Laced With Grace

As a little girl I would listen to Donnie Osmond and Shawn Cassidy for hours at a time, on my Holly Hobbie record player. Paper dolls and connecting the dots were lots of fun too. I was thrilled when I got my first pair of metal roller skates, overjoyed with my very own pogo stick, but hands down one of my favorite things of all were those magical paper books. You know the ones I’m talking about. When you picked up one of these books and flipped through its pages, they were blank. Not very impressive at all. But, when you moved the yellow felt tipped pen that came with the book, back and forth, back and forth, over the blank pages, beautiful pictures would be revealed!

While sharing a scripture from the Bible with my children and one of God’s many promises to us, I couldn’t help but think again of those fun little books, and the treasures that would be revealed after I’d move my pen over the crisp white paper. I went on to tell my four children that the Bible is filled with promises that have been made just for them from God, their loving Father, their creator. I went on to share that when they asked God into their hearts, they became His children. His promises were theirs now too. Every single one of them.

I reminded them of the fun little books that I loved as a child, that they too have now played with. I asked them to imagine God’s word as the blank paper and to take their imaginary yellow pen and move across His word and His promises, back and forth, back and forth, until they could clearly see their faces, and their own precious names written with God’s own hand, in each verse. They needed to know that it was each one of them, His children he was thinking of, when He made those promises.

Friends, your face and your name is there on each page and each promise too. God loves you so very much. His word and His promises are infallible, unbreakable and irrevocable. He longs to hold you close and whisper these life giving promises in your ear.

So what are you waiting for? Get out your yellow pen and start moving it back and forth across the pages of His word. Don’t waste another second, start revealing the treasures He has for you, today!

“God is not a man, that he should lie. He is not a human, that he should change his mind. Has he ever spoken and failed to act? Has he ever promised and not carried it through?” Numbers 23:19 NLT

In His Love,

Joanne

Titus 2:4 These older women must train the younger women to love their husbands and their children,

A few weeks ago I experienced this scripture firsthand. I watched this bible verse unfold before my very eyes. Charlotte, a beautiful woman with strawberry red hair and a twinkling smile rose to take the microphone at the women’s monthly Connection Breakfast. This wise woman, rich in years and abounding in God’s grace “trained” us in the ways of the Lord.

She shared a story about a unique gift and now I want to share it with you.

The Gift!

The event was Charlotte’s eldest daughter’s wedding day. This was the day she gave “the gift” for the very first time. It was her heart’s desire to bestow to her first born a memento she would treasure for the rest of her life.

It was a bible.

However, this was not an ordinary bible. This particular bible was a personal experience between the Lord, Charlotte and her daughter. You see, about three months before the wedding, Charlotte began reading this bible.

Beginning in Genesis, she read the entire bible cover-to-cover. She was searching for specific verses which would bear special meaning. She highlighted passages and also wrote tiny notes in the margins. She selected chapters with teaching about a God-centered marriage. She sought out verses regarding parenting. Charlotte picked out the scriptures which offered wisdom a mother would want to share with her daughter. She highlighted words knowing they would provide comfort during times of struggle, and most importantly she shared verses of love, spoken from a Savior to his daughter.

Charlotte spent three months reading this special bible. God revealed unique treasures as she read with new eyes, that of a young bride. On the day of the wedding, Charlotte delighted in her daughter’s squeals and tears as she opened the box to reveal “the gift.” It is a precious heirloom shared by mother and daughter and by a Savior.

But the story does not end here. Charlotte went on to tell us that “the gift” turned out to be hers. She spent three months alone with the Lord. She gained wisdom and intimacy because she dedicated herself to reading his word in addition to her regular morning bible reading. Reading the scriptures from a new perspective allowed the Lord to work something new in her heart. In the end, she received “the gift.”

Isn’t that just like our Father?

I dabbed a Kleenex to my eyes. I knew I wanted to give “the gift” and I would order a slimline bible or two this week. My son will be receiving one on his wedding day in the not so distant future and perhaps his new wife. I also will have one ready for my daughter when she graduates from High School.

As the morning concluded, Charlotte said she has also bestowed “the gift” to her three sons, three daughters-in-law and a son-in-law. What an amazing legacy.

And it is a legacy she shared with us that we may also give and receive “the gift.”

Lord, thank you for the gift of your word. Thank you for Titus 2 women who share their wisdom and grace with the next generation. In Jesus name, Amen.

“If you seek it like silver
and search for it as for hidden treasures,
then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and find the knowledge of God.”
~ Proverbs 2:4-5 (ESV)

Wow – we were stunned by the response from you for our little giveaway. Thank you all for taking a few minutes of your time to stop by to enter the giveaway. We hope and pray that God may use Laced with Grace to encourage you in 2008.

Before I announce the winner of the giveaway, I just wanted to note that Lisa Whelchel’s book is a wonderful resource; not only for busy moms, but for all of us women who have not a lot of time during the week to spend time with Him. If you like to read a little more about the book and why Lisa has written it, please read Laurel’s interview with Lisa at Christian Women Online this month. I encourage you, if you invest in some Bible study tools this year, please consider Lisa’s book.

Okay, now I babbled enough (I am just all giddy )…The winner is Susan from “Forever His”. Susan, I will contact you so I can get your snail mail address to ship the goodies to.

Blessings on your day and as always…