dwell

SELF-CONTROL

2010-04-09T08:48:00.000-05:00

summer's notebook, chapter 12.

self-control = the ability to keep one's self in check. the ability to say 'no' to emotions, cravings, urges.

a person who has self-control has mastered their desires and love of pleasure.

to win the battle of self-control, i have to recognize the conflict and rely totally upon God's help and grace. ephesians 6.10-13.

common problem areas for fleshly urges.. snacks. sweets. clothes. making good use of my time, all the time.

self-control does NOT: yield to temptation, give in to desires, participate in sin, indulge itself, satisfy itself

self-control cares about:

growing more Christ-like

being a good steward of my body (which is the temple of the Holy Spirit)

being a good steward of the money God has given me

spending my time wisely, in a worthwhile way

blessings of not succumbing to the flesh (saying 'no')..

1. i can have God's victory in whatever temptation is attacking me

2. i can build a track record with Him and gain experience that will help me later when i face another temptation

i must see every decision as a battle. who will i side with? my flesh, or the Holy Spirit?

how to start mastering your self (flesh)..

1. pray. over everything. before every decision. commit each day to Him in prayer.

2. monitor my input. don't put yourself in situations where you'll be tempted.

3. stay busy.

4. keep a schedule.

5. don't pamper myself.

7. saturate my mind with His Word. read proverbs for wisdom. memorize key verses.

GENTLENESS

2010-04-01T10:28:00.000-05:00

summer's notebook, chapter 11.

gentleness = being meek, humble, and tame. the opposite of wild and fierce. a gentle person is one who..

is accustomed to control by another
has been toned down
exhibits complete dependence on another
has yielded all will to another's control
unquestioningly and humbly obeys what is ordered
accepts what is given
is docile, obedient, and pliable
is easy to work with and to be with
submits fully to God's will
submits willingly to her husband
withstands misunderstanding and distress
refuses to fight, assert herself, or seek vengeance
takes it and bears no grudge

how can i bear suffering and ill treatment?

we can maintain a demeanor of tranquility, no matter what life brings, because God is in control of every minute. we can 'take it' by trusting Him, resting in His sovereignty, remembering that he works all things together for our good, and by believing that everything that happens in our life is allowed by God and He is able to help us handle it.

why should i desire gentleness?

1. because it is of great worth in God's sight. (1 peter 3.4)

2. because our Savior was gentle.

3. because it brings great intimacy with God. it means wanting only His will, depending completely on Him, belonging only to Him, and yielding humbly to Him.

a gentle and quiet spirit..

does not mean living in absolute silence.

gentle.. docile and submissive cooperation, not creating disturbances

quiet.. the acceptance of life in general, bearing disturbances created by others

HOW?

start accepting. whether things go right or wrong, accept everything today as allowed by God.
start praying. prayer puts us in a posture of gentleness. submitting, yielding, coming humbly before Him.
start practicing a tranquil & docile demeanor. work toward a reputation of gentleness.
refuse to complain. complaining is not accepting.
refuse to manipulate. let God resolve the issue for you. stop straining. let Him glorify Himself by coming to your rescue.

my favorite excerpt from this chapter..

"Gentleness is perfect quietness of heart.

It is for me to have no trouble; never to be fretted or vexed

or irritated or sore or disappointed.

It is to expect nothing, to wonder at nothing done to me,

to feel nothing done against me,

It is to be at rest when nobody praises me.."

FAITHFULNESS

2010-03-23T09:43:00.005-05:00

summer's notebook, chapter 10.

faithfulness = being loyal, constant, and steadfast.

in other words.. just do it! keep going. do the next thing. no matter how you're feeling.

remember! this applies to my behavior in respect to other people and toward God.

opposites of faithfulness (things to avoid)

changing loyalties, changing standards, changing my mind. nothing seems to merit commitment, nothing seems too important. being fickle, unstable, impulsive, unreliable.

faithfulness helps us fight weakness, impulsiveness, and laziness.

the mark of a woman of faithfulness. she is..

following through, delivering, showing up, keeping her word, keeping commitments and appointments, carrying out instructions, coming through, and being devoted to her duties.

why is it important?

01. it is crucial that God's faithfulness be a part of our character because faithfulness marks God's presence in our lives. this is how we show forth our faithful Savior and demonstrate that we belong to Him.

02. because we long to hear Him say one day, 'Well done, good and faithful servant.'

03. because our Savior is faithful, and we are to be growing more Christ-like.

what are my responsibilities? where do i need to monitor my faithfulness?

prayer life|devotional life
my role as grant's wife
my duties as the keeper of my home
my task of helping teach preschoolers
my calling to be faithful in the church

and as a faithful woman, i should 'respond positively, enthusiastically, and energetically to these job assignments from God.'

struggles of the flesh, struggles against faithfulness:

tiredness.. 'i can't do it'

laziness.. 'i don't want to do it'

hopelessness.. 'it doesn't matter if i do it'

procrastination.. 'i'll do it later'

rationalization.. 'someone else will do it'

apathy.. 'i don't care if i do it'

rebellion.. 'i won't do it'

things to remember..

1) desire for fruit/to live a godly life

2) look to Him

3) follow God's Word

serving people is a primary way for us to serve our Lord.

be faithful in small things.

fight self-indulgence.

eliminate laziness and idleness.

GOODNESS

2010-03-10T19:39:00.007-06:00

summer's notebook, chapter 8

goodness is..

1. the sum of all God's attributes.

2. obeying God.

3. kindly activity on the behalf of others.

4. completely dedicated to helping others live well.

5. a readiness to do good.

4. the opposite of man's badness. everything we associate with goodness is not of ourselves, but God working in us. 'for i know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh' (romans 7.18).

goodness is my assignment

'hate what is evil; cling to what is good.' romans 12.9b

'i want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.'

'command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.' 1 timothy 6.18

'our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may.. not live unproductive lives.' titus 3.14

'we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.' eph. 2.10

in 1 timothy, we are called to dress ourselves with good works, which can be translated as living 'a life of selfless devotion to others, an adornment that lies not in what a woman puts on, but in the loving service she gives out.'

favorite lines from this chapter

every assault upon us gives us an opportunity to live out godliness.
'christian character is not expressed by good doing, but by God-likeness'.. These words offer us a healthy reminder that our goal is to grow in godliness, not just to crank out works.
forget your own comfort: 'the good life is not comfort, but godliness.'
take the initiative in meeting the specific needs of others. after all, 'love means action.'

'our world, our churches, our homes need people who are actively kind: people who walk out their door every day ready to do good- not just think about it or pray about it; people who are devoted to making the lives of others better.'

reading assignment: chapter 9, looking at Jesus' actions

memory verse: philippians 1.27

KINDNESS, or 'being too nice'

2010-03-04T08:00:00.000-06:00

summer's notebook, chapter 7.

we are called to be kind.

1. ephesians 4.32 'be kind and compassionate to one another..'

2. colossians 3.12 'put on a heart of .. kindness'

3. timothy 2.24 ''..must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all.'

defining kindness..

tenderness and concern for other people
making the good of others as important as our own
a sweetness of disposition

'God's grace of kindness should pervade the whole person, mellowing all that might be harsh.'

{learning from opposites} kindness means..

not arguing, not causing strife, not stirring up conflict, and not being mean.

kindness does mean.. caring for, thinking of, considering, and noticing others. pray that you might see the needs of others before your own!

SOMETHING TO ASK YOURSELF:

'what is it like to be yoked with me? am i easy to be with and kind, a person who makes it easier for other people to bear their burdens? or am i an additional burden which other must bear, causing their yoke to chafe and rub, making it more difficult for them.. because they are yoked to a harsh, quarrelsome, wearisome woman?'

things to do today:

1. pray for greater love and compassion for others

2. pray for those who mistreat you

3. spend time studying Jesus's life for examples of kindness

4. make it your goal to be 'too nice'

5. begin making the effort at home to live out God's command to be kind. what does your husband need? or your children? what would make their life easier?

reading assignment: chapter 8, giving in goodness

memory verse: 2 peter 1.5

sacrifice + patience::

2010-02-28T16:57:00.000-06:00

in our week 5 study, we examine ourselves in the light of Jesus' example. we assess His attitudes and actions. and then, we examine our own. oh, how inferior we are to our Savior. however, i am not discouraged by such assessment-- but instead-- i am motivated. challenged.

there is a question posed in our study's companion guide that asks:

"Did you pour out your energy in sacrificial service to those who crossed your path?"

i LOVE this question, and not because i always attain the answer of "yes", but because i have made it my goal to be a continual servant. i ask myself this question regularly-- and make daily attempts to set aside my judgements, selfishness and laziness, for the good of someone else.

the other night, over mugs of warm tea, my friends and i were discussing the way we wanted to raise our children someday. i contemplated, and voiced that my goal would be to raise them as givers. servants. always aware of the needs of others. always thankful for the things they have. always pouring outward. in sacrificial service. be it to the homeless at a soup kitchen. to the earth in our garden. to the kid who sits alone at the lunch table. or to their brother or sister. i want the theme of my house to be

"there is always someone less unfortunate. be thankful."

with those thoughts in the forefront-- servanthood is the natural next step.

further into our study- in week 6- we read of patience. the most difficult attribute for myself. i like things NOW. better yet, yesterday. and i am continually re-planting seeds of patience. seeds of faith and trust.

i loved reading this passage from leonardo da vinci:

" patience serves as a protection against wrongs as clothes do against cold. for if you put on more clothes, as the cold increases it will have no power to hurt you. so in like manner you must grow patience when you meet with great wrongs, and they will then be powerless to vex your mind."

while rarely easy-- make it your goal this week to plant patience. to practice patience. and see how far you can go.

