Devotional for the New Year

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.
~Proverbs 3:5-6
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We're fast approaching a brand new year. Yet another year looms before us, full of joys and sorrows, blessings and trials. That may seem scary to some-the thought that the unknown lies before them. But as for Christians, we're comforted and joyful-looking forward to the wonderful blessings that lie ahead. Sure, we know that there will be some disappointments, sorrows and trials, but we know that nothing occurs apart from our Lord's will-His good, pleasing and perfect will. His plans for us are always better than anything we could ever hope for, imagine, or plan for ourselves.(Eph. 3:20)

At the beginning of this year and throughout it, trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. There will be times that you have no idea why a certain circumstance is happening to you and you may feel like God couldn't possibly have His hand in it, working it all together for good. But let my testimony serve to remind you that our blessed Lord and Savior does work all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. Trust completely and wholeheartedly in Him. He's the only one who is completely trustworthy. He planned, before the foundation of the world, exactly what would happen to us and our families throughout this coming year. So, trust and look expectantly to what the Lord has planned for you this year! :)

During 2008, from the first day of it to the very last, in all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths! He has promised to do that. Everytime you face some big decision this coming year, before you do anything, ask God for guidance and for His will to be done in your life. Consult His Word, as well, to refresh yourself with what His commands, statutes and principles are. This will help you to make your decision in accordance with Him and His Word, in order to bring glory to Him. And do not make a decision and do something that is contrary to what God's Word clearly says, thinking that that's what the Lord is calling you to do. Just because He may not come down from heaven and personally punish you for what you're doing, doesn't mean that He's calling you to do what you're doing, and that it's His will. Because He will never ever call you to do something that is contrary to His commands!

In conclusion, don't fear the upcoming year! Look forward to it, knowing that God will be there with you and will be leading you every step of the way(Joshua 1:9 & Proverbs 16:9). Trust in Him fully and always and acknowledge Him and His will in everything!

My testimony of God's goodness and His trustworthiness

1. 
   I was born in Conroe, Texas, a city about 40 miles N of Houston. I enjoyed it tremendously-both sets of grandparents lived within about 5 miles from us, and so I grew up really enjoying spending the night with them, having big Christmas, birthday, and Thanksgiving get-togethers, and having some really special visits with them. I now have many blessed and very treasured memories that I will happily carry with me forever, memories that I look forward to sharing with my own children someday. We attended Mims Baptist Church, and there, I grew up with some dear friends. I enjoyed being a part of the children's choir, participating in Bible drill, and having parts in the musicals our children's choir put on. It was all so much fun and I thoroughly enjoyed my life there. The thought of us possibly moving never entered into my mind, and I just assumed that I would live there in Conroe forever.

   
   You can imagine my shock when my father began talking of us moving sometime. He became acquainted with the Chattanooga, Tennessee area and we made our first trip up there to "check it out" in 2001. I wasn't too worried about us ever moving there. I just thought that it was all a bunch of talk that would never amount to anything. A few years later, as we began preparing to move, however, my shock very quickly turned into grief, fear, sorrow and anger. I was very angry with my father for leading us to move. I was angry that (as I felt at the time) I was being torn away from my friends, my family, and my happy life. I cried myself to sleep some nights, just thinking about leaving my dear friends and precious family. I had some fear also as to what I would face in Tennessee- would I make friends? Would I hate it there? We moved on January 26th, 2005-I was 12 1/2 years old and in the 7th grade.

   
   I was so pleasantly surprised when I attended the first Wednesday night meeting of the youth group of our new church, Brainerd Baptist. The girls in my grade immediately welcomed me as if they had always known me and we soon became the best of friends. We had a great time together. However, something I thought would never happen happened. In the late spring/early summer of 2006, Daddy began talking about us changing churches. I thought, at first, that he was just joking for some reason. But he wasn't. Come to find out, the Lord had been working in his heart, changing his convictions to line them up in accordance with God's Word, showing Him the truth of the Doctrines of Grace, and showing him the sinfulness of our youth group and how detrimental it was. Then I discovered that he was searching online for reformed Baptist churches in our area. Once he found one, we would be changing churches and begin attending the reformed one. I was furious. I even remember(I'm ashamed to say) saying something to Daddy such as, "I can't believe you're doing this to me again! You've already torn me apart from my friends once; I can't believe you're doing it again!" I was so upset. I was so happy where I was and didn't even want to think about leaving my friends again. I began to think I must be dreaming-this definitely couldn't be happening again. Could it?

   
   Daddy ended up hearing about a family who was going to begin a reformed theology Bible study on Friday nights, in the hopes that the interested families would one day begin a reformed baptist church. We attended the first Bible study, which was held the first Friday in September 2006. There were 6 other families besides us there. When we began attended the Bible studies, I was so bitter and upset. However, the family who began the Bible studies were planning on beginning the reformed church in the spring of 2008. In the meantime, I thought, I could still attend Brainerd on Sundays and Wednesdays, so things wouldn't really be any different. Plus, I thought, with their plan being so far in the future, things would probably fall through before then. So, I began to calm down and return back to my happy self. However, plans changed, and we began meeting together as a congregation on December 10th, 2006. I was so upset! There would be no more Sundays at Brainerd.

   
   It has now been almost a year and a half since we began meeting together for Bible studies, and our church has been an actual congregation for a year. And I couldn't be happier! I praise God and thank Him every single day for taking me from Texas and for then taking me from Brainerd Baptist and placing me instead in this new wonderful, wonderful church. I not see how detrimental the youth group at Brainerd was. It was very unBiblical. The guys and girls there thought about nothing but who was dating who, what boy liked what girl, etc. I praise God for taking me out of and rescuing me from that place. Since the church change, the Lord has introduced me to Vision Forum and has radically changed me and my convictions. Without knowing it, I had become feministic in some areas. The Lord, in His grace and mercy, has shown me the sinful error of my ways and my past convictions.

   
   Unless God had drawn me out of Texas and out of Brainerd, I never would have been changed. And I never would have met the sweet, likeminded families in our church. They are such dear people. I wish I could say that during the two moves, I had been fully and wholeheartedly trusting in my Sovereign Lord and His perfect plans, and was completely yielded to His will, and not my own. I also am ashamed to say that I was not fully submitting or honoring to my earthly father during the two ordeals. I was terribly unhonoring and did not joyfully submit to him as I should have. I'm so thankful that the Lord grabbed a hold this vile, wicked, wretched heart and changed it and its convictions, to put them in accordance with His Word. I was stubborn, unyielding and angry at Him for moving me-not once, but twice. I'm so ashamed of how I acted during those times. But I'm so thankful that the Lord was patient with me, and didn't allow me to have my own way and what I wanted, but rather moved me and by doing so, forever changed me. Praise Him for His goodness!

   
   I wanted to share this testimony with you, in hopes that the Lord would use it to teach you the following lessons:
   1.The Lord has always been and will always be completely trustworthy. You can always trust in His plans for you, and know that they are for your good, even if it doesn't always seem like it.
   2.God's plans for you are and will always be better than you could ever imagine, hope for, or plan for yourself.

   
   Just trust in Him-He will never let you down!

Any further posts will be referred to Maydenfair.com. Please, referr to that website. If for some reason you cannot log in there, you can continue to post here, and I will transferr it to Maydenfair.com.

www.maydenfair.com

Have a blessed New Year!

Ours subject this month is....A Mayden is Honorable.

Until next time,
Laura H

Website has Arrived!

Hello to all! The website for Mayden Fair has finally arrived! It is not as fancy or well put together yet, like blogger here, but it is at least better because it has several pages of things you want to look at.

Anyway, here is the link to the website! http://www.maydenfair.com/ I hope you will come to visit us! And the authors, you can contact me, if you wish to continue on in this adventure!

Until later, I remain yours in Christ,
Laura H.

In Whatsoever State...

In Whatsoever State
By Jaclynn R.

