shows Proverbs 31:10 like this: “A virtuous wife who can find? For her price is far above rubies.” The literal translation from the original text renders the phrase ‘a virtuous wife’ as ‘ woman of valor.”

The NIV says: “A noble woman who can find?….” We know that a woman of royalty is not spoken of here, if for no other reason than the work that is done by the woman in this passage. A woman of royalty, noble in rank, would have others doing for her what this woman is doing for not only her family, but others as well. So, what does “noble” mean?

According to the Bible Thesaurus and the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, the word “noble” is a noun meaning “one who enjoys rank above a commoner, one of the nobility.” Webster’s Dictionary also adds “a person in a superior position in life.” But the word “noble” is further defined as “the state of being worthy or honorable; elevation of mind or character; degree of excellence; grandeur; a quality suited to inspire respect or reverence; loftiness and grace; impressiveness, stateliness in manner or style; elevation of thought or expression.” Webster’s also adds “being noble-minded”.

So to be noble, one must be different from the ordinary,  someone people can look up to with respect, someone whose mind dwells on good things, someone whose actions reflect excellence, doing more than is expected. That brings to mind Galatians 6: 22-23 where Paul lists the Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Then in 2 Peter 1:5-7 Peter lists faith, virtue, knowledge, self-control, patience, godliness, brotherly- kindness, and love. Paul says in Philippians 4:8 that we are to think on things that are good, just, true, high-minded (noble), pure, lovely, of good report, and praise-worthy. It also brings to mind 1 Peter 2:9 where Peter tells us we are “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people….”

Reading the above passages (and there are many more that could be considered), being a noble woman, a noble-minded woman, is being Christ-like, being pure in thought and mind, thinking and acting in a Christian manner, unlike the world, setting oneself apart from worldly things.

There is no list of “noble women” in the Bible, but from those women we lift up as examples, it can plainly be seen that they are truly “noble women”. Let’s look briefly at a few.

Queen Vashti in Esther 1:12, was truly of noble rank, but refused to lower herself to be viewed by the men at the King’s feast. Not only did she exhibit courage, but maintained her high character, her noble-mindedness. How many women in the world would also refuse to parade herself before men in today’s world? Sadly, too many would do just that for fame and money, or even worse, just for the “fun of it.”

Hannah, in I Samuel chapters 1 and 2, was a noble woman with a strong faith and trust in God, and when God gave her a son, she showed excellence of character by honoring God with the gift of the very son He had given her. She gave her son, Samuel, back to God to be raised for His work. How many mothers would do the same today?

Mary, the mother of our Lord, is said in Luke 1:28 to be a “highly favored one” by God. No doubt it was because of her excellence of character, her love for God, her noble-minded- ness that set her apart from other women. Not that it made her more holy, to be set apart and worshipped as some of our religious neighbors do, but that God was pleased with her character, her demeanor, her attitude, her very thoughts.

The list of women could go on and on with names like, Lois & Eunice, Ruth, Deborah the Judge, Queen Esther, Sarah, Lydia, Priscilla, but there is one I’d like to look at to close out this study. That woman is Peter’s wife.

Peter’s wife is never named, but is mentioned. The reason I mention her is because Peter tells us in I Peter 5:1 that he is an Elder in the Church. What does that have to do with her being a noble woman? I submit to you that an Elder’s wife must be of such character and Christ-likeness, just as her husband, or the husband could not be an Elder. Titus 2: 3 tells us what women, especially older women should be like–”reverent in their behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things–that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, home-makers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God not be blasphemed.” All of these qualities put her, and us, above the norm, apart from the worldly realm. These qualities help husbands to be deacons and Elders, because they exhibit without a doubt what being a”noble” woman means.

As Christian women, we should strive for all those qualities listed by Titus, Paul and Peter, whether or not our spouse is, or seeks to be, an Elder or a Deacon. We should strive for all those qualities because we love God and want to obey Him, and to be like Him, to be like our Savior. Having those qualities shows we are noble women of God. It shows we are set apart from the world.

But how do we become a noble woman of God? It is not something we are born with, as natural instincts, but are taught and learned through the years. They are things we develop throughout our lifetime. It’s that Christ-likeness, or having the mind of Christ that all Christians should be striving for.

However, being older in years doesn’t mean we are noble, or even noble-minded. There are younger women who have attained some of these traits while there are older women who are still struggling with them. It’s an on-going process in our daily walk to Heaven….something we work on every day. While some of these things are easy for us to develop, there will be something we are always striving to do better. And as humans we slip from time-to-time and must pick ourselves up and go on. But that is just part of the maturing and “perfecting” process.

Being noble, noble-minded, having the Mind of Christ, takes patience, much study and much prayer. It also takes interaction and encouragement from our Christian Sisters. We need each other to help us grow. That association with those who truly are noble women of God helps those who are still striving to be. May we never become weary in our growing and learning, and may we always continue so that we will be known as a “noble woman of God.”

By Beth Turner

Originally printed in the Spring 2012 issue V5N2

Proverbs 31, a passage we know so well, describes the ultimate wife and mother—Ms. Right.  But before we read of her description, we read this short, yet profound question, “Who can find a virtuous but capable wife?”  Girls, our future husband longs to find us, but he longs to find us as virtuous and capable women!  Of course, we don’t want to let our Mr. Right down! So let’s discover together, what being “virtuous” and “capable” truly mean.

To be “virtuous”, we must be morally excellent.  Through out this inspiring chapter we see many examples of moral excellence.

Ms. Right is a woman who can be trusted (vs 11).   Good, not evil, follows her (vs 12).   She tends to the poor and needy (vs 20).  She is full of wisdom, and chooses her words carefully (vs 26).  She appropriately fears the Lord (vs 30).

As she lives this virtuous life, she proves capable of many things.

Ms. Right is capable of working hard in the home (vs 13-15).  She is capable of working energetically and making wise decisions financially (vs 16-18).  She is capable of up-keeping her home, as well as dressing her husband and children (vs 21-22).  She is capable of courageously facing the future, including challenges (vs 25).  She is capable of earning the respect and admiration of her family (vs 28).

