Today’s Truth 
“If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her,” (John 8:7 NIV).

Friend To Friend 
“What are we going to do with this Jesus,” the chief priest asked the group.  “He is going about healing people left and right.  Everywhere I go the buzz is about Jesus.  It’s Jesus this, and Jesus that.  And the crowds are calling him the Messiah!  Everyone knows that the Messiah will not come from Galilee.  If we don’t get rid of him, we are going to have an insurrection on our hands.”

“And ever since the buzz about him multiplying a few loaves and fish to feed over 5,000 people has circulated, his followers have multiplied as well.  He must be stopped.”      

“I have an idea,” Lucius responded with a gleam in his eye.  “I happen to know a certain married man who is sleeping with his mistress at this very moment.  I happened to see him slink into her house last night.”

And as the hard-hearted Pharisees gathered round, a spiteful plan to trick Jesus began to unfold.

The sun was just peeking through the securely locked shutters of Morah’s bedroom window.  The predawn stillness was broken only by the songs of early rising birds floating on the breeze.  Morah was a tangle of sheets, arms and legs as the man she loved lay sleeping beside her.

“Oh, Zachariah,” she whispered as her fingertips brushed a stray lock of hair from his closed eyes.  “If only you weren’t married.  I know this is wrong, but I love you so.  And I have to believe you when you say you love me as well.  We are risking our very lives with these frequent trysts.”

Morah’s musings were suddenly interrupted by a banging on the door.

“Open up!” the gruff voice demanded.

“Who is there?” Morah cried as she scrambled to find her robe.

“Open up or we’ll break the door down.” 

“What’s all the commotion,” Zachariah mumbled as he groggily sat up in bed.  “What’s going on?”

Before Morah could even think to answer, the angry mob of religious men broke through the simple lock and into the lovers’ hideaway.

“What is the meaning of this,” Zachariah barked.  “What do you think you are doing?”

“What do you think you are doing, my friend?” the Pharisee countered.  “That is the real question here.”

“Morah, daughter of Omar, you are under arrest for adultery under the Law of Moses!” the moral police spat.  “Get dressed and come with me.”

The Pharisee tossed Morah her night robe, but failed to turn his head as she slipped her trembling frame from the cover of the sheets and into the thin cloak.  He grabbed her by the arm and began dragging her to the door.

“Where are you taking me?” she cried. 

“You’ll find out soon enough,” the Pharisee growled.

“What about Zachariah?” the youngest man of the group inquired.

“Just leave him,” the Pharisee replied.  “We don’t need him.”

“Why don’t you go back to your wife where you belong,” the Pharisee called over his shoulder as the group left the room.  And with that, the conspiring mob continued their trek to the temple with the half-clad trembling woman in tow.  Two men flanked the weeping woman on either side, dragging her through the early morning hustle and bustle of the city.  The bait was hooked, and now it was time to reel in the catch.

Like mice following the Pied Piper, a curious stream of townsfolk joined the parade.  Jesus was already teaching in the courtyard with a group gathered at his feet.  As always, Jesus’ message and miracles drew large crowds.  A distant rumble interrupted his gentle teaching as the angry mob and curious crowd approached.  They marched right into the inner circle of the classroom and thrust the woman at the Master’s feet.

Morah’s unbound hair fell around her bare shoulders and fluttered in the early morning breeze.  Her shame-filled eyes stayed riveted on the earthen floor, refusing to meet Jesus’ gaze. Then one of the men pulled her to her feet and displayed her for all to see.

“Teacher,” the pious Pharisee began, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery.  The Law of Moses commands us to stone such a woman.  Now what do you say?”

She didn’t need to look at the man before her.  She recognized his voice.  It was Jesus.

Jesus didn’t look at the woman’s half-clad body as the others openly gawked.  He looked into her soul.

Morah lifted her eyes and looked into the face of love.  What do I detect in his gaze? she thought to herself.  It wasn’t contempt, disgust, or condemnation, but rather compassion, concern, and pure, unadulterated love.  Somehow she knew that this was the look she had been searching for her entire life.

As Morah listened to the Pharisee’s question, she understood Jesus’ dilemma.  If he set her free, the Pharisees would accuse him of ignoring the Law of Moses and deem him a heretic.  If he sentenced her to death by stoning, then his teachings of grace and forgiveness would be negated. 

The religious leaders already held the stones in their clenched fists, anticipating his reply.  Their hearts were as hard as the rocks they held in their hands, but rather than give a quick answer, Jesus moved his gaze from the trembling woman and stooped to the ground.  With his finger, the very hand of God-made-man, he began writing in the dirt.  A frigid chill swept through the Pharisees pious robes.  Suddenly they felt the rawness of naked exposure as Jesus’ eyes looked up at each of them and without a word, uncloaked their sinful thoughts and desires.  With one look from Jesus, they stood soul bare and more exposed than the half-dressed woman before them.

Everyone held their breath.  The silence was deafening.  The tension was palpable.  Finally, Jesus rose and delivered the verdict.

“If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Then Jesus squatted once again and continued to write.

One-by-one the Pharisees unclenched their fists, dropped the stones, and filtered through the crowd.  The older men who had accumulated a longer list of sins turned to leave first, with the younger ones not far behind. 

The remaining crowd listened closely as the drama continued to unfold.  After the last of the Pharisees cleared the scene, Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are your accusers?  Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, sir,” she replied.

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared.  “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

The woman turned to leave – but not before picking up a discarded stone to take with her.

“To remember,” she whispered.

Let’s Pray 
Dear Lord, this story of Your great mercy and grace takes my breath away.  Just to think that the only person qualified to throw the stone was the very One who set her free.  Help me to always remember that You have forgiven me of my sins.  Help me to drop the stones I so quickly pick up to cast at others and extend to them the same grace You have extended to me.

In Jesus’ Name, 
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn 
I hope your heart was stirred with the re-telling of this amazing story.  We don’t know the woman’s name.  I have simply called her Morah so we can paint a picture of a real woman with a real problem in our minds.  Now let me ask a few questions…

When is the last time you held a rock of condemnation in your hand?  Not a real rock, but a judgmental attitude?

