by Tiffany S. from Virtuous Daughters, June 2012~Volume 12, Number 3 “Ah, what a mercy that it is not
your hold of Christ that saves you, but His hold of you! What a sweet fact that it is not how you grasp His hand, but His grasp of yours that saves you.” “Trust all your concerns with Him Who can never be taken from thee, Who will never leave thee, and Who will never let thee leave Him.” ~Charles Spurgeon~ by Emily from Virtuous Daughters, February 2009~Volume 8, Number 11 Have you ever wondered what true contentment is? According to the dictionary, it means having a mind at peace, being satisfied and undisturbed—quietness. What a wonderful state of mind that sounds like! As born-again Christians, we know that no one can truly be satisfied apart from Jesus Christ! Let us turn to the Bible, and see what that most important Book has to say about our subject. There are four verses, in particular, that stand out to me.
by Kristen from Virtuous Daughters, September 2015~Volume 15, Number 6 “Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!” ~Psalm 27:14
Singleness can be such a lonely, discontented period for many young women. However, it doesn’t have to be that way! An attitude of discontentment is an inward problem of the heart. Instead of looking outward for things that will change our circumstances, we must look inward and change the condition of our hearts. Our Heavenly Father wants us to rejoice always, in all circumstances, and through all trials that get thrown our way. We don’t have the “right” to pick and choose, we must rejoice in all things in order to follow in the footsteps of our Savior. Joy and contentment are choices, not emotions, which is why the Apostle Paul wrote, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation.” by Tiffany S. from Virtuous Daughters, March 2008~Volume 7, Number 12 As I lean against the kitchen table and gaze out the window, I quietly ask the Lord, What do You want me to do? Where do You want me to go? What should my agenda look like? What’s the next step?
by Tiffany from Virtuous Daughters, August/September 2020~Volume 20, Number 3 My Dear Sisters,
Earlier this year, I was asked to share at a ladies’ retreat. I felt very honored, but I also felt overwhelmed. Last year was hard, and to be honest, I felt inadequate to talk about having a heart of trust and surrender and contentment…because I knew that these were areas that I needed to grow in. However, as I prayed about this opportunity, the Lord reminded me that we will never “arrive,” and through my own journey, He has graciously given me so much truth and encouragement from His Word to strengthen my heart and renew my focus…why would I not pass along that encouragement to my sisters in Christ?! This article is simply my notes in written form. Truly, it is not about me or anyone else “having it all together,” but about leaning on the Author and Finisher of our faith. You see, Christ wants to live His life through us. Understanding this truth has given me so much peace and victory, because it reminds me to depend on His strength instead of my own. “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me.”—Galatians 2:20 My prayer is that the things God has been teaching me would encourage you and point you to Christ…not because of who I am, but because of Who He is. by Emily from Virtuous Daughters, July 2011~Volume 11, Number 4 There is a drastic difference between the ways of the world and the teachings of the Bible. While the world promotes rebellion, independence, and disrespect for authority, the Bible teaches submission and honor. While pride and “me first” attitudes are common in the world, the Bible way is to humbly prefer others before ourselves. The list could go on—in music, dress, attitude, yes—in every area of life—God’s ways, and the world’s, are in opposition.
by Tiffany S. from Virtuous Daughters, February 2015~Volume 14, Number 11 “And they lifted up their voice, and wept again: and Orpah kissed her mother-in-law; but Ruth clave unto her. And she [Naomi] said, Behold, thy sister-in-law is gone back unto her people, and unto her gods: return thou after thy sister-in-law. And Ruth said, Entreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee: for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God: where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried: the LORD do so to me, and more also, if aught but death part thee and me. When she saw that she was steadfastly minded to go with her, then she left speaking unto her.”~from Ruth 1
Most of us have heard that Boaz, Ruth’s kinsman redeemer, is a picture of Christ, our Redeemer. Yet have you ever studied the life of Orpah, Ruth’s sister-in-law? Although Orpah’s heart appears to have been touched, it was not truly transformed. She seemed challenged, but she was not changed. She would rather go back to Moab, the place of death, than follow Naomi to the place of God’s presence. (See Matthew 13:5-6.) Ruth knew that by going to Israel, she was forfeiting any opportunity for marriage, but she was willing to follow the Lord regardless of the cost, which is the mark of a true believer. by Tiffany S. from Virtuous Daughters, August 2010~Volume 10, Number 5 She is thirteen years old and thoughtfully stands at a fork in the road of life. To the left is an attractive, wide path. “Popular” would be an appropriate one-word description, since much of the world and all her peers are happily traveling on it. They seem to enjoy this new adventure. To the right is a more narrow trail. She sees no one on it at the particular moment, but the worn pathway gives evidence that it has been used throughout the centuries and that occasionally, another pilgrim journeys through it.
She glances both ways. Which way should she go? Which way is best? Everyone seems to be enjoying the beginning of the path on the left, but what consequences will it reap in the end? Is it always that exciting, that easy? Just because everyone is taking the broad trail, does that mean she should? Which way should she go? by Heather from Virtuous Daughters, January 2012~Volume 11, Number 10 Sigh! Do you have the habit of allowing sighs to escape your lips throughout the day? Have you ever thought to consider that little gesture? Most of the time they transpire without our realizing. I was convicted about sighs recently and would like to share with you what the Lord revealed to me. Are they only harmless little puffs of air?
What type of sigh do you utter? |
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