Resolved: Freedom and Independence

      "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof:" ~Leviticus 25:10
   Fireworks, picnics, a long weekend, red, white, and blue pride. 
   These are a few things that the people in the United States have come to see the 4th of July as. I am one of those people. To me, 4th of July was about getting to see fireworks and spending the weekend in different states with my best friend. In 2014 I watched the fireworks in Washington D.C. and 2015 I watched them at a concert in Tennessee. This year I was going to watch fireworks in Flordia, but now it's Tennessee.
   Watching fireworks is not the most important thing to me this year, though. The phrase "Let freedom ring" has been in my head for a couple of days, so I started doing some research. 

   Documents, ideas, team work, and a bell all play a part in the reason America gets to celebrate the 4th of July today.

   In 1776 there was a meeting in the Pennsylvania State House to discuss the thirteen colonies freedom from England. A man from Virginia named Richard Henry Lee came up with a resalution and said: "Resolved: That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States, that they are absolved from all allegiance to the British Crown,an that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is, and ought to be, totally dissolved," (The History of the 4th of July). 

   Richard Henry Lee's words resulted in John Adams, Roger Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston, and Thomas Jefferson to write and sign the Decloration of Independence. It took time to write the Decloration of Independence, and to proof read it. Therefore, the Decoration of Independence was not finished until July 4th, 1776. 

   It is said that the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania was used to gather the people for the very first public reading of the Decleration of Independence on July 8, 1776. However some historians doubt that the Liberty Bell actually rang when the Decloration of Independence was read because the steeple of the bell was in really bad condition by 1776. It's possible that the Liberty Bell is associated with the reading of the Decleration of Independence because a man named George Lippard wrote a fictional story that told of a man waiting to hear that congress had declared independence so he could ring the bell. This story was published in The Saturday Currier in 1847, (The Liberty Bell).

   Freedom was hard to achieve for the men (and women) who sat out to have religous and other freedoms. Freedom is still hard today because there is always someone who disagrees about how things are being run. So, on this 4th of July take a moment to appreciate all that our forefathers had to go through to get us where we are today, and about all the men and women who are away from home keeping us safe and free. Be thankful for your freedom, don't just enjoy "the show." Thank you to our soldiers! And happy 4th of July everyone!

   "Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof:" ~Leviticus 25:10

Proverbs 31 Women: Part 9

It's been awhile since I've wrote about the women in the Bible. I have been diving into the New Testament and studying. I'm not the most qualified person to be writing about things like this. But, these are my thoughts along with what the Bible tells us and I do believe with all of my heart that we can learn valuable everyday life lessons form all these women.

1. Tabitha/Dorcus: Proverbs 31 describes a woman who works hard and brings blessings to her husband and children. We don't know if Tabitha had a husband or children. But, because of Acts 9:36, we do know she was a hard working woman and a disciple of Christ. Tabitha died, but her death resulted in many people coming to know God. Tabitha didn't stay dead long though, God used Peter to raise her from the dead! (Acts 9:36-43).
2. Phebe: This woman carried a letter from Paul to the Roman church. She had to be a woman of high and noble character to even be trusted with Paul's letter. The Bible tells us that she was a deacon of the church in Cenchreae. My Bible says, in the notes section, "the word deacon refers here to a Christian designated to serve with the overseers/elders of the church in a variety of ways; similarly in Philippians 1:1 and 1 Timothy 3:8,12." Now I know I'm talking about the women in the New Testament, but that was still during a time in which women did not have much of a say so or leadership role. I believe that the fact that Phebe was in charge of handing a letter over, that would one day be a part of the Bible, and that she was publicly known as a deacon of the church, means that she was defiantly a Proverbs 31 woman that we can all learn form in today's world. (Romans 16:1-2).
3. The Devout, Honorable, and Chief Women of the Jews and Greeks: To read about these women, check out Acts 13:50 and Acts 17:4,12. The best place to read about these women is at Women in the Scriptures. But what I found interesting is that the Jewish women did not want to accept Paul's teachings and they helped run him out of town. But the women in Greece helped Paul to get the citizens to listen to him. The women in Greece played a very important role in helping bring salvation to many peoples' lives. The fact that the Jewish and Greek women were of high society speak volumes about them in general.
4. The Lady who revived one of the letters from John: We do not know her name or where she is from. We do know that she has raised her children right and most of them believe in God and are honorable people. We also know that her sister's children believe in God and want to wish her well. We know she and John know each other and they have talked. We know that she welcomes people into her home. Maybe John stayed with her awhile. We also know she is the only woman in the whole Bible to have a "book" or letter dedicated to her. I truly think this woman was a Princess Warrior for Christ and that makes her a Proverbs 31 Woman! Her story is in 2 John.
5. Widow of Nain: Luke 7:11-17 tells us that Jesus saw this woman as her dead son was being brought out of her house. He was her only son and the Bible tells us that Jesus' heart went out to this woman. He told her not to cry and then raised her son from the dead. We don't know what this woman did or who she really was. But Jesus loved her and we can learn from her story that there is always hope and Jesus is always with us!
6. Woman with the Bleeding Issue: I put this special woman in the category of a Proverbs 31 woman because of her great faith. In Matthew 9:20-22 we learn that the woman had been bleeding for twelve years. In Mark 5:25-34 we read that the woman had spent all of her money on doctors trying to get healed, but to no success. In Luke 8:43-48 the woman explains to Jesus that she knew that if she could just touch Jesus' robes she would be healed. Jesus knew that some of His power went out from Him and He told the woman, in front of a crowed of people, that her faith was rewarded. I think this woman is a Proverbs 31 woman for keeping her faith in such a difficult situation!