When is the last time you acted like the Pharisees who were so quick to condemn?

Who do you want to be like, Jesus who showed grace and forgiveness, or the Pharisees who wanted to give her what she deserved?

Let’s chat.  How does this story impact your life?  In other words…what difference does it make?

More From The Girlfriends 
Today’s devotion was taken from Sharon’s new book, What God Really Thinks about Women: Finding Your Significance through the Women Jesus Encountered.  We tend to read the gospels with our twenty-first century eyes.  But when we understand how oppressive the culture Jesus stepped into was against women, we begin to understand just how radical Jesus’ ministry, messages, and miracles were at setting women free. He risked His reputation to save theirs…and yours.  To order this life-changing book with a special gift with purchase until July 17th, visit www.sharonjaynes.com. You’ll fall in love with Jesus all over again.

Today’s Truth 
“Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father.  Go instead to my brothers and tell them, “I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”  (John 20:17 NIV emphasis added).

Friend To Friend 
Jesus knew it was coming.  He tried to warn the disciples.  Death loomed in the air with swirls of bloodthirsty hatred circling the Son of God.  But somehow the disciples didn’t understand the eminence of Jesus’ crucifixion, and they certainly didn’t comprehend the promise of his resurrection.  Mary Magdalene didn’t understand it either. However, she was there until the end…and at the new beginning for us all.

 After Jesus’ arrest, his eleven surprised disciples scattered like church mice when the lights come on – but not Mary Magdalene.  She watched in horror as his beaten body was stripped, nailed to the cruel Roman cross, and displayed before the gawking crowd.  She saw his precious blood drip from his thorn-pierced brow and onto the cursed ground.  Mary watched closely when his lifeless body was lowered from the cross, and she followed quietly when they laid him in the borrowed tomb.  We get no stories of Mary Magdalene running away from the authorities, hiding behind locked doors, or denying her association with Jesus from curious bystanders. 

When it was time to make His big reveal, Jesus had something, or rather someone, very special in mind.  Let’s join her crying at the empty tomb.

“Woman,” he said, “why are you crying?  Who it is you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” (John 20:15-16a) My heart just skips a beat every time I read these words.  I see myself weeping with Mary as she is down on her knees with gut wrenching sorrow pouring from her soul.  All her dreams – shattered.  They died with Jesus on the cross and were sealed away in the cold stone tomb.  And now?  Like a sweeping tidal wave, the empty tomb erased the most important three years of her life…and then…all that changed with but one word.  “Mary.”

As soon as he said her name, Mary knew it was Jesus.

Earlier Jesus taught, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me…My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (John 10:14, 27).  When the shepherd spoke her name, this precious lamb recognized him right away.

And what was the first word the risen Savior spoke?  “Woman.”  Don’t you love it?  Jesus came to set women free from societal and religious oppression of his day.  He honored women.  He respected women.  He appointed women.  His first spoken words after his resurrection were directed to one of us – and in a sense, it was meant for all of us.

She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabonni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father.  Go instead to my brothers and tell them, “I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God” (John 20:17). What did Mary do when she realized that Jesus was alive?  The same thing I would do if I realized that someone I loved who was presumed dead suddenly appeared.  I’d grab him or her and hang on for dear life!  But Mary needed to let go of Jesus because he was sending her on special assignment.  She had places to go and people to see!  Liz Curtis Higgs wrote: “Just as God chose Mary of Bethlehem to bring the baby Jesus into the world, so God chose Mary of Magdala to bring news of the risen Christ to the world.”

 During a time in history when women were not allowed to testify in court, when they were considered unreliable witnesses, God appointed Mary Magdalene the primary eye-witness of the most significant event in all of history. 

Jesus’ resurrection was the most pivotal point of all time.  And yet, he waited until Peter and John had left the empty tomb before he made his presence known to one lone woman – Mary Magdalene.  Jesus was standing center stage and he extended his hand for Mary Magdalene to join him front and center.  Mary is often referred to as the “disciple to the disciples” or as Augustine described her, the “apostle of the apostles.” Not only was she the first to witness Jesus’ resurrection, she was also the first to proclaim it. You go, girl!

Let’s Pray 
Dear God, I don’t know why You waited to reveal Jesus’ resurrection to Mary Magdalene rather than Peter and John, but I am glad You did.  Thank You for including women in Your redemptive story.  Thank You for giving them leading roles.  Lord, help us all to step forward when called.  Help us to walk with the same courage as Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jesus, and the many other women who stood by Jesus until the end and beyond.

In Jesus’ Name, 
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn 
Notice the two words I highlighted in today’s truth.  What are they?  What does that mean to you?

Considering that women were not considered reliable or credible witnesses in a court of law during the days of Jesus, what does it mean to you that God chose Mary Magdalene to be the key witness in the most important event in all of history?

Considering the way women were perceived during those days, if the writer of the resurrection story were making up a tale, would he have made Jesus appear to a woman or a man?  Which would have been more logical to those hearing the story?

Don’t you just love it when God defies logic!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on today’s devotion.  Does understanding how women were perceived in those days shed light on just how important God’s female image-bearers were to Jesus and how He went out of His way to honor them?  Let’s chat.  Visit www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes .

Today’s Truth 
“Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6b NIV).

Friend to Friend 
When we read the story of Jesus healing the woman who had been bleeding for twelve years, it is hard for us twenty-first century women to imagine such a condition lasting for so long.  Medical science has progressed far beyond the rudimentary knowledge of Jesus’ day. It is simply unthinkable today.

But I suggest there are still many women with chronic bleeding of a different sort.  We bleed from the heart. 

From the time Sarah was six-years-old, her father crept into her bedroom in the dark of night and violated her little body.  Now, as an adult, her heart bleeds.

When Beth was walking to her dorm room from the college library, a man jumped from behind the bushes, and dragged her to a nearby shed and raped her at knife-point.  Now, ten years later, her heart bleeds.

After twenty-years of marriage, Lucy accidentally stumbled upon an in-town hotel receipt in her husband’s wallet.  Suspecting the worse, she uncovered past e-mails, supposed meetings that never occurred and a trail of deceit.  When presented with the evidence, her husband admitted having a three-year long affair.  And her heart bleeds.

