The Power Of Influence

    Within the past couple of weeks there was a time I was so consumed with a situation that has taken me a bit of time, understanding and yes even sympathy from my parents to overcome. Nothing huge, just a inner struggle that I couldn't shake. I am SO thankful for both my parents, but especially my Dad. He took time from his already super busy Pastor schedule to just spend some time with me. Sometimes just a hug and Him telling me, "I don't have all the answers, but I know Who does." and Whatever you want I'll get it or do for you." (What girl doesn't enjoy that!;) ) Just letting me ride with him as he did an errand with a little 'sweet treat' along the way....sometimes sweets can help mend things too! Other times just someone knowing, caring and understanding what you're feeling and thinking can make a world of difference! Without my parents I no doubt would still be struggling; God put me in the PERFECT family!
   Anyways through some of this time the Lord placed something on my heart, that I kind of shoved aside, just not 'feeling' like doing anything with it. 'Feelings' shouldn't be followed when the Lord directs, but the Lord has much work to do on me yet. So tonight He brought it to my attention as I was praying and just couldn't get to sleep until I finished. So here I am!:) Just 2 simple words He placed on my heart, but still SO powerful: Influence and Influenced. These 2 words hold the outcome to so many of lifes situations: encouragement, joy, happiness, gratefulness, peace, love, hate, anger, bitterness, heartache, discouragement, rebellion, backsliding and so many more! My Dad always told us, and still tells us before we go somewhere: "Be the influence, not the influenced!" Such a small phrase, but yet so key to the outcome of good or bad. In every situation that we find ourselves, we are either the influence or we are being influenced by others around us or things we are seeing or listening to. The only difference between these 2 words other than the tense, is the word "D". This letter in my mind stands for Direct. Direct - to aim something or someone in a particular direction. You cannot be neutral, you are either being directed or directing others. This may seem like such a tiny matter, but can lead to a life full of the blessings and sweet fellowship with the Lord, or a catastrophic sin filled life. Looking at both words we can see the good and the bad with each:

Influence 
   Influence - the capacity to have an effect on the character, development or behavior of someone or something. This definition made me think of a little child. I'm not a Mom so the closest I can get is the kids I work with on a regular basis whether on the bus, nursery or my 3-6 yr old Sunday School Class. This made me realize more than ever that each time I am with them I am either helping to build their character or to destroy it. I have such a tiny part in how the outcome of their lives. How much more does a Mother or Father have in the life of their child! With each decision made in the childs life they are either strengthening them for the Lord, or pushing them away from the Lord.
   As I have said before, each day we are influencing someone for good or bad. If you think back over today or yesterday. Who have you encouraged? Who have you brought closer to the Lord? Who have you pushed away from the Lord? There are so many questions we can and should ask ourselves. Each decision you make affects those around you. It may be just 1, or 5, or maybe even 10 people with that one either good or bad decision! Be very careful what you influence others to do. That may become the very thing that leads those close to you either away from the Lord or closer to Him. If you are responsible for leading them away, you will one day have to answer for that. When someone leaves your presence are they better than when they entered your presence? 1 Cor 15:33 "Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners." Are you allowing yourself to be a tool in the devil's hand? 1 Peter 5:8 "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" Each choice we make influences someone. That choice may seem so tiny, when in reality that may have been the very thing the Devil needed to destroy that person you influenced.
   On the other side, when you are in the Word of God spending time with Him daily, and have the 'mind of Christ'. You may be the very one who influences that person to make the right decision. I pray this is you!

Influenced
   Who are you being influenced by to make decisions? Is it those who are just like you? Or someone who you know is more spiritual than you? Are they people you know will only give you the answer you want to hear, instead of what is right? We are influenced by so may things each day: television, radio, computer, people and the list goes on and on! You choose who to be influenced by. The company you keep is usually who you become like. It doesn't take long for people to start spending time together, before they think, act and sometimes even dress alike! Be so careful what you allow yourself to get talked into. That 'sure decision' may very well be the loose rock that sends you crashing down into the lions den! Who are you allowing to hinder you? Galatians 5:7 "Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? We all know this next verse very well. Proverbs 27:17 "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." The one who should be helping or influencing you is the one who is going to sharpen you for the Lord, not someone who is going to allow you to stay the same or even become dull and unusable for the Lord.
   Pick those who you can see fruit of a walk with God as your 'friend'. Fill your time being influenced by those things that will make you grow in the Lord, and edify Him! Listen to good God honoring music, memorize scripture that will help you in this area and spend time with the GREATEST Influence - our heavenly Father! Sometimes in my own life I just need to spend time with someone I know is more spiritual than me, it just gives me more of a desire to know the Lord and not to allow the flesh that is always battling for control win. I truly need that friend who will sharpen me! When I was struggling my parents were the best influence I could have had. They sharpened me, but also showed me the great compassion that my Lord also offers to me!

                       

I think sometimes we all need to do some investigating and cleaning out in our lives, to see just who is being allowed to influence our lives, there should really only be a few. The majority of those around us should not qualify for important decisions. Then also, who are we influencing for good? It gets so easy to go through the motions of the Christian life never realizing that each move we make, and decision we make is affecting someone else. You don't have to be a teacher, pastor, or someone in a place of service to influence someone. EVERYONE no matter who you are, YOU are influencing someone either for good or bad!    

In His Strength Greatly Rejoicing

Psalms 28:7 "The Lord is my strength and my shield: my heart trusted in him, and I am helped; therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him." If you read my blogs you know they are usually about one of the many things the Lord is teaching me everyday.....and this one is no different. I am thankful the Lord is teaching  me. When He stops and we become 'unteachable' I think that's when we ALL need to worry!
  A funny thing happened to me that kind of helped to teach me some things, and has stayed in my mind for a while! In our house we have a sunk in living room, so our living room is a step lower than the rest of the house. Anyways, last night I was going up the step and my brother was already standing there talking to me, well when I stepped I didn't get my foot all the way on the step before I picked the other one up; and as I'm clumsy I lost my balance and started to fall backwards. I grabbed my brothers arm (who is 9 years younger) with one hand, he thought I was just playing and so started to come down the step. When he realized I wasn't joking, he said matter of factly Oh NO, put his foot down and with his strength pulled me back up. I was a little surprised because he has always been smaller, as he's 9 years younger, but is now taller and stronger than I am. Now I wouldn't have most likely seriously hurt myself, but I still would've had some nice bruises since we have tile floor.
   I have thought about that so many times, and the Lord seemed to remind me through that little episode, I am your strength I want to be your strength; but can only be if you choose to let Me! As seems to be around me lately, the Lord has seem fit to bring into my life very recently something that has caused great sadness and I can't do anything to change it. I went through a couple days of sadness, but realized I can't live this way and do what I need to do! Then I was reminded, as my brother only used his strength when he knew I needed it; in the same way our Heavenly Father desires to show His strength through us - especially in times of sadness or disappointments! Sometimes the situations we are in, show no signs of getting better, and all we can simply do is go through them. As the Bible says there is a time for everything. Ecclesiastes 3:1 & 10,11 "To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.:" "I have seen the travail, which God hath given to the sons of men to be exercised in it. He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end."
   The 'season' that God has placed before me doesn't look like it is going to end very well, but I know I need to decide now how I will handle it when it comes. I have been praying and asking the Lord to direct my steps and especially my emotions. Resting in His strength alone is the only way to handle this or really any problem we face! As the verse says in the beginning, when the Lord is our strength and shield, our heart doesn't just simply rejoice but GREATLY rejoices, with song or with our words we will praise Him! How sweet it is to rest in the Lord!
   On the news yesterday it said that January 6th was the most depressing day of the year! I kind of thought that was funny, and told my parents that yesterday was the worse this year would ever be! Although in reality for the Christian who doesn't rest in the Lord's strength daily, everyday of the year is depressing. We certainly cannot live this life on our own! I have recently seen quite a few Christian families go through some really tough times, and have been simply amazed at their attitudes through it all. I know they have already discovered their source of strength - the Lord!



