Her name will never be popular among babies, but her resilience helped fortify generations of women finding their way in an evolving society.#faith#biblicalwomen#resilience
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@farmingandJesus@WonderWomaNinja Dear Lord, please guard our sister Lizzie's heart and mind in Christ Jesus. Let her experience Your presence, peace and healing in Your mighty name.
Achsah's world was changing. But she faced her changing world with resilience and boldness, helping other women of her day navigate their evolving society.
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Here’s a simple way to get unstuck when you’re worried, overwhelmed, or overthinking a decision.
Ask yourself one question:
What kind of thing am I dealing with?
Most issues fall into one of three categories.
1. Settled Things
These are things that have already been decided.
Your birth family.
Your nation of origin.
Your height.
Your past decisions.
Your upbringing.
Things you did.
Things done to you.
Some of these things were decided by your own past actions. Others were decided by God’s providence. As Paul says in Acts 17:26, God determined our appointed times and the boundaries of our dwelling place.
You can’t go back and change these things.
So the question is not, “How do I undo this?”
The question is, “Does this have any bearing on what I should do now?”
If not, leave it alone. Don’t spend your life fighting settled things.
2. Action Things
These are things you have some real control over.
Your diet.
Your exercise.
Your spending.
Your work ethic.
Your attitude.
Your friendships.
Your theological knowledge.
Your presentability.
Your habits.
Your skills.
These are your controllables.
You may not control everything about your health, finances, relationships, or future. But you usually control more than you think.
So if the issue falls here, don’t overthink it.
Take direct action.
Start small if you have to. Make the call. Go on the walk. Open the Bible. Apologize. Apply for the job. Pay the bill. Clean the room. Do the next faithful thing.
3. Prayer Things
These are things outside your direct control, but not outside God’s control.
The economy.
The weather.
The housing market.
The availability of a suitable spouse.
Other people’s choices.
Timing.
Open doors.
Closed doors.
You can’t force these things. You can’t grab the steering wheel of providence.
But God can act.
So you take indirect action through prayer. You ask. You wait. You prepare. You remain faithful. You do what you can do and trust God with what only He can do.
So ask yourself:
Is this settled?
Then accept it and learn from it.
Is this actionable?
Then do something.
Is this outside my control?
Then pray and trust God.
This is a simple framework, and yes, it’s a little reductionistic. But that’s the point. The goal is not to explain every complexity of life. The goal is to get you unstuck.
Most people waste too much energy trying to change the past, control what belongs to God, or pray about things they simply need to obey.
So categorize the issue.
Then act accordingly.
Accept what is settled.
Act on what is yours.
Pray over what belongs to God.
Many of us have made vows to God. Relatively few of us keep them faithfully. But Hannah did, and the Lord made much of her faithfulness.
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What do a painter, two nonprofit founders, an art club founder, and a composer have in common? All of them hold important roles in Orlando's arts communities, and all of them are among the subjects of some of my most recent stories.
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As Christians, we should hold our backs straight and our heads high as a proclamation of who we are in Christ. This is the lesson I learned from the day I wore a pretty red dress.
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A diagnosis of celiac disease is one of those before and after life markers. Those of us who have it aren't trying to be trendy or difficult. We're just navigating a difficult path, one that offers only one treatment: a gluten-free diet.
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Even in Hannah's brokenness, she clung to her faith. She took her plea to the Lord and made a vow from which she did not back down. And all Israel benefitted from the sacrifice of a faithful mother.
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