Margaret’s routine physical reveals that she has AIDS.  She had only been with one man her entire life – her husband.  And her heart bleeds.        

Laura was laid off from her job and her mother’s words re-emerge like sewage leakage from an underground septic tank.  “You’re no good.  You’ll never amount to anything.  You’re a loser just like your father.”  And because of the lies, her heart bleeds. 

 Melissa holds her newborn little girl in her arms and coos her to sleep.  Interrupting the sweetness of the wee hours of the morning, she hears her aborted child crying from the grave. Guilt presses down as the ever-present weight deflates her joy.  And her heart bleeds.

Women – hoping the pain will go away; awakening each day with a memory that cuts a fresh wound.  Women – longing to hear the words “Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

The woman with the issue of blood was no different from you and me.  While her apparent illness was physical, her inward suffering ruled her life.  But in one radical moment, with one momentous decision, she reached out to Jesus and grabbed hold of her healing.

Mark used specific words to describe our friend with the issue of blood.  She “suffered greatly” and she was “afflicted.”  These are the same words that were used of Jesus during his last days on earth (Mark 8:32, 9:12).  The same words Isaiah spoke when he prophesied of Jesus’ death (Isaiah 53:7).  Jesus understood her suffering more than she knew.  As the blood flowed from her body and rendered her unclean, Jesus knew the blood that would soon flow from his body to cleanse us all.

He wants to set us free from our suffering, but he will not push us out of the cell.  He unlocks the jail cell, but we must walk out the door.  We can choose to bleed.  We can choose to remain in our suffering and pick at the scabs of the past, but hear me dear friend – it is a choice.  Jesus said, “I have come that they might have life and have it to the full” (John 10:10).  That’s what he wants for each of us.  But we have to embrace the truth and, like the woman with the twelve-year-bleeding, reach for our healing.

In John, chapter five, Jesus encounters a lame man sitting by a pool of water where the paralyzed, blind, and afflicted gathered.  They believed that when the waters were stirred by supposed angels, the first one in the pool would be healed.  For thirty-eight years this man sat in his sickness.

Then Jesus walked up to him and asked a strange question, “Do you want to get well?” (John 5:6b).

Perhaps it was not such a strange question after all.  Many times we get used to being sick and wear it like a shroud. motionally we are the walking wounded – victims who pick as scabs – not allowing them to heal.

Jesus said to the woman, “Daughter, your faith has healed you.  Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”  That is the same healing he offers to you and to me.

Let’s Pray 
Dear God, I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.  I reach forward today, touch the hem of Your garment, and receive my healing.  Yes, I want to get well.  Give me the faith to walk in freedom and victory.

In Jesus’ Name, 
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn 
Is there pain in your life that you have refused to let go of? 

Do you want to get well?

That is a risky question.  It took a lot for the man to get up off of that pallet.  He had to learn how to walk, get a job, and learn to live like a healthy person.  That’s a big change after 38 years.  But you can do it!  You can let go of the past and begin to live in victory and freedom!  Let’s start today!

Today’s Truth 
“Daughter, your faith has healed you.  Go in peace and be freed from your suffering,” (Mark 5:34 NIV).

Friend To Friend 
“Gone.  All gone.”

For twelve long years, she had been bleeding.  Over 4,380 days.  Lydia had gone from doctor to doctor to try and stop the flow, but as the years progressed she only worsened.  Each day was a reminder of the emptiness she felt as her very life ebbed from her body.

“I’ve lost my family, my friends, my energy and now all my money.  My very womanhood, the ability to conceive and suckle a child at my breast flows out of my body and leaves me a barren wasteland.  And the pain?  The constant cramping feels as though my womb is being squeezed by an invisible hand.

“‘Unclean.’ That’s what the priests say I am.  No one is supposed to even touch me unless they are willing to go through a cleansing process afterwards.  The house I live in, the chair I sit in, the utensils I cook with – all ceremonially unclean.  Oh how I long for a human touch.  A hug.  A kiss.  A pat on the back.  A baby’s cheek against my own.”

“Oh, God,” Lydia prayed.  “There is nothing else for me to do.  I’ve tried everything.  Only a miracle will set me free from this life of isolation.”

God smiled down at his daughter of Abraham and noticed her name on Jesus’ celestial day-timer.  Today was the day.

Sitting all alone in a darkened room, she heard a ruckus outside her window.

“It’s Jesus!”  Someone shouted.  “Jesus is coming!” 

“Jesus,” she whispered to herself.  “Maybe he could heal me.  I know I’m not supposed to go out in public.  Certainly I cannot speak to this man or any man on the street.  What can I do?”

Quickly, she devised a plan.  She wrapped a veil around her face with only enough of an opening for her eyes to peer out.  She snuck out of her home and merged with the throng of people trying to catch a glimpse of the much-acclaimed healer and teacher.  Gathering all the courage she could muster, she pushed her way through the crowd in hopes of getting close enough just to touch the hem of his robe.

“Jesus!” a man called from the crowd.  Like the parting of the sea, the multitude gave way for the synagogue ruler to pass.  Everyone knew Jarius.   He was important.   

Jesus turned as Jarius fell at his feet and begged.  “My little daughter is dying,” he began.  “Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.”

The woman looked on as Jesus extended his hand to this distraught father, compassionately helped him to his feet, and apparently changed course to go with him.  It was then that she made her move.

Shoring up courage and confidence, Lydia began muttering to her self, “If I can just touch his clothes, I will be healed.  I know it.  I just know it.  I can’t let this opportunity slip away.”  While unsure of herself, she was confident in Him.  Her faith overcame her fear and she pressed forward.

Like a runner stretching for the finish line, the woman reached through the crowd and brushed her fingers against the hem of his garment.  Just as her faith reached out to touch Jesus, God’s healing power reached down to touch her.  Immediately, she felt a surge of power flow through her body and the flow of blood come to a halt.

She knew it.  She felt it.  The flow stopped … and then Jesus stopped.

