Heidi Vegh

"Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled." Titus 2:3-5

As a woman in this modern world, living up to the standard God wants us to adhere to can be challenging. However, if we intimately know God, we understand He knows our weaknesses and doesn't expect us to try and move through life in our power, but that is what we are bombarded with at every turn in this fallen and broken world. The world says, "Follow your heart; you got this. Work harder, be better, do this, buy that, and be this way, and then you will be happy and fulfilled." The world is a liar.

So, how do we live a life entirely devoted to Jesus amidst the constant barrage of information telling us we don't need God? How do we live set apart? How do we bring people to Jesus just by how we live? How do we live our lives entirely devoted to Jesus?

Let's look at Titus 2 for some clear direction. My goal is to give some practical steps to help us get to where God wants us to be as His followers.

Many believers carry guilt long after God has offered forgiveness. This prayer reminds us that conviction leads us toward Christ, while shame keeps us hidden. Through Jesus, we are invited to walk in freedom instead of condemnation.

Many of us carry emotional burdens that affect how we live, think, and relate to God. This prayer reminds us that through Christ we can surrender our pain and walk in freedom, peace, and restoration.

Following Jesus isn’t about grand gestures but the quiet, daily courage to choose His way over our own.

Time with God will never be wasted. Rest in that today.

The ugly reality of losing your person is hard enough. Then come the holidays. This time of the year plasters happiness and cheer all around us, but when you are deep in the valley of grief, the last thing you want to do is celebrate anything.

Watching people around us cheerfully bounce from one festive event to the next can create bitterness and resentment. It is a brutal reminder that we may be alone or that we are forced to muster up joyfulness when all we feel is pure sorrow.

It is normal to dread the holidays for many reasons. It may trigger you if the loss happened on or around a particular holiday. If you have fond memories of traditions, including your spouse, it may be dreadful because you may find yourself alone and not wanting to muster up any celebration with your spouse gone.

These are all valid reasons to dread the merriment. However, approaching the holidays with realistic expectations may help us cope with some of the more challenging days.

Here are a few things to think about as the holidays approach:

It is hard to surrender our most precious treasures and know that He will take delicate care of them.

Although He allowed tragedy to strike, He never left me forsaken.

God did not call us to something big only to leave us hanging. We can trust Him with each day, task, and notion to do things for Him. 

We see in the New Testament that Jesus held this tradition in high esteem and proceeded to place a high significance on sharing a meal throughout His ministry. We often find Him reclining at a table, fellowshipping with His people, and building authentic relationships.