Posts Tagged ‘Luke 10:38-42’

I recently finished reading having a Mary Heart in a Martha World – Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver.  A book I now highly recommend for all women, young and old to read.  For the next 12 weeks, I plan to share my findings as I journey through the accompanying Bible Study Mrs. Weaver placed at the end of the book.

Questions for Discussion or Reflection – Day Eight

1) The story of Mary and Martha stirs up memories of sibling rivalry for many of us.  What battles with your siblings do you remember the most? What did you do to get your parents to notice you?

I didn’t grow up really with my older siblings, due to a 15+ year gap between most of them and myself.  I was raised as an only child until my niece moved in with us when I was 10 years old.  She is just a year younger than me.   I remember the first night she officially to moved in.  She ran to hug me and in the process she knocked me down.  I landed on my ankle, sprained it and ended up also with scratches on my arm.  This was only round one, of our ongoing battle royale in the end we came to a truce… love

I didn’t try to get noticed by my parents, I actually wanted to make sure that I DIDN’T draw any unneeded attention.  I was what they call goodie two shoes; good grades and good behavior.

2) Read Luke 10:38-42.  Have you ever asked Martha’s question, “Lord, don’t you care?”  What was the situation?  How did God answer your question?

The only real time I can remember ever asking the Lord, if he cared…  I was young only barely of age (when I didn’t know any better) and faced with the possibility of all I had worked so hard for in life coming down like stones at my feet.  There were no funds available for me continue my schooling / college.  That was 12 years ago and God is still answering the question.  He is developing me for his glory!

To be continued… I welcome your comments!

The previous article can be found here.

Lela Jefferson – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

I recently finished reading having a Mary Heart in a Martha World – Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver.  A book I now highly recommend for all women, young and old to read.  For the next 12 weeks, I plan to share my findings as I journey through the accompanying Bible Study Mrs. Weaver placed at the end of the book.

Going Deeper – Day Seven

8 ) What spoke most to you in this, chapter.

The morning my mother the beloved Thelma B. Jefferson went home to be with the Lord in the spring of 2006;   I was very audibly awakened by the Holy Spirit.  It was the first time I had ever been awakened in such a way and at the time in the morning.  It was just before 4:00 AM.  Being obedient I got up and began to pray in my heavenly language / tongues.  The night before I had been told I was being recommended for a position to work full-time in ministry and was not completely sure about taking up the offer because it was not in one my strengths area.  I knew it was my destiny to work in ministry, however I was not sure if it was the right season or timing for it.

So, as I began to pray my heart at first was heavy.  As I was led deeper into the spirit and began praising God I felt a peace.  At the end of the hour or so, I lifted my hands up and said ‘Lord, whatever people places or things you must remove out of my life in order for me to walk in your perfect will.  I promise I will not become angry with you.’  As I stated above that was the morning my mother went home to be with the Lord…

Additional life changing events began to unfold shortly thereafter…relationship testing.  I accepted the position and was released and brought back.  Learned my boyfriend/fiancé of 6 years was cheating on me.  My finances were hit, the list goes on.  However through it all I kept my promise of not getting angry with God.

Yet, our relationship became one of duty bound because I was trying to shield myself from being hurt again, versus one of release and restoration.  Reading this chapter and doing the Bible Study showed me that.  Real power comes from learning how to release your cares wants and desires back to God.  He has a specific purpose for each of us and if we are bogged down, with burdens he did not want us to carry, we can miss the mark.  Then what most of us do is look towards God and asking him why? When, we were the cause of it all; for we had stepped out of the protection that is found in being intimate with him.

To be continued…

The previous article can be found here.

Lela Jefferson – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

I recently finished reading having a Mary Heart in a Martha World – Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver.  A book I now highly recommend for all women, young and old to read.  For the next 12 weeks, I plan to share my findings as I journey through the accompanying Bible Study Mrs. Weaver placed at the end of the book.

Going Deeper – Day Four

5) What does the Bible say in the following verses about our potential for change?

Ezekiel 36:26-27 (King James Version)

²⁶A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.

²⁷And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (King James Version)

¹⁷Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Philippians 1:6 (King James Version)

⁶Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

By accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior we gain the benefit of receiving a new heart and spirit the Master’s own.  Through this exchange we are also made anew, our old ways are casted away.  This is the essence of being changed, renewed.  All we have to do in order to maintain these benefits is remain confident in the fact a good work has been created in us and be obedient to the God’s words and ways.

To be continued…

The previous article can be found here.

Lela Jefferson – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com

I recently finished reading having a Mary Heart in a Martha World – Finding Intimacy with God in the Busyness of Life by Joanna Weaver.  A book I now highly recommend for all women, young and old to read.  For the next 12 weeks, I plan to share my findings as I journey through the accompanying Bible Study Mrs. Weaver placed at the end of the book.

Questions for Discussion or Reflection – Day One

1) What preconceived ideas did you have about Mary and Martha before reading this book?  Which woman do you relate to most – Mary or Martha?  Explain your answer.

Before reading the book, when thinking of the two sisters I pictured Martha being the ultimate workaholic and people pleaser.  Always staying busy, not satisfied till the work was done, very efficient and by far the best hostess.  As for Mary, I saw her as a true free spirit and worshiper with the innocence of a child.  Unafraid, possessing a quiet boldness that gave her courage to sit at the Master’s / Lord’s feet and not worry about the consequences of her actions may accrue.

Of the two sisters, I could always relate more to Martha.  All my life I have been in constant preparation mode.  Always working to help others to bring their dreams to the foreground while out of fear from disappointment, (what I used to think) watching my own dreams fall to the waste side.   See I had let past hurts allow me to cast away my confidence in my own God given dreams.  It got so bad at one point that I began to sow out of a sense of duty versus that of purpose.

Yes, I found joy in helping others. However, still I had the frustration of never truly feeling understood for me.  I had for so long worked to mask who I was my heart’s desires that it became hard for me to express to others the real me. Those days are gone with praise God for mind renewal!

Anyway, that is how I saw and related to Martha.  Duty bound, do to circumstances; not able to live the life she wanted.  Always seeming to be the one to pick up the slack or responsibilities others were not willing to.  Like caring for siblings, keeping a home or making a living; basically forced to grow up before she was ready to.

In my own life, I learned at a young age how to be self-reliant; not to be an extra burden.  Staying overly active in school and getting above average grades.  Looking for approval through my works; this created ultimately a bondage to people.  See, my father had left our home when I was about six because of infidelities.  He cheated on my mother.

Don’t get me wrong my father was never far away and was one of my greatest teachers, yet he had his own demons to fight.  I am truly blessed to have been his daughter and share with him his journey the last 22 of the 63 years of his life. To have heard him say to me that he was glad I never gave up on him and that he could call me his friend.  I will always treasure that.

Growing up though, financially it was rough when I was younger.  It got to the point that my mother shortly after her separation from my father that she had to get public assistance collect benefits and recycle bottles and cans to make money for us.  She later despite her being legally blind in both eyes became a daycare provider; my bedroom doubling as a classroom during the day.  The one thing I can say through those lean years is we always had a roof, food, love and an understanding knowledge of God in our household.

2) One woman told me, “My life is like a blender – and it’s stuck on frappe!”  What inanimate object best describes how your life currently feels?

The inanimate object that best describes my life is a boat on a river floating peacefully towards an unknown destination.  Sure there are turns and twists; however I have an anchor (the word of God) and a set of oars (good relations) to prevent me from top siding.

To be continued…

Lela Jefferson – http://www.memoirsofablackgirl.com