Cynthia’s Blog

The Bible has a lot to say about debt, finances and how we should treat and handle money. One thing it does NOT say is that debt is a sin. No where are we specifically told not to borrow. However, borrowing is always talked about in a negative way, as something we should avoid. It is a Biblical PRINCIPLE that we should not borrow, rather than a RULE. Let’s look at some key things the Bible DOES say about borrowing:

All borrowing must be repaid. Psalm 37:21a says “The wicked borrow and do not repay.” The implication, of course, is that we must repay anything we borrow, or we are “wicked”.

Surety is foolish. There are many references to surety in the book of Proverbs, and yet it seems to be a little taught or understood principle. Surety means to deposit a pledge in either money, goods, or part payment for a greater obligation. It means to take on an obligation to pay later without a guaranteed way to repay. “A man lacking in sense pledges, and becomes surety in the presence of his neighbor.” Proverbs 17:18 When you take on a debt of any kind, except where the item pledged for security (eg your house) will be accepted for full payment of the debt no matter what the circumstances, then you have a situation of surety. In other words, the only time you should ever consider borrowing money, is when you can get the lender to agree to a contract that says that if you are no longer able to meet the payments on the loan, then they can take possession of the item put up as security, and it will be accepted as full payment of the debt; they will not be able to claim or sue you for any additional money, even if the value of the item is less than the balance of the debt. In that circumstance, you have a guaranteed way to repay the loan; in all others you presume upon the future. If you ignore the Bible’s teaching against surety, then you are putting yourself in a precarious financial position - if things don’t work out quite as you had hoped, you may find yourself unable to make ends meet, and you could lose everything. At the very least, you will be under a lot of stress and pressure that could have been avoided by not borrowing.

Debt always presumes upon the future. James 4:13-16 says “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.”

If you borrow money, and you believe all borrowed money must be repaid, then when you take out a loan you are presuming upon the future, unless you have a guaranteed way to repay as described above. “Presuming upon the future” means that you are taking on a debt under the assumption that your income and situation in the future will be such that you will be able to continue making payments. But you don’t know that.

Borrowing may deny God an opportunity. God wants to build up our faith. The Bible tells us that God will supply all our needs. When we borrow to buy something, we may be denying God an opportunity to meet our needs, or to show himself faithful, which would increase our faith. It is also easy to confuse our needs with our desires, or wants. If you are committed to following Biblical principles and not borrowing any more money, you can be sure that God will meet you needs, most likely in ways you would never dream of! In Unit 2, Lesson 32, I shared about some of the ways God met our needs when we committed ourselves to getting out of debt and doing things his way. How has he met YOUR needs in the past? Remembering past times when God has provided, will build your faith and help you to stick to your decisions to do things his way. If you haven’t experienced God’s provision, maybe you haven’t given him an opportunity yet!

We all face an uncertain economic future! There is no real job security anymore. Businesses close or downsize every day, and jobs are lost. Accidents happen, preventing people working. National borrowing is out of control; sooner or later economies may collapse.

There is nothing we can do to prevent these kinds of things, but there ARE some things we can do to prepare ourselves, no matter what the future holds.

Your best preparation for an uncertain economic future is to get out of debt!

Excerpted from Unit 3 of Goodbye Chaos, Hello Peace! in which I will show you how to budget, how to get out debt, and help you get your paperwork and office under control.

Do you ever have days when you wonder what on EARTH you are doing? When you ask yourself WHY you are the wife of this man, the mother of this family, the owner of this business, working for this company, running this ministry, homeschooling these kids,  living this life on this earth?? Are you sometimes weary and frustrated - does it all seem too much, too hard, too impossible?
 
Oh, dear one, we ALL feel that way at times! But, on one of the days when I was feeling that way, I turned to the Lord, opened my Bible, and this is what I read:
 
“We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Thess 1:3 (NIV)
 
The three phrases I have made bold hit me right between the eyes. Here, Paul is writing to the Thessalonians to build them up and encourage them. But, these words are timeless, and just as much directed to us today - us wives and mothers in all our daily struggles and trails.
 
Think about this for a moment. Think about all the things you do in your life - all the facets of who you are. Ask yourself, WHY do you do these things? WHO are you working for? Is it for yourself, or for your husband, or because of other’s expectations? Or is it because of your faith in God - your faith that he put you right THERE, right where you are, to fulfill his specific plan and purpose for you life? If you can answer yes to that last question, then the work that you do is produced out of the faith that you have in your Father God!
 
My friend, God loves you, and has a specific plan and purpose for your life. You know that, right? But have you EMBRACED it!? Have you accepted that God’s plan may not be glamorous or public; it may not involve riches and acclaim here on earth. It very likely does involve hard work, sleepless nights, dirty jobs and thankless devotion. BUT, it is STILL part of God’s plan for YOU. If you are married, then God has called you to be a wife. If you have children, then he has called you to be a mother. What else has he called you to do? Check each aspect of what you do against whether God called you to do it, or you just took it on. If God has NOT called you to it, but you just took it on, then you might just have found the source of much of your frustration! But, if he DID call you to do it, then you can rest assured that he never calls us to anything, without enabling us to do it, and providing all that we need!
 
“Work produced by faith.” Is your work produced by faith? It can be! If you do something because you know God wants you to do it, and you believe he will help you, and that he watches over you and will reward you, then you’re doing it in and by faith. If you do something which God has called you to do, even though you have no idea HOW you’re going to do it, then you’re working by faith. If God has called you to homeschool, or to write books, or to reach out to someone, and you step out and do it, you are working by faith.
 
“Labor prompted by love.” Look at why you do things again - is it because of love? Your love for God, whom you serve, your love for your husband and your children, your love for other people? Let that love overflow into the things you do! Do things out of love, not grudgingly.
 
Labor. To me that means hard work! When someone says the word labor, what do you think of? Giving birth? Breaking rocks? Back-breaking work? Steady work, working long hours. Laboring. Working. For LOVE!
 
“Endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” Endurance. Not exactly a fun word, because it implies having to hang in there when the going gets tough. And it will get tough, at least at times. But we endure. Why? Because of our HOPE in Christ. What hope is that? The hope that he has gone before us and prepared the way. That he is coming again, and that he will take us to heaven to be with him. That he will reward us, that he watches over us, that he will never leave us or forsake us.
 
Faith, hope and love. What do they look like in the every day world in which we live? They look like this:
Work, Labor……Endurance!
 
When you have a tough day, remember these verses. Remember that your work is produced by faith, that your labor is prompted by love, and that your endurance is inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. And it is sooooo worth it in the end!
 
I’ve written 1 Thess 1:3 out, with the three phrases in a contrasting colour, and put them on the wall above my computer. Whenever I begin to hear those little voices telling me it’s not worth it, that I should just give up, I look up and read those words. I KNOW I am called to do what I do by God, and that my work is produced by faith, that my labor is prompted by the love God has placed in my heart for my husband, children, and all of you, and that I endure even when it’s tough, because I am inspired by hope in Jesus Christ. What about you?

As busy wives and mothers, we are constantly pouring out of ourselves to other people. We serve our husbands, our children, our extended family and friends. Some of us serve in churches or ministries, or in helping in the community. Some are involved in running homeschool support groups, or youth groups such as Scouts or Guides. All these things are wonderful, but all of them require something from us. They require our time, our energy, our thought and emotions,  our prayer and inspiration. We are giving out, giving out, all the time. In order to keep pouring out, we need to get filled back up, to refuel. If we don’t, we’ll soon find ourselves running on empty, and chronically running on empty leads to burn out.
 
Sometimes we feel guilty about taking the time to do things that are good or fun for US. We feel that we should be busy doing things for others, but we don’t feel right about doing things for us, fearing that maybe that is selfish.
 
Let me tell you, my friend, that doing things for ourselves is not about being selfish - it’s about doing what is absolutely VITAL if we are to continue ministering to others! Sure, it can develop into selfishness if we seek ONLY to do things for ourselves, but when approached as a part of a balanced lifestyle, it is a GOOD thing, a VITAL thing!
 
So, what are some ways to fill up your cup, to refresh yourself? Oh, there are so many things you can do! The main thing is that it must be something that relaxes you, that refreshes and renews you. Here are some suggestions:

• A deep bubble bath, perhaps with a good book, or some audios to listen to, or simply relaxing in the gentle light and aroma of scented candles
• An early night - regardless of all that is clamoring for your attention
• A long walk
• Sitting on the beach or in a park
• Cuddling up and watching a good movie with your sweetheart
• Having a shoulder and neck massage, or foot massage
• Getting your hair done
• Going for a swim
• Pulling aside for a few hours or even days, to rest, seek God, pray and plan
• Chatting with a friend over coffee while the kids play
• Going to browse in the library - ALONE!
• When I used to ride horses, there was nothing to “blow away the cobwebs” like a good gallop! My husband finds the same with riding his motorbike. Sometimes just being able to go (safely) fast, and let the wind stream through our hair and across our faces is the best therapy of all, whether it’s on a horse or bike, in a go-kart, on rollerskates, or just driving with the windows down!
• Singing and dancing in the rain
• Laughing! At funny jokes, a funny movie or book, or just being silly with your husband and kids, or a friend! Take time to laugh - it is like a medicine to your soul!
• A daily quiet time
• Taking a nap
• Curling up with a good book
• Going on a date with your husband
• Sitting in the sunshine
• Playing with your children
• Letting your kids play dress up with you - let them do your hair and put makeup on you, rub your feet and neck, and pamper you. Who cares if it’s not perfect? - it’s just wonderfully soothing to have someone minister to you in this way - you can return the favor another time. My little girls are excellent and shoulder and foot massages, and at brushing and playing with my hair. They get some personal time with me, and I get to relax and enjoy!
• Doing a puzzle, jigsaw or playing games or cards with your husband or children

I’m sure you can think of more ideas! Make a list of things you like to do, or would like to try, and then write them on your calendar. If you don’t PLAN to take time out, it will never “just happen”. Have small breaks during the day, reward yourself when you accomplish certain of your To-do’s, and plan weekly bigger treats and “time-outs”!
 
You’re not being lazy or selfish - you are actually serving those you love by taking care of you. If you burn out, then you won’t be able to be there for them. If you constantly run on nothing, you won’t be able to give them your best.
 
Even Jesus took time out to rest!

When I was a brand new homeschooler, the Lord blessed me enormously by having us go and live close to a group of families who were all seasoned homeschoolers. If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t have had a CLUE how to do this thing he had laid on my heart! We lived there for a couple of years, and formed many life-long friendships. We go back and visit every chance we get! Those dear people are still among our dearest friends.
 
However, during the time we lived there, there was a lot of very interesting information and teaching floating around on a variety of subjects. All of us strongly desired to be sold out for Jesus - to live a life the reflected God in every way. We did not want to be conformed to the world’s way of doing things, but to be transformed to God’s way of thinking. That sincere and ernest desire, though, made us somewhat vunerable to some ideas that really were nothing more than the thinking of man - red herrings that the devil used to distract us from what was really important. (By “red herring” I mean “something that draws attention away from the central issue; a diversion or distraction”). Most of us have long since realised that these issues that seemed so very important at the time, were really not that important after all, and we’ve moved on. Sadly though, there are some who did not see the truth, but who became enslaved to the bondage of the “traditions of man”.
 
