'Grandma-ing' ... What is it?

by Patsy Norwood  (c) 2025  All Rights Reserved!

2 Timothy 1:5 …  when I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also.

Grandmother … Grandmother-ing ... Grandma … Grandma-ing

What is it and what does it look like in today’s world?

Grandma-ing is loving on children, listening to children, baking cookies or other goodies for children, talking with and to children, showing up and supporting children, using your talents for children, doing things with children, encouraging children, spending time with children, teaching children by your actions, and when necessary - gently correcting children.

You notice what I didn't include ... spending money on children.  While money is necessary to make some of these things happen, it's not the main thing, the main thing is time and interest.

If you're a grandma, are you 'grandma ... ing?'  If you're a grandma, do you have room in your heart to 'grandma’ other children?

If you don't have grandchildren, do you have room in your heart to ‘grandma’ other children?

I'm not talking about being weird and going out and doing something crazy and I'm certainly not talking about sticking your nose in where it doesn't belong.  I would advise you to always proceed with caution and prayer. 

Do you have a smile for a child, a kind word, and or an encouraging word?  Our children need these things even when they act like they don’t … remember you’re much older and wiser, so smile, be kind and encouraging any way.

Grandma-ing can be a seed planter for God and it starts with just talking and listening to children with whom we come into contact.  I like to keep a little something on hand to give children if the opportunity arises, my current 'handout’ is a Bible character card from Apologetics Press.

For all the crafty grandmas, can you make things that children might like and have them on hand when the opportunity to do a little ‘grandma-ing’ presents itself.

What about praying, everyone can pray!  I do a lot of praying for children with whom I come into contact and who are in my life.  Imagine being a silent prayer warrior for the children God brings across your path!

I find ‘grandma-ing’ to be such a satisfying role and one that I pray God will use to draw precious children to Him. 

God can use women who are in the grandma season of life whether one has grandchildren or not.  We have much to offer yet.

We “grandmas” might not be able to serve God like we once did, but there is no retirement plan for Christians.  There are still things we can do for the Lord and if you ask me, grandma-ing, like we’ve talked about here, is a pretty big and important role. 

Lois was able to influence Timothy for God through her actions, do our actions influence children, whether they’re ours or not, for God?

Grandma-ing for God ... now that's a thought!

Until the next time!

patsy @ From This Heart of Mine

~ a place for women to gather and study God's Word ~

What God's Word Does for Me!

What God’s Word Does for Me!

By Patsy Norwood © 2025  All Rights Reserved! 

An often-heard sentiment expressed in word and deed is, what’s in it for me?’

Obviously, this can be applied to anything in life that we’re evaluating whether we want to put our time and effort into or not, and that includes being a student of God’s Word.

I follow someone on Youtube who does Bible markings, and she recently did a whole segment on ‘The Word.’

I’m a big proponent of marking scripture and when I saw this one, I couldn’t wait to get it in my Bible.  (I am an acquaintance of this woman and know her to be a faithful student of God’s Word.  I will not ever knowingly point you in the direction of someone who does not teach the whole truth of God’s Word.)

In the spirit of ‘what’s in it for me?’ and using the above-mentioned segment from Kathy Pollard’s Bible Marking channel, I’m sharing in a nutshell ‘what God’s Word does for me.’

God’s Word …

Revives me

Guides me

Frees me

Lifts up my prayers

Increases my faith

Encourages me

Works on me

Completes me

Kathy gives you scriptures for each of the above mentioned, tells you what to mark, how to mark and in general teaches a lesson in the process.

I highly encourage you to watch this segment and if Bible marking is of interest to you, mark it in your Bible.   It’ll be in your Bible ready to remind you and or equip you to share/teach it to someone else when the opportunity arises.

My heart rejoices over the opportunity for Bible study and time in God’s Word is precious and like opening up a treasure chest.  The more I study, the more I want to study, and I want that for you as well.

If you’re not a student of God’s Word, this mark your Bible segment is a good place to start!  If you are, it’s a good place to be reminded of the blessings of being a student of God’s Word.

Until the next time!

patsy @ From This Heart of Mine

~ a place for women to gather and study God's Word ~

Abigail: Beautiful, Intelligent, Wise, Prudent … and Honored by God … Lesson 7

Abigail:  Beautiful, Intelligent, Wise, Prudent … and Honored by God … Lesson 7

By Patsy Norwood © 2025  All Rights Reserved!  Any and all commercial use of this study is prohibited!

I Samuel 25: 1 – 42; 27:3; 30:1-18; II Samuel 2: 2-3; 3:3; I Chronicles 3:1

In our last lesson, we saw Abigail lose her husband to death by the hand of God and now it’s time for the rest of the story.  Let’s pick up with I Samuel 25: 39 …

Verse 39 When David heard that Nabal was dead, he said, “Praise be to the Lord, who has upheld my cause against Nabal for treating me with contempt. He has kept his servant from doing wrong and has brought Nabal’s wrongdoing down on his own head.”  Then David sent word to Abigail, asking her to become his wife.

