Monthly Archives: January 2025

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Tested and Tried by Fire

I have been blessed over the years to attend several women’s retreats and conferences. I have heard inspiring Bible teaching and been challenged in my walk with the Lord. My favorite sessions have included clear teaching from God’s Word and practical application for my life. I can remember hearing Elisabeth Elliot speak in 1973 at Urbana (a college age missions conference).  I can’t tell you the times her words have challenged me in the many years since that conference. I also was blessed by a godly Bible teacher, Sally Fesperman, starting in 1975 and spanning many years. She was an older woman who took seriously the Biblical mandate “older women should teach younger women to love their husbands and children.” Titus 3:5

I can remember thinking how blessed I have been by their example and I wanted to be used by God as they were. That wasn’t too much to ask, was it?

I sensed the Holy Spirit asking me at that time – “These two women bless you, yet are you willing to suffer what they have suffered? Their lives have been tried by my refining fire.”

Whoa.

I was stunned.

 photo from www.onethankfulmom.com

Elizabeth Elliot lost her husband when he was murdered by the native people in Ecuador he was making contact with. His intent was to share Jesus with this remote group of people.

    photo from findagrave.com

Sally Fesperman lost her first son as an infant and her second son was killed by a run away dump truck soon before he was to be married at age 24.

These women were sharing with us from the refining fire of suffering. Their words were powerful because they had been forged by holding unto the Truth of God’s faithfulness in spite of the circumstances. They both had suffered, yet when hearing them share, you saw joy and peace radiate from their faces.

I could not answer yes to that question stirring in my heart. I didn’t want to suffer – to lose my husband or my children. I was clearly NOT ready to share with others what I had not lived through myself. Sharing others’ stories can be good, yet the testimony of a woman tested by time is powerful.

I also have come to realize that I held unto several false beliefs because I wanted them to be true. Those false beliefs would have been stumbling blocks to anyone I shared them with.

God in His wisdom has allowed me to be tested by time. The difference from who I am now and what I have to share is 73 years of God’s faithfulness. In spite of my weakness, He is strong. The amazing fact for me is that even though I was arrogant and even prideful thinking I had something to share when I was young and untested – God has seen fit to allow me to share from His Word.

Isaiah 43: 1-3

But now, this is what the Lord says—
He who created you, Jacob,
he who formed you, Israel:
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name, you are mine.

2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.

3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.

That is ALL I have to share that is of any worth – the Truth of God’s Word. I have been tested by time and God is faithful!

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Focus

Several years ago our daughter’s pastor shared that he prayerfully chose a word each year on which to focus. As the year unfolded it blessed him to see God using that word to illuminate areas in his life where God was indeed working. As followers of Jesus, we by faith believe that God is working in us and through us, yet often are oblivious to the specifics. That idea of intentionality resonated with me.

It is so easy for me to go through life day by day and NOT notice what God is doing until I intentionally stop and look. The focus of a specific “word” has helped me do just that. My words the past few years have been “grace”, listen”, “humility”, “follow” and the first one – “focus”.

So lately I have been asking the Lord to impress on me what my word should be for 2025. I did not receive any clear impression. Should I continue with “listen” again? Maybe I needed more focus on listening?

Every year my sister-in-law Renee sends me a beautiful calendar of calligraphy scriptures by artist Timothy Botts. I was getting ready to switch out last year’s calendar with the new one and my eye caught the artist’s statement from the 2024 calendar. “A Love for Art and the Word”. YES!! That struck my heart! I love God’s Word and God has blessed me with artistic ability.

Timothy Botts goes on to say in his statement that his artistic expression responds to the prayer – “Day by day, oh dear Lord, three things I pray: to see thee more clearly, love thee more dearly, follow thee more nearly”

Then yesterday I was reading my devotional where I pray for each of our grandchildren, and now our great-grandchild. In the forward this quote appeared attributed to Richard of Chichester (1197-1253) “For these three things I pray: To see thee more clearly, to love thee more dearly, to follow thee more nearly.”

I took it as confirmation that those three phrases are my “word” for 2025. My prayer.

Psalm 25:4-6 says –

Show me the right path, O Lord;
point out the road for me to follow.
5 Lead me by your truth and teach me,
for you are the God who saves me.
All day long I put my hope in you.
6 Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love,
which you have shown from long ages past.

I will now be looking this year for the ways God answers this prayer.

God is faithful.