15: The Women of Easter

For the first time ever, I endeavored to participate in Lent...in my own personal way...and one also encouraged by a group of ladies across the nation, as we read Liz Curtis Higgs' The Women of Easter.  This has been the most amazing 39 days...just an increased awareness as I walked the paths, observed the relationships, listened to the conversations of all the many Mary's...and others...as their relationships with Jesus Christ came ever more alive for me.

Part of the book study involved journaling at the end of each chapter.  This I enjoyed also, for through writing, I reflect and learn more about myself.  I hear various authors encourage this, and as an English teacher, I get it (encourage...okay, make...my students write daily, even multiple times).  Just seems as if time evades me, though, being used up by other tasks or seemingly more pressing deadlines.  Yes, I know...one makes time for what one wants the most.  (That was a bit hard to type!) 

Challenge to self:  keep that journal close and reflect as I read the Bible, adding further to those reflections here on this blog!  Yay!  Good plan!  Now, Time...be my friend!

ALSO...very excited to say...I saw and heard Liz Curtis Higgs during this read when I attended (and was sooooo blessed) Women of Joy in Branson.  Listen!  I tweeted out that I had just seen her...and was starstruck!  Then, she tweeted me back!  How cool is that!?  I went by her booth a few times but never caught her there. 

Then, she spoke. To me...and 3,999 other women.  :)  The woman is amazing...humble, loving, inspiring...and, oh, so funny!

Now, if I type here that I hope to hear her again in November in Springfield, MO, will that make this a bit too much?  Well, I am...and so do some of the other ladies who attended Women of Joy with me.  Yay!  Going to get our worship on with Liz Curtis Higgs who directs all worship to Him.

Now....back to The Women of Easter...

1. My Favorite Mary:  Mary of Magdeline.  As I noted in my journal, maybe she is my favorite because I learned the most about her?  She was there...everywhere.  The Lord had done amazing things for her.  Cast out demons.  Delivered her.  Liberated her.  Loved her.  Then, that one-way street became a two-way.  She loved Him back, always wanting to learn more.  There, I am.  I always tell people who are a bit discouraged or disgruntled:  when you go to church, plan for Him to meet you there...in song, in fellowship, in message, for He has told us...where two or three are gathered, He's there.  (Sidenote:  just imagine how much of Him was there when 4000 gathered at Women of Joy!  Answer:  the same amount as when two or three are gathered.  Powerful He is!
2. The Scriptures:  LCH slows the Bible down...reading, studying, analyzing verse by verse...sometimes, word by word.  "Woman!"  Again, there I am!  Right there, in the scriptures, He's speaking to me.  This method is powerful, for often in our speed to read, we miss the nuggets gleaned from a word study.  Sometimes, we miss the lessons learned between the verses themselves, as we slow down and consider what happened between the time spans of the words and verses.

I plan to study/read Higgs' The Women of Christmas this way this year...just a few pages each morning.  Looking forward to it!

Tomorrow, is Day 40.  Easter.  Then, I will land in His Word, in His House, with His People...for He will be there, too.