When I read these incredible descriptions of how a wife and mother ought to live her life, I very quickly discover how unprepared I am to be Ms. Right for my Mr. Right.  Do you feel this way too?

We are told in Luke 9:11 that if we ask of God, He will give.  I want to challenge each of you, and myself, to begin praying that God will mold you into the virtuous and capable woman our future husbands are long to find.

As you begin praying for this transformation, however, be prepared for God to answer.  You see, sometimes, when we ask God to develop us into a stronger, kinder, wiser, braver, more trust worthy person, God allows us to face trials and temptations that will give us the opportunity to grow and develop such characteristics.  In other words, how we react to trials, how we respond to temptations, and how we deal with hardships now, directly impacts what kind of woman our future husband will find later.

As you find yourselves molding into Ms. Right, ask yourselves the following questions:

“Do my friends and family members trust me?”
“Do I take responsibilities such as homework or chores seriously?”
“Do I enjoy learning and developing wisdom?”
“Am I careful with my words?”
“Do I think before I speak?”
“How do I handle challenges?”
“Do I fear, or embrace, the future?”
“Do I enjoy taking care of other people?”
“Am I evolved in community, school, or church activities?”
“Do I live as closely to God’s word as I can?”

These are just a few modern day questions we can ask ourselves as we strive to grow into a virtuous and capable woman not only for our future husbands, but for our God, also.

God Himself tells us at the end of this chapter that such women will be “praised” and will receive a “reward” (vs 30-31).

Will your Mr. Right find his Ms. Right in you?

By Jennifer Savage

Originally printed in the spring 2012 issue V5N2

The Lord asked the prophet Isaiah “where is the house that you will build Me?” He goes on to say “for all those things my hand has made.”God does not need man to build him beautiful and ornate buildings, for he is the creator of all things and does not need to dwell in any kind of man-made temple. Instead, God lives within us. 2 Corinthians 6:16 says that “you are the temple of the living God.” Romans chapter 8 contrasts those who live according to the flesh (or the physical world) with those who have a more spiritual mind. Romans 8:9 says that we should live according to the spirit because the Spirit of God dwells in us.

If we are going to be God’s temple and He is going to live within us, we need to be concerned with how we care for that temple. We need to see ourselves as God sees us. And God does not see our outward appearance. In I Peter 3, the women are encourage not to spend time adorning themselves on the outside fixing their hair and concerning themselves with their clothing and jewelry. Instead, they are encouraged to focus on the “hidden person of the heart.” Just as a building does not need to be adorned with stained glass windows and ornate decorations in order to be pleasing to God, we do not need to be overly concerned about the physical dressings on our temple.

It is possible for us to become so concerned with maintaining our outward appearance that we forget to maintain our “hidden person.” Jesus warned the Pharisees of the danger of focusing only on their outward appearance. They wanted to appear to be righteous on the outside, but inside they were full of hypocrisy and iniquity. Jesus compared them to white sepulchers, which are beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and uncleanness. (Matthew 23:27) We, too, can be guilty of presenting a beautiful outside to the world, while our insides remain sorely neglected.

Living in this physical world, it can be easy to become wrapped up in all the ways we can adorn our physical bodies. We are constantly temped by the latest styles of clothing, shoes, and expensive jewelry. We can spend a fortune on makeup, and hair cuts, dyes, and styling. But as God’s temple, Christian women should not be overly concerned with these things. We should adorn ourselves with the “incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God.” (I Peter 3:4)

A beautiful woman, in God’s sight, let’s her beauty shine from within. She has a loving heart, cares for those around her, works hard, and speaks with kindness and wisdom. These elements of beauty can only grow with time. They do not wrinkle, turn gray, or fade as physical beauty can. A woman who chooses to focus on true beauty can maintain her beauty throughout her entire life.

By Valerie Enoch

Originally published in the spring 2012 issue V5N2

Job was a man of great earthly gain but mostly he was a man of great faith.  The devil sought to cause his fall and was permitted to destroy Job’s family, wealth and health.  Through all of the trials, Job never cursed God but he lost the favor of his wife so much so that she begged him to “curse God and die”.  Her disdain was so great towards Job that he later wrote, “My breath is offensive to my wife”.  I can’t imagine the sadness this must have caused him.  He had already lost everything of earthly value to him through no fault of his own and the one person that should have stayed by his side felt he’d be better off dead.  Because of his continued faith in God, he was eventually restored to greater gain than before.  How unfortunate that, while he waited on the Lord, his wife turned from him and left him alone.

The Proverbs writer describes a “worthy woman”.  A worthy woman’s husband “trusts in her” and she “brings him good and not evil”.  She works hard to help her husband and brings him glory and honor in the land in which they reside.  She doesn’t seem to be a woman who is about the business of tearing down her husband by constantly telling others his faults; rather, she emphasizes his strengths and loves him in spite of his faults.

The children of America have been deprived of good, upright, Godly fathers for a long time; However, dare I say that American children are also deprived of good, upright, and Godly wives who uplift and support their husbands in the rearing of children?  I often hear women complain about everything their husbands don’t do.  Television portrays every male as a lazy and stupid oaf.  It’s no wonder men today don’t grow up to be the men and leaders that we need them to be.  In my role as a childcare provider, I was recently told that a “child will never rise above my expectation of them.”  I venture to say, neither will a husband.  If we expect them to be mean, unwilling to listen, unable to help, too self absorbed to care, they will be.  If we can find the courage within ourselves to put our husbands first in our lives, to trust in them, compliment their strengths, and build them up in a crowd, they will rise to the occasion and become the leaders of our families and a new generation of great and noble men.

Within each wife is great power, the power to build up and the power to tear down.  What kind of wife will you be?

By Beth Drake

originally printed in the Spring 2012 issue V5N2

Cari, tell us about having your children memorize 100 scriptures:

What motivated you to do this? Why was it important to you? What did you want the outcome to be? Did you wish to accomplish more than just memorizing? As a mama, I worry about how much time I have left with my children to teach them and to prepare them for the world.  I want them to have the tools and the wisdom that they will need in life to combat temptation and doctrinal error.  It seems like it was just yesterday that we were bringing my eldest child, Savannah, home from the hospital, and now she is nearly 9 years old.  I know that all I will have to do is blink and she will be headed off to college.  What will happen when I’m not there to guard her against false doctrine? What will happen when my children are out on their own and faced with temptation? Will they be prepared?  The psalmist said in chapter 119:11 “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.”  How do I prepare my children?  I must put the word of God in their hearts!

