The Thoughts of a Coffee Drinking Vessel

As I was in my quiet time the other day I started thinking about Ruth, Esther, and the Proverbs 31 woman. As a single woman I have always known the Proverbs 31 woman to be a married hard working woman. And that is true because it is in the Bible in the book of Proverbs 31 starting at verse 10. (Men you need to read Proverbs 31:1-9) What a lot women don't know is that the term "Virtuous Woman" is first found in Ruth 3:11. At the time she was not married to Boaz. She was still single and working in a field that was not common. She didn't own her own business yet. Then I thought of Esther. The king didn't know who she was until she was prepared and ready to be presented. I'm saying this to all the single women including myself: You can still be virtuous. You will at times have to work with integrity out of your comfort zone and for a while be okay with be hidden while you are being prepared and processed. You can be single and virtuous. You just have make the

Currently this is what has been getting me through. Necessary roughness is the Lord removing stuff from me that I don't need and that will hinder me. I call it this because it is rough but necessary. We can have a tendency to get comfortable in the wrong things, places, and people. It is actually more of an addiction because when we become separated from that wrong we start acting out, going through withdrawals, etc. If we want greater we need to let this "Necessary Roughness" do what it is assigned to do. Work out the kinks. We will never be perfect but we will become better. Listed below are some "Necessary Roughness" quotes. Hope they make sense to you sooner rather than later. And always remember what the Bible says.. " My suffering was good for me, for it taught me to pay attention to your decrees." -Psalm 119:71 (NLT) Rest well. Pay attention. - If you want to be a diamond you must be willing to be cut -If you want the best be willing