Be a Woman of the Word - Joanna Shumaker

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path." Psalm 119:105

One of my earliest memories of my mother is looking down the stairs and seeing her in the rocking chair, reading her Bible. One day I picked it up and saw all the marks beside each chapter. I asked her what they were and she said each mark represented a time she’d read the chapter. I was amazed by the number of marks beside each one. Besides spending time with God, she said reading her Bible gave her guidance and help for living her life.

Naturally, I grew up with the confidence that if I, too, read His Word, I would find the guidance and help I needed. My mother’s devotion to God’s Word made an indelible impression on my young mind.

As we deal with the pressures of marriage, parenting, career, and relationships, our Bible reading often goes by the wayside. Yet, it is the very encouragement we need to thrive during this time of life. The book of Proverbs is full of passages that encourage us to follow God’s principles. Peter encourages us to desire the Word in our lives the same way a newborn desires his milk. It’s in this book, we see that the desire for God’s Word is in response to seeing the goodness of the Father. One of the best ways to “see” the goodness of God is to remember His goodness to us. It drives us back to the Word to look for more of Him.

Romans encourages us to transform our lives by renewing our mind. What better place to renew our minds and keep our lives on track than reading the very words of God?

In the crazy, busyness of life, remember to make the Word of God a frequent part of your life. It will give you teaching, correction, and training as you navigate this journey. It will keep you coming back for more insight, perspective, and guidance. The word is a lamp unto our feet.

Light your path with it every day.

Joanna Shumaker is a writer and free lance photographer. She is published by two other online magazines, Catapult Magazine and Internet Café Devotions. She is also published in Faith and Finances: In God We Trust and her soon-to-be released book, Renewing Your Spirit – 30 Devotions of Renewal for Women. She and her husband have been married for nineteen years and have two children. Her heart’s desire is to encourage women to read God’s Word to find purpose for the present and hope for the future. You can see her message of hope on her blog at http://www.renewingyourspirit.wordpress.com/ Read Joanna's devotions.

Learning to Rest - Joanna Shumaker

“Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest awhile.” Mark 6:31

Sometimes we have a hard time balancing kids, house, work and church while still taking care of our own needs. In the midst of our busy lives and meeting everyone else’s needs, how do we take time for ourselves?

When I was in college, a professor counseled me on a decision I had to make to be involved in yet another activity on campus. As I gave him my list of pros and cons in regard to the decision, he looked at me and said, “When do you take time for yourself? If you burn yourself out, then you cannot serve God anyway.”

This was not the response I expected. I thought to serve God was to “burn out for Jesus.” Take time for myself? Wouldn’t that be selfish? He showed me passage after passage where God set an example for us to take time to rest. This was the beginning of a “theology of rest” in my life.

Although “being busy” is not a category all women are in, most of us still need to take time for ourselves and rest our spirits. The best example is God, who rested on the 7th day of creation. Jesus set the example for us in the book of Mark when he instructed the disciples to “come away by yourself to a secluded place and rest awhile.”

Jesus also couples resting with time spent with God. After a busy day of ministry, Jesus went to a secluded place, by himself and prayed. His example is a great reminder for us to set aside time away from everyone and everything else to be with Him—renew our spirits.

As we learn to rest and be with God, we teach our children that to maintain a relationship with God does not necessarily mean being busy ministering to others or serving in church. They will see that relationship comes from being with Him, praying to Him, and resting in Him.

Are you tired? Insert time with Christ. You will find rest in His arms.


Joanna Shumaker is a writer and free lance photographer. She is published by Catapult Magazine, and Internet Café Devotions. She has written two Ladies Bible Studies entitled, Renewing Your Spirit and The Strong Woman’s Guide to a Meek and Quiet Spirit. She lives with her husband of nineteen years, and two children. Her heart’s desire is to encourage women in their mid-life with help and hope for the future through God’s message of hope.

Peace Be Still -- Joanna Shumaker

“…and the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your heart and mind.” Ephesians 4:25

The silence is deafening, and then the humming and clicking of the MRI machine starts. It surrounds me. I closed my eyes so that I didn’t feel the enveloping space I was in. I felt the panic come when I realized that on my own, I could not get out. I was left to the mercy of others, and hoped they were compassionate enough to get me out, if I could not breathe.

And then …a still small voice whispered, “Peace, be still, for I am with you.” And the calm that came from those simple words overcame the fear of that tight, small space that held me captive. The air became lighter and I saw the beauty that surrounded me. Through the small round opening at the end of the tube, I saw the sunlight streaming through the window. A group of green plants filled the room with growth and life. I was at peace when moments before I was in fear.

God has an amazing way of calming our hearts. He is the peace that surpasses all understanding. And if we focus on whatever is true, just, right, and holy, He promises to calm our mind and heart. Through the adversity and trials of life, you can count on him to be the still, small voice that keeps you calm. Even when circumstances surround you and overwhelm you, making it hard to breathe, He is there.

Go to Him, rest in His arms and listen for His voice as He whispers His presence to you.

Joanna Shumaker is a writer, photographer, and tutor. She has been published by Catapult Magazine. She has written two Ladies Bible Studies entitled, “Renewing Your Spirit” and “The Strong Woman’s Guide to a Meek and Quiet Spirit” which she hopes to publish soon. She and her husband have been married for 19 years and have 2 children. Her heart’s desire is to encourage women in their mid-life with help and hope for their future from God’s Word. http://www.renewingyourspirit.wordpress.com/

Little Faith, Big God - Joanna Shumaker

"… for your Heavenly Father knows that you are in need of all these things.” Matthew 6:32b

$10,000! Letters and phone calls from the hospital collections department demanded we pay immediately. I was struggling to make sense of the insurance forms, hospital and doctor bills, while recovering from a major surgery. We’d fought the insurance company to pay over $500,000 in bills and I wondered why we still had to fight them for the remainder, seemingly small in comparison.

