Women Teaching Women

Young people are often told to be faithful now, and God will use you. Older people are told to be faithful in the little things, because you never know how God will use you. But, how do I know when God is using me? What does God do with me when He’s done using me? What if God never uses me? Those are valid questions. So we are going to consider examples in the Bible to pinpoint eight qualities of how God uses people. It may not be what you think. Timing God used Moses after preparing him for 80 years. God’s big Abraham event occurred at age 100. God used Noah after 500 years of faithfulness. Then again, God used John the Baptist while he was still in the womb. Wait for God’s timing. It’s always right. Opposition and Difficulty Joseph was in prison with a marred reputation. Elijah, Micaiah, Jeremiah, and others confronted powerful, angry men. Kings Asa and Hezekiah faced large armies. Mary faced execution as an unwed, pregnan...

I’ve heard it. I’m sure you’ve heard it, too. “Learn to love yourself.” “Girl, you need to take care of you first.” “Don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not good enough.” “Believe in yourself.” And on and on it goes. Inspirational phrases of this type flood our Facebook feeds, magazines, blogs, and self-help books. They sound so wrong at first, as if they are telling you to be self-focused and narcissistic. Then they begin to sound so right, so inviting, so kind, so healing…. THE PROOF-TEXT Even Christian publications are beginning to give a starring role to this ideology, using Jesus’ own words to back up their points. What words would Jesus have said about this? In Matthew 22:36-40, we read  this conversation: "Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the sec...

Whether it is a state of mind or feeling, happiness is something that everyone desires. We go to great lengths to achieve it, but it seems that lasting happiness is always fleeing from our desperate grasps. We are pushed and told to do the things that make us happy, yet we struggle to make the feeling last. There is a good reason for this: happiness is not permanent. This is because happiness is based on happenstances, hence the word "happiness". It comes as a result of your response to what happens in your life. No wonder you can't make it stay! As a Christian, it is vital to understand that happiness and joy are distinct from one another. You may not always be happy, to which there ought to be no shame and guilt when you are not, but you are always to remain joyful. While there are certain aspects of your life that you cannot control, there are some things that you can do to promote happiness. 1. Present The key to being a truly happy person is to live not ...

Being sick is never fun, but it seems particularly more miserable when it's cold and dreary outside. I don't know what it is, but it seems that the cold and flu virus runs rampant in the winter and I always catch one or the other around this time of year. I'm sure there is a scientific explanation as to why it more common this time of year to catch a bug, so maybe that's the next topic I'll be researching soon. I am on the upward climb from catching a bad cold, and these are the things that I always do to help me through being ill. I am not a medical professional, so please keep that in mind as you read. I hope you start to feel better soon, too! 1. Talk to your doctor "Natural remedies" are sometimes more dangerous to your health than it would seem. If something is out of the ordinary, such as if your sore throat is causing a fever or you suspect that you have a sinus infection, please seek medical attention. Doctors have been educated and are ...

Ever since I was a little girl watching "Fiddler on the Roof", I have loved Hodel, the middle daughter, and her devoted spirit. Her key song, "Far from the Home I Love", has always given me tears, but now that I am married, it means much more to me than an emotional movie plot element. The lyrics paint a genuine picture of what God wrote in Genesis 2:24: Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. So, what wisdom does Hodel share about "leaving and cleaving"?  1. It's unforeseen "Who could see that a man would come who would change the course of my dreams?" We don't know the future, but we know a God who does. Whether I feel that I've missed the boat or jumped on the wrong one, accept that His timing is right. 2. It's life-changing "A man... who would change the course of my dreams.... Other dreams grow dim." Whatever I was...

The day is here! You celebrate, you eat, you have a wonderful time. You feel so thankful for what you have and whomever is around you. But now the guests are going home, and the dishes a piled a mile high. Now what? Make it last! Whether you enjoy the fall décor a little longer or break out the Christmas boxes and go shopping, remember the point of Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for. Don’t forget to say thank you to our good God for His blessings (you realize that they didn’t end with the Thanksgiving meal, don’t you?). Let the lessons of thankfulness remain in your heart perpetually. Thanksgiving is more than one day. It’s more than one week. It’s more than one season. It’s more than a year. Thankfulness is a lifestyle. It’s when you live in a way that says, “God, I don’t deserve any of this, but You give it anyway. Thank You. Help me to enjoy it fully and give You the praise for it. I love You.” Let the peace of Christ rule in your ...

Why are we so stressed? There are a lot of causes for stress; some are harder to handle than others. But one thing I know is that we bring a lot of stress onto ourselves. Holidays can be like that. What can we do to change that? Make it stress-free! Take a deep breath. Take a moment to quietly think. Turn off the radio, TV, and, yes, even your favorite playlist for a few moments and only let a conversation with the King of the Universe occupy your mind. He’s in charge. Do you trust Him? If you trust Him for your eternal destiny, won’t you trust Him for a day of festivities? Okay, that was Tip #1 . Slow down and trust the King of the Universe. Tip #2 : When you feel that you can’t handle all the necessary preparations for the day, do one of these three things: Get help. Ask a family member or friend to come help you with décor, baking, writing invitations, etc. Use this opportunity to teach your kids how to cook. Whatever you do, do it toge...