BE PATIENT

2010-02-25T19:10:00.000-06:00

summer's notebook, chapter 6.

patience, patience, patience. how often i need this reminder. this year as i've been working with preschool students, i've been bowled over by how much patience i need each and every day! just keeping calm enough to answer their incessant stream of questions requires all of my energy and pushes me to pray for His strength. i like how elizabeth points out that we are heading into the fruits that help us 'manage the strain of personal relationships' because, as we can all clearly see, 'where there are people, there are problems!'

in colossians 3:12 we are called to be patient. 'therefore, as God's chose people, clothe yourselves with.. patience.' here is our clear commission! we are 'dress' ourselves with patience, just as we put on our clothes each morning. what a good picture to keep in mind as i'm getting ready to face the day.

how should we think about patience? enduring, tolerant, forbearing wrong treatment, resisting revenge, connected with mercy, and without any anger.

'patience is that calm and unruffled temper with which the good person bears the evils of life.. that proceed from others.'

being patient means..

01. being able to resist the temptation to react quickly/negatively/foolishly/harmfully/sinfully and instead keeping yourself calm and controlled.

02. you can pause and pray about the situation, letting Him handle it before you try to tackle it on your own.

03. gives you the time you need to yield to the Holy Spirit and respond in a righteous manner, instead of giving in to the fleshly desire to freak out about something. (throw a fit, back talk, lash out)

i liked elizabeth's section, 'things to do today to walk in patience'. i love clear, practical steps.

01. train yourself in long-suffering. learn to restrain your anger, keep calm and quiet. take joy in overlooking little things that bother you.

02. lengthen your fuse. ask yourself, how long can i wait? how many times can i endure this? God is always willing to wait for us, will we do the same for others?

03. remove opportunities to sin. remove yourself from unnecessary conversations/situations that tend to rile you up.

04. follow jesus' example. He never opened His mouth as they accused and beat and killed Him.

05. pray. the biggest and best step of them all. 'let Him fill you with His patience as you endure the hurt, without vengeance and for the good of those who hurt you.'

reading assignment for next week: chapter 7, planning for kindness

memory verse: proverbs 11.6

AS OUR EXAMPLE

2010-02-18T07:20:00.000-06:00

summer's notebook, chapter 5.

by looking at Jesus' attitudes, especially as He went to endure the cross for us, we can see His perfect example of living out love, joy, and peace. and how encouraging is it that we have a Savior who so perfectly understands our trials? He has been through it all! (hebrews 4.15)

LOVE = 'this is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us.' 1 John 3.16. Jesus gave us the ultimate and perfect picture of love.. the sacrifice of self.

JOY = 'let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning is shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.' hebrews 12.2. Jesus showed us the meaning of joy when He willingly, with praise for His Father, bore the burden of our sins and endured physical agony on the cross.

PEACE = trusting His Father's plan Jesus submitted to His will. He knowingly and calmly let Himself be seized and crucified for us. 'Yet not as I will, but as You will.' matthew 26.39b

may my Savior's attitude and behavior be my model.. that whatever i may encounter today, that my response will be to reach out to my Father to sustain and strengthen me. that i will go to my own 'garden of gethsemane' of prayer, instead of trying to do things by my own power. how many times a day do i trust my own judgment and strength, do i complain and worry, do i do my duty grudgingly, all because i would not just stop and give my burden over to my Savior who would not feel the weight of it?! i need to spend this time in prayer, i need to go to Him as often and as long as it takes 'until i have all of Him and He has all of me'. until the flesh is overcome and i am committed to walking by His Spirit.

reading assignment: chapter 6, resisting in patience

memory verse: proverbs 19.11

the PEACE that passes all understanding...

2010-02-11T07:09:00.002-06:00

how easy is it to be peaceful-- especially in the shadow of such a troubling world?

how simple is it to be at peace when we're stretched to transparency. lonely. afraid. angry?

i know from personal experience that, at times, to stop and breathe in God's peace- seems like a task all-to-impossible.

but this week-- make it your goal to stop and do it anyway. because He knows. He knows beyond what we can understand. and His peace reaches all the places where our sanity cannot. where our joy cannot. His peace rests in the cracks. in the caverns.

so even when it may seem like your last breath. use it to breathe easy in His perfect peace.

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

PEACE

2010-02-10T19:10:00.002-06:00

summer's notebook, chapter 4.

our peace = inward repose and serenity of soul that indicates a heart at rest, as we place complete confidence in God- minute by minute

our peace comes from knowing..

01. we have a right relationship with God

02. our times are in God's hands

03. God is all-sufficient and omnipresent

04. He is fully aware of every detail of our day

the key to our peace is..

not the absence of conflict, but the presence of God

acknowledging that God will supply our every need, matthew 6.8

remembering that we'll never have a real need that God isn't able to meet, phil. 4.19

the sacrifice of TRUST..

rest in God's presence
trust in God's wisdom
remember that God is in control
accept God's dealings
place our confidence in His sovereignty and all-sufficiency

PANIC is wasted energy. don't let yourself do it.

psalm 37.8 '..do not fret, it leads only to evil.'

matthew 6.27 'who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?'

but instead..

'Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge.' psalm 62.8

JOY

2010-02-04T08:00:00.000-06:00

summer's notebook, chapter 3.

joy is NOT happiness.

happy= a state of good fortune and prosperity dependent on circumstances

joy= a sense of well-being that abides in the heart of the person who knows all is well between himself and the Lord

our joy is..

01. based on the reality of God's goodness, unconditional love, and ultimate victory over sin and death

02. based on the truth about our relationship with the Father through the Son

03. choosing to look beyond what appears to be true in our lives to what is true about our life in Christ

04. permanent and always available to us, because it comes from our unchanging Lord

causes for our joy..

01. God Himself

02. God's salvation

03. God's promises

04. Christ's kingdom

05. our future in Christ (psalm 16.11)

when life turns black (loss, pain, trials, stress), i need to..

fix my focus on God, not myself or my gloom.
think in terms of the eternal, not the temporal.
offer the sacrifice of praise (psalm 27.6)
give thanks for His goodness in everything, at all times (philippians 4.4)
ask to be filled with His unshakable, unspeakable joy

a real-life example from this week..

after a smelly, disastrous morning, i thought my brand new oven was ruined. i cried and let myself fume about it, before realizing the opportunity that had just landed in my lap. eventually i calmed down, and i prayed. i remembered to give thanks to my Lord for allowing this trouble to happen and praised Him for working all things together for my good.

hours later, after a short phone call, the problem was solved. frigidaire would be sending us a new part, for free. God is good! why do i ever doubt Him? 'tis so sweet to trust in Jesus.

psalm 34.1

i will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

reading assignment: chapter 4, experiencing God's peace

memory verse: philppians 4.6-7

:: a love- letter

2010-01-29T09:19:00.003-06:00

dear friends:

have you ever had a passion? an urge? a longing to scrape your way to the top of a mountain, and scream down a bit of life-changing information?

i have.

i've been feeling a stirring. a challenge from God to be different. to think and see as He does. to love as He does. which is exactly why i was so moved by our recent readings. love. God's love. do we really even know anything about it?

