Walk With Me...part 1 of 4

​Will you walk with me? 

When someone says these words to you, what are your immediate thoughts? 

It may be a leisurely walk  just to spend time together in laughter and conversation.  It may be a walk together with a healthy objective in mind.  But the most important walk is the one that you can ask a friend to take with you when you need someone to listen.  ​There are times when we need to know someone is there to hear our deepest concerns. 


When I am tired and weak, when I am confused, when I just need someone to talk to, will you walk with me?
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When I am excited over a new direction in my life, can I share it with you?   When I need someone to pray with me, are you interested in walking, talking and praying?  

When I do not know which direction to take, will you walk a while with me and lend an listening ear? 

Will you walk with me and remind me that I never walk alone?   For as a woman of faith, I know Christ is with me, but there are times when two together affirming His promises is comforting. 

​Whether the sun is brightly shining in my life,  or if it is the darkest night, will you walk with me? 

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Who are we? 

We are all just ordinary women struggling through the phases of this life.   You may be a teen dealing with peer pressure, social media influence and the distorted thinking of this present world. 

Maybe you are a mother dealing with juggling work, family and time for yourself OR an older woman who feels as if she is missing something in this life that God has intended for her to accomplish for Him. 

​No matter where you are in your walk of life...come walk with me for a bit. 
Allow me to walk down memory lane for a few paragraphs. 

My father was a graduate of Julliard School of Music and his first love was the piano.  As a child, I remember him dressing up like a penguin in his tux and going off to play with the symphony orchestra.  So you would think that it would only be logical that all three of his children could play the piano with ease, correct?   Not a chance.  None of us dedicated any time to practice and my high point was learning to play "Till There Was You" by Paul McCartney.   For those of you who are not old enough to know the song... take a listen.  
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Well that brought a smile to my face!   ​Enough of that, now back to the post. 

As my own daughter began to show interest in the piano, my father, now quite elderly, was excited to teach her.  She began with finger exercise practice lessons, learned to read music and was progressing well.  When my father passed away she wanted to continue with what her grandfather had begun.  
As I searched for a local teacher there was none to be found.   Then one week it appeared; an ad in the local newspaper from a woman who just moved into town.  Perfect.    

As Mia began to work with Sara weekly, it was obvious that she also was working with me.    You see, she was a spiritually mature woman of faith who took her role of being HIS woman of faith seriously; and she was weaving lessons into my life also. 

For the next few years she walked along with me in my life as a sister in Christ.  She taught me how to share my faith, how to weave my faith into every conversation,  how to stand firm in the face of difficulty and to pray with passion.  I know without a doubt that God placed her on my path to walk with me as I grew spiritually.  What a teacher!  

Over the years, God has blessed me with women who were willing to walk with me,  and then there are the many women who I also have eagerly desired to come along side strengthening them.   From different circumstances and backgrounds, we overcome our shortcomings and past  circumstances when we walk together with our "feet fitted with the readiness that comes with the gospel of peace." Ephesians 6:15. 

Lonely women, women in difficult marriages, young women living with a dysfunctional family life, the single mother struggling to hold it all together, women with a spouse who is battling addiction, a teenager who feels hopeless and alone, even women that you may know from television have crossed my path.  They search for their footing in God and cross the path of "M" Words and the Christian Woman and I am always willing to take the time to walk with them, in confidence, and just talk about "where" they are in their spiritual walk.   Together we walk. 
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Feet fitted with the readiness that comes with the gospel of peace."   
 Ephesians 6:11–17

​Do you know what if feels like to walk on a hot beach, with broken shells pressing under your feet, causing you to barely be able to make it to the cool relief of the water?
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Ready to walk... 

​The word readiness implies constant vigilance.
As a woman of faith, His servant and a victorious soldier (yes, we are in a battle in this life),  we must be prepared for battle.  Being barefooted (unprepared) as we walk on a  hot beach filled with sharp shells can be painful.  But with the right flip flops or water shoes we are prepared to walk toward the coolness of the water.   Yes, many of us love our shoe collections - but sandals and heels (inadequate knowledge of His word) just won't do when we need to hike rugged terrain (trials). 

Our battle shoes must be firm and strong.  In ancient times, a soldier’s battle shoes were studded with nails or spikes, like cleats, to help him keep his balance in combat. He knew that if he lost his footing and went down, it wouldn’t matter how great the rest of his armor was... the enemy had him.

We must be surefooted and fitted with readiness for whatever may come our way along our walk in life. We must stand firm in the truth of God’s Word, regardless of how terrifying the circumstances may be. 

​When Satan attacks with a flaming missile of doubt, such as “If God really loved you, He wouldn’t have let this happen,” we dig our peace shoes into the firm sand of God’s Word and reply, “It is written: All things work together for the good to them who love God and are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28)
When Satan stabs from behind with “Remember what you did in the past?” we dig in more deeply and reply, “It is written: If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
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Where are we going? 

Come along and walk with me for the next 3 weeks.   
When women of faith walk together, we grow in our relationship with God as we talk of Him together.
 
Not only do we grow in faith, but we grow in one of the deepest relationships,  as women rooted in Christ.  I long for everyone reading these words to experience this relationship - I call it the "Certain Women Friendship."  It is priceless.   

I will introduce you to some special women who share, gave and walked firmly through the smooth roads and the dark lonely roads. 

In addition to being able to stand firm in our faith, our shoes are also meant for traveling.   God desires for us TO GO and share the gospel of comfort, joy and peace with others.  Without a FIRM footing we cannot move forward into becoming the woman of faith He desires us to be.   If we cannot plant each step firmly in faith, focus our eyes on Him, and seek Him in prayer, we cannot grow in our faith. 

How sad to one day realize that there was something God had intended for me to accomplish for Him in this life and I blew it!  Don't miss it!   Come walk with me and we will be as those women who walked along following Christ on those rocky roads so long ago. 

One night this week...
When all is quiet one night, get out of bed, go to a quiet spot and get on your knees. 
Thank Him for all the blessings in your life.  
No matter what you are going through, there are blessings. 
Ask God to take your concerns and replace it with comfort. 
Ask God to remove the heartache and fill it with hope. 
Ask God to open your heart and mind to His Word. 

This week... 
Read Psalm 104. 
As you read, think upon the greatness of our God! 
How amazing is He! This is your Father, who loves you.  This psalm shows the handiwork of His creation.  Open your heart and let your mind imagine if it can, the greatness of our God. 

This week... 
Try to memorize the first two verses in Psalm 103. 
Hiding even just these first two verses in your heart and mind will arm you when you feel as if you cannot move on.  How vital it is to be armed with verses etched into our minds.   

Psalm 103 
1 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
 And all that is within me, bless His holy name.
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget none of His benefits;
3 Who pardons all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases;
4 Who redeems your life from the pit,
Who crowns you with loving kindness and compassion;
5 Who satisfies you years with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.
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