Each week, let’s take some time to read God’s Word together and learn more about His character.
Hey, friends!
We are so excited about this semester at JFWomen! We have some incredible things planned for the next few months!
This semester, we want to focus on growing in our understanding of the character of God. We want to know who God is, believe His Word, and share that truth with others. Maybe you’ve never been able to believe that God has compassion for you, or maybe you have trouble seeing God as a God of justice. Perhaps you struggle to believe that God is powerful enough to take care of you or provide for you, or intervene in your circumstances. Isaiah 40:28-29 reminds us to remember the character of God and to let the truth of who He is permeate our lives. It says,
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.”
God has graciously allowed us to know His character by revealing Himself in His Word, the Bible! But, in order to know the character of God, we need to read His Word! He is everlasting, the Creator of the earth. He will not ever grow tired, He will not give up on us. We can discover
more and more of the truth of who our God is and how He feels about us by reading His Word!
Friend, wherever you’re at, whatever you’re facing, whatever your deepest desire, you have a God who [read more…]
The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.
Isaiah 40:8
We’ve all done it.
Maybe you’ve even done it today. You need to remember something important, but you don’t write it down. Either it’s too important that you couldn’t possibly forget it, or you trust yourself to remember because, how could you possibly forget to buy milk or feed the dog or get gas on your way home?
But then you forget. And there’s no milk. And the dog hasn’t eaten all day. And your “empty” light flashes as soon as you hit traffic on 285. All because you didn’t write it down.
We forget all kinds of things because we don’t write them down. Whether it is as simple as groceries or daily chores, or whether it’s more important, like calling your mom on her birthday or meeting a work deadline.
Studies have shown that writing things down helps us remember and process the words we’re recording more thoroughly than typing does. Yes, that means you’re more likely to remember something you write on a post it note and stick to your bathroom mirror than something you type as a reminder on your phone! Writing engages our body, connecting our thoughts and actions. The same way we have muscle memory and can write our name without looking, our brain remembers things we’ve written down more fully than things we’ve typed (or not written down at all).
Great news [read more…]
In my heart I store up your words, so I might not sin against you.
Psalm 119:11
I’ll admit it: I take way too many pictures. I currently have 64,000 pictures in my Photos app. And that’s really only from the past eight or so years. That’s an average of 670 photos per month.
I definitely take more photos when I travel or at certain events than I do on a daily basis. But I take more pictures at those times because I’m doing all I can to capture the moment. I want to be able to look back on those photos and remember how fun it was to be with my best friends who I hadn’t seen in a year. I want to remember how impressive the scenery was when we reached the summit of our hike. I want to remember the way my nieces laughed at each other when they played peek-a-boo.
I’m trying to capture the moment so I can remember the joy I felt when I experienced it. I’m trying to relive and revive that joy every time I look back at those photos.
Even more powerful than the joy we experience from reliving memories is the joy that comes with knowing the truth of God’s character.
When we have captured the truth of God’s character in our hearts, we can have [read more…]
Hear, O Israel: The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You must love the Lord your God with your whole mind, your whole being, and all your strength. These words I am commanding you today must be kept in mind, and you must teach them to your children and speak of them as you sit in your house, as you walk along the road, as you lie down, and as you get up. You should tie them as a reminder on your forearm and fasten them as symbols on your forehead. Inscribe them on the doorframes of your houses and gates.
Deuteronomy 6:4–9
About a year ago, I had surgery to repair a labral tear in my hip. After weeks of physio-therapy, I was finally able to walk without pain and resume my regular activities. Then, someone took a video of me walking down the sidewalk with my niece. I was shocked at what I saw. The way I walked was totally different than how I’d walked before the surgery. I wasn’t limping per say, but my stride looked a bit labored and irregular.
What I saw in that video was jarring, because I didn’t feel any different. I thought I was walking exactly how I’d always walked, that my hip was finally functioning again because I was no longer in any pain. In reality, I was changed by my injury, the surgery, and the recovery process. I was no longer walking as I’d always walked because I’d been changed.
