When you know better… do better.

If It Were Not So: When you know better… do better.

James 4:17

“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” 

I have often told my children, “We did the best we knew to do, and when we knew better we did better.” There have been many changes in our lifestyle that we have made over the last few years. Some were hard changes to make, others were easy. But what remains the same is that we are constantly seeking God’s will for our lives. We live the best we can in the here and now. And we listen… Not to the words of the serpent, whoever so craftily whispers in our ears… But to the Words of God who loved us before time began.

I pray that you will study this with fervent prayer. I hope that you will ask God to really show you the truth.

In the end, it doesn’t matter what our friends think, or what our family thinks. All that will matter is what God thinks. If we follow His Word, how can we go wrong? Malachi 3:6 says, “I am the LORD, I change not.”

If God wrote His law and called His people to keep His holy seventh day Sabbath, why would he change His mind? He would be a liar and we know that is not true! Luke 14:2 says:

“…if it were not so, I would have told you.”

     In the above passage, Jesus was talking about the mansions in heaven and how He would prepare a place for His people. However, I believe that in all matters He would have told us if we were to now do something different.

God has given us everything we need to know in His Holy Word. I am so excited to be able to learn and continue to learn. I cannot get enough of God’s Word. It is our road map for living in this world. One day, we will be in Heaven, singing praises to His name. That will be such a glorious day! I cannot wait for His return!

Remembering the Word

I found this question on our A Virtuous Woman Facebook Group page and wanted to share the question and some of the wonderful answers with you:

Hi Ladies!

Can I ask some of you.. I’m about to have some quiet time/word time with the Lord. but usually I don’t remember what i read later on in the day… when my husband asks me what did i read today i tell him something about Jesus doing this or something like that… any tips on to get real efficient word time? TY!

- Stephanie

• I’ve found that reading it together with my hubby, and having dialog in what’s being spoken to each of us as we’re reading, REALLY makes the Word come alive & leaves God’s handprint on my heart & in my mind!

 

• what translation are you reading? sometimes I will also check the amplified version, or some times the message ~ they are more “modern” language and often times makes it a bit more ‘relatable’

 

• Journal what you think God was saying to you.

 

• Dear Stephanie…Your hunger and discipline in reading His Word is SO refreshing! I find that reading a SHORT 2 or 3 verses, meditating upon them, asking the Holy Spirit what it is that you should receive from those few verses and then WRITING a HeartSong ( what it meant to you personally and how it will change you if needed) helps…gentle hugs and blessings this day

 

• I even take notes in church!!!! Love My notebook and HeartSongs!!!!

 

• The best way to understand the bible is to pray before you start reading it. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you his wisdom, his knowledge and his understanding. Ask him to speak to you through whatever you are directing. Ask him to direct you to a scripture that will help you. Have a note book. Write notes. If you don’t understand sometime, ask the Holy Spirit for clarification. Don’t just read the bible but study the bible. Pray.

 

• I agree prayer along with reading helps me. Keeping it short also helped me in the beginning. Writing, taking notes, also if you have someone close to you also on this journey and you can pair up, even your husband. Pick two or three verses and then talk about them together ask one another what they got out of the verses, how it helped their focus, anything along those lines I believe will help. Please keep us informed let us know how you are doing.

 

If you haven’t joined our Facebook Group, be sure to do so!

Waiting on God

From Chaos to Calm: Day Forty-Seven

 Waiting on God

 Scripture Memory: “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31

Download the .pdf version of this article.

Patience. It is one of the Fruits of the Spirit. It is needed by women everywhere – everyday. Sometimes we lose patience with our children, sometimes we lose patience with our husbands. Sometimes we lose patience with family members, friends, or acquaintances. Far too often we are not patient with our own learning process. We look down on ourselves as failures just waiting for the next big goof.

