Hello my sisters,

We are part of something so much bigger than ourselves. Recently I was blessed to learn more about my sisters in Christ who live in other parts of the world. Some of their lives are extremely challenging and beyond my imagination. They wash their clothes in the nearby river and carry drinking water on their heads in large containers. I saw photos of their kitchens with dirt floors where they cook over a small fire with their pans balanced on rocks. Some of them suffer great persecution because the predominant religion in their country is anti-Christian. Their opportunities to receive an education are very limited in some countries. Women are often treated harshly in their cultures.

Yet, what struck me the most deeply were the expressions on their faces. These are women who worship the same God that we do. You could see the joy and peace in their beautiful eyes. They share the same hope for the future that we do. God has given them His spirit to carry them through the difficulties they face on a daily basis. God is not a respecter of persons. He does not value one culture over another.

In His great mercy He calls each of us to follow Him and live a life that reflects His love for humanity. As we go about our daily business today let’s remember our sisters around the world. They would appreciate our prayers for them.

Your sister in Christ,
Nancy

Hello my sisters,

Four decades ago I saw a Feast film with brethren singing hymns in some other country. I do not remember where it was but a dream was born that day. Deep in my heart I tucked away the hope that I might someday travel to some far off place and meet brothers and sisters in Christ. Specifically I wanted to sing hymns and praise our Father in heaven together. My desire was to see how our common beliefs and faith would transcend our cultural differences.

Here I am at 56 years of age planning my long awaited trip to a far off country. My husband and I will be spending the Feast with our brothers and sisters in Sri Lanka. I am already learning their names as mutual friends speak of them with love and appreciation. My heart is already drawn to them.

Beyond the anticipation of this coming trip is a profound gratitude to my Father in heaven. He knows my heart, my hopes and dreams. It is never too late to answer a prayer of one of His daughters whispered so many years ago. His timing is never late, it is always perfect.

Wishing you answered prayers and fulfilled dreams.

Your sister in Christ,
Nancy

Hello my sisters,

There are moments in time when everything changes in our lives. We receive a phone call or get an email that shakes our calm world. Grief can swallow us up in an instant and last for days, weeks or months. It is during these days that we find out what we are made of. Our response, our only sane response is to go to God in prayer. In our pain we know that He is the only answer, the only peace, the only hope. He is our lifeline. None of us is strong enough on our own to handle all the things that this mortal life can throw at us. We know this of course in our minds. However, it is when we can barely breathe because of our pain that we are reminded that He is our breath, our reason for living.

My own world was shaken late last night. In a sense nothing has changed overnight…except me. Somewhere along the way God has brought peace to my mind and heart. Alongside the sorrow in my soul there is also faith that my Father is with me and those I love. Galatians 5 tells us the fruits of God’s spirit are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance etc. These attributes are still there even when we grieve. They are gifts to us as well as those we love.

God comforts us in all of our sorrow through His spirit. He then allows us and encourages us to use this same spirit to love and help others. It is what we do as the sisters of Jesus Christ. It is part of who we are and who we are becoming.

With love,
Nancy

Hello my sisters,

I write to you from the comfort of my big easy chair. From this spot I can look out at the mountains that surround Salt Lake City. There are a lot of clouds today as a system moves into the valley. Soon I’ll be in the car heading to Grand Jct. Colorado for the weekend. I look forward to spending time with my brothers and sisters in that congregation.

Before I go I want to share the lesson I learned this week. Along with most of you I have been examining myself and my life during these Days of Unleavened Bread. It is a time of year that we look for areas that need to change in order to become more like our elder brother Jesus Christ. It is not hard to find those attitudes or behaviors is it? The question then is how do we go forward and walk in newness of life.

Today, as I was reflecting on my area of concern, I came up with something that worked for me. I imagined my behavior as a big heavy, black wool coat that weighed me down. I knew that it made all of my life harder. It brought me no joy or pleasure. It was just a habit that had been part of my existence since I could remember. This morning I decided to be done with it. I imagined myself on a bridge with a fast moving river below me. I took off this old worn out coat and in my mind dropped it into the river. Even as I watched it drift out of sight in my mind I wondered what would replace that ugly old thing. I read in Ephesians 5:8 “for you were sometimes darkness, but now are you light in the Lord: walk as children of light: For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth.” And so, my sisters, I put on this beautiful new coat today. I plan to wear it from now on.