“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.” Philippians 4:11

Have I truly learned to be content with where God has placed me? With all He has chosen to bless me with, do I still have unfulfilled desires and wants? The biggest desire of many young girls is to be married and become a wife and mother. It certainly has been a big desire of mine. It can become discouraging as you wait for the right guy to come along. Even more so as you get older and older and you wonder if God will ever bless you with marriage. So where do we find contentment and what do we do with the desire? Being content is, in a sense being in a state of peace. Christ is the author of peace. Chris is our joy. He is our life— our true love. Having a husband could bring us much happiness, but it can never bring true joy. Only Christ can give joy. Only in Christ is there true contentment. By surrendering our will and desires to Him (sometimes daily!0 we can find it and keep it. Marriage is not a solution to our problems (including loneliness) and it is not the key to satisfaction— Christ is.
God has a perfect plan for me and for you. I do know what it it is, but since I have surrendered my life to the Lord, I know He is in control and has the say in what life holds for me. Being a wife is a high and noble calling, bit it should not be our life’s goal. Marriage can be a beautiful thing in the sight of the Lord, but so can being single. If God never sends me a husband, I know He does not love me any less than my married sisters in Christ.
Christ said we are His bride and one day He will come for us. In the meantime, we should prepares just as the bride prepares for her bridegroom. While we are waiting, what do we do with our time? Romans 12:12 says we should be: “rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer.” In the same way, while we are waiting for our earthly bridegroom, we are to be becoming virtuous women, daily growing closer to the Lord. We can focus on becoming more equipped by learning home-making skills, learning how to take care of children, learning how to serve wherever God wants us to, and learning how to submit to our authority.
If you are not content while single, you will not be content when married. Life doesn’t begin when you become married. Life is happening right now! Paul, in 1 Corinthians 7, has a view on being single versus being married that I think would be helpful for all of us to read. Some of the points mentioned essentially say:
1. In troubled times, you are really better off being single— free to please only God.
2. If you do marry, you haven’t sinned; but take note: it’s not easy to have the necessary double allegiance of pleasing both God and husband.
3. Because time is so short, and the present form of this world is passing away: if you have a husband, love him and obey him, but live for eternity. Live for God. Don’t make it your life’s goal to be only a wife, nothing more.


(c) Jaclynn Robinson 2005

Originally written for Crystal N. Paine’s booklet entitled, A Maiden in Waiting, first published in March 2005.

Hi, Ladies!!

I sure have missed being here on Mayden Fair!! I was on vacation for Thanksgiving from November 15th through November 24, and for the few days following our arrival back home, we were extremely busy trying to get back into the swing of things. Then, last Thursday through Saturday, I was in a pioneer era reinactment (which was so much fun!!). Needless to say, I've been very very busy! And, to top it all of, I had had the beginnings of a cold last week, but that escalated to laryngitis due to the campfires (i.e. due to all the smoke) during the reinactment. I'm beginning to recover, but I still have all of the symptoms of a cold. :( So, that is why I haven't been here on Mayden Fair in a while! But, rest assured- I didn't forget about you all, and it sure is good to be back! :)

I need info........

Help me please!I need to have some information or experiences on homebirth vs. hospital birth. And I need it within the next 8 days. I have a persuasive paper to write, before the school quarter ends, on December 13th. Any or all information would be useful! Please help! Even if it is a second hand information on homebirth and hospital birth.


Thankyou and God bless you!

Laura H.

Recipes, Please!

I know this is not on the scheduled topic, but I need some recipes........

Dear Friends and Family,

I have a project that I am doing with my sisters. We are collecting a whole bunch of holiday favorite recipes. I am asking if you would be willing to share some of your family tradition favorite recipes. I am compiling them, to give away as gifts to family members, and friends. If you have any to share, please email them to me or put in the comment section. 1 or more is great. I would really like to see what you all like for the Holidays!Cookies, cakes, bars, balls, main dishes, snacks, breakfast,etc. Please share anything that is your family favorites for the holidays.Please put them in the comment section of the posting, or email them to me!

Laura H.

lmh4him@hotmail.com

A Mayden is.... Content!

Ok, I am changing around December and March. We are doing Contentment now, and Kind in March. Is that ok with everybody? I know that I am not the only one who can write about things on this subject. So, let out your hearts, dear ladies, and we will learn from eachother.

Laura H. Administrator

Please Pray!

I know, I have been doing this alot lately, but I feel like if we storm the gates of Heaven, maybe miracles can happen.

Ok, here it goes. I have developed a friendship with a young man, name will remain anonymous, via email. He lives on the other side of the country. For now, he just wants us to just be friends. Who knows what the future will hold.

I want you to pray that I will have the wisdom to be a sister in Christ, and a friend to him, while we are writing together. He is a great guy, and loves his family, and God. I would like to meet him in person, of course, but that is kinda impossible, since he lives in Georgia and I live in Washington State.

Oh, where did I meet him? On the Homeschool Alumni website. I have a page there, and I am greatly enjoying my time on there, meeting some new friends and finding some old friends too. I didn't know anything like this existed, but it does. You would all appreciate it!

So, if you sisters would pray for me, as I gain more wisdom to save my heart until the right time, and just be a friend to him, while he needs it! We have been doing bible studies together, and talking about everyday things, so nothing serious has come up yet! There are many things we have in common!

Got to go! Getting ready for school!

One of the Maydens-
Laura H.

He is writing my story

… And the plot He has in mind sometimes has nothing to do with what I would have written. His plans often disagree with mine, and sometimes leave me puzzled for a long time, wondering and asking: "what is it that You want me to do? What is the lesson You are trying to teach me?"

Sure, had I been given an author's license over my life, I probably would have made a completely different story of it. I would have had myself born into a big, warm, loving, strong-knit and deeply religious family, residing somewhere in the beautiful countryside. There would have been no core disagreements between myself and my parents and siblings.Had I been able to write my own story, it would have included being faithfully guided and instructed by my parents from a young age, never lacking in feeling of security and abundance. At the age of 18, I would have planned meeting Prince Charming, courtship with the blessing of my family, marriage, and two sweet children – a boy and a girl – by the time I was 21.

I would not have chosen for myself a fatherless childhood, growing up with a mother who did her best – as the situation allowed – but was naturally tired and overwhelmed; many years of emotional and financial struggles; lack of instruction in the things most crucial and important for a young girl; rebellious years, which included every folly you can think of; pain and hardship, neglect and abuse, disappointment and sorrow, fear and despair. No, I would not have included all that in my story.

But He is the author – not me. And every day, he is writing another line, paragraph, chapter, making the story of my life unique and beautiful, and suited for His special plan. He includes darkness to accentuate light, and allows misery so that joy and hope can shine brighter. Like a painter, He chooses the loveliest colors; like a sculptor, He carves rough stone into a beautiful statue.

Sometimes, I involuntarily stop in my tracks, turn to Him and say: "You made a mistake. See, it was supposed to happen this or that way. And this wasn't even supposed to happen – what are You thinking?"But today, I will try to find peace and put my life in His hands. I will try to enjoy the story He is writing, without forcing my own humble suggestions if I see they don't fit in His plan. I will try to let go of anxiety and frustration, bitterness and resentment, fretfulness and desire to be in control. Today, I will drop my pen and become a faithful reader, a reader who enjoys and delights in every word and every bend and turn in the story, not taken aback by the unexpected, not broken by the undesirable.He is writing my story. And yours, too! Are you delighting in yours?

A Lesson in Patience

Ladies, please forgive me for just now posting this! It's a little late.......

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My mom recently learned a lesson in patience, and I wanted to share it with you, in hopes that through it you will see just how important it is to wait on the Lord! This story may seem like a small thing to you, but it was really really neat for us!

Back in January, Mama had contacted a local cabinet maker. She wanted him to make her a big bookcase for our den. She knew he was a very busy man, and that she would therefore have to wait a couple months for him to be ready to come by to pick up her drawing for the bookcase. But she was not prepared for how long it really took, and she began to grow impatient. Month after month rolled by, with no word from him. She called and called and called some more and all he would ever say was that he was really busy but would get to her as soon as possible. More months went by, and more calls were made, and nothing happened. One day, a few weeks ago, she called once more. A man who works for the cabinet maker answered the phone. They talked for a few minutes about the bookcase and about the cabinet maker's schedule. One of the last things this man said before they hung up was, "Well, there's a reason for everything. Obviously there's some reason why it's taken so long." And indeed, there was.

About a week or two ago, Mama was looking at her drawing of her desired bookcase, as she had many times in the past, just to check and make sure once again that there was nothing at all that she wanted to change about it. For the very first time, she discovered that there actually was something that needed changed! And do you know what happend?! You can probably guess! Just a couple short hours after Mama discovered the change that needed to be made, the cabinet maker called letting her know that he was ready to stop by to pick up the drawing, so that he could get to work on the bookcase. Mama was amazed!!! She knew that that was the Lord. He had taught her a lesson that I know she will never forget!

What might have happened if the Lord had allowed her to have her way, and she could've gotten her bookcase started in a much shorter time? She would have paid for a bookcase that wasn't what she truly wanted. She would have been upset, sad, possibly even angry. But the omnipotent Lord God Whom we serve, knew what was best for her, and thus He made her wait. He taught her a valuable lesson in patience!

