Leah: The Unseen Hero in a Tale of Deception

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Leah, often overshadowed by the more dramatic figures in her story, stood as a beacon of resilience and faith. Innocent and unassuming, Leah found herself a pawn in the game of manipulation played by her father, Laban, and her eventual husband, Jacob. In a world where deceit was rampant, Leah’s quiet strength and determination to make the best of her circumstances were truly remarkable.

Despite her unfortunate situation, Leah’s heart remained pure. She was thrust into a marriage where love was scarce, but she never let bitterness consume her. Leah’s story is one of unyielding hope and faith. Through her sons, she sought to find her place and worth—Reuben (to be seen), Simeon (to be heard), and Levi (to feel attached). But it wasn’t until the birth of her fourth son, Judah, that Leah realized her true strength lay in her faith in God. She named him Judah, meaning “praise,” as she decided to focus on praising the God she had come to know deeply through her suffering.

Leah’s journey teaches us that names tell stories and that in the midst of abandonment and sorrow, turning to God can bring a profound sense of peace and purpose. Her story is a testament to God’s care for those who feel forgotten and overlooked.

Shalom 💖

Iamsosasmama

Indirect Unforgiveness

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From my Bible study this week, I was reminded once again of the importance of forgiveness. I took some time for self-reflection and asked the Holy Spirit to reveal any unforgiveness within me. Trust that when you ask for such things, especially when it concerns purifying your heart, you will receive an answer. From my experience, I feel that God responds swiftly to these prayers, especially when He knows that my intentions are genuine. After all, God knows everything about us.

During my reflection, I sensed the Holy Spirit exposing a form of indirect unforgiveness within me. Now, what does this mean? Indirect unforgiveness is like carrying a heavy backpack filled with unresolved issues, whether from the past or present. In my own case, as I reflected further, I realized that I might be harboring some unresolved hurt against those who have harmed the people I love dearly.

This isn’t the first time I’ve prayed about this. Letting go of someone or people who have hurt you is a continuous process, which is why Jesus told Peter to forgive “seventy times seven” (Matthew 18:22).

Now that I’ve shared my story of unforgiveness, let me encourage you to do some reflection as well. Don’t be quick to assume you are free of unforgiveness. You may unknowingly be carrying some form of indirect unforgiveness. Remember, forgiveness frees you in more ways than you can imagine, and we are called to forgive because Christ Jesus forgave us.

Shalom,

Iamsosasmama

Nurturing the Inner Child: Crafting and connecting with God.

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One of my goals for this year was to blog more, which led me to commit to publishing a blog post weekly. To help with this, I set up a reminder and have been consistently meeting my goal. To God be the glory. However, when today’s reminder came up, I realized I had nothing prepared and, honestly, I didn’t feel like writing. Then I remembered I had planned to try out a craft idea from the end of the first week’s Bible study guide that we just started in the women’s fellowship at my church. So, I got to work, allowing my inner child to have fun creating while also memorizing a memory verse. You could say I was spending time with God as well.

After I finished, I felt good, and the worries about not meeting my to-do list for the day were minimized. Interestingly, in my profession, I emphasize the importance of self-care and self-compassion to my clients, yet today, I struggled to extend the same kindness to myself. How ironic.

If I may extend this olive branch, what is one thing you have done for yourself today? Slow down, take a deep breath, and smell the roses as you take in the view of God’s beautiful creation, or do as I did and work on some crafts. Remember, you are enough, and you can only pour from a cup that is overflowing. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day.

Shalom,

Sosasmama

A  believer’s heart for the lost in a sinful world.

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Studying Genesis 18 and seeing how Abraham, a close friend of God, humbly negotiated with God about people he barely knew was both fascinating and challenging to me as a believer. There are many lessons to glean from this chapter, but today, I am choosing to focus on the life of Abraham’s nephew, Lot.

Initially, observing Abraham’s negotiation with God, I thought it was primarily because of his concern for his nephew. However, as the number of righteous individuals Abraham negotiated for dropped to ten and he stopped, I began to wonder what might have been on his mind. Although God would have granted Abraham’s request had he continued, why did Abraham stop at ten? What thoughts were running through his mind?

While studying, I considered that Abraham might have been disappointed in Lot for not winning souls outside his family, seeing that only Lot and his family were saved in the end. Was Lot simply watching people sin, going about their business without intervening? Or did he try to call for repentance, but no one responded?

Then I came across 2 Peter 2:7-9. Reading this passage allowed me to see things from Lot’s perspective. His heart bled for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah. Just being among them was already torturous for his soul. I bet he tried several times to preach to these people, not just when he attempted to protect the angelic beings in Genesis 19. Hence, God saved only Lot and his family.

Why does Lot’s story resemble Noah’s story so much? (Just my wandering thoughts.)

I can see why our world and communities today can seem like Lot’s and Noah’s, and why our hearts bleed for lost souls. It is my prayer that we don’t give up praying or grow weary in reaching out to souls within our spheres of influence. Whatever you’re doing to advance the kingdom, keep at it. The Lord knows and has a plan for how He will protect those who are truly His. It is my prayer and desire that we all genuinely change our ungodly ways, turn to our Maker with all sincerity, and not harden our hearts.

Shalom,

Sosasmama 💝

Echoes of Babel: The Heart’s Silent Rebellion

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Throughout history, humanity has continually asserted its independence from God. While our lips may profess one thing, our hearts often reveal another. Consider the story of those who attempted to construct the Tower of Babel. Their actions not only demonstrated their disobedience to God’s command to populate the earth (Genesis 9:11), but also their lack of trust in God’s promise to never again flood the world. How do we know this? The materials chosen for their construction—a waterproof tower—betrayed their true intentions: they sought protection against future calamities.

Reflecting on this, I must admit that I, too, have acted like the people of Babel. There’s no need to ask God to show me when and how; I know it in my heart. My hope and prayer is that we learn to fully surrender and trust in His promises.

Shalom,

Sosasmama