“Who just touched my clothes?” he asked.

The woman kept her eyes fixed to the ground as a jumble of thoughts scrambled through her mind.   I’m unclean and not supposed to be out in public.  I’m not supposed to touch anyone.  What am I going to do?  If I remove my veil people with recognize me. I’m not supposed to talk to a man in public.  She wanted to run, but her feet were suddenly rooted to the ground.

“You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’”

Jesus ignored the disciples’ comments and continued to pan the crowd in search of the person who had purposely touched his robe.  He felt the power flow from his body like a current.  He knew what had happened.  Jesus can always sense the difference between the press of the curious and the touch of the faithful.

Silence hung like a cloud.  No one said a word.

Finally, she couldn’t hold it in any longer.  She turned to Jesus and fell at his feet.  With trembling voice, a geyser of gratitude and confession gushed forth.

“Master, I have had an issue of blood for over twelve years.  I have gone from doctor to doctor and no one has been able to help me.  I’ve lost my family, my friends and my finances.  But when I heard that you were passing through, I just knew that you, O Lord, that you could heal me.  I know I’m not supposed to touch anyone.  I know that I am unclean in all regards.  Please forgive me for the intrusion.  But Jesus, what I have to tell you is this!  I am healed!  As soon as I touched the hem of your robe, the blood ceased to flow!  Thank you, Jesus.  Thank you, Jesus.”

While others began to back away from her “uncleanness,” Jesus reached forward and embraced her faith.

“Daughter, your faith has healed you.  Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

Let’s Pray 
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that when I feel alone and forgotten, You see me.  Thank you for sending Jesus my way.  Even though others may desert me, You always draw me near. In Jesus’ Name, 
Amen

 Now It’s Your Turn 
Today’s devotion is a retelling of Jesus healing the woman with the twelve year bleeding in Mark 5:21-34. I encourage you to go back and read it from the Bible.

How do you think you would you feel if you had been bleeding for 12 years?

Have you ever felt forgotten?

How would you feel if Jesus stopped right in the middle of what He was doing to speak to you and take care of your needs?

Sister, He has.

More From The Girlfriends 
Today’s devotion was taken from Sharon’s new book, What God Really Thinks about Women: Finding Your Significance through the Women Jesus Encountered.  We tend to read the gospels with our twenty-first century eyes.  But when we understand how oppressive the culture Jesus stepped into was against women, we begin to understand just how radical Jesus’ ministry, messages, and miracles were at setting women free. He risked His reputation to save theirs…and yours.  To order this life-changing book, visit www.sharonjaynes.com.  You’ll fall in love with Jesus all over again.  

Today’s Truth 
“After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God.  The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others.” Luke 8:1-3a NIV).  

Friend To Friend She was just a normal little girl frolicking about the house, toying with the goats, and sticking her fingers in her mother’s rising dough. After her father died, Mary’s mother tried her best to raise the child on what little her husband had left behind.  But when puberty began to bloom, a poisonous weed began to take root in Mary’s mind.  With each passing year, her behavior grew more and more erratic. 
Often she was seen banging her head against the wall of their modest home, screaming curses to unseen shadows, crawling like an animal through the yard, and cutting her arms with sharp edged stones.  Mary’s mother was almost relieved when the deranged young woman ran away to live among the tombs.  “Now I won’t have to deal with her craziness,” her mother breathed.

Mary Magdalene was an outcast, demon-possessed lunatic – unwanted, unclean, untouchable, and unapproachable. But all that was about to change.

“Peter,” Jesus spoke as he led the troupe of men toward the cemetery on the fringes of Magdala, “I need to stop by here for a moment.” 

“But why,” John questioned.  “Do you have a relative’s grave you wish to visit?”

“Not a physically dead relative,” my friend, “but a spiritually dead sister who needs me.”

With confused looks on their faces, Jesus’ friends knew not to argue with Jesus’ travel plans.  It seemed he always had an agenda that they didn’t know about.

As soon as the band of disciples neared the tombs, a half-dressed woman in tattered rags bolted from the brush.

“We know who you are,” the woman hissed.  “You are the Son of God.  What do you want with us?”

The disciples recoiled at the sight and stench of this mad woman, but Jesus drew near. Certainly this was not the sister he mentioned.  With a shout, Jesus directed his words toward the woman, but rebuked the demons within. “Come out of her!”

The woman fell to the ground in a violent seizure.  After a few moments of blood curdling screams and obscene curses, she lay perfectly still.

“Is she dead?” James asked. 
“No, my friend,” Jesus replied.  “She is actually more alive than she has ever been.”

Jesus knelt down beside her, brushed the hair from her eyes and extended his hand.  “Mary, Daughter of Abraham, rise to newness of life.”

The disciples stared wide-eyed as Mary stood to her feet and in her right mind. Her crazy countenance was replaced by perfect peace.

“Thank you, thank you,” she cried as tears of freedom and joy coursed down her weathered cheeks.

Jesus turned to walk away to his next assignment, but rather than stand and stare in awe, Mary ran to follow.  The disciples waited for Jesus to send her away.  They were quite surprised when he did the opposite and motioned for her to come along. From that day on, she would remain among the disciples to do whatever she could to further the ministry of Jesus.

We don’t know much about Mary Magdalene’s encounter with Jesus and her deliverance from demons. A closer look at her emancipation only allows us to examine one solitary sentence. “The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out…” (Luke 8:2).

For most of my life, I pictured Jesus traveling about with his twelve disciples.  After all, isn’t that the picture in the Sunday school books? It was only recently that the landscape in my mind changed dramatically.  I had to walk over to the easel in my mind and paint a new picture on a fresh canvas.  Jesus didn’t travel about with only the twelve men.  Luke lets us know that there were women who travelled with them as well: Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and many others.

“…and many others.”  I just love that.  These were women who had been healed, delivered, saved and empowered by Jesus.  Where have they been all my life?  They’ve been there all along, but somehow I’ve missed their influence and impact on Jesus’ earthly ministry.  I’ve allowed ancient artists to paint the pictures of Jesus and his entourage in my mind rather than Scripture. 

