Luke 1!!!

Passages like this makes my soul glad in the Lord.  I have been reading the bible in a year plan and it has been really good for me.  Daily I find out how little I know about the scriptures, but I am always encouraged.  I often make phone calls to my dear friend Loren to gain wisdom from her.  Praise God the Lord has blessed her with great biblical wisdom and a young theologian husband.  


Talking about Loren leads me to Luke 1.  In Luke one we are introduced to two amazing mothers.  Elizabeth, John the Baptist mother, who has just found out she is pregnant in her old age and the second mother who we are introduced to is Mary, the virgin Mary to be more specific, Jesus' mother.  In this chapter Zechariah has been made mute because he didn't trust when God told him that his wife was going to become pregnant in her old age, and Elizabeth is also a little taken back at this fact but yet accepts it. Months later in another village Mary finds out, before getting married, that she is pregnant.  Though the both equally know that their pregnancies are from the Lord, where do they find comfort?  In their husband? No, each other.  Mary travels to visit Elizabeth and when Mary enters the house of Elizabeth it states, "'when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!  And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, when the sound of your greeting came to my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.  And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord”".   Mary then sings songs of praise(read this).   


This is a beautiful picture of how relationships should look.  I am not saying that women shouldn't go to their husband when they are struggling.  Their primary relationship and guidance should come from their husband.  The point that I am trying to make is that relationships are vital in the church.  We need people who we can go to for comfort, to seek wisdom and guidance from.  Rather you are single, married, old or young, you need a person who is dear to you, a person you can call a friend. 


I think often women forfeit relationships when they get married, change locations, or have different seasons in lives, but I don't think thats how it should be.  I would maybe even say that relationships with friends should only grow when life situations change.  Also in Titus 2 it says, "Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good,  and so train the young women to love their husbands and children,  to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled". This is a call for older women to step up in the church and lead the younger women to be godly young women.  Older women step up and pursue younger women, they need you and are wanting to learn from you.  Younger women, pursue an older women, seek wisdom.  Outdo one another in pursuing.


Lastly I am dedicating this post to my Elizabeth, Loren Jessica Simmons.  Loren you are dear to my soul and I thank God for you.  Tonight before the best actor and actress was announced a person who was dear to all the nominated actors and actresses got on stage and gave a small speech.  If that was me standing up there giving a speech for my dear friend Loren I would say, "Loren, I never thought it was possible to find a friend that would be so dear to my heart, a person who loves and cares for people without expecting anything back.  She cares for many people on a daily basis without receiving the same care.  She has a heart bigger then most people you will ever meet.  She is kind, slow to anger, slow to speak, patient, always has kind words to say about people.  She loves her family they way I long to one day.  She is content in all situations.  And she is one of the funniest people I know." I love you and respect you a lot. There are many more I can name my dear St. Louis crew, my Knoxville crew and my dear friend Lorato in ATL. I love you all dearly and I am forever grateful for you all.