A Question from the Widow of Zarephath

 

  It will come as no surprise to you when I say that widowhood doesn’t hit every woman the same way. Some of you, in addition to dealing with the loss of your husband, your shared companionship, your chauffer, your escort to events of all kinds, you have suffered the loss of income.  What you ladies are experiencing isn’t the “one size fits all,” even though you have many feelings and experiences in common. No matter where you are in the grieving process or the circumstances of your widowhood, you are all asking or have asked the question, “What next, Lord?” God’s Word has the answer to that question. We are going to look at the situation of a widow in the land of Zarephath to see how God answered that question in her life.    

The story of the widow of Zarephath, (her name was never given to us) is recorded in I Kings 17:8-18. Let me summarize the story for you. The setting for the story is Zarephath,

Daughter, Your Faith Has Healed You. Go in Peace

 As I am writing this, the COVID-19 pandemic is going into its sixth month. Months in which some of the time was spent in quarantine, but always with wearing a mask when going out for any reason. It has been disconcerting to have favorite restaurants and retail stores closed, to be attending church services via internet, bumping elbows instead of greeting friends with a warm hug, postponing or holding “zoom” weddings and other important events, burials of loved ones without benefit of a real funeral and the list of inconveniences goes on. Yes, life has not turned out the way we imagined at the beginning of 2020. As I reflect on the isolation and inconveniences we have endured as a result of this pandemic, I’m reminded of a woman

Praying from a Positon of Strength

I hope that all of you have either read or listened to the most recent blog here on Friends Needing Friends. In it you were challenged to fast and pray this weekend, July 24, 25, 26, for God to stay this COVID-19 virus. As I stated in my previous blog, you may totally do without food for a meal each day, but we’re not asking you to fast the entire three days. Just be in prayer as you go about your day and be specific in your prayers for this pandemic to come to an end, always acknowledging that you want God’s will to be done as His timing is perfect.

Let me encourage you by calling

BATTLING "COVID-19" WITH PRAYER

The book of Esther in the Old Testament records the story I’m going to be sharing with you today. Let me just briefly give you some context for what was occurring in today’s lesson. An edict had gone forth from the Persian king, King Xerxes, that all of the Jews in his kingdom were to be killed. Esther was the queen at this time but King Xerxes didn’t know that she was Jewish so he didn’t think twice about signing the edict. However, Esther’s older cousin, Mordecai who had raised her since early childhood, knew that they were in a desperate situation. His only hope was getting Esther to go before the king and plead for her people. This would mean that she would have to declare her true nationality and that alone might jeopardize her relationship with the king. Then she reminded Mordecai that she