New Braunfels Bible Church Women's Ministry

When you think about spiritual gifts, and about your spiritual gift in particular, do you ever think, “Well it’s not teaching or leadership. Nothing too important or essential?” Never, ever think that! Every gift is important. Everyone needs to exercise their gift in the body. Otherwise, it’s like an amputation or atrophy. And if your gift is service or hospitality, your contribution can be great!

Thirty years ago, my husband and I became missionaries. An elderly widow named Dorothy opened her home to us and welcomed us warmly whenever we returned to the Northwest. Her home became “home” to us. Our younger daughter expressed this the first time we ate a meal there. With a big sigh, she declared, “I feel so at home here!” She was only four years old, but she knew she was truly welcome.

When Dorothy was a young mom of four, on a tight budget, she made sandwiches for the hobos who came to her door. She and her husband often invited soldiers home for dinner after church on Sunday. She taught first grade...

We had a chaotic, crazy Christmas this year. Our house was full of family, and at times family of family. Our grandchildren range in age from 18-months to five years. I am still finding objects out of place on a high shelf, where a parent put them after rescuing them.

One memory we cherish is that of Pippa, age 2-and-a-half, opening gifts. Everyone’s gifts. She would deliver them to the intended recipient, but she still thought it was her job to unwrap the gift for them. If a gift was for her, her eyes would light up, and hugging it, she would exclaim, “For me? Oh my!” It was delightful, even after several repetitions.

When I sat in our communion service this past Sunday, and heard an elder read the words, “This is my body which is broken for you,” (I Cor 11:24) Pippa’s words came to mind. “For me?” Broken for me? “Oh my!” I swallowed some tears. Somehow God’s indescribable gift was especially personal to me at that moment.

Do you suppose that when Jesus endured the cross for the joy set...

There are some memories in a family history that are so painful that you will make every effort to not go there again.  The shish kabob fiasco was one such episode for me.  I have the lessons that needed learning printed indelibly on my brain.  Fortunately, it wasn’t tragic, just embarrassing. 

About 15 years ago, we invited our pastor and his wife and our doctor and his wife to dinner.  I had a chicken pasta dish, previously well received, in mind.  A couple days before the dinner, I was talking with the doctor’s wife and asked  about food restrictions.  She told me that her husband was lactose intolerant, no dairy, allergic to basil, didn’t like pasta, and didn’t eat sugar.  Oops, so much for my menu!

I called another friend, and she suggested shish kabob.  We had skewers, so I thought “Okay, shish kabob.  Chicken?  Beef?  Shrimp?  Why not all three?  And rice pilaf, a salad, zucchini bread and grapes for dessert.”  We’d never done shish kabob, but when the day arrived I threw myself into multiple...

Michelangelo said this when he was 87 years old.  I believe he said it in regard to his art.  He is considered by many the greatest artist of all time.

It is fair to say that knowledge is worthy of life-long pursuit.  I am not saying that it’s good to pursue knowledge for knowledge‘s sake or just to appear knowledgeable.  That can become a prideful pursuit...definitely not good.  However, the Lord can give us not just knowledge, but wisdom, exceedingly great understanding, and largeness of heart.  That’s what I want. 

How do you best pursue knowledge for good reasons?  Here are some things that come to mind:

Michelangelo had a good, humble attitude.  He didn’t say, “I have arrived.  I’m the best.”  He said, “I am still learning.”

Knowledge can help us do a better job ... to God’s glory.

There are many practical applications of knowledge.  Our food at Thanksgiving was very tasty, but we had some chaotic moments in the kitchen.  Before I serve that menu again I’m...

We know that the holidays are especially hard on some.  Those who are grieving, battling depression, or facing serious need may be aggravated to read the above title.  However, if you know the Lord and have received His gift of salvation there is always much reason to give thanks.

My husband and I recently took on the task of reorganizing, purging, and shredding about 20-years of paperwork.  One thing that surfaced was the following poem.  I wrote it approximately 18-years ago after the death of my father.

