S2S Sisters: "Faithfully Running the Race, Seeing Eternity" by Deborah Bercot

Our prayer is that you will be filled with the knowledge of His will, strengthened with all might according to His glorious power. Good afternoon to all of you. We're so glad to have you join us. Welcome to Strength to Strength Sisters.

This is a platform that we've been really excited about as an admin team, and it's been a fulfillment of a dream that a couple of us have had for a little while. So we're glad to have you join us here, and we're especially glad to have Deborah Brissot join us as well. And she is an inspiration to me. I really enjoy Deborah and her passion for Christ and His kingdom and for the way that she serves the kingdom in sharing that through their involvement with Scroll Publishing. They interact with a lot of even non-Anabaptist ladies and with people, and Deborah does really well with that. So I've been blessed by that. I'll give you a little bit of information about Deborah.

Deborah has been married to David Brissot for 17—I'm sorry, Deborah, you didn't say how many years you've been married. I don't think I did; at least I didn't have it written down.

They have three living children. They're between the ages of 48 and 31. They've lived in Amberson, Pennsylvania, and they've been there for 17 and a half years. They were raised as Jehovah's Witness, and David and Deborah served full-time with that. Then they helped to start a bookstore that was called Scroll Christian Bookstore. And through that, they discovered books that they hadn't heard of, one of those being the Anti-Nicene writings, which, if you all know a little bit about David, he is very passionate about that and has done extensive study and teaching on that and has been a blessing to a lot of people. Through that, that led them to start Scroll Publishing and also was their introduction to Anabaptist.

They are part of Chambersburg Christian Fellowship, and they enjoy serving their church there and serving the kingdom of God wherever they can. So we're very thankful to have her join us today.

I'll just give you a little bit of information about me. My name is Lynelle Martin, and I'm married to Bryant. We've lived in State College here for seven years. We have six children that we dearly love, and we also have a café here called Sower's Harvest Café. And one of our passions as a family is reaching out to people that do not know about Christ, and our passion is to show them Christ in practical ways. So through hospitality, through serving them at our café, Bryant also works with All Nations Bible Translation and so providing God's word to people that do not have access to it. So that's a little bit about me.

All right, now, before we get started in Deborah's talk, I have a couple of announcements. The first one is that this talk is for women, and we're so glad that each one of you has joined us. At the end of Deborah's talk today, we are going to have a Q&A period, and we would love if you all would participate in that. There's two ways that you can do that. One is you can unmute yourself at the end during the Q&A time and turn your video on, and then you can ask the question. Or you can go down to the bottom of the screen, and there is a chat button there, and you can put the question on the chat to us as admins, and then we will ask that to Deborah for you.

There will be recordings available of this talk on YouTube and on your podcast platforms. One note here is that you personally will not be recorded unless you are speaking, just so you know that, so it makes you a little bit more comfortable.

One exciting announcement for us is that we have decided as an admin team that we are going to go from every other month talks to monthly talks. We've been very blessed with when we ask a speaker if they are available to speak to us on this platform. They have been very readily saying yes.

And so we are going to switch to doing monthly talks. And along with that, we would like to ask you all for speaker suggestions as well as topic suggestions. And I know that we have some coming up here this summer that we just heard a yes from a speaker that we had asked for a specific topic that one of you had messaged us and said, "Hey, could we have a talk on this?" So we enjoy that. Please do continue that. You can contact us through the WhatsApp group or through the Telegram group. You can message any one of the admins for that. So thank you.

All right, let's get started in Deborah's talk. I will pray for you, Deborah, and then you can get started. Father in heaven, thank you for this time that we can spend together as sisters. Thank you for Deborah's willingness to teach us as younger sisters and to encourage us in our walk with you. And Father, I just pray that today, as we look into history and some of the women that have gone before us that have been faithful examples for us, we just pray that you would inspire our hearts, open our hearts to hear what we each individually need to hear. And I pray that you would just fill Deborah with your spirit, just bless her in a very special way.

I pray that you would help everything to work together on the technology side as well, that her internet would be strong and that everything would just flow smoothly there. Thank you for that. Just pray that you would bless Deborah and thank you for this opportunity that we have to meet this way. In Jesus' name, amen.

Okay, Deborah, I'll turn it over to you.

