GRACE ALONE

Yesterday morning I woke up with a song that was playing over and over in my mind... I can't count the number of times this happens for me or the ways that the music blesses and ministers to my soul! I know it is a gift from the Lord, because every time it happens, the message of the song is just what I need at that particular moment, and that is definitely a work of God!

The song I was singing all day yesterday and today as well was "Grace Alone," written by Scott Wesley Brown and Jeff Nelson. This one has always been special to me and it was just what I needed yesterday. So I decided that I wanted to translate this song into Russian... and since I don't know all the rules and words yet, I'm using Google Translate to help me out. :)

But before I share with you my translation of this song, I want to tell again just how real God's grace has been for me this week...

I was feeling just a little discouraged earlier on because I was struggling with understanding the formation of certain phrases and words and I wasn't sure if I could make the transition to thinking differently. I also had a couple of late nights and so I was tired yesterday morning when I went into class.

I ask the Lord each day to help me with the tasks ahead of me and I know that He will but sometimes I feel unworthy of that, which is exactly the definition of grace - receiving something we don't deserve. So His gift to me was that yesterday I was able to grasp the concept we had been studying earlier on in the week and I made some progress. Today, I was able to communicate not only with my language teacher, but also with my landlady IN RUSSIAN and this is amazing, considering I have only had 4 weeks of language classes!

I started by translating the words of the chorus and that's what I want to share with you today. The words are not always a direct translation, but as accurate as possible to what the English words mean:

Grace alone, which God supplies.

Только благодатью, что Бог снабжает.

Strength unknown, He will provide.

Великая сила, Бог обеспечит.

Christ in us, our Cornerstone -

Христос в нас, наш фундамент.

We will go forth in grace alone.

Мы будем идти вперед в благодати только.

So remember, whatever you are facing today, you can go forth in God's grace alone -- it is sufficient for our every need!!

A Woman of Wise Speech

I spent this past Friday evening and Saturday at the Northwest Women of Grace mini-conference here in Thunder Bay, and it was a refreshing, encouraging and challenging time.

The theme was "Becoming a Woman of Wise Speech", which is always a timely and appropriate area to focus on, especially as women, since conversation is such a huge part of our lives. The key verse was Proverbs 25:11 "A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver."

I was struck by the number of verses in Proverbs that address the way we speak and the areas in which we need to be changed to reflect the character and qualities that God wants to see in us and that will be of benefit to others around us.

Something else that stuck with me is a quote that was shared by our speaker, Janet Surette: "I am the master of the words I have not spoken and a slave to the words I should not have said."

Lord, may I allow You to guide my words so that I need not be ashamed or burdened by words that I ought  not to have said. There is so much in Your Word that teaches me in this area...

As Psalm 139:23-24 says, I need to allow God to "search me and know my heart," to "test my and know my thoughts; to see if there is any offensive way in me and lead me in the way everlasting." If I daily am willing to allow God to change my heart, then what flows out of the abundance of my heart will be pleasing and good.

James 1:19a says that "everyone should be quick to listen and slow to speak." This is an area where I need continual growth since I like to talk, and another quote that was shared that impacted me was "Seek not to be interesting, but to be interested." If I am truly interested in the other person rather than what I can say, then I will be more prone to listen and talk less.

Proverbs 15:28a says, "The heart of the righteous ponders how to to answer..." I need to think about a) what I would say before I say it, b) how to say it, and c) when I should say it.

Colossians 4:6 says to "let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person."

As Proverbs 22:17-18 says, I need to "incline [my] ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply [my] mind to [His] knowledge..." This will bring pleasing results in my interactions with others. I need to ask God for wisdom (James 1:5) and study and apply His Word to my life.

Ephesians 4:29 says "Let no unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up, according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

Lord, please help me to choose to characterize people by the good in them rather than the negative; to praise them to others; to focus on the good and to verbally encourage others.

ENCOURAGEMENT & GRATITUDE

"Therefore, if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind."

PHILIPPIANS 2:1-2

This past Sunday's message was - and consequently, our small-group Bible study theme was as well - focusing on the aspect of encouraging one another in the Lord. Encouragement is so necessary and yet so often neglected in our daily lives. Just today, one of my colleagues at work was expressing to me how it would make her job so much more enjoyable and rewarding if she occasionally heard a "thank you" or a kind word about what she has been working so hard to accomplish.

The really neat thing about godly encouragement is that one doesn't need to be a "super-Christian" or extremely talented in a certain area - just the fact that we are all part of the family of Christ is reason enough to encourage one another and express our thankfulness for each other.

And when we do, it's fascinating to see how the flower of encouragement blossoms and spreads throughout many other relationships! When we recognize that we are all equally loved and valued and when we desire to build up the unity among our Christian family, just hearing what God has been doing in someone else's life and how they have been encouraged is an encouragement to us!

I had a wonderful experience of this the other day with my dear sister in Christ. She shared with me what God had been speaking to her heart and that in turn encouraged me in the situation I was in. And when we  encourage one another, it doesn't need to be about achievements or what the world would term "worthy of praise" - we should encourage one another simply because we are family.

Encouragement and gratitude go hand-in-hand. You will find that the more you practice encouraging others, the more thankful you are for what we sometimes consider "the small things," as well as the people whom you live and work with. The other day, my employer gave me a huge compliment, which naturally encouraged me, but my response was simply to say "thank you". And then I found that I was so much more eager to encourage others and thank them for their contributions - it's a circle of life-giving nourishment.

As I was meditating on this the other morning, I was inspired to write a poem:

I cannot say I've got it all together;

And I'm not always happy with the weather.

I do not always look ahead with hope -

Sometimes I just seek for the easiest way to cope.

When there seems to be no other way

To deal with the issues, I bow my head to pray.

And it's then God gently helps me to see

The blessings that are all around me.

The Word of God is full of wisdom for all the ages,

And if I heed it, it will work in me miraculous changes;

And give me opportunity to encourage my friends,

To let them know their struggles - and mine - are not the end.

True peace comes from giving my burdens to the Lord,

And a happy smile when I share a few kind words.

If I always see the bad and not the good,

I will not act in the way that I really should.

And if I will, in true humility,

Allow God to make me what I ought to be;

Then those around me will clearly see

That trusting in God brings joy and sets me free.

"May our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word."

2 THESSALONIANS 2:16-17