Ladies' Conference Blessing

This last weekend I went with six other ladies from our church to a conference.  The ladies that went weren't ladies that I normally am around.  One is a recent widow, one recently joined our church family and I hadn't gotten to know her to well yet, another moved to our area so her husband could start a printing ministry in our church, two were teen girls and the other was our dear Pastor's wife.  Going away like that helps you really get to know other people.  I am very thankful to have gotten the chance to know these ladies a bit better.

The speaking was excellent.  I asked the Lord to give me one specific truth (verse) to encourage me with. 

The theme of the conference was, When Life Gives You Lemons.  The main speaker adressed 4 lemons women face:  Meekness, Modesty, Manual Labor and Misery.  I enjoyed each session!

The encouraging verse the Lord gave me was during the Manual Labor lesson.  It was not the main point or main Scripture but it really encouraged me!

As having been  part of so many different churches in my life, you always tend to hear different things stressed by each Pastor.  Each seem to have their own "hobby horse".  I'm not saying this is bad but just something I've observed.  I found it especially true as to their opinion of the woman's role. 

I have very strong opinions on what I feel I should be doing Bibically and very rarely do you hear it spoken on or encouraged.  I'm not looking for that, just something I've observed.  So I need to be sure what I'm doing is what HE wants me to do and not any man. 

The verse the Lord gave me was from I Timothy 5.  The chapter begins by talking about widows and how the church should handle widows.  Then in verse 10 it says, "Well reported of for good works;  if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, is she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, is she have diligently followed every good work."

This is what the Lord wants for women to be doing!  I never noticed this verse before but it is such a completer to the Titus 3 woman.  If she did these things mentioned during her younger years, the church could then take care of her.  Wow!  I'd say these were very specific things the Lord wants to see in my life.  I foud them very encouraging!