Can you do your sisters a favor...Please??

~Tracy Frederick

I am pretty tired. I’ve had to make some tough decisions lately in regard to my job so I have lost some hours of sleep. Ok, I realize it is just a job; I get it. It is just something to pay the bills and it is not eternity…but, in a way, it is….you see, how I behave toward others determines if others see me as honest and trustworthy and ultimately reflects…yep, on my Father so even though it is just a job, it is more than just a job, you know?

But, what was difficult about accepting about the new position is not knowing how to do it. I’ve never done it before. I have some good and bad examples, but no experience so it feels like I am going into the great abyss with only a candle…a birthday candle at that. Ok, I know I’m not, but it kinda feels that way….and for those who know me, know that I like knowing. I like being prepared and able to predict the road ahead. I like knowing. So, I reached out to people I trust and asked: Can you do me a favor…please? If you see me going down the wrong road, or see me about to make a mistake, will you please…please…please tell me to stop and backup? Will you please let me know if I say something stupid? I don’t want to fail and it is hard walking this path...alone....in the dark.

So, as the overwhelming responsibility of my new position caught up with me I thought about those who I trust will “have my back” and then I wondered about more important matters…. if my spiritual sisters have my spiritual back. I mean, what if a sister sees that I am about to break my leg (spiritually speaking) and said nothing. I wonder if she wouldn’t say anything because she thinks I believe it isn’t her business. Or maybe she’s afraid that I would get angry with her? Wow! Yeah…I think that I, or we, maybe haven’t been as welcoming to help as we should and you know, that’s not how the Lord designed His church. In Luke 10 our Savior sent out His apostles in pairs. He knew that they were going to face difficult situations. He knew that they needed each other to find the path; to help each other just like He knows we need the same thing- each other to get it back on track.

And so, I wonder if we, in the most important “job” that we’ve been given- our spiritual service- if we think we can go it on our own. Just like in my new position, I can’t watch everything. I will make mistakes. I can’t always see the problems ahead. Spiritually we may not realize when we mess up…just like we can’t always tell if something looks good on us…we need someone to be honest with us…tell us the truth even when it hurts. We’re a little prejudice, you know? We think we’ve got it together, even when we don’t.

So, I have a favor to ask….a really…really big favor. Please tell me when you see me mess up. Please don’t let me fail in my spiritual walk. I know that it may be hard to speak up. I know that we believe that others don’t want to hear it…but if we are truly working for that spiritual success, we will want the help. So, can’t you do your sister a favor…please?

Living in Reality

~ Erin Blair

My husband and I were having an interesting discussion the other day (which we tend to have quite often). We were talking about why Christ said in Matthew 5:28, “But I say to you that whosoever looks at a woman to lust for her has committed adultery with her in his heart.” We have read and heard lessons on this verse countless times in our lives. But what if God, and therefore Christ, were also making another point besides desiring something that isn’t ours to have?

The popularity of films and books like 50 Shades of Grey, Twilight and countless other “romance” novels is fairly simple I believe. Why do women fawn over characters like Christian Grey or Edward Cullen or –fill in the blank with whatever romantic character you wish-? These characters are fictional and therefore written to be “perfect.” It is an escape to a reality where their husband’s imperfections don’t exist.

It’s a matter of reality.

My husband pointed out in our discussion of Matthew 5:28 that when someone, man or woman, “lusts after” or desires another man or woman, they don’t see their flaws, their imperfections. They don’t see their bed head, or the hamper full of dirty clothes or the sink of dirty dishes. They see what they want to see – a “perfect” person. This isn’t real. No one is perfect.

God knows the danger of living in a reality that is not true real. If our minds are off in “la-la land,” dreaming about the handsome stranger we saw across the restaurant, or our minds are filled with thoughts of being rescued and romanced by a Fabio-esque hero, our minds our not on our husbands and not on God.

