In The Arena with Isobel

July 31, 2015 / Janice Southerland

In addition to the Bible, what is your favorite read? Something that you find yourself reading again and again because it so resonates with your soul?

I was having coffee with a sister in Christ this morning, sharing life's ups and downs and how our Abba is so good! One of the ways He encourages us is through books that meet us where we are and walk us closer to knowing Him.

Every September for the last 15 years I find myself enjoying the words of a dear friend - although I never met her this side of heaven - whose writing continues to draw me closer to Abba. Isobel Kuhn grew up in Canada, attended Moody Bible Institute where she met her husband, John Kuhn. Together they served the Lord in China and raised their family there in the 1930's and 40's.

In her book, In the Arena, Isobel honestly describes the struggles of trusting God to

- heal her crushed heart

- increase her patience and resolve to wait on His timing instead of reacting to pressing circumstances

- persevere on the path God has shown her to follow, regardless of contrary opinions

- embrace a time of true rest, refuse stress, and enjoy His goodness moment-by-moment

Isobel Kuhn would be the first to tell you that she is just an ordinary person. I think that is what makes this book such a treasure for me; being reminded of the value of trusting God in all areas of my life. And that He is personally involved in our lives, because we are His own. Knowing, remembering, and choosing to believe Truth enables me to press on.

Who inspires your walk with the LORD?

Comment 0 Likes

categories / encouragement, Good reads
tags / Inspiration, Isobel Kuhn, china

Aug 8, 2016

Entrusting Myself to Him

Why, Lord? Why? I don’t understand what You are doing in my life.

I was a young mom with two littles and my heart’s desire was to teach other adults to study Scripture inductively. At that time, a trainer would travel across the country to teach 3 day sessions to a group of adults several times a year. Oh, I so wanted others to see and know God’s Word in living color, alive and vibrant instead of dusty black and white.

Jun 21, 2016

Broken Pieces Made Whole

I looked in my Dad’s closet for the best suit, shirt and tie to take to the funeral home. We knew that this separation was coming, but it still ripped our hearts in pieces to know that the man who wore these clothes was here no more.

Oct 2, 2015

Beauty from Brokenness

My curiosity was getting the better of me. The meal for this gathering was ending and while we waited for the entertainment to begin, I looked to the almost empty stage. There was a microphone and a well-used cardboard box filled with violins.

Sep 21, 2015

Family Conversations

Do you struggle to get everyone together for a shared meal each day? As families, we want and need time to have meaningful conversations, but unless we recognize the ongoing value of those interactions, they seldom happen. How can we make the most of our times together, whether meals, traveling or bedtimes?

Sep 14, 2015

Influential Grandparenting

Fresh tears came with shared memories today of my daughters’ Grandpa and Granddaddy. As we recalled characteristics about each one, our sadness at their recent homegoings was overwhelmed with gratitude for the influence of their lives on our own. Grandparent influence is inevitable if time is spent together. The challenge is to be an influence that directs their lives to seek after Jesus. How does this happen?

Aug 14, 2015

Rocks and a Net

As school begins, the preparation can be exciting or it can be overwhelming. There are so many options and not enough time! Whether in school or the office or as a homemaker, time is limited and what we want to do with it is often more than will fit. I found myself...

Jul 31, 2015

Jul 4, 2015

Independence to Live In Dependence

Happy 4th of July, Independence Day!

I’ve recently seen several video clips of Americans being asked about the origin of Independence Day:

From what country did we get our independence?

Who were some of the signers of the Declaration of Independence?

When did we get our independence?

Answers like “the South” and “Lincoln” and “1863?” grieve me! What used to be common knowledge and understanding for all Americans is clearly not now.

Jun 25, 2015

22 Years and Counting

My girls were in early elementary grades of homeschooling in 1993. They sat in the back of a chapel classroom at Ft. Carson Army base while the military wives and I inductively studied Paul's last letter, 2 Timothy. My girls asked, "Why are the ladies getting to color in their notes? Can we color too?"

Jun 17, 2015

Is God's Word my very life?

Words. There are so many of them, everywhere we turn. Words have power to direct our thoughts and beliefs. Some will wear us down, cause us to doubt, make us think that what is wrong is somehow right.

So how do we speak life into our families, into our lives?

Apr 21, 2015

Waiting on my Lord

I found myself ambushed by a tidal wave of grief a few weeks ago. Despair came over me and I felt stuck in neutral, unable to move forward life itself. At times like these, I am learning to abide in the reality of who God is.

Mar 11, 2015

What is Truth?

Billboards. Evening News. Celebrity Awards. Talk Shows. Movie Reviews. Podcasts. Google. Commercials. Experts. What do they have in common? Each one claims to tell us what we need to know about something in our world. But how do we know that what we are being told is really true?

Mar 3, 2015

Purim - What is it?

