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!
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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
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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!).

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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!
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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!

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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)

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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".

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***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.
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*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.