Okay, thank you so much. Well, I'm going to clarify. We have been married longer than 17 and a half years. It's actually going to be 50 years in June, which is sort of like, wow, how could I be that old to have been married that long?

Anyway, I'm really glad to see you here. Welcome. It's really good to be here together because we're here thinking about the race for eternity. You know, many people, though, think of a race where we come in first or we receive a trophy or a medal or some kind of glory here on earth.

They're thinking of a perishable crown. Well, you and I are thinking of an imperishable crown. I think of the 2,871 Olympic athletes from 91 countries who are competing this month in Beijing, China. They're competing for about 327 gold, silver, and bronze medals.

Do the math. How many actually get a medal? They've trained for years, often from the time of early childhood. Figure skaters practice anywhere from three to six hours a day on ice, from what I've researched. That doesn't take into account the ballet training and off-ice conditioning that they do six days a week.

These athletes and their families have made incredible sacrifices for the hope of being in the Olympics, winning a medal and standing on the winner's podium for their country. Their time competing in this sport at the Olympics, it'll go quickly. It's often part of a minute, maybe a minute or two. Or if you're in figure skating, it's four minutes for the long programs. Then they may or may not train for more competitions. And of course, the coveted prizes in the world of athletics.

Certain events, like hockey games, have three 20-minute periods with a 15-minute intermission and overtime rules. Their time in Beijing will go by speedily, just like our time and our lives go by. You see, you and I are in the Olympics of life, which lasts our whole lifetime. Sometimes we don't see that too easily, like when we're in the midst of early marriage and the busyness of life that exists when the children arrive, like twins or even singles. We're busy changing diapers, potty training, trying to get our sleep, teaching them to love Christ, and being a mommy and a wife. And then our little people are teens. Then our children are on their own and turning 30 or 40, and we think, "I was just 39 not that long ago," and I suspect some of you are not 39 yet.

But in reality, our lives are heading toward eternity from the second we are born. We have a choice. Do we follow Christ and comprehend that we are in the midst of running our earthly race with eternity in our eyes and truly seeing eternity? Or do we go along through the years knowing that there is eternity, but maybe not taking it seriously? Faithfully running that race, our race, is serious business, not to be taken lightly or to think that there is no cost to our race.

This race could mean our becoming a martyr or a witness for Christ. I know we all love to think about being a witness for someone, especially Jesus Christ, or a witness for something like the kingdom with its king.

But the thought of being an actual martyr, one who gives up their life willingly for a person or cause, is sobering. Yet we know that he who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. As John also said, "You hold fast to my name and did not deny my faith, even in the day in which Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was killed among you." Clement of Alexandria said, "We call martyrdom perfection, not because the man comes to the end of his life as others, but because he has exhibited the perfect work of love."

Then we have this. Listen carefully. "Therefore, my child, strive for the righteousness unto death and arm yourself with the armor of God. Be not ashamed to confess him before men. Do not fear men. It is better to give up your life than to depart from the truth.

If you lose your body, which is earthly, the Lord your God has prepared for you a better one in heaven." Now, if you're wondering what verse that is, you will search for more than a while, as these words are from one of our sisters.

These are powerful words, powerful thoughts, and powerful admonition to a son, Isaiah, from Anna of Rotterdam-Holland on a January day in 1539 before her martyrdom, her faithfully following Christ into eternity. Faithfully finishing the race, seeing eternity as our Anabaptist ancestor Anna did, is what we want to focus on and have wholly integrated into our souls, our hearts, and our actions. We are looking at eternity, heavenly things, not earthly, temporal things.

Seeing eternity as the real thing, the real goal helps us to run and win that race. Christ is in our eyes. We are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses. Let us run with endurance the race set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despite the shame and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Recall the words of the Apostle Peter, "Beloved, do not think in strange concerning the fiery trial, which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you. But rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's suffering, that when his glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy if you are reproached for the name of Christ. Blessed are you for the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you."

He continues, "Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evil doer, or think closely about this, even as a busybody in other people's matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him or her glorify God in this matter. We commit our soul to him in doing good as a faithful Christian, as we suffer as a follower of Christ, even unto death.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints." An interesting statement from an early believer. If you have conquered by good deeds, you are a martyr or witness for him. You, therefore, who seek to extol martyrdom with your word in peace or in peacetimes when there is no persecution, clothe yourself with good deeds.

