For the month of June we will discover some of the many lessons that can be learned from studying the lives of Ruth and Naomi. Overview – Friendship The story of Ruth and Naomi provides a model of what a Godly friendship should look like.  Their cultures, family backgrounds, and ages were very different and as mother-in-law and daughter-in-law they probably had as many opportunities for tension as for tenderness.  Yet they were bound to each other. They shared deep sorrow as well as great affection for each other.  Naomi allowed Ruth to see, hear and feel all the joy and anguish of her relationship with God, which eventually led…

In a devotional I read last week I was reminded how important it is to regularly ask God to search my heart and reveal anything that is hindering my walk with Him. When we ask with a sincere desire to know, God will answer. I prayed that prayer and that very day the revelations began. Several different circumstances provided the stage that would reveal what my heart really thought and felt. And it wasn’t pretty. Plans of others overlapped what I wanted. Work demands increased. Comments in conversations pushed my value aside. In exhaustion my thoughts became projections of what I thought might take place. All of these were ways…

I think one of my favorite lessons from Deborah was the reminder that God is with us and has already gone before us. As we look back over the years we can see God’s hand in every detail and it’s a beautiful reminder of His presence and faithfulness. But seldom do we remember that He is also present and faithful for every day that is to come. Take a moment and dwell in the confidence and peace of knowing that the God of Heaven has already gone ahead of us and prepared the way. Repeatedly His word tells us not to fear because He is with us. Imagine how different…

“For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and love, and self-control (discipline).” 2 Timothy 1: 7 I admire the courage that Deborah had as she faithfully served the Lord in the many different positions that He entrusted to her. That courage came from God who gave her the power, the love and the self discipline to accomplish everything that was required of her. God has given us that same power, that same love and that same self discipline. We have those gifts at our disposal when we remember what He didn’t give us – a spirit of fear. There were responsibilities that Deborah was…

You could definitely describe Deborah as strong and courageous. She was a woman who knew that her strength came from the Lord and her faith and trust in Him is what gave her the courage she needed to fulfill her purpose. As Daughter’s of the King we are also strong and courageous. Like Deborah, we have God’s word that He will be with us and that He has already gone before us. We just need to believe it. Joshua 1: 19 reads, “Have I not commanded you, Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” That message was repeated…

I have been so blessed with this month’s study of Deborah. It’s truly been a hidden gem and encouragement to me. I want to highlight some of the key lessons that I want to take with me from her story in the last few blogs of this month. Deborah was able to accomplish the many tasks assigned to her because she was equipped for battle. Ephesians 6:13-16 begins with the words, “Therefore take up the whole armor of God.” This armor isn’t just placed on us, we need to take it up. It’s a conscience choice and requires action on our part. Our relationship with Christ is the beginning of…

Last week was a bit daunting. My schedule was overflowing because of over commitment and it seemed like there were more needs than I could possibly supply. Missed phone calls provided messages that needed to be returned and although I felt inadequate to respond with the right heart, after a quick prayer for the right words the calls were made. As I reviewed the week during my prayer time I found that each and every task was completed, not by my own ability, but by God’s intervention. I was in awe of how the Lord had walked me through each one and I was reminded that I didn’t have to…

That statement at first sounds kind of sad, but when experienced it is quite different. Usually this time of year is slow and quiet at my job, a time of peace and renewal from a busy season. This year everything is different. With travel restrictions slowly being lifted, the requests are rolling in and I’m finding it a bit of a challenge to find my quiet time. I was reminded by a sign on my wall that read, “In the morning when I rise, give me Jesus,” that it’s a choice to go to a lonely place to pray and it can be done if I make it a priority.…