One More Chance

By: Jenifer Metzger

Because of the Lord’s faithful

love we do not perish, for His

mercies never end. They are

new every morning; great is

Your faithfulness! I say, “The

Lord is my portion, therefore

I will put my hope in Him.”

Lamentations 3:22-24 CSB

My five year old grandson is the oldest between he and his brother as well as the oldest among his cousins on both sides of his family. Because of this, he often thinks he knows best and is in charge. I'm an oldest child and grandchild so I get it. This morning his two year old cousin was doing something he shouldn't and while I was correcting him, big cousin jumped in and said, "Grammie, he gets another chance. God gives us one more chance." Well, how can I argue with that!?

The truth is, God doesn't just give us one more chance. God is so patient and kind with us, He is full of grace toward us, He gives us new mercies every single day.

What should we say then? Should

we continue in sin so that grace may

multiply? Absolutely not! How can

we who died to sin still live in it?

Romans 6:1-2 CSB 

Now, just because of God's kindness and grace, that doesn't mean we get to simply keep on sinning. We repent -we ask forgiveness and turn away from that sin- and strive to not continue in the sin. If we do mess up, if we do fall, we can be sure of God's forgiving grace and new mercies. But we once we repent, we die to that sin, and like Paul said, how can we die in it, yet keep doing it?

God gives us second chances out of His deep love for us and His desire that we live for Him. He doesn't keep on giving us chances so that we can keep on sinning. Sin has consequences and when we continue to live in sin, we will suffer the consequences. So we can be thankful for His mercies, His "one more chance" but still strive to live right with Him.

Let's praise God for His new mercies every day, for His gracious second chances, but let's work toward walking away from our sins and living in righteousness with God.

Discussion:
1. Think of a time you experienced God's second chances in your life.
2. Now think of something in your life that you have been leaning on those extra chances and need to fully repent from.

Names of God Series: Nourished by the Bread of Life

 By: Rebekah Hargraves 

Photo Courtesy of: James Coleman

“I am the bread of life,” Jesus told them. “No one who comes to me will ever be hungry, and no one who believes in me will ever be thirsty again."

~John 8:35

In our study of the names of God, we come next to another name Jesus ascribes to Himself - the name "The Bread of Life", singling for us the fact that Jesus provides us with spiritual nourishment and satisfies our deepest soul-level needs.

Just as we so often turn to junk food as opposed to good, nutrient-dense nourishing bread and wonder why it is we do not feel healthy or satisfied, so, too, we so often make it our habit to turn to anything and everything but Jesus for deep soul-satisfaction - Netflix, earthly relationships, social media, various addictions, etc. - and still wonder why we are not soul-satisfied at the deepest level.

 The reasoning is the same behind both ailments. There is a way of eating that truly nourishes our bodies, and there likewise is a way of looking to and relying on Jesus to meet our needs that truly satisfies our souls and spirits.

When we think about Jesus as being our Bread of Life and ponder the spiritual implications thereof, it can be helpful to first think of the implications for our bodies of eating nourishing bread.

Bread strengthens us. Without eating, our bodies perish. And even without eating just one meal or two here or there, we already begin to feel the effects. The same is true when we eat food that is less than healthy. We feel weak, lethargic, and exhausted. The same is true for us spiritual when we do not rely on Jesus to meet the needs of our spiritual life. We become weak, lethargic, complacent, spiritually tired, and unable to fight back against the attacks and temptations of the enemy.

Bread also nourishes us, providing us with the vitamins and minerals we need to be healthy and full of vitality. Jesus, too, provides us with everything we need, in Himself, for us to be healthy and full of vitality spiritually. Peter attests to this in 2 Peter 1:3, "His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."

Do you need to be spiritually healthy, whole, and strong? Do you feel you are lacking something spiritually? Then turn to Jesus, your Bread of Life.

Reflection Questions:

1) What does it mean for you that Jesus is your Bread of Life?

2) What aspect of bread and its benefit to our bodies most stands out to you in terms of how Jesus Himself fills that need?

3) Have you been looking to Jesus to be your Bread of Life? Why or why not? How can you begin to do that today if you haven't made it a habit before?

Don't Grow Weary

 By: Joanne Viola

 

We have just come through the season of Advent. The time of waiting.

We wait for twenty five days with expectation, in anticipation, of what is to come. And we know at the end of our wait, we are reminded of the birth of Jesus.