Faithfully running the race, seeing eternity. Yes, this is what we are talking about today and seeing this in our sisters and brothers. And I pray we see this in ourselves. And we have to start with ourselves, all of ourselves.

Anna, the sister who penned that letter to her son Isaiah, was just one of many of our Anabaptist sisters who were valiant and strong for Christ. A group of nine brethren and several sisters, all unnamed, were arrested and sentenced to death in 1529 in the city of Alsey, close to the Rhine River.

Another sister came to encourage the sisters in prison while they were awaiting their execution. She was apprehended or arrested and then burned rather than drowned, as was the common mode of execution for women. And why was she martyred? It was because she had comforted and strengthened the others.

There are pages and pages and more pages with the accounts of Anabaptists, mainly in Holland, in Germany, Austria, France, and even London in the book The Martyrs' Mirror. We have examples of sisters who were pregnant or were allowed to give birth who remained firm and strong for Christ.

And yes, being a mother to their baby or other children and a wife to her husband was dangled in front of them to try to persuade them to deny Christ. There are myriads of both men and women, girls and boys of all ages who kept their eyes on Christ as they ran the race, even if that race meant that they lost their earthly life. They remembered the words of Paul who said, "We must, through many tribulations, enter the kingdom of God." They remembered Christ's words, "Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, and hear Christ clearly, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven."

And we are his children, his sons and his daughters. They knew that if they died with him, they would live with him. If they endured, they would reign with him. And if they denied Christ, their Lord and Savior, he would, yes, he would deny them.

Even if we are faithless, he is faithful as he cannot deny himself.

Under torture with thumbscrews, the name of which describes their horrible ability to inflict great pain and damage, our Anabaptist sister Elizabeth would not reveal who had baptized her. These nasty devices were put on her hands and her shins.

She, from the depths of her soul, prayed to God, "Help me, O Lord, thy poor handmaiden, for thou art a helper in time of need." And God was her helper. The account says the Lord took away her pain so that she told her inquisitors after being asked to confess again, "Ask me and I shall answer you, for I no longer feel the least pain in my flesh as I did before."

They asked, "Will you not yet confess?" And she answered, "No, my lords." Such deep respect for authority, even under torture. More torture occurred. Finally, she was sentenced to death by drowning, which sentence was carried out. "Blessed are those who do his commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life and enter through the gates into the city. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life."

I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held.

With lofty and invincible minds, we trample upon those things that others fear: pain and death. Lactantius continues that statement, "This is virtue. This is true constancy to be steadfast and unmoving in this one thing alone, that no terror nor any violence can turn us away from God."

Mariken, a sister of 75 years of age, and she and I are about four years apart. Another sister, Anniken, and two brothers, Govert and Gillis, were also apprehended for their faith. A trial was held, and then the four were sentenced to death.

At the execution site, they were allowed to kneel and pray. Anniken began singing from the Psalms, "In thee, O Lord, do I put my trust." They were placed at stakes with leather straps around their necks. An attempt was made to embarrass Anniken by having her stand in her chemise, which was in that century a simple smock or shift worn next to your body under your outer clothing.

The group thought that Mariken had been strangled by the leather strap. But then Mariken began to sing a hymn to honor her bridegroom, Christ. Then Anniken joined in, and the account says that they all, as they were standing at their stakes with straps around their necks, comforted each other, affectionately saluting each other and commending their souls into the hands of God, and fell asleep in the Lord and were burned.

Since the Lord Christ wore a crown of thorns for us, why should we not wear these crowns of straw in honor of him? The faithful God shall for this place a beautiful golden crown and glorious wreath on our heads.

These words came from one of two young girls who were bedecked with crowns of straw to belittle them as they were led to their executions. These words from their hearts help us see who and where their eyes, their hopes, and their joy was focused upon. They were faithfully running the race.

Margherita Sattler was drowned in the river Neckar eight days after her husband, Michael Sattler, was burned at the stake. She said she would have rather gone to the fire with her husband. Names that we know, names that are often unrecorded in human history, but are recorded in the annals of heaven. We see their absolute total faith, their fortitude, their courage, their strength, their utter complete love of God right in front of us.

