Loving Jesus and loving people

Last night we had a few sad hearts at our Ladies Community Bible Study. For the past 10 weeks we've met every Thursday evening to study the book of Esther and it was time for it come to an end. By meeting together we've come to realize that as women we share a lot of the same desires, hurts, and yes we even share HOPE.

As one of the three facilitators for our group, I enjoyed getting to know these women better. To hear what drives them as well as sharing their application from what they had learned the week before. A motto I have tried hard to walk out and live for my own life with Christ is to love people right where they are at.

By being a facilitator I really stepped into the role of being a servant. As a servant for Christ, this study was not about me. I didn't write it, I didn't do hours and hours of research, but I must tell you the JOY I have received by serving these lovely women. The richest reward is hearing them share what they have learned and witness first hand some sadness as we departed.

Esther, It's Tough Being A Woman by Beth Moore has richly impacted our small community. We each recognize that we are women, GOD DESIGNED WOMEN, in OUR generation, for such a time as this. We all have a purpose and God's BEST is what we hunger for.

In the early quiet hours this morning, I decided to move into Galatians. The last two studies I've participated in has been the Old Testament and I FIRMLY believe we need both testaments. Yet it was time to meet with Jesus Christ this morning, in His word. I came away so blessed from this small book of 6 chapters, but something that just keeps floating in my thoughts is Galatians 5:6b NIV "The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love."

Last weekend you might recall that our daughter and granddaughter were with us and what a delightful time we had. On Saturday evening Abigail was making us birthday invitations and writing little notes to us as she had found my stack of sticky notes. She is 4 1/2 so you can just imagine the scribbles, along with her name written beautifully! But the profound thing is Sunday morning I shared with Abigail that I was going to use my sticky note in my bible for a book mark. I also said to her that Grandma really needed to know what it said, could she please tell me. "Grandma, it says, Help the Lord God and Love and Forgiveness."

Girlfriends, is that not a profound statement from a little gal that hasn't been in church for some time now. Her parents say it is so hard with little brother trying to juggle everything, Nolan will be 2 in June. But more importantly how true are her words? Aren't you and I conduits for Christ, and by being so aren't we helping Him? Doesn't Christ call us to love and to forgive?

Father God, thank You for speaking through the mouths of little children. Thank You for placing a heart of love in me to love You and to love others. Father, I truly believe that love is the best, it covers all, it heals. May I think upon whatever is true, noble, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. I love You Lord God and I thank You for Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Lovingly,
Yolanda Rogers
Higher Grounds