Single-Minded Faith

I wonder if she planned it when she woke up that morning or if it evolved through the circumstances of her day.  The scriptures don't give us a lot of details, but I've often imagined what it would have been like to be her.  Did she rise wearily off her pallet in the wee hours of the morning, exhausted from battling her pain in an effort to get some much needed rest?  Did she watch out the window as the other women in the village walked in small clusters toward the well to gather their family's water for the day?  Can't you feel the loneliness that must have enveloped her after 12 years of living the secluded life of someone considered "unclean"?  Can't you almost sense the longing that must have filled her heart for human contact - to be loved and accepted?  Can't you almost feel the weight of desperation she must have had to be healed of her hemorrhaging and feel well again?

Perhaps she heard the women chattering excitedly of all the people Jesus was healing in the village.  We don’t the HOW, but we do know that at some point she became so focused on getting into the presence of Jesus that everything else faded away into the background. Jesus was coming!  If she could just slip out and touch Him maybe she could be whole and well again!  For the first time in years she felt the warmth of hope flicker in the darkest regions of her soul - a yearning that soon grew into an intense hunger, permeating every area of her being.  With every breath she became more and more determined that no matter what she MUST see this man Jesus.  If she could just touch Him, she knew deep within her heart of hearts she would be made whole again.

She was so single-minded she didn’t care that she wasn’t supposed to be around other people – She MUST see Jesus.  She didn’t care that she was so weak she had to crawl along the ground probably getting stepped on and kicked.  She MUST just touch the hem of HIS garment.  She summoned every ounce of strength she had and when she was so exhausted she didn’t think she could go any further, she put her eyes on Him and continued on inch by inch.  Would she make it before He passed by?  She must just keep going.  If she could just get close enough to touch His cloak - to be in His presence if even for just a moment.

And there He was. One final push…one reach…one brush of His garment…oh, the power she felt surge through her body!  And then He stopped.  And her heart stopped.

“Who touched me?” he asked quietly.

And he looked down at her, looked in her eyes with a love she had never known, and reached out His hand to her. She felt a peace and joy like she had never known!  Jesus who heals LOVED her.  Jesus who saves SAVED her.  Jesus who knew everything about her CHERISHED her and wanted to spend time with HER.  Can you stop for a minute and just imagine how it felt to lie there at His feet and look up into His eyes as He reached down to take your hand – to touch you when nobody had wanted to get near you for 12 years?

Ladies, that same Jesus LOVES you.  He died to SAVE you.  He CHERISHES you.  No matter what you have done.  No matter whether you think you are worthy.  No matter whether other people think you are valuable.  God LOVES YOU.  He desires a relationship with YOU.  If we truly believe that shouldn’t we have that same single-mindedness to be in His presence?  When was the last time we were so focused on fellowshipping with Him that everything else faded into the background?  Is there a longing, a hunger within us to know Him – to have such an intimate relationship with Him that thoughts of Him are foremost on our minds and hearts as we go about our daily lives?  That is the kind of single-minded relationship He desires to have with us. 

Jamie Hovey is challenging us to have a single-minded faith –much like the woman who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment.  A single-minded faith that keeps our eyes and heart focused on Him.  A single-minded faith that spends time in His presence.  A single-minded faith that reaches out and takes His hand every morning and walks with Him all throughout the day.

Jesus, we come to you praising your name that you love us, that you cherish us, that you died on the cross to save us from our sins that we might have a daily relationship with you.  Create in us a hunger to know you.  Create in us a single-minded faith that we will keep our eyes focused on you no matter what is going on in the world around us.  May we always remember that your hand is reaching out to take ours and walk with us through each and every day, each and every trial, and each and every triumph. 

Lord, close our ears to the lies Satan whispers to us.  Open our ears to hear what you want us to hear.  Open our eyes to see what you want us to see.  Prepare our hearts, our hands, our feet to do what you want us to do today.

In your name and for your glory,

Amen and Amen

What's Your Ratio?