The Adventure Has Been Great So Far

February 24, 2008 my life changed forever. I had been having a rough time for awhile. These rough times came from not agreeing with friends, a few bumps in the family road, and boy problems. It just so happened that the boy problems were what was going to open my eyes to God.

I was 13 years old, getting ready to turn 14 in a few months. I had my heartbroken over a guy on that February day. I honestly don't know what had happened between the guy and me, but it was the best thing that had ever happened.

My mom and I went to a Christian bookstore on February 24th and, as I was browsing the Bible shelves, a Bible caught my attention. It was an NIV True Image Bible and my mom bought it for me.

That night, as I was sitting in my room and looking through this new Bible, I found a page in the back labeled "Christianity 101." I was curious do I read it.

This peace came over me and I felt truly happy for the first time in a long time. I realized in that moment that God was with me even when no one else wasn't and Jesus is my True Prince Charming and He had someone planned for me!

I thought I had been saved about two or three times before that. But that night at 10pm, I KNEW 100% sure that I had started a relationship with God!

A lot of things hit my family all at once after that and it was a storm. Instead of questioning God about why these things were happening I clung to God as hard as I could! God knew that I needed Him at that time more than ever.

Now, seven years later there have been tons of hard times, but billions of amazingly happy times! I praise God that He never gave up on me and continued to pursue me and pursues me now. Life is hard, but a life with a relationship with God makes everything sweet and beautiful in the right time! By the way, God loves you and is pursuing you too!

 The Roman Road to Salvation 

The True Image Bible 

Purity in Action

                                                   

Purity: freedom from immorality, especially of a sexual nature.

Meet Joseph. A teenage guy who was sold into slavery by his brothers. He ended up working in Potiphar's (one of the Pharaoh of Egypt's officials, and captain of the guards) house. Potiphar was pleased with what a hard worker Joseph was that he put Joseph in charge of everything in his house! Now Potiphar's wife found Joseph VERY attractive. She tried to get Joseph to sleep with her EVERY day, but Joseph refussed and this was his reason why: ^"But he refused. 'With me in charge,' he told her, 'my master does not concern himself with anything in the house; everything he owns he has entrusted to my care. No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?' And though she spoke to Joseph day after day, he refused to go to bed with her or even be with her." ~Genesis 39:8-10 (NIV)
Potiphar's wife didn't give up that easy though. "One day he went into the house to attend to his duties, and none of the household servants was inside. She caught him by his cloak and said, 'Come to bed with me!' But he left his cloak in her hand and ran out of the house." ~Genesis 39:11-12 (bold and underlined mine. NIV) Talk about a man of God! A young teenage man who RUNS out of the house to keep his purity! 
So why did I bring up Joseph? I have a Purity ring, once stands for the promise I made to God, myself, and my future husband that I won't have sex with anyone until I am married. I understand that sex is something very personal and emotional. But I was wondering where in the Bible it says to wait until you're married to have sex. Of course I found my answer and an example. The example is Joseph of course, but here are some answers too.
"That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh." ~Genesis 2:24 (NIV). This shows that sex has a very strong emotional connection and that God designed it for marriage.
 “If a man seduces a virgin who is not pledged to be married and sleeps with her, he must pay the bride-price, and she shall be his wife." ~Exodus 22:16 (NIV). God did not mean for a person to be with multiple people, but one person. In the Old Testament this is what would've happened if two people who were not married had, had sex.
"Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body. Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies." ~1 Corinthians 6:18-20 (NIV). Jesus died for us on the cross so we could have eternal life with Him. So if we abuse sex we are hurting ourselves emotionally, physically, and we are hurting God.
"Now for the matters you wrote about: 'It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.' But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.... Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do.But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion." ~1 Corinthians 7:1-5,8-9 (NIV). Now this tells us that we are suppose to practice self-control until we are married and that it's not all about passion (this is where the answer to the question Is 50 Shades of Grey wrong? The answer, YES!!!). 
"It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality;" ~1 Thessalonians 4:3 (NIV). This verse tells us how God meant for sex to be and how HE wants us to enjoy it!
"Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." ~Hebrew 13:4 (NIV). Adultery: Voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a person who is not their spouse. The sexual immorality and sexual sins has to be sex outside of marriage. 
These Bible verses give me all the answers to why I'm waiting for sex until I am married. God made sex beautiful when it's done right! Here is a website about purity rings. Here is a music video of a song Kyle Kupecky wrote for his wife Kelsey and sung to her on their wedding day:

Here is a Flipagram about 50 Shades of Grey and Old Fashioned: Forever Love

Protecting Love

 (picture from the movie One Night with the King. You can buy the movie here.)
Happy Valentine's Day!
 I have been doing a 13 day study on the book of Esther through She Reads Truth​ and I read something that got my attention and is perfect to share for Valentine's Day.
"The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into the palace garden." ~Esther 7:7
Okay, I know you're probably wondering why I'm sharing this verse about a king being angry, but just hear me out. Esther had just reviled to the king that she was a Jew and that Haman was trying to kill her people. I believe the king was upset that Esther had kept her heritage from him for so long, but he was more upset that his right-hand man had used him and was trying to kill his wife and her people.
So what does this have to do with Valentine's Day and love? I believe the reason the king got up and went outside is because he loved Esther so much he wanted to guard her heart. I think he didn't want to scare her because she saw him get mad, maybe yell and throw a few things. I believe he didn't want her to think he would ever hurt her, emotionally or physically when he was angry. I believe he wanted her to know she could tell him anything, yes he might get mad, but after he cooled off he would be there for her. The king loved Esther enough that he didn't want her to see him as anything but the gently husband she needed. To me this is a big sign of true love and a sign of a godly man.
Also through this study, I think the feast in the end of Esther, Purim, happened on Valentine's Day! I did some research and the month of Adar is possibly in February. So, I've made Hamantaschen and Kreplach for Valentine's Day. Here's the recipes:
Hamantaschen Recipe
Kreplach Recipe
Finally, I want to share this music video because it fits my life on this Valentine's Day:

Again, Happy Valentine's Day!

Dear Daughter of the King,

Dear Daughter of the King,

Do not listen to the world! The world is going to try and tell you that you're not pretty enough if you do not wear revealing clothing and cover your face with a bunch of makeup. The world will say that if you don't lose your virginity at a certain age you are wired and an outcast. The world will say that if you aren't skinny then you are ugly and no one will ever want to date you. The world will say that everything is your fault.
But your King, who gave His life for you and loves you, says that "You are all together beautiful My Darling. There is NO flaw in you." (Song of Solomon 4:7). Your King says that to dress modestly is the most beautiful thing in the world, you are respecting yourself and your body. Your King says that beauty should come from what is in your heart, not how much makeup you wear. "The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7). Your King says that keeping your virginity and staying pure is RADIANTLY BEAUTIFUL! Your King says that no matter what size you are, you are LOVED! "Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you," (Isaiah 43:4). Your King says that no matter what happens HE is there for you and HE can fix any problem! "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew11:28). Just remember, Daughter of the King, Your King loves you and is always with you!

Bible studies of 2015

  Welcome to the "official" blog post of 2015! I wanted to share about some things to be looking for on the blog in the upcoming months. First of all I am doing something that is on my bucket list this year. I am taking a photo everyday for the whole year. I have an album titled "A Photo A Day" on my Facebook page. I am doing this to document the changes I will make over this year.
Next, I will probably be doing some posts on the Bible studies I will be doing this year. The first one I have started out with is Faithful One by Amy-Jo Girardier. It is an eight week study on the books of 1st and 2nd Thessalonians. You can buy it here. I use the 1st and 2nd Thessalonians journal, which you can buy here, to take notes and provide more study tools. I also use a "Wreck journal" to doodle  in and drive home key points with pictures. My Bible choice is my NIV Bible I use everyday and my Quick View Bible that has graphs and charts in it. 
I'm taking a different approach to studying God's Word this year. Instead of just reading the Bible cover to cover, I want to do different devotionals to dig dipper into the Word and maybe understand it more! It's going to be a great New Year!

Lessons from Daniel

"But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself  in this way." ~Daniel 1:8 (NIV) Okay, can we just talk about the example Daniel sets for us in the opening of the book of Daniel in the Bible? Here's a young man, probably a teenager, who is sticking to his morals in front of a king! I don't know about you, but if I were in Daniel's shoes I would probably be to afraid to stand up to a king! But, how many of us have already been in Daniel's shoes? No, we haven't stuck up for what we believe in front of a king, but what about in front of friends? Sharing your faith in that class at school when you know the teacher will not approve? Telling that guy or girl that you like where you stand on the whole dating thing? We are a generation who has to stick to our morals and I think Daniel gives us insight on how to do that.
 "Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven." ~Daniel 2:17-19 (NIV) I like these verses for a couple of reasons. First, Daniel shows us what it is like to have Christian friends that are there for us and will pray for and with us. After all the friends who pray together stay together. Second, Daniel shows us what we should do when a prayer is answered, PRAISE GOD!