What sort of ideas am I talking about? Oh, beloved, there are endless numbers of ideas and teachings out there that all could be labeled as red herrings! Many of them might be good ideas in and of themselves, but when taken to extremes, or preached as “gospel”, or the ONLY way for a Christian to live, there is a very real danger of them becoming bondage. Here’s a list of just some of these types of issues that come to mind:

• Woman must wear dresses or skirts - never pants.
• Woman must wear a head covering
• Christians must homeschool their children
• Father’s must lead the family in devotions every day
• REAL Christians live in the country and grow all their own food (homesteading)
• Good keepers at home make all the families food from scratch - no store-bought bread or pastry or what have you
• Homeschool moms should wear denim jumpers (ok, that one’s a little tongue-in-cheek! ;-))
• Sunday’s MUST be a day of rest
• Saturday is the REAL Sabbath
• Christmas and Easter shouldn’t be celebrated by Christians, because they are really heathen festivals
• Modern Christian music is from the devil
• Only such-and-such a version of the Bible is correct and therefore acceptable
• Christians must not date before marraige
• The husband must be the one to control and manage the finances
• Keepers at home don’t need time out - they should love to be surrounded by their children 24/7 and never need a break!
• You must tithe 10% of your income
• Boys must be circumcised
• Family planning of any kind is a sin, regardless of the circumstances
• God is the Great Physician, therefore Christians should never go to the doctor
• You must be water baptised in order to be saved.

Oh yes, I’ve heard ALL these and plenty more besides over the years. And usually they are explained and backed up by Bible verses and sound so RIGHT! So convincing! So holy!
 
Now, don’t get me wrong - I am not belittling anyone who adhers to any or all of these ideas! As I said before, each of them can be a good idea - it really comes down to a matter of the heart.
 
I think the real danger comes when we become convinced that any of these types of ideas is a MUST - a must not just for us, but for any other Christian - that this is the only right way of doing things. If we come to believe that, then many other Christians are not going to measure up to our standards, and we may become puffed up and proud. A tragic example of this is one family I know. The parents are both Christians. They have 6 children and they homeschool. She has listened to all these teachings over the years, and believed them. She has tried to do them all. Unfortunately, she also began to judge her husband, who wasn’t so convinced about all these things, and find him wanting. This man is a good, Christian man. He is hard working, kind and generous, and loves his wife and kids. But he is not super-spiritual, or very refined. He’s very much a “real” man. She has now kicked him out of their home and is taking him to court so she can get sole-custody of the children, because she is convinced that he is a bad influence on the children, due to what she sees as his lack of leadership and spiritual qualities. Meanwhile, she is nearing complete burnout or breakdown, because she is so under bondage to being a super-woman and doing everything perfectly, herself.
 
I have known of several other women over the years who have lost the plot. Women who had big ministries, large families, homeschooled, advocated all the keeper-at-home ideas, led the way in ideas like those above, and more besides. Mostly good ideas, kept in balance. But when they get out of balance, disaster looms. Two such ladies I know of, from different parts of the world, each with families of 10 children - the kinds of woman whom many looked up to and the last people on earth you would expect to turn their backs on it all - both of them suddenly abandoned their husbands and families and ran off with other men. They’ve given up everything they once believed in, and turned their backs on their families, their ministries, and their God. Why? Because the burden of living under the bondage they had taken on became too much. And unfortunately, instead of realising they had taken on a yoke of their own creation, and humbling themselves enough to allow God to help them to change, they simply threw in the towel and quit.
 
If you feel a leading or conviction about something, some issue that comes up, ask yourself this: is my “conviction” coming directly from God speaking to my heart and through his Word, or is it coming from the persuasive teachings of some person? If the latter is involved, please be very, very careful. That is not to say that God cannot use godly men and women to show us the way - he often does. Just be cautious about taking on board any teaching that involves you having to live a certain way or do a certain thing (or not do them, as the case may be).
 
In addition, consider whether your husband is in agreement with you. Women can be, on the one hand, much more spiritually sensitive than men, but on the other hand they are also much more easily lead into deception. (see 1 Tim 2:11-15) I think that is part of why God made men less intuitive than women - they may be slower sometimes to “see” deep truths, but they are also steadier and less prone to jumping aboard the latest fads and ideas. Husbands and wives balance each other. If God is really telling you to do something, and your husband does not agree, then obey your husband. God is perfectly capable, in his own time, of showing our husbands the truth, and will do so. He does not need us to convince our husbands or win them over to our own way of thinking with persuasive arguements!
 
Friends, don’t make life so complicated! God does not require us to follow a list of rules and do’s and don’ts. In fact, Jesus spoke out very strongly against the Pharisees and religious teachers of his day, who gave the people many rules and teachings to follow, saying: “They tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them. Everything they do is done for men to see…..Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear as people of righteousness but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” Matt 23:4-5a, 27-28
 
I don’t know about you, but I personally don’t want to be a “white-washed tomb”! I don’t want to appear righteous on the outside, but inside harbor all sorts of foolishness and wrong thinking and sin. The problem with getting caught up in “good ideas” is that they often take our focus off the heart, and off God, and onto outward appearances and works.
 
Paul put it like this in his letter to the Colossians:
“When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, truimphing over them by the cross.
   Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality however, is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.
   Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!”?These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings. Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.
    Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.” Col 2:13-3:4
 
In Matthew 6, Jesus talks about our eyes (focus), treasure (possesions), needs and heart. He tells us not to worry about what we will eat or wear, but to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things shall be given to you as well.” He makes it clear where our focus is to be - on God himself, not on the things of this world. Beloved, if we will do that, if we will focus fully on God, and concentrate on knowing him and loving him and serving him, everything else will fall into place. In fact, most of it will simply fall away. As the song says, when you look full in the face of God, the things of earth grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace. So many of the things we worry about and get worked up about, really don’t matter much at all. The things we should count as important are the basic tenents of our faith - that Jesus is the Son of God, that he died and rose again and paid for all our sins, and that he is alive and with the Father. That we can accept his death on our behalf, be forgiven, and recieve eternal life. That the Holy Spirit is given to us to teach us and lead us, and that God is working in our lives to make us more like Jesus, who is coming again. THESE things matter! These things we should be sure of, understand, and live out. With everything else, test it carefully, hold fast to what is good, and let the rest go!
 
