The Ladies of the Lord's Literary Guild

Lord, we’ve dreamed through all our lives
While we were daughters, mothers, wives,
About the wonderful things we’d do
If we had the chance to speak for You.

The dream was small and hidden well
And as far as anyone could tell,
We were happy and content to be
The “outside” women all could see.

But far inside, a flicker of flame
A wish, a hope we could scarcely name,
Glowed like an ember of deep desire
Just waiting to be swept into a blazing fire.

And then one day you moved Your hand
And created a friendship that You had planned,
Like kindling gathered from here and there
You brought four women under Your care.

One, a woman fair of face
With a loving heart and full of grace,
Another with beauty, a woman of passion
Who always keeps up with the latest fashion!

A third dear one with twinkling eyes
Who’s funny, clever, and oh, so wise,
But then, Oh Lord, what a miracle be
You also chose to add in me.

With separate twigs to start the fire
You lit the spark of our desire,
And fanned a flame we could not start
And planted Your Spirit within our hearts.

So the Ladies of the Lord’s Literary Guild
Was brought into being, just as You willed,
And now we wait to hear You speak
For You know that without You, we are weak.

Lead us, guide us, show us Your way
Give us inspiration on each and every day,
Expand our horizons, help us to proclaim
The wondrous glory of Your precious name!

Lord, we dream every day of our lives
As we’re still daughters, mothers, wives,
About the wonderful things we’ll do
Because now we have the chance to speak for You.

Praise Your name, Oh Lord…
                                           …for the fire You’ve started!

© Sharon Kirby
July 30, 2010

“This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you…For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”
(2 Timothy 1:6-7)

The Joy in Being Part of the Body

Back when I was in business school there was a trend to include a group project in every class.  The business world recognized the need for employees who could work well as part of a team, like cross-functional teams for example, and business schools worked hard to  accomodate this growing demand.

I admit it - I hated group projects.  Trying to get a group of students to agree on anything, frustrating.  Being sure everyone did their fair share, exhausting.  Knowing your grade was dependent on four other college students, terrifying. I like to be in control, run my own show and this made me very uncomfortable.  But over time, I came to realize that my teammates made valuable contributions to our projects that made the end result far superior to anything I could have created on my own. 

So, which brilliant business mind recognized the value in teamwork? The glory goes to the mind of God, of course!  The apostle Paul, through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, tells us this in his letters to the Corinthians,  the Romans, and the Ephesians.  It was such an important concept that God wanted the early churches to recognize the value each member contributed to the whole body.  Chapter 12 from the letter to the Corinthians expounds on the value each of us have in the body of Christ.

For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. Cor 12:14-18 NASB

I love verse 18 - But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.  Don't you just love the care and attention to detail our loving God, our masterful Creator, has taken in making a place, a valuable place, for each one of us in His plan and purpose for His work here on earth? 

My days in business school are over and, thankfully, I am spiritually more mature today than I was then.  I recognize the value my sisters in Christ bring to my walk with the Lord and the plans He has for my life.  There is great joy in being part of the body of Christ - whatever part that may be, whether small and seemingly insignificant or large and loud. And that is the premise of this blog, a joint venture of The Ladies of the Lord's Literary Guild.  Four members, one body. Four voices, one love. Four points of view, one purpose.  Yes, there is joy in being...joy in being part of the body. 
Lynne