I was home today...

A review of the week for this Woman in the Word:

Tuesday night I met with my new sisters at 7 pm. Shock of all shocks came when nearly all 18 or so of the members of this night group had all 5 days of their homework done. Praise the Lord!

This is the 3rd year of WIW's existence, and already it is such a sweet year. Women seem very focused this year, to absorb every word of scripture, and to leave no stone un turned. The first meeting of both the day and night groups, found me struggling with the thought that our Bible study might be seen as a "gimmick" or a ploy.

God has answered that question in my heart with a resounding NO child, these women are here to seek God's presence, the excitement of the first week's Bible readings and the probing "heart" (we got flames and hearts this year Kath) questions got every last one of us thinking and sharing. So sweet.

Okay, back to Tuesday night. I love this group. First of all, they are like me...working women. The first week I asked if they wanted me to make coffee for our study time, "NO" they said, "keep it simple!" ahhhh my kind of women!

So after a day of work, with more work ahead the next day, and for many a work load still waiting for them when they get home, we arrive at church, probably tired, stressed, it's the end of a long day, I'm sure you all know that feeling. But once we start discussing, the fire ignites, and women are sharing and questioning and we are reading scripture, and it is sooooo goood.

I have inherited the Wednesday morning leader job, and at times I feel incredible pressure to deliver something great. Fortunately God knows my heart and uses all of you to remind and encourage me that this study is about God, not about Cathy.

I was most impressed on Wednesday morning with our big group prayer time. Listening to the women praise God for his character is so inspiring. My heart was so full by the time we got to our small group discussion time, I could have floated away.

As I sat with the women who were with me on the very first lesson of my very first facilitating adventure this morning, I could just feel God's love thu these women. I looked around at one point and felt like shouting out to God THANK YOU for these women. Truly for me, this is a taste of what heaven will be like. I was sad when our time together ended all too soon (yes Kath, I let them out late, and we had barely gotten to day 3...goodness!)

Another favorite moment of the morning was when a new believer in the group related how exciting it was to her when she ran across Bible verses that she knew from singing praise songs at church. That statement led to a conversation about prasie songs vs. hymns. At that point one of the women ran into the sanctuary and grabbed a psalter hymnal. She showed the new believer how the first 100 songs in the hymnal were the first 100 Psalms in the Bible. Cool stuff. She turned to one of the hymns, she read it's title and what Psalm the hymn represented and then those of us who knew that hymn from memory just sang it. Right then and there.

Father God....what a GIFT you have given us thru our precious friend Kathy Vander Tuig. WIW is a product of Kathy's hard work and determination to start a women's study. Father I thank you for my friend, and I ask you to bless her in the study she attends way across the country. May she find her sisters there, and as always we know she will grow closer to you through the time she spends in your word. For me, Father, small group discussion time is just a little taste of heaven...for those moments, I can't think of a place I'd rather be. Praise you God for your pursuit of us, for the fact that you overcome a lot of obstacles that stand in the way of our participation in studying your word. Thank you for your presence among us. Thank you for your Son who wore MY crown of thorns on the cross. Amen.