Walking with Jesus - Lent 2022 series

 

Hello, Sisters! It's been awhile since I last posted anything, but I'm excited to be working on a couple of videos and other posts for Lent. In case you're not as familiar with the season of Lent (it wasn't something my church observed while I was growing up!), it starts on Ash Wednesday (this last week) the month before Easter and goes through Palm Sunday. Lent is a time for repentance and remembering Jesus's time in the wilderness before His ministry began. The intent is to prepare our hearts for remembering Christ's crucifixion and celebrating His resurrection.

As Pastor Scott shared after Ash Wednesday, it's tradition (and not a bad idea!) to fast from something during Lent. Fasting isn't about not messing up or impressing God (or others) with our sacrifices. It's about seeking God and remembering we need God and that we often depend on other things to satisfy our longings, whether we realize it or not. Over the years during Lent, I have fasted from things like sweets, coffee, social media, and TV. This year I felt led to fast from sleep!  Don't worry... I'm sleeping, but I'm waking up earlier than usual so I can spend extra time with God. 

Have you thought about doing anything special during this season to prepare your heart for the coming of Easter? Something I'd love to encourage us all to do is take some extra time to READ THE BIBLE during this season. If you don't already have a Bible reading plan for this season, I'd love for you to consider joining me by reading through one (or more) of the Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John - in the New Testament to see Jesus again as He lived and walked on earth. Easter is Sunday, April 17, so there are 6 weeks between now and then. No matter how you count it, if you start this week there is plenty of time to read through Matthew (28 chapters), Mark (16 chapters), Luke (24 chapters), OR John (21 chapters). As you read, ask the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart and show you things you haven't noticed before and. It's what God longs to do, so I know He will answer!

Back in 2019, when the Sister Studies blog was new, I based several of the studies off of the books of Luke and Matthew and I'm excited to share them again as part of our Lent series. I'll be posting the videos on YouTube and audio on the podcast so that we can learn from and listen to Jesus in the weeks to come leading up to Easter. I hope they will be a blessing to you! 

May God bless you as you seek Him these days - however He leads you. He loves you so very much!

Love,

Melissa

New Years, New Mornings, New Mercies

Hello, sisters! How are you doing now that we're almost 3 weeks into January? This year has started off with a bang for my family - literally! On January 3rd, my husband was driving through an intersection when someone ran a red light and hit his car. It's really a miracle that the car was totaled and he walked away with some bruises and aches and pains, but nothing broken or severely injured. A half-second one way or the other and the results would likely have been unimaginably different. I shudder to think about it. God is indeed merciful, isn't He? Every morning - and not just on January 1st or 3rd - God has new mercies and grace waiting for us. I'm so, so glad.

Due to dealing with the car accident hassles as well as a job transition I'm making, I decided it was a good month to pull out another recording from the Sister Studies archives! This one is from January 2019. In this recording, I'm reflecting on Lamentations 3:22-24. I am encouraged by the prophet Jeremiah's determination as he turned his mind AWAY from the trouble surrounding him and the people of Israel and turned his heart TOWARD God's faithfulness. That's where he found hope and where we can find hope as well.

Watch here: Video Link

Listen here: Podcast Link

Here are some questions you can consider as you listen.

Do you have a “Word for the Year” or goals or resolutions for 2022? 

What do you want to learn about this year? How do you want to grow?

Jeremiah turned his mind AWAY from the troubles around him and TOWARD God's faithfulness. What do you need to turn your mind away from? How can you practice turning your mind/thoughts/heart TOWARD God?

Next month's recording may be new or it may be another archive recording. We'll see!

May God bless you as you finish out this first month of 2022 and may you see and experience his mercy everyday.

Christmas Encouragement for Me and You

Hello! Happy December to you, dear ones. My boys and I have just begun our Winter Break from school (hooray!) which means Christmas is almost here!  Whether your season so far has felt like a typical December or not, I hope that these recordings might encourage you this week. 

I took a break this month from creating new studies and instead I'm re-sharing a couple of the very first Sister Studies videos I recorded back in 2018. 

Christmas Sisters (20~ minutes long)

Reflecting on Mary & Elizabeth and their interaction during their pregnancies, I'm encouraged by how God blessed them through each other. They both received companionship, confirmation, and courage as they spent time together because they took the risk of being together, they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke truth to each other. These are all ways we can bless each other today!

Watch here: Video Link

Listen here: Podcast Link

The Perfect Christmas (13~ minutes long)

Reflecting on Romans 5:1-5, I see all of the Advent themes: Peace, Hope, Joy, Love, and Jesus. I also see that afflictions are part of what God uses to shine glory through our lives the same way that fire makes candles shine brightly.

I finish with remembering that the Christmas Mary and Joseph experienced was nothing like the polished, clean, "perfect" Christmas many people dream of today. Perhaps our Christmases don't need to be Pinterest-perfect to be perfect after all.

Watch here: Video Link

Listen here: Podcast Link

May God bless you as you walk by faith and celebrate Christ's birth this coming week. (And remember if you don't feel "ready for Christmas" you're in good company. Mary and Joseph weren't ready for Christmas either!)

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Love,

Melissa 

Photo by Davies Designs Studio on Unsplash