Christ will provide us with a spirit of patience if we diligently ask Him. He is always quick to give us that which is His will for our lives. Bad habits are not always easily broken, as we have found this to be true throughout this study. But when you press on toward the mark, you will eventually reach your goal!

The kind of patience I want to talk about today is not the kind where you can no longer contain your frustration as your three year old throws yet another temper tantrum. The kind of patience I want to discuss with you today is “Waiting on God.”

One of the hardest lessons I have ever had to learn was how to wait on God. If I am completely honest, I am still learning this lesson. Have you ever prayed for something for days, weeks, months… years? Only to give up and decide God isn’t really listening? One of the greatest joys of my life has been watching prayers that were offered up to our Heavenly Father year after year and year and then, finally, seeing the results of my prayers as God worked to answer them in perfect detail. God’s timing is not always our timing. Sometimes when we feel something is best, God has other plans.

This is one of the reasons I love my prayer journal so much. It gives me the opportunity to go years back and re-read my prayers and see how God has answered them! I hope you are still writing daily in your prayer journal. Years from now, it will offer you hope and peace as you see first hand how God works in your life – often without you ever realizing it!

Ask God to give you patience. Ask Him to show you how to love your family and yourself the way He loves you. God has an endless amount of patience for us!

 

A Woman Who Reflects the Heart of Jesus: Book Review and Birthday Giveaway

Hi Ladies!

Yesterday was my birthday! Yes. I am now 36 years old. Last week my washing machine went out. I am soooo excited! My new washer and dryer was supposed to be delivered on my birthday, but there was a delay so I get it on Tuesday. My husband bought me a Samsung HE front loading, stainless steel set. I’ve been waiting for that washer to die forever, seems like!

Did you know that 2011 is A Virtuous Woman’s 10th year anniversary? I’ve been meaning to celebrate somehow all year long, but just never seemed to get around to it. So, I thought that since it’s my birthday we could celebrate AVW’s birthday, too with a giveaway!

A Woman Who Reflects the Heart of Jesus by Elizabeth George

30 Days to Christlike Character

Want an easy way to get to know Christ better and become more like Him? This book is just that. Each day’s devotion is short enough that even a busy, over worked, mom-on-the-go can find the time to fit it into her schedule.

Topics range from Approachable to Worshipful, 30 ways you can reflect the character of Christ. Elizabeth George offers practical, insightful ideas that are easy to apply to your life.

This book is our November/ December selection in the P31 Sisters Book Club. This brand new version of our book club has just opened, so be sure to join!

If you would like to win a copy of A Woman Who Reflects the Heart of Jesus, all you need to do is leave a comment below!

The winner will be announced on Monday, November 21, 2011!

 

UPDATE: Gina Toothe is the winner! Congratulations! Please email me with your information so we can mail this book out to you!

 

The Ways of Her Household

Day Twenty-Six

The Ways of Her Household

Scripture Memory: “She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.”

Proverbs 31:27

Download the .pdf version of this article.

Today, we are going to begin the journey of putting our households in order. There is much work to be done, however, we will be taking it one day at a time! Creating your Household Management Book will take some time, so don’t worry if you feel overwhelmed. It will become your best friend!

Our memory verse for today has two parts. In the first part, we are told that the Proverbs 31 woman looked well to the ways of her household. It does not tell us that this woman, a mother, did everything herself! So, if you were dreading the idea of trying to be Super Woman, have no fear. We are going to learn some simple and efficient ways to run our homes so that our home life is a happy life. The second part of the verse tells us that the Proverbs 31 woman worked hard. She was not lazy and she did not put off til tomorrow what needed to be done today.

As women, we are called to the ministry of homemaking. God has given us a specific purpose. We may have many purposes and roles in this life: Wife, Mother, Washer Woman, Chef, Nurse, Chaffeur, Teacher, Coach, etc. Our days as wives and mothers are filled with countless activities, social events, and duties. But our first calling is to our homes and our families.

