The Real Housewives of the OT (Old Testament)--by Linda Kozar

For a moment, I thought I had a brilliant idea for a bible study series, so of course the first thing I did was google it to find out if someone else had experienced a similar flash of brilliance. And apparently so--but not the same flash as me. My idea? To do a series on the Real Housewives of the Bible. So imagine my surprise when I found a reality DVD series, titled "The Real Housewives of the Bible." The series follows the ups and downs of marriage as they struggle to be good wives.
But my idea was--is different. It follows the REAL housewives in the actual bible. So here goes!

Sarah

"Having a baby at 90 is nothing to laugh about!

Que Sarai/Sarah!"

The Real Housewives of the OT

Genesis 11:27-32 details the genealogy of Terah, the father of Abram, Nahor, and Haran. Haran begot Lot, but Haran died. Abram and Nahor took wives—Abram took Sarai and Nahor married Milcah. Some commentators say Sarah was the daughter of Abraham’s brother, so therefore his niece. But in Genesis 20:12, Abram says, “But indeed she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother, and she became my wife.”

            God speaks to Abram one day and declares a covenant with him.

Genesis 17:15
1 The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.
2 “I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; 
I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.
3 I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; 
and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

            So Abram and all his house go our from the land of Ur to the land of the Canaans. They came to Haran and dwelt there.

Originally called by the name of Sarai, which means “My Princess” God later changes her name to Sarah, which means “Princess.” Changing of a name was symbolic of a binding covenant between man and God, Who promised to put an end to her barren state.

Due to a famine in the land, Abraham decided to flee to Egypt. On the journey to Egypt, Abram asks Sarai to tell the Egyptians she was his sister. (Genesis 20:12) After all, it’s the truth, right? Technically, she was his half-sister. But half-truths are still lies in the eyes of God. He cannot honor sin.

The truth is, Abram feared they would kill him and take her. In the bible, beauty is to be desired and taken (Esther). It is a foreshadow of Israel’s later bondage to Egypt. God afflicts Pharoah and his house with great plagues (Genesis 12:17). Plagues also foreshadow the manner of Israel’s redemption from the bondage of Egypt.

When brought before Pharoah, Sarai obeyed and told him Abraham was her brother. Though Sarai was 65 years old at the time, she was considered a great beauty. Smitten with her cougar-ish good looks, Pharoah gave her many gifts and honors. Most notably, he gave her the land of Goshen for her hereditary possession. It is likely she acquired her Egyptian maidservant, Hagar at this time as well. And Abram acquired a great deal of wealth and livestock. What’s with this share a wife, save a life thing going on?

Sarai was added to the harem and she knew it would not be long before the Pharoah summoned her. But God would not allow the “mother of nations” Genesis 17:15-16 to be compromised. He afflicted the Egyptians (Gen. 12:17) and Pharaoh figured out something was wrong. Abram finally confessed that Sarah was his wife. And even Pharaoh rebuked Abraham for his lie (Genesis 12:18-20).

Now in Genesis 11:30, we know that Sarai was barren; she had no child.” But Sarah remembered the promise of God to Abram that he would be the father of many nations. However, because she doubted the likelihood of her getting pregnant, she sought a fleshly solution to the problem. Imagine how she must have felt. Any woman who has gone through menopause can relate. “The old grey mare—she ain’t what she used to be!”

She had an Egyptian slave named Hagar and according to the custom of the time, she came up with a plan. 2 so she said to Abram, “The LORD has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her. ”Because Sarai was unable to bear a child, she gave her maid, Hagar to Abraham that she might bear a child through her for her husband. As a result, she bore Ishmael. However, there were consequences to this plan. Sin always has consequences. Hagar becomes proud and haughty to her mistress. She no longer acknowledges or respects Sarah’s position as Abraham’s wife. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. 5

Genesis Chapter 181 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty[p]; walk before me faithfully and be blameless. 2 Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”
15 God also said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you are no longer to call her Sarai; her name will be Sarah. 16 I will bless her and will surely give you a son by her. I will bless her so that she will be the mother of nations; kings of peoples will come from her.”
17 Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, “Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bear a child at the age of ninety?” 18 And Abraham said to God, “If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!”

The Three Visitors

 9 “Where is your wife Sarah?” they asked him.
   “There, in the tent,” he said.
 10 Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.”
   Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”
 13 Then the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
 15 Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.”
   But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”

Abraham laughed too but God calls Sarah to task on it.

1 Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. 2 Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. 3 Abraham gave the name Isaac[ai] to the son Sarah bore him. 4 When his son Isaac was eight days old, Abraham circumcised him, as God commanded him. 5 Abraham was a hundred years old when his son Isaac was born to him.
 6 Sarah said, “God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me.” 7 And she added, “Who would have said to Abraham that Sarah would nurse children? Yet I have borne him a son in his old age.”

Less than a year later, Sarah bore Isaac. Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90. Sarah blamed Abraham for the problem created by Hagar giving birth to a rival heir, but the whole thing had been her idea. It is said that during a banquet celebrating Isaac's weaning, Sarah heard Ishmael mocking Isaac and she insisted mother and child be sent away. She recognized the danger in Ishmael to the rightful heir, her son Isaac. God backs her up and tells Abraham to do what she said (Genesis 21:12). Abraham emancipates Hagar and Ishmael and sends them away as freed slaves.

