"Waiting on the Lord" Series by Sarah B. from Virtuous Daughters, April 2017~Volume 17, Number 1 “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.” (Proverbs 13:12)
True words indeed! The shattered remains of once-beautiful hopes...the memories of things past...the crushing grief of an arrow that pierced our tenderest and dearest desire (Lamentations 3:12). The path seems so painful and narrow that we can barely breath (Lamentations 3:7). Will the pain of this dark night ever pass? by Tiffany S. from Virtuous Daughters, October 2017~Volume 17, Number 4 “Take my love, dear Lord, I pour at Thy feet its treasure store.”
I have sung those lines time and time again. The words are beautiful, and I long for them to be more than just a sentiment; my prayer is that they would ring true in my life. In this article, I would like to share a few thoughts regarding keeping Christ as our “First Love” (see Revelation 2:1-5). We are most fulfilled when Christ is our All (Psalm 107:9). I hope these things I am learning in my own journey can be an encouragement to you, dear sisters in Christ. by Tiffany S. from Virtuous Daughters, August/September 2017~Volume 17, Number 3 Dear Sisters,
I’d like to share with you some things the Lord has been teaching me about a Christian’s appetite. In April, I decided to drastically reduce my refined sugar intake, limiting myself to one dessert per week. At first, it was hard! I craved the many sweet treats I had typically enjoyed each day...watching my siblings eat ice cream or brownies was definitely a challenge. :) Over time, however, my appetite changed. Yes, I still liked refined sugar and sometimes desired it—but not as intensely. Also, baking naturally sweetened desserts from Brittany’s yummy recipes taught me that natural sugar is much more satisfying. Before long, my appetite changed. I didn’t battle sugar cravings; and when I did want something sweet, I actually preferred a naturally sweetened dessert! :) I felt healthier and was soon convinced that consuming refined sugar frequently just isn’t “worth it.” by Amelia G. from Virtuous Daughters, December 2017/January 2018~Volume 17, Number 5 Christmas is my favorite holiday! The decorations, family time, the music that commemorates Christ’s birth, the surprises, the lights, going Christmas caroling... It is all so special. And I love nativity scenes! Knowing how very much I like nativity scenes, one of my sisters this last year gave me my very own for Christmas.
by Tiffany S. from Virtuous Daughters, December 2017/January 2018~Volume 17, Number 5 Dear Sisters,
…I was recently thinking about this Christmas season. Ever since my siblings and I were young, our mom encouraged us to think of something we could give to the Lord at Christmastime. This might seem like a simple tradition, but it has been helpful for me to ponder...what can I commit to the Lord during the new year? by Gina L. from Virtuous Daughters, December 2017/January 2018 & February/March 2018~Volume 17, Number 5 & Volume 17, Number 6 "Panning for Gold" Proverbs 31 Study Series Part 17 ~Proverbs 31:26~ The other day I changed my youngest daughter's sheets and bedding and decided to take off the rail that attaches to her mattress. Her mattress is on the floor because she has been known to roll so much in her sleep that she can roll off the end of the bed at times. I wanted to see if maybe she had outgrown the need for the bed rail and had stopped her rolling. I suppose I should have known better because I see her in all different positions in her bed at night, but I still persisted with my plan. As the night wore on, it was evident she still needed her boundary to keep herself safely and securely in bed. Before long, I found her half off the bed. I moved her back on, telling myself I would attach the rail the next day. Soon, though, I found her all the way off and figured that that moment was a good time to put the rail back on. After securing her boundary, I lifted her into bed, where she stayed nicely until she awoke the next day.