As Lactantius said, "Boys and delicate women, not to speak of men, in silence overpower their torturers. Even the fire is unable to extort a groan from them. Behold, the weak sex and fragile age endure to be lacerated in the whole body and to be burned.

They do not do this out of necessity, for it is permitted them to escape if they wish to do so, and that would be by denying Christ. They endure out of their own free will because they put their trust in God. Loving God with all our hearts, with all our souls, and with all our minds, we see in them. And this same love for God, deeply embedded in all our hearts and really embedded with all our souls, with all our minds, will take us through trials before us." One writer stated, "Our hands stretched out and up to God, that very attitude of a Christian praying is one of preparation for all punishment."

Passing into years prior to the Anabaptist timeframe of faithfully finishing the race, we see people like Blandina of Lyon, France, doing brave deeds for truth rather than country and for piety rather than dearest friends. I love this sentence that refers to the narrative of Eusebius regarding this era.

He said, "It will hand down to imperishable remembrance the discipline and the much tried fortitude of the athletes of religion, the trophies won from demons, the victories over invisible enemies, and the crowns placed upon all their heads." This narrative of the government of God will record in ineffable letters the most peaceful wars in behalf of the peace of the soul.

Yes, how God's government works in its people, whose faces, eyes, and actions cannot be erased or forgotten.

A portion of Eusebius's account tells us, "When accusations were reported, all the people raged like wild beasts against us, so that even if any had before been moderate on account of friendship, they were now exceedingly furious and gnashed their teeth against us. And that which was spoken by our Lord was fulfilled.

The time will come when whoever kills you will think that they do God's service." The whole wrath of the populace and governor were aroused against Sanctus, Adecan, Maturus, Attalus, and Blandina, through whom Christ showed that things which appear lowly, obscure, and despicable to men are with God of great glory through love toward him manifested in power and not boasting in appearance. For while we all trembled and her earthly mistress, who was herself also one of the witnesses, feared that on account of the weakness of her body, she would be unable to make bold confession.

But Blandina was filled with such power as to be delivered and raised above those who were torturing her by turns from morning till evening in every manner, so that they acknowledged that they never conquered and could do nothing more to her. And they were astonished at her endurance as her entire body was mangled and broken. And they testified that one of these forms of torture was sufficient to destroy life, not to speak of so many and so great sufferings.

But the blessed woman, like a noble athlete, renewed her strength in her confession, her comfort and recreation were being restored and revived, and had relief from the pain of her sufferings, in exclaiming, "I am a Christian, and there is nothing vile done by us."

What a proclamation for Christ. So our sister Blandina, a servant not only of Christ, but truly a serving girl, was later suspended on a stake for wild animals to attack. The beast did not attack her, so she was taken back to prison.

As Eusebius then states, "She was preserved thus for another contest, that being victorious in more conflicts, she might make the punishment of the crooked serpent irrevocable. And though small and weak and despised, yet clothed with Christ, the mighty and conquering athlete, she might arouse the zeal of the brethren."

Finally, after several days of testing and torture in the amphitheater, after being scourged, after the wild beasts, after the roasting seat, and that's what it was, an iron rack that a person was put in, she was finally enclosed in a net and thrown before a bull and tossed about. The account goes on to say she felt none of that because of her hope and firm hold upon what had been entrusted to her and her communion with Christ. And then she was sacrificed.

And the heathen themselves confessed that never among them had a woman endured so many and such terrible tortures. She and our huge cloud of many brothers and sisters have faithfully run the race, seeing eternity with Christ as the goal to which they were firmly affixed to. They, like Paul, forgot the things behind, the things they were undergoing, and were reaching forward to those things which are ahead.

As Justin Martyr said around 160, "It is evident that no one can terrify or subdue us, for throughout all the world we have believed in Jesus. It is clear that although beheaded and crucified and thrown to wild beasts and fire and all other kinds of torture, we do not give up our confession.

But the more such things happen, the more other persons and in larger numbers become faithful believers and worshipers of God through the name of Jesus." Tertullian declared, "The more often we are mown down by you, the more in numbers we grow. The blood of the martyrs is seed."

Clement shared, "The church is full of those persons, chaste women as well as men, who all their life have contemplated the death that rouses, that is, stirs us up to Christ." Mark Minutius Felix explained, "Boys and young women among us sworn crosses and tortures, wild beasts, and all the horrors of punishments with the inspired patience of suffering.

And do you not perceive that there is nobody who is either willing to undergo punishment without purpose or is able to, without God, to bear tortures?" Cyprian gives us the key by saying, "Jesus is not someone who only looks on his servants. He himself is engaged in the struggle, and we keep our gaze fixed upon him." Hermas, possibly the person referred to by Paul in Romans 16:14, gives us great insight into our attitudes as to this life, our earthly homes and property.

He wrote an allegorical work called The Shepherd that was highly respected in the early church. Hermas wrote, "You know that you who are the servants of God dwell in a strange land, for your city is far away from this one.

If then you know your city in which you are to dwell, why do you here provide lands and make expensive preparations and accumulate dwellings and useless buildings? He who makes such preparations for this city cannot return to his own.

O foolish and unstable and miserable man, do you not understand that all these things belong to another and are under the power of another? For the Lord of this city will say, 'I do not wish you to dwell in my city, but depart from this city because you do not obey my laws.

You therefore, although having fields and houses and many other things when cast out by him, what will you do with your land and house and other possessions which you have gathered to yourself? For the Lord of this country justly says to you, 'Either obey my laws or depart from my dominion.' What then do you intend to do, having a law in your own city on account of your lands and the rest of your possessions? You shall altogether deny your law and walk according to the law of the city.

See, lest it be to your hurt to deny your law, for if you shall desire to return to your city, you will not be received because you have denied the law of your city, but will be excluded from it." And I know it's probably easier to follow some of this seeing it.

But now we've got admonition again to the believer. "Have a care, therefore, as one living in a foreign land. Make no further preparations for yourself than such merely as may be sufficient. And be ready when the master of this city shall come to cast you out for disobeying his law, to leave his city and to depart to your own and to obey your own law without being exposed to annoyance, but in great joy. Have a care then, you who serve the Lord, and have him in your heart that you work the works of God, remembering his commandments and promises which he promised, and believe that he will bring them to pass if his commandments are observed.

Instead of lands, therefore, buy afflicted souls or help people in need using unrighteous mammon eternally, according as each is able. And visit widows and orphans and do not overlook them. And spend your wealth and all your preparation which you received from the Lord upon such lands and houses. For to this end did the master make you rich, that you might perform these services unto him. And it is much better to purchase such lands and possessions and houses as you will find in your own city when you come to reside in it.

This is a noble and sacred expenditure, attended neither with sorrow nor fear, but with joy. Do not practice the expenditure of the unbelievers, for it is injurious to you who are the servants of God, but practice an expenditure of your own in which you can rejoice."

You and I must not forget the soul-reaching words from Clement, who first shares what we know very obviously, that there is persecution that comes from external sources, from men attacking the faithful. Then he says, "The most painful is internal persecution, which proceeds from each man's soul or woman's soul being troubled by ungodly desires."

Words for us to truly ponder, run in such a way as to obtain the prize. When we have the same vision in our eyes, the same goal, when we have all our lives contemplating the death that stirs us up to Christ and the death of our own desires, we can faithfully run the race, seeing eternity as we press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. We can say, "I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith.

There is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give to me on that day."

And you've got it. Thank you so much, Deborah. That is very touching.

Yeah, I'm touched by that. A couple of the quotes that stood out to me about Jesus being engaged in the struggle with us. He's right there. And in our physical bodies, it can be so hard for us to see the spiritual side. But it's not about the death, the persecution. It's about life. It's about life through Jesus. And I like how you brought that out right there at the end.

It's about that city that's beyond us. It's about our home country. God help us to make preparations for that heavenly city. Thank you so much for that. Okay, it's time for the Q&A. So if you have a question, you can turn your video on and unmute yourself and ask the question, or you can put it over onto the chat for one of us admins, and then we will take care of asking Deborah for you. So who will be first?

I guess I don't have a question, but I was inspired by what Deborah said there about the persecutions that are from within us now. It's so true that that same vision or that same looking to Christ or that same goal keeps us strong in the same way that these women were strong in severe torture. And it gets hard for us to relate to that thing of torture, the thing of being persecuted so heavily. But when we take that and realize that same thing is happening inside our hearts and that our eyes on Jesus and our it has the same power. It's the same thing. And I'm so inspired by that. It's been my experience too that when our eyes are strictly on Christ and so focused on him, there is so much more victory to be found than when we just focus on ourselves, our weaknesses, the things that we're working through.

