Christmas--how well do you know the Christmas Story?

Luke 2 is a great start! :-)

Just a few questions for you about the Christmas story--fact or fiction? True or false?

1. There were three wise men. True? False? What do you think? What does scripture say?
2. The wise men were from the Orient. True or False?
3. The wise men brought their gifts to the manger. True or False?
4. Mary rode a donkey to Bethlehem. What do you think? What does scripture say?
5. The shepherd hesitated before heading to the manger. True? False? What was his reaction?


Some thoughts to think about...

• Do you think the stable where Mary and Joseph stayed, and Jesus was born was clean? Freshly "mucked out?"
• Do you know how far Mary and Joseph traveled to get to Bethlehem? How long a trip do you think it may have been?
• Do you know what frankincense and myrrh are and where they come from?
• What is a "heavenly host?"

As we celebrate the reason for the season, just how much do you know from scripture about the Christmas story?

Let me know what you discover!

Blessings and praises for you this Christmas!

Lee Ann

Week Six of "dare to be different..."

This week we're looking at Proverbs 31:10-31---That IMPOSSIBLE Proverbs 31 woman!

Keep this in mind as you read...King Solomon wrote the Proverbs for his son. He had 300 wives and 700 concubines (also considered his wives).

Now, with 1000 wives, this is a compilation of the best of all their qualities! We'll look at each verse this week, and see how this impossible woman is truly possible. Trust in Him! He'll reveal this truth for us!

Lord, be with us as we tackle what we think is impossible! Helps us to trust that with YOU all things are possible! Matthew 19:26. Amen!

Week Five of "dare to be different"

Week Five already! WOW! Thank you, God for how much we're learning and growing!

This week I want us to look at mentoring. What is a mentor? According to www.dictionary.com, a mentor is a wise and trusted counselor and teacher. Titus 2:3-5 talks about older women teaching and setting a godly example for younger women. Elizabeth, an older woman and relative of Mary, shares her wisdom with Mary when she comes to see her. Elizabeth is pregnant with John the Baptist, and Mary is of course pregnant with Jesus. Find their story in Luke 1:5-60.

Paul and Timothy also set a great example for us of a mentoring relationship in 1 and 2 Timothy.

Let me know what you discover!

Lord, be with us as we uncover Your Truth about our faith relationships with one another. Help us to find our mentor, as well as to equip us to mentor others. Help us to learn from Elizabeth's example, and to become Titus 2 women of God. Encourage us with a desire to grow and learn from someone who has walked just a few more miles in their faith journey. AMEN!

Week Four of "dare to be different"

This week we're looking at some of the "Wonder Women" of the Bible. I'm going to list their names. I'd like you to begin to write down what you know about them! We're going to see how real they are...just like us in so many ways...flawed, challenged, sometimes feeling like a fish out of water! Yet, God uses each of them in mighty ways! Just like He uses each of us. :-)

1. Sarah
2. Rahab
3. Esther
4. Ruth
5. Mary, Mother of Jesus
6. Lydia

Do some of your own reading about these women. List some of what you discover! Share it in your postings. And we'll begin to see how God gifted each of them, how they used those gifts, and what we can learn from their lives.

Lord, as we look at this list of women this week help us not just to look at the big and mighty things they did. Help us also to see their reality, to see their less-than-the-best choices sometimes, sometimes their hesitancy to step up when called, and even sometimes their willful impatience in waiting on You. Help us also to see when they answer You in faith, stepping up to their calling with trust and confidence in Your promise. And help us to know when You call, confident in our spiritual gifts which You gave us, knowing when to say, "Yes, Lord. Here I am." AMEN!

Love and prayers to all of you!
Lee Ann

Week Three of "dare to be different"

Can you believe we're in Week Three! This week, we're going to look at our calling. Who am I?--Week One...a child of the utmost King, created in His image, to be just who I am! Why am I here?--Week Two...creationally crafted to be unique, specifically adapted to complement and encourage, support and love.

And here we are in Week Three--What is my calling?

Let's review first:
1. Why was I created? Look back at Genesis 2:18, and 2:21-22. Remember our spiritual equality to Man (Genesis 1:27). Remember our creational crafting is unique and different, specific to our purpose as women.