   Although my heart may be breaking and maybe yours is too, let's decide to trust the One Who is the strongest! Remember it is a choice you must make, and the demonstration of that choice that you are resting in His strength is a heart that is greatly rejoicing and praising Him. Knowing that God is ALWAYS good!!!

Martha's Most Needful Thing

   Most of us have either heard sermons about, or read for ourselves the story about Martha, Mary and Lazarus in the Bible. Usually Martha is seen as the "bad" sister or the one who didn't care to sit at Jesus' feet. As I did a study on her life, it seems to me, that this one area the Lord was trying to warn her about rather than labeling her unusable! After reading about Martha in my book, I also looked into scripture and studied Martha's character - what a precious lady Martha was!
  From what we see in the Bible, we are not given much insight as to Martha's parents, obviously it was not needful for us to know. It seems the home that Martha, Mary and Lazarus lived in was owned by Martha. She was the oldest of the three, and so carried the responsibility of the household affairs. One of the neat things the book brought alive to me is after Jesus left His home and started His public ministry, it was not back to the home He had lived in growing up, but to Martha's house that He went. Jesus loved the three who lived in this house, and this place meant much to Jesus. The first time we see Martha the Bible says she "received Jesus into her house" A chapter earlier we see the Lord say "The Son of Man hath not where to lay His head" but the next day "He came to Bethany....and Martha made Him a supper." He knew in the town of Bethany there was a home that was always ready to welcome Him. To cater to Him in His weariness and exhaustion, He was refreshed in the home. To Martha her home responsibilities were not a drudgery. She was so diligent about her housework, it would seem she never had to rush around to straighten up for company to come.
   The story tells us that Martha was up busy serving, while Mary sat at Jesus' feet. Martha was irritated that she was up busy serving, while Mary was able to sit at the feet of the Master. Once she voiced this complaint to the Lord, He reproved her in Luke 10:41-42 "Martha, Martha, Thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her." A few verses earlier Luke tells us "Martha was cumbered about much serving." Cumbered means to be distracted, she was so busy she was distracted from what was most needful. The Lord warns us in 1 Cor 7:35 to "attend upon the Lord without distraction."
   As being head of the household Martha was torn between her responsibilities and sitting at the feet of Jesus. She felt it was more important to serve Jesus, than to be served by Him at that time! When Jesus reproved her for her complaint, He reminded her that she was allowing her outward activities to hinder her spiritually. Her emphasis had been placed on the wrong act. The word careful in Jesus' rebuke means, inward worrying anxiety. She was mentally divided in her mind, which the Lord warns us about also in 1 Cor 7:32 "But I would have you without carefulness." Everything has it's proper place, and one isn't to distract from the other. One of the comments I saw from the book that I really liked is,  'Much serving has its right place and time, but ought to give place to hearing when Jesus speaks.' This is so true, our service should never substitute or hinder our walk with God. Sitting at the Masters feet every morning is the most important thing I will do every day. This helps me to better perform each task to His glory!
   Later in the story, when Lazarus is sick and then dies; Jesus is sent for. We notice that not Mary but Martha was the first one to run out to Jesus. I don't believe this one story of Martha complaining about her sister is indicative of Martha's complete character, she had a love for her Lord that developed as she sat at His feet learning of Him; and yes, even serving Him. In John 11 when Jesus is told of Lazarus the Bible says, "Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister, and Lazarus. It mentions by name Martha and Lazarus, but not Mary. As said before He loved each one of these siblings, they were each so different, but He loved them each. After her rebuke from the Lord the service of Martha was the same, her spirit was changed though. She was no longer "distracted" over her tasks, or mentally anxious, but calm, and in full agreement with her sister's act of love and devotion to the Master. At last Martha, too, chose that good part which could not be taken from her.