I know of women who got so engrossed in their fantasies that they neglected their duties as a Christian, as a wife, and as a mother. Their relationship with their family suffered, sometimes beyond repair. And most importantly, their relationship with God suffered. 

God knows how living apart mentally from our spouse can damage our relationship and how it can damage our relationship with Him. God has blessed us (James 1:17) so why would we want to any other reality?

Erin resides in Ben Wheeler TX with her husband, Jordan. Erin has been involved with preparing and organizing the work of the church since she was a teenager by teaching all ages of Bibles classes, helping prepare and organize Ladies Days, Prom Alternatives, Youth Rallies and VBS.  She is currently works as a paralegal for a law firm. She and her husband also spend their time enjoying their garden, dogs, rabbits, chickens, ducks, quail…etc.  Life is never dull at her house. 

Women—As God Would Have Us (Pt. 1)

~Veronica Brown

 (Republished from 2011) 

In preparation for our Tuesday night Ladies Bible Class this week we read about various women from the book of Genesis—Eve, the daughters of men, Noah’s daughters-in-law, Sarah, Hagar, and the women in Lot’s life.[1] Then in our class together we tried to glean from their lives a small sample of what God would have us to learn from His record of their lives in history. So for this article (and for part two of this article later) I’d like to focus briefly on these women in order to encourage us to be the kind of women God wants us to be.

Beginning with Eve, the mother of all living, we learn just how important we are as women. God took special care in creating woman and we must take special care in maintaining that which God carefully constructed. Our roles as women are unique—we hold very sacred responsibilities as helpers who will be suitable for our husbands and as mothers who will be nurturers for our children. We are not the leaders of our homes but we are the keepers of them (Titus 2:5). And with this great privilege comes a great responsibility that must never be taken lightly. Consequently, we also learn from Eve how very real sin is and that its effects are serious. Sin robbed Eve of her purity, her innocence, and her life with God. The wages of sin is indeed death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 6:23). God be thanked that through Jesus Christ we can be delivered from this body of death (Rom. 7:24-25)!

Next we looked at the “daughters of men” as referenced in Genesis 6. The “sons of God” took for themselves these daughters of men to be their wives and from the context we know that this was not a good thing in God’s eyes. Why not? The answer seems to be in the distinct phraseology God uses to distinguish between these two groups of people. The sons of God would have been those who were following their ancestor’s (and thus God’s) instruction from the beginning—beginning with Adam, followed by Seth, and so on. The other group, the daughters of men, had not adhered to their Creator’s instruction but instead followed in the footsteps of Cain, who “went out from the presence of the Lord” (Gen. 4:16). And so in Genesis 6 we see the two coming together and God was not pleased. It seems that the principle here applies to us today. “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?” (James 4:4). “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” (II Cor. 6:14). Therefore, God says, “come out from among them and be separate….and you shall be My sons and daughters” (II Cor. 6:17-18). May we strive daily to be set apart, sanctified, and separate as the daughters of God and not entangled, intertwined, and blended together with the world as the daughters of men!

Continuing in Genesis 6 we looked next at Noah’s daughters-in-law and tried to imagine what it must have been like to be three of only eight people saved from the flood. These three women were part of a small minority preparing to witness the destruction of the massive majority of humanity. These three women were willing to be counted among the few even though it meant giving up all that they had ever known. Does the same God require any less of us today? Jesus said, “So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Lk. 14:33). Those are difficult words—difficult to grasp and difficult to obey—but they’re true and they’re for our good. The same God who called Noah and his family out of a sinful world and into the vessel of salvation is the same God who calls us out of darkness into His marvelous light (I Pet. 2:9). May we, like these three women, have faith enough and the will enough to enter His ark of salvation and be counted among the few for Christ (Mt. 7:14)!