So, dear ladies, let this true story serve as a reminder and inspiration to you, especially during those times of long waiting. The Lord always knows what is best for us! All we need to do is trust in Him, be patient, and wait for His perfect timing.

Count It All Joy......

I know this is not on the schedule, but I wanted to share this with you. I think it goes right along with our prayer month and everything!

Hi, thought I would keep you all up to date on the progressions of my cousin Darcy and family, after the news of the fire! What a tragedy, but they are counting it all joy!

They do not need anything except prayers. If you feel so inclined to give anything, gift cards from Walmart, Fred Myer and Home Depot would be greatly appreciated. I cannot imagine loosing everything to a fire, and then having the whole church come to your aid with clothing, food and offers of shelter. Darcy said it is overwhelming the responses she is getting because of this tragedy.

Some of the responses were not so favorable, however! Below is a response to a letter she wrote to her uncle, explaining why God would do this to people. It is an overwhelming and uplifting response. I thought you would enjoy it!(Don't worry, I got the author's permission to share this!) (The white is her uncle asking the questions!)
-------------------------------------------------
RE: Count it all joy...
Dear uncle,
Thanks for the encouragement about the rings. we're going to start sifting though the mess with a metal detector on Saturday, so wish us luck!
As for the rest of your note, I understand you are concerned about us, but I just can't let it go without replying to some of your assumptions and statements. I took the time to read your letter, now I hope you take the time to glimse into my heart.
(She had answered some personal questions here, that I thought discrete to leave out!)

First of all, you said "God did not make your trailer burn down; God did not burn up your belongings either. It was an accident, or just something went wrong - God did not make it happen"I completely agree with you. It was an accident. But God uses these "accidents" and the trials in our lives to make us stronger and draw us closer to Him. Good can come from every situation if we have the eyes to look for it. As a matter of fact, I believe that God MAKES good come if we let Him. Do you have any idea what this trial has done for us, for our family and friends? We have grown closer and stronger than we've ever been. It's caused us to see how temporary the things in this life are and what's really important. Do you know what's really important in this life, or has your worry over the things you own obscured that?

You said God is not in control of your decisions to do the right things, to make sure you are protected, and that if something like this happens it is not an unrecoverable disaster. I will also tell you both this - it is foolish to go through life thinking that God is in control and thinking "I don't have to do anything and God will provide, make everything better and protect me". Of course God is not in control of our decisions...He relinquished that when He gave us the capability to MAKE decisions. It is our job to make wise choices, but sometimes even when we do, things happen anyways. I believe that we're in a partnership with God when it comes to our lives. He asks us to make wise choices and be responsible and we ask Him to take care of what we can't. Sometimes He lets us suffer from the consequences of our actions and sometimes He saves us from them. It's all about our hearts and what we most need. That's what it means to have a relationship with the God who created us. Never in my life have I thought "I don't need to do anything and God will provide." Instead i think "I will be responsible and do the best I can with what I have and trust that God's heart towards me is good, and whatever happens in my life happens for a reason." But maybe you don't believe that God's heart toward you is good. Maybe you think He's just up there somewhere and doesn't really care what you do as long as you try to be a good person and maybe go to church once in a while. If that's your veiw of God I feel sorry for you. The God I know "knows the number of the hairs on your head." (Matthew 10:30)

You said You both have two lovely little girls that you must protect and provide for. God will not provide for them, it is your job to do that. You have to work, and be responsible and not wait for God to provide - you have to provide for yourselves and those two little girls - God did not create those little girls you two did - and it is your responsibility to provide for them.
But God DID provide for our little girls...He gave them parents who love them and only want the best for them. He gave them a daddy who works his tail off to provide a comfortable home, good food, and nice clothes. Of course we have to work...but God provides the work. He gives us the strength and the love to be able to provide for our children. The Bible says "every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from the Father above." (James 1:17) Do you dare to think that the blessings in your life are all a product of your hard work and your good choices? How arrogant! We are nothing without God and it is He who blesses our endeavors, even when we ignore Him and take the credit. And God DID create our girls...if you don't believe me, read Psalm 139.

You said Praying will not make this better, only your hard work and taking from this the lessons that YOU have to be in control of your life and you ARE in control of what you do and how you do it, and YOU are responsible to provide. Do you really believe that prayer accomplishes nothing? Do you think that God cares so little for us that pouring our our hearts to Him doesn't do any good? Do you really think that you can be in complete control of your life? Is your Jesus so small that you think He's left us on our own to figure out this "unforgiving" life and lick our wounds by ourselves? That's a scary place to be and I don't envy you in the least.

You said just go ask the hundreds of thousands of people in California who are battling to save their lives today. I can tell you this, they are protected and it is not God who will provide for them, it will be the insurance companies. So you would rather put your trust in men and their insurance policies. How is that "taking control of your life" when you're placing your life and everything you own in the hands of imperfect men who aren't out to help you or do anything but make money? I'll take my chances with God. (by the way, I have nothing against insurance, just the inconsistancies of your thinking.)

Now let me answer your questions:
Did prayer save your belongings?; did it save your wedding rings?
Since when is the purpose of prayer to get what we want? I didn't ask people to pray for that. I asked to pray for US...that we would see the good even in tragedy...that we would be drawn closer to one another and closer to God...that we would know what direction to go and what step to take next.

What have you learned from all this?
That everything we have is temporary. That the things that matter the most in our lives cannot be destroyed by fire. That God is good and He does work miracles, even little things that we wouldn't think matter to Him. That even in the midst of tragedy, there is always hope. Remember the garnet cross that your mother always wore around her neck? My mom gave it to me for my 21st birthday and it was in the trailer when it burned. The next day, Sky and I were kicking through the outskirts of the rubble when we saw something sparkling in the sun. There, lying on top of unrecognizable ashes was Nana's cross. It wasn't even blackened. The nightstand and jewelry box it was in were nothing but ashes. Coincidence? Or God speaking healing to our hearts just when we needed it?

You call youself a Christian. Do you even know what that means? You say you believe in Jesus. Do you even know who He is? Christianity is more that a ticket to heaven or a moral codebook. It's a way of life, an active relationship with a living God. A God who created us, cares about us, and calls us His children. Sky and I have that kind of relationship with Jesus, and so do our friends. Do you? Are you confident that your heart matters to Him? That what happens in your life matters to Him? Do you live every day with the knowledge that "neither life nor death, nor angels nor principalities, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord"? Or are you too busy trying to control your life to even think about such things?
Jesus said He came to give us abundant life. Do you think you can find that apart from Him? God's heart toward us is good...it is always good. He allows us to suffer from our mistakes, learn from them, and press on. My Jesus not only died so that I could be free, He LIVED so that I could know what it really means to live. I do not live in fear. Fear of getting to the end of my life and wondering if I mattered. Fear of losing things that seem important but in the end are just things. I know that I am investing into my life and my children's lives the things that really matter...love, faith, hope, and joy. Those are the "possesions" that can never be burned up. At the end of your life, what would you rather your kids said. "My dad had lots of cool stuff, bought plenty of insurance, and now I get it all," or "My dad taught me what it means to truly love, to live life with joy, no matter what the circumstances." All the insurance in the world can't compare to that.
I appreciate your concern and understand that you love us and want what's best for us. But your fears are misplaced. Call me a religious fanatic, but at least I'm a joyful, happy religious fanatic. while everything else in this life can be taken away from me, my joy can never be taken away. My love for a God who knew me before I was even born can never be taken away. Even when I don't understand why things in my life happen the way they do, I know for certain that God is in control and that His heart towards me is only good. I pray that you can find that same joy and confidence that can only be found in Jesus Christ.
Your loving neice,
Darcy =)
----------------------------------------
Wow, isn't that great! God has certainly been with my cousin, and I thank the Lord on my knees for that! I can see that the Lord is with them, and will continue to provide!

Have a great day, and may you be encouraged as I have!
Laura H.

Prayer Request!

I know this is a little early, but this is very important!

My cousin Darcy and her husband Sky, and their two daughters, Kailey and Faith, lost their home to a fire today. All they owned went up in smoke, and was buried. Why is it that a family, who loves God, that something like this is happening to a christian family? Darcy was in town, with the babies, shopping and Sky was at work, when the trailer went up. Please keep them in your prayers, as they are now homeless, and without their cherished possessions. At least they have God, to comfort them. And their babies will be without their clothes!