When I lay down in my bed that night, it was with a new appreciation for that boundary--the bed rail--which held my sweet daughter so securely. In fact, I had peace because the rail was back on. It made me think of the need for a boundary, a rail, a gate for our mouths to hold in our words. I remember David asking God, "Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips." (Psalm 141:3) There are times I have done the same thing to the gate of my lips like I did with my daughter's rail that day. I didn't use it. Perhaps I didn't remember its great need, thinking maybe I had outgrown its use, and other times I just was not mindful to employ it, use it, or reestablish its worth and need. But we never grow out of the need to set a watch over our mouth and keep the door of our lips. In fact, Scripture says the tongue can't be tamed, though the wildest of animals can. (James 3:7-8) Wisdom involves staying within boundaries and also realizing the need for them. Gates save lives....if they are mindfully attended and shut at proper times. Likewise, we are wise to refrain our lips, spare our words, keep our mouths, study to answer, and bridle our mouths. (Proverbs 10:19, 17:27, 21:23, 15:28, 39:1) And yet, wisdom is not only found in the shutting of the mouth. It is found in the opening of it too. The Virtuous Woman knew this, for she is praised for the opening of her mouth with wisdom. by Gina L. from Virtuous Daughters, October/November 2017~Volume 17, Number 4 "Panning for Gold" Proverbs 31 Study Series Part 16 ~Proverbs 31:25~ I remember when I was in sixth grade in California there was a girl named Holly. It seemed like all the girls wanted to copy how she dressed. Now she didn’t dress immodestly in any way, but she seemed to have a knack for style—the latest style—and the girls noticed. She wore little vests over polo shirts and stuck the collar straight up. “Preppy” I guess was the name of the “new” craze, and everyone was trying to jump on board and find the path to pretty. But as the world’s finicky system goes, where the trends change as quickly as the weather, Holly was soon replaced by the latest fashionista who the girls ran next to imitate. And such is the world’s fashion merry-go-round, which goes round and round, trying to entice each generation to buy a ticket in the name of glamour, style, and beauty.
The Virtuous Woman didn’t have this wardrobe trouble. She followed a different fashion philosophy and procured her clothing in an unusual way, finding the true path to pretty, for she knew Who to imitate and where to get her clothes. In speaking of the Virtuous Woman, Proverbs 31:25 says, “Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.” by Gina L. from Virtuous Daughters, August/September 2017~Volume 17, Number 3 "Panning for Gold" Proverbs 31 Study Series Part 15 ~Proverbs 31:24~ Once upon a time….there was a beautiful young lady with many dreams. She was going to do this and that. She would someday go here and there. She would accomplish the great and good. She would become known and renowned. She ran to and fro with her mind filled with dreams so lofty that the day to day drudgery of working and serving and learning skills was somehow beneath her, or so she thought. Unfortunately, she awoke from her dream years later to find she knew nothing and had accomplished nothing and was not going here and there but rather going round and round in the same place, for her days were spent dreaming and dawdling and doodling instead of doing and delivering.
Not far from the Dreamer lived a Doer. Her days were never dull, though some may not exactly call them exciting, at least not at first. She took every opportunity to learn, never shying away from work or a challenge or even getting her hands dirty. She busied herself with the tasks at hand, no matter how mundane they appeared at the moment rather than dreaming of a nobler and higher task. She learned to work efficiently, faithfully, and even joyfully and her list of skills began to rapidly grow. Still she took on more, learning tirelessly from all around her regardless of their education credentials while also taking initiative and figuring out how to learn on her own. Books were her teachers as was trial and error. Later, an opportunity, far more exciting than the norm arose and both the dreamer and the doer desired to embark on this new adventure. by Gina L. from Virtuous Daughters, June/July 2017~Volume 17, Number 2 "Panning for Gold" Proverbs 31 Study Series Part 14 ~Proverbs 31:23~ This week we took a field trip to an aquarium to observe the marvelous fish God created. In a large tank, I oohed and ahhed at many beautifully colored exotic fish and at the sharks, sting rays, and the giant turtle. The expert biologist who was answering questions came around to talk to us. She told us her favorite fish was this tiny little three inch plain looking fish. I was shocked at first. Then she told us why. It turns out that little fish was loved by all in the tank because he would clean all the parasites off of the other fish and groom them. He was such a good little helper that he would even swim in and out of their gills, cleaning and making the fish look good and stay healthy all over. While I can’t even remember the name of the plain little fish, I certainly remember how good he made the others in the tank look. Like the biologist, I decided that I liked that plain little fish too and would like to be like him, helping others and making them better by his presence. That plain little fish reminds me of the Virtuous Woman.
As we have peered into the life of the Virtuous Woman in Proverbs 31, we have observed her many noble character qualities mentioned and have sought to emulate them. Now, however, as we come to verse 23, we find a stark change--the woman’s husband’s position and place are emphasized rather than hers. Proverbs 31:23 says, “Her husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth among the elders of the land.” |
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