---

[1] Some of our ladies at Farmersville are currently involved in the Digging Deep in God’s Word study formulated by Cindy Colley. Currently, we are reading through her book “Women of the Genesis.” We discussed these women from the first six chapters of her book in our last class.

eronica is blessed to be the wife of Clint Brown. Clint currently preaches for the Farmersville church of Christ in north Texas. She is also blessed to be a stay at home mom to two boys, Jeremy (17) and Joshua (15). She has been a preacher's wife, Bible class teacher, missionary, and a host of other things for the Lord for these past 18 and she's thankful for every moment God uses to mold her into His image.

The Walk Of Life

~Nancy Goring

   While walking the track at the community center today, I started noticing the various "walkers/runners." They were all different in age, gender, weight and health. One couple, in particular really impressed me. They were a couple about 80 years old and moving very slowly. The lady had looped her arm through her husbands to help support him, as he was having difficulty even ta...king small steps. It was so sweet to see how she supported him so carefully, never trying to make him move faster, always being patient with him.

     I also saw young people running as fast as they could, others jogging at a regular pace and some fast walkers at various speeds. Like most tracks, there are 3 lanes; the inside is for slower folks, the middle for fast, and the outside lane for runners. I couldn't help but think how much our Christian lives paralleled the scenes unfolding before me. 

     There were little ones who ran fast, then walked, then skipped around, not really sure what they should be doing, but having fun anyway. They weren't aware of the "rules" yet, but they watched and picked up very quickly. I thought about those who began their Christians walk - eager, excited, unsure, happy, learning to follow the lead of those who were older and more experienced. Then there were the ones who had been doing this for many years. They were steady, consistent, always watching before they changed lanes so they wouldn't interfere with other walkers - courteous, well-balanced, well-paced, experienced. Most of the older people were in the slower lane, some doing better than others because they were just trying to stay healthy by walking consistently.
Then there were the ones who walked 3 abreast, talking, having fun, paying no attention whether someone was approaching from behind that might run into them or that they may cause to get off course or lose balance. Their strides were slow then fast - they wandered all over the track, oblivious to their surroundings. On a rare occasion there would be one who was irritated with the talkers and would be rude to them, almost pushing them out of the way because they were a nuisance to their workout. There is no need for me to make a spiritual comparison here - I will let you do that.

     The walk at the track is so much like our walk in life as a Christian. I was so impressed with the older folks who kept on keeping on, though it was at a much slower pace. That encouraged me to keep exercising even when I feel tired, ache, and want to stop, even for just a little bit.
My doctor told me I needed to walk for my health, so I set goals, at his instruction, to keep me on task. Our heavenly Father has also told us what we need to do to stay spiritually strong. He also provided the goal! Are we following His instructions? Are we studying daily for our spiritual strength? Are we serving as we should? Are we assisting others on the pathway if they need us to loop our arm through theirs to help them/support them when they are weak? Are we being a consistent example of Christ-like behavior in our daily walk? Hopefully we are not wandering around, oblivious to all that is about us that might harm us spiritually, or perhaps another!
We have a goal that was given to us. It is heaven. The apostle Paul said, "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus," (Philippians 3:14). Let us "run with patience, that race that is set before us," as the Hebrew writer said in Hebrews 12:1. Let's all strive for strength, patience, consistency, and balance as we walk His walk, always keeping the end goal in sight.

 

Nancy is the wife of Bill Goring, who serves as a gospel preacher and elder for the Chipman Road church of Christ in Lee’s Summit, Missouri. She has 4 children, 11 grandchildren and has taught Bible class for over 40 years, speaks at Ladies Day gatherings and has published several books including: Behavior Becoming Holiness: Studies in Titus Chapter 2 and Overcoming our Self-Imposed Prisons.

 

Til Death Do us Part

     I will never forget standing in the church building following our morning worship and watching her fight back her tears. I watched her unconsciously play with her wedding ring as she told me about her beloved husband. I didn’t know her husband, and had just asked what I thought was a casual question in passing, not really related to her husband, but somehow the conversation quickly turned to him. When I saw her reaction I felt guilty and mentally kicked myself for saying anything that could have caused her such pain. I listened, fighting back my tears as I watched her choked back hers, while a few she was unable to stop slowly rolled down her cheeks. Finally, I asked how long it had been since her husband passed. “It will be 24 years in two months,” she said. 

