Today, I wake in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. With the cool crisp air nipping at my toes and a cup of hot apple cider in my hand, I sit on the porch sharing laughter and life with my BFF. This is our annual weekend trip. I am so excited to have respite for my "normal" activities.
The big plans are to sit in our bed-pants watching movies most of the day. We will leave out for supper around 5:00. (We like to beat the crowd. Our age is showing.) Then back home for more movies.
The big plans are to sit in our bed-pants watching movies most of the day. We will leave out for supper around 5:00. (We like to beat the crowd. Our age is showing.) Then back home for more movies.
I wonder if I may ask a favor of you. Encouragement for Today will run the Read Through the Word devotion again this year. The challenge to read the Bible will be offered as well as an invitation to join me (us) on my blog in 2010. My favor: would you (as many as possible) be willing to write a short (3-5 sentences) testimonial of what this experience has meant to you? Your words will give encouragement to others to join us and belief that the goal can be achieved. If you are willing, please send them to wendy@wendypope.org. All comments need to be submitted by Friday, October 16.
Thank you for hanging in there with me. This has been an incredible adventure!!
Have a great weekend!
Thank you for hanging in there with me. This has been an incredible adventure!!
Have a great weekend!
7 Comments:
Oh, Wendy! Enjoy this annual tradition with your BFF! I am so excited for you! Rest and refresh!
Staying in bed pants for a whole day and watching movies...how fun! You have to get AWAY from home to do that for sure!
Enjoy your time! And Wowzie...you are doing it again in 2010! Awesome! Keeping it to 3 sentences will be hard, but I'll try!
Hugs,
Sharon
Sounds like a fun weekend Wendy. What movies are you going to watch? Inquiry minds want to know :)
It's Thanksgiving weekend in Canada. We are travelling up north to close our trailer and enjoy a delicious Thanksgiving dinner with some family. My older sister and her husband are even going to bring mom AND dad up for a couple of hours, so we will all be together. The weather looks chilly, but dry.
It will be a delight to write a brief testimonial of what this journey has meant to me so far this year. And, believe it or not, when required, I CAN write only 3-5 sentences!
Have a great weekend all. And, even though it isn't Thanksgiving where many of you are, find something to be thankful for this weekend.
Blessings,
Joy
Wendy,
Have a great weekend! I just sent you a note and it was hard to keep it to 3-5 sentences!
Karen
Hi all! I came back to share what the Lord spoke to my heart this morning. It's hard to remain silent when God speaks.
“Jesus told them, ‘This is the only work God wants from you: Believe in the one he has sent.’” John 6:29
Several years ago I had the privilege of facilitating Beth Moore’s study, “Believing God”. What an eye-opener. It became very clear to me, very quickly, how paralyzed most Christians are by unbelief, myself included.
Before we can believe God, we must make the decision to believe in God. That’s not just saying, “Oh, I believe there’s a God out there somewhere.” Many people claim to believe there is a God, but have no personal relationship with Him at all. We must first receive Him by faith. The “work” Jesus is asking of us is to actively believe in Him.
Work requires action. Our work here is faith. Not a passive noun, but a verb. It’s a walk of faith that assumes a walk with God. Belief in itself is useless. For faith to live it must walk depending on God.
We might say we travel that pathway, but on closer look we may discover that often our belief takes a detour. We believe in ourselves, our husband’s, our possessions, our positions, our church, our friends, our family, our wealth, our health and if any of these are shattered, our belief system fails us. Not so with God.
For our walk of belief to be worthy, it will be challenged to keep us moving with Him. It’s not a one-time, done deal event. It’s a continual, daily, hourly, minute by minute, second by second believing. As we exercise our belief it will grow. Each step of faith makes the next step easier.
Currently I am believing God to guide and direct specifically in two areas. Trusting Him to confirm in the hearts of all my family the next step we need to take with dad. The Lord has answered many of our prayers and we are now looking to Him for further direction. I am also needing to place my faith fully in, and on God, to direct my son to the University of His choosing in the next couple of months. Deadline dates are getting closer, and although my son knows what he'd like to study, he has no idea where that learning will take place. Big decisions, but we have a big God.
Although these concerns can consume my thoughts, today God is reminding me to keep believing in Him. Where do you need to believe Him? Take my hand and we'll walk this path together.
Believing God,
Joy
Wendy,
What a beautiful weekend to be away with your BFF! Enjoy every minute of it and come back refreshed.
I will def. write about how amazing reading through the word has been. It will be tough keeping it to 3-4 lines.
I am off to a wedding in about an hour. Bittersweet, I think back on my wedding day. But this young woman has overcome so much and her mother is in heaven with Jesus. I know it will be so important to her today to have everyone around her that she loves.
Enjoy the weather and weekend.
Diane
Wendy, my computer won't let me log into your website, wendy@wendypope.org it keeps bringing me back to this one. But maybe you can copy and paste it.
I highly recommend that anyone start the New Year by reading the New Living Bible Chronological Bible. What an awesome way to start the New Year. I have read the Bible through on my own several times, but had a lot of trouble struggling/understanding through the Old Testament on my own. Wendy's teaching, and all the ladies that respond have really helped me understand it. I wouldn't miss next year for anything.
Jan Hobbs TN
Sunday morning in Basel; fall is in the air, the leaves are turning, the birds are singing and the Church bells are ringing! It is a lovely way to start this day!
Today's readings were so rich and they again had me going to the commentaries. It all started at the first reading! I have never understood Jesus' reaction to the gentile mother, calling her a dog and telling her he came for the Jews; it seems so unlike our Savior, and I am a gentile, I want to be equally saved! One commentary indicated that he softened the term to "little dog", a form of endearment, but I did not find this in the translations I looked at. Another commentary says when Christ knows the faith of the asker to be strong, He sometimes delights to "try it," perhaps to teach a deeper lesson to the on-lookers.
In any case, the woman's response was perfect:
i. We need to see the power of coming to God as we are, and letting Him make true His promises to those weak and unclean. If the woman had responded, “Who are you calling a dog?” she would not have received from Jesus what her daughter needed. Her humble, faith-filled submission to Jesus brought the victory.
ii. “Nothing appealed to our blessed Lord more than faith coupled with humility.” (Ironside) Some people come to God with a kind of faith, but without humility. Others come to God with a kind of humility, but without faith. But if the two are combined it is a powerful thing before God.
iii. Clarke praises the prayer of this woman showing it has nine notable features: “1. It is short; 2. humble; 3. full of faith; 4. fervent; 5. modest; 6. respectful; 7. rational; 8. relying only on the mercy of God; 9. persevering.”
(Guzik)
I think these last 9 points are points I am going to journal about and include in my prayer life.
Then (and I will keep this short), we have another miraculous feeding of 4000 with loaves and fish. At first I thought this was a "mistake" and Mark had the previous story in a different order with a different set of details. But no, Matthew also includes this story, and then Jesus brings up both instances when again the disciples are worrying about bread for the stomach rather than food for the spirit (only one loaf of bread on the boat). So I again pondered how they forgot? But they didn't forget, they recited how much was left in each miracle of feeding the crowds, but they still failed to understand the significance of Christ's provision for those who follow him. He will never let us leave empty. He will sustain us with food (body and soul). His provision is more than enough for us. Again, my prayer is for Him to help my unbelief.
Lord, don't let me miss Your wonderful deeds in my life, or limit the interpretation of those deeds of provision and deliverance, thereby limiting You. In humility, with honor, being full of faith, fervently, and relying on you Mercy, let me come to you in all things. In Your name, amen.
Blessings and peace to you all this Sunday morning! Joy,I hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Karen, Basel
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