Often, housework can become a burden because when we do not work willing with our hands and put off jobs that should be done immediately. If you leave dishes in the sink to wash and put away later, it will take you twice as long than it would have if you had done it as soon as the meal was over. Folding laundry takes only five or six minutes if you do it as soon as the clothes dryer stops. However, if you allow several loads of clean clothes pile up, it can seem to be a daunting task indeed! Cleaning the carpet as stains happen is much easier than waiting until the whole room is dirty.

Procrastination is a “disease” affecting many a homemaker in this day and age. We need to put off those bad habits and arm ourselves with new ways! We want to look well to the ways of our households. We need to develop our self-discipline if we want to be keepers at home. Being a procrastinator is a form of laziness or a lack of self-discipline.

Today, I want you to get a sheet of paper and look around each room of your house and write down those things you are not pleased with. Whether it be, stacks of books, clutter, dingy door jams, or peeling paint – write it down. This will be your “go to” list later in the challenge.

Next, in preparation for putting together your Notebook you will need to gather these supplies:

• 3 ring binder with clear plastic window on cover
• Legal pad
• White cardstock
• 3 ring hole punch
• A box of sheet protectors (optional)

In your prayer journal today, I want you to write about your feelings toward your home and housework. Write down what you would like to see happen in this area of your life. Ask God to give you a heart that is willing to work cheerfully.

 

 

The Prayers of a Mother

From Chaos to Calm: Day Twenty-Four

The Prayers of a Mother

Scripture Memory: “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1

Download the .pdf version of this article.

I want to encourage you today as a mother. There are times when we as moms feel discouragement, worry, fear, or heartache. Whether it is fear for your child when he is sick or worry that he is not safe or heartache when you see your child make unwise choices, you as a mom will face days when you need the help of your Savior to pull you through doubt, fear, and sorrow.

I love Psalm 46:1. It is one of my favorite verse. The words encourage me when I feel hopelessness and fear. I can know that God knows my pain and sorrow. That he understands the worry I feel. He is there when I need Him the most.

As a young mother with only one child, being a mom often just seemed hard! My first born, was and is a very strong willed child. Taking him to the store was often unbearable and I can remember many tears shed as I wondered what to do. And while my son no longer throws himself on the floor kicking and screaming, there are new challenges every day. I thank God that my only concerns are whether he is responsible on a daily basis and completes his chores and works hard in school. My heart goes out to the mother who faces drugs, alcohol, sex, and anger. My heart goes out to the mother whose child was born with special needs. As moms, whatever the crisis we face might be, it is real and we need to go to God in prayer.

Remember to go to God in prayer daily over your children. Pray for them on days when everything seems fine and lift them up to your Heavenly Father when things seem oh so wrong. Will listen regardless and will give you wisdom as you guide and direct your child in the ways he should go.

Don’t forget to pray for your child’s future as well. Ask God to guide your child as he grows, that he might find God’s will for his life. Ask God to help him choose the one whom God would have him spend his life with. Lift up your child and pray that he draws nearer to HIM every day.

There may be times when you feel as all hope is lost for your child. Many mothers will face unforeseeable heartache. But even for those mothers who simply want their child to be respectful or who need wisdom in dealing with temper tantrums, God is there to carry you through.

“Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. (NLT)

 

God Answers Prayer

From Chaos to Calm : Day Seven

God Answers Prayer

Scripture Memory: “And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.” 1 Chronicles 4:10

Download the .pdf version of this article.

Have you ever felt that when you pray God does not hear you? I think if people understood how powerful prayer is, they would use it as a first defense instead of a last resort.

There is so much more to prayer than simply taking your pleas before God. Prayer not only offers us a chance to lift up our concerns, ours fears, and our requests to God; it offers us a chance to have a relationship with Him.