In Daniel chapter 3:16-27, we see Daniel's friends really trusting in God! They would not bow to a false idol and were thrown in a blazing furnace! They never questioned God or backed down from their faith. So, what happened? GOD showed up in the furnace with them and protected them!!! Let me repeat that, GOD SHOWED UP IN THE FURNACE WITH THEM AND PROTECTED THEM!!! I don't know about you, but there are times in my life where I feel that I am walking in that blazing furnace all by myself. But the truth is that I'm not! God is with me and He always will be and He will always protect me!

"Daniel answered, 'May the king live forever! My God sent His angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty." ~Daniel 6:21-22 (NIV) Daniel obeyed authority. The only time he didn't was when a rule was passed that he couldn't pray to God. Daniel prayed to God anyways, but here's the catch, he prayed to God where EVERYONE could see him! He didn't hide in a corner and do it secretly. No, he wanted to show the world the God he served even when his life was in danger and God protected him. Again, how many of us pray in private cause it isn't the "cool" thing to do? We need to pray boldly and face the lions den head on knowing God will be with us always!

"Then he continued, 'Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them." ~Daniel 10:12 (NIV) I love this verse! Here we find Daniel being told that everything he has done God has seen and He hears Daniel! GOD HEARS Daniel! And GOD hears us too! God is with us always and He loves us! I hope these verses from Daniel have encouraged you like they have encouraged me!

Proverbs 31 Women of the Bible- part 6

 

Mary was a young girl who was engaged to Joseph. She was from the family of David and the blessing God had in-store for her was amazing! I believe this incredible woman fulfilled all of Proverbs 31 and deserves a whole blog post to herself.

In Matthew 1:18-25 we learn about Mary and Joseph obeying and trusting God. In chapter two of Matthew we read about how Mary and Joseph obeyed God even more after Jesus was born. In Luke 1:26-56 we learn of Mary's willingness and trust. I love this verse: "'I am the Lord's servant,' Mary answered. 'May your word to me be fulfilled.' Then the angel left her." (Luke 1:38). 

The next thing I  find amazing about Mary is how she knew that time with her son was short and she needed to make the most of their days together. "But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart." (Luke 2:19) Mary also knew Jesus would provide and when they ran out of wine at a wedding, she went to Him but she was anxious.

Mary was with her son through it all. She did not turn away when He was nailed to the cross and she stayed after He died and was buried. Mary is the picture of perfect obedience, faith, trusting God, and the best mother! This makes her the perfect Proverbs 31 woman!

Proverbs 31 Women of the Bible- part 5

Wow! This is the last installment of the Proverbs 31 Women in the Bible where the Old Testament is concerned! I've really grown in my faith while doing this series and the "Other Women of the Bible" series! So, let's look at some great role models of strong, Christan woman virtue.

Jehosheba: In 2 Kings 11 we meet this loving aunt. She risked her life to save her nephew from her mother. Then, she acted as his mother and raised him to know and worship God. He became a righteous and God-fearing king because of this!

Esther: Well, the whole book of Esther is about this young woman who was an orphan who became a Queen. With her trust in God, she saved her people from being completely wiped out! Her courage is outstanding and so inspirational!

The Psalms Girl: Okay, so I know most of the book of Psalms was written by David. But the book of Psalms has comforted me on a daily bases. Therefore, I like to believe there is a Psalms Girl in all of us. A girl who runs to God about everything and loves to praise Him!

Song of Songs Woman: The book of Song of Songs is a love story. We do not know the name of Solomon's bride in this book. I think she gives the best advice any girl can follow and that is to not be quick to wake up love. Take your time and let God pick the guy and fall in love with each other with Him as the center of the relationship!

I am in love with this series and I'm looking forward to getting into the New Testament soon. I hope y'all have enjoyed this too!

Other Women of the Bible- part 3

So, I am in South Carolina this week at the beach. I'm enjoying one last vacation with some of my family members before school starts back again. I went for a walk with my aunt and cousin one morning and I spent the time talking to God. It was so peaceful! I started wondering what women in the Bible might have done when they got up in the mornings. Did they fix breakfast and after everyone ate, did they go outside to work in the fields and talked or thought about how great God was while they worked? Here are some more godly women in the Bible.