In Everything Give Thanks   

In sorrow, give thanks for: the Father of mercies and God of all comfort    , His perfect love and righteousness, the sure hope of the resurrection, the prayers and comfort of friends, grace and peace

In times of need, give thanks for: Jehovah Jireh, our faithful provider, His every provision and promise, the challenge to be better stewards, every friend who cares and gives, God’s perfect timing.

In weary times,...

Mary Poppins gave us this bit of wisdom.  The following quote from Miss Piggy seems to contradict it, but actually both are true: “Too much is never enough.” 

Any time we have enough we should consider ourselves blessed as if by a feast, and we should thank the Lord.  As Americans we often slip into the realm of “too much,” and this is not a good place to be.  It is never satisfying.  Thus Miss Piggy is right, too.

Have you ever not asked yourself after overindulging, “Why didn’t I stop?”  This can apply to more than eating.  We can get carried away with the number of items on the Thanksgiving menu or the number of gifts we put under the Christmas tree for our children.  The holidays seem to have this effect on us.  The result is not good.  Troubling words like overspending, fatigue, stress, unrealistic expectations, grumbling and discontent come to mind.  It’s not a pretty list, definitely not what we want as we welcome family and friends into our home. 

In Luke 10, Martha is trying to...

Are there difficult tasks on your list...or ones that should be there?  It takes me a while to face up to some tasks.  I need to focus on why the task needs doing and how good it will be to say, “done,” as I scratch it off my list.  I also ask the Lord for grace, grit and gumption.  In asking for grace, I’m asking for guidance, provision, no major glitches, and blessing “on the work of my hands.” (Psalm 90:17)

The grit and gumption are requests for extra doses of initiative, courage, and perseverance.  Some people are naturally more goal-oriented.  Grit and gumption come easily to them.  These people just need to slow down and smell the roses.  Others, like me, are distracted by every rose bush.  We need to be encouraged to “do the hard thing,” an exhortation of Elizabeth Elliot’s, which sometimes I repeat to myself.  And once I start a hard thing, I need perseverance to finish .  I remind myself that there will be special satisfaction in completing it.

“...you have need of endurance...” (Hebrews...

Are you familiar with this concept?  I first read about it in Laura’s Kitchen, an “earth mother” book published in the late 70's.  I am not an “earth mother.”  I do not grow our produce, grind our flour, or bake our bread, but I do like this concept.  Traditionally “the keeper of the keys” was the woman of the house.  She was responsible for the efficient management of the household resources in good times and bad.  She wore a ring of keys at her waist, keys to the pantry, linen closet, storeroom, cupboards, and chests.  It was a position of great responsibility, authority, and trust?

I’m afraid that we have pretty much lost this concept, which is too bad, because it is biblical.  The Proverbs 31 wife is a very good keeper.  Thus she not only has adequate food for her household, but enough to share with the poor and needy.  Today we don’t have all those keys, and I am glad.  But we are still very much key to the efficient management of household resources.  Your husband may manage your finances overall,...

I really like this expression.  We tend to say, “God is good” when He answers our prayers, but in truth, He is good all the time.  He may not answer our prayers the way we want, but He always hears, and answers with our good in mind.  Sometimes He seems to be telling me, “This is not about you.  There is something else I need to deal with here.  Just trust me.”

Some are quick to say there is no God or certainly not a good and powerful one, or He would not have let some tragedy occur.  I would say that they have missed a few basics. 

First of all, from the beginning God gave man and woman free will.  This was a very courageous gift.  Man could either choose to obey, love and trust God or he could go his own way.  If he chose his own way, he would forfeit the blessing of God. 

Of course God could have created us without free will, but then we would have been puppets.  There is a huge dynamic missing from any relationship that lacks choice. 

God chose to graciously extend His love...

Some of us seem to lack the gene for order and tidiness.  It doesn’t come naturally for us to pick up, put away, stack in tidy piles, or close cupboard doors and drawers.  We may have an abundance of creativity and fun ideas, but some of these result in more mess.