     Spring and summer is on the way and, of course, means weddings, weddings and more weddings! In fact, our small congregation will have five couples marry this spring/summer. Everyone is anxious to hear the latest details of the wedding plans, always assuring the bride-to-be that all will go well: the dresses will fit and the tuxes will arrive on time, etc. It is an exciting time. However, this is also a time when I am  mindful of our widowed sisters, our sisters who are left to walk this world alone. I am inspired by these women and their love for the Lord as I watch them walk into the church building alone, sitting alone as they worship their God. They understand that a happy marriage and perfect love for their mate can only be found in a strong abiding, submissive love for the Lord. I am mindful of these wise women. I seek their council when I need to know how to comfort a sister who is struggling in her marriage, and when I am ashamedly fighting my own selfishness in my marriage. I seek them out, I listen, and I watch.

               

     They understand the frustration, anger and hurt that can occur in a marriage, some have lived through the pain that Sarah must have felt when Abraham put her last, and looked after his own interests first, denying she was his wife, even to the point of giving her to another man (see Genesis 12:10-20; and Genesis 20). But, despite feeling neglected and unappreciated, these sisters, like Sarah, remained faithful and waited patiently on the Lord (I Peter 3:6).

     Some of my widowed sisters endured years of heartbreak like Abigail (see I Samuel 25) who all the while married to an ungodly, angry, and perhaps, abusive husband, remained steadfast to the Lord’s commandments (I Sam. 25:18-34). But they, like Abigail, because of their deep abiding faith in the Lord and their commitment to His will above their own (Gal 2:20), remained kind, gentle (Col 3:12) and faithful, serving their husbands as if serving the Lord (Romans 12), because the Lord asked her to (Eph. 5:22; Col 3:18); because she loved her Lord more than her own selfish desires (Eph 5:33b); because she never lost sight of her commitment and hope that her husband would see the Lord in her (I Peter 3).  

     Many of these widowed sisters lived through struggles to “make ends meet.” And they know the dangers and destruction that selfishness can have on a marriage. They understood the discouragement they could bring upon their husbands if they succumbed to the temptation of greed; wanting more than their husband could provide (Prov. 31:11). These are women who understand how important it is to resist the sin of discouraging their husband as they studied Job’s wife in Job 2:9; Job 19:17; or the sin of tempting their husband as they read about Eve enticing her husband to disobey the Lord in Gen. 3:6; or the sin of criticizing their husband as they read about Michael criticizing David in II Samuel 6.

     My widowed sisters understood the Godly commandment to leave their mothers and cling to their husbands as the Lord told them to in Genesis 2:24. Many of my widowed sisters followed Ruth’s example and left their families to follow their husband’s God (see Ruth 1). They felt that pain and knew it would cost them their families, but held tighter to their God and their husbands as the Lord directed them in Mark 10:6-9.

               

    I am always mindful of these wise women and try to visit a nursing home that is owned and managed by the Lord's church every week. Almost most every apartment on the assisted living wing is occupied by a widow.  I seek out these Christian widowed sisters, my widowed sisters I see sitting alone in the worship assembly each service of the church, and my Christian widowed mother and aunt. I seek them out, I watch, and I listen.  I think about oath they took on their wedding day long ago, and I think about the young women we will see walk down toward their future husband and take make their promise to the Lord.  

  

     I am confident that the marriages we all will witness this spring and summer will last a lifetime; all marriages can. I am also confident that each couple will have struggles and a few tears; all marriages do. However, I am more confident in the Lord’s boundaries regarding marriage (Gen 2:22; Matt. 19:9). My wise widowed sisters know that it takes a lifetime to learn to love perfectly, a spiritual love (I Cor. 13: 4-7), one that sacrifices willingly (Gen 22:2) for another (I John 4:10). These widowed sisters realize they did not do it alone. They know they were blessed by the Lord as they sought His will above their own, and looked to God’s great example of true love (John 3:16).