How long did the whole project take? How old were your children when you started? Will you continue on past 100?  We have been memorizing scriptures for well over 2 years now. Avery was probably 5 and Savannah, 6. I will probably wait until Grayson is at least 5 before I start with him.  We learn one new verse every week, starting on Mondays. I write the verse on a notecard and make them say it daily, along with the ones that they’ve already learned, so that they do not forget them.  They must also tell me where the verse is found.  We do this Monday thru Friday, like any other school subject, and then take a break on Saturdays and Sundays.  We do, however, do this thru the summer as well.  We are definitely continuing past 100.

How did you introduce each scripture? My kids really like the flashcard system. On Mondays I introduce the new verse that they will be learning, along with where it is found, and usually by Thursday or Friday they have it well-memorized.

What did you require of them? (Did you require them to be able to tell you the whole verse and the book and chapter/verse numbers? Did you require that the verse be exact word for word? To tell you what the verse means or is in reference to?) Yes, they must be able to tell me the entire verse word for word, along with the reference.  I usually do my best to explain the verse to them.  I realize that sometimes their depth of knowledge or understanding of the verse will not be the same as an adult’s.  As they grow and mature, their understanding will mature as well.  

Once it is memorized, did you require them to tell it to you again later? Can they now tell you all 100 verses? How long in one sitting does it take for one child to tell you all 100 verses?  Yes, they currently have 103 verses memorized, and they are required to tell me all 103 (along with the references) daily.  On a rough day, it usually takes each child about 30 minutes to get thru them.

What version/translation of the Bible did you use? Any specific reason as to that version/translation?  We usually use the NKJV or the KJV.  Sometimes Savannah’s Bible class teacher will assign her a verse to memorize, and I think she likes for the kids to memorize using the KJV, so that’s what we do for those verses.  When her Bible class teacher assigns her a verse, then that’s the verse we work on for the following week.

How did you motivate your children in this? Did you ever get into a battle of the wills over memorization and how did you handle it? When we first started memorizing scriptures, I told my children that when they reached 50, I’d reward them by taking them to Chuck E. Cheese.  They apparently thought this was a very good deal, because they did not require much more motivation than that.  We kept all of our flashcards in a notecard box with Chuck E.’s picture on it.  Once we reached 50, I made good on my promise.  Over the summer, my children really wanted to go to Six Flags.  I told them that Six Flags was rather expensive, but once they had memorized 100 verses, I would take them to Six Flags.  When Six Flags opens in March, we will be taking our first trip there!  Somedays my children aren’t so enthusiastic about saying their scriptures.  On those days, Avery entertains herself by saying her scriptures with a foreign accent or even singing them at the top of her lungs.  Although I think she is well aware that this drives me absolutely crazy, I try not to complain HOW she says them, just as long as she says them!

Did you ever get stuck or “fall off the bandwagon”? What did you do to get started again?  The mere thought of them forgetting all of their scriptures after we’ve put that much work into learning them pretty much keeps me on the bandwagon.

Not everyone is good at memorizing, did one child have an easier/harder time than the other? What did you do to help the one struggling?  I used to tell Avery that she was allowed 3 hints.  Once her hints were used up, that’s all she got!  This motivated her to think hard until the very end, and then usually she’d get down to the last 3, grin, and say, “Okay, I need my hints!”  (I’m pretty sure that she really DIDN’T need them, but I gave them to her anyways.) 

What scriptures did you chose for them to memorize? How did you go about choosing scriptures? I started out trying to find scriptures that would pertain to their youth or that they could easily relate to…”Let no one despise your youth…” (1 Timothy 4:12) or “Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure and whether it be right.” (Proverbs 20:11), “Children obey your parents in the Lord…” (Ephesians 6:1-3),”Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth…” (Eccl. 12:1) “Do all things without complaining or disputing.” (Philippians 2:14), “And be ye kind to one another…” (Ephesians 4:32), etc.  Sometimes I make them learn a particular scripture just so they can get a Biblical definition of something.  (Q: What is “truth”?  A: Thy word is truth. (John 17:17).  Q: What is “death”?  A: For as the body without the spirit is dead…(James 2:26) etc)  Sometimes we learn verses regarding the plan of salvation, and sometimes we just learn verses that the Bible class teacher assigns.  Sometimes the preacher quotes a scripture that I find rather profound, so I scribble it down in my Bible and when I get home I stick it in the “scripture box” for the kids to learn later.  They’ve probably memorized more verses out of Proverbs than any other book.    Once we started this whole process of memorizing scripture, I started requiring them to write down any familiar scripture that they heard the preacher use in a lesson, and then after the lesson was over they had to go and inform the preacher that they heard him use it, and then quote it to him.  I cannot begin to emphasize how beneficial this has been to my children.  They are more in tune with the lesson, and they know that if I hear the preacher say a verse that I know they know and they miss it, then I’ll know that they weren’t paying attention to the lesson!  They get so excited when they hear the preacher quote (or even reference) a verse that they know!  It’s my hope that this not only helps my children, but that it also encourages the preacher to know that they weren’t goofing off or coloring pictures during his sermon, but instead were paying close attention to the lesson that he worked hard to prepare. 

Another thing that my children are fond of is a “game” where I ask them a question and they have to answer me with a scripture.  And Sometimes we discuss various Biblical topics or even various religious ideas in our home where the scripture memorization has proved beneficial.  For example, once I was explaining to my children that not everyone who claims to be a Christian believes that baptism is essential for salvation.  Naturally my children began to object to this idea, so I told them, “Well, don’t give me your opinion, tell me where the Bible says that!”  They went thru a mental list of their scriptures, and started spouting off Mark 16:16 and other scriptures that they know pertaining to baptism.  This is where they start to learn to apply what they’ve memorized.  Sometimes I will ask them, “What should I do if I need wisdom?” and they will answer, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him (James 1:5).  Sometimes I will ask them, “How many faiths are there?” and they will respond with Ephesians 4:4-6. I think this little exercise helps them to reason and to “speak as the oracles of God” (1 Peter 4:11)  

What would you say to other parents that are considering this challenge?  I would tell them that in the process of trying to “train up” their children, they may just find that they are training their own minds as well!  It’s as simple as one verse a week, and it requires nothing but a Bible, a pen, and some notecards.  It’s well worth the effort! 