Now for the biggest test in a mother’s life. Mount Moriah. . .

After the bondwoman and her son were send away, God tested Abraham. He said, “take now your son, your only son, who you love, Isaac, and go to the land of Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I will tell you (Genesis 22:2).

Sarah must have watched them depart. She would have kept her eyes trained on them, her loving eyes on her son, the curl of his hair, the silhouette she knew so well. Did she have the same measure of faith Abraham had? His heart was severely grieved at the thought of taking the life of his only son. But he knew that God as the giver of life. Our lives do not belong to us, they belong to the giver of life. And like Abraham, her heart was surely broken at the thought of her son dying, suffering even for a moment. 

Sarah dies at the age of 127 in Hebron. Abraham buys his first real property in the land of Israel, the Cave of Machpelah in order to bury her.

"For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise. Galatians 4:21-23

 These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother...Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise...Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman."

Sarah is a wonderful example to us--of faith, of fortitude and trust in the Lord. Of course, she had her doubts as we all do. Many women who check off the age 55+ demographic box would have a hearty chuckle as well if God suddenly showed up and told them they were going to have a baby. It's not in the normal realm of possibility. But then again, neither is God. In fact, He's God of the impossible, improbably and unimaginable. You and I need to remember that. So--thank you Sarah, mother of nations. You've inspired us to believe what God says. If He says He's going to do something, you'd better believe He's going to do it."

The Mary Poppin's Purse--by Linda Kozar

Mary Poppins carried quite an uncommon handbag. In an instant, she might pull out an object as implausible as a large mirror, a rubbertree, or a hatstand. What didn't Mary Poppin's have in her purse?

In cartoons, we see magician's hat's, out of which the magician  might pull a rabbit or a lion. And in the cartoon world, that kind of 4th dimensional kind of space is called "hammerspace," because a character at any given moment, might pull an oversized mallet or gigantic hammer out of a shirt pocket.

Sometimes I ask myself that same question about my purse--what isn't in there? Am I carrying all this stuff around in my purse just in case I wind up on THE PRICE IS RIGHT and someone asks me if I have a bobby pin? So at our Babes Bible Study today, I spread a cloth on the floor and emptied the contents of my purse. The other women started pulling things out their purses as well and comparing. Okay, there were a few oohs and ahhs too. (Susan, your tiny purse notebook was really cute). But to say my purse is a bit heavy is a bit of an understatement. Feels like I'm carrying an anvil inside. More like a suitcase. And inside:
*Keys--five different keys, plus car locks and garage door opener (HEAVY!)
*Cell Phone
*Scrunched up receipts
*Makeup bag--inside bag are the following items:
  3 lipsticks
  1 lipgloss
  nailfile
  earbuds
  handlotion
  hand sanitizing lotion
  Aleve, Benedryl, Chloraseptic
  eyeglass repair kit
* large container of Mentos
*wallet--filled with lots of HEAVY coins and a few Georges:)
* Driver's license, Credit Cards, Debit, Discount Cards
* Sunglasses
* Tissues
*  hairbrush
* Sometimes I carry my Kindlefire, which adds to the weight. Who says a gazillion digital books    won't weigh much? :)


When I first started carrying a purse, there wasn't much in it, certainly not much in the way of cosmetics or money. But as the years progressed and I became a mom, my purse became purse/extra diaper bag/emergency first aid kit/kiddie food pantry/toy chest/doggie treat jar and garbage can. Why do kids always hand their garbage over to their mothers? I dunno, but it wound up in my purse.

You would think that even though my kids are now in college, they still look to me for pharmaceticals for headaches and allergies, female problems, bandaids etc. They still look to me for cosmetics and toiletries too. And money. Did I mention money?

The things we carry in our purse must be important to us. Otherwise we wouldn't go to the trouble of carrying them around with us everyday. But what if we applied that same concept to our relationship with God?

*Keys--They unlock doors to homes and cars so that we can enter in. They also lock those doors to keep others out to keep us safe. God has given us the keys to the kingdom! In Matthew 16:19, Jesus told his disciples, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
*Cell Phone--Our communication compared to our communion with the Lord. God says, 

“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” Romans 10:13

(Below-found this gem on the internet--no attribution)

I wonder what would happen if we treated our Bible like we treat our cell phone?

What if we carried it around in our purses or pockets?

What if we flipped through it several time a day?

What if we turned back to go get it if we forgot it?

What if we used it to receive messages from the text?

What if we treated it like we couldn't live without it?

What if we gave it to Kids as gifts?

What if we used it when we traveled?

What if we used it in case of emergency?

*Makeup bag--A reminder to "make up" with those we are estranged  from. To forgive. Heard this espression on a television show "Unforgiveness is like taking poison and hoping the other guy dies."

*wallet--filled with lots of HEAVY coins and a few Georges:)
Why do we carry so many coins around? Like when you're ten years old and going on a candy run or something. Seriously. I don't visit coin-operated laundries. I have a washer and dryer, thank you. But who's image is on that coin? A politician. A statesman. When Jesus was asked that question, he asked to see a Roman coin and He answered, "Render unto Caesar what is Caesars and unto God what is Gods" Mark 12:17.
* Driver's license, Credit Cards, Debit, Discount Cards

(My identification—who I am to the world Romans 8:16-17) Who you are to God. The thumbprint of God. Believers are His children. They are sealed. They bear His name, His mark. In the end times, those who take the mark of the beast will be lost forever, They are identified with the devil. Believers are identified with Christ.

