Blogging Through the Bible: Esther Week 1

Welcome friends, to our first week of Blogging through the Bible! I know we are all excited to join Courtney Joseph from Women Living Well, home of Good Morning Girls! I am so thrilled that you are here with me at Grace-Filled-Moments where we will be taking this journey through God's Word together. As I mentioned in my introduction Blogging through the Bible post, instead of creating another Facebook or email group for you to join, we'll be meeting here every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday. 

Our Blogging through the Bible Schedule at Grace-Filled-Moments

As a reminder, here is the schedule we'll be keeping for Blogging through the Bible. Simply meet me here every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday for my post. Please remember to leave your comments about what you are learning from your reading in the "Post a Comment" section at the end of every post. There are no specific verses that have been assigned to us to S.O.A.P. I love this because it will allow God to speak to each of us individually at whatever point of life we are currently in. You may notice something in our reading that I didn't, so please be sure to share and let's grow together in the Word of God. *smile*

Courtney explains the S.O.A.P. method in the eWorkbook download that you'll find in the link in her post that I've shared below. Please see that page if you are new to the S.O.A.P. method of Bible study. 

If you haven't gotten your free resources yet from Courtney Joseph at Women Living Well, home of Good Morning Girls, please use this link to her Blogging Through the Bible Reading Plans & eWorkbooks post where you will find all the wonderful resources she is so generously sharing with us as we accompany her on this journey!

Esther Week 1 Reading Plan

We begin our journey in "Reading through the Bible" in the book of Esther. I can't wait to get to know this amazing woman! Here is our reading schedule for this week. Meet me back here on Wednesday so we can share what we have learned from our reading!

Let's Get to Know Each Other!

For this first week, let's have introductions! I'll go first and then you can leave your introductions in the comments section at the end of this post.

Oh, one thing I failed to mention in my video is how Courtney Joseph of Women Living Well/Good Morning Girls was an answer to a prayer I prayed to God two years ago asking Him to help me learn how to study my Bible so that I could grow in my relationship with Him. He answered that prayer the day I discovered Women Living Well, home of Good Morning Girls. I learned the S.O.A.P. method of Bible study which is what I'll be using as we read through the Bible here at Grace-Filled-Moments. I've been following Courtney and doing Good Morning Girls Bible/book studies ever since!

Now it's your turn! Please introduce yourself...

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

R is for Ruth (Women of the Bible)

R is for Ruth.

Scripture Reference:

The Book of Ruth; Matthew 1:5

Meaning of Name:

Lovely friend

Family Connections:

Daughter-in-law of Naomi; Widow of  Mahlon; Wife of Boaz; Mother of Obed; Great-grandmother of king David.

Interesting Facts about Ruth:

• Ruth was a widow who chose to stay in relationship with her mother-in-law.
• Ruth was loyal to Naomi and loved her deeply.
• She chose to leave her home in Moab and the false idols of Baal to journey with Naomi back to Bethlehem.
• Ruth was a devote worshiper of the one true God.  
• Ruth was not afraid of her unknown future that lay ahead of her in Bethlehem. 
• She listened to the advice of Naomi, an older woman. 
• Ruth was not ashamed of the low order work of gleaning with the poor and and outcasts in Boaz's fields so that she could provide food for herself and Naomi.
• Ruth found favor in Boaz's eyes who commanded his reapers to purposely drop extra sheaves for her.
• Ruth became the wife of Boaz after listening to the advice of Noami.
• Ruth and Boaz had a son, Obed.
• Ruth's decision to follow Jehovah and to completely align herself with the Hebrew people led her to becoming part of the ancestry of Jesus.

What We Can Learn from Ruth:

• Titus 2 relationships with older women are important.
• Be loyal and unselfish in your relationships.
• Comfort those who have suffered the same kind of loss as we have.
• Do not be ashamed of lowly work that brings provision in your home.
• God has a good plan for our lives.
• When given a choice, always choose the path that will lead you to God.
• Trust that God is in control of the unknown places you have yet to face in your life.
• God can take any life that is surrendered to Him and use it to bring His plan to fruition.

Thanks so much to Marcy at Ben and Me for hosting this Blogging through the Alphabet challenge! You can find all of my posts in this series on my Women of the Bible page.

If you'd like to read what others are #abcblogging about, simply click on the image below. 

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

Essential Skills Advantage Review

Essential Skills Advantage is a complete online program for Reading and Language learning ideal for children in grades K-6, but it can also be very helpful as remedial work for your older students. As part of The Old Schoolhouse Review Crew, I was chosen to do a review of this program and have been given a one year subscription to their premium plan which I've used with my 13 year old son, so we fall into the category of remedial work with older students.

This online program for kids has been a great addition to our homeschool! My son loves to be on the computer, so why not let him learn while he's at it! It's also provided a break from the usual book learning that we've been using in our homeschool. More importantly, it has enabled me to go back and fill in some gaps in reading and language concepts with my son. We love the variety of concepts that we can choose from as we log in to our online education provided by Essential Skills Advantage. The wealth of learning activities makes me happy as his teacher, and it makes my son happy because he doesn't get so easily distracted and bored. There is always somewhere else within the reading program for him to go in order to keep learning.

I love that I can track my son's progress in the Parent Portal. The student information sections allows me to see what programs my son is working on. Next to each program, I can see more detailed information such as date and time stamps, his number of attempts at answering, or if he's mastered a concept. My son likes to see his progress too, and can do this by selecting the star button displayed on the screen to view his scores. He also has the progress bar that is displayed to show his overall progress within the unit. 

Want to learn more about Essential Skills Advantage for yourself? Well, I hope you'll keep on reading to find out more and plus, you'll find two different huge savings offer at the end of this post!

Meet Essential Skills Advantage

Essential Skills Advantage has thousands of activities that are fun and engaging to help your child build their skills in reading comprehension, sight words, phonics, spelling, grammar, - everything your child needs for reading and language learning! You'll find fun writing activities, sight word activities, reading comprehension strategies, and so much more in this complete online learning program.

Here's their mission statement:

"To make a difference in eduction by providing affordable, technology-based solutions that motivate students, build their confidence, and allow them to achieve success."

You can connect with Essential Skills Advantage on the following social media outlets:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Google +

System Requirements for Using Essential Skills Advantage

This program is entirely online. You will need internet access for your computer that is Java Script enabled, Flash Player 10 or higher, and volume. At this time, ESA's programs are not compatible with iPad or Android tablets.

The Price for Essential Skills Advantage

ESA offers a 14-day free trial, then after that it is only $9.99 per month for their premium plan.  They are generously providing a 50% coupon code for the monthly membership fee on the premium plan for my readers.

The coupon code is TOS50 and will be good through October 1. This 50% savings will stay with you as long as you are a premium member, making your monthly fee only $4.99 per month!

I'm excited to share with you that they have started a sponsored version of their program that is completely free! I appreciate this so very much because every little bit helps for homeschooling families - most of who, like us, are a one-income family. Go to www.ESAlearning.com to start your free subscription today.

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

Click on the image below to read more TOS Crew Reviews!

UberSmart Math Facts Review

UberSmart Software was created by homeschooling dad, David Kocur, after not be able to find anything he preferred for his own children who were ready to learn their addition and subtraction math facts. UberSmart Math Facts is the downloadable Windows based software program that David created and I was selected to review this product in our homeschool.

After receiving notification that I would be reviewing this product with my son, I contacted David by email because the name just grabbed my attention so much that I had to ask him how he came up with the name "UberSmart". Here was his reply which I think is totally awesome!