Can you share some of the scriptures you have memorized? Or a list to help us get started?
The list of scriptures is as follows (in no particular order):

1 Corinthians 15:33,

Eccles. 12:13-14,

Eccles. 9:10,

Eccl. 12:1, 

Isaiah 41:10,

Isaiah 59:1-2,

Isaiah 55:8-9,

Isaiah 40:31,

Galatians 5:22-23,

Galatians 6:9,

Galatians 3:27,

Mark 16:16,

Acts 10:34-35,

Acts 22:16,

Hebrews 13:5-6,

Hebrews 10:4,

1 John 5:3,

Hebrews 3:4,

1 John 4:15,

1 Timothy 4:12,

2 Timothy 2:15,

2 Timothy 1:7,

2 Timothy 3:16-17,

Romans 1:16,

Romans 6:23,

Romans 3:23,

James 4:17,

James 1:5,

James 1:19-20,

James 5:16,

John 11:35,

John 12:48,

John 3:16,

Matthew 22:37-39,

Matthew 7:12,

Matthew 6:33,

Joshua 24:15,

1 Samuel 12:24,

Psalm 119:11,

Proverbs 20:11,

Ephesians 4:32,

Ephesians 6:1-3,

Philippians 2:14,

John 17:17,

Genesis 1:1,

Psalm 119:97,

Psalm 19:14,

Psalm 121:1,

Psalm 1:1-3,

Psalm 139:23-24,

Psalm 23 (6 verses),

Psalm 100 (5 verses),

Psalm 19:1-3,

Ephesians 4:4-6,

Philippians 2:8,

Philippians 4:13,

Philippians 4:4,

Proverbs 15:1,

Proverbs 23:23,

Proverbs 16:25,

Proverbs 3:5-6,

Proverbs 1:7,

Proverbs 30:5-6,

Proverbs 27:1-2,

Proverbs 23:7,

Proverbs 8:27-28,

Proverbs 15:3,

Proverbs 28:26,

Romans 10:17,

Revelation 2:10,

1 Thess. 5:22

2. “But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,  bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  “Whoever hits you on the cheek, offer him the other also ; and whoever takes away your coat, do not withhold your shirt from him either.  “Give to everyone who asks of you, and whoever takes away what is yours, do not demand it back. “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you. “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them.” Luke 6:27-32

3. “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another ; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.  For this, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor ; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” Romans 13: 8-10

4. “ For you were called to freedom, brethren ; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” Galatians 5: 13-14

5. “But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.” 1 john 3;17-18

6. “If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar ; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.” 1 John 4; 20-21

7. “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.  Be devoted to one another in brotherly love ; give preference to one another in honor ; not lagging behind in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord ;  rejoicing in hope, persevering in tribulation, devoted to prayer,  contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality.  Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. ” Romans 12: 9-14

8. “Let all that you do be done in love.” 1 Corinthians 16: 14

9. “ So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience ;  bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone ; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Colossians 3:12-14

10. “ And may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you;  so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.” 1 Thess. 3:12-13

11. “ And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds,” Hebrews 10:24

12.  “ Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, 1 Peter 1:22

13. “ Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4;8     

14. “Let love of the brethren continue.” Hebrews 13:1

15. “But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” 1Timothy 1:5

16. “So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these ?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord ; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.”  He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord ; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.”  He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things ; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.”  John 21:15-17

2. “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments…”He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”  John 14:15-21

 3. ” …Abide in My love. “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love ; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”  John 15:9b-10

4. “Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him.  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and observe His commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome 1 John 5:1-3

5. “And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments.” 2 John 1:6

6. “The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;  but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him:  the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.” 1 John 2: 4-6

7. “If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed.” 1 Corinthians 16:22

8. “Wherefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him.” 2 Corinthians 2:8

9 “Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” 1 John 2: 15

10. “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” Luke 16:13

11. “But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, 21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.” Jude 1: 20

12. “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children ;  and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” Ephesians 5:1-2

13. “Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.” Ephesians 6:24

14. “May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ.” 2 Thess. 3:5

15. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28

2. “Who will separate us from the love of Christ ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword ?  Just as it is written, “FOR YOUR SAKE WE ARE BEING PUT TO DEATH ALL DAY WE WERE CONSIDERED AS SHEEP TO BE SLAUGHTERED.”  But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.  For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:35-39

3. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8

4. “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13

5. “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you;” John 15: 9a

6. “ We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”  1John 3:16

7. “ And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved ), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith ; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;” Ephesians 2:1-8

8. “For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.  But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared,  He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,  whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,  so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” Titus 3:3-7

9. “By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” 1 John 4: 9-11

10. “Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love  He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight  He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him” Ephesians 1:4-9

11. “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” 1John 3:1

12. “So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith ; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love,  may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.” Eph 3:17-19

13. “but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance ;  and perseverance, proven character ; and proven character, hope ; 5 and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5:3-5

14. “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.” 2 Corinthians 13:14

In the parable, a landowner hires workers early in the day to work his fields and offers them a fair days wage for their service to which they agree.  The landowner then goes out several more times throughout the day and hires more workers paying them the same days wage as the first.  In Matthew 20:12, the original workers say to the landowner at the end of the day, “These men that were hired last worked only one hour…and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the work…”  But to the landowner, the last worker was as valuable as the first just as the very last blooming bud of the Evening Primrose is just as beautiful to the eye and succulent to the hummingbird as the first.

I hope you will take hope in the words of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ when He says, “So the last will be first and the first will be last” (Matthew 20:16) for to Him, every Christian is valuable and receives the same inheritance no matter the order in which they bloom.