* Sunglasses

(filters brightness of sun and helps us to see better) Sunglasses are tinted lenses that filter the UV light from the sun to prevent damage. They alter our perception of the world—of what we see and how we see it. One can liken sunglasses with the sinful state—it darkens our view of things. If we see with the eyes of Jesus, we see in an unfiltered light. We see what is good and what is evil. We have discernment.

Do we grieve for those around us? Sometimes I feel like we’re so disconnected from the rest of the world. If it’s not right in front of our face, we don’t think much about it. But sometimes, there is someone right there in front of us and we don’t help. We just go about our business. We look the other way.

Tube of lipstick Enhances what you have. Gives you some color. Makes you more attractive. When we witness to people, don’t push them away with an ugly or judgmental attitude. Or if they are wearing black lipstick, think about why? Negative attention. Pierced lips—same thing. Love should be our motivating factor.

* Tissues--But there are other times. Times when we really listen to the Lord and obey. There are people He entrusts to us, to meet at an appointed time and place. Our job is to help or share the gospel, offer advice, a hugs, or to just listen.

* Hairbrush/comb (Comb thru the tangles in life) God’s Word combs thru our spirit. When kids get lice, you comb the nits out with a fine-toothed comb. When you lose something around the house, you search for it with a fine-toothed comb. When we read the Word and apply God’s Word to our lives, it cleanses us and straighten’s things out.

Maybe you'll see your purse in a different light now. Maybe you'll lighten the load a bit--move out of that PRICE IS RIGHT mentality and into a slimmer, sleeker, smaller purse. Or not. But whatever you do, perhaps now you have a greater insight into the things you value and keep close to you. And perhaps apply that to your relationship with Christ:)

The Imprint of Christ--By Linda P. Kozar

Over the Christmas/New Year holidays, I took a long walk with my oldest daughter and we spotted this beautiful print of a leaf on the concrete. Often, after a rainstorm, a leaf pressed to the concrete will leach sap and form what looks like a photographic image--kind of reminiscent of a pinhole camera. Although the image, a mere stain, doesn't last for long--it is never the less, a reminder of the lovely shape of the leaf.

However, when a leaf or plant falls to the sand and is quickly covered by more sand and weighed down by even more layers, in time becomes a fossilized imprint, a mold of the leaf in sandstone or shale. The original components quickly decay away, but unlike the stain, the exquisite details of the leaf, the delicate symmetry of the plant's skeleton, the veins are visible.

Both the stain and the imprint are formed after the death of the leaf, which began as a tiny leafbud that grew and unfurled and lived it's cycle, from tender green to a final and glorious brilliant orange, red, or yellow before its fall to the earth. 

Most of us would like to be remembered for achieving or accomplishing something of worth in our time here on this earth. We struggle with feelings of unimportance, of irrelevence. We seek honor and recognition. For academic achievers, there are honors and awards, for military heroes, there are metals. For notable politicians or great philantropists--statues or busts. Buildings and stadiums are dedicated to or named for people. 

But in God's world, there are no unimportant or irrelevent people. The greatest heroes in the history of mankind have never received a metal or honor had the opportunity to stand before kings and presidents. Men and women who tirelessly toiled to serve and care for others, putting those needs before their own. People who gave their lives for the gospel of Christ. Believers, whose names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. They will live and reign forever with the King of Kings.

So whether you have a cabinet full of trophies or a wall of certificates, the greatest honor you've ever received as a believer, is a free gift you did nothing in your own strength to attain.

We bear the image and imprint of Christ. The stain of His blood is upon our hearts, the imprint of His glory is on our lives. We are His greatest glory!

Waiting On God--by Linda Kozar

"That same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok.

He took them and sent them across the wadi, along with everything he owned.

Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until the break of the day."--Genesis 32:22 thru 24

Do you ever get tired of waiting for God and try to make things happen? Do you convince yourself that God's too busy to help you, so you decide to carve out your own destiny?

You've probably heard the story before--about how Jacob wrestled with the Angel of the Lord to obtain a blessing. But Jacob began wrestling much earlier. He and his twin brother Esau, wrestled in their mother's womb. And Jacob, whose name literally means "supplanter," or "heel grabber" was named that because he took hold of his brother's heel as they were being born. Jacob later finagled his brother out of his birthright to obtain the blessing of the firstborn son. Jacob would stop at nothing to secure a personal advantage. He pursued the divine blessing deviously and relentlessly to obtain success.

How desperate are you to obtain God's blessing? You've waited and waited on God and you're fearful that the blessing you've prayed for will never happen. Everyone around you seems to prosper. But success always seems to elude you. However, there is purpose in the process...and a process takes time.

Over the years, Jacob changed. He became a man of faith. Through trials and suffering similar deceptions, his heart turned toward God. Now, at a desperate time in his life--the eve of meeting the brother he had deceived and with his angry father-in-law at his heels, he sought God and God showed Himself to Jacob face-to-face.