So, petition the Lord on their behalf, as they assess the situation, and find what the Lord wants them to do!

Laura H.

A Mayden Is....Prayerful!

Yes, we are coming up on that new topic again. I think this is the most important subject yet! Being prayerful is one of the most important links to the Heavenly Father! Therefore, as Maydens, let us encourage eachother, by praying for eachother. That is what I think A Mayden is Prayeful should be about, praying for eachother!

What do you think? I will write done my pray to you all on here, when November comes around and let us see how many voices will lift to Heaven. Those who are not authors but wish to participate, please email one of us, with the subject, A Mayden is Prayerful, asking for prayer requests and such. We would be glad to do this. November is Prayer month!

Have a great Day!

Laura H

Lord Give Me Patience!

I know I haven't been on in a while. I have been busy. Well today, I had to stay home from school because my ride got sick. So I get to write with you all today! Hallelujah!
-------------------------------------------------------
Patience means waiting!
What do I mean by this? I mean, we have to realize that we do not get the gratification we want at the moment, but have to wait for the time when the Lord thinks it is right for them to obtain it.
We ask the Lord to give us patience, but He doesn't give us Patience, He gives us the opportunity to learn patience! Life is full of lessons needing to be learned, and if we need to have a virtue, the only way we are going to receive it, is by learning with the hardships and trials that the Lord sets before us to grow!
Begging the Lord to send us the right man, saying we are ready for him, not realizing that maybe we have a lesson in patience and humilty to learn! And whatever lesson he has for us, it is for our good!
I found that I do not like my college experience, and therefore am asking God to do everything He can short of causing me to become invalid, to get me out of the situation. But I have heard the voice inside me say, " Finish out the Quarter, this is your lesson in patience!" Very well, Lord, if that is your wish!" He doesn't want me to be there, and I am getting a lot of flack from feminist family members, who think I need to be properly socialized. But the wishes of my Dad and my God come first!
So, what am I going to do in the meantime? Wait patiently for the Lord to reveal it to me! In that meantime, I am working on getting my first book published! Hallelujah! That also requires a great deal of patience!
May God be with us, and give us continuous lessons of Patience for us to learn!
In Christ,
Laura H

The Waiting Game

When I think of patience, the first thought that pops into my mind is typically that of short term patience--the waiting in a long, annoying line type of patience. There are so many little irritating situations that might come up day to day that require a bit of patience on our parts,but, truly, patience is much more than that. Patience is about persevering with a joyful heart when times are tough, waiting on God's time for blessings that might be to come, and using this time He has provided to prepare effectively for what the future might hold. Many times in my life, I have sought God's counsel on this or that choice/plan, only to be told to wait. Several times I was deeply disappointed when I had to wait for something yet again, but came to realize through more time in prayer and reading the Word, that there are tasks I must undertake to be ready for what has in store for me. God's timing is perfect, and He always knows what we are ready for, even when we may think otherwise. Learning to humbly submit to the "waiting game" He may have in store for us at different points in life is so very important.

There are many events in life that we quite naturally have to wait for, and seeing God's perfect plans in action are just marvels to me. As children we must submit to our parent's authority and wise leadership as we are not ready to lead ourselves. The blessings of knowledge and wisdom come from learning, watching, and waiting. We wait again as young ladies to see what path in life God might be calling us to. Our future husbands are people we must wait to meet and marry, and our callings as wives & helpmeets something we must spend ample time preparing for. When our newlywed minds begin hoping & praying to have children, waiting happens yet again. We must wait on God's time to be blessed with a little one in the womb, and must wait many months to meet this new member of the family. All during this waiting, our time must be spent patiently growing and learning for our impending motherhood joys. By God's wise design, much of our lives, particularly our youth, is spent waiting, growing, and preparing ourselves for blessings and callings to come in the future. Submitting ourselves to His will allows us to develop our character and to learn of & develop our gifts to better serve God & our families, both now and in the future. We have wonderful opportunities to not only prepare for the future might hold, but to accept our waiting game with patience, humility, and contentment, and honor our Heavenly Father while doing so. Our patient waiting can bring us many fruitful blessings: answered prayers, spiritual maturity, wisdom, hope, and the deep pleasures of knowing and relying on our King more & more.

When our Heavenly Father tells you to wait, delight in this opportunity He has given you and do your best to accept this time with a joyful heart. Take the time to speak with Him daily, finding out what you might need to learn or master for the future. Seek His will and look around you to see what special help you might be able to assist people with. Know that even though you are waiting, you are not wasting your time or remaining idle in your place. God has a special plan for you right in the spot He has put you in for this bit of time. And do remember, you are in good company as many of God's dearest children had times of trial and patient waiting in their lives. Abraham, Job, and Jesus are just a few of those called to a such a season, and each of their stories can serve as good encouragement to us. :o)


Picture Credit

Haven't forgotten you....

I haven't forgotten you! I have just been so busy with school, that I haven't had time, to write. But next weekend, I will be able to, so keep holding on until then!

Laura H

Preserving patience through times of challenge

I think a great part of being patient comes through trusting God and submitting to His will always, knowing He loves us and knows best. So today, I want to share with you a post I wrote a while back on my blog:

***
When we pray with all our heart for something, and it just doesn't happen, what do we feel? An unmarried woman praying for a husband; a woman struggling with infertility and crying out to God; a family praying for the healing of a dear sweet child; what are they supposed to do, when they feel their prayers have been left unanswered?

I know several people in such situations; they turn to God, and from the sacred deeps of their hearts, they beg: 'Please, dear God. Just let it happen. My life is worthless if you won't make it happen'. And sometimes the childless are left childless, the unmarried walk the path of life alone despite all their efforts, and our loved ones leave us. I know people who have distanced themselves from God because they feel He hasn't been listening to them. 'I was faithful, I was a true believer, I prayed… but He didn't keep His end of the bargain!'

I believe that this attitude comes from perceiving God as someone who is inclined to punish us, someone harsh and merciless, rather than the kind, loving Father He is to all of us. Our souls are laid out in front of him like an open book. He didn't bring us into this world for a life of misery. He wants us to be happy, contented, industrious and productive.

Does it mean we will always get what we want? No.

There have been several times in my life when I wanted something badly, up to the point when I thought I can't live without it. Then my wish came true and… it made me miserable! Yes, that very thing I pursued with every beat of my heart. The thing I claimed I can't live without. How can it be?

Obviously, not everything we want is right for us. I remember when I was little, I told my mother that 'when I grow up I will have lots of money and will spend it all on sweets'… well, now that more than a few years have passed, I've realized I'm probably never going to have a lot of money – which doesn't bother me the least bit – and I will certainly not waste it all on sweets!

Suppose I will become a mother someday, God willing. Imagine me, some years from now, walking down the street with my adorable daughter. In the window of a large shop, she notices a Bratz doll, and begs: 'oh, please, Mommy, can I have this doll? Pretty please!'; I take a good long look and see that the doll does not bring out the qualities I want to instill in my daughter for the years to come: modesty and a sweet, quiet, nurturing spirit of a future wife and mother. But how can I properly explain this to a 5-year-old? She begs and pleads and eventually throws a tantrum, and in the end turns her little tear-stricken face towards me, and screams: 'I hate you!'

How this breaks a mother's heart. And how God must feel when He knows our bitterness and resentment towards Him. We choose what's best for our children. Sometimes we can explain our actions. Sometimes we know they will not understand until they've grown up. This is when we ask them to trust our judgment. Trust. This is the key word. Sometimes it's difficult beyond measure; sometimes we just can't accept it. How can this be good, we ask? How can this be right? But we must learn to trust Him. This is probably the most important thing we will ever do.

Developing Patience

The word Patience is mentioned 34 times in the Bible, this does not include entries with the word Patient though!

The meaning of the word Patient or Patience generally means one of these:
to be of a long spirit, not to lose heart
to persevere patiently and bravely in enduring misfortunes and troubles
to be patient in bearing the offenses and injuries of others
to be mild and slow in avenging
to be longsuffering, slow to anger, slow to punish
constancy, endurance
steadfast waiting for
a patient enduring, sustaining, perseverance
endurance, constancy,
forbearance, longsuffering, slowness in avenging wrongs


I can honestly say that I am a more patient person now than I once was. But I still have very far to go! I know many other people who are way more patient than I am. The Lord taught me the most about patience through teaching my siblings and just generally being around my siblings. I used to get so frustrated (and I occasionally do still) when they were not understanding something, doing something, or not behaving as I thought they should. But God reminded me that He has been patient with me and expects me to be patient with others.
1Thessalonians 5:14 says to . . . be patient toward all men.


