Women’s Ministry Minute
May 25, 2020
with Megan Byers
To be honest, I had a completely different set of thoughts in mind to share with you today but as I was sitting here waiting for my computer to update, I began doing something that inspired me to change course. Those of you who know me well know that I am committed to seeing my manicurist, Dean, every other Friday to get my nails done. So, you can imagine my horror when the nail salons closed, and I was left to fend for myself. Every two weeks for the last 5 or 6 years, I have relied on someone else in a set location to help keep my nails strong. They are buffed, shaped, and polished in a way that protects them for the following two weeks and therefore, I rarely had to think about maintaining them myself.
Once I was suddenly responsible for them, I ordered a dip powder manicure kit and tried to do them on my own for a while. I quickly realized that underneath the layers of polish, my nails were very weak and brittle. I could not open cans or other items that would normally have been easy for me to deal with. So, I hopped on my trusty friend, Amazon, and began to look for a solution. What I found is a little pot of cream with rave reviews for nail strengthening! The kicker is that you must apply it THREE times a day. Since then, I have gone from never maintaining my own nails to a commitment to care for them multiple times throughout the day. If I do not do this, then no one else will.
I think that there are parallels between my nail situation andour Spiritual walks with God. It is incredibly easy to go to church on Sunday or Wednesday, listen to someone else share their thoughts with us and basically leave our spiritual maintenance in the hands of another person. We can sing, we can fellowship, and we can share thoughts of our own in housechurches. But those things are the equivalent to a protective topcoat of nail polish. If we only rely on them and do not maintain what is underneath; our hearts, our souls, our spirits, our characters…then weaknesses will develop.
These are uncertain times and I have never spent so long away from the church building when I wanted so badly to be there. But it is just a building, a place I go to once a week! We are the church; we need connection with God and each other often. Much like putting on this nail cream three times a day, it is my responsibility to spend time with Him daily, to continue to build relationships and to encourage others. The scripture below is one of my favorites and it constantly reminds me that no matter what I am going through, God will be a sure foundation for any situation that arises. I hope that you continue to connect with each other and God throughout this rough patch in our lives!
Isaiah 33:6
“He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation of wisdom and knowledge; the fear of the Lord is the key to this treasure.”