As they wrestled, the pre-incarnate Christ knew that the morning light was breaking and told Jacob to let him go. Jacob responded, "I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me." Christ touched him and his hip went out of joint. Though in great pain, Jacob persisted in his plea and would not give up the fight.

How about you? Are you holding on in faith or wrestling in fear?

"The whole vision has become to you like the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one who is literate, saying, 'read this, please.' And he says, 'I cannot, for it is sealed.'"--Isaiah 29:11

~*~*~*~

The Worst Christmas Gifts EVER! by Linda Kozar

I lovelovelove those Target Lady commercials. That blonde-haired woman with the quirky side ponytail and Wilma Flintstone faux pearls around her neck is the epitome of an over the top power shopper in a red track suit and high heels. And crafter, dare we forget her icing creations. . .

But I have to wonder what kind of gifts the woman buys.

Really.

I suspect she's the type of woman who gives her friends and family Bedazzler kits or Bumpits, days of the week underwear (a 7-pack:), lame self-help books, toe socks or a dense fruitcake filled with petrified fruits. Have you ever been on the receiving end of some of these gifts?

I have.

Ever been the recipient of a re-gift? A toaster with a wedding card still in the box?

I have.

Ever had someone give you a gift from their house? Like a paper weight with dust on it?

But my favorite/worst Christmas gift of all time, one I will keep forever and never ever re-gift is an Heirloom Fruitcake. My friend Connie surprised me with it.

Yes, it's completely fake. There's a little booklet inside with suggested uses for the foam, faux cake. Like a doorstop or foot rest, pillow--you get the drift. And speaking of drift, my heirloom fruitcake can also serve as a flotation device.

Family and friends should know what to get us for Christmas--right? And shouldn't WE, by the same token, know inherently, perhaps intuitively, what to buy them as well? But the fact is, when we're bleary-eyed and exhausted from fighting crowds and standing in long lines all day, we somehow convince ourselves that Aunt Betty would love that Hello Kitty blanket or Cousin Tracy would adore that neon orange sale sweater. We just want the shopping to be done--the nightmare to end.

Children are quite another matter though.

If a child wants a dancing Elmo for Christmas, most parents are going to find a way to get one, even if all the local stores are out of stock. We'll go out of our way to make sure our children aren't disappointed. We want to give them their hopes and desires. There's a soft place in the heart of most adults when it comes to kids and Christmas.

I remember one year, my youngest daughter, Lauren wanted an Amazing Ally doll. I searched through five or six different stores searching in vain for one. Sold out--everywhere! So right there in Target, right in the middle of the toy aisle, I prayed and asked God to help me find an Amazing Ally doll. And guess what? 

God spoke to me.

He told me to turn my cart down a particular aisle. So I did. And the minute I turned down the aisle with the Play Doh, I spotted a package wedged in between the cans of Play Doh. An Amazing Ally doll! The tears flowed. On the way to the checkout, half a dozen women stopped me to ask where I'd found the doll. They were ready to take their heels off and bolt for the toy department. 

I prayed and God answered.

God did not give me a lecture about the commercialization of Christmas. He didn't chastise me for chasing after materialistic things. He answered my prayer. He knew that doll was important to me, to a little girl. Because He loves us. In fact, He loves and cares for His children far more than we could ever love and care for our own.

If you then, evil as you are, know how to give good gifts [gifts [a]that are to their advantage] to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask and [b]continue to ask Him! Luke 11:13

If you've walked with God long enough, you know how tender-hearted and thoughful He is.  The little things matter as much as the big things. And like my desire to provide my child with an Amazing Ally doll, our Father God desires to provide us, His beloved children with the desires of our heart. 

Of course, sometimes our desires don't fall in line with God's Word. Every parent understands that saying no to some things is important. You wouldn't give your child a loaded gun just because they asked, would you?

We're always asking God for things.

Seriously. If it's not something of a material nature, we're asking for favor or spiritual gifts. And God hears our prayers. He loves to bless us. But the truth is, He's already given us the most precious gift we could ever receive--His one and only Son.

God won't give you anything until He gives you everything.

Jesus answered her, If you had only known and had recognized God's gift and Who this is that is saying to you, Give Me a drink, you would have asked Him [instead] and He would have given you living water. John 4:10

Eternal life is the perfect gift. A treasure beyond comparison. It cost God everything. It costs us nothing.

But God's free gift is not at all to be compared to the trespass [His grace is out of all proportion to the fall of man]. For if many died through one man's falling away (his lapse, his offense), much more profusely did God's grace and the free gift [that comes] through the undeserved favor of the one Man Jesus Christ abound and overflow to and for [the benefit of] many. Romans 5:15
This year, along with the many imperfect gifts I offer to family and friends, from the Flowbee to the Slap Chop, I'm going to share the Good News about the free gift of eternal life with everyone I care about. How about you? Can I challenge you to do likewise?
'Tis the season to be holy!
Sooooo remember that. Especially when your great aunt gives you a crocheted toilet paper caddy,
or the little jewel below--sort of scary and mighty hideous.
A southern lady lamp.

Now thanks be to God for His Gift, [precious] beyond telling [His indescribable, inexpressible, free Gift]! 2 Corinthians 9:15

A Home for Hephzibah--by Linda Kozar

“Thou shall no longer be termed forsaken; neither shall your land any more be termed desolate: but you shall be called Hephzibah. . .”—Isaiah 62:4 NKJ

Some families come together naturally in the course of time or planning, but other families are fitted to one another by God with great care--like puzzle pieces. Only He can find all the missing pieces and put them together.

