Thankful Thursday

Thursday already?  Time flies when you're freezing to death.  Fortunately the forecast is for gradually warmer temps over the next few days.  Eventually the thermometer will creep up from negative digits into numbers that are actually above freezing and the mountains of snow will begin to melt away.  Yippee! 

Even though I am very thankful that, at least for now, the bitter cold is ending, this week I am most thankful for the women in my small group at Women's Bible Study.

I truly enjoy our time together on Wednesday evenings. My small group leaders are always well prepared.  Not only do they work on the study during the week, but on Wednesday night they come to church early to go over the study with the other group leaders and the large group teacher before they lead our small group study.  Both N and S are godly women with a shepherd's heart for each woman in the group.  I feel blessed to be in their group for a second year.

The women in the group are a wonderfully diverse illustration of Christian sisterhood.  Some are single, some married; there are moms, grandmas and devoted aunts.  Most of the women work outside of the home, but a few are stay-at-home moms or full-time homemakers.  The group is composed of lifetime followers of Christ and relatively new believers.  Each woman brings a unique perspective to the study that enriches all of us.

While I appreciate the insights and scholarship these women contribute to our discussions of the scripture passages, I am most thankful for the time that we spend in prayer.  Several of the women are dealing with significant medical issues; others are attempting to provide long-distance care for aging parents.  Three women are struggling with extremely challenging work environments.  In spite of the heavy burdens that some group members are carrying, each prayer request, no matter how "small," is treated with the same degree of concern as the ones that appear to be "big."

I have felt comfortable sharing my prayer requests and I have no doubt that they will be kept in confidence.  At times I have been moved to tears by the heartfelt intercession eloquently offered on my behalf as we pray out loud as a group.  But I am most comforted by the knowledge that these women will continue to pray for me throughout the week.  Again and again when we gather together before our small group time, someone will approach me and ask, "How did that situation work out?" or "Is your child feeling better?"  I know that in the course of the week, the Lord has brought me and my concern to the mind of my sister in Christ and she has been faithful to lift me up before the throne of grace.  What an incredible blessing!

Thank you dear sisters in Christ and thank you Lord Jesus for blessing my life with these dedicated prayer warriors!