For the month of July we will discover some the many lessons that can be learned from studying the lives of Mary and Martha. Overview – Hospitality Mary and Martha were sisters and more importantly friends of Jesus.  Many times their home had been the Master’s place of resting and relaxing as well as a gathering place for teaching.   Making sure a guest is welcomed, warmed, and well fed requires creativity, organization, and teamwork.  Their ability to accomplish these goals made them one of the best hospitality teams in the bible.  There were always mouths to feed and work to be done.  For Martha this meant taking care of…

We were made for friendship with God and He does not just want us to know about Him; He wants us to know Him — and to experience His friendship. I came across a site called Kid’s World and I loved the simplicity of this truth written from a child’s point of view. Dear Friend, Jesus is my Savior and my Lord; He is also my special Best Friend! Perhaps you are thinking, “Why do you say that Jesus is your special Best Friend?” I was hoping that you would ask that question! Let me tell you why He is my special Best Friend. Jesus is my special Best Friend because He knows me better…

From the beginning of time God did not intend for us to be alone. He gave Adam a companion in Eve and He walked with talked with them in the cool of the day. We were created for relationship with God. Think about that for just a moment and take in the magnitude of that statement. The creator of the Universe wants a relationship with you. He has surrounded you with all types of friends for your own good. What a thoughtful and loving God we serve. Just knowing that you are not alone has tremendous power to overcome so many of life’s obstacles. Recognizing the gift of friendship that…

When Ruth went to work in the fields of Boaz, little did she know that he would eventually become her husband. While working for him, she experienced his Godly character when he provided for her and protected her. Likewise, Boaz saw Ruth’s actions and her heart and commented that she was a woman of noble character. Both Ruth and Boaz not only did what was right, but did it right away. They shared the quality of thinking of others before themselves and the Lord orchestrated a beautiful relationship through their thoughtful actions. Sometimes in life we encounter people by what might seem as chance. But each and every person enters…

Who doesn’t like a good deal, a sale or a special event. We don’t know everything so it’s nice to have watchful friends who will share the good news when it’s found. The disciple Andrew was this type of friend. He was a follower of John the Baptist and was watching and waiting for John’s words about the coming Messiah to be fulfulled. When John pointed him to Jesus saying, ” Behold, the Lamb of God,” Andrew immediately left and followed Jesus. The first thing Andrew did after meeting Jesus was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah!” And he brought him to Jesus.…

Don’t you just love those old commercials that played the song, “I sorry. So Sorry,” and showed pictures of cute little puppies staring at you. How could you stay mad at them and not forgive whatever mess they made with those big puppy eyes melting your heart. If only it was that easy; forgiveness that is. It would definitely make things so much easier, but the reality is that forgiveness is often very difficult. Why is that? I recently read a book that explained how we not only need to forgive the offence but the effects that it may cause in the future. That’s why forgiveness is a continual process,…

This life is going to give us challenges and seasons of grief. But we can find hope in the comforting words of Jesus, “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” He has dealt with the issues that cause pain and suffering, however we will still feel the hurt and loss in this life. That is why He blessed us with comforting friends. This type of friend is with you when your heart is breaking. They cry with you, love on you, encourage you and they walk through the trials with you. Even years later you will remember the many kindnesses of these friends. It’s a funny…

Think about how many times you’ve called a friend or met with them to get their advise. Sometimes just having some girl time can help you unload your thoughts and see things more clearly. What a gift it is to have friends that will give you Godly counsel. In our society we see many business leaders, politicians and people who surround themselves with “Yes” men; people who will tell them whatever they want to hear. Over and over in the bible we read different stories and the terrible outcomes of people who accepted advise and counsel from people who just want to tickle their ears. There are also stories of…

Some of our very first friends in life have been our sisters. They usually know more about us than anyone else. We’ve laughed with them, fought with them and grown up with them. If you don’t have biological sisters you are still in luck as a believer because you have a bunch of sisters in Christ. Just like biological sisters, we can have all types of experiences with our sisters in Christ. There will be women that we are more drawn to than others and that’s okay. We are blessed with a wide range of ages from new believers to experienced mentors, all have a beautiful purpose. Think about the…