As President and CEO of a national company, Christina worked out of an office in her spacious home. To the casual observer, she was a successful businesswoman who enjoyed a privileged life. There was one thing missing however--children. Two failed marriages had produced none. “I had this understanding with God, that if He wanted me to have children, He would have given them to me.” She shrugged, “I guessed God had other plans.”

Due to her busy work schedule, Christine decided to hire a housekeeper to clean and cook lunch and dinner for her. Soon after the housekeeper started however, she began to bring along her 4-year-old niece, Hephzibah Sarah. Christine didn’t mind. The little girl seemed quiet enough. But her aunt was an “old-school” disciplinarian who believed that children should be seen and not heard. Christine noticed that the aunt would make the little girl sit in a chair all day, still and quiet, as if she blended in with the furniture.

One day, as soon as her aunt’s car pulled out of the driveway for a trip to the grocery store, the little girl hopped out of her chair and ran into Christine’s office to ask for food. The pattern continued over time. Whenever her aunt left to do errands, the tiny girl would scramble from her chair to ask for something to eat. In a meek little voice, she asked for a strawberry or a few grapes and Christine would take her into the kitchen to feed and spend time with her. The minute she heard her aunt’s car in the driveway though, she would scurry right back to her chair.

Curious as to why her housekeeper, a mother with a grown son and two grandchildren of her own, would take on the responsibility of caring for her niece, Christine discovered that Sarah had come to her out of desperate circumstances. The youngest of nine children, “Hephzibah Sarah,” was born to a Christian family in the throes of poverty. Their mother names all nine children from Biblical figures she admired. Hephzibah Sarah, whom she named from Isaiah 62:4, was the youngest. The name, “Hephzibah,” translated from Hebrew means, “in whom is My delight.”  With the exception of Sarah and her brother, Paul, the rest of the children were eighteen years old and above. Sarah and Paul were the youngest, and as it turned out, the most vulnerable.

When Sarah was almost 2-1/2 years old, and her brother Paul 5-1/2, their mother died suddenly, and their father found it difficult to take on the responsibilities of caring for two young children. The family barely scraped by financially, and then only by pooling their money with each other to share a ramshackle place, often relying on help from their church. When their father went to work every day, he left Sarah and Paul in the care of the older girls. The young caretakers were immature and ill prepared for such responsibilities and took care of the children in a haphazard way.

Sarah wandered the house each day, eyes sunken, hair unkempt, nearly skin and bones. Her belly was bloated, a telltale sign of malnutrition. Most of the time, she went without underwear or even a tee shirt to cover her. Her older brother fared somewhat better because he had learned to fend for himself, but he too was struggling.Realizing that Sarah urgently needed help, their father turned to his sister, who though reluctant at first, agreed to take care of her.

“She was stressed out in a lot of ways,” said Christine. The aunt was caring for her brother, who was very ill, as well as an older, mentally handicapped niece and her two children. It was hard for her to be patient with a young child, but she tried and she made sure that Sarah was clean, well-groomed and dressed.”

After a few days, Christine decided to ask her housekeeper to begin serving her lunch out on the cabana by the pool. She casually asked if Sarah could join her. The aunt agreed. “We began to share wonderful times together, singing and laughing.” Christine discovered that no one had ever read to Sarah, so she began to read her story after story. She eventually bought her a jump rope, Barbie dolls and other toys to play with.

From the beginning, Christine had noticed a whitish ring around Sarah’s mouth, but now felt bold enough to ask if she could bring her to a pediatrician. “ The doctor knew what it was right away. He said that the appearance of the ring around her mouth indicated a Vitamin D deficiency, probably from lack of enough exposure to the sun.” Jarred by the diagnosis, Christine said, “I suddenly realized that this child had never been outside of the house to play.”

Worried that the child needed immediate care and intervention, Christine asked Sarah’s aunt if she could be Sarah’s “Godmother.” The aunt readily agreed, so she immediately enrolled her in a pre-kindergarten daycare center. Later, Christine asked permission to enroll Sarah in gymnastics and ballet classes. Once again, her aunt agreed.  Since Sarah’s ballet classes were in the evening, she was allowed to spend the night over Christine’s house. She quietly changed her guest bedroom into a little girl’s room, complete with comforter and dolls. Sarah loved it.

In her kitchen one day, Christine began to think about her earlier understanding with God. “I had always said, If God wanted me to have a child, He would have given me one. Suddenly, there was this big, neon sign going off in my head. He had given me one…and she was sitting right in from of me at my kitchen table!”

Her thoughts seemed to be confirmed one day while driving, when Sarah spoke from her car seat in the back.

“I been thinking since I’ve been looking for a nice mommy with a big house, that you ought to be my mommy. That way,” she added, “you won’t have to be alone anymore.”

Christine, overcome with emotion, had no more doubts. She decided to visit Sarah and Paul’s father. “That August, I finally met him face-to-face. He was a nice man who just seemed to be beaten down by the world.”

He told her, “I promised their mother before she died that I would do right by the little ones. I can tell you’re a nice lady. Please take Sarah and don’t let her forget her family.”

The man allowed Christine to adopt his daughter Hephzibah Sarah and he allowed his son Paul to stay with a foster family for a while. However, Paul was happy to return when conditions improved at home.

“People tell Sarah how lucky she is to have found a new mother like me,” said Christine, “but I disagree with that. I’m the lucky one. I know that God has something special in mind for Sarah and I’m blessed to be a part of her life.”

God heard the desire of a prayerful woman’s heart to be a mother, and the desperate need of a lonely little girl for one. Now they are a family, fitted together by God—a match truly made in Heaven.

Earthquakes and the End Times--by Linda Kozar

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, "it is estimated that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year. 100,000 of those can be felt, and 100 of them cause damage. Each year the southern California area has about 10,000 earthquakes. Most of them are so small that they are not felt. Only several hundred are greater than magnitude 3.0, and only about 15-20 are greater than magnitude 4.0. If there is a large earthquake, however, the aftershock sequence will produce many more earthquakes of all magnitudes for many months. 

The prevalence of so many small quakes and tremors explains why Californians seem to take their rumblings in stride. But for the rest of the United States, and the world for that matter, earthquakes are a serious concern. Is there a rise in seismic activity in accordance with End Times prophecy or are earthquakes simply reported in a more accurate matter than in years past. A Christian would probably say 'yes' there are more earthquakes. A scientist however, would tell quote from scientific data and reassure you that earthquakes occur with great frequency all over the world.

Have you ever wondered what people in the ancient world thought about earthquakes? The Bible records many quakes, but some earthquakes are more than just natural occurances. In fact, God used earthquakes as a wake-up call for people to repent of their sinful ways, and to serve as warnings for impending judgment.

Many people are experiencing a sense of foreboding--a call to intercession and intensified prayer. Are these feelings spurred by a perceived increase in natural and man-made disasters, or are these feelings more the quickening of the Holy Spirit warning us of things to come? Perhaps both? We would do well to study the historical and spiritual implications of earthquakes.

Bible Quakes

Mount Sinai

Exodus 19:18 "Now all the people perceived the thunderings and the lightenings and the noise of the trumpet and the smoking mountain, and as (they) looked they trembled with fear and fell back and stood afar off." The first biblical account of earthquake activity begins here. God is on the mountain. The mountain trembles and the people tremble as well.

Hebrews 12:25-26 "So see to it that you do not reject Him or refuse to listen to and heed Him Who is speaking (to you now). For it they (the Israelites) did not escape when they refused to listen and heed Him Who warned and devinely instructed them (here) on earth (revealing with heavenly warnings His will), how much less shall we escape if we reject and turn our backs on Him Who cautions and admonishes (us) from heaven? Then (at Mt. Sinai) His voice shook the earth, but now He has given a promise: Yet once more I will shake and make tremble not only the earth but also the (starry) heavens. (Hag. 2:6). Let's use Noah as an example. Noah warned of the coming flood. Perhaps some people took note or heed of what he said, yet as the years passed and they continued to live their lives in peace and prosperity, they began to doubt. That doubt led to mockery and derision. Most of the old testament prophets experienced the mockery of those who chose to ignore or reject God's warnings. God loves us so much He warns us beforehand. He gives His people every chance to repent. But there will be those who turn a blind eye to God's tender care for us. "For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation (2 Pet. 3:3-4) People will say, "What impending disaster? The sun is shining. Business is great. All is well." But God is calling us to repent, to seek after heavenly, not earthly things. Sometimes He literally has to shake us up to get us to listen to Him.

Psalms 68:8 "The earth trembled, the heavens also poured down (rain) at the presence of God; yonder Sinai quaked at the presence of God, the God of Israel."

Mount Calvary

Matthew 27: 51, 54 "And at once the curtain of the sanctuary of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; the eath shook and the rocks were split (Ex. 26:31-35)." "When the centurion and those who were with him keeping watch over Jesus observed the earthquake and all that was happening, they were terribly frightened and filled with awe, and said, 'Truly this was God's Son!'" It is estimated that the veil of the sanctuary was four inches thick. Think phone book thick. Have you ever seen somebody tear a phone book in half. Now imagine a temple veil 60 feet high, torn completely in two. As the earth convulsed, amny rocks were split as well. The skies were dark and people were completely terrified. prompting even the gentile Roman soldiers to admit that Jesus had to be the Son of God.

Resurrection

Matthew 28:1-2 "Now after the Sabbath, near the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary of Magdala and the other Mary went to take a look at the tomb. And behold there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled the boulder back and sat upon it." When Jesus died on the cross--an earthquake and three days later, when He arose from the dead--another earthquake! Matthew 27:52 The tombs were opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep in death were raised (to life). And coming out of the tombs after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. Can you imagine that? I wonder if Joseph, still in his Egyptian garb, was among those who wandered through the city. Remember, his specific request? He asked that his bones go with his people. He did not want to be buried in Egypt. So Joseph rested with his fathers. 

Make note of the word "after." The old testament saints were resurrected in body and spirit, but Jesus had to be resurrected first, which explains why they rose in body and walked the earth, but were not resurrected to heaven until after Jesus. Some say these were the old testament people whom Jesus witnessed to in Paradise, a compartment in hell that is no longer there. It was emptied when these old testament believers received Jesus Christ as their Savior. Some also claim this event to be the first rapture.