I recently read a quote that has turned my spiritual life around. it reads:

"I like your Christ. but I do not like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ." - Gandhi

planted deep inside this quote, is the urgent plea of Jesus. "BE LIKE ME! MIRROR ME! LOVE LIKE ME!"

in our study, we are challenged to "love the unlovely". anyone who has spent any amount of time in church knows that this is something very much talked about on sunday mornings (i.e: love your enemies, do unto others, etc. etc.) but it's not something that is actively participated in. it's so easy to say we love the people who hurt us, or who do wrong to others-- but when we truly examine our lives, we find them full of judgment. we strive to love the unlovely, but then cast our stares at the scantily clad woman on the street corner. we turn the channel in disgust when the evening news broadcasts another murderer. we whisper in our offices about the couple having an affair. we hear of a teen who shot a fellow student and we immediately point the finger of blame at the government, their parents, the video game industry. we hold a grudge against the person who talked about us. lied to us. hurt us. at times, we may even raise our eyes to heaven and thank God that we are so un-like the troubled people in this world.

but are we?

we teach that "sin is sin!". we claim that "all have fallen short of the glory of God". and yet, as a result of the sinful worldview in which we see all things, we come to believe that our lies, gossip, anger, or coveting are less harmful than the greater sins of someone else. but God doesn't see it that way. He loves every being on this earth-- and gives each of us the opportunity to be washed clean. in every man, He sees potential. and He loves. Oh-how-He-loves--- every last one of us.

it's just us, His followers, that can't help but pass judgement. who can't help but believe that we, in some small way, are better than the murderer. the rapist. the robber. the prostitute. the terrorist. but we're all the same. lost sinners. the murderer is one prayer away from heaven. and i am one sin away from needing to get on my knees again.

make it your new passion in life to love. to see a person and really, truly see them as God sees them. as His child. His blessed creation. watch your heart melt and break. watch as your humility brings you to Jesus feet.

let HIS LOVE be your mission.

love,
ashley

LOVE, continued.

2010-01-28T17:35:00.000-06:00

summer's notebook, chapter 2. continued.

two examples in living out love..

ruth's loving dedication and commitment to her mother in law, naomi. ruth went to work each day, gathering the grain from the fields to care for herself and her bitter relative. ruth is an example of having the heart of a servant. loving through her actions. never self-seeking. she willingly put on the workclothes of love each day.

the needy impatiens. i love this concept of being filled. i carry it around in my head all the time. a perfect picture of our helplessness without our Heavenly Father: we come to him empty and weak, but He can fill us with His love, so that we might pour it out for others. we need to ask to be filled with His limitless love everyday, all throughout the day, as many times as we find ourselves struggling to love the people we encounter. i need to keep turning to God, even when i get frustrated and feel like saying 'forget this.' He will never deny me more of His love.

things to do about it today.

1. begin loving the people God puts in your path by first loving those people at home. 'what you are at home is what you are!' be a woman who walks in God's love.. at home.

2. go to God for a fresh supply. at the first hint of waning love, look to the Lord of love.

3. serve. look for ways to do it. make it a habit.

4. follow Jesus's example of being a servant. (matthew 20.28)

reading assignment for next week: chapter 3, offering the sacrifice of joy.

memory verses: 1 thessalonians 5.16-18

LOVE

2010-01-28T17:30:00.000-06:00

summer's notebook, chapter 2.

love is..

what we are called/commanded to do (john 13.34)
supreme (1 corinthians 13.13, galatians 5.14)
defined by the sacrifice of self (1 john 3.16)

5 basic principles..

1. love is an act of the will. deliberate decisions and conscious effort. not necessarily a feeling.

2. love is action, not just words. 1 john 3.18. love means being a servant. it means giving of yourself. love has work to do, even when you don't feel like it. i was reminded this week that it can be as simple as getting up to grab a napkin for grant or bringing him a glass of water.

'every family member provides you with the opportunity

to put on the work clothes of love and to serve.'

3. love the unlovely. it is natural and easy to love my friends, or those nice people in the neighborhood, or anyone who appreciates me. but we are called to love as God loves: everyone (even our enemies and the ungrateful), all the time, unconditionally. remember, God's love is never deserved. our love should follow suit.

4. we need God to help us love. it is only by His grace that i can serve others when i don't feel like it, or choose to get up and do the 'chores' of love when i'm tired, or show love to people who irritate me. my own strength and natural ways will fail me every time. i must rely on Him.

5. love expects nothing in return. this is always such a big wake-up call for me. love means no taking no thought of personal reward, love is not self-seeking (1 corinthians 13.5). we are to love and serve as if the person in front of us were Jesus himself.

from the pen of charles spurgeon..

2010-01-26T10:53:00.004-06:00

a wise word on growth.

'have i been making a fair show in the flesh without having a corresponding inner life? good growth takes place upwards and downwards at the same time. am i rooted in sincere fidelity and love to Jesus? if my heart remains unsoftened and unfertilized by grace, the good seed may germinate for a season, but it must ultimately wither, for it cannot flourish on a rocky, broken, unsanctified heart.

o heavenly Sower, plough me first, and then cast the truth into me, and let me yield Thee a bounteous harvest.'

2010-01-21T19:11:00.012-06:00

summer's notebook, chapter 1.

pay attention to your fruitfulness. be aware of of how i'm doing. i can't expect to grow without giving it any thought. just like the tending a plant, there must be nurturing, fertilizing, watering, and training in order to achieve any growth.
don't be content with where i am right now. pray that my weaknesses would be evident, my fleshly tendencies would be easily and quickly recognized.

problems we run into with our growth..

1. legalism.

2. sinful nature (galatians 5.17).

3. trying to do it ourselves. thinking that if we just try harder to 'be good' we can gain the gracious habits on our own (but romans 3.12 says this is impossible.)

answer..

fruit can be produced in us when we yield to God and allow His Spirit to work in us. 'it is only as we walk by His Spirit that we show forth Christ in our lives. and God gives us the grace to do this as we abide in Christ.'

defining|explaning. in order to bear fruit, i must understand the fruit and how it grows..

fruit = evidence of what is within. gracious habits the Holy Spirit produces in us.
walking by the Spirit = living each moment in submission to God. seeking to please Him with our thoughts, words, and actions. letting Him guide and work within us, for His glory.
abide in Christ = continued fellowship with the Lord. being submissive to His will. keeping constant contact. can be practically seen by reading His word, praying, and obeying Him.

the world has yet to see what God can do with and for and through and in a man who is fully and wholly consecrated to Him. henry varley.

reading assignment for next week: chapter 2, looking to God for love.

memory verses: john 13.34 | romans 12.9-10 | romans 13.8

fresh fruit::

2010-01-14T10:14:00.003-06:00

i think it is so timely and wonderful that we are beginning our study on the fruit of the Spirit. in my personal life, i have been immersing myself in the world of healthy living-- stocking up on crisp veggies and local fruits. there is nothing better than fresh nutrients for our bodies, and our souls.

when summer felt led to embark on this study, i was thrilled-- because its a topic i misunderstood for a long time. when i was growing up, i was constantly hearing about the "fruits of the spirit". i sang songs about them in sunday school. i listened to pastors and teachers expound on them for weeks on end. i saw videos that highlighted them. and i memorized scripture verses to remember them. one day, while talking to my dad, he brought up the fact that i always referred to the spirit's manifestations as the "fruits" (plural) of the spirit. he gently guided me to the scripture passage to show me that the bible states "the fruit (singular) of the spirit is...". he went on to teach me that, while they are individually named, they are a package deal. as a spirit-filled christian, you can't love and not have peace. you can't have patience but not joy. you can't have kindness but no self-control. we cannot pick which characteristics we want to adopt. our daily walk should be a strive to embody the entire "FRUIT" of the spirit.

will we always be perfect? of course not. but we need to make it our goal to grow all the fruit of the spirit in our lives. as we embark on this weeks study-- keep in mind that as we take on new chapters, and learn about each individual aspect of the spirit's fruit, we're not moving on past the characteristics we already know-- we're simply adding on to the fabulous blue-print God has given us.

happy blossoming!

start of something new.

2010-01-14T08:25:00.002-06:00

the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,

patience, kindness, goodness,

faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

galatians 5.22-23

good morning! today we embark on a new study. i couldn't be more happy about the topic. the fruit of the Spirit! the work of our Lord, springing up in our lives. evidence of His glory, shining through us. in our study book, elizabeth george says these fruits have been described as 'those gracious habits which the Holy Spirit produces in the Christian.' how exciting. He is at work in us!

i am praying for tremendous growth as i read a woman's walk with God. i know that He can work wonders in my heart and life through the words i will read. i pray that i will be like clay in His hands, with eyes open to my sinfulness, but full of His grace, and a heart ready for molding and shaping into His likeness. i pray that my daily life will look different at the end of this. i pray for better relationships with the people i see every day, a more gentle and quiet spirit, and a closer walk with my Savior.

this week's reading assignment is the first chapter, entitled preparing for greater growth. and if you do not have your book yet, sure, you can still participate! i would encourage everyone, book or no, to read galatians chapter 5. and if you're up for it, you can join me in choosing a verse to memorize for the week. i'm going to pick from the verses that elizabeth mentions in our study book, but you can branch out as much as you'd like. for this week, i'll be committing galatians 5.16-18 to memory. come back next week for review of the reading assignment, notes, and favorite things from the chapter. off we go! .. summer

whew!!