Patience is a virtue that requires much practice and the desire to acquire it along with daily prayer. I believe the Lord gives us many ways to practice patience daily. Think about your attitude and response when you are hot or tired and something or someone is being trying and things just aren't going well. I have the terrible habit of sort of holding it all in and then finally just blowing off all the steam which often means I say some things that are not very nice or thoughtful.
Romans 5: 3-5 is an excellent passage that says:
And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

Our tribulations are actually for our own good, God has allowed them to help us grow! They are working patience within us. A true story character this reminds me of is Katura in the book Princess in Calico* . She was a young girl who faced many hard things in life and seemingly much drudgery. But through victory in Christ and the tribulations she went through she developed such patience! She was a great witness to her family as she cared for them daily.

To me patience and waiting seem to almost always go hand in hand. Sound familiar? Lately, the Lord has been teaching me patience as I wait for:

* His will for my life. While the present is somewhat clear, the future is cloudy and I am one of those types of people that has a hard time not knowing what is around the next bend!

* Trying to find a car to purchase. I along with 2 of my siblings have been looking for over 2 months now trying to find a car that fits our budget and specifications. It has been a frustrating process to say the least but I know that the Lord cares about us even in smaller matters and He will provide.

* Last, but not least, is the continued patience I need to have as I wait on the Lord for the special one He has for me. Getting older (and some of you may chuckle because I am *only* 22) has made me at times almost desperate to find the one and to be married. But I know this attitude is not right. The Lord knows and His timing is perfect. I may never understand His ways completely, but His plan for me is to be patient and trust in Him.

Romans 8:24-25 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Patience

As we open yet another month, and talk about patience this time, I must make a confession to you ladies, and admit this is something I constantly struggle with. I'm terribly quick-tempered and easily annoyed when something doesn't go the way I want to. What a terrible character trait for anyone, especially for a woman who sees marriage and family as her goal!

In different points of our lives, we might need patience for various things, but it will still be very much needed nevertheless. Right now it might be in waiting for marriage, for our Prince Charming. Later on it will be needed for being considerate and gentle with out husbands and children, not losing patience after the umpteenth diaper or load of laundry. And there are of course many other things that have the potential to test our patience; every relationship we have, be it with a relative or friend; habits we are doing our best to cultivate – generosity, hospitality, neatness, orderliness – all of these require a great deal of patience.

So I decided that from now on, whenever I feel I'm approaching the point where I'm about to lose control, I will close my eyes, breathe deeply and make myself slow down. And I will ask myself the following questions:

* Do I have a good reason to be impatient, angry, frustrated? Probably not. Most likely what makes me annoyed is just a normal, average everyday thing.

* Even if I have real trials, it was all determined by God. Why can't I accept it with love and a patient smile?

* If I let myself go now, will I regret it in an hour? Probably.

* Do you think it is fun to live with someone so impatient? How can you ever become a good wife without cultivating the virtue of patience?

And here are a few practical methods I've been using lately myself, to train myself in patience and pleasantness. They have been helpful to me, and I would love to hear more suggestions from you, dear maidens!

* When I feel I'm going to lose my temper, I'm going to remain silent. If I can't say anything nice and peaceful, better say nothing. Even if it looks foolish or unfriendly, it's preferable to scathing remarks.

* I'm going to practice doing things that frustrate me; and I'm going to try to do them with a smile on my face! Examples: washing dishes, standing in a line in the supermarket, waiting for the bus.

* I'll do my best to be pleasant to others, even if they are unpleasant to me, and even if I'm tired, nervous or busy.

I'm wishing you a month - and a lifetime - of growing in this incredibly important virtue of patience, which comes hand in hand with maturity and controlling your whims, and which, if you invest in it now, will bless you and your loved ones beyond measure in the future, near and far, as daughters, sisters, wives, mothers, aunts, cousins and friends.

Quotes on Patience

Patience will achieve more than force.
Edmund Burke

Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast.
William Shakespeare

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.
Ecclesiastes 3:1


Patient waiting is often the highest way of doing God’s will.
Jeremy Collier

Let nothing disturb thee;
Let nothing dismay thee;
All things pass;
God never changes.
Patience attains
All that it strives for.
St. Teresa de Cepeda

Devotionals on wisdom-Part 2 of study on 1 Timothy 4:12

Hello, dear sisters! I'm so sorry that I had to break off the last devotional like I did-it had already reached devotional length, and I had to go do my schoolwork. :) We are currently on part 2 of a 7 part study on 1 Timothy 4:12, which says, "Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. If you did not get the chance to read part 1 of this study, please click here and read it before continuing on to this one. Thank you!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We are currently on the first part of 1 Timothy 4:12, which says(NKJV), "Let no one dispise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word,". I left off with the other devotional by saying that we must not partake in idle conversations. This is so very important, ladies! As we saw in Proverbs 31:26, this woman "opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness." She ensures that every single word which escapes her mouth is glorifying to God. During all of her conversations, she is saying things that would minister to others and glorify God. She is not involved with gossip, slander, etc. Neither is she involved in what my pastor, Mr. Steven Morse, calls idle conversations. This means that she does not waste time talking about things which don't mean anything and will not last. Rather, she spends her time speaking about the Word, giving her testimony, encouraging others to stand up for Christ, teaching other ladies what the Bible truly says, strengthening others in their walk with Christ, and telling others what the Lord has been doing in her life and teaching her. This is what it means by "She opens her mouth with wisdom". She takes every spare moment and used it as a witnessing tool, so that she may fulfill the commands found in Matthew 28:19-20a, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you;" and 2 Timothy 4:2, "Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, will all longsuffering and teaching." (Please don't misunderstand what I'm saying here, and think that I am saying that women should be preachers, because clearly, we find in Scripture that that is unbiblical. I'm simply saying that in conversations, and when teaching other women [Titus 2:4-5], we are to speak with wisdom. :))

The second part of Proverbs 31:26 says that "on her tongue is the law of kindness." This is so important, and we so often speak without the kindness that should be evident in our words. First, I want to begin by saying that I want you to please notice that this comes directly after "She speaks with wisdom,". This means that when she is "convincing, rebuking, and exhorting (2 Timothy 4:2) others, she is doing so with kindness. She is showing them what the Bible truly says, but she is not being rude and judgemental while doing so. She is rather "speaking the truth in love." We must also remember to speak with kindness when we are addressing our siblings and the other members of our family. Even though it should not be so, often the ones we love the most are the ones we hurt the most. As James 3:8 says, the tongue "is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." We so often find ourselves speaking in a manner that is anything but kind. We always must check ourselves to see whether or not the tone of voice we use/our manner of speaking is kind. The tone of voice we use is almost as important as the words we say at times. Speaking in a loud, angry, rude or obnoxious tone of voice is anything but kind, and is therefore something that we must avoid doing. Also, we must ensure that the words we speak to those around us throughout the day are kind and loving, as a Christian's words ought to be. In James 3:8-10(NKJV) we read, "But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similtude of God. Out of the same mouth mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so." Amen! The words that leave our mouths should always be 1. Glorifying to God and 2.Loving and kind to others. This is something we absolutely must put into practice daily!! As Christians, the things we say must be Christlike!

One last thing I want to address before I close, is that we, as ladies, should act as true ladies and therefore speak in a meek, quite, gentle, ladylike and feminine tone of voice. 1 Peter 3:3-4 says, "Do not let your adornment be merely outward-arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel-rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." We must form a habit of speaking in such a way as this. We are to "be an example to the believers in word," which means that we, as young ladies, must be an example of meek and quiet speaking to the women with whom we come in contact. I'm sure you've heard a lady speak in this manner. It is so beautiful, and you just can't help but love hearing that person speak. My great-grandmother speaks in a very quiet, sweet tone, and I know what a blessing that is to those whom she comes in contact with. I strive to be more and more like her each day, for she has truly been an "example to the believers in word." And may the Lord richly bless her for that!!