When we pray, we have the opportunity to hear God’s voice more clearly in our hearts. God wants us to spend time with Him each day. When we pray our faith is strengthened, our attitudes are adjusted, and our prayers are laid before the Father. I love the acronym ACTS for praying:

 

Adoration. When we bow our heads, the first words we utter should praise His holy name. How mighty and glorious HE is!

Confession. After our praise and adoration, we should be thinking about our own sins. How have we messed up this time? We need to repent and wipe the slate clean. We need to ask forgiveness on a daily basis. Ask for help each day so that you will be better prepared for the temptations coming your way.

Thanksgiving. You have been so blessed! Acknowledge the blessings God has bestowed upon you. Thank Him for the riches in your life.

Supplication. And finally we can lift up our petitions before God. Whether we are praying for a family member who is lost, praying for our own attitudes, praying for our children, asking God to help in daily matters and concerns – He wants us to bring our worries to Him.

 

This is where our Scripture Memory for today comes in. Re-read the prayer of Jabez again. And think about it for a moment. Notice specifically the final part of the verse which says, “And God granted him that which he requested.”

Jabez was in need of God’s divine help. We are not told much more about this man. We know his mother bore him in pain (verse 9) and called him Jabez which means sorrow. We also know that he was more honorable than his brothers. His prayer is listed in the midst of a long record of genealogy. Yet, there was something special about this man that stood out causing his prayer to be recorded.

God answered the prayer of Jabez and He wants to answer your prayers, too! God wants to bless your life. Prayer is so important. Don’t negate the importance of your Morning Manna. You need that time with God, alone and in the quiet.

If you have not committed large numbers of Scripture to your memory, you need to begin. When you have God’s Word hidden in your heart, it is like carrying around the “Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.” We are told to put on the armor or God and His Word will help us in our daily battles.

His Word will also help us in our prayers. If we use Scripture promises in our prayer time, our prayers will be made that much stronger. So continue to use your prayer journal. Write your verses down in the journal. Read them each morning. Hide them in your hearts. Use them in your prayers. And trust that, like Jabez, your prayers will be heard and God will grant you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)

 

 

The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast: Book Review

The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast by Kristen Feola

When I saw the title for this book published by Zondervan, I was immediately intrigued. I thought, what better way to start the new year than with prayer and fasting? So, I chose this book as the first selection in our P31 Sisters Book Club for 2011.

From the back of the book:

The Daniel Fast is a unique opportunity available to anyone who is hungry to know the Lord in a deeper way. As you deny yourself certain food – such as sugar and processed ingredients – you will not only embrace healthier eating habits, you’ll also discover a greater awareness of God’s presence. The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast equips you with practical tools to enrich the spiritual and physical impact of your fasting experience, while allowing you to feast on foods that are good for you.

The book includes three parts:

• The Fast explains the origins of the Daniel Fast and why it can change your life today.
• The Focus provides 21 devotionals that will help you feed on God’s truth.
• The Food contains more than 100 nutritious, easy to prepare recipes that follow the guidelines of the Daniel Fast.

In a conversational style, Kristen Feola helps you structure your fast so you can spend less time thinking about what to eat and more time focusing on the Lord. As Kristen reminds you, you can do it! Best of all, you will discover that “to fast” means “to feast” on the only thing that truly nourishes you – the powerful Word of God.

So, as I began to prepare for my own Daniel Fast, I spent some time reading the book in preparation. Kristen tells us that there are basically four types of fasts:

1. Absolute
2. Supernatural
3. Liquid
4. Partial

The Daniel Fast is a partial fast, where we simply do not eat certain foods. The Daniel Fast comprises of a vegan diet based on legumes, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, seeds, oils, and water. Foods that are not allowed: dairy, meat, sugar, sweeteners (honey, Splenda ®, syrups, etc.), yeast, refined and processed foods, deep fried foods, and solid fats. Kristen has provided a complete lists of foods that are okay to eat and foods you should avoid in the book.

