Simply 'a woman who fears the Lord'

Written by Eric Sterner and posted at Journal of the American Revolution : "The military stores in Ebenezer Zane’s house were achingly close, but still too far to easily reach without passing through a long gauntlet of hostile warriors, soldiers, and gunfire. The fort’s defenders held a council and decided that one of them should run the gauntlet to retrieve gunpowder from Zane’s house. The colonel’s younger sister, Elizabeth Zane, volunteered. When some objected that a man could make the trip with less risk, she allegedly replied, 'and should he fall, his loss will be more severely felt. You have not one man to spare; a woman will not be missed in the defence of the fort.'[21] The men agreed. She removed clothing that would slow her down, then charged out of the fort when the gates were opened. Her gender reportedly stunned the attackers, who did not feel compelled to attack a woman. They may not have realized the purpose of her dash. Reaching the cabin, Ebene...

By Angela Wittman Q. 1. What is the chief and highest end of man? A. Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever. ( Westminster Larger Catechism )  Due to recent deaths in our family and the natural progression of age and (hopefully) maturity, my husband and I recently had a conversation about planning for our eventual deaths. As we discussed how to best protect our sons inheritance by hiring an estate lawyer, etc., we also began talking about what type of funerals we wanted. My husband is an outdoors man - he wants his ashes spread on his favorite hunting spot - yes, really! I'm somewhat of a history buff, so I want a traditional grave site that's easy for future generations to find and document my birth and death. As I expressed my pragmatic desire, my husband responded with telling me I didn't need a physical marker because I was leaving a huge "digital footprint." This observation by my husband got me to thinkin...

Jesse (Jay) Somers - Early to mid 1950's. By Angela Wittman People often talk about standing for righteousness, but here is a story of my father literally taking a seat for what is right and good. Dad entered the Air Force in March of 1953 at the young age of 17 years. He tells the story of how hard it was for him to find work in his hometown of Poplar Bluff, Missouri, at the time. Prospective employers would tell him that they feared he would be drafted to serve in the Korean War when he turned 18 in July and didn't think it wise to hire him. So, Dad decided to join the Air Force instead of waiting for the draft. Dad was soon sent to a facility in Texas via a public bus. He remembers finding a seat in the very back and proceeded to relax and catch up on his sleep. Dad remembers crossing into Arkansas where public transportation was segregated at the time. He tells of hearing the bus driver announce that all blacks were to move to the back of the bus. Dad stayed in ...

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us... (Hebrews 12:1 KJV) By Angela Wittman Her name was Margaret and she was a simple housewife when I met her in 1994. I was a new babe in Christ - zealous for good works and had attended a local Right to Life meeting. I remember Margaret bursting into the room where we met and volunteering to deliver pro-life voters guides to area churches. I sat there staring in amazement at this middle aged woman who had the energy and enthusiasm of a teenager. She smiled and laughed with glee as she hurried out the door on her quest to advance righteousness in our little community. Little did I know that the Lord had chosen this woman to be my spiritual mother and Christian role model.  In 1995 I stepped out in faith and ran for a position on our local government s...

By Bill Hornbeck - Posted at Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions: God “raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” – “Set your mind on the things above” Today’s devotion comes from John 20:11-18. “But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she *saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. And they *said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She *said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.” When she had said this, she turned around and *saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus *said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she *said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” Jesus *said to her, “Mary!” She turn...

By Angela Wittman And certain women, which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary called Magdalene, out of whom went seven devils...Luke 8:2 KJV Yesterday I had a brief discussion on Facebook regarding sin and redemption found in Christ. The conversation got me to thinking about my past and what a wretch I was (and still am) without Christ. Who on earth (or in Heaven) do we, the Lord's redeemed, have except our blessed Savior? Before Christ we were miserable in our sins and too ignorant to know it. We looked for meaning in shallow activities and for love in temporary relationships. Perhaps you were more moral than me, but I was quite the wretch who lived for the things of this world and placed my trust in people, which only broke my heart; and yet, I praise God for every heartbreak because in the end they brought me to my knees with acknowledgement that life wasn't worth living without Him. I really can't express my love for Christ - it runs t...

President Donald Trump at the Greenville, NC July 17, 2019 Rally By Angela Wittman Perhaps I've been living in a cave this past week, but I heard little of an outcry from American Evangelicals over President Donald Trump taking the Lord's Name in vain during a political rally in North Carolina . Could it be they were drowned out by the political left's outrage over the crowd chanting "Send her back!" in reference to Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota? Or is it something worse like apathy or indifference toward our holy God? Regardless of what led to some Christians silence on this matter, I think it would be wise for us to review what God and the historically respected Westminster Assembly   say on this serious matter of taking the Lord's name in vain. Exodus 20:7 (KJV) 7 Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Deuteronomy 5:11 (KJV) 11 Thou shalt not take t...