2009-12-22T06:56:00.003-06:00

Friends!

My blogger is back! I cannot even begin to understand what has gone on over here in my trusty little laptop, but posting on blogger was completely cut off. Even my personal blog has felt the blow. I have been in communication with summer and am oh-so-thankful that I have had her holding the reigns in my absence! What a blessing she is!

And while I haven't been present in this space, I have been keeping up with our study, and have received so much from our readings. Esther is such an inspiration, and I closed the back cover of the book thinking::

"God can use anyone. Will use anyone. If we're willing to sacrifice. Willing to follow. He will protect us. He will bless us. If we give ourselves fully to His purpose."

This is no small task. As we have seen in the book of Esther, surrender can be intimidating, but it's always, always worth it.

I am SO looking forward to digging into our new study on January 14th! Make sure to obtain your copy of the book as soon as the holiday craziness has passed us :)

Merry Christmas! May we spend this season with family, remembering the greatest gift of all-- our Savior :)

week ten.

2009-12-07T09:26:00.003-06:00

big, fluffy flakes are falling as i type this final chapter of our study notes on esther. it is almost Christmastime and we have a Savior to celebrate. hooray. how cool it is to think that the people we've spent months reading about in this old testament book, their King is why we are celebrating, and He is my King, too.

due to the upcoming Christmas holiday and 2010 to ring in, we will be closing down headquarters here for a few weeks. a little christmas vacation for us all to rest, remember, and rejoice. come back january 14, 2010 for a brand new start to the new year. i guarantee a fresh outlook and loads of good resolutions will be found in the upcoming study.

and now for the little section i call, what i'm going to take away from this study..

His timing is always perfect.

i can have perfect peace during fear.

the power of submission.

God permits trials for our greater good and the strengthening of our faith.

the dangers of anger, pride, and living for personal prestige in the world.

too much thought for ourselves, whether good or bad, will be detrimental.

there is no need for us to carry the weight of our troubles, we have our Savior to bear them.

the Almighty arm is always my defender and my trust is in Him alone.

proving God's power, and not my own, should be my aim in everything.

happy times are a gift from our loving Lord.

one more thing i must mention, regarding some educational benefit from the study guide; the historical tidbits have really helped me establish a proper link in my head between the jews people of esther's time and the jewish people today's day and age. they are one and the same. purim, esther's holiday, is still celebrated today. wow. i've just never made that connection before. but now i have a much clearer picture of their traumatic and ongoing story. their preservation throughout history is fascinating to me, and speaks greatly of God's sovereign hand.

whew. that was a lot to take in. i'm praying that the Holy Spirit will help me remember these lessons and recall them as i encounter His mercies everyday. thanks for a fantastic study and Merry Christmas!

week nine.

2009-11-30T09:01:00.005-06:00

before i share the things that caught my eye during last week's lessons, let me fill you in on ashley, my awesome co-writer. due to computer|blogger malfunctions, she is currently unable to post anything here. i'm sure she wishes you all a happy week of study. we know that God's timing is perfect and He has a plan for this faulty situation, but at the same time i will pray for her hasty return.

my notebook on chapter 8.

01. one important reason to establish a morning prayer time is that it better enables us to handle whatever concerns our day holds. if we allow Him, God will prepare our minds for the challenges and opportunities that will pop up throughout the day. if we take time to surrender our day to God and focus our thoughts on the truths in His Word, we will be more likely to react to situations by the Holy Spirit's leading rather than our own impulse.

psalm 143.8 'let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for i have put my trust in You. show me the way i should go, for to you i lift up my soul.'

02. in esther 8.16, we are told that 'for the jews, it was a time of happiness and joy, gladness and honor.' here, beth pointed out the appropriateness of seizing a happy moment, and i realized that i have been thinking wrongly about happiness.

ever since i learned the meaning of joy, which we will be getting into with our next study on the fruit of the Spirit, i have dismissed happiness as something superficial. beth says, 'we often speak of happiness as a less noble term than joyfulness because the former is circumstantial and the latter less conditional.' i don't argue with that, and i do think that to have joy is infinitely better than having happiness, but my eyes were opened this morning to the fact that a God-given time of happiness should not be overlooked. we can praise Him for the ability to truly feel His work and blessings when we feel happy.

fundamentally speaking..

a. it is unwise to live for things that will make us happy, but it would be foolish to disregard the happy times as not being a gift from the Lord.

b. it is wise to remember that God is good and glorious through both happy times and sad and He is always ultimately working for our good.

ecclesiastes 7.14 'when times are good, be happy; but when times are bad consider: God has made the one as well as the other.'

week eight.

2009-11-23T09:25:00.004-06:00

let's talk chapter 7. this is the point in the story where my memory fades out. i was under the impression that chapter 6 was the reversal point of the story and chapter 7 would be retribution and the triumphant ending. well, i'm not sure if the sunday school lessons i grew up with went further than haman's death or not, but i sure was surprised to find that the story does not end when the bad guy goes to the gallows. i'm excited to find out what the Holy Spirit has in store for me in the not-remembered chapters ahead.

some points i made in my notes during chapter 7 study.

01. haman's evil plotting and scheming make a perfect illustration of a proverb that i had not given much thought to before: 'if a man digs a pit, he will fall into it; if a man rolls a stone, it will roll back on him.' (proverbs 26:27)

02. a good reminder. esther's plea for her life and the preservation of the jews was not a winning one because of her persuasive words, but rather it was a demonstration of God's great power. esther was the instrument here, but not the hero. God won the battle. just as paul tells the corinthians in 1 corinthians 2:4-5, his speaking was not a demonstration of his own eloquence or persuasion, but proof of the Spirit's power. 'so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.' let us always have faith in His power, and refuse to rely on the strength of men.

03. while musing over haman's demise, beth makes the point that 'living to be great' in the eyes of the world (which is exactly what haman was doing) will be full of disappointment and ultimately disastrous. our worth needs to be found in Him, in our position as saved and justified and set apart. we are children of the King and heirs with Christ. our worth needs to be found in living for Him. beth says, 'to live for the greatness of God is to live the great life.' and the writer of acts tells us, 'i consider my life worth nothing to me, if only i may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me- the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace.'

testify

verb [intransitive] serve as evidence or proof of something's existence.

let us live in a way that proves the power of God's grace.

week seven.

2009-11-16T10:02:00.008-06:00

for this week, a piece from c.h. spurgeon. a word of praise and hope.

'glory be to Him, who is able to keep us from falling.'

we have many foes who try to push us down. the road is rough and we are weak, but in addition to this, enemies lurk in ambush, who rush out when we least expect them and labour to trip us up, or hurl us down the nearest precipice.

only an Almighty arm can preserve us from these unseen foes who are seeking to destroy us. such an arm is engaged for our defense. He is faithful that has promised, and He is able to keep us from falling, so that with a deep sense of our utter weakness, we may cherish a firm belief in our perfect safety and say, with joyful confidence,

against me earth and hell combine,

but on my side is power divine;

Jesus is all, and He is mine!

when i read this passage i was astounded by how fitting it was for esther chapter 6, which gives a beautiful example of His work as our great Defender. unbeknownst to mordecai, haman was truly 'lurking in ambush', only hours away from having him hanged, when the Lord reached out and delivered him from danger. the king did not ask for his record books to be read that very same night out of mere coincidence and he did not decide that mordecai should be specially honored (and thereby saved from any plot to hang him) on a whim. no, the Almighty arm was at work here. preserving His child from an unseen foe.

and let us not forget that this promise is for us as well. remember, 'such an arm is engaged for our defense'! the One who saved mordecai is at work for you today. what more do we need? what greater cause have we to praise His name? His power has not grown weak since the days of king xerxes and queen esther. praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation. He is able to keep us from falling.

WEEK 7:: where is the man?