Let's look at our calling by first identifying what a "calling" is:
A calling is a divine appointment to a vocation or service. In a nutshell, a calling is that, gifted to us by God, as our divinely appointed reason to exist...our divine purpose. Now that we know what a calling is, let's try and figure this out!
2. What is my calling scripturally?
Look at the Amplified Version (www.biblegateway.com) and read Ephesians 5:33. And 1 Peter 3:2. Make a list. (I love lists!)

What is my calling, specifically and unique to me? How will I know?

What are my spiritual gifts, and how do they fit in? Do I know what they are? How can I find out?

The last question we'llask this week:
3. How do I answer His call? What is my first step?

Remember in Week One when Lynn shared SMART? We'll incorporate some of our discussion from Week One, the vision--mission--scriptural goal for our lives with Lynn's SMART idea! :-)

Lord, as we work on Week Three, help us to hear You clearly. Help us not to feel frustrated, but to feel excited to begin that which You divined! Help us to know our spiritual gifts, our talents, and how to use that which we are to be that which You designed and called to serve. Precious Father, be with each of us as we grow into the woman You want us to be. AMEN!

"dare to be different--week two"

Welcome to Week Two! If you haven't joined us up until now, it's not too late! Read Week One's posting and the comments. WOW is God working in us!

Week One we talked about who we are--literally, spiritually, ideally, scripturally. We touched on our dreams and next week we'll look deeper into our calling. We talked about mentoring, discovering that we are both mentored to, and mentors ourselves!

Week Two is a week of wondering why we are here. What is our created purpose? I'll list the questions, and some scriptural helps. www.biblegateway.com is a great site to go to so that you can look up the passages in multiple versions. Please, if you would, look at the scriptures in the Amplified Version, as well as your favorite translation. You'll see how much more the Amplified Version will fill in the questions you may have! Monday or Tuesday, you can watch for more!

1. Where did I come from?
Genesis 1:27 Our creation in God's image. Pay special attention to verse 26--and see that God has already revealed Himself as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, not just in verse 26 of Genesis 1, but in verses 1, 2, and 3!
Genesis 2:23 Where did man come from? You may have to search Genesis 2 to see! Where did woman come from?

2. Why was man created? What was his purpose in the garden?
Genesis 2:15 Man's created purpose
Genesis 2:16-17 God's commandment to Man

3. Why was woman created? What was her role in the garden?
Genesis 2:18 God's reaction to Man being alone. Woman's created purpose.

4. What was God's original intent for me, as a woman? What role am I to play, and just how am I doing at that?

We'll talk more as the week goes by about our spiritually created selves and our creationally crafted selves, and how they are the same yet different from man.

Lord, as we look at our creation, and how we were crafted, help us to embrace our womanhood. Help us to recognize the differences and the similarities between man and woman. Help us to begin to understand our created role in the garden so we can understand our role today. Lord especially open our hearts so that we can begin to see how we can once again dwell in the Garden of Delight! AMEN!

"dare to be different...becoming the woman God wants me to be..."

I am so excited to begin a six-week series on becoming the women God divined and designed us to be! I am praying for each of you, as we partner with God, embracing the Holy Spirit within all of us, growing in our faith relationship with Jesus Christ.

Week One is a week of self-exploration. Where am I? In life...in my faith...in my focus.

I'll list your questions, and encourage each of you to pray before you begin to answer. I'll send helps and scriptural support throughout the week, and prayerfully answer each question you might post.

Welcome to the adventure! How excited I am to grow with you!

1. Who am I?
Literally:
Spiritually:
Ideally:
Scripturally:
2. What are my dreams?
What are my goals?
How do they differ?
How are they the same?
3. What are my faith relationships? Do I have any?
Who are they with?
Who is my mentor?
Who am I mentoring?

Remember, this series is about becoming that which God originally intended us to be. There will be lots of looking into ourselves, and looking into scripture, and trying to reconcile the two. Understanding who we are and why will help us to focus on what we were created to be and how to get there!

Lord, be with each of us as we focus. Be with us as we grow. Remind us when sometimes it hurts to look in at our hearts that Your desire is to mend the brokenness so that we may become wholly and holy Yours! AMEN!