Hi Laurie,
It started with my family and I just throwing some ideas around.  My goal
was to find a unique name that denoted quality, as so much software out
there is of poor quality.  Eventually we settled on UberSoft (meaning
"super" software).  A couple weeks after getting a DBA for UberSoft, I
discovered there was already a company in another country by that name.
They just weren't using ubersoft.com.  After a little more thought and
research UberSoft morphed into UberSmart Software.  I really like the name
because it can be taken two ways: Using the software will make you super
smart, or software that is super smart.  In the case of UberSmart Math
Facts, I believe both meanings apply.  But, I may be a bit biased.  :)
Thanks for asking!
David Kocur
UberSmart Software

Well, our experience with UberSmart Math Facts definitely affirms that this software is super smart and is helping my son become super smart with his math facts! My son is thirteen, and due to special needs, has yet to master his math facts. UberSmart Math Facts has been a great addition to our daily math facts practice session in our homeschool. I can already see the light at the end of the tunnel for him as he is heading into mastering all of his addition math facts.

We'll definitely continue using this math software program through learning his subtraction, multiplication, and division math facts! We used UberSmart Math Facts as part of our daily math lessons. It fit in perfectly every day to our non-textbook math approach where I instead choose to focus on different math concepts that I feel Caleb is ready to learn.

Meet UberSmart Math Facts

UberSmart Math Facts teaches one number group at a time, starting with 0's, 1's, 2's, and so on up to the 9's with addition and subtraction. For multiplication and division, you have the option to set it up to go to 9's - 20's. Starting at these lower number groups, which are easy to learn, will give your child a sense of accomplishment right at the start AND it creates a healthy start in their learning environment for math facts mastery. What is great about this math facts software program is that you have the option to filter out mastered math facts so that your child can focus on the math facts they have yet to master.

You will need a Windows 7, 8, XP, or Vista operating system to use UberSmart Math Facts software on your computer. You are allowed to use it with eight or more students ranging in grades from K-6. The cost is very homeschool friendly at only $24.95! David is offering to my readers a special 30% discount off of this already low price. Simply enter "v4 Early Bird" in the discount code box on his purchase page.

Click on the link below to read more UberSmart Math Facts reviews from the Schoolhouse Review Crew!

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

 

Resources Now Available for Blogging Through the Bible

I have great news to share with you today!

Courtney Joseph of Women Living Well, home of Good Morning Girls, has our resources ready to begin reading through the Bible with her. For those of you who are joining me here for Blogging through the Bible, please go to Courtney's post, Blogging Through the Bible Reading Plans & eWorkbooks, to download your workbooks. You'll also find in her post our reading plan for the month of September and how to SOAP the verses that speak to your heart.

I'm excited to be joining Courtney for Blogging Through the Bible here at Grace-Filled-Moments! I'm so glad to have those of you here who have said they will be joining me on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays to share our thoughts of what we are reading.

Everything you need to get started this Sunday, August 31, can be found on the link to Courtney's post that I have shared above. If you use these resources that Courtney has so graciously provided, please be sure to direct anyone else there to her site to download their resources.

I'll talk here with you again on Sunday!

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

Blogging through the Bible

I am so excited to share with you that I'll be joining Courtney Joseph with Women Living Well, home of Good Morning Girls, for Blogging through the Bible! Our journey through the entire Bible begins on Sunday, August 31, in the book of Esther. This will be a little different than usual in that instead of SOAPing a few verses from the Bible we will be reading a chapter a day and sharing what we learned from our time in the Word. 

I've read through the Bible a couple of times since re-dedicating my life to the Lord in 1994, but never like this where I take the time to write down the verses that personally speak to me and what I learn from those verses. I like how Courtney is taking 3 years to read through the Bible with us. No rushing...just one day at a time...no pressure...just developing the habit of being in God's Word every.single.day.

