You are a manager of the gifts God has given to you. They may be great or small in
your eyes, but they matter to God. "Now it is required that those who have been
given a trust must prove faithful" (1 Corinthians 4:2 NIV).

We have been studying Gideon by Priscilla Shirer this semester in Women’s Ministry Bible Study. There are many lessons to be learned from Gideon, so if you are not participating in this study, I really want to encourage you to open your Bible to the book of Judges and read about Gideon and the lessons the Lord taught him in just a few short passages.
His most recent experience that really caught my attention was regarding gifts and talents. 
Priscilla Shirer had a quote in the study that referred to how she anwered someone when asked “If I feel called to ministry, how do I start pursuing it?”  Her typical answer
usually goes something like this -“Give back to the Lord the desires and gifts He has given you and then trust Him to use them when and how He chooses.”
I sat and thought about that for awhile.  It sounds so easy, but most of us make it so difficult. We trust the Lord with other things, but we’re afraid to step out of our  comfort zone when it comes to gifts and talents. It doesn’t mean performing on stage or even reading aloud.  It can be a small task like helping fold clothes for the clothes swap. Some people are very good at folding and organizing.
Maybe you enjoy greeting people.  Every event has greeters.  It’s so nice to see a
friendly, familiar face at the door when you arrive to one of our events. Do you enjoy praying? We always desire prayer warriors before, during, and after a special event.
God has given you unique abilities, talents, and gifts.  This bundle of talents is the thing God has given you that makes you who you are and sets you apart from other people.  Spiritual gifts, Heart, Abilities, Personality, and Experiences.
If you think your talents are simply for you to make a lot of money, retire, and die, you’ve missed the point of your life. God gave you talents to benefit others, not yourself. And God gave other people talents that benefit you. We’re all a part of the body of Christ, and each part matters. There are no insignificant people in the family of God. You are shaped to serve God, and He is testing you to see how you are going to use the talents He gave you.
“Each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully
administering God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:10 NIV).
You are a manager of the gifts God has given to you. They may be great or small in your eyes, but they matter to God.  When God made you, He made an investment in you, and He expects a return on that investment.
But if you use your talents wisely, God will give you more. If you use your time wisely, God will give you more time. If you use your energy wisely, God will give you more energy. If you use your influence wisely, God will increase your influence. God will bless your level of faithfulness.
Pray and seek your gifts and talents and trust the Lord to use them to glorify the
kingdom of God.

Carol Bridges

There’s just something about Mother’s Day above any other day in the entire year that draws people to place more phone calls and purchase more greeting cards to connect with those affectionately referred to as “Mom.” Mother’s Day is a holiday observed every year on the second Sunday in May and was first celebrated in the United States as an official holiday in 1910. Those who first established the Mother’s Day holiday did so for the purpose of promoting peace by means of honoring mothers who had lost sons in war or were at risk of losing them.
No different than mothers today, I’m guessing those moms strongly desired to protect their sons from suffering, especially death. They understood a greater cause was at hand, a war to fight and defend their country. Their individual sacrifice meant others could live in freedom. Though not easy, this required a mom letting go of her son to serve out his purpose and give his life on behalf of others for the cause of peace.   When I ponder that, I’m reminded of Gen. 3:16, the words our Creator spoke to the first woman on earth following the Fall: “I will intensify your labor pains; you will bear children in anguish.” As it was with those mothers recognized in 1910, every mom since Eve has known pain and anguish at some level over their children. Thankfully, God does not leave us alone in our suffering, but He offers His redeeming grace.
Though Mother’s Day is meant to be a day to celebrate and honor Mom, the notion of loss seems to still permeate this holiday. If your mom is still living and you have a great relationship with her, then you celebrated something precious.  On the other hand, if sadness or anger saturated your heart on Mother’s Day due to some form of loss, then my prayer is that you find comfort in the presence and work of Jesus the Savior. He knows firsthand the suffering associated with loss and death, and chose to sacrifice His own life to conquer that which affects us all.
Mary, the chosen earthly mother of Jesus, could have related to those mothers who had lost sons to war. From the beginning, Mary was informed of her firstborn son’s purpose: 

“Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel and to be a sign that will be opposed-- and a sword will pierce your own soul—that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:34-35) 
  
She was an ordinary mom, desiring to protect her son from suffering, yet she was required
to let Him go with the understanding a greater cause was at stake. Her son fought a war against the vilest of enemies. His sacrifice accomplished His Heavenly Father’s will and purpose. This purpose changed Mary’s mother-son relationship with Jesus and it ultimately changed her life eternally. Christ spoke of this transition from physical family to spiritual family when He clarified, “My mother and My brothers are those who hear and do the Word of God.” (Luke 8:21) 
Though Jesus honored His mother, His resolve was to glorify His Heavenly Father. He enacted His Father’s plan of redemption in willing submission to suffering and death. It was Jesus, God’s only Son, who fought and won the final battle of pain, sin, and death. This victory was confirmed through His glorious resurrection reminding us that Jesus is the Hero of God’s Story. 
For a believer in Christ, saved by God’s grace, this is Good News. It’s this Good News of the Gospel and Christ’s faithful love that can carry us through the tough losses on earth and bring us peace. Though special holidays meant to be a celebration may not be easy or pain-free, may you trust the Redeemer for your family relationships and place your faith and hope in Jesus the Savior. Be encouraged that God cares for you and enables you to endure difficulty by the power of His Spirit. Now that’s something worth celebrating!
 
For He is our peace…When the Messiah came, He proclaimed the Good News of peace to
you who were far away and peace to those who were near. (Ephesians 2:14a, 17)
 
Tamar Miller

Did you know that there are over 800 promises from God given to us in the Bible, His Holy Word? These promises keep me focused and increase my faith during hard times. I turn to them often and many I have memorized so that I have them ready when the enemy tries to make me doubt God. I want to share with you just a few of my favorites.

SALVATION PROMISED: JOHN 3: 16-17 (NIV) For God so loved the world that He gave us His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.
HE KEEPS US: ROMANS 8: 38-39 (NIV) For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, (39) neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(I chose this verse many years ago as my life verse.)
HE PROTECTS US: PSALM 84:11 (NIV) For the Lord God is a sun and shield. The Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
GIVES US DAILY BLESSINGS: LAMENTATIONS 3: 22-23 (NIV) Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. (23) They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
HE LOVES YOU SOOOOO MUCH!!: ZEPHANIAH 3:17  The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.
HE PRAYS FOR US: ROMANS 8: 26 -27 (NIV)   In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. (27) And He who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.
BLESSES OUR GIVING: MALACHI 3:10 (NIV) Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this, says the Lord Almighty, and see if I will not throw open the flood gates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have enough room for it.
WHY DOES HE GIVE US PROMISES? II PETER 1:4 (NIV) Through these He has given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
HE KEEPS ALL HIS PROMISES: II CORINTHIANS 1:20 (NIV)  For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "yes" in Christ. And so through Him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.
Don't you just love reading His promises?? It is beyond my comprehension that the Creator of the universe, the Great and Mighty God, loves us so much that in His Word, He chose to give us promises for comfort, strength, protection and to keep us from fear. I challenge you to search out more of the 800 for yourself in God's Word. You will be greatly blessed! 

Blessings and prayers for all my sisters in Christ! You are loved!

Your Prayer Leader,
LINDA DAVIS