Samson's Mother: This woman was someone who couldn't have kids. God visited her in the field where she was working and told her she would have a son, but there were certain things she had to do as she raised him. She went and told her husband that God visited her and her husband prayed that god would come and visit both of them. God did and told the husband the same thing that He told the woman. When Samson was born his parents obeyed God and he became a Judge for Israel. (Judges 13)
Naomi: The book of Ruth suggest that she was an important person in the town of Bethlehem. She, her husband, and two sons left for Moab when a famine hit. They lived in Moab for about ten years and Naomi got two daughters-in-law. Soon tragedy struck and Naomi's husband and two sons died. Naomi went back to Bethlehem with nothing but a daughter-in-law and she changed her name to Mara, which means better, she had given up hope until Ruth went to work in the fields and met her future husband. Naomi was blessed by God when her daughter-in-law became part of the family line of Jesus. (Ruth)
Orpah: Naomi's daughter-in-law who chose to go back to her parents house and not travel to Bethlehem. I think she was just scared of the unknown future and didn't trust God to provide. There is a very short part about her in the Bible. (Ruth)
Michal: She was Saul's daughter and she fell in love and married David. There is no record of her relationship with God, but it is record in the Bible where she got mad at David for praising God in public. (1 Samuel-2 Samuel)
Bathsheba: She became David's wife after she found out she was pregnant with his child. Bathsheba wasn't doing anything wrong, necessarily, She was bathing herself, but she should have done this somewhere else other than the rooftop! I do not know if she did this on purpose, hoping she would catch the eye of a man or if she just wasn't thinking. Either way she and David slept together while her husband was at war fighting for David! When David learned that Bathsheba was pregnant, he tried to be sneaking and brought the husband home in hopes that he would believe the child was his. The husband, however was a faithful servant and his payment was to be killed in battle on purpose by David himself! Then Bathsheba became David's wife and their child died when he was born. (2 Samuel 11)
Tamar: This was David's daughter. There is one chapter about her in the Bible. Her half-brother became obsessed with her and ended up raping her. It sounds like she was a good girl who followed God and truly cared about people. I think she shined so bright for God that this made her beautiful! (2 Samuel 13)
Rizpah: She was one of Saul's concubines and therefore her voice was never heard. Her sons were chose to die by the Gibeonites. He sons were going to hang there for everyone to see. She kept watch over them night and day. Finally, David heard her voice. She came to him and he brought her sons' bodies down so they could be buried. (2 Samuel 21:1-14)
The Queen of Sheba: I believe that she had some questions about God and that is the main reason she visited Solomon. I think he witnessed to her and therefore, helped her start a relationship with God! (1 Kings10)
Widow at Zarephath: She believed she and her son were getting ready to eat their last meal and then die. God had other plans. He sent Elijah to her and she did what he asked of her. God blessed her by making it so she never ran out of food. But, I don't think she was all the way convinced that God was on her side. soon her son died and she asked Elijah if it was because of her sins. Then Elijah prayed to God and the boy lived. That is when I think the woman truly started believing in God. (1 Kings 17:7-24)
Well, today is the last day of my vacation and it has been an adventure! I'm going to write about all that has happened for next weeks post because I think God has really showed me a few things that I need to share with you!

Other Women of the Bible- Part 2

I am going to be taking a break from this series to work on another series for the month of July. I will pick this series up on the first Saturday of August. I hope everyone is enjoying this series!

Zipporah: she was Moses' wife. She was a preacher's daughter and a shepherdess. She seemed to believe and listen to God. After all, husband as the one God chose to lead Israel out of Egypt after 400 years of slavery and she didn't try to talk him out of it. (Exodus 2:16-23)

Miriam: she was Moses' older sister and God had blessed her by making her a leader of the women. She messed up a couple of times though. She started nasty rumors about Moses. She had good qualities too though. (All through Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy)

Jael: she took an opportunity sent from God and she drew on His strength to find courage she might not have known she had. God gave her victory over a death for Israel. This was a huge deal and honer in those days. (Judges 4:16-22)

Abimelek's Killer: she was someone unknown in the Bible. She was probably just someone who used a millstone to provide food for her town. But, just like Jael, she relied on God's strength and His planning to save her town and people from being destroyed by fire from an evil wannabe king. (Judges 9:52)

Samson's Pagan Bride: she was a Philistine woman who was beautiful and charming. She probably found Samson very attractive and, against parents wishes, they quickly got married.Their marriage failed because they had different loyalties to different people. The woman chose to be threatened by her own people and betraying her husband instead of confiding in her husband and trusting him to protect her. Also, they jumped into a huge commitment for physical satisfaction instead of taking time to know each other. (Judges 14)

Delilah: She used her body and her looks to get what she wanted. She seduced Samson and then she was seduced by money to learn his secret, betray him, and play a part in his death! The Bible doesn't say if she died in the temple when Samson tore it down, but I don't think her life was ever happy. (Judges 16)

Micah's Unfaithful Mother: She put a curse on money that was stolen from her (The Bible does not say if she used magic or not.) She also offered the money to God. But once her son returned it and admitted to stealing it, she made an idol with it and helped teach her son not to worship God! (Judges 17)

The Levite's Defenseless Concubine: she ran away from the Levite and therefore disobeyed him. In return though, he did not defend her and let her die. I believe there might have been better ways for her to handle the situation and I believe the man let her down! (Judges 19)

The Wives of Benjamin: Not much is said about them besides that they were innocent victims. They do play an important part in history of keeping the tribe of Benjamin alive. (Judges 21)

Peninnah: She was honestly just a bully. She had a husband and children, but she had to give Hannah a hard time about not being able to have children until Hannah would be depressed and not eat. Now, Peninnah

might have done these things because she didn't feel loved by her husband, but she still handled everything the wrong way.  (1 Samuel 1)

Other Women of the Bible- part 1

 

Okay, so I've been doing a "Proverbs 31 Women of the Bible" series. I started thinking we could learn something from all of the women in the Bible. So here is another branch in the "Proverbs 31 Women in the Bible" series called "Other Women of the Bible". We will be looking at all the other women who I didn't put as a Proverbs 31 Woman. Some of these women are good role models and others are not, but we can learn something from them all.

Eve: She was first woman. God made her from the dirt and with one of Adam's ribs. She got to enjoy the Garden of Eden and talking to God. She got to see a time when there was nothing but peace in the world. She made a mistake and sinned by eating fruit from a tree God told her not to eat from. As a result, she and Adam had to leave the garden and live a hard life. She knew how perfect the world was before sin and she had to watch the world become a sinful place. Nonetheless, she was a big part of history! (Genesis chapter two.)

 Lot's Disobedient Wife: Lot and his wife traveled with Abraham and Sarah. Lot picked the land of Sodom and Gomorrah to live because it was the best land. But this land was filled with a lot of sin. God spared Lot and his family. But Lot's wife loved the place where she lived, a place filled with sin, so much that she disobeyed God and turned into a pillar of salt. Lot's wife loved the world more than God.

Keturah: She was the second wife of Abraham and she had six sons with him. At times Keturah probably felt like she could never be good enough. She did have some big shoes to fill after Sarah. But Abraham loved her too.

Leah: She was Rachel's older sister. She obeyed her father and married Jacob. What was her reward for this? She lived her whole life knowing that her husband loved her younger sister more than her. I can't imagine how that felt! God blessed her though by giving her children. Out of her children came the Israelites line of Priests and the family tree of Jesus Christ.  It's quite obvious God showed Leach how much He loved her!

Rachel: She found her true love in Jacob. But she had to watch as her sister married him first. When she finally married Jacob, she had to split her time with him with her sister for the rest of her life. Then Rachel found out that she could not have children, but her sister could. It had to be hard on Rachel to watch her husband with another woman and seeing her sister's children when she couldn't have any herself. But instead of relying on God she got competitive and caused more fighting with her sister. She played a big role in history and was blessed with two sons of her own.

Bilhah and Zilpah: These two women were the servants of Leah and Rachel. I can not imagine how these women felt when they were giving to Jacob as "wives" just to produce babies! Yes, they were taking care of but it was still probably very hard on them knowing that their children, in the eyes of society, belonged to someone else. I do admire them for willingly doing what Leah and Rachel told them to do and having hearts like a servant. God rewarded them by allowing their children to be a part of Israel's heritage.

Dinah: She was Jacob's daughter. Leah was her mother. Not much is said about her. But the Bible does tell us that she was raped by the prince of the town her family was staying in. The result of this was that her brothers killed all the men in the town. Dinah had to live with what happened to her and probably would not find a husband because of this. I wonder what Dinah was thinking going out by herself. Had she grown up a tomb-boy because of her twelve brothers? Did she think she could take care of herself because, maybe, her brothers had taught her a little self-defense? Ether way, Dinah became a silent victim.

Tamar: She was Judah's daughter-in-law. Her husband sinned and died. Keeping to the law, her brother-in-law married her. But he sins and died. Now Judah did not want to give his other son in marriage for fear of death. But he wouldn't help Tamar by arranging for her to marry someone else. Tamar didn't rely on God and took matters into her own hands and tricked Judah. She kept the family line alive, but we can learn that if God has a plan HE will see it finished. We just need to have faith and not try to fix it ourselves.

Potiphar's Wife: This woman probably had everything money could buy. After all, her husband worked for Pharaoh in a very high position. But maybe she didn't feel loved and cherished. Maybe her marriage was having problems. Potiphar could have been working long hours and not being there for his wife like he should have been. Ether way, what Potiphar's Wife did was not the way to handle things! She found Joseph attractive and she tried to get him to sleep with her. Had she tried this before with other servants? We don't know. But the Bible does tell us that Joesph said no. I believe the lesson we can learn is that no marriage will have a chance of truly being happy without God in the center of it.

