Having Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver

This is a thought provoking book that one can return to at different stages of one's life and find new nuggets of truth relevant to the ever changing needs that each season of our life brings. I took some time to get into the flow of the book because I am essentially not a Martha or "kitchen" type of person. I am far more comfortable with Mary in the "living room" and welcome the service that the Martha's around me offer!

I found the section in chapter 6 about kitchen service most helpful, and in particular this quote, "Service without spirituality is exhausting and hopeless. But in the same respect, spirituality without service is barren and selfish." This captures the whole issue of balancing the two as if they were two sides of a coin and must always be together in our lives.

I discovered the study at the end of the book when I had finished it (der????)-so perhaps you might like to use it as you read through it and really let the book work through you like yeast in dough. Jacqui

Reminder for the next "ACTIVATE" meeting

The details of the next meeting are as follows:

Date: Saturday, 6th September 2008.
Hostess: Ly P
Venue: ......
Time: 7.30pm

Val Cottee will be joining us at this meeting to share briefly with us some of her teachings on "Having a Mary heart in a Martha world". At this meeting, Heather West will be disclosing the next reading book. I’m sure she has something interesting in mind for us.

Thank you Ly for offering to host us.

Looking forward to seeing you all on Saturday.

God Bless.

Ope

Hadassah

Dear All,

Having heard about the book and not having read it, I have now done so in two nights. I really enjoyed it and it made me want to read Esther again with a new perspective, that I am in process of doing.

I am not yet started the new book and if anyone has already read it I would love to borrow their copy please. I am away for the next few days but back home Monday.

Thank you Paula for a lovely evening of laughter and fun at your house. I quite enjoyed the film although it was very sentimental and a bit naff in places!!

Nicky

Hello.......

Hello Ladies,

I hope you are all making the best out of this year's summer.

I just thought to see how everyone is doing and how the current reading book "Having a mary heart in a martha world has touched us individually.

I hope to see you all at the next meeting on Saturday the 6th of September at 7.30pm. It will be taking place at Ly's house. I will send out a reminder closer to the date.

Enjoy the week ahead and God bless you all.

Love,

Ope

Hello Ladies,

Ladies movie night on Friday 1st August 2008

Hello ladies,

I hope you are all in good health. Wish I could say the same for myself as I have been off work the past couple of days with cold, cough, migraine and fatigue. Hopefully, I should be back at work tomorrow.

This is just a reminder that we will be having our ladies movie night this Friday, 1st August 2008 at Paula Ridgway’s house to watch Hadassah – ‘One night with the king’. Time is 7pm prompt.

It will be nice if you can make it. Please let both myself and Paula know if you won’t be able to make it.

By the way, have we all picked up our copies of our current reading book – ‘Having a Mary Heart in a Martha world’ by Joanna Weaver. If you haven’t, I’ll like to encourage you to pick it up as soon as possible, as our discussion meeting for this book will be Saturday, 6th September. If you have any questions for discussion on this book, can you please post these on the blog, so as to kick start the brain storm session we will be having at the next meeting. Val Cottee will be joining us at the next meeting to share with us on her teaching on this topic.

See you all on Friday.

Stay blessed.

Ope

Preparation for our meeting to discuss Hadassah

Hello everyone.

This blog has really not been utilised very much, so my next entry will have some suggestions. as to how we can change that.

Hadassah by Tommy Tenney

I hope that everyone has had the opportunity to read this book in preparation for the meeting. I thought I would just ask a few questions to stir some responses.

• Did you find that you went to the source and read Esther alongside the book?
• How do you feel about the fiction aspects of the story?
• Tommy uses the swastika as a device to suggest a parallel with the Holocaust-did you find that this made you consider recent history in a different light?
• There is hardly any direct mention of God in the book of Esther- Does this validate a life spent as a faithful wife and servant of God?
  
• Do you feel there were parallels with Song of Songs?
  
• What did God say to you through reading the book?
• Have you read/listened to other Tommy Tenney materials? What is the one message that he preaches and comes through this book?
• Would you recommend this book to anyone else?
  

Please do share your thoughts, responses here or in person. Jacqui