Perfecting a Text

~Tracy Frederick

I picked up my phone this morning to start my usual routine. I send texts of encouragement to my sisters. Now, I don’t do this every day, but try to do it especially at the beginning of the week. I do it, just to let them know that someone is thinking of them and praying for them, but try not to get “stalkerish” with it. However, as I started to send the first text:” Good morning, sister, I hope it is a great week, I am thinking of you and praying for you!”, I stopped and thought about that statement. I know it is a good thing to do. I know it is a heartfelt thought of hoping that the week is smooth for them and there are few spiritual challenges and they don’t have to fight with the devil. You know, that basically it is “smooth sailing” this week. I thought about that and reconsidered. Humm….do I really hope it is smooth sailing? Is a “good week” one in which a Christian is not challenged or there are no bumps in the road? So, (those who know me well will not be surprised at this next statement) my mind started considering what the text says is a “good.” Let us consider quickly a verse we are all familiar with:

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,” James 1:2 (NKJ). No doubt, you all have heard many sermons on this specific verse. You probably know that “count” means: judge, consider. You are probably aware that “joy” means, delight. You might even know that “all” means every bit of it and “fall into” means surrounded by. We probably don’t even need to define “various” since we all know it means differing, or diverse. It is the “trials” part that we have difficulty with, but we all know it means temptations, or adversity.   

But, perhaps we stop there? The reason is the most important part…..WHY? It brings about patience (v. 3) and most importantly, that patience is what makes us “perfect and entire, wanting nothing” (v. 4).

Wow….wanting nothing. That’s what I want my sisters to feel, perfected, wanting nothing. I do want them to have a “great week,” but more importantly, I pray it is a week in which they will draw closer to God, their Creator, the maker of their heavenly home. That may mean they will have to go through trials and difficulties. (see also Rm 5:3, James 1:12,  James 5:11, I Peter 1:6). That means I will begin to pray for their strength to overcome and not so much a week free of problems. So, even though I will text them, perhaps I will add, or change the message to: I hope it is a perfected week in which we are wanting nothing. Besides isn't that better than "a great week?"

 

My Sisters at the Tomb

~Tracy Frederick

I often wonder about the women who went to the tomb, alone. I wonder what they were thinking, the emotions they carried with them. I think about these women. We know that one follower of Jesus was a former prostitute, but, still she may have had a family, perhaps children. I think about the women that followed Jesus. There is, curiously, no mention of their husbands, or at least no connection made from them to their husbands. They are mentioned in the scriptures as faithful in their following, caring for our Savior and walking with Him. I understand the historical context and understand the liberties that I enjoy were not for them. I understand that my life of ease would be only a dream to them. I know that the stoves, the washing machines, the vacuum cleaners that I criticize and long for better would be a fantasy to them. I wonder about these women. I know they were weary, I don’t know if they were caring for my Lord while trying to appease a husband that didn’t believe and was unkind to them, trying to hold them back from this “crazy” new religion. I don’t know, but I imagine they were caring for their households while running to care for my Lord. I wonder about these women who were so dedicated that they sacrificed their time, energy and maybe even their own food to give to my Savior. I wonder…..and am humbled by my sisters who gave more than I can imagine when I look around at the comfortable home, the abundance of technology and opportunity I have. I wonder if I would have walked with them, when I think about them when I hear of someone ill and in need of food, when I see people squirming in their seats and leaving the assembly early because it is uncomfortable, I think about them when I hear someone complain about another need in the church. I think about them and wonder…..what would my sisters do?  I think about it....and wonder...and instantly, I know.

So, what is the WORST that can happen? Really...

