Author Archives: Shelley Linn Johnson

Israel Trip, Days 1-2 (June 2, 2014—June 3, 2014) For a girl who hasn’t spent much time in airports, it was a day full of them! Four, in fact. Each one different from the other in so many ways. Oklahoma was quiet. It was early morning. And, believe it or not, OKC is pretty smallContinueContinue reading “Traveling to Israel”

Anticipation. We plan. We wait. We feel like we JUST CAN’T WAIT… And then it’s here. The day we’ve been waiting for has finally arrived. Whether it’s Christmas or a big trip, the Eve before the Big Day is filled with anticipation, excitement, and usually a long list of “to do’s.” Tonight is no different forContinueContinue reading “Twas the Night Before Israel”

Cross Carry — The Final Chapter Funny how we can do a small thing faithfully over time till we realize we’ve accomplished much — like this book! We’ve met here once a week for thirteen weeks. We’ve been faithful to do a chapter a week; we’ve done well to do every part and now weContinueContinue reading “Girls with Swords Chapter 14”

Sword of Forgiveness and Restoration The Sword of Silence we yield, keeping it in its scabbard but at the ready. The Sword of Forgiveness and Restoration we lay aside altogether. It is one thing to have a sword and refuse to draw it, and quite another to have no sword at all. (Fencing Manual, p. 169)ContinueContinue reading “Girls with Swords Chapter 13”

Sword of Silence Seated around the table, books opened, we all laughed that uncomfortable snicker as we looked at the title of this chapter. Sword. Of. Silence. Maybe we already knew this sword would be one of the hardest to wield. Turns out…we don’t wield it all. Yup. This is going to be hard! TheContinueContinue reading “Girls with Swords Chapter 12”

Sword of Light This week we pick up two more swords. The first is the Sword of Light. Our challenge and promise: Our Jesus is the light at the end of a very long and dark tunnel, and when we see Him, we will be like Him. (Fencing Manual, p. 132) The dark tunnel isContinueContinue reading “Girls with Swords Chapters 10 & 11”

Sword of the Harvest Girls with swords, we are armed! And the first sword we’re to learn about is the Sword of the Harvest. It’s important to think a bit on what “harvest” means so that we can apply that to this week’s weapon. Harvest. The gathering of crops. A supply of anything gathered atContinueContinue reading “Girls with Swords Chapter 9”

Sword Words The saber we’ve been entrusted to bear is not lifted with our hands, it is raised by our words. We speak the Word of God as a weapon heard long before it is ever seen. (p. 121) Words. The longer I live, the more power I realize they have. Bill Hybels, in hisContinueContinue reading “Girls with Swords Chapter 8”

Forging a SwordHard times don’t create heroes. It is during the hard times when the “hero” within us is revealed.–Bob RileyAnd that’s how to start a chapter like this one!I think it’s safe to say that most women don’t see themselves as heroes, so it might be easy to breeze over a quote like thisContinueContinue reading “Girls with Swords Chapter 7”

Becoming a WarriorWe have had such a progression so far in our study…identifying ourselves not as victims but targets, to recognizing ourselves a heroes on a battleground, and acknowledging the Cross as a sword. We are chosen.Now we move into Part Two: Trained. We’re ready to enter that battlefield, and Lisa would have us enterContinueContinue reading “Girls with Swords Chapter 6”