Just remember to bloom!

By Beth Drake

Originally printed in the Winter 2012 issue V5N1

Tons of books are written on this subject. Television and radio talk shows deal with it, the internet is full of advice and our parents and friends have a lot of advice. Keeping love alive in our marriages is serious business. With all this help available, why is it so few couples have found the secret to keeping love alive? How can couples attend workshops or seminars on communication, hear a lot of wonderful ideas, return home, try two or three of the ideas, feel it’s not working then give up on all the other ideas they heard?

The problem is that people speak different love languages. Not everyone receives love just like you do. There are 5 emotional love languages. 5 ways people speak and understand emotional love. Once we discover the love language of our spouse and also our own, then we can begin to “communicate” love to our spouse.

We all have a need to feel love and affection and the need to sense that we belong and are wanted. Love need not evaporate after the wedding, but in order to keep it alive, most of us will have to put forth effort to learn what language our spouse is speaking.

The 5 Love Languages are:

1. Words of Affirmation

2. Quality Time

3. Receiving Gifts

4. Acts of Service

5. Physical Touch

We all have inside of us a “Love Tank”, just as our body needs food (fuel) to fill our physical needs; we need LOVE in our “Love Tank” to fill our emotional needs.

Let’s talk about our love languages.

Words of Affirmation

One way to express love is to use words that build up. In Proverbs 12:25 it says, “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.” Verbal compliments or words of appreciation are powerful communicators of love. Be sincere in your compliments. Don’t use verbal flattery to get what you want! “The object of love is not getting something you want, but doing something for the well being of the one you love.”

Encouraging your spouse with words of affirmation will inspire courage. We all have areas in which we feel insecure or we lack courage. You never know what a difference you could make in your spouse by just giving them some words of encouragement.

Remember to use Kind words (A soft answer turns away angrer) and Humble words (Love makes requests, not demands)!

Quality Time

Quality Time means giving someone your undivided attention! In this day and time when everything is so fast paced, with places to go and things to do, we find it hard to just stop, sit down, turn everything off and just talk to one another or take quiet walks. Focus your attention on what your spouse is saying, and you may find you don’t know them as well as you thought you did.

Quality Conversation – is a sympathetic conversation where two people are sharing their experiences, thoughts and feelings. Be a GOOD listener! Pay attention to what is being said with body language, along with the words that are being said.

Here are 5 practical tips for Quality Conversation:

1. Maintain Eye Contact

2. Don’t be doing something while listening to

your spouse

3. Listen for feelings

4. Observe body language

5. Refuse to interrupt

Receiving Gifts

Everyone loves to feel special by receiving a gift. Gifts are visual symbol of love. Visual symbols of love are more important to some people than to others. Gifts can come in all sizes, colors and shapes. They can be made, found or purchased. They do not have to be given only on special occasions. Don’t forget the gift of SELF. Sometimes this gift speaks more loudly than a gift that can be held in your hand.

Acts of Service

Acts of service is doing things you know your spouse would like, without them asking. You seek to please them by serving them. This does not mean you have to become your spouse’s slave, but when you do thoughtful things to help them out, you are communicating your love to them.

Physical Touch

Physical Touch is probably the most well known way of communicating love to one another; such as holding hands, kissing, embracing and intimacy. For some people this is their primary Love Language and without it they feel unloved. Physical touch can make or break a relationship. It can communicate Hate or Love. Sometimes it’s as small as a touch on the shoulder or a kiss on the cheek as you leave the room. This communicates to them that you are thinking of them.

Love is a choice, and we need to make the choice that we are going to learn how to communicate with our spouses that we love them above all others.

I encourage all of us to start learning how to love our spouses and make our marriages what GOD intended them to be.

You can take a profile test to see what yours and your spouse’s Love Language is at:

www.fivelovelanguages.com

By Kathy Robertson (Adapted from the book)

Originally printed in the Winter 2012 issue V5N1

1. Encourage Other Women

2. Spread God’s Word

3. Share God’s Love

4. Shine God’s Light

5. Help FWNL Grow as a ministry

5 Ways to Share FWNL

1. Share your copy of FWNL

2. Tell someone about our website: FWNL.org

3. Add friends and family to our mailing list

4. Mail it out to your community

5. Use FWNL as part of your outreach (such as welcome baskets, or women’s jail ministries, etc.)

Mama sits in her class and starts listening to the lesson. The teacher begins “today’s class is on Matthew 25, the parable of the 10 virgins”. The teacher began reading:

Mat 25:1-13 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. “Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. “For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps “Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep.” But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ “Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.”The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ “But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ “And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut “Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ “But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”

The teacher taught that the application was that we always need to be ready because we know not when the Lord is going to come. We need to be prepared for when the Lord comes for us. We need to get our priorities ready and have those lamps ready.

As mama sat in class she started thinking how this lesson could apply to her in her own life. She understood that she needed to be ready for when Jesus came (Mat 24:36), but is she putting the practice in her everyday life and is she teaching her family how to be prepared. Does she really want Sunday morning to be a stressful time? Is she setting the tone and the mood in the house to make getting ready for worship service something that her family is going to look forward to in years to come? The bell rings, class is over….. are you ready for worship?

Here are 5 suggestions to help you get to class on time:

1) Get a good night sleep Saturday night. Set your alarm clock and don’t snooze it! Just make it a point and know that Sunday morning is no snooze day…you snooze, you lose!

2) Before bedtime talk about worship service the next day. If the kids have memory verses, or if they’re studying a certain topic in class, talk with them about what they’re learning. Get them enthused and ready for Bible class.

3) Every one set out everything the night before what they’re going to wear or take; this includes underwear, socks, shoes, coats, Bibles, contribution. You do not want to spend any time looking for things on Sunday morning.

4) Soft music or, better yet, religious singing is an excellent way to start off Sunday mornings.

5) Most importantly, pray. Pray that you will be prepared and teach your children to be prepared for worship. After all, God prepared for our salvation before He created the foundation of the world.