Would you be willing to take this journey with me? I would love to have you come along with me. There is no enrollment required...no hoops to jump through here either. Simply leave me a comment below in the "Post a Comment" section. Then join me here on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays beginning Sunday, August 31. Here's my schedule I'll be keeping for Blogging through the Bible:

Remember there are seasons in life. If for some reason, you find yourself falling behind, please don't worry...and don't give up. I'll be here and you can jump right back in at any time. Comments are welcomed - I want to hear what you are learning - let's grow together!

I don't know about you, but I'm trying to simplify which is why I'm not creating another Facebook group for you to have to join. *wink*

Simply meet with me here every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday beginning Sunday, August 31, and let's share what we are learning from our time in the Word of God.

So, what do you think? Will you take this journey of reading through the Bible with me! Ohhh dear friend, I certainly hope so. Please remember to comment below in the "Post a Comment" section to let me know you'll be joining me. I'm so excited and look forward to connecting with you as we read the Word of God together! 

Walking in His Grace,
Laurie

*Update 8/27/14: Yaayy...Courtney has our resources ready! Please see her post Blogging Through the Bible Reading Plans & eWorkbooks to download your materials for Reading Through the Bible.

Q is for Queen Sheba (Women of the Bible)

Q is for Queen Sheba.

Scripture Reference:

1 Kings 10:1-13; 2 Chronicles 9:1-12; and Matthew 12:42

Meaning of Name:

Name unknown. We only know her as the Queen of Sheba.

Family Connections:

Unknown

Interesting Facts about the Queen of Sheba:

• Queen Sheba traveled around 1,200 miles to Jerusalem upon hearing about the wisdom of King Solomon and his relationship with the Lord.
• She came with a caravan of camels loaded with spices, gold, and precious stones to give to the king.
• Queen Sheba had a quest for knowledge and presented King Solomon with her questions.
• She was overwhelmed at the realization of King Solomon's wisdom.
• Queen Sheba praised God for the wisdom of King Solomon.
• She acknowledged God as the giver of the king's wealth and wisdom.

What We Can Learn from the Queen of Sheba:

• There is One greater than Solomon that we can learn God's truth from - Jesus. 
• Seek a deeper personal knowledge of God.
• Pursue God-given truths found in the Bible.
• Seek out relationships with others who are grounded in their relationship with Jesus and can teach us.

We are nearing the end of this #abcblogging challenge from my friend, Marcy at Ben and Me. Thanks for taking the journey with me! Find all of my posts in this series on my Women of the Bible page.

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

Click on the image below to read more posts of others who are Blogging through the Alphabet!

Bring the Bible to Life for Your Kids with Wizzy Gizmo!

Are you looking for a fun way to bring the Bible to life for your kids? Look no further than the products available from Wizzy Gizmo! I was given Audio Drama One: Who Created Everything? to review in our home.

Audio Drama One: Who Created Everything?

This 36 minute audio drama leads children on an exploration of Genesis 1. Wizzy Gizmo is a brillant bluish-haired, knobby-knee inventor who creates all sorts of gadgets and gizmos. The Gizmovision is a most important invention and it's where all the adventures begin with Audio Drama One: Who Created Evertyhing?.

Olive, Eli (the new kid in Sunnyville), Summer and Thomas run to Wizzy Gizmo's workshop once they find out his latest invention is all finished. Wizzy explains to the kids how the Gizmovision creates a life-like world inside a bubble when a book is placed on top of it. After the kids all shout out their ideas of what book to use, Wizzy suggests to them to go all the way back to the very beginning and lays the Bible on top of the Gizmovision...then...well, you should really listen for yourself!

The Gizmovision

The story of creation is all laid out in a fun and exciting way. I love how science and the truths of the Bible are woven together throughout the unfolding of the creation story. Word definitions are given when necessary so that your youngest children will understand an unfamiliar word that may be spoken by the characters in the drama. There was only one occurrence in this drama, and the word definition was given in a fun and entertaining way that didn't cause an awkward break in the storyline.