Holy Spirit

Acts 4:31 "And when they had prayed, the place in which they were assembled was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they continued to speak the Word of God with freedom and boldness and courage." These early church believers were living in fear. They had been forbidden to witness, to speak of or share with anyone about this Savior, the Messiah, Jesus Christ, so they gathered together daily to pray. And when the Holy Spirit came upon each of them with tongues of fire, they left that upper room with boldness and began to witness to every living soul, without fear of imprisonment or death.

Paul and Silas

Acts 16: 25-27 "But about midnight, as Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the (other) prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the very foundations of the prison were shaken; and at once all the doors of the prison were opened and everyone's shackles were unfastened." Can you imagine a more miserable place? Every prisoner was shackled in a cold, dark, filthy place. But Paul and Silas did something improbable. They sang with joy. They sang their faith. And the other prisoners were listening intently. The earthquake produced an improbable result as well. All the doors of the prison were opened and each and every shackle on every prisoner was unfastened. Amazing. What is more amazing is that these thing happened without a record of any loss of life in the prison. God can call forth an earthquake, tell it what to do and how to do it. He can use any natural force to do His will any way he wants it to.

Second Coming of Christ

Matthew 24:7 "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in place after place." One could argue that this prophecy is occuring right now. Nation is rising up against nation. There are famines. And there are earthquakes in many places that do no usually experience earthquakes.

