Female in Motion

Matthew 5:6 (KJV) Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. When I was going through chemotherapy for breast cancer, they gave me steroids to help my body process the chemicals. It left me with a few interesting side effects. Leg cramps, acne, and major food cravings. I soaked in Epsom salts for the leg cramps, slathered on Clearasil for the acne, and ate lots of meat for the cravings. That was the only thing that helped satisfy that carnivorous urge. The big problem, though, is that the cravings kept coming back. I never seemed to be satisfied for very long. Are you hungry and thirsty for more? If the things of this world never satisfy for long, lean in close to the Savior. Let Him satisfy you in a way you can keep. For total and completely lasting satisfaction, follow hard after Him. *** Notable Quote: "People who love to eat are always the best people."--Julia Child

Photo courtesy of Fr Ed Namiotka Psalm 43:5 (KJV) Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God. During the first few months of every year, I get all my checkups done. By the time I have seen my family care physician, oncologist, dermatologist, and dentist, not to mention all the lab work and x-rays, it is nearly Spring and my bank account is seriously depleted. While all these visits are vital for my overall health and well-being, they only tell part of the picture. It’s good if my tumor markers are low, my blood pressure is steady and my mammogram is clear. The only way to tell if I am spiritually healthy, though, is to do a faith checkup. I need to take some time and ask myself a few important questions. 1.        How close do I feel to God? 2.        Do I spend time daily in prayer and...

Psalm 34:13 (KJV) Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. This week, I shared an important truth with my Sunday School students--thinking before you speak. Our class contains several sets of siblings and this subject is quite--ahem--timely. I have begun to lead the group in lessons on basic Christian values, i.e. honesty, compassion, humility, morality, generosity, forgiveness--to name a few. We use our tongues to lie, accuse and judge others, brag about and exaggerate our accomplishments, and spread gossip. None of these pass the five-question test in the graphic. My new focus on listening brought about this post. I need practice on this one--I can be a bit snarky at times. *** Notable Quote: "Speak less. Listen more."--Mrs. Thorp, my 3rd-grade teacher

James 1:19 (KJV) Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: Last Friday, I spoke to a small group of women from my church. My subject was meditating on God's Word and being "still." It is something I have been contemplating recently. How often am I actually quiet? In a conversation, am I listening simply to reply? Or am I taking in the words that someone is speaking to me? If I want to be perceived as a good listener, a confidante, a trusted friend--I must set aside my agenda and take on Christ's servant heart. I strive to improve my conversational skills, including listening, so that others will notice something different about me--the influence of my Savior. *** Notable Quote: "Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you'd have preferred to talk."--Doug Larson