Now we are a part of “…and many others.”  In Jesus’ day, women were not allowed to study under a Rabbi’s teaching, attend temple services in the same room with the men, or even talk to men in public.  But Jesus came to change all that.  He showed great love and respect for God’s female image bearers and risked his reputation to save theirs. He flung open the doors to His classroom for them to learn and the doors of the Kingdom for them to serve.

I hope you know just how much God loves you today.  Jesus is proof of just how much He does.

Let’s Pray  
Dear LORD, Thank You for all you did to set women free to play leading roles in Your redemptive story.  I pray that I, like Mary Magdalene, will do what I can to further the gospel of Jesus Christ.
In Jesus’ Name, Amen

Now It’s Your Turn Did today’s devotion give you a better idea of what Mary Magdalene’s life may have been like before she met Jesus?

 Most likely, you have not been delivered from 7 demons like our sister Mary, but if you know Jesus Christ as Savior, you have been delivered from darkness.  Look up the following verses and note how you have been delivered from darkness.

Ephesians 5:8

Colossians 1:13

1 Peter 2:9

I’d love to hear your comments about today’s devotion.  Let’s chat.  Visit www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes or my blog at www.sharonjaynes.com/blog.

More From The Girlfriends Today’s devotion was taken from Sharon’s new book, What God Really Thinks about Women: Finding Your Significance through the Women Jesus Encountered. We tend to read the gospels with our twenty-first century eyes.  But when we understand how oppressive the culture Jesus stepped into was against women, we begin to understand just how radical Jesus’ ministry, messages, and miracles were at setting women free. He risked His reputation to save theirs…and yours.  To order this life-changing book, visit www.sharonjaynes.com.  You’ll fall in love with Jesus all over again.

Today’s Truth 
“His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you,’” (John 2:5 NIV).

Friend To Friend 
It was a beautiful day for a wedding.  Mary only hoped it would hold out for the seven days of celebration that would follow. She was glad for the break in the mundane activities of running a household, and looked forward to spending extended time with her son.

“Hope you don’t mind if I bring along a few friends,” Jesus asked as he walked in from his work in the carpentry shop.

“Absolutely not,” she replied.  “As long as they will behave and not embarrass the family,” she teased.

Jesus turned to Mary with a look that pierced her soul.  “These men have been chosen as well.”

Chosen.  There was that word again.  And the feeling of normalcy began to slip through her fingers like grains of sand.

Jesus had grown strong and tall over the past thirty years.  While Mary had seen glimpses of his divine nature, she continued to hold her breath for the day the angel prophesied would come to fruition.  The words Savior of the world, Son of the Most High, a kingdom that would reign forever, were never far from her memory.   She recalled the story of Jesus’ baptism.  “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).  Everyone heard God speak those words as Jesus emerged from the baptismal waters in the Jordan. Mary clung to the days of normalcy as long as she could, but felt they were drawing to a close.

The bride was radiant and the groom proud as a freshly preened peacock.  The wedding party and guests alike enjoyed a bountiful buffet, delightful dancing and ambrosial wine. Gaiety and merriment filled the rooms with laughter and joyous chatter.  There was nothing like a wedding party to wash away the doldrums of everyday life.

Day three of the festivities was in full swing when Mary noticed the wine was running low.  For a groom to run out of wine was a disgrace.  Leave it to a woman to notice the party details.  Leave it to a woman to know where to go for help.

Mary tugged on Jesus’ sleeve and with a mischievous twinkle in her eye whispered, “They have no more wine.”

With a chuckle, Jesus replied, “Dear woman, why do you involve me? My time has not come.”

As soon as the words escaped Jesus’ lips, he felt the nudge from his Heavenly Father; the prompting that he had been waiting for his entire life.  In a split second, God allowed Mary to flip the switch, to topple the first domino, to ignite the fuse.  It was time. Mary turned to the attendants standing nervously by the stone water jars used for ceremonial cleansing.  With quiet authority, she nodded toward her son, “Do whatever he tells you.”

 Jesus pointed to six water jars with the capacity to hold from twenty to thirty gallons of water.  “Fill the jars up with water,” he instructed.

Quickly, the servants drug the heavy stone cisterns to the well behind the house and filled them to the brim.

After bringing them back to Jesus, he continued. “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”

Continuing to follow Jesus’ instructions, one of the servants dipped his ladle into the jar and poured rich aromatic red wine into a silver goblet.  He couldn’t keep his eyes off the miracle he held in his hands.  Reverently the servant passed the cup to the master of ceremonies.

“Samuel,” the master called out across the court.  “You sly dog.  Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.”

The servants were dumbstruck.

Jesus’ friends were confused.

Jesus was readied.

Mary was numbed with the reality of what had just taken place. Her time of quiet normalcy was over.  She knew that now.  What would come next, only God knew.  

And that was the beginning of Jesus’ ministry of the miraculous.  After thirty years of waiting, God used Mary, a woman, to flip the breaker and give Jesus the signal that the time for miracles had begun.  Right in the middle of a pack of men-Jesus, Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Nathanael and the wine stewards- God tapped Mary on the shoulder and chose her to ignite the fuse.             

“His mother said to the servants, “‘Do whatever he tells you.’”

These words have become my life verse.  I hope they can be woven into the fabric of your own life as well.  See, that was Mary’s mantra.  “Be it done to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38), became “Do whatever he tells you.”  Mary wasn’t just speaking to the servants here.  She is speaking to us as well.  Do you want to be a woman freed from an ordinary life and freed to an extraordinary purpose?  Then the path is clear, “Do whatever he tells you.”  Obedience to God is the key to unlocking the doors to the most exciting life imaginable. 

Let’s Pray 
Dear LORD, I want to do whatever You tell me to do.  Help me be a woman who listens to God: who senses Your gentle nudges throughout the day leading and guiding me.  I know that obedience is the key to an extraordinary life filled with extraordinary purpose.  LORD, I’m Your girl.  Speak LORD, I’m listening.

In Jesus’ Name, 
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn 
The wine stewards had no idea what Jesus was up to, but they obeyed him anyway. When is the last time you obeyed a nudge from God, even though it did not make sense?