If you and your husband feel a real conviction from God to follow a certain lifestyle or do a certain thing, then by all means do it, as one who obeys God, not man. But remember to keep in mind always that this conviction is for YOU and for NOW - there is no requirement for other believers to do as you do, and it is entirely possible that what God is leading you to do now will not be what he wants you do continue doing in 10 years time. Also, use Galatians 5:22-23 as a check - is this thing in your life producing the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control), or is it producing tension, arguements, jealousy, pride, selfish ambition, fits of rage, discord and so on? Anything that does not produce, or help to produce, the right fruit in your life is not of God and must go!
 
Gal 5:1 says “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery.” Dear friends, do not allow yourselves to be burdened by the bondage of ideas and requirements preached by people. Stick only to what God himself leads you to do, and you will be free indeed.

Every one needs to have fun! And family’s need to have fun together! But in the daily rounds of life, it is so easy to get so busy that we never take the time to build precious memories with our children.

This is one of two things for which I will always be grateful to Flylady. In Flylady’s weekly schedule, she has Saturday down as “Family Fun Day” - a time to do something fun as a family. The thing that struck me most about this was that I saw that you don’t wait until you have your house under control and life running smoothly to do family fun; you make it a priority and do it anyway! I had been using all the work I *had* to do as an excuse not to do fun things with my family. I truly believed I couldn’t take time off until I was caught up.

Well guess what?? There will ALWAYS be things to do, urgent tasks to attend to, behind stuff to catch up on. But your children will not always be children; one day all too soon they will be grown and gone. And before that, they will be teenagers; more independent and self-reliant. If you want your teenagers to want to hang around with your family, then you had better have a family that is fun! No, you don’t have to turn your home into a circus, but you do need to have regular, fun, relationship and memory building times together. A regular family time and the precious memories you build will do a lot to bind your hearts together and to draw your older children back towards home.

Children also need something fun to look forward to. They need to know that life is not all work; that they can look forward to something each week. I suggest that you set aside either one day or one afternoon or evening each week to do something together as a family. It does not have to be costly, but try to vary the activities a bit.

Here is a list of suggestions for family fun. Look through it, and add your own. Decide what day of the week is best to have your regular Family Fun Time, and plan what you will do this week. Don’t allow anything to stand in the way; make this a priority. It’s one more way of showing your children that they are more important than all the things you have to do!

Fun Family Ideas

Pop a big bowl of popcorn and watch a fun movie together.
Get out all the board games and cards and have a night of games and fun and laughter.
Go for a relaxed walk somewhere new. Have icecream when you get home, or stop by the store and buy one each on the way back.
Gather up the kids, a blanket and some snacks and go visit a local park, beach or forest. Take along a ball or Frisbee and play with your children.
Play a round or two of mini-golf. Keep the score cards and see if you can improve your own scores the next time you play.
Have a beauty therapy session - get out the hand lotion and hair brushes etc and take turns rubbing each other’s feet, hands, necks etc, and doing each other’s hair.
Look up a list of children’s party games (three-legged races, egg and spoon race, musical chairs etc) and plan an afternoon of fun, silly games and special fun food “just because”.
Set up a “tent” in the living room with blankets and chairs, and all huddle inside. Read stories of pioneers and hunters and explorers.
Have an alphabet night. Pick a letter, and plan a menu that has everything beginning with that letter. Wear clothing according to the theme, and read poetry or stories that use alliteration with the same letter. For example, if you had a “P” night, everyone would wear purple or pink or pastel shades, you would eat pizza, popcorn, peanuts, pumpkin and parsley, and learn the tongue-twister “Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers…….”
An alternative is a colour night. Wear a certain colour, eat food of that colour (or colour it with food colouring - have you ever eaten green potatoes or blue flapjacks??), and play games or do activities around the colour.
If you have teens, have a games night with activities geared towards them. Most teens love to compete, and like to get very physical. Find out what is fun for them, and make it happen.
Plan an outing to a museum, play, ice-skating rink or other special treat.
Have a “Mad Hatter’s Tea Party” - all dress in the silliest way you can think of, and sit down together to a tea party complete with teapot and treats.
What day (or part of a day) will you set aside for regular family fun? What ideas so you have for activities you can do together. Write your ideas and plans down, and mark them on the calendar. Don’t forget, if you don’t make specific plans, it just won’t happen!

The above article is excerpted from Goodbye Chaos, Hello Peace! Unit 2, available FREE by joining my Mailing List.

Do you love your husband? Do you love your children? Most likely, your response is “Of course I do!” But, is your heart turned fully towards them? Or are you holding part of yourself back?

Now, this is not an easy question to answer, and requires some soul-searching. Let me ask you some questions, and then you can let the Lord show you where YOUR heart is.

What do you see as your ultimate purpose in this life? What are your hopes and dreams? Are you fully immersed with your whole heart and mind in being a wife and mother, or are you marking time waiting for the kids to grow up so you can get on with your “real” life?

What do you make the greatest priority in your day - your husband and children, or THINGS (cleaning, dealing with clutter, etc), or OTHER people (phone calls, visiting, computer chatting via emails or IM, charity work, ministry etc)?? Where is your main focus? What are you thinking about most?

When your husband or child is speaking to you, are you focused on them, and listening to them with your ears AND your mind? Or are you thinking about the tasks you need to get to, the email you need to answer, what Jane from church said to you today?

When your children want you to play with them, are you always “too busy”? When your husband wants to be intimate with you, are you often “too tired”?

How do you feel about the role of being a wife and mother? Do you see yourself as “just” a housewife, or do you see it as a great calling? Do you sometimes wonder if you’re missing out on something by staying at home?

Dear friend, have you fully embraced being a wife and mother? Do you see it as THE purpose for your life, THE place where all your talents and giftings can have their fullest and most worthy expression?