*** I have learned in my study of Martha:
 First - She absolutely loved her Lord, but for a time had got her focus off of what was most needful for her. She is not someone to be scoffed at for her mistake, but rather to be admired for her diligence and love to her Lord. I dare say we often get our focus off of the most needful thing to something that won't matter at all in light of eternity. As Herbert Lockyer says, "Some people are all Martha, and no Mary. Others are all Mary and no Martha. The happy combination is that of Martha and Mary the practical and the spiritual making possible the glory of the commonplace." The church needs both the Mary's and the Martha's to complete the needs of the church. Secondly - It is so important to keep serving in it's proper place, both are duties learning and serving, but in both areas we should honor God. Thirdly -  To trust the Lord with our cares, responsibilities and sorrows knowing He can surely undertake for us. Though Martha didn't understand why the Lord had allowed her brother to die, the Lord had and always has a plan that we are not to know, but only trust!

VBS-SAURAS Decorations

   Since the holidays are so busy, I decided I would share some of the pictures from different activities I have helped decorate throughout this year. I just LOVE helping decorate things, for whatever occasion it may be. One of the things I love the most, is being able to make decorations. It just gives me such a feeling of accomplishment when I create or help create something for half the cost of what you could buy it for! :) This week I wanted to share a few of the pictures from VBS this year! Our theme was VBS - SAURUS. Our youth pastor did a great job with the theme, ideas and decorations in the gym. Here are a few of the gym:

Each of the teachers decorated our own classrooms. I always have fun decorating, but a lot of times I get in way over my head, and that's when my amazing family steps in! Would be in trouble without them! Also the other teachers and helpers brought in items and I was very excited about how it turned out! This was definitely a team effort. I think I was more excited about it, then the kids were. I had the 3-6 yr old group. This is my favorite group!:) Here are some pics which I will try to explain as I post them. Some are a tad blurry, but I think you can see the general idea! I always get mad at myself later for not taking more pics. A lot of them had the children in them so I can't share those, although they add quite a bit to the pictures!;)

Decorations:
- Ceiling was decorated with plastic green tablecloths tacked to the ceiling, it really gave the jungle affect!
- Walls were a bit of different things. We had quite a big room. We bought a wall jungle covering (last pic) for 2 of the walls, then on the other 2 walls we continued the green tablecloths and covered them with (age appropriate) dinosaurs! Makeshift trees were also made for the walls. (We ran out of our wall covering and tablecloth.)
- Waterfall (second pic from the bottom) was difficult, but we used what we had. It was a mountain of different items stacked up with a white tablecloth and then a blue one on top, that was tacked high up close to the ceiling. We placed "grass" bought from Oriental Trading and placed that at the edges of our waterfall.
- Mountain (first and last pic) was made with boxes stacked to different heights. Packaging paper was crumbled and placed over the boxes, with real branches coming out of the boxes. More grass was placed around the bottom.
- Tent. This was my dads idea and added to the look. We just placed that in a corner to take up space. The kids loved going in and out of this!
- Miscellaneous Ideas. We added vines and nets to the ceiling, and from wall to wall with monkeys hanging from these. We also had a toucan on a net.
- Dinosaurs. The other teacher of our class bought blow up dinosaurs. The kids absolutely LOVED this and each one took one of these home at the end of the week! We placed a few at the waterfall, some on the rocks/mountains and a few that had wings we "flew" from the ceiling!


***A lot of these ideas were the help of my family and my co-teacher and helpers! When I do or plan something I put a lot of my time, effort and thoughts into it I want to do a good job!! I love to do it, and also I LOVE having help that WANTS to help!:) These ideas could be incorporated to a birthday party or whatever the occasion is! I am so thankful that God has placed me in a church where I can invest my time and effort into different occasions; and because I  am thankful I want to show it by my actions in whatever I do! I don't always do well, but I desire to always do my best for the Lord!:)
1 Corinthians 3:17 "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."