What was the outcome?

Is there something God has asked you to do that you have not done yet?  It could be that He has a whole string of mighty feats for you to accomplish, but He is waiting for you to obey step one before He reveals step two!

I’d love to hear your thoughts on today’s devotion. Let’s chat. Visit www.sharonjaynes.com/blog or www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes.  And if you’re not a regular on my Facebook page, please sign up!  It is a wonderful place to communicate with your other Girlfriends in God all around the world.

More From The Girlfriends 
Today’s devotion was taken from Sharon’s new book, What God Really Thinks about Women: Finding Your Significance through the Women Jesus Encountered. We tend to read the gospels with our twenty-first century eyes.  But when we understand how oppressive the culture Jesus stepped into was against women, we begin to understand just how radical Jesus’ ministry, messages, and miracles were at setting women free. He risked His reputation to save theirs…and yours.  To order this life-changing book, visit www.sharonjaynes.com.  You’ll fall in love with Jesus all over again.

Today’s Truth 
“And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone, (1 Thessalonians 5:14 NIV).

Friend To Friend 
As I sat on my screened-in porch early one Spring morning, I was taken aback with the beauty surrounding me.  A layer of mist rose from the serene waters of the lake and hovered just above the surface.  Sunrays slanting in from the east elongated shadows that all too soon would stand at attention in the noon-day sun. Pampas grass plumes praised their Creator with a gentle sway.

I held a steamy cup of coffee in my hand and placed my open, well-worn Bible in my lap. As if on cue, as had been our routine for the past several weeks, a visitor hopped from the shrubbery and onto the night-cooled patio. “Good morning Peter,” I cooed to the little brown bunny I’d watched grow since early spring. “And how are you today?” I just love bunnies, I mused.

Peter skipped and jumped from bush to bush, and kicked up his heels like an Irishman ready to meet the day. As usual, he stopped right in front of the porch and blinked his big brown eyes as if to say “hello.” Just as I was enjoying watching my furry friend, he hopped over to a flower pot, stood up on his hind legs, and yanked a rather large stem of petunia from the plant.

“Good grief,” I moaned. “Stop that!” Bounding down the steps, I came face-to-face with the wrascally wrabbit. “Stop eating my flowers,” I warned. “Get out of here. Shooo.”

Apparently, the bunny didn’t see me as much of a threat and didn’t budge. He just continued munching away.  I could have touched him if I’d wanted.

“I mean it,” I continued. “Shooo.” It wasn’t until I clapped my hands several times that Peter scampered behind the bush to finish up his breakfast.

Back on the porch, I grabbed my lukewarm coffee and placed my Bible back in my lap. It wasn’t long before a dainty hummingbird buzzed up to the hummingbird feeder just outside the screen.  I watched in amazement as its wings fluttered and it hovered in mid-air. Iridescent colors of green and blue glistened in the sun. I just love hummingbirds, I whispered.

No sooner had the thought entered my head than a second hummingbird dive-bombed the first.  Quickly a fight ensued.  Beak to beak, they fought for their terrain. Right jab. Left stab. “Guys, stop it,” I pled as if they cared.  “There are six perches and enough nectar for the entire country.  Good grief!” And as quickly as they had appeared, they were gone.

Taking a sip from my now cold coffee, I tried once again to concentrate on my open Bible. But in the corner of my mind, I saw our heron approaching. A beautiful heron lives on our lake and occasionally he passes our way. I marveled at his long legs pointing behind him and his slender beak leading the way. With exaggerated movements, he slowly flapped his magnificent blue-gray wings and glided before me. But then, like a Boeing 747 with a leak in the fuselage, a stream of poop fell from the bird and made a trail in the yard.

“Good grief,” I moaned for the third time in one day.

Back to the Bible. As I tried to concentrate, God began speaking to my heart about what I had seen. “Are you willing to take the good with the bad?” He seemed to say.

“What do you mean, Lord?” I questioned.

“You love bunnies and they eat your plants. You love hummingbirds but they constantly fight.  You love the heron but he makes a mess in your yard. Are you willing to take the good with the bad?”

“Well, yes. I am willing to take the good with the bad.  I love your creatures!”

“What about people? “He seemed to continue. “If you are willing to take the good with the bad with mere animals, are you willing to take the good with the bad in people created in My image?”

“That’s not funny, God,” I argued. 

“Well are you?”

And then, as God so often does in my life, He left me to think about it. I began to think about people in my life that I have rejected or relationships that I have walked away from because of annoying behavior or emotional messiness. It seems I was willing to take the good with the bad with God’s creation- but when it came to people created in God’s image…not so much.

God is a Master at taking the good with the bad. Abraham believed God, but he also made some terrible mistakes, namely Hagar. David was a man after God’s own heart, but he committed murder and adultery. Jacob was the father of the twelve tribes of Israel, but he was also a deceiver. Moses was a leader but he also struggled with taking matters into his own hands.

In the New Testament, we see the same pattern of Jesus taking the good with the bad. Peter was a bold believer, but he also was brash and impulsive. Martha was hospitable, but she was also bossy. Andrew was loving, but he was also loud (he wasn’t called a son of thunder for nothing). Thomas was dutiful, but he was also doubtful. 

And then there’s the woman I look at in the mirror every morning. I’m not going to list my annoying qualities, but let me tell you they are there. And yet, God takes the good with the bad.  He loves me even when I make a mess. 

So here’s the question for us today. Are we willing to take the good with the bad? Are we willing to overlook the annoying behavior of others and embrace their positive qualities instead? I’m going to leave you to think about it like God left me to think about that particular morning. 

Let’s Pray 
Heavenly Father, all I can say today is HELP!  Help me be patient, loving, and kind. Help me to focus on the positives of others and shrug off the negatives.  And Lord, help others do the same with me!

In Jesus’ Name, 
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn 
This will be fun. Today, make a list of things you enjoy and the negative aspects you must endure to enjoy them. Let me get you started.

Roses – thorns

Spring flowers – pollen

Marriage – dirty socks on the floor

After you make your list, spend time praising God for the negatives, because they allow you to have the positives!

