Thank you for your wonderful comments from my last post! Your encouragement is awesome! What great friends in Bloggyland! Our high school girls' Bible Study is meeting tonight, and the topic is Facebook!! These baby girls know how to pick 'em! I'll let y'all know the verdict!
One of the areas that our Women's Ministry has included is a book club that meets monthly. It has around a dozen women of all ages--which is wonderful! The book that they discussed last night was Under the Overpass by Mike Yankoski. It is fabulous! I just got a copy last night and can hardly put it down. This is a book that parents and older kids--middle school through high school--could read and discuss. Basically, a college student decides to give up his middle class lifestyle for a time and live as a homeless person in the US. "He needed to know if his faith in God was real--if he could actually be the Christian he said he was apart from the comforts he's always known." Y'all, this is a topic to ponder and pray about! Listen to this quote included the book by A.W. Tozier. " We hear a Christian assure someone that he will 'pray over' his problem, knowing full well that he intends to use prayer as a substitute for service. It is much easier to pray that a poor friend's needs may be supplied than to supply them."
It is easier to say that you will pray for someone...than to step out of your comfort zone and perform a service. I've been there before. I will do the service--like take someone to the store or pick up extra groceries for them, but I don't always do it lovingly and cheerfully. Sometimes it's out of my way, and I don't have time. For example, those of you who help with Meals on Wheels.....that is a service of love, but it may not always match up with your calendar of things to do! Helping with things at church (VBS) or school (fund raisers) is another opportunity that is time consuming but needed. This book is an eye opener for lots of things that we take for granted!
This book came from Barnes and Nobles--not the library. But it's a great one to share after your family has read it. Let me know if you have read it and what your thoughts are! Also, I would love to hear what your reactions are to the homeless--espescially when your children are with you! It's a tough topic, but it is very prevelant in our country. How do we as Christians deal with this??
Sweet Ponderings!
6 comments:
I never got back to leave a response to the modesty issue, but this is an area I feel strongly about. It is so disheartening for me to be in church on Sunday morning when so many are not dressing appropriately. My husband greets every Sunday and he said that is one of the most difficult things when women approach and are not fully covered up. My son has also expressed the difficulty being in church around young women who are showing off as much as possible. You have brought up another good point as well about serving. We are supposed to serve out of a heart of love for the Lord, yet I can be as guilty as anyone else when it doesn't quite fit into my schedule. The Lord is speaking to me about several things lately and everytime I visit your blog I have even more to think about and see what God want me to be doing. Sounds like you have a great group of teenage girls, and I know they are blessed to have you leading them. Have a great week! Jackie
Sounds like a powerful book...and my goodness, that quote! Yikes! How many times have I taken the "easy" road of prayer instead of stepping out there and serving. Good, good stuff to think on, Susan!
Makes me think of a verse that stepped on my toes last week...it's the first part of Romans 12:9 from the NLT ..."Don't just pretend that you love others. Really love them."
My, oh my. Makes me stop and check my heart.
You are such a precious woman of God! Those young ladies at your church are so blessed to have you teaching them!
Let me know sometime that would be good for you and we can do lunch again. :)
And thanks for being so super sweet to me!
:) K
Getting our hands "dirty" with our faith...that's what this post says to me. Being willing to be willing...to be involved, not just on the outskirts but all the way in the heart of the issue.
A great teaching of the "basin and the towel." May my heart be opened to this deeper calling; not only to the easy and impersonal.
How's the leg? On another note, I'm working on finishing my manuscript and am thinking about pictures. I'll email you some of my thoughts very soon.
blessings and peace to you this week~elaine
Yikes you truly are starting off the week with a truly powerful post that hits right to the core...talk about purposeful living...and walking the talk! This will be in my mind adn on my heart and praying its in my actions too!
Susan, growing up I remember my Mom's initial reaction to the homeless if we were driving in the car - she wouldn't say a word, but I would hear the sound of the automatic lock button pushed as the doors were secured and her family protected.
I hate to admit that I grew up fearing the less fortunate. So often my opinion was formed by appearance because I was taught such. I determined that I would not raise my children that way.
A challenging quote my friend. One that brings conviction.
Thanks for speaking truth in love,
Joy
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