I love the word “gentle.” Do you? Jesus told His disciples one day, “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let Me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for…… Continue Reading
Author Archives: Marilyn
The Promise of GOD’S TENDER CARE – Lesson 8 – August 7 – 14
What mental image comes into your mind when you think about the idea of “tender care”? It may be the picture of a new mother contentedly rocking her little one to sleep or it may be an elderly husband sitting at the bedside of his critically ill wife and gently touching her arm, reassuring her…… Continue Reading
Hopeful or Hopeless? – Lesson 7
“Let’s just wait, watch and see what God will do.” She said it often. She meant it. Even when her diagnosis was first lung cancer and then a few years later brain cancer, she knew that God would be faithful. My friend would often encourage us by reminding us that God is always at work.…… Continue Reading
“The Promise for A FUTURE and A HOPE”- Introduction Lesson 7 – July 31 – Aug. 7
It has been said “that we can live 40 days without food, 8 days without water, 4 minutes without air, but only a few seconds without hope.” What is it about hope that makes it so essential to our lives? Obviously, it is far more than wishful thinking or having an optimistic outlook. The dictionary…… Continue Reading
Can You Offer Forgiveness? Lesson 6
What would you say are some of the most important phrases that you have ever heard or spoken? Right up there at the top of my list are 1) “I’m sorry.” and 2) “You are forgiven.” The joy that comes when I can admit that I made a mistake or bad choice is remarkable. The…… Continue Reading
The Promise of FORGIVENESS – Intro to Lesson 6 – July 24 – 31
In the words of C.S. Lewis, “We all agree that forgiveness is a beautiful idea until we have to practice it.” It is so much easier to talk about it than to really offer it to someone who has hurt or offended us in some way. The tendency is to harbor the resentment, feed the…… Continue Reading
How Do You Handle Change? – Lesson 5
Lots of change simply happens, doesn’t it? You look in the mirror one day and realize that there is more evidence of the aging process than you had realized. You look at your children and think, “how did they get to be the age that I still feel I am?” You talk at the dinner…… Continue Reading
The Promise of GOD’S FAITHFULNESS – Lesson 5 – July 17 – 24
Change is inevitable, isn’t it? Sometimes it is welcome and exciting. At other times it is disappointing and painful. It can be a huge stimulus to personal growth and bring new relationships with it or it can bring on times of grief and loss. Often we look forward to and plan our lives around changes…… Continue Reading
Finding Contentment – Lesson 4
Would you agree that joy and contentment are almost inseparable? It’s really impossible to have one without the other, isn’t it? Perhaps one of them does come before the other, however, and that may be why Paul wants his readers to grasp how very important it is to understand that true contentment (not passivity or…… Continue Reading
The Promise of STRENGTH – Intro to Lesson 4 – July 10 – 17
Do you have any idea what the synonyms for “inner strength” are in a Thesaurus? Here they are: self-assurance, positive self-image, and aplomb. If that is the kind of fortitude and stability that you are seeking, there are a vast amount of resources available for you – books, classes, articles, counselors, and online materials. No…… Continue Reading