Yeah, that was so true. Thank you, Deborah, for sharing all that. It was so inspirational. Good. Thank you. I read so many accounts also of ladies in the early church, I mean, unnamed, unnamed, unnamed, but just going through horrific things. And you realize if they had not conquered in their souls, they could not have conquered when it came to this physical horribleness that happened to them and the strength and the power of Jesus. And when you think of, wow, what we have just done actually to Satan, the potential that, as that one quote said, it was just like, whoa.

It's feel like a puny little woman, and yet there is definite strength and the power of God is very real.

Thank you very much.

I'm wondering, could you maybe recommend some sources for reading? I once looked for a book and I found a book about Anabaptist women, but then it turned out to be some feminist thing about them being actual women preachers and baptizers. And I don't think that's correct. But is this something that you could recommend? Well, there really are many, many pages in Martyrs' Mirror. I think it starts about page 453, and it just goes on and on. And many of these pages are actually transcripts from court records.

So you have an authentic source, basically, which is very encouraging. Antonicene writings, which are not in print paper-wise anymore, have assorted accounts.

I believe there's some in volume one, in volume three, and I cannot give you the page numbers. So one thing I wouldn't be able to remember the page numbers anyway. That's okay. I will mention that there is a very, I'd say probably one of the best-known early martyrs is Perpetua.

And she courageously died for Christ. But I did not really bring her up earlier because in many ways, Blandina is a better representative of an early Christian martyr. Because even though Perpetua died very fearlessly, she also introduced some serious false teaching into the church because she claimed that her prayers for her deceased brother had enabled him to be released from the lower parts of Hades and transported to paradise. So then this led to the Roman Catholic practice of prayers for the dead and getting people released from purgatory.

So I have mentioned it just because I think probably would be brought up, why wasn't this lady mentioned? So thank you very much. Yeah, original sources. Look for original sources. And I should have probably gotten more, but I'd say Antonicene writings are about as original as you can get for the early church. Thank you.

Thanks. Thank you.

I'll just share a question. I'll just read a question that was shared in the chat. It said, "Thank you for sharing today. Any practical tips for young moms who feel like they are fighting a literal battle to find enough time with God? I know this is essential to fighting this good fight. And yet my hunger, I find my hunger far exceeds my ability to actually get time with God."

Okay. Very good question. My children are all grown, so I'm not dealing with that, but I do remember those years. And I was actually, for some of those years, running a business so that my husband could go to school.

At one point, I thought, well, I nursed the babies at night. Well, I did that with number one child and would do my Bible reading. And then I found that I was so engrossed that I would just stay up instead of going back to bed. And then needless to say, that did not work as a mom.

I would look into Bibles that you can listen to, either a CD or on your phone. Those can be very, very handy.

And you can have it repeat. I would say it's super encouraging to listen to a book. And then if you can listen to a chapter, great, or two chapters, but you can turn it on and off, but listen to that book two or three times before going to whatever book you're going to go to on the next listening. And that can be very, very helpful. I would also encourage you, don't beat yourself up about it because you can use time all through the day as you take hold of a baby, as just happened. You can use that moment to say, "I'm praying for my husband. God, help my husband. Help my other child. Help someone in the congregation.

Thank you for this." And I'd say a really biggie is to say, "Thank you to God." Make a list, even if you can, even on paper or on your phone, whatever you use. But make a list of thank yous because it's easy to get into the poor me mode.

I can't get it all done.

The washer broke, whatever, whatever. And you get negative, but get thankful. And that is extremely important. And then the scripture about rejoicing and everything. But I really encourage you, don't feel like you're alone in this. And there may be others that would have, I know, would have more suggestions, but a minute prayer, a 30-second prayer through the day.

You're walking from the kitchen to the bathroom. Use that time if you can. Even as you're working with a child who's maybe pushing, pulling, knocking down a sibling, you can be working and correcting that, but you can say, "Help me, God." You're praying to him. And so you're getting in the habit of calling on God all through the day. And that's going to give you strength. It's going to help you focus on him, which will then help us focus on eternity.

Thank you very much.

