Welcome to The Week In Words, where we share quotes from the last week’s reading. If something you read this past week inspired you, caused you to laugh, cry, think, dream, or just resonated with you in some way, please share it with us, attributing it to its source, which can be a book, newspaper, blog, Facebook — anything that you read. More information is here.
Just a further note — if you’ve posted a quote on your blog this past week, feel free to link it here as well. You don’t have to save it for Mondays. 
And please do read and comment even if you’re not posting quotes.
Here are some quotes that spoke to me this week:
From the Elisabeth Elliot e-mail devotionals, this taken from her book A Lamp For My Feet:
How can this person who so annoys or offends me be God’s messenger? Is God so unkind as to send that sort across my path? Insofar as his treatment of me requires more kindness than I can find in my own heart, demands love of a quality I do not possess, asks of me patience which only the Spirit of God can produce in me, he is God’s messenger. God sends him in order that he may send me running to God for help.
Sometimes the very circumstance in our lives that we’re chafing against is the one God is using to work something necessary into our hearts and characters that we would not learn or develop any other way.
That goes along with something I read at Washing the Feet of the Saints:
In a recent conversation with a delightful young friend, we considered what it means to die to self, particularly in the ordinary tasks of every day life, and to live sacrificially in our home and community to the glory of Christ.
The “dying” this young lady referenced was a simple household chore that had nothing to do with family/elderly caregiving, but it’s application was obvious. My friend lamented that it should be easier to put her desires and contentment aside for the benefit of other. “But then it wouldn’t be dying,” I countered.
That last line really hit me between the eyes. Thanks, Patricia, for that perspective.
From the August 4 reading from Our Daily Walk by F. B. Meyer:
The best way of increasing our knowledge of God s infinite nature, is by the reverent study of His Word. It is a flimsy religion which discounts doctrine. What the bones are to the body, doctrine is to our moral and spiritual life. What law is to the material universe, doctrine is to the spiritual.
This reminded me of some of the truths I wrote a few years ago about the importance of learning doctrine when we read the Bible rather than just looking for warm fuzzies. The warm fuzzies fly away like dandelion seeds if they are not based on the bedrock of doctrine that we can rely on no matter what the circumstances are.
Then from today’s reading of Meyer’s devotionals:
From Act 7:2-5, we learn that the Call to Abram to go forth, which originally came in Ur of the Chaldees, was repeated in Haran, after his father’s death. Probably Terah delayed his son’s obedience. Let us help our children to realize God’s call, even though we be left lonely on the other side of the river.
This was particularly potent as we just moved away from our oldest two sons and daughter-in-law and are experiencing those pangs of realization in everyday life of their absence. I have read more than one missionary biography in which a well-meaning Christian mother who was active in missionary support balked and resisted when it came to her son or daughter going to the mission field. I do not know if any of mine are called to the mission field yet, but I do not want to stand in the way of any of them doing whatever God’s will is for their lives out of a desire to keep them close to me.
If you have some family-friendly quotes you’d like to share, please leave the link to your “Week In Words” post (not just to your general blog) with Mr. Linky below. Of course, it is fine to just leave a quote in the comments section if you’d rather. I hope you’ll visit some of the other participants, too: this is a small enough meme so far that it is not hard to visit around with others who love to glean quotes from their reading as well.
(Mr. Linky is now closed for this post. Please see the newest Week In Words post to add links.)
The Week In Words Participants
| 1. bekahcubed | 2. e-Mom @ Chrysalis |
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Stray Thoughts 
Good Morning, Barbara! I subscribe to the E.E. daily devotional because you have mentioned it before. The very same quote that you highlighted today is the same one that spoke to me this week. I saved it for possible use in a ladies’ booklet! Am I starting to sound like a WBC LMF coordinator? 🙂 I am praying for you all as you continue to make the adjustments to a new home away from loved ones. Have a wonderful, profitable day!
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Growth requires change. That is wonderful and wrenching all at once. My prayers this week, in regard to your move, has have been mostly focused on your family’s emotional needs as you face and adjust to new realities, but even more so as you come to realize just what you will miss.
“Sometimes the very circumstance in our lives that we’re chafing against is the one God is using to work something necessary into our hearts and characters that we would not learn or develop any other way.”
So very true. If life were easy, I might not realize my need for God–and what a tragedy that would be for eternity.
Hi Barbara,
A little slow of the mark today. I realized my entire post about Susannah Wesley’s 16 Rules is a a quote (well, most of it.) I hope that qualifies for your meme.
Glad you’re getting settled in to your new home.
Your thoughts about being far from your children resonate with me and I can imagine this scenario so easily! “I have read more than one missionary biography in which a well-meaning Christian mother who was active in missionary support balked and resisted when it came to her son or daughter going to the mission field.” Our daughter and SIL are applying to the Navy… who knows where they’ll end up!
Blessings, e-Mom
Hi Barbara! So sweet of you to comment and link to my Washing the Feet post. As amazing as it might seem, I’ve been pondering my own words. It was an insight I’d not had until that conversation. Thank you for being a blessing!
Hi Barbara,
It’s lovely to hear from you.
Love this quote from your post:
“The best way of increasing our knowledge of God s infinite nature, is by the reverent study of His Word.” I think the operative word here is “reverent”.
I hope you have a productive time running your errands. 🙂
You’re doing a super job keeping up the blogging during this huge move. I can relate; however, after my two moves, I “crashed.” That’s why I’m blogging less often these days.
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