I invite each of you to take off your own tattered coat and walk into this new year clothed in the beauty of righteousness.

With love,
Nancy

Hello my sisters,

During these days before the Passover we spend a lot of time examining ourselves. We think about all those character traits we would like to be rid, of that seem to entangle our lives every year. Once again we pray for forgiveness, for help in overcoming our personal faults and sins.

This morning I felt weighed down as I prayed again for help in my own personal struggles to become the woman God would have me be. My heart was heavy as I realized I still battle the same issues I have for years. Why can’t I just be rid of them forever? Then I received a note from a friend. One line in it really touched my heart. “I’ve learned that life sometimes give you a second chance.” This brought reflection on how often my Father in Heaven has given me a second, third or fourth chance. He is the God of all mercy and comfort. Today, once again, I will seek to be more like my elder brother Jesus Christ. I’m extremely grateful that God gives me opportunity each day to overcome, to change and to grow.

This Passover I will once again humbly participate in this service. I will commit my life to my Father in Heaven seeking His forgiveness and help this coming year. With joy I will know that He gives me yet another year to grow and overcome.

I wish each of you a most meaningful Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread.

Your sister in Christ,
Nancy

Hello my sisters,

Spring is a favorite time of year for me and not just because flowers begin to bloom and trees turn green. It is the most important season of the year for any Christian. The Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread are just around the corner. Each of us is preparing for the service that reminds us of God’s great love for mankind. He gave His Son that we might be forgiven, that we would then have access to Him, that we could seek the kingdom of God. We then observe the Days of Unleavened Bread when we eat only flat bread with no leavening agents.

In 1 Corinthians 5:8 it says, “Therefore let us keep the feast not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” We spend a whole week thinking about the attributes of Jesus Christ that we need to take on. As we eat this flat bread it reminds us of the fact that we can live our lives better. We can put off the characteristics that are not of God. We can be sincere in this pursuit of holy righteous character.

There are many scriptures that help us to think about the woman we are to become.

1 Corinthians 13 teaches how to love.

Galatians 5 explains the fruits of the spirit.

Ephesians 4 shows what a new life in Christ looks like.

Philippians 4 tells us how to think.

There are many more scriptures that I could write down, of course. I’m sure each of you has your own set of favorite verses for this time of year.

My point, ladies, is that we are to be sincere and honest in our worship of our God. We are deeply committed to becoming like our elder brother Jesus Christ. We earnestly desire to change, to grow, to overcome. It is not just about putting off the old behavior, the old leaven, it is a time to focus on the new way of living that brings honor to our Father in Heaven.

Wishing you a most wonderful Passover and Days of Unleavened Bread,
Nancy

Hello my sisters,

Sometimes we read something that stops us in our tracks. The words jump off the page in a startling way, getting our attention. This happened to me this morning and I wish to share them along with my thoughts about them.

This was written in 1937 by Emmet Fox in an essay titled Don’t be a Tragedy Queen. “Self-pity, by making us feel sorry for ourselves, seems to provide an escape from responsibility, but it is a fatal drug nevertheless,” he wrote. “It confuses the feelings, blinds the reason, and puts us at the mercy of our outer conditions…Don’t be a tragedy queen…”

Self-pity provides an escape from reality he says. When we are feeling sorry for ourselves, for whatever reason, we can blame the situation or other people for our condition. We don’t have to do anything to fix it or improve it. We are victims.

Well, my sisters, I’ve been mired in self-pity for a year now. I suppose I have been a tragedy queen. It is so embarrassing to admit this to you. The shocking part is I was so unaware of what I was doing. Even as God blessed me and took care of me I continued to whine about the life I left behind. I moved through my life without feeling fully alive.

Today is a new day. I will embrace the wonderful life God has provided for me. I plan to take responsibility for myself and my inner condition. This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.

Your sister in Christ,
Nancy

Hello my sisters,

There is a book that has been in my bookcase for at least 10 years, I think. It is a pleasant book that brings me great joy whenever I take it down off the shelf. When life gets hectic and stressful it brings perspective to my mind. So, this week I went to find this old book with the faded pages. It felt wonderful to open it up and read the familiar passages. They make me smile once again.

The title of it is “A Touch of Wonder,” and it is written by Arthur Gordon. He calls it an invitation to fall in love with life. The point of the book is that there are moments of joy and wonder all around us. If we can pause in our busyness and see the simple events of life with new eyes things look very beautiful indeed. I find that this approach brings calm to my spirit because God surrounds me with His gifts all the time.