The Daniel Fast is a complete guide. Kristen Feola has included everything you need to make your experience easy! Aside from the short daily devotionals, there are 100 delicious and healthy recipes plus ingredient lists to aid in your shopping list and weekly menu plan suggestions. I have to say, I was also impressed with variety of yummy looking recipes! I can’t wait to try many of them!

If it is your desire to seek a closer relationship with God through fasting, The Daniel Fast is a good place to start. I love how Kristen reminds us:

“All of us can think of a food item that we will miss while on the Daniel Fast… While we’re fasting, we shouldn’t complain or be grouchy because we’re not able to enjoy what we are used to having (Phil. 2:14) Fasting is a time of self denial; it’s not supposed to be comfortable. Remember that your Daniel Fast is a voluntary act of worship. You have chosen to do it. Maintain an attitude of gratitude by continually thanking the Lord for the food you are eating, just as the Bible says to do in 1 Thessalonians 5:18: ‘Give thanks in all circumstances, this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’”

A Year of Family Worship: Praying for Our Worship Experience

Have you prayed about it?

Teaching our children to worship God with respect and reverence and with adoring love is not something to take lightly. So have you prayed about it?

What is it that God wants you to teach your children through family worship? What is it God wants you to learn through family worship? How can family worship bring you closer as a family?

Prayer should be our first priority no matter what it is we are undertaking. During worship our hearts should be open to the Holy Spirit’s leading. Sometimes trying to keep little ones still and interested can seem like an uphill battle. If you are having a hard time with your little ones (or even the older children) bring it to God! Ask Him to bless your worship experience and to show you exactly what you should be praying for and what your worship time should focus on.

* * * * *

If you would like to take part in A Year of Family Worship, add your blog to the Mr. Linky below. If you don’t have a blog, you can add your comments in the comment section! You can read about A Year of Family Worship here. And you can see the 52 Weeks of Family Worship here.

Each Wednesday, we will add a new post for A Year of Family Worship and you can do the same. Share your goals, experiences, and ideas for family worship with the rest of us!

• You can grab a button for A Year of Family Worship to add to your own blog here.

If you do not have a blog… you can either post your ideas here in the comments or even join our Proverbs 31 Sisters Network and get a free blog that way!

When you add your link below with the Mr.Linky… please add the link directly to your post on Family Worship – not to your main blog. This way, folks don’t have to go searching for the Family Worship post!

A Year of Family Worship

“O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.” Psalm 95:6

As moms, we have an incredible responsibility to raise our children to worship our Lord. There comes a time in every child’s life when they must take hold of their parents faith and make it their own. They have to believe for themselves. How do we as parents, insure that our children do not walk away from the faith we have taught them when they are grown? An astounding percentage of children (over 80%) leave the church when they grow up and leave home. This is across every denomination!

It isn’t enough to simply take your kids to church every now and then or even every week. You need to show them how to love their Creator, how to worship their Father, how to have a special, close relationship with Jesus Christ. You need to give them an example to follow as you daily die to yourself and walk a consecrated life for Him.“Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6.

Deuteronomy 6 tells us:

Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the LORD your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou mightest fear the LORD thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged… And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates…

Ye shall diligently keep the commandments of the LORD your God, and his testimonies, and his statutes, which he hath commanded thee. And thou shalt do that which is right and good in the sight of the LORD: that it may be well with thee, and that thou mayest go in and possess the good land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers… And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.

We are to teach our children to worship God and keep His commandments when we wake up and when we sit around the table and as we go through our day. Point out to your children the wonders of God, answers to prayer, miracles that happen. Pray together as a family and pray for your children – in private and with them present. And worship God together as a family.

Family worship not only strengthens their faith. Family worship strengthens your family. Having daily worship gives you an opportunity to show the children how to delight in Jesus.

Each week, over the course of this year, we will be looking at ways we can worship together as a family.

• You can read the 52 Weeks of Family Worship here.
• You Join in A Year of Family Worship here.

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