THE HUSH OF GOD

Our guest blogger today is Karyn Wilton.  Karyn is the Co-Director of our Women's Ministry and is the wife of our Senior Pastor, Dr. Don Wilton. She is a wife, mother, grandmother, daughter, sister,friend, and women's ministry leader. Karyn was born and grew up in South Africa and has traveled the world in ministry. Most of all, she loves the Lord with her whole heart and has a strong passion for mentoring young women. Thank you Karyn, for sharing your words and thoughts!

Be still and know that I am God
Psalm 46:10 KJV 

I walked back into my home to a deafening silence after leaving my daughter at college for the first time. That night and the following days I became acquainted with a hush that I had not experienced before. I could not help but meditate on the hush that was now the new resident in my home.

As the hush became more prominent, my mind could only compare this new companion to the hush of God that we experience from time to time in our lives. The times when you so wanted to hear a word from Him but all you knew was that gentle hush. The time you so longed to know His will, whether you should go this way or that; but yet as you reached out all you could grasp was the gentle hush that led you to an abandoning faith. Like the little one who takes his first steps not realizing his father walks behind him with outstretched arms ready to catch him lest he falls. The father allows the little one to experience his brave little steps by himself until he begins to waver. The father stands prepared to steady or soothe at a moment’s notice.  I think our Heavenly Father hovers ever watchful with a holy hush as we take our baby steps of faith. He desires us to be courageous and daunting while He delights in us and our walk of faith.

            How beautiful it is to see a father or mother rush in to soothe a distressed child. All that is needed is for the parent to swoop up the child and whisper into the ear of the little one, “Hush, hush my child.”  A peaceful calm suddenly rests on the once distraught child.

Have you ever known the hush of God? Has there been a time when you longed to hear his voice, but had to continue walking in faith? At the right time when you started to falter, His unconstrained love and grace swept you up into His arms and He said, “Hush, hush my child. Be still and know that I am God.” Rest in Him today knowing that He is watching over you even when you experience the hush of God.

            Prayer: We praise you, our Heavenly Father for taking such good care of us. Help us to welcome those times when we experience your heavenly hush. Thank you for working out all things for your purpose. We adore You. Amen.

It's What's Inside That Counts!

 

Our Guest blogger today is Susan Feaster.

Married to Al for almost 42 years; mom to Brian and Brandon; Nana to AJ and Christopher.

Loves her family, travel, good books, and good coffee.

Most of all, loves Jesus.

Can be found blogging about life and faith at www.susanssittingroom.blogspot.com

Thank you Susan!

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

I remember the day when my husband said to me "Did you know you have wrinkles?"

That is NOT a good conversation starter! We were in the car at the time, and my first response was to pull down the sun visor and flip open the mirror so I could see for myself. I was relieved to see that they weren't REAL wrinkles. He was talking about those little crinkles at the corners of my eyes......the ones that are there because I smile a lot. There are more of them than there used to be.......in part, I must admit, because I'm not as young as I used to be! But mostly because I'm still smiling! A lot!

In addition to my "crinkles", I have what I refer to as my "Howdy Doody lines".  (Some of you may not be old enough to have any idea who Howdy Doody is!  He was a puppet who had a TV show back in the 1950s.) Howdy Doody lines are the ones that go from the sides of my nose down to the corners of my mouth, and from the corners of my mouth downward. You may have them too. In my case, they are partly genetic. My mother had them. But, like the crinkles, they are mostly due to the fact that I smile, and laugh, a lot. A lot!

There is quite an industry devoted to getting rid of wrinkles. And, in the interest of full disclosure, I must tell you that I have contributed to that industry......both as a consumer who uses those anti-aging/anti-wrinkle products, and once-upon-a-time as an Independent Beauty Consultant selling lots of pink tubes full of anti-aging/anti-wrinkle products to other consumers. It's true that I don't get super excited when I notice a new wrinkle. I have often said that I don't mind getting older, but I really don't want to look old! And it is certainly true that, thanks in large part to the products in the pink tubes but also thanks to good genes, I don't look my age.

But the reason I bring all this up in the first place isn't really about wrinkles.....or the lack of.  It's more about the reason I have the wrinkles that I do have. All those cleansers and creams in the pink tubes can minimize or postpone the appearance of the wrinkles that come from aging. But my wrinkles......the crinkles and the Howdy Doody lines......are not so much from aging as from behavior. As I said before. I smile a lot. I laugh a lot. A lot. And there's a reason for that.  I choose to be happy.  I choose joy.

Yes, my life has its share of stresses. We can all say that, I'm sure. We live in a world full of stress.  And we live in a world where, like it or not, wrinkles are a big deal.  A world where, fairly or not, we are judged by outward appearance.  And that makes me incredibly sad.  Because it’s what’s on the inside that counts.  A joyful heart.  A thankful heart.  A committed heart.  A heart that loves Jesus!  That’s what really matters.

Not wrinkles or crinkles or Howdy Doody lines or hair color or skin color or size or shape.  Not the label in your jacket or what logo is on your purse. 

It’s what’s inside that counts.

 

Welcome to the brand new Women's Ministry Blog of First Baptist Spartanburg.  We will post blogs written from the heart of women of all ages from First Baptist Spartanburg.  We hope as we share these heartfelt messages that they will conect our hearts to one another and bring us closer to the Lord Jesus Christ in our daily lives!