Re:SAM..THURSDAYS DEVOTION :)

[Guest guest]

THANKS, SAM ! GOOD ONE, HON ! 8^)

FROM: THE WOMEN'S DEVOTIONAL BIBLE 2

EAGLE FLIGHT TRAINING

BY CAROL KENT

" GO GATHER ALL THE JEWS WHO

ARE IN SUSA, AND FAST FOR ME.

DO NOT EAT OR DRINK FOR

THREE DAYS, NIGHT OR DAY. I

AND MY MAIDS WILL FAST AS

YOU DO. WHEN THIS IS DONE, I

WILL GO TO THE KING, EVEN

THOUGH IT IS AGAINST THE LAW.

AND IF I PERISH, I PERISH. "

________________VERSE: ESTHER 4:16

__________________PASSAGE: 4:12-16

ESTHER WAS FACE-TO-FACE WITH THE BIGGEST RISK OF HER LIFE. GOD HAD

PLACED THE POTENTIAL IN HER TO GAIN AN AUDIENCE WITH THE KING. IT MEANT

UNCERTAINTY, POSSIBLE FAILURE AND FEAR. TALK ABOUT " EAGLE " FLIGHT

TRAINING! THE REST IS HISTORY. BECAUSE OF HER OBEDIENCE AND WILLINGNESS

TO TRANSCEND THE FEAR OF FAILURE, HER JEWISH PEOPLE WERE SAVED FROM

POSSIBLE ANNIHILATION AT THIS FRIGHTENING TIME IN THEIR HISTORY.

WE ALL HAVE DAYS OF " FLAPPING FLIGHT " AS WE STRUGGLE TO FIND OUR

CUSTOMIZED, GOD-ORDAINED NICHE. AND JUST WHEN WE THINK WE'VE FOUND IT,

HE GIVES US A GLIMPSE OF ANOTHER CHALLENGE. WILL WE STAY IN " THE COMFORT

ZONE " OR WILL WE MOVE INTO " THE RISK ZONE " ? MORE THAN A FEW TIMES I HAVE

FAILED, " FLAPPED, " AND TRIED AGAIN. WITH EACH SUCCESS COMES GREATER

CONFIDENCE. AND ONE DAY WHEN WE SPREAD OUR WINGS IN THE UPDRAFT, BEING

LIFTED BY THE THERMAL OF HIS UNWAVERING STRENGTH, THE WHOLE PROCESS WILL

SEEM NORMAL. SOARING AND GLIDING--- THAT'S WHAT WE WERE DESIGNED

FOR---NOT FREE OF RISKS, NOT REMOVED FROM FAILURE (WE STILL LIVE IN THIS

FALLEN WORLD!), BUT SOARING WITH A NEW SENSE OF TRUST AND AN INNER BURST

OF FREEDOM.

OUR DESIRE TO BE ALL WE CAN BE IS FROM GOD. IT IS NOT ESSENTIAL THAT

OTHER PEOPLE VALIDATE OUR SUCCESS. IT'S ENCOURAGING WHEN THEY DO, BUT

IT'S NOT WHAT'S ULTIMATELY IMPORTANT. WHEN WE WALK IN OBEDIENCE AND FIX

OUR MINDS ON TRUTH, OUR DISAPPOINTMENTS WILL EVENTUALLY PRODUCE PASSIONS

THAT WILL RESULT IN ACTIONS THAT ARE HONORABLE AND HOLY. *THAT'S WHEN WE

SOAR ON WINGS LIKE EAGLES!*

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ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE READINGS:

PSALM 103: 1-5

PROVERBS 3:5-6

ISAIAH 40:31

GENTLEHUGS AND PRAYERS

SAM

[Guest guest]

WONDERFUL STORY, SAM !! THANKS, HON ! 8^)

FROM: THE WOMEN'S DEVOTIONAL BIBLE 2

LOVE IS FOREVER

TERESA & DAVID FERGUSON,

HOLLY & CHRIS THURMAN

HUSBANDS, LOVE YOUR WIVES,

JUST AS CHRIST LOVED THE

CHURCH AND GAVE HIMSELF UP

FOR HER

_____________VERSE: EPHESIANS 5:25

_______PASSAGE: EPHESIANS 5:22-33

I WATCHED HIM LOOK INTO THE WINDOW AND CHECK HIS REFLECTION. HE

CAREFULLY COMBED HIS HAIR AND STRAIGHTENED HIS TIE. HE HAS TO BE SEVENTY

YEARS OLD, YET HE ACTED AS EAGER AS A SCHOOLBOY. HE WAS A REGULAR

VISITOR TO THE NURSING HOME. HE WAS MEETING HIS WIFE, A VICTIM OF

ALZHEIMER'S. HIS WIFE NEVER SPOKE MUCH. BUT IT DIDN'T SEEM TO MATTER TO

HIM THAT HE GOT NO RESPONSE FROM HIS WIFE. HE MADE CHEERY CONVERSATION,

READ LETTERS FROM FAMILY, SANG TO HER, FED HER OR JUST HELD HER HAND.

LOVE, A RARE COMMITMENT TO CARE FOR ANOTHER REGARDLESS OF THE

RESPONSE. CHRIST TOOK HUMAN FORM TO GIVE US THAT LOVE---AT THE CROSS. MR

LACY IS PITIED BUT A PRIVILEGED MAN, WHO LOVES HIS WIFE IN SUCH A WAY

THAT THE WORLD MAY LOOK ON WITH A DEEP SENSE OF LONGING. HE PAINTS A

BEAUTIFUL PICTURE FOR THE REST OF US TO SEE AND ENJOY WHAT CHRIST'S LOVE

FOR US LOOKS LIKE.

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ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURE READINGS:

JOHN 15:13

ROMANS 5:8

1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-7

GENTLEHUGS AND PRAYERS

SAM