Skip to main content

Woe or Wow?



This furlough I was privileged to participate in a couple of incredible Bible studies at the church we lived beside - Community Baptist of Reidsville.  This week ended lessons in the Beth Moore study about 1 & 2 Thessalonians.  I chose not to purchase the book, but did work on handwriting the chapters of both Thessalonians.  Ended up not completing the last two chapters as life got rather hairy these past three weeks.  In fact I've missed the past three weeks in a row of the study because of this wild, crazy month...but the studies were great.  I took notes each time and learned much.

The last lesson was focused on 2 Thessalonians 3:  1-3

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may run swiftly and be glorified, just as it is

with you,  and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men; for not all have faith.

But the Lord is faithful, who will establish you and guard you from the evil one.

As part of the lesson, each woman was asked to write 10 words on her hands -

"For not all have faith, but the Lord is faithful."

The first part on the left hand and the second part on the right.

That very next morning, with the words still on my hands from the study, I had one of those WOE moments.  I looked down at my hands, prayed, and smiled.  God is faithful and He is in control.  After the ink wore off, I abbreviated a little and just wrote "WOE" on the left and "WOW" on the right.  Woe is how the unfaithful make us feel, and Wow is for "Wow, God IS faithful!"

It's going to be a rough couple of weeks as we get set to fly out to Brazil in about 15 days, say good-bye to one of our boys who will be staying in the States, tell family adeus for a bit, and work to get all packed up in such a short time.  I know I'll be having lots of #WOEisme moments, but I think I'll just keep my temporary "tattoos" for the next few weeks and keep looking up to the Faithful God.



Labels:

Comments

  1. cellartopNovember 22, 2014 at 10:21 AM

    My tears have flowed free these past few weeks for me it's been tough but for you I can't imagine.Today was the first time for a long time that I heard you laugh.May these last days as we're together for a few days may we share tears and laughter.May we shop tell we drop to laugh and enjoy at least one cup of coffee.I love you beyond measure.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Michele B. AthaNovember 22, 2014 at 12:14 PM

      I just laughed again thinking about shopping with no money - Daddy's got some! Let's Go!

      Delete

Post a Comment

Thank you for stopping by! Leave me a message if you would.

Popular posts from this blog

The Sun is Not Yet Set

  Byron, the guy in the white helmet, turns 61 today.  That's our son, Byron the Third in the black helmet.  He'll be 30 on his next birthday at the end of the year.   My husband and I were close to thirty ourselves when we had our first son. Lately it seems that every other day or so someone wants to know "When we are going to retire?" Sometimes it feels more like, "When are you going to leave" is the real question, but that's a story for another post sometime. Has the sunset on our work and ministry in Brazil?  Is it time to hang our hats and pack it all up.  Are we too old? Too old for what?  Too old to tell others about the love of God?  Too old to preach and teach?  Too old to ride a motorcycle on dirt roads? Okay, you may have us on that last one!  It took a few days to recover from our 8 days of motorcycle travel with our oldest and his wife last month.  It took a few weeks to recover from all the bumps and aches of our ...
Post a Comment
Read more

My Promise Verse

Job 23:10 But he knoweth the way that I take:  when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. This verse has been a favorite of mine since I was a teenager. When I was a high school senior at a Christian school in Virginia, Job 23:10 was chosen as our class theme verse. At our graduation commencement, the valedictorian and saludatorian in their addresses that day divided the verse in its two natural parts as a basis for the core of each one's address. I was the salutatorian of my senior class that year.  I chose to speak of how God would one day reward our faithfulness and thus, we should always strive to remain true. For many years though, the first part of the verse haunted me in a way. As a missionary especially when times were lonely or difficult, I assumed it was my "trial" or "test," and as such must be accepted in all humility. As I have grown older, I have begun to look more toward the pearly gates and have reconsidered the thr...
2 comments
Read more

Old Film, Same Message

A missionary colleague recently uploaded some old films made about the work in Brazil by Baptist Mid-Missions many years ago in the 1950's. Yesterday I was able to watch the first of the series.  All I can say is "Wow!  Things haven't changed much in Brazil.  And things haven't changed too much with the work of missions in Brazil either!" There are still donkey carts in the street.  They have better wheels nowadays! There are still people who live in grass huts and high apartment buildings, too. Bicycles are still many people's only means of transportation, if they are that lucky! Many roads in the interior towns are still paved with cobblestones, if they are paved at all. And yes, chickens are everywhere, even in big cities. Brazil still needs missionaries! That's right, Brazil is not evangelized and in no need of foreign missionaries today.  It still needs workers to spread the Good News of the Gospel and the Risen Saviour!  Sadly that part of t...
2 comments
Read more