This morning I woke to sunny skies and puffy clouds. The sun was bright on the white snow and there were sparkles everywhere I looked. Inside my house it was cozy and warm. Ahead of me stretched a day to cook food for friends coming to dinner. I smiled in anticipation of the fellowship we would soon be sharing. I can walk through this day marveling at the small pleasures that are everywhere. I no longer felt stressed by all that I needed to do today instead I felt a deep contentment and joy.

Arthur Gordon helps to show a way of looking at life that is quite pleasant. You might enjoy it.

Your sister in Christ,
Nancy

Hello my sisters,

I’ve spent time this week with an old friend. I continue to marvel at her courage and faith. I wonder what I would have done if asked to live her life.

Her name is Ruth and her story is written in the bible for each of us to read. This week my focus has been on her commitment to God and her faith in Him. She was introduced to the true God through her husband and her mother-in-law, Naomi. How different their beliefs would have been from the religions of her country, Moab. Yet she married into this family and grew to love them and their God.

There came a time when she had to make a life changing decision. She had to choose where she would live and which God she would worship. When she followed Naomi out of Moab and into Judah, she left behind all that she had grown up with. Her words are recorded for us: “Where you lodge I will lodge, your people will be my people and your God my God.”

Her life was not an easy one as a widow in the land of Judah. She needed to work very hard to provide the food needed for herself and her mother-in-law, Naomi. She was different than the other women around her. Yet her faith and character were noticed and discussed among the people who met her. God eventually blessed her with another husband, a son, and a safe place to live out her life.

Ruth is a wonderful example for each of us. We, too, have committed our lives to our God and Father in heaven. We have told Him that we will follow where He leads us. Our trust and faith are in Him regardless of the path we walk. We often face great challenges, yet nothing is too difficult for us to handle with our Father’s help. And, like Ruth, we have received many blessings during the course of our lives.

What if someone wrote the story of our lives for all the world to read? Would our decisions and life choices bring encouragement to others? Would it be said of us, “She trusted in her God and lived her life with courage and faith.”

Your sister in Christ,
Nancy

Hello my sisters,

Today, Feb. 3, is the 38th anniversary of the day I was baptized. This has made me quite reflective this morning. Much has occurred in my life over the years since that date.

I was so very young, just 18 and a senior in High School. The recent suicide of someone I loved had caused me to search into the meaning of my life. Events like this can open us up to God’s leading as He brings us to a teachable point in our lives. I’m so grateful that He did reach out and carry me through that very painful time.

What a journey it has been in my life as a Christian woman. There have been many people who have shown me and taught me how to live my life in a way that honors God. Some years have been filled with trials and heartache and I learned of God’s mercy and patience. He has blessed me with much joy, love and peace during these years as well. Through it all I have learned that He never gives up on me or abandons me. He gives His spirit freely and provides the light to my path.

I believe God has a plan for each of our lives. He has brought us along to the point we are now and leads us into the future. He gives us talents and abilities that can be used in our Christian walk. There are opportunities to serve, to share, to love each other daily. Each day is a gift, may we use it wisely.

With love, your sister in Christ,
Nancy

Hello my sisters,

Recently I’ve heard women say that their lives are so very busy that sometimes they just don’t have time to pray. These comments brought to mind a poem I’d read and will post now for you.

I got up early one morning
And rushed right into the day
I had so much to accomplish
That I didn’t have time to pray.

Problems just tumbled about me
And heavier came each task
“Why doesn’t God help me?” I wondered
He answered, “You didn’t ask.”

I wanted to see joy and beauty
But the day toiled on, grey and bleak
I wondered why God didn’t show me
He said, “But you didn’t seek.”

I tried to come into God’s presence
I used all my keys at the lock
God gently and lovingly chided
“My child, you didn’t knock.”

I woke up early this morning
And paused before entering the day
I had so much to accomplish
That I had to take time to pray.

–Unknown

My sisters, there is much truth in this poem. Sometimes we make our own lives more difficult by not going to the God of this universe and asking for help. Prayer is one of His most precious gifts to us, His daughters, because He really does hear them.

Your sister in Christ,

Nancy

Hello my sisters,

Often when I’m travelling through the city I need to use my GPS system. Today I found an obscure bowling alley in an unfamiliar part of town. I listened carefully as Garmin told me to turn right or left. When I missed a turn the voice said “recalculate.” Thankfully Garmin will always tell me an alternate route that gets me to my desired destination.

