Rest in your Thoughts

Sonja Corbitt shares an excerpt from a reflection published in the Living the Word Catholic Women's Bible, new from Ave Maria Press.

Have you ever watched the news or scrolled through social media and later had trouble falling asleep or concentrating on an important task, because your mind was racing uncontrollably? Do you struggle with anxiety, negativity, criticism, or fear?

The Exodus account offers a startling truth: The people’s negative thoughts in the desert led to continued unrest. They left Egypt and the deluge at the Red Sea on a spiritual high, but immediately confronted a lack of water in the desert. How could that be if God was leading them to the Promised Land of plenty?

Exodus 15:23 tells us, “When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter.” Most of us infer that the water was bitter. But one Jewish commentator observed that when the phrase is translated literally, it could also mean the people were bitter. According to this view, the undrinkable water at Marah was the result of the bitter attitude the people brought with them from Egypt. The bitterness in their hearts determined their experience of the water itself.

The same lesson is repeated in the next chapter, Exodus 16, with the manna that fell from heaven. Wisdom 16:21 tells us the taste of the manna changed according to each person’s liking. Ancient Jewish Talmud writings also say that the taste of the manna was linked to the taster’s thoughts. Can you see through the “bitter” waters and the “worthless” daily manna (Num 21:5) that the people’s thoughts were the key to what they received in the desert?

Beginning March 15, Sonja Corbitt will host a Book Club for Catholic Mom readers featuring the Living the Word Catholic Women's Bible and her own book, Just Rest. 

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The people’s thoughts were the key to what they received in the desert. #CatholicMom

What makes the new Living the Word Catholic Women's Bible different from other Bibles for women? It includes almost 400 pages of special features created for women by women—more than 40 scholars, teachers, religious, authors, ministers, and speakers—such as Leah Darrow, Sarah Christmyer, Johnnette Benkovic Williams, and Sr. Maria Kim-Ngân Bùi, FSP—who come from a variety of backgrounds and reflect the diversity of the Catholic faith. Nine of these writers have a connection to Catholic Mom and have been sharing their gifts with our readers for quite some time.

The stunning beauty of the hardcover Living the Word Catholic Women’s Bible also makes it stand out among its peers. The extraordinary and elegant design enhances the reading experience by connecting various features throughout the text including 50 profiles of women in the Bible, 97 Living in the Light of Faith essays, and questions for reflection and journaling.

Purchase your copy of the Living the Word Catholic Women's Bible at a special price: only $59.95 with FREE shipping when you use coupon code CMBIBLE23 at checkout at AveMariaPress.com. This code is good through March 31, 2023.

To learn more about the Living the Word Catholic Women’s Bible, visit AveMariaPress.com/living-the-word. You can also join the Living the Word Bible community on Instagram @livingthewordbible and listen to the new Living the Word Bible Podcast with host Sarah Christmyer wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Sarah Christmyer, editor of the Living the Word Catholic Women's Bible, appeared on a recent episode of the Catholic Momcast. 

Copyright 2023 Sonja Corbitt
Images: Ave Maria Press
This excerpt from the Living the Word Catholic Women’s Bible is reprinted with permission of the publisher, Ave Maria Press.