Advent reminds us that we don’t like to wait.

The dictionary defines “waiting” as: “to remain stationary in readiness or expectation” (from merriam-webster.com).

The mere definition implies a position of being stuck; having to stay in one place longer than we would like.

None of us enjoy being stuck, feeling as if we cannot move or change our position or circumstances.

Yet Advent reminds us each year of the important role which waiting plays in our journey with the Lord.

“Let us not lose heart in doing good, 
for in due time we will reap 
if we do not grow weary.” 
(Galatians 6:9, NASB)

Advent also reminds us of our God who holds all of our times in His hands.

“But when the fullness of the time came, 
God sent forth His Son, born of a woman …” 
(Galatians 4:4, NASB)

“The fullness of time”. Some versions word this as:

• “But when the set time had fully come…” (NIV)
• “But when the right time came…” (NLT) 
• “But when the proper time had fully come…” (AMPC)
• “When the time came to completion…” (HCSV) 
• “But when the appropriate time had come…” (NET) 

Look at the wording, “Let us..”. As he was writing Galatians, Paul was speaking to himself as well as everyone for all of time. He knew what it was to face challenging and painful circumstances. He was encouraging himself as well as all of us to persevere as we wait.

As we trust God each day, we find strength for each day. We are not to grow weary, nor lose heart, but continue to do good knowing God is working out His plan and purposes.

The wait is over and yet, in actuality,
it will never be over until the Lord returns.
Paul’s message to us all is really a simple one: “Don’t quit!”

 

Reflection: 
What are you yet waiting for? What can you do to encourage yourself, and perhaps others, not grow weary?

 

Image by Susanne Stöckli from Pixabay

 

 

 

Merry Christmas!

From all of us at Woman to Woman Ministries,
we wish you a blessed and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

So that our writers can focus on their families this holiday season, we will be taking a two week break from the blog. We will be back on Monday, January 5, 2026. In the meantime, we will still be active on social media and invite you to follow along.

 

Why We Need a Nativity Set

By: Lauren Thomas 

Christmas décor trends come and go. This year, it’s all about “Ralph Lauren Christmas.” I’m also seeing a lot of paper chains and a focus on DIY décor. But ironically, both of these trends have to do with timeless Christmas decorating. And what is more timeless than a beloved nativity set? 

As a child, one of my favorite parts of decorating for Christmas was getting to set up and arrange our Precious Moments nativity set. I remember delicately handling the rough, unglazed porcelain. I remember imagining the scene and story. I remember the reverence I had for the pieces, specifically, the tiny manger holding the baby Jesus.

A couple years ago, I was on the hunt for a nativity set for my family. Somehow, between thrifting one and being gifted two, I ended up with three sets! None of these sets were what I would have selected for myself at a store. They aren’t aesthetic. They aren’t fancy. But they fulfill an important function.

 

And what is that function?

 

Nativity sets are great teaching aids! When decorating this year, my 7-year-old daughter asked if she could arrange the pieces. We talked about each piece and how they are representative of the Biblical accounts of Jesus’ birth. If you have young children at home, you need an inexpensive set that they are allowed to touch. My 2-year-old likes to pick up the manger. I teach him the importance of being gentle – not with an heirloom figurine – but with the Christ-child in a manger. It’s a step toward teaching him reverence for the Lord.

 

But a nativity set isn’t just for teaching my children. My nativity set teaches my heart. It teaches my heart to remember. When I look at our Christmas tree – warm white lights, a woodland theme with gold accents – I think of the holiday. But when I see our nativity, I remember Christmas. I slow down and contemplate what each piece symbolizes. And what that means for me.

 

This year I am struck by the variety of people to whom God chose to reveal His son’s birth: Mary – a young and humble girl; shepherds – social outcasts, smelly, dirty, rough; wisemen – Gentiles that God nevertheless included. And I am reminded that the favor God showed toward these unlikely individuals, he also shows to me: a Savior has been born for me.

 

10 And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. 12 And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.”

Luke 2:10-12 ESV

 

So, when I see a figurine of a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger, it is a sign that good news of great joy is for me too. And this reminding, this teaching for the heart, is why we need a nativity set.

 

Reflection:

Do you have any special memories attached to a nativity set?

If you have a nativity set at home – and I hope you do! – go sit near it and contemplate Christ’s birth. Put yourself in the sandals of each piece, there to witness the miracle. What might each person have been thinking, feeling?