We have actually made it to the first day of April, 2013. In some ways it is difficult to believe (there is still a bit of snow in my front yard!) And yet, the year seems like it is flying! We are already one quarter of the way through the year. There are only 268 days until Christmas. 2013 is sailing by.

April 1^st of course is destined to be a day of practical jokes. However, I have a few fond memories of this day. My family moved on this day in 1996…oh wait, I didn’t really want to move from my dear friends, so it really isn’t a fond memory and we awoke to snow that morning. Perhaps God does have a sense of humor.

Regardless of how I feel about April 1^st, I did have a great April last year. I joined a challenge with a group of other writers and I was able to work through numerous issues with my blogging and writing. I have continued to be part of this group and have grown close to several members. It was a great opportunity to grow myself and my platform.

This April will be a little different. I found a new challenge to join. It’s called “Blogging from A-Z.” Starting with the first day of the month, we are to write about a theme or an idea or even an item beginning with the letter “A.” On April 2^nd, the blog post would be connected to the letter “B.” This would continue through the month, except for Sundays.

So with my calendar ready, I’m prepared to share a theme each day in relation to a letter of the alphabet. At first I thought it might be a real challenge, but after preparing my calendar, I’ve decided I could write several months’ worth of blog posts according to this method.

So today, let’s look at some Biblical friends whose names begin with the letter “A.”

Abel (Genesis 4:1-16) – Abel’s offering was favored by God. Abel’s brother Cain became angry when God didn’t favor his own. Out of his anger, Cain killed Abel and was punished by God.

Abigail (1 Samuel 25:2-44) – A wise woman who kept David from bloodshed. She was praised for her good judgment and eventually became David’s wife.

Ariel (Ezra 8:16) – Ariel was a leader who traveled with returning exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem. Ariel was sent (with several other leaders) to find a group of Levites to go on this journey to be attendants in the temple. Ariel’s name means “lion of God” or “altar hearth.”

Andrew (Matthew 1:29-34; John 1:35-42) – We don’t know much about Andrew, but what we do know is impressive. In John, we find Andrew listening to John the Baptizer and encountering Jesus for the first time. He immediately followed Jesus and brought his brother, Peter to meet Jesus. The rest, as they say is history. And what history!

Apollos (Acts 18:24-28) – A Jew from Alexandria, Apollos was a learned man and had great knowledge of Scripture. Although he had been instructed in the way of the Lord, spoke with great fervor, and taught about Jesus accurately, he only knew of John’s baptism. Another “A” named saint, Aquila, along with his wife Priscilla, explained the way of God more accurately to Apollos. Paul mentions Apollos several times, but one that shows his acceptance is from 1 Corinthians 3:6 (NIV). “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.”

What examples we can find from these characters in Scripture. We learn obedience from Abel, good judgment from Abigail, and willingness to follow God’s lead from Ariel. From Andrew we learn faithfulness and a sense of urgency and from Apollos the desire to never stop learning and the understanding of sharing God’s message with others. Each of them faced a challenge and with God’s help were able to overcome their challenge.

What challenges are you facing today? Please know that with God, we have the ability to be overcomers and conquerors (Romans 8:37). There is no reason to face these challenges alone. God is with you!

I look forward to this April challenge. I pray that you will be blessed by my words and through God’s abundant blessings.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna