A Conversation with Wendy Blight

My friend, Wendy Blight, just released a new Bible Study, I Know His Name: Discovering Power in the Names of God. Wendy teaches how the very names of God reveal His character and heart.

Wendy is a member of the Proverbs 31 Ministries’ First 5 Writing Team and serves as the Proverbs 31 On-Line Bible Study Small Group Ministry Training and Development Coordinator. She is the author of 3 books and most enjoys helping women, through Bible study, gain confidence so that they can tackle life’s problems through God’s Word.

I’d love to share with you A Conversation with Wendy Blight about her passion for Bible Study:

What led you to be so passionate about teaching God’s Word?

At age 21, just days after my college graduation, I survived an attack by an armed masked man hiding in my apartment. The acts committed against me that day spiraled me into a place of fear and despair I lived in for years. I tried so many avenues for healing. It wasn’t until I began reading, believing and praying God’s Word that freedom, wholeness and healing came. God’s work in my life, through His living and active Word, ignited a passion to help other women do the same. I’ve been teaching and writing ever since.

What ideas do you have for women to find time for Bible study in their busy days?

Discipline. That’s what it takes. It’s hard to carve out the time. But we must. God breathed every word of this beautiful love letter for us. Every word, from beginning to end, comes directly from His heart with the desire it land in ours. Bible study is simply setting time apart each day to be with God in His Word … early morning, carpool line, lunch behind closed doors in our office, bedtime. We can do it alone or walk alongside a group of friends. What matters is that we set aside time to meet with God in His Word because it changes, rearranges and renews us in unimaginable ways!!

As a part of Proverbs 31 Ministries’ First 5 App writing team, what is your hope for the over 500,000 worldwide that spend their #First5 with you each morning?

To fall in love with God’s Word and to understand how every word of the Bible from Genesis to Revelation is God-breathed and points to Jesus. Every story, every person, every chapter and verse reveals God overseeing His plan of salvation for His people … to regain what was lost that day in the Garden.

Do you have a favorite Bible verse or Life Verse?

I have a few. Psalm 40:1-3. Romans 8:28, 37-39. Isaiah 26:3.

You have such a heart for prayer. What is one suggestion you would offer women who struggle to spend time with God in prayer?

Understand prayer is simply talking to God. It’s sweet time with the One who created us, who loves us and understands us more than anyone else. And He WANTS to talk with us. He is waiting.

Because prayer made me uncomfortable at first, I started by writing my prayers in a journal, writing my thoughts to God. That got me more comfortable with praying. And then as I grew in my faith, I learned about praying God’s Word. And I began to take God’s Word and pray it back to Him.

For example Romans 8:37 says, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” We can pray, “Thank You, God that no matter what I am walking through right now, because You love me and live inside of me, empowering and equipping me, I will be more than a conqueror!”

Just for fun: Salty or Sweet?

Oh, so hard. I’ll combine both. Dark chocolate with sea salt.

 Tell us one thing about you that would surprise your readers.

I’m a lawyer by trade. When I practiced law in Dallas, Texas, a group of women in our firm asked me to join in, for the first time, to buy lottery tickets. The jackpot was 33 million dollars. I didn’t have any money in my wallet. So I said ask me next time. The next morning, I was out of the office and called in for my messages. It was hard to hear the receptionist through all the commotion. The 12 women who banded together to buy the tickets had the winning numbers! They won $33,000,000!!! There is no way to put into words the feelings that overcame me that day. But what I can say is if I had won, I never would have moved to Charlotte, NC. I never would have been part of Proverbs 31 Ministries, and I most certainly would not be celebrating the release of I Know His Name. What seemed such a great loss at the time, God has worked together for such great good in my life! He has done exceedingly, abundantly above all I could ever ask or imagine.

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I invite you to check out Wendy’s newest Bible study, I Know His Name. Visit her blog to get a sneak peek of I Know His Name.  While you are there,  you can also sign up for her FREE Bible study class and companion devotional, “5 Days to Knowing God More Intimately.”

I Know His Name: El Roi

Do you have a desire to move beyond simply knowing about God to really knowing God in a very personal way? Then you are in for a treat today!
I Know His Name: Discovering Power in the Names of God is a new Bible study written by my friend Wendy Blight. Wendy teaches how the very names of God reveal His character and heart.
I’ve invited Wendy to share with you today about El Roi : The God Who Sees You.

She awakened with a quick trip to the grocery store in mind. She pulled her hair back in a ponytail, slipped on her flip-flops, grabbed her keys and ran out the door.

My girlfriend, Karen, and I also planned a trip to the local market that day. As we approached the check-out lines, we found ourselves behind an older woman waiting on someone to arrive. She impatiently motioned for us to go ahead. Before I had a chance to move my cart forward, a young woman scooted past me to join her.

Immediately my heart beat erratically; my hands trembled uncontrollable, and I felt a leading from the Lord … buy her groceries.

What?

It overcame me again … the racing heart rate … the trembling, this time accompanied by a sweet whisper, “Love her. Buy her groceries.”

I hesitated. Such a strange request.

She doesn’t look poor. It appears she’s with her mother. She can help her if she needs money, Lord.

Instead of dissipating, my symptoms increased.

Okay, Lord, I hear you.

I reached out, tapped the young woman on the shoulder and spoke the words God put in my mouth: “I know it sounds strange, but God told me that we are to buy your groceries.”

She looked at me quizzically and then graciously accepted, tears filling her eyes.

A few moments later, they walked out the door.

Not long thereafter, as Karen and I were checking out, the older woman returned. She identified the young woman as her daughter, Micah. She shared how Micah suffered at the hands of an abusive husband who had recently walked out on her, leaving her alone with a young son, feeling unloved and unworthy of love.

She could barely make ends meet and felt abandoned by everyone, but most especially God. In fact, her mother told us that just a few days before our God appointment in the grocery store, Micah and her mother had prayed. Her mother prayed: “Lord, draw Micah back to You.”

But Micah’s prayer is what astounded us. She had prayed, “God if You are real, if You love me, show me that You have not forgotten me!”

As her mother shared these words, the reason for God’s urging in the checkout line became so clear. God wanted to extend unconditional love to Micah … to offer something to her for which we expected nothing in return.

In the midst of Micah’s deepest sorrow and desperate cries for love, God saw her. God responded intimately and personally.

This, my friend, is the magnificent, intimate work of El Roi. The God Who Sees. He sees us in our place of pain. Need. Hurt. Betrayal. Doubt. Confusion. And He comes.

Micah’s mother left us with these words, “Micah now knows that God has not forgotten her!”

God saw His child in need, and He came to her. He provided for her needs. He loved her unconditionally. He answered the cry of her heart.

And He used us! On an ordinary day, in an ordinary store, performing an ordinary chore, God called my friend and me to an extraordinary task. He crossed our paths with one of His girls who needed to experience His extraordinary love.

Yes, it was a great day for Micah! But what a day it was for Karen and me. Our obedience to the Lord’s prompting touched Micah’s life in such a powerful way that she knew God was real. God loved her. And He had not abandoned her.

As we close our time together today, never forget these truths. God hears our cries. He intervenes. He answers prayer. He orchestrates divine appointments … anywhere … everywhere … anytime … even in a grocery store.

God met Micah, and He met me, in the grocery store that day.

Want to learn more about El Roi: The God Who Sees You? Wendy teaches about this Name of God in Chapter 2 of her newest Bible study, I Know His Name: Discovering Power in the Names of God. I invite you to visit Wendy’s blog to get a sneak peek of I Know His Name and also sign up for her FREE companion devotional, “5 Days to Knowing God More Intimately.”