Do you sometimes feel inadequate as a wife or home keeper or mother? Who doesn’t?! But, if you feel this way often, ask yourself whether as a result you are holding yourself back from your husband and/or children in some way; often if we feel inadequate or like we are doing a bad job, we avoid the thing (or people) that make us feel that way. For example, a parent who feels like they are failing at child training may allow their child to get away with negative behavior and attitudes because dealing with it seems so hard, and they feel like they have no idea what they are doing most of the time. Unfortunately when this happens, the parent’s heart tends to be held back too, and the child feels insecure and unsure of the parent’s love; the result is worse behavior and attention seeking, and it all becomes a vicious cycle.

Where is YOUR heart? The things you focus on, and the things (or people) you avoid are clues to where your heart really is. What do you treasure most? Remember Jesus said “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” What is your treasure? In what do you take the most joy?

If, as you ponder these things, you find your heart is fully turned towards your husband, children and home, rejoice! God will use you and work through you to bless and help your loved ones. Your rewards will be great.

If, however, you find your heart is not fully turned towards your family, then you need to decide whether to do something about that. And what CAN you do? Take it to the One who is in the business of changing hearts! Ask his forgiveness if your heart and thoughts have been wrong, and confess to him your desire to love your husband and children as fully and strongly as God intends for you to do. Surrender your heart to God and ask him to fill it with his love for your husband and children. J God can do amazing things, including the seemingly impossible! I have personally experienced God’s restoration of love grown cold in my heart towards my husband - and the result was far, far better than I could have ever dreamed or imagined!

Dear friend, if you are struggling to fully love your husband or children, or to fully invest yourself - body, soul, heart and mind - in your home, then let God transform you! You’ll be so glad you did!

Excerpted from Unit 2 of Goodbye Chaos, Hello Peace. All completed units are available FREE by joining my Mailing List

If you have too much stuff, you spend time maintaining or shuffling it that could or should have been spent with your family.

But how do we find balance? I mean, we all need to have SOME stuff, right? Of course we do. But where’s the line between enough and too much?

If we have ENOUGH stuff - then we will be reasonably clothed, sheltered and fed, have some pleasant pastimes, and the things we need to carry out every day activities and duties - like washing (our bodies and our clothes), education, bible study, etc.

If we have TOO MUCH stuff, there isn’t room to put away all the things we have easily and tidily, our house is difficult to maintain, we have more than we need, we’re often tired, have little time and energy for those we love, and we spend precious time and energy on something which has no lasting value - maintaining stuff!

Here are five very good reasons to get rid of your clutter:

Clutter costs you money - for storage, maintenance, buying fancy containers to keep it in, insurance, cleaning. It even costs you in doctor’s bills (from stress caused by dealing with clutter, injury from tripping over it, or health problems from dust, allergies or vermin). Not to mention the cost to your health!! You spend money buying more of it, or on maintaining or accessorizing it. And how much has it cost you in overdue fees on library books and late bills because you couldn’t find them? How about lost money or gift certificates?

Clutter makes you feel bad Seeing it around you stresses and depresses you. It makes you feel bad because you feel like a failure for having clutter. It makes you feel embarrassed or ashamed.

Clutter doesn’t allow you to rest Clutter constantly demands attention, and makes us feel like we should be constantly dealing with it. We don’t sleep well when we know there are things we “should” do, and it’s hard to relax in an environment that is anything but peaceful.

Clutter destroys relationships How much mental and emotional energy do you pour into taking care of your clutter when your family is crying out for your attention?? Sometimes we use our clutter as an excuse not to deal with real people. If you often turn down a request to read a story, play a game, watch a sunset or go on a date with your husband because you “need to clean up this mess” then clutter is stealing you from your loved ones!

Clutter prevents you doing the important things Most people with clutter issues put off doing other things because they need to deal with their clutter. The presence of clutter also drags down our spirits and minds, making it harder to accomplish anything else. How many home schools, families, home businesses, friendships, marriages, and spiritual lives are not what they should be because of clutter? Is it worth having STUFF if relationships suffer? Have you put off buying food or preparing meals because your pantry is such a mess, or other clutter is distracting you? Do you avoid dealing with the bills because first you’d have to find them? Have letters gone unanswered because you’re too busy trying to stay on top of things but drowning in stuff? Have you put off inviting another family for a meal (again!) because your house is cluttered?

Jesus says “A man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15)

This article is excerpted from Unit 2 of Goodbye Chaos, Hello Peace. As you work through Unit 2, I’m going to help you figure out WHY you keep clutter, how to figure out what IS clutter, and show you how to declutter your home. But don’t forget, you need to complete all the steps in Unit 1 first to lay the groundwork for what comes next!

The Bible has a lot to say about debt, finances and how we should treat and handle money. One thing it does NOT say is that debt is a sin. No where are we specifically told not to borrow. However, borrowing is always talked about in a negative way, as something we should avoid. It is a Biblical PRINCIPLE that we should not borrow, rather than a RULE. Let’s look at some key things the Bible DOES say about borrowing:

All borrowing must be repaid. Psalm 37:21a says “The wicked borrow and do not repay.” The implication, of course, is that we must repay anything we borrow, or we are “wicked”.

Surety is foolish. There are many references to surety in the book of Proverbs, and yet it seems to be a little taught or understood principle. Surety means to deposit a pledge in either money, goods, or part payment for a greater obligation. It means to take on an obligation to pay later without a guaranteed way to repay. “A man lacking in sense pledges, and becomes surety in the presence of his neighbor.” Proverbs 17:18 When you take on a debt of any kind, except where the item pledged for security (eg your house) will be accepted for full payment of the debt no matter what the circumstances, then you have a situation of surety. In other words, the only time you should ever consider borrowing money, is when you can get the lender to agree to a contract that says that if you are no longer able to meet the payments on the loan, then they can take possession of the item put up as security, and it will be accepted as full payment of the debt; they will not be able to claim or sue you for any additional money, even if the value of the item is less than the balance of the debt. In that circumstance, you have a guaranteed way to repay the loan; in all others you presume upon the future. If you ignore the Bible’s teaching against surety, then you are putting yourself in a precarious financial position - if things don’t work out quite as you had hoped, you may find yourself unable to make ends meet, and you could lose everything. At the very least, you will be under a lot of stress and pressure that could have been avoided by not borrowing.