We began to pray, asking God to intervene and take charge of this situation. A month later, our answer came in the mail—a letter from college friends who’d heard about my surgery and our financial struggle to meet the medical bills. Their kindness led them to send us the gift of prayer and an envelope with a check for $10,000. God had provided.

I could just hear the Father saying, “O what little faith you have! Did you forget that I know all these things and will care for you?” In my Bible, Matthew 6 is appropriately titled, “The cure for anxiety.” God gives us all the hope we need in that one small section of the Bible. He shows us how small our cares and worries are in comparison to His care and supply for us. Whether it’s money or material goods, God can provide these things, just as He takes care of all His Creation.

If you are struggling with anxiety over medical bills, house payments, future plans, or strained family relationships, God gives hope and peace in this short passage of Scripture that will calm the heart and turn your focus toward Him. Just as He took me into His Hands, He’ll take you as well. Look for the ways God shows His care for you everyday, then trust Him to take care of all the rest.

Joanna Shumaker is a writer, photographer, and tutor. She has been published by Catapult Magazine. She has written two Ladies Bible Studies entitled, “Renewing Your Spirit” and “The Strong Woman’s Guide to a Meek and Quiet Spirit” which she hopes to publish soon. She and her husband have been married for 19 years and have 2 children. Her heart’s desire is to encourage women in their mid-life with help and hope for their future from God’s Word. http://www.renewingyourspirit.wordpress.com/

Half-a-Mind to Love God - Joanna Shumaker

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind." Luke 10:27

We journey through life with expectations and dreams, always hoping for better, or at least, less heartbreak than the next person. What we find in our journey is the exact opposite. In fact, all of us end up with tragedy of differing sorts and intensities. We find that we are not “blessed” with health, wealth and good fortune, even though we have followed God. We instead seem to be put through trial after trial. We feel the loss of what “could have been”.

I felt this loss, keenly, when I experienced a medical crisis. Diagnosed with a brain tumor the size of a lemon, I was losing my memory, sleeping through the day, having severe headaches—unable to cope with everyday life. I had surgery to remove it and during the subsequent recovery, I battled with the “why” of my circumstances. I had followed God wholeheartedly my whole life. Why wasn’t I being blessed? Why, instead, was I being given hardship?

The hows and whys of difficult times are tough questions we all ask. I’m not sure we ever fully understand the mind of God but I looked to my faith for the answers and comfort I couldn’t find elsewhere. How would I work through a serious illness that left me less than the person I was before? How would I piece my life back together after a crumbling marriage and remain faithful? Somehow, the easy answer of “God will get you through,” although a true statement, didn’t seem to help.

What I found was, when I could no longer do anything to serve Christ or help others, I learned what being in a relationship with Him meant. It’s not doing everything right for God. It’s being in a relationship with him that is the key to a satisfying, blessed life. My focus turned toward loving God with all my heart and seeking His face, instead of doing things for God with all my heart, and hoping for a reward.

The more my focus drew to a relationship with Him, the closer my walk became, the stronger my ability to cope developed. I learned to love God fully.

The next time I've got “half-a-mind” to do something, it won’t be so hard. Invite Him in—love Him with all your heart, soul and mind.

Joanna Shumaker is a writer, photographer, and tutor. She has been published by Catapult Magazine. She has written two Ladies Bible Studies entitled, “Renewing Your Spirit” and “The Strong Woman’s Guide to a Meek and Quiet Spirit” which she hopes to publish soon. She and her husband have been married for 19 years and have 2 children. Her heart’s desire is to encourage women in their mid-life with help and hope for their future from God’s Word. http://www.renewingyourspirit.wordpress.com/

Walking with Our Children - Joanna Shumaker

"Avoiding anger in your discipline, bring your children up in the training and instruction of the Lord.” Ephesians 6:4

As my daughter and son argued with each other in the back yard, I yelled at them for yelling at each other. I called them in and sent them to their rooms to think about using gracious words and not harmful words.

A little while later, I went in to talk to them and my daughter reminded me "but Mom, you said to be gracious with each other, but you were yelling at us."

I was tempted to say, "Do what I say, not what I do!" Because I'd been worried about what people would think if they saw my children fighting I had failed to keep my tongue and mind my thoughts.

When it comes to children, our fear factor goes off the charts. We are innate nurturers and we are the single most influential factor in our childrens' lives. We naturally feel responsible for their actions and attitudes. Our fear of embarrassment when our children misbehave, often pushes us to be demanding and harsh, rather than patient and kind.

It's a great responsibility to "bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord", but we must not let our pride get in the way of the process, realizing they are a gift from God, and not objects to be cajoled and controlled into making us look good as parents. We are to walk with them, not behind them directing their every move for fear of their mistakes. As we go throughout our life, we are to teach them as we interact with them and become part of their lives. We must avoid dealing with our children out of fear and instead deal with them in the spirit of grace. Find ways to show grace to your children and walk with them. Teach them to have the mind of Christ and heart of God.

Joanna Shumaker is a writer, photographer, and tutor. She has been published by Catapult Magazine. She has written two Ladies Bible Studies entitled, “Renewing Your Spirit” and “The Strong Woman’s Guide to a Meek and Quiet Spirit” which she hopes to publish soon. She and her husband have been married for 19 years and have 2 children. Her heart’s desire is to encourage women in their mid-life with help and hope for their future from God’s Word. http://www.renewingyourspirit.wordpress.com/