~Tracy Frederick

Our daughter was a very smart little girl. She walked very early, talked in complete sentences when she started speaking, and was reading long before she entered kindergarten. I say all of that to let you into a little insight into her personality. She seemed to be a 30 year old in a 3 year old body. That meant that she worried quite a bit, and her tender heart was always at risk of breaking because of how someone was mistreated, or the possibilities of something happening that she could not control. In an attempt to help her learn to cope, I would always ask her: What is the WORST that could happen? That always ended up with us talking through the worst case scenarios, (some of them pretty comical) and eventually coming to understand that actually there was really nothing all that serious to worry about. Our discussions always went something like this: Ok, so what if you don't make a 100% on the spelling test and they kick you out of 1st grade because you aren't perfect? God still loves you so much that He gave His only Son just for YOU. Or: Ok, so what if you fail the exam and have to drop out of school and end up working at a fast food restaurant for the rest of your life? You still get to go to heaven, right? Or: Ok what is the WORST thing that can happen if you never meet a godly man to marry?You can still do amazing things in the work of the Lord teaching other children to follow Him, and you are still in a saved state and still get to go to heaven, right? wohoo! 

I admit that I am a worrier and my daughter gets it from me. My husband’s faith is so deep he can see the most important part immediately. He can brush off the problems and rest easy, I on the other hand have to have a good talk with myself and remind myself that whatever I am worrying about is really not that bad. I have had some health issues recently and have had to have a couple of surgeries and several “procedures” that have left me pretty frustrated. But, through it all, I have been encouraged by my sisters who are dealing with so much worse each and every day and continue with dignity and grace. They remind me: So, what is the WORST that could happen? I never rollerblade or exercise by jogging again (yeah, that didn’t happen before either)? I am unable to shop at Wal Mart for hours on end? Or I have to go through more surgeries for years? ….Nah, that’s not so bad. After all, I am in a saved state and I get to go to heaven! wohoo! Paul said it best: "...I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, to be content" Phil 4:11.

I hope those words bring you comfort too. I hope, dear sister that if you are struggling in your life, if you have physical ailments that have plagued you, or you have financial worries, etc. you too can finish that sentence with confidence (Acts 2:38) in knowing that the worst is not so bad (Mt 6:25-34) because the best is yet to come. I mean, seriously, what IS the worst that can happen?

Letting go….to Grow

~Tracy Frederick

Most people who have met me consider me a very strong person with a very strong personality. I was called “the terminator” as a counselor at church camp (I had no idea until I heard someone use it); my students are constantly saying: “your not as bad as everyone says you are, you are actually really nice, but do you really make grown people cry?”; and yes, I have been accused of “shooting fire” out of my eyes at students (no I really can’t). I say all of this because if you don’t know me, you need to know this before you hear the rest of the story. It would be surprising, knowing my strong personality to hear that for several years I was too weak to resist the temptation for friendship and I tried to play both ends at the same time. You know, tried to be friends with the world and also with God. You might try to comfort me, or someone like me who makes this confession by assuring us that just about everyone does this when they’re a teenager. You might reassure me by telling me that we all are weak when we are young and therefore we must be patient with ourselves. But I wasn’t a teenager. The fact is, many women are like me and face some of the biggest temptations in their lives from friendships, not as a teenager, but as an adult.

When one is a young mother, there are so many demands on our time and too often we find ourselves feeling alone, or lonely…..and craving a conversation with someone who actually knows how to spell, or at least say the word, “conversation.” (Once my husband came home one summer and asked me what I did. I responded: “I said ‘no.’” He looked at me confused.  I repeated: “I said no.” “ALL day?” he asked. “Yep, ALLLLL day. That’s ALLLL I did” I answered.) Our self-esteem can take a pretty hard hit. We see our bodies change and stretch, remembering when we were once on the cutting edge of fashion, and now search the clearance racks for anything with elastic, or look forward to the cooler weather so we can “layer.”  For many young mothers like I was, this is the routine. Therefore, it is it no wonder that we crave the excitement of the old days in which we sat around with our friends and ate pizza and gallons of ice cream without a worry about our waistlines, discussing the latest boyfriend, or gossip around school. Well, honestly, that wasn’t me. I never had that experience, for many reasons, so when I was a young mother and other young mothers in the neighborhood invited me into their circle, it was great! I loved it. I soon found myself, like many other young mothers, relishing the conversations, even indulging in the gossip, and pretty soon I felt like one of them. But more importantly, they saw me as one of them. Soon most of my time was spent with one of these worldly friends. She befriended me, began to plan play dates for our children, would call at a moment’s notice and offered to cook regularly for my family. It was great, I thought. I felt popular for the first time, I felt wanted.

