Hello Valley Heights Ladies!

 

At some point in our childhoods we all learned how to read a map in school, didn't we? We learned the cardinal directions of North, South, East and West. We learned how to draw a compass rose.  We learned how to use a scale to figure out specific miles. We learned how to read a map key and we even learned how to write out exactly where we lived, including our continent, country, city and street address.  Mapping skills often taught us how to follow very specific directions in order to get us to our desired goal and location. I have childhood memories of my grade 5 teacher giving our class some maps to colour and to configure. Some were really creative and fun to do and others were simply tough, tedious and time-consuming. Nevertheless, though we spent a lot of time learning how to use a map, implementing those mapping skills brought its own set of challenges. Studying Titus 2:3-5 to me has been somewhat like learning how to read a map all over again and has brought its own set of challenges. Though exciting to learn what God has mandated for me in His most Holy Word, it has also made me more earnest to pray...longing to implement His commands for the good of others and for the glory of God!

 

Ladies, though we are not back in grade 5 learning specifically how to read a map and learning how to implement those mapping skills, we are women who are in year 2021 continuing to learn how to read and implement God's unchanging priorities for us mapped out in Titus 2:3-5.  In our first few chapters of "God's Priorities For Today's Woman" Lisa has taught us the basics of God's "cardinal directions."  She is teaching us God's code of character and conduct for every woman who loves the Lord Jesus Christ and desires to live a life pleasing to Him. Like a map, the verses in Titus 2:3-5 clearly point us in the right direction. God's directions for us will get us to His/our desired goal and location-- To become like Jesus as we journey to our heavenly home!

 

God knows we as women are not always looking "North" -upwards- to seek His help to live out His high calling for us. He knows we as women are often distracted as we look "West" to the world's distractions and pleasures instead of His Word for what true beauty is. He knows we as women can be overwhelmed as we look "East" to our emotions and feelings and circumstances and allow them to control us instead of His eternal Spirit who lives in us. He knows we as women can be selfish as we look "South" -downwards- seeking our own wants and desires and "needs" to be fulfilled instead of seeking His desires for us -- to be faithful and fruitful and to follow in His steps.

 

Praise be to God that though we are weak, though we wander, though we war against our flesh, though we waiver, we can be confident that by grace we have been saved through faith. We can confidently say that we are children of God and that our lives are hid in Christ. By God's grace and the enablement of His Spirit we can "walk by the Spirit"(Gal. 5:16), we can "walk by faith"(2 Cor. 5:7), we can "walk in the love"(Eph.5:2), we can "walk as children of Light"(Eph.5:8), we can "walk in the Light"(1 Jn.1:7) and we can "walk in newness of life"(Romans 6:4) this blessed New Year...to the praise of His glory! 

 

O ladies, won't you join me this year as we continue our study in "God's Priorities For Today's Woman."

And let's together continue to discover how to grow in grace and the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

I copied a beautiful devotional that I received via e-mail earlier this week. May it become your humble prayer for this year as it became mine.

"To know Him is "life eternal," and to advance in the knowledge of Him is to increase in happiness."

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With love and prayers and gratitude filling my heart for you all,

Christyn