Dear Sisters, we all have the wonderful opportunity to be pictures of silver and our friends can shine like those golden apples. But it all starts with being that friend that is fitly spoken. Can I encourage you to set a goal to pray that God will bring someone into your life that you can make shine like apples of gold? Ladies, God has made us so special and given us many different and amazing talents. Let’s go forward and use them for God’s glory.

How often have I been lovingly encouraged not to over analyze. How often I have tried to fix my problems by thinking, and thinking and thinking them out. Have you ever wondered why we think overanalyzing is going to help a situation? I have found myself having to make a phone call and pondering what exactly I’m going to say and what the other person might reply. As women we really do tend to over think way too much!

In praying for what topic I should write this month’s article on, I kept drawing a blank. But then while I was reading in Deuteronomy I came across the verse that begins with this statement: “And now, Israel, what doth the LORD thy God require of thee…” After reading through the chapter, I couldn’t let go of a question that had begun to rise up in my heart. “As a woman what is required of me?” In my job, in my family life, in my daily routines there are many things that are required of me. But what does the Lord require of me?

Sometimes in life, we come to stages of time where we have never been before. And it is in these times where we might not be exactly sure where to go from here. The image of the Israelites walking in thousands across the wilderness comes to mind. They had no way of knowing where the next water supply would be. All they knew was that there was a Pillar of Cloud in the day and a Pillar of Fire in the night that they were to follow. When we come to these stages of life, we all need to slow down and take one day at a time.

A few weeks ago, I was reflecting on situations I have been facing. And in truth, I was upset that things weren’t going as I had planned. I continued to have my selfish attitude as I drove to work. My selfish attitude blamed God for not doing things the way I wanted. Oh, how my gentle Savior works to sweetly yet firmly rebuke me for my folly. The Holy Spirit began to stir up this verse in my heart. Matthew 5:13-14 “Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.”