By Karen Bookout

Originally printed in the Winter 2012 issue V5N1

When I first became a Christian, I picked up my Bible and read of people like David, who single handedly killed the most intimidating warrior of his time. I would turn away from my study of such men and women, wanting a faith like theirs. So, I would close my eyes, bow my head, and pray for God to give me a strong faith. Days, weeks, and months would pass by, and guess what? I still felt trapped inside of my own timid, halfhearted, wavering faith.

If you find yourself at times asking the same prayer, and following the same endless cycle that I did for so long, then please, listen closely.

Jonah had to sit inside a dark whale for 3 days to grow his faith. Daniel had to lie in a pit of lions overnight to grow his faith. Job had to lose all of his wealth, family, and health to grow his faith. Paul had to completely switch his life long religion to grow his faith.

God does not freely give a faith transformation to us. Faith transformation follows the changing of life long patterns and habits, acts of obedience, and the enduring of challenging experiences.

For just a moment, I’d like to discuss five faith builders that God reveals to us in His Word.

The first faith builder is that of personal Bible study. We are told in John 1:14 that “the Word became human and made His home among us” (NLT). If we want a stronger faith in God, we must develop a stronger faith in the life of Jesus Christ. If we want a stronger faith in the life of Christ, we must develop a stronger faith in the Word, our record of God and the life of Christ.

The second faith builder is that of prayer. While in the garden prior to the crucifixion, Jesus gives the following instruction to His disciples, “Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak!”(NLT).Prayer has the power to help us fight the very things that weaken our faith.

The third faith builder is that of service. Serving others was the very purpose of Jesus’ coming to this earth, according to Matthew 20:28. Serving others connects us to the very heart of Jesus. We see his mercy, kindness, and love in acts of service. This connection with Christ inevitably grows one’s faith. 

The fourth faith builder is that of friendship. As God advises us on friendship, He warns that “there are friends who destroy each other” (Proverbs 18:24). In the same manner, He also tells us that good friends “can help each other succeed” (Ecclesiastes 4:9). The friends we choose can either make or break our faith.

The fifth, and possibly greatest, faith builder is that of tribulation. Nearly, if not all, occasions of faith transformation in the Bible occur during or following a troubling experience. The Word teaches us in James 1:2-4, “when troubles come your way, consider it an  pportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing”.

If we actively pursue these five faith builders, our prayer will hopefully change from “God give me a stronger faith”, to “God, please have patience as I build my faith according to your instruction”.

By Jennifer Savage

Every Girl is a  column devoted to our Teen and Tween age sisters in Christ. We named this column Every Girl because we believe that every girl is a wonderfully made creation and we want to encourage her to reach her full potentional. Jenn Savage is a student nurse at FHU.

Originally printed in the Winter 2012 issue V5N1

From the above mentioned verses we can identify those pieces of armor as….the Belt or Girdle of Truth (verse 14), the Breastplate of Righteousness (verse 14), the footwear of the Gospel of Peace (verse 15), the Shield of Faith (verse 16), and the Helmet of Salvation  verse 17).

It’s easy to see why the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to use this analogy. As a prisoner, Paul was with the Roman soldiers constantly, and Christians of the day were also very familiar with them and would easily understand the analogy. But since we today do not see such soldiers of old, how can we know what God intends? Let’s study on it a bit.

Verse 14 tells us to “gird up” or secure our “loins” with Truth. The “loins” are the abdominal area of the body and is our core of physical strength. Unprotected or wounded in that area, it would be nearly impossible to stand strong in an upright position, let alone fight. Figuratively speaking, Truth is the basis of our spiritual strength and helps us stand firm without falling.

Verse 14 also mentions the Breastplate of Righteousness. This piece of armor protected the chest area over the heart and lungs, the life center of the body. Righteousness is living right for God, striving to be holy and pure in heart as well as actions. Righteousness protects the spiritual heart from evil and the Devil with his snares. Any soldier going into battle without the breastplate is asking for certain death. So too, if we are not spiritually covered with righteousness, we are asking for certain spiritual death.

In Verse 15 Paul tells us to have our “feet shod with the preparation of the Gospel of Peace”. The NIV says “andwith your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the Gospel of Peace.” Until I studied this verse more, I always thought of it as taking the Gospel somewhere… having our shoes on and ready to go. But, the context of this setting in verses 10-16 is about standing firm and fighting, not advancing or going anywhere. Could it be, as Barnes states in his commentary, that it refers to a Christian’s “stability and  surefootedness from the Gospel which gives him peace so that he can stand in the battle”? That does make sense.

The Shield of Faith mentioned in verse 16 is not so much worn on the body as it is held up by the hands. As the shield guards and protects from physical danger, “faith protects us in our spiritual lives even in the midst of physical trials” (Barnes). Satan is always after us with his “fiery darts” of fear, doubt, worry, and temptation, but the only way he can get to us is if, or when, we let that shield of faith drop. We cannot let it dip even a little bit or the Devil will catch us off guard and hit us before we know what has happened.

Another thing I found about the shield of the soldier is the way the soldiers all raised them together. Because these shields were quite large, the outer soldiers held their shields out in front, touching the shield next to him, while the soldiers behind and inside the formation held theirs up over their heads, forming a solid barrier. This reminds me that the fight against Satan is one we all must fight, and fight together. Standing unified in the faith–joining our shields (as it were) will help strengthen us as a Body so that we can as one unit stand firm together. What a comforting thought to know that we don’t have to fight this battle alone.

The last piece of “worn” armor is the Helmet of Salvation in verse 17. The helmet protects the head and gives a sense of safety. The knowledge that we need salvation and taking the action to gain that salvation (believing God’s word, repenting of sins, confessing the name of Christ, and being baptized for the remission of those sins) gives us hope that protects our very thoughts from the cares of the world and the temptations that come our way.

Another thought regarding the Helmet of Salvation is this: Once we have commited our life to Christ and Salvation is ours, we are told in Philippians 2:5 to “develop the mind of Christ”. We should think differently from the world. We should love God and Christ so much that we have His very words written on our minds to help us remember the reason for Salvation, as well as those words of promise and encouragement that help us in our daily battle against Satan.