Debt always presumes upon the future. James 4:13-16 says “Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil.”

If you borrow money, and you believe all borrowed money must be repaid, then when you take out a loan you are presuming upon the future, unless you have a guaranteed way to repay as described above. “Presuming upon the future” means that you are taking on a debt under the assumption that your income and situation in the future will be such that you will be able to continue making payments. But you don’t know that.

Borrowing may deny God an opportunity. God wants to build up our faith. The Bible tells us that God will supply all our needs. When we borrow to buy something, we may be denying God an opportunity to meet our needs, or to show himself faithful, which would increase our faith. It is also easy to confuse our needs with our desires, or wants. If you are committed to following Biblical principles and not borrowing any more money, you can be sure that God will meet you needs, most likely in ways you would never dream of! In Unit 2, Lesson 32, I shared about some of the ways God met our needs when we committed ourselves to getting out of debt and doing things his way. How has he met YOUR needs in the past? Remembering past times when God has provided, will build your faith and help you to stick to your decisions to do things his way. If you haven’t experienced God’s provision, maybe you haven’t given him an opportunity yet!

We all face an uncertain economic future! There is no real job security anymore. Businesses close or downsize every day, and jobs are lost. Accidents happen, preventing people working. National borrowing is out of control; sooner or later economies may collapse.

There is nothing we can do to prevent these kinds of things, but there ARE some things we can do to prepare ourselves, no matter what the future holds.

Your best preparation for an uncertain economic future is to get out of debt!

Excerpted from Unit 3 of Goodbye Chaos, Hello Peace! (due for release late July 2007) in which I will show you how to budget, how to get out debt, and help you get your paperwork and office under control. All completed units of Goodbye Chaos, Hello Peace! are available FREE by joining my Mailing List.

What do you think of when someone refers to the “wife of noble character” described in Proverbs 31:10-31? Do you think she is a paragon of virtue that you can’t possibly measure up to? Do you think Proverbs 31 is a list of requirements for a successful wife, and that you are a failure if you aren’t managing to do all of them?
 
There are many things we can learn from this chapter of Proverbs. Today I want to look at it a little differently, by grouping the verses according to what they deal with.
 
Introduction: v10 “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. ”
This wife is rare and valuable. The Hebrew word chayil, translated here “noble”, is used only four times in the Bible in speaking of women. It suggests more than just being virtuous, but being forceful, capable, having initiative, and the capability to carry through on what she decides.
 
Husband/Wife: v11&12 “Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.” and v28&29 “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.” ” These verses tell us something of the relationship between this man and his wife - he trusts her judgement, and his faith is rewarded; she doesn’t let him down. He blesses and praises her - in other words, he recognises her worth. Notice two things about these verses:  “She brings him good…all the days of her life” - this implies something that happens over a long period of time; and “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also” - what children bless their mothers? Usually those who are grown and can look back and appreciate what their mother has done for them! Young children are either unaware, or self-centred in their immature thinking - they do not fully understand or appreciate why their mother makes them obey the rules, doesn’t let them have their own way all the time, or the hard work and sacrifices on her part. Again, the implication is of an older woman, not a young, newly married one!
v23 “Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.” There is an implication that the wife is partly to credit for her husband being respected; her virtue would reflect well on him. “He takes his seat among the elders” again implies a mature couple - it is “his seat”, implying that he is an “elder”.
 
Who and what she is: The passage tells us that she works vigorously, and that her “arms are strong for her tasks” (v17), that she is well clothed in “fine linen and purple” (v22), that she is “clothed with strength and dignity, and can laugh at the days to come” (v25), and she is not idle (v27). All in all this speaks of a woman who is not lazy, but works hard, who takes care of herself (well dressed, strong), does not need to worry about the future (because her household is well provisioned and in order), and is strong and dignified. Does this sound to you like a woman who is frazzled or run off her feet? Or someone who gets by on little or no sleep? Not to me! I think she is calm and goes about her work in an orderly fashion, but is not trying to do so much that she can’t keep it all under control.
 