Unfortunately, not one unkind thing that we say is able to be taken back. But there is something we can do. If you find that you have spoken an unkind word to someone, or have used an unkind tone of voice, go to that person and ask forgiveness. This is what all Christians are called on to do when they wrong someone, and it causes humility to be developed in us, which the Lord truly loves. After you have asked for that person's forgiveness, go to your Father Who is in Heaven, and ask His forgiveness as well. 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." What blessed assurance! Be sure to also ask the Lord for the strength to do better next time, so that you may be an example to the believers in your words!
Many blessings to all you dear ladies!
~Rebekah Ann
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Part 3 of this devotional study on 1 Timothy 4:12 will be continued on Friday, on my blog, with a devotional on us being an example to the believers in conduct. Please be sure to come back then!! :)

Devotionals on wisdom-Part 1 of study on 1 Timothy 4:12

I wrote some devotionals on how to speak wisely (they are parts 1 and 2 of a 7 part devotional series on 1 Timothy 4:12 that I'm beginning on my blog . New devotionals are posted every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, so please be sure to check them out!).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I'm doing something new again. :) This will be the first in a 6 part devotional study on 1 Timothy 4:12. I hope this series proves to be a rich blessing to you!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Let no one dispise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
~1 Timothy 4:12 (NKJV)

Today we will focus on the first part of this verse: "Let no one dispise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word," One thing that I find so amazing in this verse, is that it says we are to be an example to the believers. Just reading this verse, we would expect that it would say we need to be an example to unbelievers. However, that is a given. What strikes me as amazing is that despite our age, we are to be an example to those believers who are our age, but also to those who are older than ourselves. We would often think that those older than us would be more mature in Christ, and thus they would be an example to us. While this is often the case, nonetheless, there are obviously instances in which we are the ones who are to be examples for the older men and women in Christ, or else this command would not have been issued.

One thing from this verse that I want us all to grasp, is that we continually and daily must check ourselves to see if the way we are acting and whether or not the things we are saying are shining forth as a good example or not. Even if we are just at home, we have a huge responsibility to be a good example for our siblings, especially our younger ones. They are at a most impressionable age, and often tend to copy those older than themselves. Therefore it is so crucial that we be a good example to them. Throughout the day when we are with them, we are to be a godly, God-fearing role model that they will be able to copy. Matthew 18:6 shows this cruciality: "Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea." Not only must we always check ourselves to ensure that we are being godly examples to our siblings, but we must be so careful to ensure that we are being good role models for those believers and unbelievers who are among us, be it at church, at the groery store, at the post office, at the mall, at the gas station, at the movie theatre, or wherever else it may be where we are around others. The world is watching us, and it is therefore vitally important that we are salt and light when among them. But we also must remember that this verse commands us to be examples to the believers! We must put into practice now, being godly role models daily for those believers around us.

That said, I'm now going to move on to the first area in which Paul says we are to be examples-in word. This covers a lot! As we find in Proverbs 31:26, the Proverbs 31 woman "opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness." She speaks with wisdom!! She is not involved with idle talk, but when she is in conversation with someone, she is rather speaking wisdom into their lives. Idle conversations profit nothing, and this wise woman understood that! She used every conversation she entered into to be profitable for that person to whom she was speaking. Our Lord and His precepts were continually a part of this lady's conversations. And that, dear friends, is how it should be! Yet despite this truth, most of our conversations revolve around ungodly gossip, slander, etc. Even if we aren't talking in sinful ways such as the ones I just mentioned, we're still often talking about things which have no lasting importance. This should not be, precious sisters in Christ!!

And with that, I'm going to be forced to close for now, and pick up right back where I left off on Wednesday. This, as you can see, will actually be a 7 part series now, as I'm having two devotionals on being an example in word. :) Please come back Wednesday, for the continuation.
Many blessings to you all!

Great bible verses on wisdom

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

James 3:13-18 (NKJV)

"How do I acquire wisdom??"

Wisdom is something that we all want to possess, right, dear ladies? But it, along with all other things worth having, does not come along easily and without work. There are some things that we must do if we hope to acquire wisdom. They include:

• Reading the Bible daily

We all must do this! It is so vitally important! We can never hope to gain wisdom if we do not stay in God's Word. I can't stress enough the importance of being in God's word daily. In the Psalms, David often tells of how he meditates on the Word day and night. This is a practice that we too, need to begin. Wake up early in the morning and begin your day with a quiet time with your Savior. Thank Him and praise Him for yet another new day in which to glorify Him! And thank Him that indeed His mercies are new every morning. Read His Word and meditate upon it-this way, the Scriptures are the first things you think about during your day! What better way to start off your morning than with the Bible? Also, while you're lying in bed at night, right before you go to sleep, read some passages from Scripture. If you do so, you are able to meditate on what you have just read while you fall asleep, and thus the Scriptures are the last things you think about before you head off to dream land. Putting this into practice will not only increase your wisdom, but will also provide you with a more peaceful and restful night sleep. This is far healthier than going to bed worrying and stressing over something that occured that day!

• Memorizing God's Word

Read the post below this one for some wonderful memorization tips from the very wise Mrs. Brigham. :) I can't even begin to stress to you the huge importance of Scripture memorization. It is so crucial and vitally important if you want to lead a productive Christian walk! What I do, thanks to my mother's idea, is take a small 80-page ringed notebook (you know which ones I'm talking about, right? If not, I'll take a pic of mine and will include it in a future post.) and using colored index tabs, devide the notebook into subjects such as trusting in God, wisdom, strength, hope, obeying God, character traits I need to attain, etc. and then under each heading I write out all the verses I can find in the Bible that pertain to that subject. It is a really helpful way of finding a verse to memorize when I am, for instance, struggling with completely trusting in Him. I also have two other notebooks, one of which contains verses on theological issues (the resurrection, trinity, virgin birth, creation, etc. etc.) and the other which contains verses on issues pertaining to women (being a homemaker, being submissive, not dating, being modest, being femine, etc.). This way, I will be able to obey the command found in 1 Peter 3:15, "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear." Without memorizing Scripture, we will be unable to obey this command, and that, my dear sisters, is a sin.

• Praying for Wisdom!

How can we expect to receive wisdom if we do not pray and ask the Lord for it? In 1 Kings 3:5-14, we see that the Lord told Solomon to ask of Him what he wished for. Solomon replied by saying that he desired to attain wisdom. How do we know that the Lord granted that unto him? Because Solomon went on to write most of Proverbs, which is full of some of the wisest sayings in the whole of Scripture! He also gained the reputation of being the wisest man. In Matthew 7:7a, Jesus says to us:"Ask, and it will be given to you." In John 15:16 we read: "You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you." If you diligently seek the Lord, read His Word, and pray and ask Him for wisdom, He will grant it to you!

God bless you, dear sisters in Christ, as you seek to please and glorify your Savior while striving to attain wisdom.

Have a blessed weekend!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This is Mayden Fair's 50th post!!

Filling the Chambers

Through wisdom is an house builded; and by understanding it is established:
And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
-Proverbs 24:3-4

Some of the greatest, most precious riches I have in my life have come in unexpected packages. One of the best has been the "library" of Bible verses in my head. When times are tough or I am feeling down or anxious, I can always recall a favorite verse or two that is the perfect remedy for the situation. God's Word is a packed treasure mind of wise riches and we have the opportunity to fill the chambers of our minds with a small bit of His wisdom, thanks to Scripture memorization.

There are many different ways to memorize Scriptures, but for me the best way has been using a spiral bound notebook of index cards that can be found at any office supply or large discount store. These are especially nice for this task as you have a handy little "flip book" of all the verses you know and can refer back to them often to keep them fresh in your mind. This is also a nice way to have some favorite bits of wisdom with you when you are on the go and may not be able to carry a Bible with you.

I choose a verse every weekend and add it to my flip book using a pretty color marker. Several times a day I refer to this verse and say it several times aloud. I usually keep it in a convenient place (kitchen, nightstand, computer desk), so that I can be sure not to forget my daily practice. By the end of the work, my little moments of effort pay off as a new Scripture is added to my memory bank.

To find verses to memorize, I use several sources. Sometimes I will come across a certain verse during my daily Bible reading and I can feel God's pull on my heart and know that I need to memorize this particular verse. Other times, I memorize a favorite Proverb or Psalm. I have also searched on topical Scripture lists found on the internet to find verses that might pertain to certain situations I struggle with (patience would be a good example ;o)). No matter which way I come across a verse, God certainly leads me to the right wisdom that I will need not too far into the future.

I encourage everybody to give a go at building their "wisdom library". One simple verse a week may not seem like much, however, by the end of the year fifty two verses will be shelved in your "library"!

Picture Credit

Our Wisdom vs. God's Truth

As this month runs on and we continue talking about wisdom, I remember the following verse:

"Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." (Proverbs 3:5)

So, what does it mean? Obviously, we aren't told we cannot or shouldn't think, use logic, try to understand things better - but we are warned that our understanding is limited. Sometimes things that make perfect sense to us in cultural context are absolutely forbidden according to what God commands us to do; and sometimes what He asks us to do doesn't seem to 'fit in' with today's realities. So, when in doubt, trying to decide between a God-ordained path and what makes sense to us or people in our surroundings, the answer is obvious.