The Word of God is meant to change us. We’re supposed to be different than we were before we encountered it. Like the Israelites were to continually talk about it, teach it, and remember it, we also have the privilege of [read more…]
Hey, friends and hello Week 5!
If you have been here since Week 1, YAY! That is something to celebrate! And guess what? If you haven’t been here for it all, I celebrate you, too, because you’re here TODAY, and that’s all that matters.
I’m not sure about you, but wow, showing up today is taking some effort. A friend told me that when she wakes up and is having a hard morning, she will put on some of her best clothes. To wear it helps her feel confident, like celebrating something special, she says, and it will often improve her day.
God can do the same for us as wearing those clothes did for her.
The Bible describes how being made new in Christ is like putting on new or special clothing. Revelation 7:13-14 tells us that God’s people are given white robes to wear, washed in the blood of the Lamb. Galatians 3:27 tells us that all who have been baptized are clothed with Christ. In Colossians 3:12 we, “as God’s chosen ones holy and beloved”, are encouraged to clothe ourselves in “compassion, humility, kindness, gentleness and patience.”
We are already God’s chosen ones, God’s holy ones, God’s loved ones. Now, He says, we need to wear the character that reflects our new identity.
These qualities are [read more…]
When I get a slow moment, I love to sit in my sunroom. Watching out the windows I’ve seen creatures enjoying my garden. From the same view, I’ve seen storms blow in, fireflies light up the yard and bunnies hop along. I’ve heard bullfrogs and cicadas in the distance and marveled at sunsets lighting the sky & satellites flying through the stars. All these wonderful sights from one special spot. But there is so much more to these things than just their beauty. They actively reveal God’s glory.
Reveal in the dictionary means to make (previously unknown information) known to others; cause or allow (something) to be seen. Even more, Biblical revelation is to make known though divine inspiration; to disclose from heaven.
The Bible says, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the end of the world.” (Psalm 19:1-4a)
Now I love to (try) and memorize scripture. One of the reasons I love memorizing scriptures is because God reveals the Truth of His Word to my heart in a deeper way when I put it to memory. But, when something is put to music, I am likely to remember it almost perfectly. As evidenced when any 90’s song starts playing and the lyrics instantly pop back into my head (and usually bring along a dance party with it!). So when I read Psalm 19 the worship song “So Will I” instantly pops in my head to help remember its truth. Part of the song says: [read more…]
You who bring good news to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, “Here is your God!” See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power, and he rules with a mighty arm. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him. He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.
Isaiah 40:9–11
What a joy it has been to study the character of God together. When we can take time to focus on who God is and what He is doing in our lives, it overflows in our lives. We not only want to share it with others, but we want to proclaim it to everyone around us!
I love this passage in Isaiah. It is pointing to the coming of the Messiah and the forerunner who would proclaim His arrival. We know this is John the Baptist, a man who called the people of Israel to repentance and prepared the way for Jesus and His ministry. But when this was written, the people of Judah had not been keeping God’s laws, and they were facing destruction and oppression by a powerful enemy. Isaiah brought good news to the people, proclaiming that even though God was going to discipline them for their sin, He would restore them and care for them.
Even though the people of Judah were about to experience the discipline of God, they were reminded that God is good and holy and cares for His people. He promised to gather them together again and restore them. And a few hundred years later, John the Baptist proclaimed these things again. He warned the people about their sin and called them to repentance. Yet, he also told them about
the goodness and compassion of God, of the Messiah who had come to take away the sins of the world.