2009-11-16T09:27:00.003-06:00

customarily, it has seemed that each week, our study presents one particular point that sticks out to me. one topic or issue that rocks me to the core and challenges me. this past week was no exception. as i was reading through the lessons, i found myself continually thankful for & inspired by, beth's insights into this book. tucked away in the middle of "day 2", there is a sentence that states:

" we don't have to think highly to think obsessively of ourselves"

i gave that nugget a long, hard think. rarely do we ever give the "complainer" or the "worrier" or the "girl with low self-confidence" the label of "self-centered". that's a term usually saved for those individuals we decide talk too much about how great they are. or who are cocky. possibly rude or selfish. but beth wisely reminds us that ANY type of inward obsession-- be it positive or negative -- is a preoccupation that easily distracts us from focusing on God.

i'm a bit ashamed to admit that i never thought about being self-consumed in this way. i never realized that you don't have to think you're fabulous, to be thinking far too much about yourself. God has so many plans, dreams and desires for our lives-- but i think we loose sight of the glories He has for us, when we focus our eyes inward, instead of upward. one of my favorite scripture passages is found in Matthew chapter 6. it states:

" Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life-- what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air-- they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?"
- Matthew 6:25-27

spending time thinking about ourselves, whether it be in worry, or in admiration, does nothing to glorify our God. to be pre-occupied with ourselves means to be "de-occupied" with the things that really matter.

make it your goal this week to put God's thoughts above your own. i know i will try. and something tells me we'll all be better off for it.

next week. same time. same place. see you then.

big announcement

2009-11-11T18:56:00.010-06:00

hello, hello. summer here.

and i'm in tonight to unveil the next-up study!

a woman's walk with god by elizabeth george

and i'm super excited. i've been praying about this for awhile now and cannot wait to launch walk (my trimmed down title) on our little study spot. this book is one of the best-loved on my shelf and i am pumped to crack it open again and hopefully have some new readers enjoy it and benefit from it along with me. each time i read this book, i have fresh realizations and find that i'm newly encouraged and challenged. the book explores each 'fruit' of the fruit of the spirit in great depth. through this examination of a seemingly simple list of 'nice things' in galatians 5, we will learn what it looks like to truly walk in Him. it will mean turning to God's Word for examples and guidance and getting practical lessons that can easily be put into practice in your daily life. and it will be a hugely rewarding project.

although we still have 4 weeks left in our esther study, if you are planning on reading walk along with us, now is the time to act! it would be an absolute pleasure to have you participate in the study, and please do consider purchasing the book, if you are able. it has proved to be an excellent go-to reference for my personal library.

please leave any questions in the comment section or shoot me an email. would be more than happy to answer. thrilled about it all, summer.

week six.

2009-11-09T10:32:00.003-06:00

so many good things wrapped up in this past week's lesson.

number one. i was reminded of what a major thing it is to be afraid. fear is the fiery dart of the Enemy. satan loves to try to use our fear to bring us down and turn us away from God. but happily, we have scripture to comfort, embolden, and calm us when we are feeling fearful.

nothing will ever happen to you..

01. that is a mistake. (psalm 139.4 & 16)

02. that you cannot handle by God's power and grace. (2 corinthians 12.9-10)

03. that will not eventually be used for some good purpose in your life. (romans 8.28-29)

04. apart from God's presence. (matthew 28.20)

05. that God does not already know about. (jeremiah 29:11a)

number two. i needed to be reminded that my perfectionist attitude is a stumbling block to me. as beth says, 'God isn't interested in our stellar performance..' but rather, as 1 samuel 16.7 tells us, 'the Lord looks at the heart.' our heart. meaning our motives and conduct and attitude. therefore, i need to ask myself..

is my intention to go about doing this thing for the glory of God, or for self-promotion?

am i doing this job with a motive that is pure and right and with a readiness to follow Him?

take Moses, for example. he was no perfect speaker, and yet God chose Him to be one of the most influential speechmakers of all time. God wants us to be willing and obedient, He is not looking for perfection.

number three. another reminder about fear. when i am in the middle of a frightening circumstance, the situation may not change- but i can. in philippians we are told not to be anxious about anything, but to present our requests to God. and if we do this, we are given the hope that 'the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds..' i can have absolute peace in the midst of a scary moment, if i would just give my troubles to my loving Savior. as one of my favorite hymns prompts me..

'oh, what peace we often forfeit,

oh, what needless pain we bear,

all because we do not carry

everything to God in prayer.'

number four. beth directed us to read 2 peter 1.3-4, and boy was that a good read. i know i have read that verse before, but it was as if i had forgotten that it existed. this time it held such great encouragement and meaning. i love encountering an old verse with a new viewpoint. i am going to underline it in my bible this very minute so i will never forget it again.

coming up on wednesday.. a special announcement about the chapter ahead.

WEEK 6:: dear, reader...

2009-11-09T09:19:00.004-06:00

hello friends!

as we enter the 6th week of our study, i want to start looking at the future.

i am thoroughly enjoying our current study, and i love having this blog to come to. it's a place where i can share what God is teaching me. where i can reflect. i hope you, as readers, are enjoying it as well.

dwell's co-host blogger, summer, has been thinking long and hard about our next book of study-- and i can't wait for her to unveil her exciting choice in this space soon. until then, i wanted to take this monday post to encourage some reader feedback.

is there anything more you would like to see on this blog?

how are you utilizing the weekly posts?

how could we further facilitate your bible study experience?

what has God shown you through this study?

this endeavor has been such an exciting adventure for me. and the weekly posts are as much for my own benefit, as for anyone elses. however, i felt our "just past half-way" mark, was a good time to hear from you guys. to really give you a platform to share your ideas and feelings. of course, there is no pressure to leave your thoughts. but if you feel the desire to share with us, your blogger friends are here for the listen.

i look forward to your comments! tune in next week for a breakdown of this weeks study! (i'll throw in a week 5 recap too!)

enjoy another fabulous week in His Word!!

WEEK 5:: a table set for providence

2009-11-02T13:22:00.003-06:00

i love how each week God is using this study to reveal small truths that are immediately applicable to my life. aside from all the glorious insight we are gaining into this fabulous story, God is teaching me life lessons through it, as well. and for that, i am eternally grateful.

this week, we see our heroine faced with some rather trying circumstances. we see her faced with choices that, i'm pretty sure, none of us would want to make. we see her standing tall, in the face of probable opposition, for what she believes in. and we have so much to learn from her courage. the conclusion of the lesson on "day 3" states:

"to stand by and do nothing out of self-preservation is to be dead already"

i was completely blown-away and challenged by this statement. as we observe esther facing her husband, the king, without a summons, we see her taking this truth-- and running with it. casting aside regard for her own well-being, she proceeded to make a stand for what she knew was right.

what inspiration! so often, in our society, we comfort ourselves with the idea that, as long as WE aren't the ones actively participating in the wrong-doing, we have no accountability to it. we close a blind eye to the injustice around us, and feel that we are not to blame. but this is such corrupt thinking. such a twisted mindset. and i too am guilty of it.

in order to protect our ego, our reputation, and in certain circumstances, even our safety---we often choose not to take a stand. to be silent. we attempt to "make a statement" by doing nothing at all. and by doing so, are actually taking part in the negative events. esther's story challenges us to trust that, while standing up for good, God will be with us each step of the way.

make it your goal this week to take a stand. even a little one. maybe shut down some gossip. help someone you see struggling--instead of speeding past. befriend a person who is commonly excluded. share your faith.

there are lyrics from a crystal lewis song that state:

"for such a time as this, isn't much too great a risk?
i've never flown from the edge of a cliff. never walked on the water.
but if i turn away, how will i know what i have missed?
have i waited all of my life, for such a time as this?"

this song has given me strength through some very difficult times in my life. allow it to strengthen you, this week, as you step up your game.

this is the time God has given us to make a stand. be an esther this week.

week five.

2009-11-02T09:29:00.004-06:00

i am officially into this story.

i'm really excited for chapter five. and i'm even more excited to read it with these new eyes i'm acquiring. the story is really so much deeper when i can grasp the fact that the characters were real people. flesh and blood. with feelings. that is sometimes easy to forget when reading the action-packed old testament. as my youth pastor once told me, it 'reads like an r-rated movie.' all this to say, i'm loving picking apart this true story.

a couple things that stuck with me during my study last week.

number one. my favorite section of lesson four was the focus on God's sovereignty. here we are reminded of acts 17:26 '..He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.' i need to be reminded of this all the time. God knows exactly how my day will be interrupted, where i should be next year, and which trials will be mine for the rest of my time here on imperfect earth. He knows it all. and it is important to remember that 'God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, you will abound in every good work.' such a relief! as james tells us, we should consider it a joy when we face trials. anxiety, interruptions, annoyances, give us a chance to glorify Him with our response and grow from perseverance. will i use my problems as an opportunity to trust the Lord and wait patiently on Him? will i bring Him my every care and burden, confess that i am helpless without my Savior, and be content to be still and know that He is God? oh i hope so. this is my prayer.

number two. mmm. a verse that i really love was discussed in lesson five. it is one of my favorite verses to pray.. 'turn our eyes away from worthless things.' i like to pray this one along with it.. 'open my eyes that i may see wonderful things in your law.' psalm 119.18. such a good way to start the day. open your bible, ask to see wonderful things as you read, and ask to be turned away from worthless things. if you're like me, sometimes you find that throughout the day, the wonderful things are easily mixed up with the worthless things. i need help from the Holy Spirit nearly every moment to discern which things fit into which category.

helpful verses for study this week.

