Women of Valor: Amy Carmichael
As I read the words of Amy Carmichael, she seemed to be a friend that I already knew. The sister I never had. The woman who discipled me to Christ without me knowing. She wrote, "There are times when something comes into our lives which is charged with love in such a way that it seems to open the Eternal to us for a moment, or at least some of the Eternal Things, and the greatest of these is love. It may be a small and intimate touch upon us or our affairs, light as the touch of the dawn wind on the leaves of the tree, something not to be captured and told to another in words. But we know that it is our Lord. And then perhaps the room where we are, with its furniture and books and flowers, seems less "present" than His Presence, and the heart is drawn into that sweetness of which the old hymn sings. The love of Jesus, what it is; None but His loved ones know."
Hailing All Women… Who Love Jesus
Sitting in one of my final seminary classes, I looked around at the people surrounding me, and my heart sank. Eighty percent of the class was men. I was one among the four other women. When I attended Ozark Christian College for my Bachelor’s degree, the percentage between men and women was more equal. (There may have actually been more women attending Ozark in the late 90s). In 2021, 55.3% of the Ozark Christian College degrees awarded were to women and 44.7% to men. The question I ask is this: where did these women go?
It’s no longer winter
If you were to ask me, I’d tell you the best thing about winter is when it’s over. I despise the cold, I hate that the sun spends so much time hiding, and I do not enjoy being stuck at home when it snows or the roads are icy. These are all signs of Seasonal Affective Disorder which I have battled for as long as I can remember. Some years I feel it worse than others but I can almost guarantee that once the time changes in the fall, I’m going to start experiencing some signs of depression. As someone who has walked through many seasons of various depths of depression, I’ve learned a few things about how I can manage it with a little more grace and not let the battle in my mind steal my joy. I’d like to share with you what I’ve found helps get me through these times…
What to Look for In a Bible Study
I’m constantly being messaged about what to look for in a Bible study.
“Hey Meg, have you heard anything about this new Bible study author?”
“Do you know of any Bible studies on anxiety?”
“Are there any Bible studies I need to avoid?”
I love getting questions like this. And I generally have answers to these questions. But it does seem as though every time I turn around, I find another new Bible study author, and they don’t always have credentials I’m comfortable with. But I digress. What I initially look for in my study now may surprise most people…
Psalms to Read: For Anxiety & Depression
I recently saw something, and it made me stop in my tracks. The quote had been posted on a video via social media and said something to the effect that men use their trauma to build. Whereas women become destroyed by their trauma.” Was that true? The fact was, I had seen both men and women destroyed by their trauma, and I had also seen men and women grow stronger through their trauma. When I began to research, the National Center for PTSD stated, “The lifetime prevalence of PTSD for women is 10-12%, compared to 5-6% for men.”
So, as women, we do hold onto our trauma longer. However, we are more likely to experience the kinds of traumatic events that have a higher incident rate for PTSD, and we are more likely to seek help through therapy and antidepressants. It may be that we just reached out for help sooner…
Here are some psalms that can speak to your depression and anxiety.
Is the Bible Literal or Figurative?
I’m a writer who loves to write about the world in my imagination. But when I write stories, I want people to understand that it is not an autobiography but a version of a reality I know personally or a combination of real stories I’ve put together. It’s important to me that the reader understands where I’m coming from; otherwise, they will miss the important truth that I’m trying to illustrate with my words.
And I have a feeling that if we don’t look at the author’s intended meaning (whether literal or figurative), we will (as readers) misconstrue or overinterpret things found in scripture. (See my previous post on the Author’s Intended Meaning.)
Another main thing you must identify when reading through scripture is to ask yourself, “Is this to be taken literally or figuratively?” If you are reading through the Psalms and you are applying it as though it is literal- well, have fun with that. When you’re delving into the prayers of men, and possibly women, interlaced with poetry… you are in for a wild ride.
Who Is the Bible Written To?
After 20 years of ministry, my husband and I found ourselves “church shopping.”
Ugh.
The pairing of those words feels so gross to us.
Maybe it’s because after spending years of ministry in local churches when newcomers mentioned those words, it usually meant that they would compare this church to the others they had visited. It felt like judgment. But after the last two years of “church shopping,” the pairing of words felt different to us…
What’s the Deal with Context?
How can you understand the Bible? When you understand the context, you’ll be closer to understanding the author’s intent, the audience, and the message the passage is trying to get across.
How Can I Understand the Bible?
How can we understand the Bible? Books of the Bible are written for specific audiences. And it’s pretty slim that you fit into that original audience. I mean, there aren’t many of us from first-century Israel… or earlier. If we don’t understand who the author was, where they were from, or who they were writing to, we won’t understand the main depth of the message.
Before You Open Your Bible…
Here's the thing I believe is the downfall of most Bible reading.
People, JUST START READING.
And that works for the most part. Until you run into something that doesn't make sense, seems to contradict something else you read, or makes you question everything you thought you knew about our Creator.
The more I understand and study this crazy, intense, and intentionally designed book, the more I'm blown away.
Here are some things that will set you up to be more interpretative of the text rather than just taking it at face value.
The sun and the moon. Jesus and me.
My heart needs to be seeking Jesus in order to reflect the light and love He gives. I need to be spending time in His presence, in the Word, in prayer, and in obedience. How can I reflect His love if I’m not in a position first to receive it? “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 ESV
Who will tell them?
My initial reaction was that we still do not understand the intelligence nor the stubbornness of the people of that time to create and build enormous structures, where we are still asking, “How did they do that?”
Meshing the old with the new
We took turns and crouched beside the slab that tradition declares to be the place where Jesus’ body rested… but when I walked out of that church, although I was sad for the cost my Savior went to save mankind… I was full of joy that He had loved me (us!) enough to give up HIS life.
Don’t be a Martha?
I mean, wasn’t Mary acting rudely towards her sister? Most women at that time were either housekeepers, ran businesses out of them homes, helped the family trade, or were prostitutes. But, I honestly thought Mary was perhaps lazy or just super social and wanted to hang out with the guys. I was also confused for years by Jesus’ response towards Martha.
“Shhh…. don’t tell…”
Why doesn’t Jesus sometimes want others to share that He healed them in certain situations in the Gospels? Why did He want to be so secretive about who He healed initially? Meg takes a look into why… and it may surprise you.
Tunnels & Reverance
As I leaned over from the foundation of the citadel to view the city below, it FINALLY DAWNED ON ME. I finally understood the story of David and Bathsheba. From David’s citadel, he could see almost the entire city laid out below. Any superior general or official’s house would have been in close vicinity to the citadel. King David would have been able to look over onto any roof he wanted. And from there, temptation lay.
From Zion. To Dung. To Lion.
Accounts in the Bible began to solidify in my mind- from what I had imagined to its ACTUAL reality.
The Spice in the Air…
When we pulled into the city limits of Jerusalem, the sun had set, but lights blazed from everywhere. There were still people on bicycles, families in the street, laughter, and chatter everywhere. The bus deposited us close to King David's tower. So, we lugged our suitcases up the stairs to the Old City's Jaffa Gate and across the cobblestone road to the Gloria Hotel, which had a sweet, garden-like courtyard and a beautiful dining room. I found my room, which overlooked David's Tower and the cobblestone street below. I couldn't believe where I was…