This can easily reach the point of chaos.  It becomes difficult to find things.  We forget an important date–because the date book was buried. That’s why the operative phrase in our house is always, “Oh, it’s under...”  The thought of friends dropping in, not to mention one’s mother-in-law, nearly brings on an anxiety attack. 

But “God is not a God of disorder, but of peace.”  I Corinthians 14:33  Yes, I confess that I yanked this verse out of context, but it’s true and applicable here.  I have experienced the connection between peace and order in our home.

I struggle with order, but I long ago decided that it’s a desirable and worthy goal.  I bought The Messie Manual, a book of tips for confirmed but repentant “messies.”  I applied...

A friend who had recently become a grandma related to me a conversation that I love.  A friend’s little girl had said to her mom, “But Auntie Mona can’t be a grandma yet.  She doesn’t have any ruffles.”  What a delightful error in word choice.  Ruffles are always decorative.

I didn’t yet have “ruffles”, but I knew they were coming.  I remembered from Proverbs 16:31 that “the silver-haired head is a crown of glory” found in the way of righteousness.  I concluded that growing old in the Lord could be okay.  I thought about some elderly Christian women with twinkles and ruffles.  No bitter lines on their lovely old faces.

You may not experience ruffles or silver hair for many years, but tuck away the concept, and concentrate on righteousness, good relationships, and a spirit that pleases the Lord.  That’s the best way to insure that your wrinkles will be ruffles.

Tips:    Cotton knits and denim are easy care.  You can eliminate most wrinkles by throwing them in the dryer with a wet wash cloth...

I imagine that we all have interesting memories of family meals, especially those with small children present.  Our younger daughter was usually well-mannered, but she had a tendency to choke and then propel the offending article across the table.  My husband was usually across from her, and he developed a quick reflex of pulling his plate toward him.  Her range wasn’t really quite that good, but it was a natural defense maneuver.

Sandwiched between such unappetizing episodes, many good things can happen at family meals.  I can think of no better training ground for children in regard to social interaction.  They learn: to thank God for their food, to wait, to chew with their mouth closed, to say “no thank you” instead of “I don’t like...” or “I don’t want...”, to not interrupt,  to share their day and eventually their ideas, to listen to their parents share about the Lord and His ways, and to appreciate “the whole family all together”as a safe and supportive place.

With so much potential for good,...

One thing to love about our Lord: He is the God of new beginnings. He never tells a child of His: “That’s it. You’re hopeless. You flunk!” No, it’s always, “Get back on the horse. You can do this.”

Did you forget your husband’s favorite granola after he asked specifically that you get some? Are you running out of baby wipes? Is the laundry piling up? Not only that, when your husband asked about the granola again this morning, you yelled at him and rattled your baby.

Sigh! What does the Lord say? “Back on the horse.” No, that’s not a quote from Scripture. But Micah 7:8 says, “Rejoice not against me, O my enemy. Though I fall I will arise.”

We do have an enemy, and he wants nothing more than to see us discouraged and defeated. Every time we get up again and press forward, we score a victory over him.

Apologize to your husband. Hug your baby. Put the granola on your grocery list..also the baby wipes. In the meantime, improvise. Put in a load of wash. Thank the Lord for forgiveness and...

Did you sing “Jesus Loves Me” as a child?  It is a great thing for a child to know this truth.  But for me, an even more precious truth is that He knows me, yet still loves me.  I saw the words “Jesus Knows Me, This I Love” on a plaque in a catalog, and decided I had to order it.   

A favorite verse is Romans 5:8: “But God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  As moms we know that though a baby seems so very innocent, this stage is very brief.  Even so, it seems more comprehensible to me that Jesus would love the little children.  But that He knows me through and through, all my sins–past, present and future–and still loved me enough to die for me on the cross, is too huge to take in.  (Tenses get a little tricky here.  Before the foundation of the world, Jesus knew that He would die for me.  Is that not awesome?)

Some of us had a long list of sins for Jesus to bear on the cross.  I did.  And though I have been walking with the Lord for many...