Unshakable Trust

  After the Bible, poems and quotes are my favorite things to read. They just seem to put things in perspective. One of my favorite poems deals with a subject that I am learning, and relearning oh so well - TRUST!

I've heard this many times and even say it myself, "I don't know how people make it without the Lord." This is very true, but the funny thing is those of us who have the Lord don't live like it, or at least don't show to others that we have the Lord. The definition of trust is firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability or strength of someone or something. If we are trusting the Lord, then we should have a firm (unshakable) belief in His strength and His plan. It seems in every area of life we can't wait until "this" happens and then once that happens, we can't wait until something else happens and so on. For us women it starts out 'I can't wait to grow up' to 'I can't wait to date' then 'I can't wait to get married' to 'I can't wait to have a baby' then 'I can't wait until the kids grow up' then on to something else. I've said some of these things myself, but as we are saying these things we completely have forgotten the 'trust' we say we have in the Lord. What if it isn't His will for me to get married, or have a baby, or for you to get what you've been praying for? Does that mean He has failed? Certainly not! Trust in God does not depend on whether He does what I want or not. It's not the belief in myself because I surely can be easily shaken, but belief in the Lord Who is never shaken! The Lord is NEVER to be on trial in our lives! This wishing for another milestone is hopeless, because once we reach that one we are hoping for another and there never seems to be an end!
   Being in the ministry for the majority of my life, I have found each season of the ministry brings with it another joy or struggle, but each area requires a different amount of trust in the Lord. It doesn't take much trust when you are happy and things seem like they can't get any better, but when something bad happens or things don't go your way you begin to lean a little heavier on that trust in the Lord. If our eyes are on the Lord no matter what happens in life, we may waver a bit but our trust in the Lord, and His sustaining grace will carry us through every time. With this grace that He provides we can smile and go on our day, realizing the Lord is in control and this is HIS will for us now. We find our strength in the precious promises of His Word. It seems every blog I encourage time in His Word, but for the Christian it is vital for the well being of our Christian life.That time spent in the Word and with the Lord each day builds your knowledge, strength and trust in the Lord that cannot be measured!
 1 Thessalonians 5:18 "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." Philippians 4:11 "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." So we are to be thankful and content in whatever situation we find ourselves in! Whether that be married or unmarried, with or without children; whether we feel God gave us what we think we deserve or not; we are supposed to be content where we are!  So we must be very careful to wish something would happen, or just can't wait for something to happen; we are wasting the time God has given us and telling the Lord He is not worth trusting because He's not doing what we want! I am convicted that I need to live every day to the fullest, not wishing my days away for another day that may or may not ever come, it is not my job to worry about what the Lord has in my future, but simply to trust that His will is PERFECT whatever that may be!!! He can be trusted, and will never let you down. He has a beautiful plan for each one of us. Choose to be a living proof that God is worth trusting even if we don't understand each move He makes in our lives!

**This has become one of my FAVORITE songs so I thought I'd share with you! Hope it's a blessing! It's called "The Potter Knows the Clay"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxiOOKueYzk

The Difference of Compassion

   In my study of the women of the Bible, I am now only to the E's. All I can say is life is busy so it is  taking me quite a while to get through this book. The woman I want to talk about is mentioned by name only once that I know of in the Bible. Her name is Euodias. Not exactly a name that rolls of your tongue! Her name means "prosperous journey" or "fragrant". The verse where she is mentioned is in Colossians 4:2 "I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind." Obviously there was some division between these two women in the Philippian church, because Paul admonished them to be of the "same mind". It doesn't tell us what caused the division, but it bothered the Apostle Paul enough for him to address it in scripture!
   Differences of opinions and arguments have been going on for quite a while in churches. It seems our churches are overrun with these little differences, which soon build into divisions in the church. This pettiness shows a great deal of the spirituality of the individuals involved. I have been in church my whole life and have seen these divisions and disunity in most of the churches I've attended. There is always someone willing to cause trouble, and it can be SO easy to get caught up in this. Don't let someone else's "battle" become your own! A lot of these divisions usually begin by just one person who feels they were 'wronged' by someone else, sometimes unintentional. They then go and tell those they are closest to, or someone they know will listen. From there it just keeps getting passed down; neither one of those carriers of this awful virus will ever go to the source and find out if it's true. No one is ever willing to give the victim the benefit of the doubt.....do we not realize this is sin? I fear most the time we really don't care if it is true or not! James 4:11 "Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge."  James 3: 16 & 18 "For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace." We gather from these verses that we are commanded not to speak evil of our brothers (or sisters) but to bring peace to each situation we find ourselves. There doesn't seem to be many peacemakers among Christians anymore. Peace calls for the Holy Spirit to be in control of our lives; which means we have to be in His Word each day. Causing strife and division is something that comes natural. When I enter a room or even conversation, do I bring peace to it or add more strife and division?
   The Lord made everyone different, we are not going to all agree or like the same things, that gives us no right to destroy your brother or sister with our words or actions! I John 2:10-11 "He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes." We must be SO careful, because once you get tricked into talking bad about our brothers and sisters in Christ, our eyes become blinded. How can we realize we are doing wrong if we can't see it? There should never be a time when we hate our brother or sister in Christ so much that we are willing to destroy them with our tongue both physically and spiritually. How sad it is when we can do it and not even think twice about it! Romans 8:5-8 "For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be." The carnal or fleshly mind yields strife and division; the spiritually minded produce life and peace. Simply put, if you can talk about or treat someone rudely you are fleshly minded and are just doing what comes natural to you. Ephesians 4:29, 31-32 "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying that it may minister grace unto the hearers. Let all bitterness, and wrath and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." There shouldn't be anything bad coming out of our mouths but only things that will build up or encourage those hearing it! Philippians 2:2-3 "Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded having the same love being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves." 
   Most of the things we hear from other people usually have a very small amount of the truth, yet we are willing to believe it completely and share it with others, all the while sinning and destroying that person. Sometimes the information we hear is true; instead of us helping that brother or sister, we are so eager to push them down even farther. We give no thought to the load they carry. We think we are so super spiritual we can't bother to lift a finger to help them up, never remembering just how far Christ had to go to redeem us! Jude 1:22 "And of some have compassion, making a difference." Compassion - sympathetic, consciousness of others distress together with a desire to alleviate. Whether that person is right or wrong, do we ever think to come along beside them and help lift them up, tell them we love them and will help them along the way? No we usually are the first to tell them how wrong they are, and tell others what happened. Do you realize just how much compassion the Lord has with us everyday? Lamentations 3:22-23 "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."
   It is my thought and hope that Euodias and Syntyche resolved their differences and became of "one mind" as Paul instructed. Oh how we all need to heed that advice each and every day. Don't let someones actions or words cause you to sin, become bitter against them, and then repeat the matter to someone else. Don't be a carrier of the disease either. It is so very easy to get caught up, you must keep yourself spiritually minded!!
The Lord has so much to say on this topic, which leads me to believe there was a problem with this in the churches in the Bible.


1 Peter 3:8-12
"Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous; Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile; Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil."