There are wonderful songs throughout the drama story, including a song at the end that helps your children learn the order of the days of creation. There is a short Bible quiz at the end of the audio drama that is a great way to find out what your child remembers from the story. The Bible quiz can also be used to lead into teaching truths from the Bible that were shared in the audio drama. Following the Bible quiz, there are additional songs to listen to that can be enjoyed wherever you and your kids find yourselves listening to Audio Drama One: Who Created Everything?.

This audio drama is recommended for children ages 4-12, but I assure you, the whole family will love them! We enjoyed listening to it together as a family! All of the products available from Wizzy Gizmo were created by the founders, Justin Cummins and Chris Del Aguila, to help parents put Deuteronomy 6:5-6 into practice. You can listen to this audio drama on the CD player in your car as you are out and about with your kids, you can listen together as a family during family devotion time, you can listen in your homeschool or even let your children listen to the audio drama as a bedtime story! All you need to listen to this audio drama is a computer with a CD player or the CD player in your car as you're on-the-go with your kids. The price for this audio drama CD is $14.99. I can't wait for more audio dramas from Wizzy Gizmo!

Be sure to connect with Wizzy Gizmo on the following social media outlets so you don't miss any new products in the future:

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Pinterest
• Google +
• Vimeo

Check out the other Schoolhouse Review Crew posts on this product and others available from Wizzy Gizmo by clicking on the image below.

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

Purex #Cartwheel #Coupon Promotion

Purex is offering a back-to-school savings special of 10% off Purex laundry detergent at Target through the end of August with a Target #Cartwheel #coupon! Not familiar with Target's Cartwheel savings app? Find out about it by clicking here.

Click http://go.purex.com/Zb3x to get your 10% savings on your favorite Purex laundry detergent! Stack this #Cartwheel #coupon with a Purex coupon from your local newspaper or with a Target coupon to get even more savings.

10% off with a #Cartwheel #coupon...all varieties included!

This promotion ends on August 30, 2014. Stay tuned for more offers!

Your Purex Insider, 
Laurie

P is for Priscilla (Women of the Bible)

P is for Priscilla.

Scripture Reference:

Acts 18:2, 18, 26; Romans 16:3; 1 Corinthians 16:19; 2 Timothy 4:19

Meaning of Name:

Worthy or venerable

Family Connections:

Wife of Aquila.

Interesting Facts about Priscilla:

• Anytime Priscilla is mentioned in the Bible, she is with her husband, Aquila.
• She (and her husband) were expelled from Rome because they were Jews.
• Priscilla, with her husband, were believers of Jesus Christ.
• She (and her husband) were able to return to their home in Rome after the death of Emperor Claudius.
• Priscilla labored together with her husband, Aquila, in the service of the church.
• She, along with her husband, sailed to Syria with Paul. 
• Priscilla (and her husband) explained the Way of God more accurately to Apollos.
• Priscilla and her husband hosted a house church in their home while in Ephesus, Corinth, and Rome.
• Priscilla (and her husband) were referred to by Paul as his co-laborers in Christ Jesus.
• Priscilla was united in love with her husband.
• Priscilla was united in Christian service with her husband.
• She (and her husband) are among the earliest known missionaries.
• Priscilla (and her husband) opened their home up to Paul who stayed with them 18 months.
• Priscilla (and her husband) risked their lives for Paul.

What We Can Learn from Priscilla:

• Unity in a marriage is a beautiful witness.
• Be active in the church with your spouse for God's glory.
• Practice hospitality.
• Grow in the Word of God together.
• Share your knowledge of the Word of God with others.
• Be a faithful friend.
• Bloom for God's glory wherever life takes you and your spouse.
• Stay faithful in serving the Lord together.

I'm Blogging Through the Alphabet with my friend, Marcy at Ben and Me! Check out my other posts in this series on my Women of the Bible page.

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

New Dial Coconut Water Refreshing Mango Body Wash Review & Coupon Giveaway

Have you tried the new Dial Coconut Water Refreshing Mango body wash? It's the newest addition in the Dial Coconut Water body wash line.