More From The Girlfriends 
God often speaks to us through nature. Jesus often used nature in His parables to help others understand spiritual principles. If you would like to sharpen your ability to see God, to hear God, and to sense His presence in your daily life, then you’ll want to read Sharon’s book, Becoming a Woman who Listens to God. Hearing from God should not be a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, but a daily experience.

Today’s Truth  
 ”But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today…” (Hebrews 3:13 NIV).

Friend to Friend
My husband, Steve, was pumping gas.  It seemed like he was always pumping gas.  Living out in the country and driving into town each day required gas, and a lot of it.  As he stood holding the nozzle and watching the numbers rapidly roll by higher and higher, he noticed an old 1992 grey Honda Civic pull up to the pump behind him.  The car had seen better days: rusted roof, missing hubcaps, faded paint, dented bumper.

 Out of the corner of his eye, he observed a young woman who appeared to be in her late 20’s get out of the car.  She was dressed in medical scrubs and looked about as tired as her Civic.  Methodically, she swiped her card, placed the nozzle in the tank, and squeezed the handle. Within one minute of beginning, she stopped squeezing.  She then placed the nozzle back in the pump and began screwing the cap back on her tank.

 That couldn’t have been more than a couple of gallons, Steve thought.

 ”Is that all the gas you’re getting?” Steve asked.

 ”Yeah, well, you know. Trying to space it out,” she replied.

 Steve placed his nozzle back on in its holder, walked over to her pump, and swiped his card.  “Let’s fill it up today.”

 ”No, no.  You can’t do that,” she protested.

 ”I already did,” he smiled.  “It’s already done. See. The card’s approved.  Fill it up.”

 ”Tears welled up in her eyes.  “Thank you,” she said.

 ”Now you have a good day,” he replied.  “God bless.”  And off he drove.

 I just love that man.

 As I thought about Steve’s act of kindness, I was challenged to pay closer attention to those around me throughout my busy days.  I was stirred to look for someone who needed a kind word, a bill paid, a burden carried.

 Throughout Jesus’ thirty-three years he walked this earth, he noticed people who crossed his path during his busy day.  He noticed a small man in a tree straining to catch a glimpse as he passed by (Luke 19:1-8).  He noticed a woman with a bent-over back sitting in the women’s section of the synagogue straining to hear (Luke 13).  He noticed a 38-year-old lame man sitting by a pool (John 5).  He noticed a grieving mother mourning the loss of her only son (Luke 7).  He noticed the hunger of the crowd after a long day of teaching on the hillside (Mark 6).   He noticed…and he did something about it.

 It is very easy to go about our busy days with blinders on – focusing on our own little worlds and ignoring the ministry opportunities surrounding us.  But Jesus showed us how to pay attention, lighten a load, bestow a blessing, give a gift, help the hurting, and bind-up the broken. Listen, Jesus was busy! He had a lot to accomplish in 3.5 years of his earthly ministry.  But he was never too busy to pay attention to the needs of the people around him.

 Steve was my hero that day.  And I suspect, for one young lady in a beat-up, old gray Honda Civic, he was her hero as well.

  Let’s Pray 
Dear LORD, open my eyes today.  Forgive me for being so selfish that I forget to notice the needs all around me.  Show me someone that I can help today.  Show me how I can be Your hands and feet today.  I’m listening.  I’m watching.  I’m paying attention.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen

 Now It’s Your Turn  
I bet you can guess what I’m going to say now.  Apply today’s principle and reach out to help someone in need.  It doesn’t have to be big.  It could be as simple as opening the door for a mother with a stroller. And when you do, I want to hear about it!  You won’t be bragging.  Don’t worry about that.  You’ll simply be encouraging each one who reads your post to be blessed as I’m sure you will be blessed when you reach beyond your own needs to touch someone else.

 Let’s chat.  Visit www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes

Today’s Truth
Isaiah 59:1 (NIV) “Surely the arm of the LORD is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.”

Friend To Friend 
I was just a wisp of a girl – a six-year-old, forty pound monkey with gangly arms and legs who vowed she could do anything her eleven-year-old mischievous brother, Stewart, could do.  Standing on the glistening sand of Bogue Inlet Beach, N.C., I hungrily watched as Stewart and his friend, Jeffery, plunged into the briny waters at the end of the island where the Atlantic Ocean merged with the Intracostal Waterway. Steward and Jeffery had one goal: to swim across the treacherous waters to a beckoning sandbar some 100 feet away.

This was the spot at the end of the island where waves gave way to calm, salt water gave way to fresh, and sand gave way to soil.  What looked like tranquil water on the surface was in reality a strong undercurrent that sucked the ocean away from its home. Like a lovesick puppy mourning its master’s absence, I watched as the boys plunged into the water and swam away from shore.

“I want to go too!” I called out after them.

“You’re just a kid!” Stewart yelled back. “You stay there! You can’t come!”

“It’s not fair,” I stormed.  “He gets to do everything!”

“You stay here with us,” my dad instructed. “You’re too little. It’s not safe.”

My dad’s remarks only made me more determined to prove them all wrong. “If he can do it, I can do it,” I mumbled. “I always get left behind.”

When my dad turned his back to talk to a friend, I saw my chance and dove into the water. My thin limbs were no match for the sucking force of the undertow and the pull of the current. Very quickly, my lithe body was swept away along with the ocean’s salt, sand and silt into the fresh water. My salty tears mixed with the briny water and my small cries for help went unheard. The strong ropes of current continued to pull me away from my family as they grew smaller.

Dad turned from his conversation to see the boys had almost hit their mark. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed small splashes to his far right. “Oh no,” he cried. “That’s Sharon out there!”

My father dove into the water and cut through the menacing current. Propelled by panic, he reached me in a matter of moments. Like a fisherman’s hook, dad reached out and grabbed my flailing body and reeled me to his side. With one arm, he fought the current once again and pulled us safely to shore. My dad had rescued me.

Have you ever been in a similar situation? Perhaps you’ve jumped into deep waters, into strong currents that appeared benignly calm on the surface. Perhaps you envied others who were headed in a certain direction and felt you were missing all the fun.