What she does: The verses in Proverbs 31 that describe what this lady does are describing the kinds of things that wives can or should do; the things that are within their sphere of authority and concern, the types of things to which they can well apply themselves. Let’s see what those are:
Clothing vs13,19,21&22 all talk about her working to provide clothing for her household. She does not need to fear the cold, because both the people and the beds are well covered. There are descriptions of her working with wool and flax, and weaving. Does this mean that we should make all our families clothes from scratch too, in order to be a Proverbs 31 woman? Let’s think for a moment. In the days of this lady, clothing was mostly simple garments - loincloths, tunics, cloaks. They were usually made out of one or two pieces of woven cloth. To prepare the fibres and then spin them is an incredibly time consuming task. A spinner friend once told me it takes an average of 150 hours just to SPIN the wool for one homespun jersey!! Imagine the time to spin the much finer thread for weaving cloth!! I researched the production of linen cloth by old methods on the web - a professional weaver (who had spent his lifetime learning the art), working full-time with an old-fashioned hand operated loom, could weave enough cloth for one blouse per month. In those days, they did not wash or change their clothing as often as we do, nor did they own the number of garments that we need for basic living. It would be completely impractical for us to card, spin and weave all our own cloth, then sew it into garments. Ok, so what about sewing - shouldn’t the modern Proverbs 31 woman sew her family’s clothes? You know, it really comes down to the “watching over the affairs of your household” described in v 27. We need to weigh up what is best for our families. I am an accomplished seamstress and knitter - but I rarely make my families clothes any more, though I used to make nearly all of them. The thing is, it actually costs more these days for the raw materials than it does to buy finished garments. I can better spend my time on other things. There are times when I find bargain materials, and do sew or knit, but I have to always keep it all in perspective. If sewing and knitting were not things I knew how to do, then that would not make me any less of a noble wife - the main point of these verses is that she ensures her family are adequately clothed, not how she does it.
Food In vs 14&15 we see that she brings food from afar, and that she gets up while it is dark and provides food for her family and her servants. The “bringing food from afar” is not about the need to travel to distant shores to gather food - it is about being a good bargain hunter, and finding the best value and quality foods from the various available sources. When you buy groceries with coupons, get better vegetables from a fruit stall, and visit the health food shop for some items that are better priced there, you are doing what the Proverbs 31 woman would do. She also thinks ahead, getting up in time to make sure food is prepared for all her household. In your case, you might put oatmeal in the crockpot to simmer overnight, so it is ready for your family in the morning. Getting up early is a good thing, but thanks to our modern appliances, most of us don’t have to rise before dawn to build a fire in order to prepare food! The main thing is to just think ahead and make sure our families are well fed. Note that she had servants to help her with the daily work!
Money In vs 16, she considers and buys a field, then uses her own money to plant a vineyard. Remember how her husband trusts her? She has the authority to buy land to add to the family assets, and the money to plant it. Again, I think this is the doings of a mature woman of experience. And why would she need money to plant the vineyard? Perhaps to purchase the plants. Perhaps to hire the workers to do the planting. Or more likely, both. She is not necessarily planting it all herself!
Vs18 says that “she sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night”. Trading here is not about making money - “trade” means to barter goods or services, a typical means of purchasing. Looking for bargains and making sure she gets the best deals possible for her family are part of it. Often I’ve heard the “lamp does not go out at night” mentioned separately as evidence that this lady stays up late working. But notice that it is in fact part of the statement about her trading. If you look through the entire passage, you will see that nearly all the verses are two-part, and each part relates to the other. So too, I believe, do these two parts relate directly - trading and lamp at night. The implication is that she reviews her trading and profits last thing at night, after the day’s work is done. Turning a profit is perhaps her last priority. Or perhaps she is simply looking back over the day, seeing the state of her household, and making plans for tomorrow.
Vs24 “She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes”. She is making some money. Wives can make lots of money if they wish. But notice that she is doing this from home, and it would appear that she is selling the surplus items that she is able to produce AFTER making sure her family are clothed.
Helping the poor and needy vs 20 tells us that she helps the poor and needy. How do you suppose she does that? “Opens her arms to the poor” implies that she is willing to help those who come to her, “extends her hand to the needy” implies she reaches out to those in need. I think this is very much home-based generosity and help. Perhaps she gives a bed for the night to a traveller, or sends extra bedding to a poor family she has heard of. She might provide meals to a sick person. This is not a full-time ministry, or a volunteer position at the local shelter or hospital taking her away from her family. It is a generous woman at home providing help she can afford to those in need around her.
Instructs wisely vs 26 “She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.” This lady is wise and experienced; she can instruct others. Just one more implication of an older woman. She would be well qualified according to Titus 2 to “teach the younger women to love their husbands and children.”
Watches over the affairs of her household v27 sums up all that she does: “She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” The Proverbs 31 woman watches over household, and makes sure the needs of her family for food and clothing are met. She is careful with money, and able to help the needy. She has wisdom to pass on.
 
Summary vs 30-31 sum up the value of a Proverbs 31 woman. “Charm is deceptive and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”
 
The noble wife described in Proverbs 31 is a woman of mature years. She has lots of experience, and at the point she is being described, her children are grown. The types of accomplishments described (buying a field, making and selling garments to the merchants, reaching out to help those in need etc) are things accomplished over a lifetime. They are not the work of a single day or week!
 
If you have felt in the past that you fall far short of this description, please stop beating yourself up! Remember that you are a work in progress, just as this lady once was. We are ALL works under construction! If you are going to take anything from this passage as “things you should do”, they should be:
1) Do good to your husband
2) Take care of your own basic needs
3) Watch over your household (keep an eye on how things are going; don’t bury your head in the sand)
4) Provide food and clothing for your family
5) Try to make the best use of your available funds
6) Think ahead to tomorrow
 
Those 6 things are more than enough to focus on, and they really are the sum of the daily achievements of the Proverbs 31 woman! Don’t make it more complicated than it really is! And, these are the very things we are working on through Goodbye Chaos, Hello Peace!
 
Oh, one more thing I learned as I was studying this passage: Proverbs 31:10-31 are an Acrostic in the original language, meaning each verse begins with one consecutive letter of the Hebrew alphabet. This method is used in a few places in the Old Testament, and most likely is a device indicating “here’s the A-Z of this subject”. In other words, the verses of this passage are meant to describe all the various aspects of the life of a noble wife, not to give a “to-do” list for each day!

Last time in “Driven to Distraction?” I talked about about how many of us are living overloaded lives, despite all our modern conveniences designed to save us time. This week, I want to take a little peek into the lives of some of the people, particularly women,  mentioned in the Bible, and look at the way they lived.
 
In 1 Peter 3:5-6 we are told:
“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight. For this is the way the holy women of the past who put their hope in God used to make themselves beautiful. They were submissive to their own husbands, like Sarah, who obeyed Abraham and called him her master. You are her daughters if you do what is right and do not give way to fear.”
 
Sarah is held up to us as an example of the kind of woman who did what was right. What did she do? She obeyed her husband. She went with him wherever he went - remember that Abraham lived a fairly nomadic life for a long time. God called him to leave his family’s home region and go to an unknown place.  Sarah obeyed Abraham even when he did foolish things - like instruct her to tell Pharaoh that she was Abram’s sister, not wife. Her great calling in life was to be the wife of Abraham and the mother of Isaac. For 90 years she had no children, and so she was “only” Abraham’s wife. Then she gave birth to Isaac. What kind of mother do you think she was? We are not told much about her mothering style - just three brief glimpses. When Isaac was born, Sarah said “God has brought me laughter, and every one who hears about this will laugh with me.” (Gen 21:6). So she was full of joy at the birth of her son. Then, when Isaac was weaned, Sarah wanted Abraham to get rid of Hagar and Isamael, saying that Isamael would never share in the inheritance of Isaac. So, she was a mother who watched over the affairs of her son, and was concerned for his future. Thirdly, we are told that when Isaac married Rebekah, “Isaac was comforted after his mother’s death.” At that time, Sarah had been dead for 3 years, and Isaac was 40 years old; a grown man - not a little boy missing his mommy. Obviously, his love for his mother was deep, as he was still grieving and missing her three years after her death. To me, that gives a picture of a mother who was close to her son, even after he grew up. I believe Sarah was a loving, caring wife and mother, whose whole focus was on the men in her life - her husband and son.
 
