Ordinary women

“I don’t know what kind of courage it took thousands of years ago, but I know how courageous women need to be today.”

Beth Moore. 

A peak from tonight's study. 

If you could see our faces around this dining room table, I wonder what you would think. From the outside, we might look ordinary.  Don’t be let our pretty faces misled you. We are strong, capable, faithful, and funny. It is not because of our goodness. It is because of our good and generous God. It is because we rely on God to give us strength, wisdom, discernment, and courage. So grateful for this summer’s Bible study. We are nearing the end of our children of the Day Study. I and 2 Thessalonians. 

Wordless Wednesday

flawless

" Every word of God is flawless; 
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him."
Proverbs 30:5 ( NIV)

Pet of the week, Yale

Yale is this week's pet. What dog would be able to sit quietly in a church service?   Easy, once a  Labrador Retriever is trained! 

Last weekend, I met Ashley at a Priscilla Shirer Conference. Ashley is a visually impaired woman who relies on Yale's faithful and obedience service.

The women at the conference did not distract Yale. He was focused on looking at Ashley.  Then I was impressed how Ashley... this sweet young woman was praising God.

Priscilla Shirer was not distracted by the guide dog.
Instead, she was interrupted by a loud mobile phone. 

If Teacups Could Talk

In 1994, Emilie Barnes penned a book titled, If Teacups Could Talk: Sharing A Cup of Kindness

With Treasured Friends.  

If the teacups from today's party were able to talk, they would be tittering and laughing as they recalled different streams of conversation. They would be impressed at how friends helped brewed tea, serve cookies, remind the hostess to take items from the oven, toss trash, gushed over cute shoes, and help with clean up.   They would talk most about the love, laughter, and acts of kindness for a friend. 

Wordless Wednesday

Twitter

One of my July goals was to open a Twitter account.   I needed some help.

While I was taking a nap in the hotel in Omaha, my husband and son in law created my Twitter account.  My twitter account is @akaiu78.

More than tweeting, I enjoy reading tweets from Priscilla Shirer, Beth Moore, and John Piper. Their tweets are a mix of inspirational, funny, and reflective.

My new Twitter account came in handy at last week’s  Priscilla Shirer Women's Conference. I absolutely love Priscilla Shirer tweeter handle… just a girl …with a Sword.  Reading her tweets what like having some inside information.   J Like her 142K followers... 

Why does she reference the Sword?  Here is the scripture reference.

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints, and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

Last weekend's teaching challenged me to put into practice some important spiritual principals. Studying God's word is always more that attending the conference... it about applying the truth from God's word. 

What about other tweets ...

According to a San Antonio based market research firm Pear Analytics, there are some categories of tweets …

Pointless babble        40%

Conversational          38%

Pass along value        9%

Self promotion           6%

Spam                          4%

News                           4%

I forgot, why did I open a Twitter account?

Monday Musings, Gallup

On a sprawling campus in Omaha, Nebraska is the operational headquarters of Gallup, Inc.  The world headquarters are in Washington, D.C. The offices of Gallup are not limited to the U.S. They have 40 offices in more than 20 countries. According to one online source, Gallup employees about 2,000 .

This Gallup site in Omaha, Nebraska.  Gallup University is also located on the the same campus. 

Why are we so familiar the Gallup? If we pay attention to polls that track opinions concerning political, social, and economic issues, then we know about Gallup. This company has been in operation since 1935. One online source reports that they conduct 1,000 interviews a day, 350 days out of a year, on landlines and cell phones in the US.

Why the interest in polls? Polls can reveal information on important issues of the day.

Last week, I picked up a recent issue of CT (Christianity Today)  On the cover of the magazine, one article caught my eye. What article? Workplace Bias is Real. This article details how one experiment with 9.600 resumes showed that religious discrimination is alive and well.

Bradley R. W. Wright and Michael Wallace conducted a large-scale field study to test for religious discrimination in one area of public life: the job application process.  The results of the survey were shocking. I was expecting one result, yet I found something totally different.

Interested in the article? Look online for CT Christianity Today June 2104. 

Sunday Scripture ... Have you never heard?

Have you never heard?

Have you never understood?

The LORD is the everlasting God,

the creator of all the earth.

He never grows weak or weary.

 No one can measure the depths of his understanding.

He gives power to the weak

and strength to the powerless.

Even youths will become weak and tired,

and young men will fall in exhaustion.

But those who trust in the LORD will find new strength.

They will soar high on wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary.

They will walk and not faint.

Isaiah 40: 28 – 31 ( NLT)

St. Martin of Tours
Church is in Omaha, Nebraska