A Woman of God

Deirdre was an elderly woman who stood 5 feet and weighed no more than 90 pounds. Her hair was silver gray, and her eyes were hazel blue. In her many years of public work she had been a school teacher. She and her husband had done many things for the Lord whom they both loved and adored.

In the mid 1980's I had moved close to my home town. There I began going to church. Someone invited me to the women's Bible study . The person said, "You can either go to the Bible class the Pastor's wife teaches or you can go to Deirdre's class. Deirdre gives homework." Without a thought on my own, I heard myself say, "I'll go to Deirdre's class." What I did not know was God was about to change my life for ever using this woman to do it.

Deirdre's class was very intense. And yes, she did give home work! I had been praying that God would show me how to be closer to Him than I had previously been. I would read my Bible, but I had no constructive study to put what I had learned into practice;I desired to grow in the Lord. God answered my prayer when Deirdre started teaching me.

Bible study lasted three years. Deirdre could no longer come to the church to teach due to her husband's failing health. Years before her husband had a stroke and she cared for him at home. But she stayed in contact with me. For fifteen years this woman and I were close sisters in the Lord. She would mail me insights as to what the Lord was showing her in His Word. I saved all the lessons she laboriously cranked out on her mimeograph machine; and all the teachings she sentto me by mail. Deirdre went home to be with Jesus in 2000. Words are absent from my vocabulary to describe how much I miss her.

1 Thessalonians 4:13, 14 promises me I will see her again.

It is my intention to share some of her writings with those who visit the blog because the biblical lessons taught are invaluable. My hope for all who visit, is as Deirdre's hope was for me, "to grow in the knowledge of the Lord." Here then, is one of her writings.

"The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside still waters: He restoreth my soul..." Psalm 23

We all know this beautiful psalm. Have you seen the painting called, "The Shepherd?" It shows the Shepherd standing on the side of a steep hill with a wounded lamb over His shoulder. It has been said that if the lamb habitually wandered off alone,the shepherd would break one of it's legs. While the leg was healing the shepherd would carry the lamb, so that it would become familiar with the shepherd's heartbeat and the sound of his voice. The lamb would be so comforted by the nearness of the shepherd that it would never again wander away. Have you ever had your leg broken spiritually speaking, when you have followed your own path rather than staying near the Shepherd? James 4:8 says, "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."

If we follow the Shepherd, listen only to His voice, He will lead us to the still waters and restore our soul.

Great Shepherd, may we walk close to You so our heart is warmed by Your nearness, and our souls refreshed by Your still waters."

Finding Strength

"If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another." 1 John 1:7

Have you ever seen a monarch butterfly? We can learn from them.

The Monarch butterfly, fill the sky with black and orange as they fly from Canada to warm climates. Those delicate wings and frail bodies travel a distance of over a thousand miles, and their energies are spent when they arrive; they cling to the drooping branches of the eucalyptus tree. Some fall to the ground, while others hang on with their remaining strength. If you look closely you will see it. They are not hanging on by their own strength. They are locked in, like overlapping shingles. When a stray Monarch flies by a string of nesting butterflies,as if on cue they lift their wings . Deftly, their exhausted fellow finds a place,then all the others drop their wings in unison, locking each other securely. When a congregation lifts it's praise to God, it is an invitation for others to find a place in the community of faith. When we close ranks our overlapping gifts can provide strength and provide sustanance for one another.

Lord, may each of us find a fellowship that holds us as much as we hold it, for Jesus' sake.

Author ~ Deirdre Patrick
Joyce Andrews Bickel
www.mycalvaryslove.com