School's OUT!

The most significant thing for me about school being out this year for Summer is that when it goes back in, I will have a school-aged child. Yikes! Where did the last 5 years go? I know that in my day to day I am far less busy than some women, but sometimes I still feel like there is no time to rest, relax and just be.

One of my friends has chosen Psalm 46:10 for her life verse...

Be still and know that I am God.

What a great verse. Slow down. sit still. read your Bible. meditate.

In the midst of your busy Summer, while you are traveling here and there, or BBQing with these friends or those friends... remember to take the time to be still and rest in God. Even if you go away on holidays somewhere, find a church to worship in. Or if you are far from a church, gather everyone close and take time to "do church" on your vacation. Where 2 or 3 are gathered in His name, he is there too. You don't need a fancy building, but you DO need the fellowship of other believers.

Have a great summer! I hope to do a weekly post on here, so please check back!

Thoughts for the day

HOW TO BUILD COMMUNITY

Turn off your TV
Leave your house
Know your neighbours
Invite someone to church
Greet People
Look up when you’re walking
Sit on your step
Plant flowers
Use the library
Play together
Buy from local merchants
Share what you have
Help a lost dog
Take children to the park
Honour elders
Support neighbourhood schools
Fix it even if you didn’t break it
Have Potlucks
Garden together
Pick up litter
Read stories aloud
Talk to the mail Carrier
Listen to the birds
Put up a swing
Help carry something heavy
Barter for your goods
Start a tradition
Ask a question
Hire Young people for odd jobs
Organize a block party
Bake extra and share
Ask for help when you need it
Open your shades
Sing together
Share your skills
Take back the night
Turn up the music
Turn down the music
Listen before you react to anger
Mediate a conflict
Seek to understand
Learn from new and uncomfortable angles
Know that no one is silent though
Many are not heard
Work to change this


Here's a pic of the new sign recently put up on the outside of our church.

New Blog to Check Out

Hi Everyone
Just wanted to let you know that Judi has a new blog to advertise her photography business... check it out:
http://judipetker.blogspot.com/

Living Proof Ministries...

Hey Ladies,

If you want some great reading to go with a cup of coffee, check out Beth Moore's blog!!

Here's the LINK.

Beth Moore Conference

Leanne and I, along with both our mothers-in-law all just returned from the Beth Moore conference this afternoon. What a great time. It was at the Colosseum in Vancouver and there were around 4,000 people there - mostly women, but there were a few brave men! I heard that it was her first event outside of the United States, and how cool that she chose us to come and speak to!

There was a great worship team led by Travis Cottrell, and his team. Amazing music and they really encouraged us to join in. As Beth said about him, "What I love best about Travis is that he is not a performer. He is a true worshiper."

We got into Vancouver and dropped our stuff at the hotel and headed off to the conference. The text for the weekend was from Hebrews 4:12-16, and we even memorized the first part of it!

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight.

After we got back to the hotel, the 4 of us had a snack and then chatted for the longest time! Leanne and I both brought a "shoebox swap" card for all of us to make, so we stamped for awhile, and then talked some more.


A couple points that stood out from Beth's lecture today are:

When the priests in the Old Testament went before the throne of God they only did it on the Day of Atonement, otherwise they would die. In the Holy of Holies was the Mercy Seat, and only on that day were they protected to enter. When Jesus died on the cross, the cross was the ultimate Mercy Seat... and Good Friday was the day of atonement - not once a year, but ONCE AND FOR ALL!!!!!

Mercy and Grace identify Jesus in the Old Testament and the New Testament. The old and new fit together like a glove, because Jesus Christ is the same yesterday today and forever, and never changes. See Exodus 34, and Hebrews 4:16.

Mercy is Pardon

Grace is Power

What a great weekend!

Coffee Time

We're meeting for coffee at 9:15 tomorrow morning... email me for details! Hope you can come.

The next study will start January 8, 2008.... more details to follow. We (Leanne, Jane and myself) will keep posting weekly on this blog, so please stay with us through the winter!

Welcome!

Welcome Kenya and Portugal!! Just noticed a couple new dots on the cluster map at the bottom... isn't the internet amazing? These are the first visitors outside of North America, and I am so glad you found us here.... hope you come back often to follow along with our Bible Study! God Bless you.

God is so CREATIVE!

No matter who you are.....

In reading the book of Mark, as well as what we are studying in the book of Matthew at BSF, I am seeing that God uses ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE!! Think of the disciples - not all of them would be my first choice in followers... yet look how they learned by Jesus' side for 3 years, and then spread the Good News to the far corners of the earth.

If we look at the Old Testament we see countless examples of God using people that felt so inadequate, and often needed to be coaxed into doing what God called them to do.

Esther... when Mordecai asked her to go to the King and tell him about the plot to kill their people, she sure didn't want to... but she did, and her people were saved. Read the whole story in the book of ESTHER.

Gideon was not excited about going into battle with such a small army, but God gave him an amazing battle plan that caused confusion in the enemy camp, and the victory for God's people. Read more about Gideon in JUDGES ch.6

Ruth... the perfect example of how you need to lose your life to gain life. She walked away from the people that she knew and was related to, followed her mother-in-law to a foreign land, all because she knew that she wanted to be with God's people. That's faith! Read the whole story in the book of RUTH.

There are so many other examples in the Bible of how God used everyday people to fulfill his plan. What is your favourite Bible story? Why? Please share in the comments.

What about YOU!? Is God calling you to do something that you might not understand or even be too thrilled about? Take a leap of faith and you will see how God's plan is always best.
Quilt made by the ladies at Sidney Pentecostal Church - Sidney, BC

Looking for the Best

I was just reading a chapter in the book called "Let me count the ways" by Jim McGuiggan, and came across this passage....

Can you remember what A.J. Gordon told his readers about the two groups of struggling writers he was acquainted with, who gathered regularly to read their work to each other? The men's group was called "the Stranglers," and the women's was called "the Wranglers." The Stranglers crucified one another's work with savage criticisms, pointing out too plainly the obvious failings in the efforts, while the Wranglers kept looking until they could say something positive about everyone's work. Out of the group of men, not one made it as a noted writer; but out of the women there were several, including the author of "The Yearling."

(pg. 47, originally from A.J. Gordon's "A Touch of Wonder").

Welcome!

In the Fall I will be leading the Ladies Bible study at my church. So I wanted to create a place where we could continue the discussion outside of the times we meet. Here it is! If you are not a part of our Ladies Bible Study group, you are still allowed to ask questions and to leave comments! Please feel free to share here. And if you are not a Lady, you are also welcome to participate here!! The first book we are going to study is the book of Mark from the New Testament. Each week I will put the study questions and the text that we study. In between the weekly studies I will also try to put entries of other passages I am studying, and things I have learned, insights I have gleaned and other tid bits that might be of interest.