HE WILL CARRY ME: BECAUSE HE IS WHO HE SAYS HE IS

WOMEN IN THE WORD WEDNESDAY

Ever try to arrange or manipulate an event in your life so that it would work out just the way that you think it should work out?

• Have you done it by using the silent treatment? GUILTY!
  
  
  


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• Have you done it by using the temper tantrum? GUILTY!
  
  

• Have you done it by using your gifts of organizing and arranging things? GUILTY!

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Ever try to use your age or circumstances to rationalize why you behaved a certain way? GUILTY!

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Then, why are we so hard on our Bible friend, Sarah, who not only tried to manipulate GOD's plan for multiplying Abraham's seed but most probably used the age card?!?!?!!

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Linda, who I talked about in Monday's post, facilitates our Tuesday morning Beth Moore Bible Study on the Patriarchs. Yesterday, we landed in Genesis 16 and 17. Rich! It was basically one and one half hours of discussion about Sarah, Abraham, and Hagar. Thank you Linda for continually steering us back to our focus with comments like:

1. "What do you think about the comment in the book on page....?"



2. "Where do you see God working here?"



3. "Where have you come from and where are you going?"
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I especially liked our discussion after reading on page 39 of THE PATRIARCHS by Beth Moore:

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"...consider that by GOD's grace, He has a plan even when we leave it. GOD didn't call the baby 'that maidservant's child'. He called him by name: Ishmael meaning Yahweh has been attentive to your humiliation. Read these words as often as you must to absorb them into your own belief system. "YAHWEH HAS BEEN ATTENTIVE." To you, Dear one, to you!"

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We spent much time in discussion about how GOD has been attentive to us, in relation to a continuing thought by Beth:

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"Then something happened in Genesis 16:13 that is unparalleled in Scripture. Hagar gave GOD a name. No other character in the Old Testament, male or female, ever does such a thing. Only Hagar, the Egyptian maidservant.....In Hebrew, El Roi...THE GOD WHO SEES...

Is there any particular reason why that name means something special to you right now?"
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In our class, others shared their stories of how GOD did see their circumstances... how He was in the mix. Some confessed to not waiting on the LORD and running ahead. Others told of fear or lack of courage in certain situations. Still others talked about how GOD remained there for them, even when they had doubted and not acted as if He was Who He says He is.


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As usual, our rich discussion continued over lunch. GOD showed Himself as we sat around the long table at Pizza Hut. GOD is in the details of our lives and it seemed especially evident yesterday as He worked through some wonderfully SPIRIT led transformed moms.
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As I have mentioned before, October is often a month that many struggle with signs of oncoming depression because of seasonal changes. So, as I tell you another story from Pizza Hut, I will not use anyone's real name.
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Brandy has been feeling overwhelmed in the last couple weeks. She had volunteered to teach a Wednesday night Bible class for children for the fall quarter. This is not her gift but she was willing. She found out later that Steve and I would be teaching a Marriage and Family class on parenting: HOW GOD DOES FAMILY. She was disappointed that she would miss it. Last Wednesday night another sister asked to be relieved from her duties as Wednesday night childrens' Bible teacher because of extentuating circumstances...so...her class and Brandy's class were combined.

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Brandy has been sharing with me for the last couple weeks how she has been battling feelings of depression. Yet, yesterday around the table she told us how much she was dreading another Wednesday. It loomed before her as she got closer to her Wednesday night Bible class. As she talked her mouth began to quiver. Bingo! Everyone around her took note! We began listening with ears of compassion. We began seeing with the eyes of GOD.

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Several in the group had the gift of teaching, the gift of mercy, the gift of administration, and the gift of serving. By the time we were finished with our lively discussion, Brandy is now being relieved of her duties by Menda who is a gifted teacher with a great big servant heart. Danette used her gift of mercy to say, "I'll go in with you as the aide and serve however I can."

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Now, mind you, they weren't the only two that jumped in with offers. But by the time we were paying for our pizza, our sister Brandy seemed like the weight of the world had been lifted from her shoulders. She'll be going to the Wednesday night parenting class. Someone who has the gift of teaching will be using it for the first time at our church. But that's not all...
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The huge thing that I think came out of all of this was affirming Brandy's giftedness. After the class thing was settled, Brandy said that she "still needed something to do...I still want a place to use my gifts." Bingo again! Brandy is the most compassionate and merciful person with the elderly and on top of that she has a nursing degree. Darine asked, "What do you like to do?" Brandy responded, "I like to be with old people." By the time we paid our bills, Brandy also had a plan of how to involve herself in a ministry to the aged and dying. Her smile lit up the room!

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Ever try to arrange an event in your life and tweak it the way you think it should work out? Brandy could not have orchestrated the solving of her problem like I saw GOD do it yesterday. I give praise to THE GOD WHO SEES our circumstances. YAHWEH HAS BEEN ATTENTIVE!!!! I give thanks for His daughters who have the heart of their DADDY and want to see what He sees.

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Isn't it interesting how GOD chooses to "carry" us? Yesterday, He chose to carry Brandy right into a new ministry that will be the "right fit" for her gift set.

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In the future, we will look some at scriptures about spiritual gifts within the body of Christ. For today, this is the WORD that I can't get out of my mind. May it prick your heart, too:

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2 Corinthians 3:17-4:1

"Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit. Therefore, since we have this ministry, as we received mercy, we do not lose heart..."

. UPDATE AND THANKSGIVING FROM EVAN'S MOM:

Hi Everyone,

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I cannot thank you all enough. Your kind wishes and prayers and support have been such a blessing. Thank you Steve for coming out so early this morning to be there with us for Evan's surgery. He certainly loved your company. I just am so overwhelmed with the love everyone has shown us. Evan is doing really well and I hope he continues to feel comfortable as the pain meds and anesthesia wear off. He had a great afternoon and didn't seem to be in much pain at all. Amazing. God is so good. We cannot wait to see you all again.

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Love, Marlene and Bruce

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