Let’s break down what David did when he heard Nabal was dead:

He praised God for championing his cause.  In other words, God defended and supported David as a result of/because of Nabal’s treatment of him.   Hmmm, let that sink in, we could do a whole other study on God defending, helping and going to battle for those who faithfully serve Him.

He acknowledged that God had prevented him from doing wrong.

He acknowledged that God had brought Nabal’s wrongdoing down on his (Nabal’s ) own head and then …

He sent a marriage proposal to Abigail.

Verse 40 His servants went to Carmel and said to Abigail, “David has sent us to you to take you to become his wife.”

David’s servants arrived in Carmel and delivered the proposal to Abigail.  Don’t you just wonder what her first thoughts were?  I do!  Was she shocked, surprised or did she take it all in stride?

We don’t know how much time elapsed between Nabal’s death and David hearing of it, but once he knew, David wasted no time in sending a marriage proposal to Abigail.

Abigail had already shown David the kind of woman she was and if we’ll remember (verses 32-34), he was impressed!

Verse 41 She bowed down with her face to the ground and said, “I am your servant and am ready to serve you and wash the feet of my lord’s servants.”

Abigail again shows deep humility, this time towards David’s servants, by bowing down with her face to the ground.

She identifies herself as their servant ready to serve, wash their feet and according to customs of the times, she was saying ‘yes’, by her manner of reply, to David’s marriage proposal.

Verse 42 Abigail quickly got on a donkey and, attended by her five female servants, went with David’s messengers and became his wife.

We don’t know how much time elapsed or what happened after Abigail offered to serve and wash the feet of David’s servants, but it’s apparent that a lot was accomplished between that moment and her next actions.

Abigail wasted no time in gathering her five female servants to accompany her, going with David’s messengers and becoming David’s wife.  Just like that Abigail went from widowhood to being married again … this time to a much better man.

The five female servants indicate Abigail’s wealth and status.  What else did she bring to the marriage?  What about Nabal’s property, did that come with her?  Research suggests that it did or a portion of it anyway.  According to customs of the time, the property of the wife came under the control of her husband.  Did David wind up with Nabal’s property and possessions?  Since nothing is said about Nabal’s sons, this is likely what happened.

Can you see the irony in this?  Nabal refused David’s men food and in the end, David wound up not only with Nabal’s food, but his wife and property as well.  Yes, we serve a God Who is able!

We’ve covered a major life changing event in Abigail’s life, but there are a few more things Scripture tells us about her that we want to include …

Abigal was either the second or third wife of David.  Ahinoam from Jezreel could have been the second wife or it could have been our Abigail (Nabal’s wife).  Scripture is not clear which was second and which was third.  (Michal from Maon (Saul’s daughter) was the first.  (Saul gave her to another man while she was married to David.  You can read about that in I Samuel 25:44))

We next hear of Abigail in I Samuel 27:3 where she and Ahinoam are mentioned living with David at Gath. 

In I Samuel 30:5, we see Abigail along with Ahinoam taken captive by the Amalekites during a raid while David and his men were in Ziklag.  (You can read more about this by reading all of chapter 30.)

In II Samuel 2:1-2, we see Abigail was in Hebron with David when he was inaugurated as King of Judah.

In II Samuel 3:3, we read that she bore David his second son and named him Chileab.

We find no other reference to Abigail in God’s word thereafter, so let’s close this study out by zeroing in on what we can learn from Abigail and her example:

Do the right thing, even when it’s hard.  Abigail remained faithful to God through some emotionally hard times.

Our families are worth the effort it takes to fight for them.

Women have a uniqueness about them that God can use.

Trust God regardless of the circumstances.

Pray and strive for humility.  (I Peter 5:5; Philippians 2:8)

Pray and strive for godly discernment in all situations, especially difficult ones.

Choose words and actions carefully.

God will fight for His children and …

Be a peacemaker, as much as is within your control.

What are some of your thoughts on Abigail?  What have you learned or been reminded of?  What stood out to you and or impressed you about Abigail?

I hope you’ve enjoyed this study; we’ll do another one on a different woman in January 2026.  Between now and then, I’ll post shorter Bible studies, articles and or devotions occasionally.  In the meantime, please feel free to share all of my Bible studies, etc in their entirely with other ladies you know.

Enjoy this beautiful time of the year!

Until the next time …

patsy @ From This Heart of Mine

~ a place for women to gather and study God's Word ~

Sources used for this study:

Various translations of the Holy Bible

Various commentaries

Several trusted and biblically sound online sources

Dictionary of New Testament Background, Editors: Craig A Evans & Stanley E. Porter

Archaeological Study Bible

All the Women of the Bible by Edith Deen

Daughters of Eve by Lottie Beth Hobbs

Halley’s Bible Handbook by H. H. Halley