Colossians Chapter 3 (KJV) 1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. 5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. 8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; 10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 11 Where there is neither ...

By Angela Wittman Most of the baby-boomer generation will remember sitting through history and civics classes as children and young adults. It was the norm for us to be taught about our civil duties and the founding of our country - America. We also said the Pledge of Allegiance in school each morning and at night television stations signed off with an image of the American flag and the national anthem playing in the background. Fast forward to 2019 - we now have a sports figure dictating to a shoe manufacturer what products can and cannot be sold and the manufacturer complying.  It's reported that the sneakers were scheduled to be released to correspond with the anniversary of the signing of the American Declaration of Independence (July 4th) and featured the original 13 stars and the 13 red and white alternating stripes that is commonly known as the Betsy Ross flag. That is until Colin Kaepernick, a sports figure and spokesperson for Nike Shoes, found offense with it....

"For the LORD your God is He that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you" — Deuteronomy 20:4 We have no enemies but the enemies of God. Our fights are not against men but against spiritual wickednesses. We war with the devil, and the blasphemy, and error, and despair, which he brings into the field of battle. We fight with all the armies of sin -- impurity, drunkenness, oppression, infidelity, and ungodliness. With these we contend earnestly, but not with sword or spear; the weapons of our warfare are not carnal. Jehovah, our God, abhors everything which is evil, and, therefore, He goeth with us to fight for us in this crusade. He will save us, and He will give us grace to war a good warfare, and win the victory. We may depend upon it that if we are on God's side God is on our side. With such an august ally the conflict is never in the least degree doubtful. It is not that truth is mighty and must prevail, but that might lies wit...

I cried in trouble to the LORD, And He has answered me. From lying lips and crafty tongue, O LORD, my soul set free. What shall be given you, false tongue; What added to your doom? Sharp arrows from a warrior’s bow, And red-hot coals of broom! Alas for me that I’ve sojourned So long in Meshech’s land, That I have made my dwelling where The tents of Kedar stand! Too long my soul has made its home With those who peace abhor. I stand for peace, but when I speak, They then prepare for war. ~ The Book of Psalms for Worship (Words Only Edition), Crown & Covenant Publications Also published at:  https://www.facebook.com/notes/angela-somers-wittman/encouragement-for-today-psalm-120ab/142882616885412/

William Henry Somers By Angela Somers-Wittman My grandfather entered the Army at the young age of 23 years. He had been born in Tuckerman, Arkansas in 1894 and spent his childhood on the family farm in Stringtown, Butler County, Missouri. He was the oldest child of Henry Francis and Cotna Lisbeth (Cole) Somers. One can only imagine the feelings of excitement mixed with loneliness for family and loved ones he felt as he left his small hometown for military service in Europe. But Grandfather was already a man, one who had matured at a young age when his father was killed in a work accident. He knew how to shoot, hunt for food and possessed a good amount of common sense. He was used to rough conditions and hard work from the years spent on the family farm. Little did he know when he joined the Army and was sent to the frontline of the conflict in Europe that those skills would prove to be valuable and help save his life. After being deployed to France with the US Armed For...

By Angela Wittman "When B. and I realized what we're dealing with and she understood what the situation is, she said to me… 'I know what I have. I know where it's gonna take me. Tell the story. Tell the truth,'" Gasby recounted.  In January, he spoke that truth — and let cameras into his home. It's a home he shares with his wife and his girlfriend, Alex Lerner, who also has a bedroom in the house and helps with B.'s care.  Yesterday morning I happened to catch the segment  Falling in love while caring for your spouse with Alzheimer's disease   that aired on CBS This Morning. . I watched in amazement as two men whose wives had Alzheimer's Disease (one wife is now deceased) openly discussed having adulterous relationships with other women. Is this now to become a new norm? These men and women feel they shouldn't be judged, and shockingly the news anchors interviewing them seemed to agree. My father has Alzheimer's Disease and w...

By Angela Wittman Yesterday during the Michael Cohen testimony before the House Oversight Committee  a comment was made on Twitter by a Reformed Christian to the effect that voting for and supporting a man like Donald Trump, even though he has moral "failings" is taught to be ethical behavior by John Calvin and the Westminster Divines. The comment was not directed toward me, but as I'm reformed and have studied the WCF for over almost 2 decades, I asked where this was at so I could look it up myself. I was directed to my favorite chapter of the Westminster Confession of Faith, (XXIII), and specifically to section IV. Here is what Chapter XXIII, section IV of the Westminster Confession of Faith says regarding the Civil Magistrate: IV. It is the duty of people to pray for magistrates, [8] to honor their persons, [9] to pay them tribute or other dues, [10] to obey their lawful commands, and to be subject to their authority, for conscience' sake. [11] Infid...