Shirlee Abbott

A Good End

Posted on August 6, 2019 by Shirlee Abbott

2 Timothy 3:7 (NIV)
I have fought the good fight,
I have finished the race,
I have kept the faith.

A life well-lived for Christ leads to a good end.

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Ending Well

Posted on August 5, 2019 by Shirlee Abbott

My hubby retired after 23 years in the same position. It made me think about how things come to an end. How do you handle endings?

T’s crossed, deadlines met, papers tucked into color-coded folders
Endings are boring, and mine tend to be sloppy
Things come to end? Not on my watch!

God is unchanging; not so our jobs, projects and ministries. Do you have the grace to end well?

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Safe Surgery

Posted on August 4, 2019 by Shirlee Abbott

Sometimes it is easier to take the operating room to the patient. According to Mercy Ships:

“Many people in Africa have little or no access to healthcare. There are only 2.5 physicians per 10,000 people in Africa, compared to 25 physicians per 10,000 in the U.S. So the Africa Mercy brings volunteer medical teams and sterile operating rooms directly to people who would otherwise go without care.”

State-of-the-art care, free of charge–restoring sight, removing tumors, straightening limbs and more, at no cost to the patient.

It’s easy to take our nearby, well-equipped hospitals for granted. Thank you for the care Mercy Ships and similar ministries bring to folks who would otherwise do without. Provide the people, space and supplies to bring healing to the places that need it most, in Jesus’ name.

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The Rigors of Service

Posted on August 2, 2019 by Shirlee Abbott

Philippians 2:4-8 (ESV)
Christ Jesus . . . emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Serving others. God knows, it isn’t easy.

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Rigor? Simple, Not Easy

Posted on August 1, 2019 by Shirlee Abbott

Prayer and Bible study–both take work.

The enemy says, “It’s too hard. You failed. Give up.”

God says, “Don’t give up. It’s a start, not a failure.”

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Substitute Rigor

Posted on July 31, 2019 by Shirlee Abbott

When I read books about the Bible and books about prayer, I’m substituting someone else’s rigor for my own.

The best way to get better at Bible study and prayer is to do it myself.

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My Prayers Lack Rigor

Posted on July 30, 2019 by Shirlee Abbott

Yesterday’s thought was on rigor in Bible study. Today’s is on rigor in prayer.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 (ESV)
Pray without ceasing.

Yes, my prayers lack rigor. Let me count the ways:

I forget to pray.
I pray and forget what I prayed for.
I pray by rote, without thinking.
I give up if I don’t get what I want.
I hog the conversation, don’t listen for God’s answer.
I pray about the smallest details and skip over the biggest problems.
I ask for happiness, not holiness.
I pray, “my will be done.”

What did I miss?

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Is There Enough Rigor in Your Bible Study?

Posted on July 29, 2019 by Shirlee Abbott

“Rigor.” It’s a buzzword in the education world, as in “There’s not enough rigor to this assignment.” Rigor sounds like more work, harder work. It isn’t necessarily more hours, it is more thinking and greater understanding.

So think about the last time you opened the Bible. How much rigor was in your study?

It was a quick scan, little rigor
Somebody else did all the thinking, no rigor for me
I set my mind to it, it was rigorous

Are you satisfied with the rigor in your study? Is God?

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Support for Haiti’s Schools

Posted on July 27, 2019 by Shirlee Abbott

We’re used to the idea that all kids go to school. That’s not true in Haiti.

“The enrollment rate for primary school in Haiti is 57%, and fewer than 30% of the students reach 6th grade . . . International private schools are primarily operated and funded by American and Canadian missions and churches and they educate 90% of the students.”
(from Schools for Haiti)

90%. That’s a startling statistic. It deserves the protection of our prayers.

Lord God, we thank you for the people who saw the need and stepped up to be the answer. Provide the resources–money, sheltered spaces, books and teachers–necessary to keep these schools going. Expand their reach, so more students will be served. Feed their bodies, minds and souls, in Jesus’ name.

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It’s Simple: Read the Directions

Posted on July 26, 2019 by Shirlee Abbott

Do you think the Bible is too big and too hard for you to understand?

It is God’s roadmap for your life. You don’t have to read the whole map at once. Get in the habit of reading a little bit every day. It’s better to read and think about a verse or two than do a whole page and forget what you’ve read.

Don’t know where to start? Try John. You’ll find lots of wisdom packed into a few verses.

Posted in other | Tagged Bible study, K.I.S.S., short and simple | 2 Comments