Down in the valley ~~

"God gives us the vision, then He takes us down to the valley to batter us into the shape of the vision, and it is in the valley that so many of us faint and give way…The vision is not a castle in the air, but a vision of what God wants you to be. Let Him put you on His wheel and whirl you as He likes, and as sure as God is God and you are you, you will turn out exactly in accordance with the vision. Don’t lose heart in the process. If you have ever had the vision of God, you may try as you like to be satisfied on a lower level, but God will never let you."

~~ Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest.

Which woman am I?

The fact that I am a woman 

does not make me a different kind of Christian, 

but the fact that I am a Christian

 does make me a different kind of a woman ...

 ~~ Elizabeth Elliott

Reminder to Self ~~

Pam ~~ stop treating Proverbs 31 like a checklist,
 separate from the rest of the book, 
but rather like the embodiment of 
a woman living the rest of the book!

Duty to pray for our Pastors ~~

Pray for us; 

for we are confident that we have a good conscience,

 in all things desiring to live honorably.

~Hebrews 13:18

"This is one part of the duty which people owe to their ministers. Ministers need the prayers of the people; and the more earnestly the people pray for their ministers the more benefit they may expect to reap from their ministry. They should pray that God would teach those who are to teach them, that He would make them vigilant, and wise, and zealous, and successful--that He would assist them in all their labours, support them under all their burdens, and strengthen them under all their temptations."

~Matthew Henry

rustling leaves ~~

"The whole course and series of divine providence towards the saints is like a music-book, in every leaf whereof there is a song ready pricked for them to learn and sing to the praise of their God. No passage in their life of which they can say, 'In this I received no mercy for which I should bless God.'"

~William Gurnall