This concludes the pieces of armor that are “worn” in some fashion. But what soldier would go into battle without his sword? This is the soldier’s only “offensive weapon”. As a Christian, our only offensive weapon is the “Sword of the Spirit”. “Of the Spirit” shows where the sword came from–from the Holy Spirit inspiring those who wrote, then specifies what that sword is–The Word of God. So the Word, God-breathed by God the Holy Spirit, should be our weapon carried into battle against Satan, held close to our sides, ready for use at a moment’s notice.

Along with the five worn pieces of armor and the one offensive weapon, Paul tells us in verse 18 “to pray” and to “be alert”. This armor would be of little use without God’s help and strength to wear it continuously on a daily basis. We must seek Him in prayer so that we do not become weary or discouraged. Our hearts and minds in prayer, ever on Him, will help us to be victorious over Satan.

But I wonder….do we really understand that the Christian Life is a battle, a daily struggle, a true spiritual war we are waging? Do we really understand that putting this armor on is NOT a mere suggestion? The words in this text are commands, not “if you want to” words. We are told to “be strong in the Lord”, to “put on”, to “take”, to “stand firm”, to “pray” and to “be alert”, and “having done all, to stand”.

Do you have your armor on? As women of God we MUST wear this armor daily. Never can we ever take it off and lay it aside. To do so would be to give up and let Satan win. To let Satan win means the loss of not only our souls in Hell, but very likely the souls of our children and grandchildren, spouses, and yes, maybe even our brothers and sisters in the Lord. Our influence reaches farther than we ever know. Let’s encourage each other to wear God’s armor and stand firmly together in our fight against Satan, so that we can one day be victorious and live with God and Christ eternally in Heaven.

By Beth Turner

originally printed in the Winter 2012 issue V5N1

And though there are times when I am surprised by the date, I am excited for the year ahead.  Mostly I am excited about the possibilities for FWNL in the year ahead.  Please be praying with us as we seek to grow… grow the newsletter?  YES! But mostly help other women grow closer to God. Whether you don’t know anything about God and his church, you are a new Christian, you are a mature Christian or somewhere in between, we desire to help you grow spiritually.

How you can help us grow (thereby help others grow.):

1. Pray!!… About all of it!!
2. Check out the Up and Coming Section. This section gives you information about article submission as well as other ways you can be involved.
3. Consider being a financial supporter of this ministry. We are seeking  churches and individuals who are willing to support us financially so that we can print more newsletters, and spread the word of God to women everywhere!

May you be blessed in the coming year. May God rain down his blessings upon you as you seek to serve him. May you rest in the comfort of His love and the joy of His presence.

-Amy

Do you remember the saying, “They broke the mold
when they made you?” I remember this phrase being
said to people when I was growing up. The statement
implied that there was only “one” of that person
in existence. Until I was a Christian I never thought
much about how true that statement was. There is
only “ONE” of us in existence. No other person on
this earth has ever been or will ever be just like you
or I. Even “identical” twins are not truly “identical”.
With over an estimated 6 billion people in the world,
it is hard to comprehend that no two are exactly the
same, yet God knows every detail about us right down
to how many hairs we have on our head, Luke 12:7.
Although each one of us is similar in many ways, we
are each unique, different and special, especially in
God’s eyes. In Genesis 1:27 we read that God created
each of us in His own image. Nothing could make
us any more special and unique than that! However,
sometimes we don’t think of ourselves as unique and
special. Instead, many times we compare ourselves
to other Christians and how much more special and
talented they seem to be than us. It’s easy to get in the
mindset of thinking that everyone else is better than
us. “She is a better wife, a better mother, homemaker,
Bible class teacher than I am. “Why can’t I be like
her?”

I had this mindset as a new Christian. I didn’t become
a Christian until I was an adult, so I was way behind
all the other women in our congregation in Bible
knowledge and how to be an active, serving Christian.
Most of them had been in the church from childhood
or teenagers. This made me feel very inadequate and
I constantly compared myself to the Christian women
I worshipped with. I was always thinking “if I could
only be like them.” I was always selling myself short.
As the years have gone by, I have learned that some
of those same Christian sisters I desired so strongly to
be like were thinking the same thing about me. They
were actually wishing they could be like me in some
ways. I had no idea! I was so busy focusing on what
I thought I wasn’t and what I didn’t think I could do,
that I wasn’t seeing or using the talents that God had
blessed me with. I was limiting myself in my service
to God.

If you are struggling with these same feelings, I pray
you will search God’s word to help you to see that you
are unique, special, and that everyone, including you,
has a talent or talents that you can use to serve God in
a way that nobody else can.

Not in a vain or boasting way, but it is ok to love
ourselves. In fact, God wants us to love ourselves.
Matthew 22:39 tells us to “Love thy neighbor as
thyself.” Usually when we study or hear this verse
used in a lesson we focus on the part that instructs
us to “love our neighbor” and rightly so. That command
is a very important part of the verse. But, this
verse also tells us to love “ourselves”. We have to
first love ourselves and the special and unique person
God has created us to be before we can properly love
anyone else. This doesn’t always come natural for
us. It sometimes takes a conscious effort and maybe
a change in our lives so that we are living our lives as
a person we can love, a Christian that is pleasing to
God. Does that mean we have to be good at everything?
Does that mean we have to be able to serve in
any and every way? No, we just have to strive to be
the best we can with the talents God has given each of
us as an individual. Those talents may be very visible.
For instance, being able to teach a Bible class,
make visual aids for classes, be able to coordinate
events such as workshops, ladies days, etc. You may
have talents that are not so visible, but are still just as
important and effective in the Lord’s work. God has
given every single one of us a talent or ability that we
can use to serve Him. Maybe you are good at writing
and sending cards of encouragement to others,
cleaning the church building so it always looks nice
and welcoming for worship services. Are you good at
having just the right thing to say to a brother or sister
in Christ that is struggling with something in their
life? Is your talent praising and encouraging those
that make the effort to be at all the worship services or
to those men who lead in our worship in some way?
Do you help prepare a dish to take to someone when
needed? You may not think your talents are useful,
but they are! Whatever you are able to do, find a way
to use it to serve God. Use it to bring other Christians
together for a time of fellowship. Sewing, painting,
crafts, crocheting, creating Bible lessons, having a devotional
in your home are good ways to bring women
together for a fun time of fellowship.