Luke 21:11 "There will be mighty and violent earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences (plagues; malignant and contagious or infectious diseases which are deadly and devastating); and there will be sights of terror and great signs from heaven." Some recent occurances come to mind. The earthquake and Tsumani in Japan. Recent quakes in Oklahoma. The Bird flu virus. Asteroids.

~~~ 

One thing is clear. End Time Earthquakes are decidedly different from all previous quakes. These will truly be devastating on a scale far greater than any experienced on the earth throughout all history. "There shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved" (Matt. 24:21,22).

Opening of 6th Seal

Revelation 6:12-17 "When He (the Lamb) broke open the sixth seal, I looked, and there was a great earthquake; and the sun grew black as sackcloth of hair, (the full disc of) the moon became like blood (Joel 2:10, 31).

7 Trumpets

Revelation 8:5 "So the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and cast it upon the earth. Then there followed peals of thunder and loud rumblings and blasts and noises, and flashes of lightening and an earthquake. (Lev. 16:12, Ezek. 10:2).

Revelation 11:19 "Then the sanctuary of God in heaven was thrown open, and the ark of His covenant was seen standing inside in His sanctuary; and there were flashes of lightening, loud rumblings (blasts, mutterings), peals of thunder, an earthquake, and a terrific hailstorm (1 Kings 8:1-6).

The Two Witnesses

Revelation 11:13 "And at that (very) hour there was a tremendous earthquake and one tenth of the city was destroyed (fell); seven thousand people perished in the earthquake, and those who remained were filled with dread and terror and were awe-struck, and they glorified the God of heaven."

The 7th Seal

Revelations 16:17-21 "Then the seventh (angel) emptied out his bowl into the air, and a mighty voice came out of the sanctuary of heaven from the throne (of God), saying, It is done! (It is all over, it is all acomplished, it has come!) (Isaiah. 66:6).

Have you have recently experienced an earthquake? If so, you know how terrifying it is to feel the ground move beneath your feet. But many people experience personal earthquakes. Their lives are shaken by financial, family or health problems--a shaking that topples, crumbles, destroys.

When troubles find us, fear makes our hearts grown faint. We tend to run around in circles, uncertain about what to do--panicked and without direction. The Greek word for moved can mean agitated, shaken or disturbed. 

The first thing to do in this situation is get before God. Fall to your knees. Shut out your fear and shut yourself in with your Father God. There is only one sure way to overcome fear and that is in God's perfect love. Don't stop praying until you are fully satisfied and persuaded that God is in control. Once you do so, you will be able to sing your faith as Paul and Silas did. And you will see others come to Christ. You will see the doors open and the shackles fall away.

Then and only then will you truly be able to say, "Nothing on this earth can move me! I am in the presence of the Most High God. I am covered under the shadow of His wing (Psalm 91). I am not afraid, for in His presence is fullness of joy.

(http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/facts.php).

Touching God's Word--Braille Bible Bookmarks

One of our Babes, Dannelle, had an amazing experience over the past week. Well, it really started a month or two ago.

"I'd been going through a dry period spiritually. A time when I felt the Lord was just not speaking to me," she said. "Then some of us from our bible study went to a soaking," (That's when women of the church pray over you while you lay down in a darkened room, and listen to soothing worship music).

Dannelle hadn't really wanted to go. "I had so many other things I needed to do! Lying down for a couple of hours seemed like a waste of time, but I went anyway."

"During the soaking, I suddenly felt like someone was holding my hand. There wasn't anyone there, but I felt it anyway. Then, after a little while, the feeling was completely gone, there was nothing. I wondered what God was doing. In a little bit I heard the Lord speak to me. "Even when you can't feel me, I'm still here." That was the first thing that happened.

Then, a few weeks later, she was out scouting a local flea market for some jewelry. There were all kinds of interesting things around, but her eye was caught by some big leather-type books set out on a table. She asked the owner what they were, and he said they were the books of the bible written in braille. She nearly lost it, right in front of everyone, because here was another instance of God speaking to her! Here was the bible written out, a bible you couldn't see. "You may not see me, Dannelle, but I'm here."

But there's more to the story. Dannelle bought the braille bible and decided to use a few pages to make bookmarks for the rest of the ladies in her bible study. She took it to Kinko's a few days later, and as the bookmarks were being copied and laminated, the machine started having problems. She and an employee ran over to check and see what was wrong. The employee fixed things, and as she did so, she became very interested in what Dannelle was doing with a braille bible. "Do you know someone who's blind?", Dannelle asked her. "My sister," the employee replied. "She was born without eyes."

"My sister loves to read the bible." the employee told her, "Her church bought the whole braille set for her, at about $1000. The books take up a lot of room, since one braille book only contains two books of the bible. So they're stacked from floor to ceiling in my sister's closet. Those books mean so much to my sister and she's read them again and again."

So, in three different ways God spoke to Dannelle, and I think he's speaking to us too. He is with us all the time, whether we can feel him or not. He's with us all the time whether we can see him or not. What an amazing God.

The Zest Of An Empty Nest--By Linda P. Kozar

What is your passion in life? 


Think backwards. When you were a student, your passion was  an area of study you aspired to build into a career upon graduation. After that, many of us hoped to marry and start a family--redirecting our passions toward that end. Some of us walked away from promising careers or worked part-time instead in order to do so. Then, for many years after that, we lovingly concentrated on raising our children--putting their gifts, talents and dreams above our own. But when the kids begin to leave for college and pursue those dreams, many a stay-at-home mom begins to reassess her life, reviving dreams and passions that once burned brightly in her soul. 


Though the sight of a child's vacant room draws raging streams of tears from a mother, an empty nest is confirmation that you've done your job. Think of it that way. Though it is sad to see the family separated, every mother knows in her heart that her children must mature and prosper on their own. A robin doesn't question why her birdies fly away and neither should you. Instead of looking at an empty nest as a gaping hole in your heart, view that empty nest as a gift from God. The block of time you spent nurturing and raising your children can now be used in other ways. Here are some ideas:

• Rediscover your husband! Go on dates and trips together. Have fun!
• Take art classes. Watercolor, oil, mixed media. Sculpting. Pottery making. Or learn something unusual like Italian glass bead making. Get the creative side of your brain working!
• Sign up for creative writing classes and join local writing groups.
• Go back to school and finish your degree or acquire an advanced degree and look for a job. Many people work way beyond the traditional age of retirement (if they are blessed enough to find a job).
• Volunteer at church, a local food pantry--Animal Shelters, Meals On Wheels, Habitat For Humanity etc. There are lots of options and a lot of places need you help.
• Read! All the books you've put off reading because you didn't have time. Well, now you do.
• Learn public speaking. Join a local Toastmasters group and then use your speaking or storytelling abilities in schools, clubs and other organizations and public forums.
• Teach a Bible class in church.
• Take photography classes. Learn to use digital media and editing techniques in PhotoShop. Or transfer and edit all your old videos onto DVDs.
• Reasearch your family ancestry and design a family history book or create a family history website.
• Write and self-publish a family cookbook with all your treasured family recipes for your children.
• Do those scrapbooks for your kids-you know--the projects you started 18 years ago:)
• Clean out the kid's rooms and repurpose them as craft, exercise or media rooms. Just make sure you have enough beds for when the kids and eventually grandkids come to visit. (Murphy beds are a great solution).

Remember, just because your nest is empty doesn't mean your heart is! You will always love your children and follow their lives from a distance--celebrating in their successes, comforting them in their failures. Your role as a mother will change from disciplinarian to that of a wise counselor. Your children may or may not take your advice, but that's okay. At least they asked, right?

These are just a small sample of ideas to get you empty nest moms started. I hope they help. There's a new book and movie out that advises people to "Pray, Eat, Love", but believers know that after you pray, everything else falls into place. Blessings to you!

Zoned Out On The Fourth of July--by Linda Kozar

from page 197~July 4th~Babes With A Beatitude--Devotions For Smart, Savvy Women of Faith (Howard/Simon & Schuster 2009)

"In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you"

--1st Thessalonians 5:18

Picnics and sunny days go together, but there was nothing traditional about this Fourth of July. Lightening zigzaggd through sheets of thunderous rain. I guess it was God's version of fireworks. As if that wasn't enough disappointment, our teens chose to spend the day with friends, so my husband and I watched the 24-hour Twilight Zone marathon on TV until one of us got hungry.

Since things were a bit damp from all the rain, my husband decided to fire up the grill with the leaf blower! (He thought of that himself.) Once the flames calmed down a bit, we grilled shish kabobs and eggplant, since neither of us felt like eating the traditional burger or hotdog.

As we thanked God for our food, we realized how blessed we were to even have a meal on the table when so many people in the world go to bed hungry. Between the weather , absent family members and the food, there was certainly nothing traditional about this Fourth of July. Even our prayers set off a different kind of fireworks--a zeal for God and thankful hearts filled with praise.

Beatitude Check

On Independence Day and every other day, let's be thankful that we are dependent on our Father God, Who provides for all our needs according to His riches in glory! (See Philippians 4:19).