New Quarter, New Studies

I just love the arrival of new literature...even while I am immersed in the culminating thoughts of the current one.  Today's Sunday School such highlight was I Cor. 3:16.  Yes, Lord, make me ever aware of the sanctuary that I am to be for you.  Yes, I love the song "Sanctuary," too.

Then, right in the middle of that, our delivery of next quarter's curriculum focusing on the Israelite's' movement into The Promised Land.  Never before opened books.  Resources awaiting my perusal.  If this should make me sound like a nerd, well, shhhh, I am!

My Sunday School is using the Gospel Project curriculum, a chronological approach through the  Bible.  What I dearly love about this curriculum is the weekly connection from the Old Testament to the New, as in, above from Exodus and the building of the Tabernacle to the 1 Cor. 3:16.  Just love it.

Another new study has come my way.  In chatting with a peer at work, she invited me to join a study of Keep It Shut with others at school.  Now, that, I could not resist.  As we text, I found the book, the study guide, and the video...and ordered them all.  This "keeping it shut" I began last fall after a  blatant suggestion from the Lord himself when He gave me a set of scriptures in II Chronicles.  Sometimes, I suppose He has to speak quite loudly as I seem to be talking way too much!  I know that most days, He probably just shakes His head and say, "Tammy, you are doing better, but you sure have a ways to go!"

More about this to come, I am sure.

Currently, I am reading a few more books...When God Makes Lemonade and Crazy Love and Pathway to Freedom.  Once upon a time, I could not have read so many at a time.  Now, I see no other way, as I glean needed nuggets from each.

I would love to hear from you...what are you reading good?  What nuggets is He sharing with you?

The Preparation Time

Last evening, we hosted our annual Friendship Social...and had such a blessed time.  (I gauge that by the noise level during game and craft time and by how long everyone took in leaving!)

While the event itself is energizing, I wonderful if what went on before acerbates that fulfilling event.  For any given organized function, the ladies and I may spend three-to-four evenings preparing, laughing, creating, snacking, making a mess, creating a work of art (at least in our eyes).

Then, my most favorite time...coming in early and just looking around, searching for details that need to be completed.  Standing still.  In the quietness of the dawn of the event.  God does like to speak to us in the early morning hours of quiet time.  (This is another topic...but I am appreciating the perks of waking early and spending time with Him...this coming from a recovering "I. Am. Not.A.Morning.Person" Syndrome!)

Now, may we make a connection to the Old Testament?  As my Sunday School class is now studying the building of the Sanctuary, as I prepared my heart and mind for this study by preparing ahead, something clicked.  God wants us...you and me...to come to every service with Him prepared, already worshiping, whether that is spending quiet time with Him, attending conferences and Bible studies, or gathering for corporate worship.

I do love this scripture, am camping out here for just a bit, gleaning some nuggets here:

The Lord has gifted Bezalel, Oholiab and the other skilled craftsmen with wisdom and ability to perform any task involved in building the sanctuary.  - Exodus 36:1

1. First come wisdom and then ability.  Very interesting that order.  To many times, I have jumped in...and then prayed for wisdom.  What a mess of things I can create on my own!
2. The Lord "gifts" us.  Everyone has a gift.  He wants to give us gifts...some wrapped up in pretty packages, some handed to us in a plain shopping bag, some just handed to us, the gift plainly displayed. 
3. The English teacher in me also appreciates that present tense has.  Not will...as in, the future.  Not some past gifting.  Right now.  Present time.

Now, to the New Testament, to I Corinthians 3:16:

Don't you yourselves know that you are  God's sanctuary and that the Spirit of God lives in you?

Here, I need to camp and stay.  I too often forget that I, yes, I am a sanctuary.  You are, too.   As such, as His sanctuary, I fail too often in inputting only the best and not nearly enough recognizing the Holy of Holies that lives within.

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary
Pure and holy, tried and true
With thanksgiving, I'll be a living
Sanctuary for You

That is such a beautiful song, a beautiful prayer.

Too often, though, this is what happens...remember that Friendship Social from above on which we spent several hour preparing?  In no more than 30 minutes, we had dismantled and placed the furniture back to its original spots.  How easy this happens within our lives, with our quiet times, with our preparation time.  That quiet time, where once we spent 30 minutes, becomes 15...then 10...then, oh, where did the time go?

Unless...yes, unless one dismantle means preparing for another event, another gathering, another time of worship, for last night as we stored decorations and removed table cloths,  I plotted the new arrangement of tables for this morning's Sunday School and this evening's Discipleship Training classes.  Bless their hearts...they never know where they will be sitting, for I am always searching for the arrangement of tables and chairs to better enhance our discussion or activity times.