And today, in our lives as women, such situations arise all too often. Should we prepare ourselves for career (worldly 'wisdom') or marriage (God's path)? Should we be rebellious 'individualists' (worldly path) or submissive daughters, and later wives (God's plan)?

A long time ago, I received a comment on my blog which I suddenly remembered today. What left me in a state of puzzlement back then was that the author claimed she believes in God – but not that He has any authority over her life, or that His commandments are anything more than a mere suggestion. "I don't believe in the bible. I don't need it… It's trash. I threw it out long ago and never looked back and never been happier."

And here is what I told her:

If God has no authority, you let your desires be your God.
If God doesn't guide you, you let yourself be guided by your lusts.
If God has no control over you, you let your ambitions control you
.… You make yourself your own God.

Sadly, this is not uncommon. And let me tell you something, in my opinion it's no better than worshipping the Golden Calf.

Trust in Him with all your heart.

October's Subject, A Mayden is... Patient!

I know this is a little early, but I want us all to think about the next subject in Mayden List, for October. It is A Mayden is... Patient! I am sure all of you will have somethings to share about that! I know I do!

Have a great rest of September, and I hope to be back up with you all, in October!

Laura H

...And on her tongue is the law of kindness.
~Proverbs 31:26b (NKJV)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Proverbs 31 woman was in no way perfect, yet she did strive to please and glorify her Savior by the way she spoke to those around her. She did not let herself give into her temper, even if she was getting agitated with someone, because she knew that that would not please the Lord. Not only did she say kind words to people when she spoke to them, but her tone of voice shone forth with kindness as well.

Daily examine yourselves, as I often have to, to see whether or not the law of kindness is on your tongue as well. Is the way you speak to your parents honoring, respectful, revering and kind? Do you speak to seniors and those in authority in the same way? What about the way you speak to your siblings? To your older siblings, do you seek to be an encouragement to them in the way that you speak? Are you kind and considerate, or do the words you say bring them down instead of build them up as they ought? What about your younger siblings? Because they're younger, they often follow us around everywhere, copy us, etc., and that sometimes annoys us. But despite that, does the love of Christ shine through us in the way that we speak to them? Are we abundantly kind and sweet to them, or does the way we speak leave a little to be desired?

If you find yourself about to give into your temper, just wait, don't say anything, but rather ask yourself the following before you speak: "Would the tone of voice or the words I was about to say have been honoring to Christ and encouraging to this person, or would they have saddened that person, hurt him or her, or angered them?" If the words or tone of voice would have done so, then simply ask the Lord for the strength to speak as you know you should, rather than the way your sinful nature wants you to.

All of us, because we're sinners, say things throughout the day that we later deeply regret. When you know you've done so, first go to the Lord and ask His forgiveness. Then go to that person that you wronged, and tell them that you're sorry and ask for their forgiveness as well. This is a very humbling thing to do, and therefore it is often a hard thing for us to do, but rememember: the Lord hates pride, and that is one characteristic that should not belong to any of His children. Ask the Lord for strength each morning that you would speak in the way that He would want you to that day. And as you learn to speak kinder, you too will have on your tongue the "law of kindness".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

***For more devotionals, please click here

Wisdom from the late Adrian Rodgers

"If you please Jesus, it doesn't matter who you don't please; if you don't please Jesus, it doesn't matter who you do please."

~Adrian Rodgers

Cultivating Wise Habits

Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.
-Proverbs 14:1

Hello lovely ladies! As this month's theme is wisdom, I thought an article about cultivating wise habits might be in order. There are many wise habits that are important to master for life in general, but some are especially crucial for marriage and mothering. Allowing these good habits to develop and flourish will be of the utmost help in "building your house".

*Look well to the ways of the household (Proverbs 31:27)- There are many enjoyable hobbies that can benefit a household in profitable ways. Sewing, knitting, painting, baking, writing, photography, and embroidery all come to mind. Not only can all of these tasks help beautify your home and save money, but they can also be a wonderful way to quickly earn a little extra money from home. If an unexpected expense ever comes up, selling one of your skills, baked goods, or craft items can be a great way to ease the situation and get your household back on track.

~Sewing is especially helpful when (God willing) you are expecting, nursing a baby, and/or have a little girl. Finding attractive, modest maternity and nursing clothing is quite the task to undertake and could be made far easier if you know how to sew. The same holds true with little girls' clothing. I was *shocked* to find immodest clothing even in the infants section. I hardly want to imagine what might be seen in the years to come and cannot wait until I know how to sew well.

*Do not eat the bread of idleness (Proverbs 31:27)- Learning to multi-task and use even the smallest pockets of time makes life run far more smoothly. When you are making a phone call and are put on hold, use this piece of time to finish a simple task that can be done quickly. Maybe write a letter, return an email. or double check your weekly schedule. If you are spending time watching a movie at home, this can be a great time to work on some knitting, hook rugging, or other needle art task. Look at each and every day to see if any time might be escaping you and use these little gaps to your advantage.

Debt is servanthood (Proverbs 22:7)- Staying out of debt is of the utmost importance. Credit card and credit offers are almost everywhere nowadays and these companies often will approve young people for high credit lines that they cannot afford to pay back. Learn wise financial sense so you will always have the resolve to avoid getting yourself into a nasty debt situation. Pay for items with cash only and only consider credit for mortgages and car loans.

Be choosy when it comes to friends (Proverbs 12:26) Make it a point to cultivate and nurture friendships with those who edify and challenge you to be the best person you can be. A true friend will lovingly rebuke you if you are sinning, but a "feel good friend" will sin right alongside you. Oftentimes, mothers, aunts, sisters, and other family members can be wonderful friends who will challenge you and stand by you as you strive to serve your Heavenly Father.

Seek counsel from older women (Proverbs 11:14)- Actively seek out several Titus 2 women who you can turn to when you need advice, help, or Godly counsel. Allow a relationship to blossom with these wise counselors as they can be large blessings to you when life might become a little sticky, stressful, or hectic.

Do not be an idler, busybody, or gossip (1 Timothy 5:13)- I once heard that our mouth causes us to sin far more than anything else and do see how this could be the truth. Be careful to guard your time and speak of positive topics, rather than gossip or harmful words. When you are spending time with family and/or friends, be sure to use this time in a God-honoring manner and not a time to idle about and speak in ways unbecoming of a King's daughter.

Keep your mind on what is good and right (Philippians 4:8)- Surround yourself with beauty, pureness, and honesty. Evil things can often sneak in when you least expect it; even in seemingly "good things", so being on the offensive is very important.

Never cease praying (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)- Thank your Heavenly Father frequently throughout the day, ask for His help whenever it is needed, and never overlook an opportunity to rejoice in Him and all He has given you, even the smallest bits of goodness.

Laugh- Learn to laugh at yourself! When minor mistakes happen or things go wrong, do not fret or get upset, just laugh. Dinners will get burned, children might make big messes, and you might even trip in the middle of a busy area sometime, but none of these minor "disasters" are worth becoming upset over. Take a deep breath, laugh, smile, and realize things could always be worse. :o)

I hope all of you dear sisters are having a wonderful day! Many Blessings!

~Amy

Picture Credit

Words of Wisdom from "Verses of Virtue"

The following is an article that we, as daughters, must live by. It offers so much wisdom!

No Secrets
The moment a girl has a secret from her mother, or has received a letter she dare not let her mother read, or has a friend that her mother does not know, she is in danger. A secret is not a good thing for a girl to have. The fewer secrets that lie in the hearts of women at any age, the better. It is almost a test of purity. She who has no secrets of her own is best and happiest. In girlhood hide nothing from your mother. The girl who says frankly to her mother, "I have been there; met so and so; such and such remarks were made, and this or that was done," will be sure of receiving good advice and sympathy. If all was right no fault will be found. If the mother knows, out of her great experience, that something was improper or unsuitable, she will, if she is a good mother, kindly advise against it's repetition. You may not know, girls, just what is right or just what is wroong, yet. You can't be blamed for making little mistakes; but you will never do anything very wrong if from the first you have no secrets from your mother.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*the above was an excerpt from the wonderful book entitled Verses of Virtue: The Poetry and Prose of Christian Womanhood. It is compiled and edited by Elizabeth Beall Phillips, wife of Douglas W. Phillips and mother to 8 children. This book is available through http://www.visionforum.com/ and http://www.reformedfamilybooks.com/ .
*photo from art.com

Schooling vs. Education

I'm sure that each one of us heard, at least once - and probably more than once - the association made between a college degree and lots of worldly knowledge, and true wisdom and capability. Don't get me wrong; I'm far from saying college is all evil. During my college years, I met some wonderful people, and learned many things that can be a blessing to my family when, God-willing, I will become a wife, mother and homemaker; but I don't think it's necessary at all to become a skilled, intelligent, talented and capable woman.