1. proverbs 27.2

2. proverbs 16.18

3. proverbs 6.16-19

4. james 1.2-4

5. psalm 119.18 & 37

and a word to the wise.. as you go about your day, ask yourself often and over again.. is this wonderful or worthless?

so looking forward to all that chapter five entails. deliverance from death, royal favor, swelling pride, a brilliant plan, and a new threat. until next week.

week four.

2009-10-26T09:57:00.000-05:00

hello and good morning!

week four is here, and chapter four is a good one. when i read it this time around, having had the background built up around it, it felt more real than ever. not like boring history book 'real', but more like something straight out of a diary. it's fun to have the words start jumping off the page. my eyes can't take them in fast enough.

this week we'll see the following progression in the story.

1. mordecai's response to the 'annihilation edict'

2. esther's concern and care for mordecai

3. esther's maids and servants playing a role in the story

4. a difficult request, and an obedient, sacrificial answer

5. special instructions for a unification among the jews

but before we get too far from it, let's review the week we just finished off.

number one. growing up hearing this story in sunday school, i never understood just how evil haman was. how hitler-like. he was truly planning a holocaust. i haven't fully grasped that concept of the story until this lesson. i also found the discussion of haman's meanstreak really fascinating. it is possible that his hateful tendencies were spurred by 'gigantic self-regard and his exaggerated fear of disgrace,' which lends a good warning to us about the harmful effects of pride and of anger, when it does not quickly subside. we know that anger itself is not a sin, but in james 1.19-20, we are told that 'anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.' so true. we see the perfect example of that here in this story: haman. so the moral of the lesson is: anger can be dangerous, so get rid of it quickly. (ephesians 4.26b 'do not let the sun go down while you are still angry'!)

number two. another new-to-me fact from this story.. all of the jews knew about the plan to exterminate them! how did i miss that part in my sunday school class? beth brought up an interesting point here, that haman letting the jews know about their own slaughter was a psychological weapon against the jews. he was getting his hands on their minds for a full 11 months. he was playing with them, torturing them. much like satan would like to do to us. he loves when our fear allows him to 'destructively influence our thoughts.' that is spiritual warfare in a nutshell, guys. and that is exactly why we are instructed in 1 peter 5.8 to 'be self-controlled and alert. your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.' and although our minds are weak, He is strong. isaiah 26.3 says,'You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.

number three. God had a plan to keep his people together, to keep them intact and set apart for Him, but they didn't always want God's way, they wanted their own way. when the persian jews were given deliverance by cyrus and granted permission to return to jerusalem- their city that God gave to them- 'they decided that they liked persian life better and stayed put.' what a slap in the face to their Lord! and what about us? would we so desire to be fulfilled in our temporary life here on earth that we forget the place that God has for us? i hope not. i like beth's point here that maybe one reason God allows certain trials to come into our lives (haman, for the jews) is to remind us that earth is not where we are to find our fulfillment. when things do not go our way today, let this be a reminder of what hope we have and where our thoughts should be.

elisabeth elliot puts it beautifully.

'Heaven is not here, it's There. If we were given all we wanted here, our hearts would settle for this world, rather than the next. God is forever luring us up and away from this one, wooing us to Himself and His still invisible Kingdom, where we will certainly find what we so keenly long for.'

have a marvelous week of study in chapter four, everyone! key verses to come soon.

week 4:: if you remain silent

2009-10-26T08:31:00.003-05:00

each week, i continue to be more and more impressed with beth's teaching. more and more enthralled in all the amazing details and lessons God has tucked away in His word. what a honor it is that we each have the opportunity to know His heart in this intimate way. it really blows my mind.

now. of all the fabulous points in this past lesson, i want to focus on only one of them this morning. i found it so timely that beth highlighted this particular issue, because it's one that's been heavy on my heart, as of late. the passage of note states:

"life sometimes isn't pretty. we aren't plastic ponies, and this isn't pretend. no matter how we sparkle at church or bible study, on earth we still have pain. instead of going ahead and feeling the pain, processing it before God, and letting Him heal us, sometimes we opt for a trade-in. we swap pain for anger because it's easier for awhile..."

these words moved me deeply because of there inerrant truth. how often do we allow ourselves to become bitter and angry when we experience times of trial. pain. suffering. we become indignant. wondering why we have to endure such things. why us? why now? why ever? we exist with the belief that anything that hurts is something that shouldn't be in our lives. but that's not reality. God doesn't promise that we will be exempt from difficult times. in fact, that's the opposite of the truth. however, He promises with authority that He will heal our wounds. carry us. love us. through any and all circumstances. rather than allowing anger to seep into our hearts during painful times, what a testimony it would be to God if we gave the pieces of our heart over to Him, and allowed His healing power to make us whole!!

i know this can be unbelievably difficult. i can sit here and type all day, but the moment something unfortunate happens, i'll be caught in an emotional tug-of-war. this world casts so many things on us. on our family. friends. it's so easy to become weary. to give in. so, as often as i think of it, i mediate on this scripture. it's one of my favorites, and never, ever fails to bring me comfort:

"i have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. in the world you will have tribulation. but take heart, i have overcome the world."
- john 16:33

what a powerful, powerful verse. these words, spoken by Jesus, have the tender quality of an embrace. it's Jesus telling us--"I've already won the war-- so trust me through the battles". i am sure it is this very truth that kept esther and mordecai faithful during their trials. isn't it amazing to realize that, throughout history, we've all been carried by the same amazing creator?

i pray you have a fabulous autumn week in God's word. we'll meet again November 2nd!

week three no. 02

2009-10-22T19:58:00.003-05:00

hello, hello.

wanted to stop in a share some verses that correlate with this week's study.

look them up + jot them down, if you like.

week three.

2009-10-19T08:11:00.005-05:00

good morning, studymates.

week three is upon us, but i'm going to begin with notes from week two. again, these notes are merely things that popped out to me, and are not necessarily beth's main points. let's review.

day one. although it was perfectly relevant to esther's culture, as i read about the 12-month beauty treatment plan prescribed for the king's 'contestants' it seemed silly and crooked. actually, i guess it's not so different from our society today, with so much emphasis on outward perfection. i was reminded of 1 peter 3.3-4 as i read, where we are given God's completely paradoxical prescription. the ultimate beauty treatment.. 'the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit.'

day two. i really enjoyed the exploration of how esther pleased hegai and 'won his favor.' obviously, we don't know the exactness of the Lord's work here.. we are not told how much heart-softening He did in hegai or how much social grace He gave to esther, but we can know for sure that His power was at work in this feat. i was fascinated by the discussion on how esther's good manners and people skills could have played a vital part in her 'gaining kindness.' i had never thought of that before! i also appreciated a couple of beth's points on this topic..

a. 'social graces become a lost art in (an) assert-yourself, say-what-you-think environment.'

i agree. where do tact and sensitivity come into play in a culture that tells us to do and say whatever we like? proverbs 18.2 pops into my mind as i type this.. 'a fool finds no pleasure in understanding, but delights in airing his own opinions.' (emphasis mine)

b. 'one good thing about living in an increasingly crude world is that a woman with manners.. can stand out like a rare gem in a barrel of coal.' yes. so true. the beauty of hospitality, generosity, kindness, compassion, gentle words, and an unselfish attitude is not lost. a woman who possesses these traits will stick out like a sparkling jewel in our world.

day three. i loved being reminded that we have a reason to be thankful, no matter what our trials are today. beth presents the fact that we have 'a righteous King whose commands are always for our good and whose ways are always toward our wholeness. why do we ever doubt Him? He has never left us. He has never sent us anything for our detriment, but rather for our good. He has never been anything but good. He has never not loved us, because He is love. (1 john 4.16)

day four. in this lesson, beth focused on esther's good qualities. we can speculate that she must've had some pretty amazing traits for verse 15 to say 'and esther won the favor of everyone who saw her.' everyone! women, men, servants, fellow contestants. that's quite an accomplishment. it's pretty safe to say that among the other girls up for queen, esther was in a class of her own. maybe like our 'gem' of a woman from lesson two. also in verse 15, we see that esther 'asked for nothing other than what hegai.. suggested.' we can infer from this that esther was wise, she listened to advice, she was humble, attentive, and forbearing, and she showed restraint. i had never considered this act of wisdom before, and it was really fascinating to think about.

day five. here we examine how esther's obedience played a huge role in her winning the queen's crown and staying safe. she submitted to the king's edict when she was initially brought to the citadel, she listened to hegai's directions and followed through, and she obeyed mordecai by keeping her family background unknown, 'for she continued to follow mordecai's instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.' beth brilliantly points out that..

a. 'our culture has strangely confused significance with independence and subservience with weakness. on the contrary, only a person strong in character and steadfast in spirit can follow someone else's instructions for long.'

b. 'those who respect authority, who aren't insulted by instruction, who practice the art of truly listening and who follow through by doing what they're asked' will win favor. not with an impatient and self-promoting attitude, but with a 'simple willingness to follow instructions.'

onto week three..

during chapter three of our study, we will see the plot thicken. there will be a quiet refusal, insulted honor, and stirred up anger. the antagonist of our story will be introduced. there will be evil plans laid out against God's chosen people and the King will go along with them. there will not be a hero.. yet.

but watch and wait. 'He who sent the trial had also graciously ordained a way of escape.' -c.h. spurgeon. we will see Him prevail, as always.

looking forward to another week of studying with you. more soon.

