Tonight I met with my women’s group from my church called Esther’s Circle. We are a group of women who meet once a month in one of our homes and share in conversation, snacks, devotional time and dessert. It is a wonderful group of women from a multitude of backgrounds and life experiences. We had decided a few months ago to begin a book study of the Book of Esther in the Old Testament in the Bible. As the group appointed leader I purchased two study books and a commentary in hopes to share a variety of material about Esther. We were few in number tonight so we did not officially start the study but we still managed to talk for well over three hours, just the three of us. It was a wonderful and relaxed evening sharing good food and great conversation. I think too often we get busy with the “busyness” of life that we don’t take time to listen to other people’s stories. I left our time together with increased knowledge of the challenges we all face on a daily basis, too often we get so spun up and tangled with our own stuff it’s easy to forget that others are tangled as well. Tonight felt like a lifeline had been tossed to me and all I needed to do was, hang on! We each took a turn sharing life experiences and struggles and as we continued talking about the day-to-day stuff our conversation easily turned to God, God’s role in our lives and how we might be more drawn into who we were created to be, I felt very honored to have them share their parenting stories with me, since I am not a parent and most likely will not be one but I do admire the sacrifices they made for their children and the positive and responsible adults their children have grown into…that stuff doesn’t just happen by accident. We covered all the major issues in today’s headline news and well, we came up with some pretty good ideas to solve those issues as well, that’s what women do! The most important aspect is, we listen and support one another and pray for each other. I look forward to sharing our study of Esther with each of you in the coming months. I’m excited to read, discuss and apply lessons from Esther’s story to our everyday lives.

 

 

 

 

Esther 4:12-14 “When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

~Blessings and Peace~

Look for more than the good in everything and everyone, find the GLORY in it all! We are all God’s creation, created for His glory. As I am typing these words, I am also asking God to bless everyone reading this. My prayer is that His light and love are revealed to you in a special way today. This blog is a method of spreading God’s Word and message, I am blessed to be able to share my thoughts with the world. I’m human, so of course I love to receive your comments; however, I know that none of this would be possible if not for the encouragement and support of my friends and readers but most especially if God had not placed this journey before me. I’m so happy to be able to share God’s word with you!

Romans 8:26-34 “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.”

Psalm 91:9-16 “Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, Even the Most High, your dwelling place, No evil shall befall you, Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone. You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra, The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot. “Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.”

~Blessings and Peace~