Ladies Ministry

Why did King Solomon want apes? Could it be he enjoyed their laughter? Apes such as chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans are among the very few animals who actually laugh.

Sometime ago, I found a little acrostic that has been helpful to me, and I would like to pass it on in the hope that it will help others. When reading a passage, I use my “specs” to find any of the following things:

I purchased my first goat as a thirteen-year-old fresh out of the city suburbs. I had no idea what I was in for. I named my new pet Sarah Jane, and exactly one day after my purchase, she had four kids. And I had my hands full. Sarah Jane nursed two of the kids, and I bottle fed the other two.

The Shunammite’s promised son had died, but his mother still believed God. Through Elisha this lady had been promised a son from the Lord, and she decided to believe God again when her child breathed his last breath.

To some degree, women deal with issues related to trust on a daily basis—can I trust the waiter who says I ordered the best thing on the restaurant menu? Can I trust the teacher who said my child is progressing socially? Can I trust my friend to keep my secret? Or can I trust my kids to have good manners when I’m not with them?

We are faced with choices every day. Decisions must be made on an hourly basis. And there is a great possibility for error, simply because we are human! In addition, many of the choices we face don’t have an exact Bible chapter and verse for us to follow. Because of this, we must claim the promise of the provision of God’s wisdom. James 1:5 says “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God….”

Ahhhhhh summer! What a wonderful time of year to rejuvenate your body, mind, and spirit. If you have a vacation this summer, make the most of it. Use your vacation time wisely. Try not to spend the greater part of it traveling, doing household chores, or even sleeping more than . . .

I’ll never forget my first roller-coaster ride. Neither will my sister, Michele—my unfortunate companion. Poor Michele. She, who even at ten years old loved roller-coasters, didn’t know that during our hour-long wait in line, my second thoughts were multiplying. This was my first roller-coaster, and I was beginning to think this wasn’t such a great idea. By the time we were being seated, I was truly afraid.

An older woman was celebrating her golden wedding anniversary. Someone asked what her secret was to a long and happy marriage. She said, “On my wedding day, I decided to make a list of ten of my husband’s faults, which I would overlook for the sake . . .

Every week, I have the exciting opportunity to sit across the table from a young Christian and study God’s Word during our church’s discipleship time. At the end of each lesson, I usually ask the lady I’m studying with what stood out to her the most and if she has any questions we didn’t already answer.

Who doesn’t like a good deal? My girls are great shoppers, and they often find incredible deals. When they return from shopping, they cannot wait to tell me what they paid for an item. The story is then repeated to family members, friends, and acquaintances.

If you knew you were receiving a letter from an unjustly incarcerated man, what would you expect to read? Frustration? Anger? Gloom? The book of Philippians actually is such a letter—a prison epistle. The Apostle Paul penned this letter from the recesses of a Roman prison. While we would expect the letter to be sad and gloomy—or at least mournfully resigned—it’s not. The book of Philippians is even known as “the epistle of joy.”

Before time began, God wrote the story for your life. He wrote you into His Master plan and purpose and gave you a role that only you can fulfill. So, how can you be sure you are living out the STORY God has written for you? Here are five decisions every Christian should make:

Perhaps you are like me and frequently understand your desperate need for wisdom. Whether it’s for raising a child, helping your husband, serving the Lord, or working through a hurting relationship—often our need for wisdom on the matters we face is overwhelming!

When I pray, sometimes I feel sad when God does not answer the way I think He should, but God always has the best in mind for His child when He denies a prayer request.

I enjoy cooking, finding recipes, and sharing new meals with my family and guests who visit our home. Because of my love for cooking, I get especially excited when I have the opportunity to visit a restaurant that I have read about or seen advertised. And, if I happen to have the chance to eat at one of these restaurants, I always look to see what the critics have said about the food, décor, and overall dining experience.

Several months after we moved to Lancaster, some dear friends of our family made arrangements for us to move out of our tiny apartment into a real house. Our apartment did not have air conditioning (which makes for rough summers in the desert), and the previous occupants had animals that left the carpets soiled beyond repair. Needless to say, I was excited and thankful to have a home. It wasn’t long before I began decorating it room by room.

Our spiritual birth into God’s family is a miraculous love-filled moment, as well! When Nicodemus came to Jesus by night seeking answers for his spiritual questions, Jesus told him, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). We know that Nicodemus was initially confused by this statement. But, Jesus explained to him that salvation is a re-birth—a spiritual birth.

Each year at Christmas, I look forward to pulling the boxes of seasonal decorations out of storage. Our family has always had so much fun decorating the house and hanging ornaments on the tree.

When I was a freshman in high school, I had P.E. class first hour (which was 7:30 A.M.)! My class had over one thousand students, so a large percentage of us joined students from the other grades for first hour P.E. each morning.