Let’s look at some women that were unique, special
and worthy of mention in the Bible. They used their
talents to serve God.
* Dorcas: was kind and loving-Acts 9:36
* Lydia: showed hospitality (especially to those of the faith)-Acts 16:1-15
* Phoebe: was mentioned as a servant in the church-Romans 16:1
* Priscilla: Taught others privately -Acts 18:24-26

The acts of these women are acts any of us can do in
some way. It is these kinds of acts that will help to
make us feel special. Serving others is a great way
to help us feel better about ourselves and to let God’s
light shine through us.

Maybe we need to remind ourselves daily that we are
unique and created by God Himself in His image and
that He loves us so much! Here is a little exercise
that may help you to remember this and learn to love
yourself. Write this down on a sticky note and put it
somewhere you will read it every day.

“I am special and unique, created in God’s image and
He loves me.” “I have talents that I can and will use
for Him.”

Then believe it! Realize the potential you have as a
Christian woman to serve our Lord. Whatever you
do, do it with a cheerful, thankful attitude. You never
know how you may be influencing others around you
to become a Christian or to become stronger Christians.
Don’t be afraid to ask your Christian sisters to
help you develop your talents, to help you grow in
your service.

May God bless and strengthen you through the study
of His word and through your efforts to grow as His
Christian daughter.

By Pam Savage

Originally published in the Fall 2011 issue N4V4

Our brothers and sisters in Christ are very essential to
the maintaining of our faithfulness. We are to exhort
one another, to build one another up in the most holy
faith. We are to bear one another’s burdens, weep,
mourn, rejoice with one another. The letters to the
churches are filled with exhortations to love one another,
and be united in the Lord. We cannot afford to
diminish the importance of our church families. It is
true that we must all work out our own salvation, but
God saw the need of Christian fellowship that would
be had through the church. The example of the early
church meeting daily and having all things in common
should remind us of the necessity of being with those
of like faith as often as possible. The pattern for the
church and its’ mission are recorded in the New Testament
throughout the epistles. We see in Romans 12:4-
5, and also in I Corinthians 12:12-14, that the body is
made up of many members and that each member is
essential to the proper functioning of the body. When
one member of that body suffers, or is not functioning
properly, the whole body suffers as a result. As each
organ or member of the physical body should be taken
care of and kept healthy, so should the body of Christ
(the church). We as members of the church must do
all we can to keep ourselves spiritually healthy and
in doing so the church (body) will grow in strength
as well as in number. We must hunger and thirst for
the Word of God, thereby, growing in the grace and in
the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ
and be ready and willing to share that knowledge with
those who are unlearned.

Thanks be to God that He has given us the church
which is Christ’s body. In Hebrews 10:25, we are
warned of the dangers of forsaking the assembling
of the church and that, by doing so, we are wilfully
sinning. Our Heavenly Father knows how important
the church is to our salvation and commands us to be
faithful to it, for it is our brothers and sisters in Christ
who pick us up when we fall, encourage us when we
are weak, and love our souls even when we’re not
loveable! It is the church with whom we assemble to
worship Almighty God, in singing, praying, giving,
partaking in communion and in studying His Word.

Not only are the “saved” in the nody, but they are
also given the name of the Head of that nody. Acts
4:12 says, “Neither is there salvation in any other
name; for there is none other name under heaven
given among men, whereby we must be saved.” According
to New Testament scripture, salvation and the
Church are synonymous.

By Alice A. Simmons

Originally published in the Fall 2011 Issue N4V4

A physical sister is a gift indeed
A sister in Christ is a blessing we need

Someone who shares the Christian walk
Who knows when to listen and when to talk

She will know your burdens & your cares
She will lift you up when her love she shares

A Christian sister is precious in God’s sight
In her, all will see His shining light

She knows God’s word is a priceless treasure
The “only” standard by which to measure

Christian sisters will teach their children His word, morning, noon & night
For they know this is the only way their little lives will turn out right

Serving others is always on her mind
Searching for ways to be loving, caring & kind

The bond of Christian sisters is like no other
Together we strive to be a Godly daughter, friend, wife and mother

A serving Christian sister is a blessing tis true
Pray that God & others will find this trait in me and in you

Originally published in the Fall 2011 Issue N4V4

So we can see that Priscilla loved a missionary enough to be open to him in spite of his past, host him in her home, and risked her life in defending him and the Faith. She loved individual souls enough to teach them gently and encourage them to be bold for the Faith.  And she loved the church enough to open her home to them at the very  least on a weekly basis, if not a daily basis. And she didn’t just love those near her but those far away as well.

The question for us today is how can we be more like Priscilla? Can we serve more faithfully beside our husbands? Can we be more encouraging to our missionaries? Can we be more active in teaching others with gentleness and love? Can we more often bring the church into our homes?  No matter who we are or what stage of life we are in, couldn’t we all be more like Priscilla? May you be blessed with the energy and zeal to serve as Priscilla did.

Sweet escape. God, I want out.
I deserve to be vomited out of your mouth.
Indecisive at best, flat rebellious at worst.
I’m a wretched sinner, Lord, but You loved me first.
Can I still be redeemed? Is there any grace left?
Oh merciful God, take this load off my chest.
For I am too weak, too small, and too quiet
to resist, fight off, band together in riot.
But if God is for me, who can be against?
Perhaps all this time I’ve been riding the fence.
I choose this day whom I’ll serve no longer.
“Get thee behind me, Satan!” My God and I are stronger.
Now I remember what my knees are for.
It’s been a while since I was down on this floor.
Well, here I am, Lord, exhausted, worthless, broken.
But I fully believe every word you have spoken.
Refill me, restore me. Oh God, I repent.
I’ve turned away from Your Son, the great sacrifice you sent.
I am oh-so-sorry for the way I’ve been going.
Here’s the real me, no secrets, for You are all-knowing.
Wash me clean again please,
with that precious crimson stream.
May your precious blood wash away my sin.
So I can live righteously, upstanding again.

Originally published in the Fall 2011 Issue N4V4