Welcome!

Welcome to Hope Today Cafe!! This blog is inspired by God so that its contents may bring you hope and inspiration.
This blog has been in my heart for many months, but every time I felt God nudging me to write it, I allowed fear to creep in and whisper, "What makes you think you can do this?" But yesterday morning, the nudging was so strong and lasted all day that I couldn't ignore it any longer and I'm reminded of the verse in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
I signed up for a Bible study and this week was the first lesson. I've done alot of other Bible studies, mostly Kay Arthur Precept Upon Precept studies which are very good, in-depth studies that I learned alot in. But when my friend, Lori, asked me if I was interested in going with her to this study, the title wasn't even out of her mouth and I knew I was in. It's called, "Bad Girls of the Bible, and What We Can Learn from Them" written by Liz Curtis Higgs. Seriously, who can resist a title like that? We all can relate to this, right? Well, at least my female readers can, but I know our male counterparts have somewhere along the line, met a bad girl or two (or three, okay, I'll stop there).
The study is broken down into 10 chapters with each chapter concentrating on one of the Bible's best-known femme fatales. First up, is the First Lady of the Bible, Eve! The author first introduces us to Evie - a modern day Eve in a more modern setting. To make a long chapter short, and at the risk of sounding like I'm writing a book report, here's my summation...
Evie is in her father's garden located in the Historic District of Savannah, Georgia. She's about to have her "coming out" ball and become engaged to her one true love, Adam. The garden is filled with such wonderful plants, flowers, fruit trees, as well as a Spanish moss-covered gazebo that she is forbidden by her father to enter - ever!! Well, I know what you're thinking, and you're absolutely right! On the night of her ball, after dancing herself into a sweat, Evie ventures out into the garden in her white silk gown and new silk dancing flats to wait for Adam to bring her a snack. While she waits, she hears, "Pssst! Here, Evelyn." She turns to find herself "nose-to-boutonniere with a man dressed in the most elegant evening clothes. Not white tails though (as it was an all white ball), but black." His name is Devin, and he wears a "sleek black tuxedo with a silvery gray vest, cravat, and dress gloves, crowned with a black silk hat." What happens next doesn't come as a shock to any of us. The mystery man lures our innocent Evie into the gazebo by convincing her that her father really didn't mean she would be cut off if she's discovered there. The lustful liar doesn't stop there, he kisses Evie (who has never been kissed) and that's it for her. A whole new lustful world has opened up and she can't wait to share what she experienced with Adam. When Adam comes to the garden, of course he's shocked to find where she is, but she quickly shows him what she learned and they throw all caution to the wind. Now, this is a Bible study, so only shirt buttons are undone before Evie's father catches them...
If that section of the first chapter isn't entertaining enough, the author goes on to analyze the true Garden of Eden events using humor and up-to-date examples that are easily relatable. What we can learn from Eve is the following:
1. Don't get into a debate with Satan - get out!! "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." (James 4:7).
2. Know God's Word so you won't be fooled. "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." (Psalm 119:11).
3. Watch out for the Big Three. "For everything in the world - the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes, and the boasting of what he has and does - comes not from the Father but from the world." (1 John 2:16)
4. Let's avoid the blame game. "Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God - through Jesus Christ our Lord!" (Romans 7:24-25).
Next week, Potiphar's Wife.
If you'd like to follow along each week using the book, you can purchase it at Amazon.com or check at your local bookstore.
It's not my intent to write a book report each week, but to share some of the highlights of this truly entertaining and enlightening study. If you live in the Cranberry Twp/Economy Boro, PA area and would like to join the study group, email me at matoteks@comcast.net.
Thought for the week: God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. (paraphrased from the New Living Translation Bible).
Be sure to bookmark or add this site to your Favorites and check back on Thursdays so you can check up on what our "Bad Girls" are doing as well as on Mondays when the posts will be...well, only God knows. I'll also be adding new things often while I'm building this site for the glory of God!!