WEEK 3:: a raging passion for honor

2009-10-19T05:18:00.004-05:00

friends.

i must begin this post with a confession. in light of life's circumstances, i fell dismally behind in my studies this past week. i spent considerable time early this morning reading and catching up. and i seriously considered posting as if i hadn't fallen off the wagon. but where would the honesty be in that? it's my prayer that in this space, we all find the strength to be open with each other--and more importantly-- ourselves. so there you have it. best intentions aside--i put off studying till the last possible minute. i must also confess that procrastination is not one of my more attractive attributes :)

however-- as i sat here, ridden with guilt, i read a line in our lesson that stated:

" esther managed to walk the fine line of moderation without making others feel judged."

i LOVE this concept. and not only because i was feeling the wrath of personal judgement myself. but because it so simply puts our social world into perspective. so often we are surrounded by people who emulate judgement. we become obsessed with pleasing them. with making an impression. often, when you think about it, we worry about pleasing people we don't even know. how many of us have taken the time to put on makeup, or go out of our way to look "presentable", simply to run into target. or how often do we compare what others might be wearing/doing- to the outfit/actions we decide to portray? i am most certainly guilty of this--but i make a conscious effort not to be. why? because it all comes down to the question:

"why are we affected by what other people think?"

why are we so concerned with their judgement? especially in consideration of God's word. He makes it crystal clear that we are not on this Earth to judge others. another line in the study this week stated:

"praise God for a King who gives a woman dignity instead of taking it"

it's very humbling to see ourselves as Jesus does. In His perfect eyes we are creatures of perpetual beauty, talent, dignity and grace. we don't need the approval of anyone else. we are already beautiful. beth touched on this topic, as well, in the first segment when she dissected the "beauty treatments" in the book of Esther. what truth behind the realization that the woman who sought out the cosmetics and ointments and soaps-- were already beautiful. i can only imagine the sadness it must bring God to see how ridden with insecurities we are in this society. His desire for us is to look in the mirror and see ourselves for everything wonderful that we are. instead of everything that we are not.

i also love that beth made sure to highlight that it was esther's personality--her kindness and humble approach-- that set her apart from the other woman in the kingdom. what a reminder to us! so often we strive for outer beauty. but anyone can be beautiful. in the end- it takes a woman of strong character to have inner beauty. and the story of esther proves that it is this quality that makes the all difference.

one of my most beloved passages in scripture is found at the very end of the book of Proverbs. it's a popular verse, but powerful none-the-less. it states:

"charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised"
- Proverbs 31:30

i challenge each of you to post this verse on your mirror. on your fridge. in your car. wherever you will see it most. and remember it. dwell on it. allow it to remind you of this week's study. allow it to encourage you in the fact that-- it wasn't only esther's beautiful appearance that got her ahead in this world-- it was her tender, spirit. her heart, turned toward her Heavenly Father.

it's my goal this week to stay right on track with week 3 lessons :) i hope and pray it's yours as well. i'll meet you back here on October 26th.

have a fabulous week in God's Word.

2009-10-12T08:27:00.005-05:00

good morning and welcome to week two!

to start things off, i want to share some of my thoughts from note-taking in week one. for each lesson, i picked one thing that particularly stuck out to me|that i liked|was fascinated or encouraged by. maybe you'd like to do the same as you are reading through the lessons with us. i would so enjoy hearing more thoughts on chapter one.

week one.

01. i loved getting the historical background of Esther in my head. putting the story in its proper place and time made it feel that much more lifelike and significant. it really happened! the history books can prove it.

02. reading psalm 96.4-6 (read this!) was one of my favorite parts of this lesson, as well as beth's reminder that 'our status is infinitely higher as a servant in God's kingdom than a ruler in ours.' what a great reminder. we are to have hearts of servants.. something i pray for each and every day.

03. the speculation over reasons for vashti's refusal was especially interesting to me. oddly, i haven't ever thought about her motives in saying 'no' before. also, i liked that beth set one of the goals for this study to be 'to let God heal our world-torn souls and make us experience His security in our reality.' i have started to pray that for myself, and for all of you.

04. what i took away from lesson four was that popular opinion (what our peers think) is very powerful, but God is infinitely more powerful. beth makes the statement that, 'we have a sovereign God who reigns over all and is threatened by none.' doesn't that just make you sigh with relief? we don't have to worry about pleasing other people!

05. in lesson five, the thought that really hit me was that although we do not see God's name even once in the book of esther, we can see His providential plan worked out perfectly, as always. we may wonder why we have to go through hard times and why our plans fail and why life has to be so frustrating, but God always has a perfect plan for our good and His glory. deuteronomy 7.9.. 'know therefore that the Lord your God is God: He is a faithful God, keeping His covenant of love to a thousand generations..'

onto week two.

as you dive into chapter two of esther, and week two of our study, you will finally get your first glimpse of the lady herself. watch and note these essential things as you hit the books..

a. the king's new plan

b. esther's heritage and family

c. how king xerxes differs from our King

d. esther's amazing qualities

e. how God preserves esther through a potentially tragic experience, and blesses her beyond expectation.

while you are studying this week, i've picked some handy verses to read|ponder|remember.

each of them tie in beautifully with the events or themes found in esther. look them up as you read chapter two and you will see why.

01. proverbs 21.1

02. hebrews 6.10-12

03. 1 peter 5.6-7

04. romans 8.28

05. titus 3.1-2

06. colossians 3.12

07. 1 peter 3.3-4

week two, off you go. please chime in whenever you can. will be back soon!

wishing you bits of marvelous study time throughout the week.

yours, summer

WEEK 2:: a contest for a queen

2009-10-12T07:45:00.000-05:00

here we are.

officially embarking on the second week of our esther study. over the past seven days, i've discovered this book in an entirely new way-- and i am brimming with anticipation to see where beth moore takes us next.

i love her way of breaking words down. and i am moved and inspired by what God has reveled to her in scripture. in the closing pages of week 1, there were several statements that leaped off the page at me. i want to take a moment to share them & to discover if anyone else was moved by their depth as well. beth states:

" He (God) is never more present than when He seems strangely absent. That's what providence is all about"

and

"It's tough being a women in another woman's shadow, but sometimes, there in the hiddenness, God builds a woman she'd never otherwise become."

after reading the first statement- i immediately thought of the "footprints" poem. are you familiar? for anyone who isn't- i'll briefly describe it::

in this tender poem, a man is seeing his life as footprints in the sand. when he walks with the Lord, he sees their footprints side-by-side. during portions of his life, he notices only one set of prints, and notes that those must have been the times he was distant from God. hurting. doubting. God reassures him that when only one set of prints is seen, God was carrying the man through dark times.

i get little goosebumps every time i think of this tale. a very enlightened author has penned a legend out of the truth of each of our lives. in our darkest times. in the portions of our life when its hardest to grasp God. it is then that He is working mightily to provide for us.

the second statement is one so full of encouragement. there are so many times in life that i wonder why God has placed certain people in my life. or why i am in a certain place. or had to endure a certain hardship. when beth states "in the hiddenness, God builds a woman she'd never otherwise become", i am powerfully reminded that no shadows are ever a waste in our life. God uses the things that trouble us. or intimidate us. to actually mold us into the women He longs for us to be. remembering this fact may not make difficult circumstances easier, but it can help us realize that they are worthwhile.

now--in the coming week, we will start building on the historical foundation of lesson 1-- and will be introduced to our main character. week 3 begins on October 19th- so aim to have the next 5 lessons done by then.