Proverbs 31 Women of the Bible- part 4

 

Well, it's time to explore more women of the Bible! So here we go.

Ruth: She was a woman who didn't really know much about God. But she trusted Him and followed her mother-in-law to a new place. She left everything and everyone she knew just so her mother-in-law wouldn't be alone! She worked to provide for the two of them and she didn't ask for any help, she just trusted God! She was known as a woman of noble character by many. Finally, the book of Proverbs came after Ruth in the Hebrew Bible. So the Proverbs 31 woman was Ruth! Therefore, Ruth fits EVERY verse! Her story can be found in the whole book of Ruth.

Hannah: She was a woman who just wanted a child. So she prayed to God and told Him that she would give the child back to Him. She  became pregnant and sure enough, she kept her promise and gave her child back to God by letting him be raised in the temple. She fits verses 11, 12, and 30 of the Proverbs 31 woman. Her story can be found in 1 Samuel chapter one.

Abigail: She was an intelligent and beautiful woman. Her husband had no compassion and all of his household about died because of that. Abigail saved her household by preparing food and asking for forgiveness. She fits verses 17, 18, 20, 26, and 27 of the Proverbs 31 woman. Her story can be found in 1 Samuel twenty-five.

A Shumannite Woman: This woman and her husband opened their home up to Elisha. This woman asked for nothing in return. But Elisha wanted to give her something for her kindness. So she asked him to pray that she might have a child. Sure enough, she had a son. But one day her son complained of a headache and he died in her arms! Did this woman cry and blame God? No! She put the boy's body on Elisha's bed and without telling her husband that their son was dead she went and found Elisha. When Elisha asked her how everyone was she told him they were all fine! I think this is because she knew God was going to save her son, she had unshakable faith! Elisha went back with her and sure enough God, through Elisha, raised the boy from the dead. What did the woman do when this happened? She got on her knees and PRAISED God BEFORE she went to her son! Wow! She fits verses 20, 22, 28, and 30 of the Proverbs 31 woman. Her story can be found in 2 Kings chapter four, verses eight through thirty-seven.

Proverbs 31 women of the Bible-Part 3

Okay, so Easter is just right around the corner! I'm so thankful that God loved us so much that Jesus came and died for us! Then, if that wasn't enough, He rose three days later and visited people instead of just going back to Heaven, Another blogger said something that really stuck with me, if we didn't have the resurrection we wouldn't have had our salvation. We needed both the cross and the raising from the grave to save our life! WOW!

 

Okay, so I decided to continue my Proverbs 31 women of the Bible series for this week. So here is part three.

There were no mention of Proverbs 31 women in the book Deuteronomy.

Rahab: Her story can be found in Joshua chapter 2. She hid the spies, tricked her people, risked her life for them, knew the Lord was the true God by the things that had been going on. She had to have been well educated about the Israelites and their journey. She did all that she could to protect her family and then did what the spies told her to right away instead of waiting until they came back! Rahab is a great example of not giving into peer pressure. She was the mother of Boaz and was in the family line of Jesus! Talk about a complete turn around of a life! I think she fits verses 17, 18, 20, 27, and 30 of the Proverbs 31 woman.

Aksah: Her story can be found in Joshua chapter 15. She was smart about what her land and family needed to survive. She talked to her husband and they came to an agreement. Then she went to her father and respectfully asked him for a favor. I think she fits verses 16, 18, and 27 of the Proverbs 31 woman.

Deborah: Her story can be found in Judges chapter 4. She was a homemaker and had no aristocratic lineage. She was the only woman in Scripture elevated to high political power by the common consent of her peers. She was described as "a mother in Israel" before she became a Judge! She was also a Prophetess and she listened to God, had a servant's heart, delegated tasks, offered praise to God, she lead with authority from God, motivated the people, and was a respected leader. Wow! Talk about a full plate of responsibility! I think she fits verses 10, 11, 12, 20, 25, 26, 30, and 31 of the Proverbs 31 woman.

Jephthah's Daughter: Her story can be found in Judges 11. A young girl who didn't grieve over the tragedy of her upcoming death, but accepted it. I think Jephthah would've broken his promise to God if she had not told him that he had to do what he promised. So she showed wisdom and strength. She was obedient to her father and committed to God! I think she fits verse 30 of the Proverbs 31 woman.

I'm so thankful the Bible is filled with examples of Godly women to help others to be that way in their daily walk!

Proverbs 31 women in the Bible-part 2

Okay, so this week I am going back to the Proverbs 31 women of the Bible! So lets get started.