If you haven't tried it yet, let me tell you IT.IS.AMAZING!!  I was so excited when my Purex Insiders box arrived with my bottle of Dial Coconut Water Refreshing Mango body wash!

The first of its kind to contain coconut water and refreshing mango, you can trust Dial to deliver what you want in your skin care body wash products. I love the fresh and invigorating smell of coconut and mango in this hydrating body wash that doesn't set off my sensitive nose that is prone to allergic reactions due to strong scents. It's refreshing scent helps me wake up in the morning to get going with my busy day.

I only have to use a small amount (about the size of a half dollar) of this moisturizing body wash to get a sudsy washcloth that lasts for a complete body wash. It's so easy to rinse off and leaves my skin feeling so smooth and soft to the touch. I can really tell a difference in my skin since using this nourishing body wash. It's all thanks to the coconut water which is known to be rich in antioxidants and electrolytes that help make my skin healthy by replenishing the hydration in my skin. Mango is also known for being rich in nutrients, plus it adds that sensational scent of tropical freshness! My skin is so soft that I can run my razor over my legs to shave them without adding any shaving gel. That has been a time saver for me!

Dial Coconut Water Refreshing Mango Body Wash is a great family body wash that's safe to use for your whole family. Bring healthy skin to your entire family's skin care routine with new Dial Coconut Water Refreshing Mango Body Wash! It's available now at your local retailer.

As a Purex Insider, I am holding a giveaway for a coupon for a FREE bottle of Dial Coconut Water Refreshing Mango Body Wash! Enjoy healthy skin again and #GetNoticed!

Use the convenient Rafflecopter widget below for your chance to win! 

Laurie



a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Disclaimer: As I Purex Insider, I was given a free product by Dial in order to complete this review. All views and opinions expressed are my own. 

O is for Orpah (Women of the Bible)

O is for Orpah.

Scripture Reference:

Ruth 1

Meaning of Name:

A fawn or young doe; or double-minded.

Family Connections:

Widow of Chilion, the son of Naomi and Elimelech; the daughter-in-law of Naomi and Elimelech; and the sister-in-law of Ruth.

Interesting Facts about Orpah:

• Orpah had been exposed to the truth of God because of her marriage to Naomi and Elimelech's son.
• At first, Orpah leaves with Naomi and Ruth, but realizing she will have to leave behind her old life she turns around and heads back to her life in Moab.
• When faced with the opportunity to return to Naomi's homeland where she would be able to serve the One True God, she refuses - embracing instead Moloch, the heathen god of Moab, as the object of her worship.
• Orpah chose the comfort of her familiar home of Moab rather than an uncertain future in a place she was not familiar with.
• Orpah went back to her own people and to her own gods. 

What We Can Learn from Orpah:

• There is only One True God.
• We can have a godly influence in the lives of our family members who have yet to make their personal decision for Jesus Christ.
• We are all faced with the choice to leave our old life for a new life with Jesus at the head.
• We can trust the distant, unknown places of our lives to a faithful God Who holds it all in His mighty hands.

Thanks for joining me during this #abcblogging challenge with Marcy at Ben and Me! See how others are blogging through the alphabet by clicking on the image below to read more posts.

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

 

Is Less Really More When It Comes To Homeschooling?

Our summer homeschooling break is quickly coming to an end. And as the ticking of the clock reaches the inevitable final count down, my mind finds itself creeping back into homeschool planning mode. There I find the proverbial question waiting for me...

"Is less really more when it comes to homeschooling?"

I'm a curriculum junkie - I admit it! I'm also guilty of cookie cutter homeschooling...that's a whole other post I'm working on though!

Ahh, the life of a curriculum junkie! Always scouring curriculum catalogs, the Goodwill store's book racks, and websites/Facebook groups selling used homeschool books. We won't even talk about the drooling that goes on at the book fair of our local homeschool conference!

