Greetings from Sunny Florida!

Life never holds still does it? The past week went by
so quickly but it is a relief that it is over.
Yesterday we turned in our second set of assignments
and today we celebrate!

Our leaders informed us when we left Dallas that each
of us would have a different home experience. Boy,
were they right! This week I learned that family comes
first even when I am stressing over incomplete
assignments. My parents left me in charge for two days
when they went out of town for my Dad’s surgery. My
siblings and I had fun but remembering to feed 7
people can be difficult. No one starved, we all
survived, and my Dad is recovering well.

On Tuesday, I held my first discipleship group. Four
girls arrived and we studied purposes for being
discip;lined and how to study our Bibles. I am not
sure how many girls will come next week. There may be
more or there may be less but I figure each one will
learn what lessons God has for them.

What lesson will you learn this week?

Emily Cook

“And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word…” ~Luke 1:38

As I continue to walk through many of life’s “refining fires”, the message of Luke 1:38 frequently comes to mind. Mary’s future, at that time seemed to be unknown, aside from what the Angel told her, “Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.” (Luke 1:30-31) Yet, without complaint or questions asked, she chose to walk in obedience.

When I first read Luke 1:38, I never noticed or paid much attention to verse 37, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.” I looked up “nothing” in the Strong’s Concordance, which then showed me, “nothing: all, any, whatsoever, no (-thing), etc.” At that moment, this verse became real to me, “For with God nothing (whatsoever) shall be impossible.”

It stands to reason that, when we allow God to guide our lives, nothing is impossible. When hardships come and our flesh desires to flee, we must choose to stand on the “Solid Rock” of God, for He desires to show Himself strong in our lives. I realize now that God’s grace and mercy flows over me as He leads me through each “refining fire.” Yet even still, I want to know why I must walk through these “fires.” My first requirement will never change, “Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not on your own understanding but in all of your ways, acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

I heard an illustration last summer describing the mountains of difficulty that daily impact our lives, the rope of God’s grace given to us as a tool to use in the process of climbing, and God’s mercy as a safety net to catch us if we fall. As I pondered this illustration, God gave me deeper insight and understanding, which lead me to write the following paragraph in my journal.

“God has called each of us to climb our own mountain. He has given us grace as a rope fallen beside us to take hold of to endure the pain of climbing. If we fall, His mercy is there to catch us, brush us off and say, “You can do all things through Christ which strengthens you.” (Phil. 4:13) You look back up the mountain, and see again the “rope of grace”. It is then you are reminded of 2 Corinthians 12:9a “And He said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness…” At that moment, you decide to take hold of God’s grace. You begin climbing and say, “Not my will but Thine be done,” if you have not already made the decision to walk away.”

My desire, whether God calls me to climb mountains or stay in the valleys of life, is to have the heart of Mary and say, “Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word” and keep this promise upon my heart, “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” ~Ecclesiastes 3:1. God gave us this verse as a promise. Things do come and go out of our lives. Remember, whatever God calls you to in life, He will not give you anything that you cannot accomplish without His strength. I have experienced that it takes only the faith of a mustard seed to move mountains.

May God pour out His richest blessings on you all!

In His Sonshine,

Elisabeth K.