The entire spirit on our campus was so ambitious, competitive and self-absorbed. What about modesty? I studied in an almost girls-only class, and I still had to struggle against negative influence almost every day. At times, I felt like shutting my ears so I don't have to listen to stories about immoral behavior. To sum it up, college contributed some to my knowledge, but little to my wisdom and real-life skills.

I did learn valuable things, but I think it was more despite, than thanks to the teaching methods. I'm sorry, but cramming my short-term memory with facts, spitting it all out during an exam, then forgetting all about it isn't exactly what I consider effective learning. Maybe it works for some. It didn't work for me and for many others. Yes, I handled it. Yes, my grades were generally good. But what about knowledge? All the time, I had a feeling I'm stuck inside a huge industry that cares only about one thing: stuffing my head with theories, hauling me towards an exam, then allowing me to forget everything I learned.

When we try to examine a certain method of education, be it college, professional courses, or any other thing, we should ask ourselves the following question: how well does it prepare us for the role we want to dedicate our lives too (this goes, of course, for men as well as women)? How much wiser will we emerge from it?

And while I'm reflecting on this subject, here's a wonderful topic-related video on 'Visionary Daughters'

Yet another Introduction! =)

Dear sisters in Christ,

Hello! I wanted to write my own introduction, so that you would be able to know a little more about me.

My name is Rebekah Ann Shadoin, I'm 15, and I live with my family in the Chattanooga, Tennessee area. I was asked by Laura Hines a short time ago to join Mayden Fair. I feel honored to be able to be a part of this wonderful, Christ-honoring blog & to have the chance to meet and get to know all of you like-minded girls. I want to thank you all for this opportunity to be a part of Mayden Fair-especially since I'm only 15-probably the youngest girl here.

The Lord, within the past year, has brought about huge changes in my family and our convictions. Without even knowing it, I had been shaped by some feministic beliefs. The Lord, in His grace and mercy, has chosen to show me what His Word truly says on the subjects of femininity, Biblical daughterhood and womanhood, and the roles of daughters and women. He has shown me that feminism is enslaving to women, heretical, and one of the main reasons this country is falling apart at the seams. Luke 12:48(NKJV) says, "For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required." The Lord has delivered me out of a life of feminism, and for that reason, my goal in life is to be an encouragement to girls and young women as they seak to return back to the beauties of Biblical femininity-amidst a culture who looks down upon and belittles such ladies. I also desire to teach and edify young ladies in the Biblical truths of homemaking, femininity and modesty, Biblical daughterhood and womanhood, and the roles God lovingly designed for women. And in so doing, to train and prepare girls for the battle before them, in the humanistic, feministic culture in which we live.

My family consists of my wonderful father, George; my beloved mother Angela; and my dear little brother Andrew, who's 8. Each one of them is such a huge blessing to me daily, and bring me so much joy!! My father is the Spiritual Leader of our home and leads us in family worship each night. He works for an eye doctor, and provides for us daily. My mother and I are very close, and each night right before I go to bed, I lay in bed and my mom reads out loud from an Elsie Dinsmore book. I'm 15, but even though I'm getting older, I so much enjoy this time together, and will miss it so very greatly when I get married and have a home of my own! I know that I can go to her or my father anytime, no matter what I'm going through, and they will be there for me with advice and counsel from God's Word. My brother is such a blessing!! He is such a sweetheart, and he looks up to his big sister. I have the huge responsibility of being a God-fearing role model for him. I enjoy the time we spend together each day, and will miss it terribly when we both have homes of our own. My family is such a blessing, and I don't know what I would do without them!

I have been homeschooled since kindergarten, and have just entered my sophomore year of high school. My favorite subject is now history, thanks to Vision Forum and their Christ-honoring products. I am so thankful that I'm homeschooled, and so blessed to be so! It is the Biblical way of receiving an education, and because of being homeschooled, I am able to spend so much more time with my family than others are who attend government schools.

My favorite things to do include: reading, watching wholesome movies, ballroom dancing, spending time with and playing games with my family, going tubing, serving my family, spending time with friends, crocheting, baking, blogging, learning homemaking skills, and being an encouragement to others.

Just a few of my all time favorite books are: So Much More, Before You Meet Prince Charming, The Pilgrim's Progress, the Elsie Dinsmore series, the Courtship series by Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Castleberry, and Mother. The Nativity Story, the 1949 version of Little Women, Pamela's Prayer, and all of the movies in the Janette Oke Love Comes Softly series are just a couple of my favorite movies.

My favorite songs are hymns and worship songs, and include: Be Thou My Vision, Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing, 'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus, Come Ye Sinners Poor and Needy, Trust and Obey, Come Thou Almighty King, Doxology, etc.

My goals and dreams in life are to be a wife and helpmeet, homemaker, and mother to many blessings.

Please visit my blog, By His Grace and For His Glory often! I will very soon be announcing what the very exciting ministry idea for girls and young women is that the Lord laid upon my heart about 2 months ago.

I would love to hear from each and every one of you, so please e-mail me anytime at: living_for_my_Lords_glory@hotmail.com. (*note: no apostrophe in Lords-hotmail does not allow commas, apostrophes, etc.) If you have any prayer requests or praise reports, please e-mail them to me, and I will pray for you, and mention them on my blog as well, if that is allright with you.

The Lord's richest blessings to you all,

Rebekah Ann Shadoin

Numbers 6:24-26

September's theme: Wisdom

Hello there, dear maidens! It's nice to be writing here on Mayden Fair again, after such a long period of having very little time to blog.

This month's theme is wisdom, which is a character trait we develop throughout our lives, and must especially concentrate on it during our years as maidens, as we prepare to become, God willing, wives and mothers. Surely no young woman wants to enter marriage – or adult life in general, for that matter - without working on this most important trait.

Again, I resort to Proverbs 31, which is a beautiful summary of nearly everything we discuss here on this blog:
'She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.'

I would like to challenge all of us, and especially myself, by doing the following check-up:

- Do you open your mouth with wisdom, after careful consideration of what you are going to say, or do you let out any and every thought that passes in your mind?

- Do you speak with moderation, when asked or when you have something important, positive, uplifting and loving to say, or do you indulge in idle conversations which steal away a lot of your time and energy?

- Is 'the law of kindness' in your tongue, or do you give way to gossip, slander, malice and judgmental attitude? Do you actively or passively participate in conversations that might hurt others?

When I think about it, I blush with embarrassment. I can humbly say I'm improving in this area, but I have definitely been guilty of it all: idle conversation, gossip, and speaking before I think. I honestly feel I'm short of words to describe what a negative impression it creates, and how it cheapens the value of an otherwise lovely maiden.

So, ladies, let's get to work. Let's cultivate wisdom, while always keeping a humble attitude and remembering we can – and should – always learn from others, and also that whatever we learn, it is but a tiny portion of God's infinite knowledge. Let us strive to be wise, not in order to become arrogant or boastful, but to be better able to fulfill our calling, to serve our family and community, and to live out to the fullest the beautiful years of joyful maidenhood.

Introduction Coming Soon!

Hello, everyone!! I just wanted to let you all know that I will be very busy this weekend, but will be posting my own introduction on Monday!! I would love to hear from and get to know all of you, so don't hesitate to drop me a line at living_for_my_Lords_glory@hotmail.com !

May you all have a blessed weekend and a wonderful Lord's Day!

The Lord's richest blessings to you all,

Rebekah Ann Shadoin (www.byhisgraceandforhisglory.blogspot.com)

I am going on Vacation!

I will be in Spokane this weekend! I will be leaving Friday, and won't be back until Monday evening. I will be going to Couer De Lane, Idaho, Saturday, and will be gone all day. And then Sunday, I will be visiting my sister Sarah, and baby. I am so excited!

A slight change of plans!

We are going to Spokane on Saturday, and will not be back until Tuesday. A little matter of getting the time off, for my brother in law! Now, we are going to make it. Oh so fun! Couer De Lane is on Monday, instead of Saturday, so it will be different too! I am looking forward to seeing my nephew!


Have a great Labor Day Weekend, and God bless you!

Laura H