Saturday, August 18, 2012

Let it rain

It's raining.
I know that doesn't sound like a big deal, but after weeks of high temperatures and plant-killing drought it's a real blessing. You don't have to go very far to see dried-out lawns or fields where green crops have been replaced by thin, yellow stalks.
So a little rain is a big blessing.
As Christians, I think we can get spiritually dry and need some rain. Maybe we haven't been praying or reading the Scriptures as much. Maybe we haven't been in a Bible study for a while or have been so busy that we haven't had much time to reflect on God's goodness.
David, the Psalmist, seemed to understand such times when he wrote: "O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water." (Psalm 63:1)
Naturally, I think the way we water our souls is to get back into the word and prayer. It may mean going into a room, shutting the door and simply sitting down with the Bible - just reading. We might take a devotional book or a simple blank notebook to jot down verses. Maybe we need to write down a list of things to pray for or write out our prayers.
Sometimes writing down prayers can help us sort out what we want to pray about.
Whatever we do, I think it's imperative that we spend some time in the word and prayer each day - listening as God speaks to our hearts through the Holy Spirit.
We need our time with God and his word like a tree needs water. Our Lord provides us with living water - the Holy Spirit, who counsels, guides, corrects and comforts. Only our Lord can help get or keep us out of a spiritual drought.
The Apostle Paul wrote this: "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
We truly serve a good Heavenly Father, who loves, protects, directs and helps us.
He is the one who can lead us out of life's spiritual deserts as we look to him!
 Blessings,

Tammy  

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

NEW citywide women's Bible study!

Women throughout the area are invited to a citywide Bible study starting June 14 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, 1440 E. Military Ave., in Fremont.
The seven-week event features Beth Moore's "Stepping Up: Psalms of the Ascent." The study involves Psalms 120-134 in the Bible.
Sessions run from 7-9 p.m. on consecutive Thursday evenings; No session is planned for July 5; sessions resume the next week.
Tammy Real-McKeighan, who writes the weekly Spiritual Spinach columns for the Fremont Tribune, will moderate the study.
Participants will sit at round tables. Evenings will include hourlong video presentations by Moore, a nationally known Bible teacher and best-selling author. Regularly featured on "Wednesdays with Beth" on the Life Today program, Moore has written many Bible studies including "Breaking Free" and "Believing God." The rest of the evening will be spent in table discussions and prayer.
Workbooks accompanying the study cost $12.95. Attendees are asked to pay for their book on the night of the first session. Scholarships are available for those unable to afford the books. Please pre-register by calling Good Shepherd at 402-721-8412.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Citywide Women's Bible study

Women throughout the area are invited to a citywide Bible study starting Feb. 9 at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fremont.
The eight-week event features Beth Moore's latest work "Mercy Triumphs" - a study of the book of James. Sessions run from 7-9 p.m. on consecutive Thursday evenings.
Tammy Real-McKeighan, who writes the weekly Spiritual Spinach columns for the Fremont Tribune, will moderate the study.
Participants will sit at round tables. Evenings will include hourlong video presentations by Moore, a nationally known Bible teacher and best-selling author. Regularly featured on "Wednesdays with Beth" on the Life Today program, Moore has written many Bible studies including "Breaking Free" and "Believing God." Her works, studied by groups around the world, have covered the lives of Jesus, David, Daniel, Moses and John. Churches of various denominations have used Moore's Bible studies. The rest of the evening will be spent in table discussions and prayer.
Workbooks accompanying the study cost $14.95. Attendees are asked to pay for their book on the night of the first session. Scholarships are available for those unable to afford the books. Workbooks are greatly encouraged, but not mandatory.
Please pre-register, whether or not you want a book, by calling Good Shepherd at 402-721-8412.