Shipharh and Puah: Hebrew midwives that disobeyed Pharaoh in Exodus chapter one. They followed God instead and would not kill the baby boys.  These women could have been killed for disobeying, but God blessed them. I believe they fit verses 15 (just the part about being up at night), 17, 18 (trusting God), part of 25, and 31 of Proverbs chapter 31.

Moses' Mother: Her name was Jochebed and she was from the tribe of Levi. She was a fearless and focused woman of faith. When she put Moses in the Nile River, she actually OBEYED the Pharaoh! "Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: 'Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.'" What she did, that Pharaoh did not demand, was give her baby boy protection by placing him in a basket and his sister watching over him! God blessed her by one of her sons (Moses) being the deliverer of the nation, another son (Aaron) being the High Priest, her daughter (Miriam) being a leader of Hebrew women, finally, Her tribe was hand picked by God to lead the rituals of worship! Wow! I believe this woman fulfilled verses 11, 18, and 27 of Proverbs chapter 31.

There are no women mentioned in Leviticus. So now on to the book of Numbers.

Zelophehad's Daughters: these are five women who trusted the Lord, took a bold stand, and changed the course of history in land ownership. God was pleased with their request to Moses (to inherit land in their father's name). These events took place in Numbers chapter 27. Then in Numbers chapter 36 these girls obey God again by marrying who God told them to marry! Their names were Mahlah, Noah, Hoglah, Milkah, and Tirzah. I believe they fulfilled verses 16, 18, 25, 26, 27, 29, 30, and 31 of Proverbs chapter 31.

Proverbs 31 women in the Bible- part 1

I love Proverbs 31! I try my hardest to be like the woman described in that chapter. While I was doing my Bible study today I was curious to see how many women in the Bible fit some (or all) of the descriptions of a Proverbs 31 woman. I was surprised at finding four in the first book of the Bible! So as I am reading through the Bible I will write down the women in my notes and list three or four at a time. This could become a long research, but I believe I will grow so much more in my faith because of it. I hope it helps you too.

1.) Noah, Shem, Ham, and Jepheth's wives:

We do not know much about the women in Noah's life, but I believe they were an important part of the ark and everything leading to the flood (and I don't mean just helping repopulating the earth LOL). Think about it, your husband comes in and tells you that God told him to build an ark because rain was going to come down from the sky for the first time and destroy the world. How would you react? I know I would tell my husband he's crazy and probably check him into the loony-bin. Did Noah's wife do that? No, she faithful believed her husband and God. She probably even helped build the ark. Then Noah's daughters-in-law did not question him. They faithfully went along with what he was saying and probably helped take care of the animals. Let's not forget their families were going to die, but they trusted their husbands and God to protect them! I believe they measured up to verses 12, 17, 20, and 27 in Proverbs 31.

2.) Sarah:

Sarah was the wife of Abraham and a very beautiful woman. She is the perfect example of a submissive wife. She followed her husband wherever he led and was loving. Yes, she did mess up quite a few times. Some examples of that would be trying to rush God's plans with Hagar, doubting God, and being cruel to Hagar. In-spite of all of that GOD presents her as a perfect example of a wife, she is in the Bible more than any woman (even Mary)! Where she is mintioned at is Genesis 23, Genesis 24:67, Hebrews 11:11, 1Peter 3:6, Romans 9:9, Romans 4:19, and Galatians 4:21-31! I believe she measured up to verses 11, 12, 15, 23, 25, and 28-31 in Proverbs 31.

3.) Hagar:

An Egyptian servant to Sarah who did what Sarah told her to do and had Abraham's child! Yes, the Bible says she couldn't stand Sarah after she became pregnant and that she ran away. Let's remember though that Sarah was abusing her and she was probably afraid she would lose any rights to her child! But what stood out to me about her was that she trusted in a God (The One and Only God) that she never knew about and returned to Sarah! If that doesn't fit some of the Proverbs 31 standards I don't know what will! I believe she measured up to verses 13, (part of) 15, 17, 22, and 24 of Proverbs 31.

4.) Rebekah:

A virgin who was beautiful and did hard work. She put herself in a very low position by offering to water the camels that belonged to Abraham's servant. What did she get for doing this? She got to meet, fall in love, and marry Isaac. In her early years she was a very good picture of what a Proverbs 31 woman should be. Unfortunately when she got older favoritism between her sons caused her to split up her family and doubt God. Nonetheless, in her early years, I believe, she measured up to verses 10, 11, 12, 15, 17, 18, 20, 27, and 30 of Proverbs 31.

All these women are good examples of things to do and not to do as Christian women. They also show us that a Proverbs 31 woman is human and more than likely will mess up a time or two. So learn from them and strive to be that noble women described in the Bible. More Proverbs 31 women of the Bible to come soon.