However, it wasn’t long before my friend’s negative attitude toward her husband started to show in my attitude toward mine (Pr 6:27). She knew my beliefs about drinking alcohol, public swimming, cursing/cussing, but as our friendship continued, she became less guarded and I objected less…and less….and less…. I made excuses when she invited me and my daughter to the public pool to swim rather than explain that I knew God would not be pleased with me if I did (I Cor 10:13). I overlooked her occasional cuss word, gossip, rude comments about other people. I comforted myself by saying that I was doing all of this to befriend her so I could convert her. I would teach her about God…someday. That was my plan at the beginning. But, somewhere along the way, I lost sight of those plans.

 I knew the relationship was toxic. I knew she was a bad influence. But, I had such few friends….and…well, I hadn’t indulged in any of it….That’s what I told myself. But, one day my friend said something that was particularly mean and hateful, so I made a remark about it to my husband. I told him what she said and how shocked I was, and offended. He looked at me with his big beautiful blue eyes and said, “you know, it sounds like something you have said lately.” I felt as if I had been hit with a ton of bricks. It was the wake-up call that I needed. It all became clear…. I was slowly becoming like my friend (Proverbs 6:27).  I knew what I had to do. It took me a few days to make the call, and it was a hard, but the feeling of freedom, yes freedom was overwhelming when I told her I could no longer spend time with her. I ended our friendship.  

I like to think that if the relationship had continued I would not have indulged in the immoral, ungodly behaviors that she was leading me too. But, although I believed that I was stronger than her, I realized that I was really kidding myself that I was not beyond the small temptations that eventually would have lead to the bigger ones (James 4:4). It was hard to let go. Most of us hold onto our friends forever and pride ourselves on being “there” for our friends no matter what: a lifetime of good, bad, helpful or hurtful. But, the world’s concept of friendship is not always a  spiritual one (Eph. 4:2) .

People say that I can be intimidating, they joke that I am “the terminator” and can make students whimper with a look, but I will never again underestimate the power of Satan to know me well enough to understand where I was weakest (Matt. 26:41). I did not seek out Christian companionship, or companionship with my Lord to fill that whole. I have learned that, although I still have friends who are not Christians, they are not the center of my social circle. I spend just about all of my time with those who help me to be a stronger Christian, my sisters who do not ask me to compromise my godly beliefs for their friendship and love, those who do not tempt me with activities or conversations about evil things, or…well, I’ve learned that I can just by myself and you know, it isn’t so bad. I like to surround myself with women who are always considering the wonderful gifts they receive from God and whose conversation centers around their spirituality and the prize.

Yes, this is a confessional article, and is full of many things that I am very ashamed of, but I hope that you can see the important part. I look back on this time in my life as a very dark time. A time when I was at one of my lowest points, and didn't even realize it. We often quote I Corinthians 15:33: “Be not deceived: evil companions corrupt good morals” to our children, but I am not a teenager any longer. I wasn't when I was tempted by "evil" companions. However, I am always reminded daily that my Lord understand me better than I know myself. His word teaches me that no matter my age, “Make no friendship with an angry man [or woman], and with a furious man do not go, lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul” (Proverbs 22:24-25).

A Sister in Christ

~Nancy Goring

A sister is a precious thing, to cherish hold and love.

The one in Christ will sacrifice, she’s sent from God above.

She’ll hold your hand through thick and thin and help you on your way,

She’ll bear your load on the weary road, ever your guide and stay.