Today, let's prepare ahead of time.  Let's worship now, preparing our hearts ahead for what God has for us.

Just one more time...will you sing with me?

Lord, prepare me to be a sanctuary

 Pure and holy

Tried and true

With thanksgiving, I'll be a living

Sanctuary for you 

Gal Pals and Jesus Girls

I responded to a prompt about the upcoming release of The Gift of Friendship:

“We are Martha’s and Mary’s and Naomi’s and Ruth’s. Women need women! A blessing this book is.” – Tammy

Now, isn't that just the truth?!

A few years ago, I prayed for God to bless me with girlfriends...and He has.  Just thinking back over this week, I have spent quality girl-time on three evenings.  I am blessed.

Then, along comes this book.  Another way God is answering this prayer of mine.

The Gift of Friendship by Dawn Camp

One day, I noticed this message, asking if I would read and promo this book.  Books?  Read?  Promo?  Yes!

Then, the book arrived.  So many girls.  So many nuggets of encouragement from the gals for Jesus...and from Jesus Himself.

May I share just one?

• Leslie Richards writes of a busy life and a lived-in home that became a barrier between her and lady friends, a barrier eventually broken by a friend who cared more about laundry and dirty dishes.  As she notes, we all have messes.  Messes that the ol' devil wants to use to keep us from being blessed and a blessing to others.
• Proverbs 17:17 she quotes:  "a friend loveth at all times."
• Yes.

As I write this, thoughts of this evening's upcoming social at church flits through my mind, as I look forward to this fellowship with these girlfriends of mine who have worked and played right along beside me and am reminded of author Dawn Camp's chapter about their weekly Wednesday fellowship with friends.  With this I agree, "Life is busy.  If you don't make time to get together, once-solid friendships can fall victim to neglect."

For years, after I married, I neglected friendships.  Through a gentle nudge from the Lord Himself, I prayed the above prayer and am finding "community in...unexpected" places with unexpected children of God...just not unexpected to Him.

As I reflect on this book, a dream is beginning to emerge for our summer Women's Retreat.  Picture it:  Each lady with a copy of this book.  Wouldn't this be an excellent text upon which to explore in mini-sessions and whole-group sessions with a group of ladies seeking friendships with and in each other, only resulting in a closer "community" with Him?

Now that is exciting.

Where may you purchase this book?  Here.

Where may you meet the editor and writer?  Here.

You. Will. Be. Blessed.

Excited about Girl Time!

My gal pals in Jesus are excited about the line-up of conferences this spring and summer, some that we are attending, some that we are hosting.

• March
• Inspire:  This one is hosted by our state Baptist Association.  My third year to attend, I look forward to the praise and worship through music and message, both in small group and in large group.  Previously, we have taken either three or four...hoping to at least double those numbers!
• April
• Karen Kingsbury:  She is coming to our state on her tour...and we have tickets!  Four of us will travel to Little Rock on a Thursday evening, for, yes, more girl time.  I am holding off purchasing her new book...hoping to buy and have it autographed there.
• Women of Joy:  This will be my second year.  A three-day event held in Branson, four of us from church will meet four other lady friends...and 4000 more ladies and praise and worship Him.  I am very excited that Selah will be leading the worship.  I do so appreciate their music.
• June
• Beth Moore:  Having studied several of her Bible studies now, we are so excited to travel to Springfield and partake of the Word of God with Beth Moore.  What an inspiration she is.  So far, five of us are planning to attend this event.  Fun!
• Making Choices:  Then, this all culminates in our hosting our Ladies' Retreat at our church.  A Friday evening, Saturday morning, we so enjoy preparing for the event...and then gleaning what He has for us in our fellowship hall.

Interspersed throughout these months are our bi-weekly Bible study and our monthly Ladies' Night out.  Currently, we are studying Beth Moore's Jesus The One and Only every other week and are using Priscilla Shirer's Fervent for our devotion material for our monthly outreach-to-our-community meeting.  Both are so timely and so needed.

By the way, have you seen War Room?  Oh. My. Goodness.  Please do!  Both Beth Moore and Priscilla Shirer are in the movie, with Shirer in the leading role.  Her Fervent book is based on the movie.  I have already had a request our Bible Study group to work through the War Room Bible study next.  This movie's content is speaking to people, to their desire to have a more fervent prayer life.

Please share...to what events is God leading you to enjoy?