Today as I was driving I reflected on how God directs our lives. Our desired destination is the Kingdom of God. He gives us the Holy Scriptures to lead us on this journey. There are many instructions on how to live our lives, treat others, and worship Him. However, we do not have a voice coming from a machine saying that we made a mistake and missed a turn. In our spiritual walk we have to constantly read God’s word and ask ourselves if we need to make a course correction. God is faithful to show us what to do and where to go.

Reading our bibles every single day is essential to our mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. These words bring us peace and comfort in our difficult times. They give us purpose for getting up each day and living it as a Christian woman needs to. He speaks to us of our destiny, our reason for living. God gives us a light for our paths, my sisters. How precious these words are.

Your sister in Christ,
Nancy

Hello my sisters,

This weekend we begin a new calendar year. It is natural to review the past year with all its blessings and difficulties. It is common, also, to look ahead and plan for the coming year. I asked myself the question this morning, what one thing could I change in my Christian walk that would dramatically change my life? Here are a series of scriptures that I plan to keep before my eyes in the year ahead.

Eph. 4:29 says, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”

Eph. 4:31 says, “Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice.”

Eph. 4:32 says, “And be you kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you.”

In James we read that a fountain cannot send forth sweet water and bitter water from the same source. He goes on to teach that our heart is similar, from it comes either loving kindness or strife and wickedness. The words that come out of our mouths show the evidence of what is in our hearts.

I have read these scriptures many times through the years. I think it is time to take them more seriously. There will always be people that do things to annoy me. My choice now becomes, how do I respond? I truly wish to become this kind of Christian, a woman that pleases God with all the words that proceed from my mouth.

I wish each of you a wonderful year ahead. May we each draw closer to our Father in heaven. Let us take on the attributes that show we are His daughters every day of the year.

With love, your sister in Christ,
Nancy

Hello my sisters,

Have you ever walked by a homeless person living on the streets and wondered about them? I have. However I have never stopped to talk or even recognize their presence. I suppose I was afraid they might ask me for money or something.

Recently I joined a group of ladies who was going to hand out gloves, socks, hats and blankets to the homeless in Seattle. I truly did not know what to expect but agreed to go along. We each carried our bag of goodies and began to walk the sidewalks near the Pike Place market and along the waterfront. The next few hours turned into a heart-warming experience for me. Not only did I not pass them by, I looked them in the eye and talked with them. Each of them had a unique personality. Some were quite articulate and well spoken. Many of them had an incredible sense of humor and had us all laughing. Some were quiet and shy barely speaking a word. Every one of them was gracious and thankful. If we spoke to them with respect they did the same to us.

Some things surprised me. They only took what they needed. Many of them told us they did not need certain items. They happily told us stories of their lives. One man was a musician who hoped to make a name for himself in Seattle. One man asked if we were Christians and then thanked us for living the scripture about giving clothes to those who needed them quoting Christ in Matthew 25.

I’m not sure where this will lead in the future. I just know that is has changed my perception of this segment of society. I wanted to share my story with you.

Love,
Nancy

Hello my sisters,

Greetings from the Seattle, Washington airport. I flew here today from my home in Salt Lake City to spend the weekend with my sisters.

As I boarded the plane today I had to choose which side of the plane to sit on. When I asked others where I might have the best view they promptly said “on the left side.” So, I settled in for the two hour flight anticipating wonderful sights just outside my window. You can imagine my dismay upon lift off when all I could see was the Great Salt Lake. Any of you who fly in and out of the Salt Lake City airport would know this is not an inspiring view. I fussed and fretted as I wished I was on the other side. Suddenly, it occurred to me—look out the other window. All I had to do was turn my head, look across the seats to the windows on the other side of the plane. I saw stunning views of mountains that made my heart rejoice.

All of this taught me a valuable lesson. In life we often can become so preoccupied with what is not right in our world that we get annoyed. The answer can be as simple as looking out another window. There just might be wonderful and amazing blessings somewhere close by. There is beauty, joy, peace and love all around if we have the eyes to see them.

As a side note, on our decent into Seattle airport I saw the most stunning views of Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens and Mount Hood. The other passengers had been right in their advice to sit on the left side. I was very glad I listened to them.

I wish you a most excellent day.

Love,
Nancy