Abigail - Cause Of Joy

      I recently started reading a book I borrowed from my Dad's collection of books titled "The Women Of The Bible". It goes through all the women in the Bible in alphabetical order. I have only gone through a few names and I am already under such great conviction. If you can get your hands on this book I definitely recommend it. It is quite straight forward, but I am really enjoying it! This book kind of helps to open up the Bible more, instead of just reading a name of a woman in genealogy or a few chapters; it reveals such virtue and character some of these women had. So it's a good possibility my next few blogs may contain different women of the Bible. Hey, you can't help but to speak the things you see and hear! ;)
     The woman from the bible who has really wowed me with her character came after reading and studying about a woman named Abigail, found in 1Samuel 25: 1-42. I've read the story of Nabal, Abigail and David many times, but usually the focus has been on David or wicked Nabal, she was JUST the wife of 1 and then the other eventually.
     Abigail's name means 'Father of Joy' or 'Cause of Joy'. As many I'm sure have read before, she was married to a man named Nabal he is described as 'churlish and evil in his doings'. He obviously lacked the finer qualities his wife possessed. He was mean, selfish, often drunk, stubborn and ill-tempered. She lived in a miserable house. Abigail is said to be 'a woman of good understanding, and a beautiful countenance' as the book says she had "brains and beauty". "A beautiful woman with a beautiful mind is surely one of God's masterpieces." She had an all encompassing love and deep relationship with God, and although she had such a unhappy home life she was a trophy of grace for her Lord. Any woman can be an Abigail but so few women are willing to obey and cooperate with God in every area He requires.
     After Nabal treated David's servants rudely, David was coming to kill Nabal's entire household. Abigail heard of what had happened, and quickly took the necessary provisions for David and his men and rode quickly to meet David.  As I said before, from what the Bible tells us about Nabal he was quite disagreeable to say the least. There were probably many times Abigail served as peacemaker between him and neighbors he had offended due to his ill-mannered and churlish ways.
    Once Abigail arrived and brought the food and drink, she fell down before David. "She revealed her wisdom falling at Davids feet and acknowledging his accusations of what her foolish husband had done." She didn't try to argue away her husbands deeds, but admitted her husband was a fool. Abigail tactfully used her words to sway David's just wrath at the right time and in the right way. **We can never underestimate just how powerful our words can be, said in the right time and place. Neighbors knew well  Abigail's drunken and ill-tempered husband, but patiently she made amends for his wrong doings countless times.
      Once Abigail knew her trip to David was a success she returned to her drunken wicked husband, and resumed her unpleasant life. Abigail did not seek to leave her godless husband, but stayed a loyal wife and the protector of her worthless husband. Her life was hard and she may often have been beaten, insulted, and treated rudely but she remained with Nabal and was faithful to him. "Abigail manifested a love stronger than death." She was delivered 10 days after her return when her husband suffered a divine stroke. Death came as a blessing and Abigail had no tears or regrets. Amid such horrible suffering she fulfilled her marriage vows. This sad story turned into a 'fairytale' when she married David who equally loved the Lord, and would become the King of Israel. Abigail came from an unhappy life but continued to trust God and He rewarded her in His timing! Later David and Abigail had a son whom they named Chileab, or Daniel. Daniel means 'God Is My Judge', perhaps because of the Lord's divine vindication in her own life.

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Abigail was certainly not perfect, but we can see from the Bible's account that she had a close walk with God. It was evident in the way she handled every situation. In that day arranged/man made marriages were common, there is speculation this was Abigail's reason for being married to Nabal. She was forced into such an unhappy life, but she certainly lived up to her name and brought joy wherever she went. Joy that emanated from her came in different forms: peacemaker, protector of her worthless husband, friend, wisdom, kindness, and proved to also be a faithful wife, along with many more. If nothing else what impresses me more than anything about Abigail is her situation didn't dictate her attitude, she found joy in HER Lord! In the same way our joy should come from the Lord and time spent with Him, not from our life's circumstances. She walked in and out of difficult circumstances but because of the wisdom she had she brought joy, and handled each situation in just the right way.

**There seem to be so many different situations we find ourselves where people are just mean and ill-tempered like Nabal, or upset like David was; there are only certain ways each area can be handled. Do we possess the Godly wisdom to know how to handle each? We each possess the same Source Abigail had, but we often don't handle situations in the right way because we have not spent time understanding and knowing the true Source of Joy.