When we proclaim the character of God, it gives peace and comfort to those around us. When we remind our friends of what God has done in the past, we offer them hope and comfort in a difficult circumstance. When we [read more…]
We’ve all been asked at some point: “How’d you hear about us?”. Maybe we received this question on the paperwork at a new doctor’s office, or as part of the checkout process while making an online purchase, or in a survey after enjoying a new restaurant. No matter where the question is asked, often our answer is resoundingly: “I heard about it from a family member or friend”. When we are satisfied with a product or service, we want to tell others about it. We want the people we know and love to experience the good things we experience.
Our relationship with Jesus is no different. Jesus’ love, grace, and mercy are the most satisfying things we could ever be offered, and they’re free! Through Jesus, we have hope, joy, and the promise of eternity. There is no better product, service, or offer out there. If we are excited to share tips on sales, recipes, restaurants, or doctors, why wouldn’t we be bursting at the seams to share the news of salvation with those around us?
Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 28:19-20, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
He wanted His disciples to go ahead and tell everybody about His sacrifice and love, but He also reminded them
that they aren’t in it alone. Jesus is with us as we go, tell, and make disciples.
The implication for our mission is clear. Making disciples means getting involved with people. Jesus’ disciples hung out with Jesus in order to be sent out by him. Who in your circle of influence is close enough to see how you live? Who’s close enough to see how Jesus has changed your life? What are they seeing? One of the best ways to share Jesus with others is [read more…]
When I was a child, we ate our Thanksgiving feast at my grandparent’s. My grandmother brought out her beautiful tablecloths, china and glass serving bowls. Tables were full of traditional dishes and family staples. The kids ran and played and the adults laughed and chatted. After the turkey and dressing were eaten and dessert was done, we continued to spend time together as a family.
Although the location has changed, and my mother and aunt now host, the rest of Thanksgiving still feels similar. The house is still beautifully prepared, it is still noisy and filled with people of all ages and sizes. Wonderful aromas drift in from the kitchen, and a sense of celebration is in the air. The atmosphere is full of stories being told and memories being shared. There is always something familiar and always something new. I look forward to these shared family gatherings. But, gathering around a table is about much more than sharing a meal.
One thing I have noticed in the Gospels are all the times where Jesus appeared at a mealtime table during His time on earth.
He called out to a curious Zacchaeus and ate with him. (Luke 19:1-10)
He prepared breakfast for a weary and broken Peter. (John 21:1-17)
He shared a meal with a shamed and desperate Mary. (John 12:1-11)
He welcomed the robbers, the cheaters and the slanderers to a table with a meal. (Luke 15:1-2, Mark 2:13-17)
He shared a passover dinner with the disciples as one of his final acts before His crucifixion. (Matthew 26:17–29; Mark 14:12–25; Luke 22:7–38)
It occurred to me that if [read more…]
My love language is gifts. I often feel like that’s not the “acceptable” answer because it makes me sound a bit shallow. But the truth is, when someone buys me a gift, I feel so loved and seen. It shows me that this person cares about me so much that they would spend time thinking of a gift to get me, that they would go out and get said gift, and that they would spend their money on something for me.
To me, every gift is special. But when someone really spends money on a gift for me, it carries a lot of weight. It cost them something to get that gift for me when they would receive nothing in return.
As believers in Christ, we have all been given many gifts. We have the gift of salvation, first and foremost. We also enjoy the gift of the Holy Spirit living in us every day, and
God continues to give us blessings by His grace alone. All these gifts were incredibly costly: Jesus died so that He could graciously pour out these gifts to us.
Furthermore, as we grow in our faith we will become more aware of the specific gifts God has given each of us. He has blessed us with spiritual gifts and talents that He wants us to use for His kingdom. While these gifts take time to develop and fully understand, they have been given to us to bless and build up the church.
There are many passages of Scripture that describe different gifts we have been given as believers in Christ. No matter what our gifts are, we did nothing to earn them. Jesus paid the ultimate price for our salvation, and because of that we are blessed with additional gifts, things like teaching, compassion, discernment, and wisdom.
But these incredible gifts are not meant for us to bury. We are meant to use our gifts [read more…]