Okay. Any more questions for Deborah?

I was just wondering what chapter of The Shepherd of Hermas were you reading from? I did not write that down. I had it somehow in my mind. I would probably just say, "Give you my email." I don't know if that's allowed, but you ladies can tell me, and I will look that up because I have a mental picture in my mind of that. But is it okay to give my email? Yeah, that would be just fine. Okay. Katrina, you could also message one of us as admins, and we can get you her email. That way, you can contact with her directly. Okay.

Perfect. Thank you.

Deborah, one thing that has been an encouraging thought to me as a young mom is kind of the lifestyle that Brother Lawrence lived with saying, "I'm not doing anything more spiritual when I'm cooking a meal in the kitchen than I am when I'm praying." And he lived a lifestyle of pulling Christ into whatever he was doing.

And I know that that's one of the books that you all recommend. And maybe you want to say a little bit more about that because I am really blessed by him. Yeah. It is quite a book, yeah, Practice of the Presence, because he was a cook.

And yeah, how he integrated in through every day, everything, and just gave us a good example. Because sometimes we think we've got to get down on our knees, get all the children away, get nothing happening, turn the phones off, and spend X amount of minutes because otherwise it's not really the proper prayer time. Well, it's wonderful when we can do that. But for most moms and most people, we don't live in monasteries.

And people that were living in that type of setting or didn't have cell phone things that were running around and computers, the phones weren't really running around. But those all impact us. They didn't have a regular phone. They were walking out to the field. They were walking out to gather eggs, to go to the cow, to milk her or feed or whatever.

You had time to think as you walked the 500 feet to the barn or took the animals up to pasture. So thank you for mentioning that very, very much, Lynelle.

Another question that came in. And I was wondering this too. I'm not sure if you mentioned it or not, but what is the name of the book about Brother Lawrence? Did you mention that? No, I didn't. It's called Practice of the Presence, and Scroll Publishing does carry it.

And you could just look this up on the internet and order it online. That would work. It's very, very reasonable. Okay. Thank you. You're welcome.

Okay. Thank you so much for joining us today. Thank you, Deborah, for a very engaging talk. And in just a minute, I will ask you to close with prayer, Deborah. But before that, I'll just mention our next talk, which is scheduled for March 5th at the same time, 3 o'clock in the afternoon. And Darla Weaver is going to be joining us again. And this time, she is going to be talking about the battle for emotional purity.

And this is going to be a talk that is a little bit more age-conscious. So mothers, you may want to think about that. I'll read you the description. It says, "What happens when we bring God into the secret longings of our heart? What does emotional purity look like for a young woman? How does God fit into that vulnerable part of our life? And what do we do with these desires for intimacy and connection? Join us as we talk about God's heart for purity, his desire for a relationship of intimacy with his daughters, and the whys behind his standard of holiness."

So we look forward to that March 5th at 3 o'clock. And we hope to have you join us there. You can find more information about Strength to Strength Sisters on our website. And you can also connect with us through the WhatsApp chat or the Telegram chat as well.

If you have any questions or speaker suggestions for the admins, you can also contact us through those groups as well. Or you can use the contact feature through our website. Again, thank you so much for joining us. And Deborah, could you just close us in prayer?

Okay. Father God, thank you so much for today. Thank you for getting our eyes on you. May we keep our eyes on you.

Help us to look at eternity and keep that focus.

We thank you for all your gifts, for all the examples of so many sisters and brothers throughout the ages that have kept their eyes on you. They've run the race. We love you. I thank you for my sisters here.

And thank you for your Son, Christ. Help us in all aspects of life. Forgive us where we fail. And I do pray also for our governments, not that they're ours personally, but the leaders and all that they're dealing with.

Please help us be wise with the use of our time and our resources. And just help us keep following you no matter what happens in anything in your Son's name. Amen.

Amen. Thank you so much, Deborah. We really appreciate it. You're welcome. Thank you.

Yes. Thank you, Deborah. Thank you for having me. I really enjoyed it. And I'm very thankful that the battery lasted on this computer because I just got a notice that scared me, actually. It came on just as I started to pray. And it's like, "Oh, dear." So God bless you guys, all of you.

Okay. Thank you. We'll see you later. Okay. Bye. God bless. God bless. Walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him, being fruitful in every good work.