So why do we as believers in the Lord Jesus Christ need to know the Old Testament? Events that happened long ago continue to have an effect on our world today.

Feb 11, 2015

Daily Habits

Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. Psalm 46:10

The daily-ness of life and the busy-ness of the world scream for our undivided attention. How do we cease striving, and know that He is God?

Feb 7, 2015

Knowing God Firsthand

I remember as a child visiting my grandparents; just my sister and me, while my parents took a vacation. My Granddaddy would come from his bedroom in the mornings with a smile on his face saying, "Do you know what Jesus was telling me?" I remember glancing into his room, as if I might actually see Jesus still there! Jesus was so real to my Granddad that I wanted to know Him that way, too.

Jan 27, 2015

Lessons Learned through Parenting

Two of our best friends are our grown daughters. As I reflect back on almost 30 years of parenting, these are a few of the lessons I'm learning:

Jan 19, 2015

Are you a Sower?

A sower went out to sow. How did he sow? He had seed and tossed a handful of seeds out as he went. It doesn't seem to matter that he would have any credentials to sow, except that he knew the benefit of the sown seed to bring food and life. If the seed wasn't sown and just sat in a jar, it would not bring life.

Jan 5, 2015

Surpassing Value

We are bombarded continually with messages to buy this or watch that or join this group or better our lives by doing xyz. Because we innately want to get the most out of our investments, we look to find what will bring the most value.

Dec 26, 2014

Being Present

This year, many people encouraging each other to unplug during the holidays and "be present" with those around them. While this is a good and necessary idea, we can take it a step further.

Christmas is not over; it is just the beginning of a deeper walk with Jesus into the new year. This is a great time—just after Christmas and before the new year—to ask God to guide you into knowing Him more in the year to come. Here are some steps on how to "be present" in your relationship with God.

Photo by Lee Scott via Unsplash

Dec 20, 2014

Silent Years

After Adam and Eve's disobedience, God gave a promise that He would send a Redeemer. Throughout the books of the Old Testament, He gave more specifics about this Messiah that would come. Over 300 prophecies were made about Jesus coming as the Lord and Savior, the Christ, the Messiah and then...there was silence. No more words from God to man for 400 years. Silent years. What happens when God is silent?

Photo by Juskteez Vu via Unsplash

Dec 16, 2014

Festival of Lights

Hanukkah has been celebrated longer than Christmas; in fact, Jesus celebrated the Feast of Lights during His ministry here on earth! Because my Savior and Lord celebrated it, and I want to know all I can about what was important to Him, I began to study the feasts celebrated by Israel.
As you see candles burning during this Christmas season, remember to pray that many would truly know Him. I am so grateful that physically and spiritually, Light ALWAYS overcomes darkness!

Dec 12, 2014

Above the Fog

At lunch yesterday with a friend, we began to talk about the struggle of feeling like God is close when we can't see Him. Yes, we can know the facts of the Bible, but facts don't carry us through difficulties. Knowing Him, firsthand, personally is how we navigate life. The ongoing conversation with Him throughout the day, inviting Jesus to live through us and letting Him do it is how we know Him, not just know about Him.

Photo "Early Morning Fog" by Bill Morrow | Used under Creative Commons license

Dec 9, 2014

Get to know Families in the Word!

So you may be wondering, who IS Families in the Word? What brought it about? Where? When? Why? And How? The tool of Questions is a great place to start!

Photo by Alejandro Escamilla via Unsplash

Dec 4, 2014

Human Beings or Human Doings?

As we find ourselves in the whirl of the holidays, are you encouraged? Overwhelmed? Relieved? Stressed? Are you energized, or do you find yourself wondering how you can possibly do all there is to do?

So how can we practically transition from the “doing” mindset to just "being?"

Photo by Anna Dziubinska via Unsplash

Dec 2, 2014

Simple as That

Without skipping a beat, he said, "Do you want to know someone who can help you with your problems?"
"Why, yes! That would be great!"
"Do you know Jesus Christ?"

Support hose. Hamburgers. Meeting someone at their physical point of need, and pointing them to the All-Sufficient One who seeks to meet the eternal needs of their heart. Simple as that.

Nov 24, 2014

The Ultimate Thanksgiving

My heart is to make meaningful traditions as a part of our holiday celebrations. Traditions are an anchor in a stormy and chaotic world. They bring a sense of security and create a sense of belonging as we celebrate together. And they can remind us of what is ultimately important. In the midst of an information and technology tsumani, meaningful traditions give us our bearings and remind us of Whose we are.

Nov 18, 2014

What is inductive Bible study anyway?

As I began to use the tools of inductive study, the Word of God became alive to me! I was getting to know God firsthand through His Word, and He was speaking truth into my life; directing me and teaching me and loving me. I now was beginning to understand the difference between knowing about God and truly knowing Him.