Originally posted on September 10, 2011

"Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed."  
                                                     Proverbs 25:11b

When our kids were growing up, we had a rule about calling each other names, cutting each other down or making fun of each other  The offenders had to sit down and say two nice things about the sibling(s) they had offended for every one rude thing.  Recently, I found out that this 2 to 1 ratio was probably not nearly enough - though they did seem to learn from it.  A few weeks ago I was listening to a sermon by Jeff Henderson in a series called Life Apps through North Point Baptist Church in Atlanta entitled Life App #5: Encouragement.  He opened his sermon by referring to a recent study by the Gottman Institute that made such a huge impact on me I hope I never forget it.  It is my prayer that I make a concerted effort to be the exception to this "rule".  They said that in the daily conversations of the average person they receive 6 comments of criticisms for every 1 word of encouragement.  Let that soak in for a second.  What a sad commentary on our society!  If this is true, the toxic conversations that course through our relationships aren't reflecting the love of Jesus that we as Women of God are called to portray. In fact, the total opposite is too often the case!  On the flip side, the potential for showering the love of God onto every person we come in contact with is powerful!

I believe our first human response when we hear about this study is to think about the conversations that we receive - that affect us - but in Proverbs 11:25b  Solomon reminds us of a very exciting precept God has built into all of us.  We generally receive as much or more of a blessing when we do for others as they do.  Isn't God great?  But this means we will have to go against our human nature.  When the poisonous chatter around us gets us down, I think we are being challenged to ask God to open our eyes to the people He is putting in our path THAT day so we can change their criticism:encouragement ratio.  This encouragement doesn't have to be a great oratorical  but sincere words spoken from our heart.  From our husbands to our children, from our coworkers to the cashier at the store, from the waitress at lunch to the teacher after school - the ministry of encouragement is limitless!  God knows who they are and exactly what they need to hear, and He will let us in on the secret if we only ask!!

I can't help but wonder what a difference it would make to our homes, our country, our entire society if we as Representatives of God's love and mercy took His challenge to completely reverse this ratio so that the people around us hear one criticism for every 6 or more words of encouragement!  Let's face it, ladies, we all have the gift of gab!  Let's turn it over to God and watch the magnificent ways He uses our words to touch the lives of the people around us!!!!

Oh, and by the way, have I told you how nice you look today?

copyright by Robin Kelley, all rights reserved, used here with express written consent

Welcome! Come on in!

(originally posted August 29, 2011)

I sat in church a few weeks ago looking across the sea of faces in the congregation around me. A thrill ran down my spine as I took a minute to really appreciate what a blessing God has given us with the women in our church.

Oh, what a variety He has created among us! Some of us have logged a few more years of experience than others. Every chapter of womanhood was represented from those who are on chapter 1 and may be unmarried and starting a career to those young wives raising families (or maybe not), to women experiencing empty nests or the joys of being a grandmother. There are women who do or do not have careers, do or do not have families, have lived here for years or are new to the area. Some are extroverts and some introverts, each are talented in different areas, and each has their own fears and temptations, joys and blessings.

BUT we all have some very important things in common - GOD LOVES EACH ONE OF US - so much that He sent His one and only very precious Son to die a very brutal and horrible death on the cross for each and every one of us. For, you see, we all have that in common, too - we are all sinners and needed Him to pay that price for our sins so we can have a daily relationship with Jesus. He desires to have that relationship with YOU! If you have any questions about this and want to talk to someone about it, you can email titus2women@valleydale.org, and we will be happy to discuss it with you!

Not only does God love us, not only did He send His Son for us, but He has blessed us with each other. Titus 2:4 says, "so that they (the older women) may encourage (train) the younger women to love their husbands and to love their children." (NASB) Wow! He knows our needs, and He has blessed us with Godly women who can walk with us through every chapter, teaching, learning, growing, encouraging, interceding, and loving us ... every step of the way through every age and every stage!

That is what the Women's Ministry of Valleydale is all about - and this blog is just an extension of that ministry. It is our prayer that you will be fed and informed, encouraged and loved, welcomed and embraced through this arm of this ministry. And remember, YOU ARE a part of the BLESSING of Titus 2:4 Women God has gifted us with here at Valleydale. We want to hear from you. Feel free to comment on any blog you read here  or email us at titus2women@valleydale.org.

Check in often to see what is new.  There will be blogs about current Bible Studies, Women's Ministry activities - well, you'll just have to stay tuned to see where God leads us!

I look forward to getting to know all of you... both here on this blog and in person at the Women's Ministry events. I am excited about what wonderful things we are about to experience from God's blessing that is the Titus 2:4 Women of Valleydale!

God is soooo Good!

Robin Kelley