WHAT TO EXPECT ON THE THISTLEBEND BLOOM BLOG
Bloom! is a personal look into a few women’s lives as they participate in Thistlebend studies and follow the Lord as He tills their hearts. May you be encouraged as you experience the tilling, the Lord is doing in your own heart!
The Lie of Performance
by Susan Sampson God loves us not because of our performance but because of our position in Christ. I have spent a lifetime trying to earn love by being good enough. It is a lie to think we could ever be good enough. Paul says in Romans 7:18, “I know that nothing good lives in […]
This Tree
by Susan Sampson We want to be that tree planted by streams of water. It is the living water that causes fruit to grow and leaves to not wither in seasons of drought. This living water is God’s Word. How can we be this tree? By delighting ourselves in the Lord and His Word. Ladies, […]
Why Are We… ?
by Susan Sampson So why are we doing this study? Why are we going through the process of asking God to search our hearts? Because of the Gospel. It is the Gospel that enables us to do this. We can’t see apart from the Gospel. This study is not about getting it right. We are […]
How Can We… ?
by Susan Sampson How can we be committed and consistent in prayer? How can we be humbly dependent upon prayer? How can we pray with boldness and confidence? How can we labor in prayer for ourselves and others? ONLY IN CHRIST AND THROUGH CHRIST. Christ is our only Hope and our only Help. And yet […]
Delighting in God’s Word
by Angie Thomas Our lecture notes said, “You are blessed! Be blessed! Be a blessing! Delight yourself in the Law of the Lord and meditate upon it day and night! Walk, stand and sit in the way of the Lord!” Such powerful truths from Psalm 1! The Lord has really convicted my heart that I […]
Oneness with the Lord
by Susan Sampson I was so thankful when Laurie reminded us of the goal of our study. What are we doing? The goal is for our hearts to be one with God. We want our hearts to be changed from sinful to Spirit-filled! How is this possible? Is it even possible? Yes! “But Jesus looked […]
The Roots
by Susan Sampson This week’s lecture was an answer to prayer in helping me see my sin as God sees it. When Laurie drew the tree on the white board she was labeling it with my sinful fruit in trying to work harder to be more perfect or okay and in feeling cranky because I […]
Repentance
by Susan Sampson As I read the devotion from Lesson 7, I was struck by the simple definition of the Gospel, “Not I, but Christ.” This is why we need to repent. As Laurie said in the lecture, “that’s repentance — NO LONGER YOU.” True repentance does not lead to an ongoing indulgence of self. […]
The Reason for Weakness
by Susan Sampson May I begin by confessing to you all that if it were not my job to send out the weekly email, I might not take the time to listen to the lecture online. This is a hugely busy time with my daughter’s high school registration, school supplies, uniforms, back to school day, […]