It’s been a busy couple of weeks. I hope to be back next week on a more regular schedule. In the meantime, here’s another scripture with that familiar word, “persevere.”

35So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. 36You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. Hebrews 10:35-36 (NIV)

Blessings,

Yesterday morning, I went in to wake my daughter up for school as I normally do. However, instead of waking her, I just sat and stared at her as she slept my hand resting gently on her leg. My mind drifted back to a couple of days earlier.

We had attended the annual Greek festival here as we do every year. They periodically have the children come up and dance together. This is my daughter’s favorite part. We were just before sitting down to eat when the children were called up. Food forgotten, she raced up to the stage to join the others.

A line had already formed of children holding one another’s hands when my daughter arrived on stage. I sat and watched as she tried to figure out how to join in. It is times like this when I lament the fact that she is an only child.

I tried to give her time to figure out what to do and she did. She opted to dance on her own, to her own beat and in her own way. She was having a good time but then I saw her stop. I could tell she was trying again to figure out how to join in with the other children. At that point, I went up to the stage and called her over. I told her to just go take the hand of the girl at the end of the line and join in. And that’s what she did.

Apparently, as I made my way back to my seat and began to eat my food, the girl whose hand she had taken shook her hand away from Rachel and acted like she didn’t want her to be there.

Rachel is very sensitive and doesn’t shake this kind of thing off very easily. She’s like me that way. Although, in all fairness, the act was rude, and probably would have hurt anyone’s feelings, sensitive or not.

Not long after that, the time for the children to return to their parents had come, and Rachel came back to sit with us. I had not witnessed the incident with the other girl on the stage, nor had my husband. Rachel looked at him with those big, blue eyes, and in a plaintive tone asked, “Daddy, will you dance with me?”

She went on to explain what had happened, and I thought my heart would break. I could get on a soapbox here, but I won’t.

As I sat there beside her sleeping form yesterday morning thinking about this, all I wanted to do was keep her right there with me. I didn’t want her out of my sight. I sat there and prayed, “Lord, I want so much to be able to protect her from the hurt in this world. People can be so mean.” And I heard Him speak to my heart, “Yes, my child, I know. Look what they did to My Son.”

And yet, He loves us anyway. I am so thankful for that. For even though I was not there the day Jesus was crucified, my sin put Him there just as if I had been.

Dear Lord, help me to teach my daughter that people will be mean. It is our sinful nature, but you provided a way out for us. His Name is Jesus. She knows Him, and I am thankful for that as well. Help me to remember that you knew her and loved her first, and that You are the ultimate Protector. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.

Blessings,

Amy at In Pursuit of Proverbs 31 is beginning a new Bible study today. She kicked it off last Monday asking that those who were going to participate answer a few questions. As you can see, I am behind, (which is an example of why I need this study :->), but today is a new day, and I am jumping in. So, here goes.

What do you hope to get out of this Bible study?
To be honest, this passage of scripture really intimidates me. While I have been able to feel better about it since learning about and becoming involved with Proverbs 31 Ministries, I still feel like a failure as a P31 woman. My house is usually a mess. I don’t cook often enough for my family. Clothes often have to be grabbed from a basket or the dryer. I worry about what I am teaching my daughter about how to be a wife and mother honoring God and family at the same time. I certainly don’t feel like a very good example. My husband, bless his dear heart, never complains, although, he probably should. I don’t feel I’m honoring him as I should either. He works very hard so that I can be a stay-at-home wife and mother. He has always wanted it to be that way if that was my desire, which it is. My job is the home, and I don’t think I’m very good at my job.

What, if anything, has prevented you from studying these scriptures in the past?
I read through and did the accompanying study for A Woman’s Secret to a Balanced Life by Lysa TerKeurst and Sharon Jaynes. It was a great book, and I felt less intimidated by the passage after reading their book and doing the study. They really emphasize that the P31 woman is not supposed to be a superwoman. However, it’s been sometime, at least a couple of years, I think, since I did that study, and I don’t feel anything like my perception of who a P31 woman should be.

What have you found helpful or frustrating about living out these scriptures?
I think I have already covered this one. In a nutshell, I spend most of my days feeling like I fall way short.

The actual study begins today. I will share my thoughts to the first week’s post later this week.

Blessings,