And as you travel down that path to reach your heavenly home,

She’ll be your friend to the very end, when earth no more you roam.

Oh yes, a sister’s ever there, your joys and cares she’ll gladly share,

She is a gift from God, you see,

My sister’s always there for me.

Nancy is the wife of Bill Goring, gospel preacher for the Chipman Road church of Christ. She has 4 children, 11 grandchildren and has taught Bible class for over 40 years, published several books including: Behavior Becoming Holiness: Studies in Titus Chapter 2 and Overcoming our Self-Imposed Prisons.

If you cannot comment on this, and would like to, or see other posts by Nancy, go to the Facebook page: Sister to Sister



Fellowship with our Sisters Involves Sacrifice!

    
NancyGoring~
Nancy is the wife of Bill Goring, gospel preacher for the Chipman Road church of Christ. She has 4 children, 11 grandchildren and has taught Bible class for over 40 years, published several books including: Behavior Becoming Holiness: Studies in Titus Chapter 2 and Overcoming our Self-Imposed Prisons.
If you cannot comment on this, and would like to, or see other posts by Nancy, go to the Facebook page: Sister to Sister.

     Ephesians  5:1-2 tells us, “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling savour.” Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice to God on our behalf. He committed no sin but He bore the sins of the world that we might have opportunity to have a home in heaven with God. What will we be willing to sacrifice for Him? Still yet, what will we be willing sacrifice for our sisters in Christ? Fellowship with our sisters in Christ involves sacrifice.
 
     Ananias and Saphira were Christians who wanted to hold back for themselves, even when others were in need, unlike the many brethren who gave everything and shared with those who had nothing (Acts 5:1-11). The widow gave her two mites, which was her entire living (Mark 12:42-44). These are just a couple of examples of monetary sacrifice that Christians made. But what about simple sacrifices that we might make daily; sacrifices for our sisters? Will we give of our time to help a sister? Time is a precious today. Are we willing to sacrifice a little? Will we go visit our sister in the hospital? Will we take her to a doctor’s appointment? Will we watch her child while she has an appointment? Will we take food to her if she had had a child or had an illness? Will we clean her house as she recovers from surgery? Will we volunteer to cut out visual aids for her for Bible classes? Will we take her class when she is sick? Will we hold her hand when she lies upon her deathbed? How much are we willing to sacrifice? If we truly believe that fellowship is a sharing of our common life, we will do all of these things. When you consider the sacrifice our Lord and Savior made for us, don’t these sacrifices seem rather trivial? God gave us sisters to bear one another’s loads. Galatians 6:2 commands us to bear one another’s burdens and in so doing, we will fulfill the law. Remember how Moses’ hands grew heavy from holding them up in the air so that the Israelites could win the battle against the Amalekites, and his brother Aaron and the elder Hur helped support his hands until the evening? Joshua was able to defeat Amalek and his men (Exodus 17:12).  It becomes difficult to bear a burden after some time, but with the help of loving sisters we may be able to do so! Our sister may need help carrying her burden. If we are willing to sacrifice and help them bear their burdens and lighten their loads, we will be built up as a church. They, in turn, will support us when we need help. In the song, “Blest Be The Tie That Binds,” one of the verses says, “ We share our mutual woes, our mutual burdens bear, and often for each other flows, the sympathizing tear.” Can you cry with your sister? We should be able to do that.

    
     God gave us sisters in Christ to help us through this life. We will never regret the sacrifices we make for our sisters. We only have each other for a brief time here on this earth. Let’s make the most of that time! We will never regret the sacrifices we make for our Lord. We cannot begin to sacrifice as much as He did for us, but when we sacrifice for His children we are doing it for Him. Jesus tells us that when we do these kind and loving things for His children, we have essentially, done it unto Him! (Matthew 25:34-40). I am so thankful to God for giving me wonderful sisters who care for me and will be there for me in time of joy and in time of sorrow.