“Don’t go there,” your Heavenly Father warns. “It’s not safe.”

“But why do they get to have all the fun,” you whine. “I always get left behind.”

Then, when you think God isn’t looking, in you jump! Before you know it you are being swept away in the current of poor choices, sucked down by the undertow of self-centeredness, and pulled away as your family grows strangely small.

Oh friend, my earthly father pulled me safely to shore that day when I was six, but my Heavenly Father has pulled me safely to shore more times than I can count. When we ignore our Father’s warnings we forfeit the safety of His shore and plunge into the ocean of harm’s way: the undertow of over-commitment, the current of wrong choices, and the rising tide of moral danger. Perhaps that’s where you are right now. If so, there is hope. You only have to call out to God for help and He will pull you safely to shore. David cried out, “Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me” (Psalm 31:2). “Reach down your hand from on high; deliver me and rescue me from the mighty waters…” (Psalm 144:7).

“But Sharon,” you might say, “You don’t know how far I’ve fallen. You don’t know what a mess I’ve made of my life.” You are right. I don’t know. But God does and there is no place that you can go where His arm is too short to reach down and save you. That’s a promise.

Let’s Pray 
Dear Heavenly Father, I am so glad that Your arm is never too short to save me – to pull me out of the difficult places of life. Forgive me for ignoring the Holy Spirit’s warnings and jumping into treacherous waters that I should have avoided. Give me the strength to walk away when I feel that check in my spirit that says … don’t go there. I love You, Lord, and thank You for being my Rescuer, my Rock, and my Redeemer.

In Jesus’ Name, 
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn 
Have you ever found yourself in rough water because of a poor decision you have made? Perhaps that’s where you are right now. If so, I encourage you to call out to God for help. Write your own prayer for rescue today.

If you have found yourself in an undertow because of a poor decision, and you have cried out to God for help, and He has rescued you, I’d love to hear about it. Did you know that your testimony might be just the story someone needs to hear in order to hope again? I encourage you to go to my public Facebook page at www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes and tell your story.

More From Sharon 
Sharon has a brand new book hot off the press!  What God Really Thinks about Women: Finding Your Significance through the Women Jesus Encountered. If you have ever wondered just what God thinks about women, you can discover it through the radical messages, miracles, and ministry of Jesus. This eye-opening book will change the way you see yourself as a co-image bearer of God and co-heir with Christ! Jesus went to great lengths for you to understand just how valuable you are. Don’t miss it!

Today’s Truth 
“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20 NIV). Friend To

Friend 
Charles Swindoll tells the story of four scholars who were arguing over Bible translations.  One said he preferred the King James Version because of its eloquent old English, another preferred the American Standard because of its literalism and a third preferred the way the Moffatt translation captured the reader’s attention.  After giving the issue considerable thought, the fourth scholar admitted, “I have personally preferred my mother’s translation.”  The others scholars chuckled, but as he explained, “Yes, she translated it.  She translated each page of the Bible into life.  It is the most convincing translation I ever saw.”

 You have probably heard people say, “My life is an open book.”  Well it certainly is with children.  They are reading about life from every page.  They are finding answers to many of life’s questions:  “How, as a wife, am I supposed to love and honor my husband?”  “How am I supposed to spend my money?”   “How should a Christian act?”

Not only are children reading the pages of our lives to learn what a Christian looks like, but they also are reading us to draw conclusions about what God is like.  Think back to your own childhood.  How did you perceive God?  In your eyes, was He a harsh taskmaster who sat in the clouds, looking down with disdain every time you made a mistake?  Did He carry a big stick, ready to whip you into shape?  Did He keep a big score book where He made notations when you did something bad and gave you red check marks when you did something good?

Or did you see Him as a loving Father with children clamoring around His feet and climbing into His welcoming lap?  Did you see Him as a Daddy who tucked His children in at night and listened to them talk about anything and everything?  Did you see Him as being not mad but hurt when you made a mistake?

As the authors of the Parent Factor say, “Whether they have been loving or aloof, kind or harsh, supportive or neglectful, parents have played a major role with forming your view of God…  The result can be wonderful or tragic.” 

Children are reading the pages of our lives to see what a Christian is supposed to look like. A self-righteous, boastful Sunday school teacher was preaching to his class on the importance of exemplary living.  With his head held high and chest thrust out, he strutted back and forth across the room. He asked, “Now, children, why do people call me a Christian?”

There was a moment of silence.  Then one boy raised his hand.

“Yes?” asked the teacher.

“Probably because they don’t know you very well,” responded the boy.

They had read the pages of the teacher’s life and he had come up wanting.  Here’s a poem I’d like us to consider:

You are writing a gospel, 

A chapter each day. 

By deeds that you do, 

By words that you say. 

Men [children] read what you write, 

Whether faithless or true. 

Say!  What is the gospel, 

According to you?’ 

(Author Unknown)

Let’s Pray 
Dear LORD, I know people are watching me to see what a Christian is like.  I know that I am an ambassador for You.  That really scares me a little.  Today, help me to be cognizant that others are watching.  Help me to represent You well today.  Help me to show the world that You are a loving, caring, Father who treasures His children and wants the best for them.

In Jesus’ Name, 
Amen

Now It’s Your Turn 
Think back to your childhood. Do you have any preconceived ideas about God that are a result of how you saw your earthly parents?

Whether your parents were wonderful or wanting, they are, or were, still human and have feet of clay.  When it comes to our Heavenly Father, we need to take our earthly parent’s face off of the Almighty God.  He is the only perfect parent.

Now, as an ambassador for Christ today, I want you to go about the business of representing Him well today!

Additional Resource 
Today’s devotion was adapted from Sharon’s book, Being a Great Mom, Raising Great Kids.

Motherhood isn’t easy.  If it was, it wouldn’t start with something called labor!  If you are a mom who could use some encouragement for the most important job you will ever love, then this is the book for you.  And if you know a mom who needs some encouragement today, what a great gift!  Sharon will even personalize it for you.  Just log on to her website and check it out.  While you’re there, view an encouraging video as she cheers moms on!