Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Farewell

Dear readers, thank you for coming here very week to see if I have posted anything (I know I keep you guessing sometimes). This has been a very interesting experience for me. It really is exciting to see how God has been using me through writing of all things! 

I was not going to post anything at all this week. Things have just been so busy around here. My parents are on an island in the Carribean right now celebrating their 25th anniversary (which, by the way, is today) and I have six of their children under my charge this week. No big deal. I have done this before. But with all the traveling and singing and packing and planning last week, blog writing was not on my to-do list. And next week, as you all know, is Christmas and I will be cooking and baking and hiding gifts and all that good stuff. The following week, we will be moving out of the bus- everything has to come out. Everything. So my point is, you will not be hearing from me again for quite some time. Don't miss me too much. I will be back next year. 

God bless you all!

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Great Joy

This week, I want to encourage you to get into the Bible. I mean really get into it. One of the best things you could ever do is commit the Word of God to memory. Over the last month or so, I have concentrated on learning large portions of Scripture and I can tell you there is something sweet about being able to quote chapter after chapter for a solid half hour.

I have always hated the fact that when I am doing my hair and makeup, that is all I am doing. Now, I am able to quote different passages and keep them fresh in my mind while I get ready for the day. More and more, I find myself quoting verses when I am exercising or working in the kitchen or driving somewhere. What better way to keep my thoughts on the things of God than to be constantly speaking the words God authored?

One of the greatest joys of knowing Scripture I discovered a couple of nights ago. My little brothers love when I come and tell them a story before bed. So Sunday night, I crawled onto Christian's bunk and began telling stories of Jesus from the first chapter of Mark. Zach joined us and was completely amazed at my ability to remember all forty-five verses. I hope he was inspired to learn just as many, because I want him to have the same joy. And I want you to have that joy too.

I won't lie to you. It is a lot of work. And if you don't do it every day, you will forget. You may have a little difficulty finding time in your busy schedule, but I found that by staying up just a little later at night and reading other books less, I have a good amount of time for the Word. And while I am thinking about it, let me go ahead and say that we have things backwards. We should not be trying to fit God into our hectic lives. He should be our life. Everything else we do is just extra and if it doesn't fit into the schedule, so what? When it comes to the Lord, you ought never have the excuse, "I didn't have time".

So, evaluate your priorities and make those necessary changes. Realize what is truly important and strive for those things with every ounce of your determination. I promise you, it is worth it.