i can't wait to hear how God is moving through your lives! here's to week 2!

so far, so fabulous:::

2009-10-06T11:38:00.004-05:00

is anyone out there loving this study as much as i am?

day 2 and i'm already completely absorbed in beth's engaging and applicable teaching. what a fantastic woman of God. each page of the book is laden with piercing lines and heavy thoughts. i've been utilizing my sharpie pen like it's going out of style. so i couldn't help myself but to get on the blog and release some of this pent up inspiration!

on the first page of day 1's lesson, we see a very powerful statement:

"God overtook a human hand and scripted a
young woman's story into His own"

whew. shouldn't that be the goal and nature of all of our hearts? that God would script us into His own story? that we would be willing to hand Him the rights as scribe to our life? i love writing. and i love a fabulous pen as much as the next gal. so i know how scary it can be to withdraw your personal authorship, especially in regards to your own life. i mean-- we all know how WE want our story to end. we all have lists and dreams and aspirations. if we're not in charge of writing our story, how will those things come to be? and there's the catch. perhaps they won't. perhaps, when giving full copyright over to the Almighty, we'll get an ending better than anything we ever could have imagined. i savor the thought!

in day 2, beth shares that studying the scripture is her "lifeline". oh, that God would instill in me the discipline to make His precious words my source of strength and vitality. it shames me to admit that i don't read my Bible nearly as much as i should. and it often takes a study like this to really make me wonder, "why?" God's words are so full of encouragement, beauty, hope, conviction and teaching. He provided us the Bible for a reason, and i do myself an unfavorable injustice by slacking off on my dissection of it.

take for example the brilliant description of King Xerxes garden. (am i the only one who never pictured it as a garden?!) the pillars. the cloths. the goblets. the furniture. what a tangible view of biblical times. what glorious writing. how much we have to learn and gain from God's Word never ceases to amaze me.

in these early lessons, we are encouraged to look for something of ourselves within this study. it is my sincere prayer that each of you are doing just that!

here's to a continued week of digging in!

week one.

2009-10-05T07:50:00.003-05:00

good morning and welcome to the beginning.

i'm summer from summer harms and this is the first time you've heard my voice on this new little spot. i am so delighted to be a part of it. just as i was praying for a project to pop up in my life, for a brand new way to use what time and gifts God has given me, this bible study began. i never would have thought of it on my own, and it is perfect. God is so good. i love when He reminds me that He is able to do immeasurably more than can ask or imagine (ephesians 3.20).

well. guess who is showing up to class without a textbook? that's right. i have not received my beth moore study book yet. but no matter. the mailman should be bringing it to my door anytime. and i'm excited. if you also are awaiting your study book, or if you are following along with us and will not be buying the study book (everyone is welcome- book or no book), here's my plan of attack. all you need is your bible. please join me if you like.

1. take out your bible and find esther chapter 1. before you even start to read, you probably have preconceived notions about this familiar book. i know i did. you might be thinking that you know the story and have already taken all that you want from it. if this is the case, maybe before you begin to read you could start your study time with a prayer. pray that you will read this passage not with your own understanding, but with the understanding that the Holy Spirit gives us. He is, after all, our Counselor and guides us into all truth (john 16.13). ask for His help to grasp what you read. pray that you will read the passage as if you've never read it before, with open eyes to see in this book things that you have never seen before. pray for apprehension and appreciation, and ask the Lord to show you how you can apply His words to your life and heart.

2. dig a little deeper into esther. this could be as easy as browsing through the footnotes and cross-references in your bible. or you could grab your husband's thick study bible and read through the introduction section. or do a little culture research by looking up the history, outline, and themes of the book. i think they will help you read with 'new eyes'. happily for me, we are currently studying this time period in our sunday school class and it is incredibly fascinating. if you have the opportunity, an old testament review class is so worth it. seriously.

more to come soon.

i look forward to studying God's word with you and am praying that it will truly 'dwell in us richly'. thank you for coming!

WEEK 1:: a royal mess

2009-10-05T06:30:00.000-05:00

this week, our bible study commences in the book of Esther--one of five books that comprise "The Five Scrolls", or in the original Hebrew--the Megillot (MEG-eh-lote). we are transported in time to 483 BC, under the rule of King Xerxes. and are given an exceptional- and in depth- look at a very perilous time in the life of a woman named Esther.

i loved this story as a little girl, mostly because of its raw girl-power. but as i've grown, i've come to love it as a precious example of how God can use us, and move through us, in our day-to-day lives.

Esther is not a "red-letter" book. God's name and words aren't smeared over every page. but that doesn't mean He isn't mightily present among them. it's a beautiful reflection, and needed reminder, of our current lives. so often we cannot seem to see God. we cannot find Him, or His will for us, or His plans, or His reasoning. all that is tangible to us are ordinary events. and, i know from experience, that this can be discouraging. but if you look at the book of Esther, you see that, while God didn't speak in a loud booming voice--or withdraw all trial and tribulation-- He quietly, but powerfully, showed His grace, mercy and divinity. He worked through the ordinary--proving that even when we cannot seem to locate Him, He is definitely there.

in the intro session of Beth Moore's audio lessons that correspond with our study (available on itunes & worth every cent!), she spoke something that resonated with me. she said:

"Nothing can keep God out...there is NO place that God cannot go--especially with a willing, scared-half-to-death, ill-equipped vessel. i wonder if we'd be willing?"

wow. you have to ask yourself, "are we?" are we willing to be God's vessel? to be poured out in His name? are we willing to step out in faith, as an Esther, and make a move when the way isn't clear?

it's my prayer that the commitment to dig into this study is a good indication that we're all hungry, willing vessels--eager to learn more about our Lord. and i can't wait to see what He has for us.

this week's study is broken down into 5 sections. feel free to work through them at any pace--but make it your goal to have finished the readings and commented your thoughts/questions by sunday, as the new lesson starts Monday, October 12th. If you haven't had the opportunity to obtain the workbook, have no fear. each lesson in the book focuses on a single chapter in the book of Esther. this weeks study is taken entirely from Esther Chapter 1. so feel free to read that chapter, break it down for yourself, and share what God reveals to you---even if you don't have the additional text.

i am so excited to get started! here's to a fabulous week of growing in God together.

getting started::: STUDY # 1

2009-09-22T17:11:00.000-05:00

our first study starts OCTOBER 5th, 2009, and we'll be delving into the book of Esther, via Beth Moore's fabulous book:

clicking on the book cover will take you to the amazon.com page--where you can order the book for about $20. itunes also has the corresponding audio lessons for purchase. so there are several methods of obtaining the study materials.

HOW WILL THIS WORK?

summer and i will post a few introductory posts each monday: setting goals & sharing thoughts. as you dig into the study throughout the week, you can post comments about your questions, revelations, etc. all participants will have the ability to read, reply and post their own original thoughts. the feedback we will post, and receive from each other, will be essential. the virtual "gathering together of believers".

we live in a society overcome with obligations and time constraints. being able to study on our own time and leave quick, meaningful posts--will provide a tangible goal for each of us.

it is our sincere prayer that each of you will benefit from this blog as much as we plan to!

REMEMBER:
purchase your book, or download your audio lessons, by OCTOBER 5th.
&& be looking for the first "official posts" that morning!

We are so excited to get started!!

two girls. one blog. and an extremely amazing God.

2009-09-22T16:50:00.001-05:00

have you ever had that gnawing feeling like you should be doing something, but you're not sure what? have you ever tingled with anticipation, knowing that God had something fabulous planned for you, just around the corner?

i've been experiencing these feelings for quite some time now. i had this inkling in my gut that something big and awesome was coming. well, friends, it has.

and you're staring at it.

i woke up the other morning and the first thing i saw was my discarded bible study manual collecting dust in the corner. i sighed. will i ever find the time to sit down, alone or with friends, and go through this book? the idea quickly left my mind as i sat down to fire up my laptop. it was blog time. then it hit me. literally left me breathless. i had a moment of--literal--divine inspiration:

what if i start a bible study blog?

is there an easier, more convenient, more global, more accessible way to connect people for a common cause? i think not! i was seriously jazzed. but i knew this was not something i wanted to do alone. and the first person that entered my mind was fellow blogger, summer harms. i'd been reading her blog for months and knew she was just the passionate woman to take on the job of co-piloting this bible study blog on her maiden voyage. i prayed the idea would resonate with her, and in confirmatory fashion, it did.

so here we are. two girls. one blog. and an extremely amazing God. one that we can't wait to know deeper through the study of His word.

welcome to dwell.
please- take your shoes off.
grab a mug of coffee or a cup of tea.
and study with us.