But I have to remember when it comes to planning our homeschool year that I don't want to overload my son with so much of what I think looks great or so much of what I want to try that he becomes overwhelmed and burned out by the end of the first week.

The three "R's" - reading, writing, and math - are necessary, of course. A strong foundation in these three areas will equip my son for life-long learning success. In our home, Bible is included on our homeschool schedule. It's very important to me to lay a Biblical foundation in my son's life and to help him develop a daily discipline of reading God's Word. More than anything, I want my son to grow up with a love for God and His Word.

This year as I pray and plan for my son and our homeschool, my heart has been gently reminded that this world is only temporary. So I really want to focus on including learning in our homeschool that will last for eternity in my son's life such as how to study the Bible so that he can grow in his knowledge and love of the Lord, as well as character qualities that will produce good fruit in his life.

I'm seriously considering laying aside everything else that I haven't mentioned that is normally on a homeschooler's schedule. It's something I've never done in our homeschool, and I really want to, but that proverbial question

"Is less really more when it comes to homeschooling?"

won't stop nagging me!

So I'm going to take a leap of faith and say yes to this new schedule for our homeschool in spite of this nagging, proverbial question! EEK!!  

Have you taken any "less is more" steps in your homeschool? I would love to hear how you took the plunge to make "less is more" work for you and your homeschool. Please share in the comments!

Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie

 

 

N is for Naomi (Women of the Bible)

N is for Naomi.

Scripture Reference: 

The book of Ruth.

Meaning of Name:

"My joy," "my bliss," or "pleasantness of Jehovah"

Family Connections:

Widow of Elimelech, mother of two sons, mother-in-law of Ruth and Orpah and grandmother to Obed.

Interesting Facts about Naomi:

• Naomi was sincere in her faith.
• Naomi's husband moved the family to Moab due to a famine in their homeland.
• She found herself in a strange land with foreign worship.
• Naomi's husband, Elimelech, died in Moab.
• Both of Naomi's sons died in Moab.
• Naomi was deeply loved by her daughters-in-law.
• Naomi returned to her native land of Bethlehem upon hearing that God had provided food there.
• Her faithful daughter-in-law, Ruth, begged to go back to Bethlehem with her and Naomi agreed.
• Naomi returned to Bethlehem empty and bitter.
• Upon her return to Bethlehem, she tells the women there to call her Mara which means "bitter."
• Naomi saw her life as bitter because of the death of her husband and sons, her dislocation in a foreign land, and her poverty.
• She thought the hand of the Lord was against her.
• Naomi advised Ruth in the steps leading up to Ruth's marriage to Boaz.
• Naomi once again utters words of blessing with the name of the Lord added, showing that her heart was turning from the bitterness that consumed her.
• Naomi's bitterness turns to joy upon the birth of her grandson, Obed, who becomes the grandfather of King David. 

What We Can Learn from Naomi:

• Seasons come and go in a woman's life.
• We can choose to remain faithful to God throughout the ups and downs of life.
• Do not let a root of bitterness take place in our hearts.
• We can find hope once again that will lift us up out of a bitter attitude.
• We can have a positive influence in the lives of younger women as we take them under our wing to guide them. 
• Our character and faith can be a witness to others around us.
• We can always return home.
• God has a divine purpose in everything.
• God's covenant love never ends.
• Even the bleakest of situations can turn out for our good when entrusted to the hands of our loving God.

Naomi, Obed and Ruth (Emile Levy, 1859)

Thanks for coming along with me in this #abcblogging series on Women of the Bible! It's hard to believe we are halfway through this Blogging Through the Alphabet challenge hosted by my friend, Marcy, at Ben and Me. You can read more posts from others who are taking the challenge with me by clicking on the image below.

Come and meet the other women I've chosen to highlight during this Blogging Through the Alphabet challenge. You can find all of my posts from this series on my Women of the Bible page.

Walking in His Grace, 
Laurie