Just think for a minute about what Sarah did NOT do. Abraham and Sarah lived in tents. Just how much housework do you think was needed? No windows to wash. If they had carpets, they would have been rugs that could be shaken outside. Yes, there would have been plenty of work to do in the daily rounds of feeding, clothing and caring for her family, but Sarah also had at least one maidservant to help her care of her household. There is no indication that Sarah spent time away from home (except against her will when she was taken into Pharaoh’s household), or that she ran a business of any kind. I’m sure that Sarah worked hard, but I believe that she would have worked at an unhurried pace, going about the tasks associated with her calling in life - to be a wife to Abraham, and the mother to Isaac, through whom all mankind would one day be blessed. She was not perfect; she sometimes made mistakes. But she was a woman who was doing exactly what God created her to do. No more, no less. And we are told that we are her daughters if we “do what is right and do not give way to fear.” Evidently, Sarah’s example of a simple, focussed life is one worth imitating.
 
Esther is another example of a woman who was right where God wanted her. An orphan, she had been raised by her father’s cousin. When the king was looking for another wife, she was taken into the palace along with many other beautiful virgins, given a year of beauty treatments, and then presented to the king. He found her more attractive than any of the others, and so proclaimed Esther queen. From then on, Esther’s main role was to live in the palace, be cared for by maids and eunuchs, and go to the king when ever he called for her, which appears not to have been terribly frequently. And yet, she was right where God wanted her. God used her to save all the Jews which lived in that kingdom - a terrible plot had been hatched to kill every Jew in the kingdom, but Esther’s appeal to the king on the instructions of Mordecai turned things around and saved them all. Today, Jewish people still celebrate Purim and what God did through Esther and Mordecai. Again, a woman who had a straight-forward role in life, and who didn’t try to do more than God had called her to do.
 
Have you ever thought much about the day-to-day life of Jesus himself? Of course, he is our ultimate example, because he came to earth, not only to die for our sins, but also to set us an example. Jesus, in the years of his public ministry, lived with incredible demands upon him. People were constantly following him around, clamoring for his help and attention, or heckling him. There were often Pharisees around to sling verbal mud at him, and often crowds of many thousands wanting to listen to him. People everywhere wanted him to perform miracles.
And yet, he was never hurried or harried. Why? Because he knew exactly what God sent him to earth to do, and he concentrated on doing just that. But, let’s put the ministry of Jesus in the context of the rest of his life:
 
Jesus was about 30 years old when he began his public ministry. He carried it out for 3 years, and then was crucified. What did he do before he was 30? We are told very little - just a few glimpses of his growing up years. We know that he “grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” - in other words, he grew up, learned a lot, and turned out to be an excellent young man who was respected, and with whom God was pleased. Why didn’t he begin public ministry earlier?? Surely, he could have done a lot more good if he’d got started sooner?? But no, that was not God’s plan. Presumably he worked with Joseph, and probably stayed close to his family. Those years were God’s time of preparation for him. Jesus never married or had children - though in that time and culture, it was usual to marry at about 14 years of age. Again, that was not God’s plan for him. Jesus did not own a home of his own. Throughout his public ministry, he laid his head wherever he found himself, whether in the home of friends, in a boat on a lake, or on a hillside. When the season came for him to begin ministry, he gave himself fully to it, though he still took time aside to rest, to spend alone with his disciples, to draw aside and seek God, to attend a wedding, or visit friends. He did not, however, have to maintain a house, or meet the needs of a family. He knew God’s purpose, and stuck to it.
 
And then there’s Mary, Jesus’ mother. Her great calling in life was motherhood - first to Jesus, the son of God, over whom she marvelled, and stored up in her heart all the things she saw and heard surrounding him. She also had other children with Joseph; at least 6 of them, for 4 brothers of Jesus are named, and his sisters are referred to in the plural. Mary was married, maintained a home, and raised children. She was called “blessed among women” because she was chosen as the mother of Jesus.
 
Lydia is sometimes held up as an example of a woman who runs a business. She was a dealer in purple cloth (Acts 16:15). But it is interesting to note what is NOT said about her - there is no mention of Lydia being married or having any children. In fact, it would seem likely that the opposite was true. After becoming converted, she invited Paul and his companions to stay at her house, on her own authority. Can you imagine how that would have gone down with a husband? “Hi honey - I just got saved, and here are all my new friends come to live with us for a while”. So, we know she was hospitable, and she made some money. But the Bible doesn’t say she was a wife, mother, business woman, and had lots of people to stay, all at once!
 
You see, whenever you look at the lives recorded in the Bible, both men and women, you will find that all the ones that are spoken of with approval by God were people who were focussed, and got on with whatever it was God wanted them to do, without a bunch of extra stuff. Of course, I fully realise we are not told every detail of the lives of every person in the Bible. But I do believe we are told the important things, and that there is plenty of evidence to support the conclusion that they each lived fairly simply in their own way.
 
For everyone, there are seasons in life, times when we focus on different things. And that’s just how it should be. But how many of us try to cram a lifetime’s worth of activities into each and every month and year of our lives?? We need to slow down, simplify, and focus!
 
Next time, let’s take a look at the paragon of womanhood - the Proverbs 31 woman. I think you might be in for some surprises!