The Joy in Memorizing Scripture.

In the spring, I had the wonderful opportunity to do a study by Beth Moore on the book of James with my ladies bible study. If you've never done a Beth Moore study, I recommend all of her bible studies and books- especially her James study. 

In the study, you choose a level of participation. You can just watch the videos or you can add extra things on like doing the weekly homework, writing the book of James, and digging deeper with the history in the book. The final "level" is memorizing the book of James. When we started the study, I was in the middle of my 6th semester as a nursing student and the idea of memorizing anything more than labs values seemed too daunting. However, a couple weeks ago, I really felt convicting on the need to memorize scripture. So, I decided to start memorizing the book of James. It has been a couple weeks now and I'm almost finished with the first chapter! Even since I've started, I've seen huge fruit from memorizing scripture. I've been able to use the scripture as encouragement to others, as promises to cling to during the day, and God continues to bring up situations where the scripture I'm memorizing is just the truth I need. It is so cool to scripture as "living and active."

A part of chapter 1 of James that I just finished memorizing says:

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of Lights in whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."

James 1:17

As I memorized that scripture this week, I couldn't help but think of the wonderful gifts God has given me, including my sweet husband, Dawson.

Out celebrating our 2 year anniversary!

This week, I made Dawson a little picture montage on Animoto, and as I looked through the pictures and memories of this past 2 years, I was full of joy at what an awesome (and handsome!) husband God has blessed me with! God blesses with good and perfect gifts. What I love even more about the scripture, however, is the truth that God does not change. God is the stability in our lives and the stability in our marriage. Through hard times, transitions, unknowns, happiness, pain, and all that encompasses life: He has "no variation or shadow due to change."

That promise gives me joy. 

Here's a link to the slideshow I made for Dawson, it's a little cheesy- but we're pretty cheesy together!

2 Year Anniversary Slideshow

         

Joy,

Considering it ALL joy- my summer ramblings.

Today, I’m so thankful for summer break and the few days of rest it has brought with it. I’m thankful for the ability to have my quiet time, work on my crafts, open my house to beautiful people, and to drink coffee with friends whenever I want to.  I’ve been afforded the opportunity to go on so many trips and make memories with so many special people.  This little wonderful window of time between semesters has been such a blessing.  This time, as I start off another crazy semester as a nursing student, I feel like I get to do it with a fresh perspective and renewed spirit.

The best thing about the break is that in the slowness and the quietness, I can feel and see God molding my heart and bringing me through sanctification so vividly. Honestly, 2011 was a rocky year, plagued with instability, heartbreak, and the sharp knife of unwelcomed change. I fought through the busyness, hoping that my ability to balance everything and succeed would bring me the desired approval I was longing for. I felt like even as I leaned in to God, even as I called on Him to save me from the mess, I was thrown another curveball, another thing to balance. 

James tells us that we are to count trials as pure joy because they produce a steadfastness of faith. Though it has taken me a while to process, I see growth in me that could only be attested to God’s work in the trials.  Seeing joy in the midst of trials seems like such a huge request sometimes, but the promise that God has control and He is shaping me allows me to rest in Him.  And the resting is the key, not to try harder, to be better, to look like you have it all figured out, it’s to rest in Christ, in his grace, and in the promise the his mercies are new every morning.

I have so much more to talk about, from my conquest of several pinterest crafts with Kelli to my thoughts on the shortening road that leads to graduation.

Shout out to those sweet friends of mine who got coffee, ate lunch, or just hung out with me this week- you stir my affections for Christ and make my life so special. 

Joy,

   

New Year's Resolution 1: Blog.

 So, I feel like New Year's resolutions get a bad rap; sure, six months from now less than half of those who made a resolution this year will still be working to achieve it. Yet still. I think there's something to be said about a fresh start, a clean slate if you will, that makes the new year an exciting time to better ourselves. When thinking of my own resolutions this year (which I will get to in a minute), I couldn't help but correlate the fresh start of a new year to the redemption that has been offered for my life to give me a clean slate. Through Christ,  I am "a new creation, the old has passed away"(2 Cor. 5:17) and daily I'm offered forgiveness and grace to "put to death my sinful nature." (Romans 8:13). What an amazing gift-- and something I do not deserve and that gives me great JOY everyday.

    As I said earlier, I enjoy New Year's resolutions; because I like setting goals, and I like accomplishing tasks. Even though I'm a list maker and I enjoy any opportunity to make a list, a wonderful friend (and new pen pal) of mine, Sarah Everett, gave me the idea to make a "vision board" of all my goals for 2012. Since I'm also in need of something to hang up in my office/craft room, I jumped all over the idea and made one that night! 

This is it, I haven’t hung it up yet because I’m not sure if it’s done just yet. I showed it to Dawson’s mom yesterday, and she really encouraged me by saying that she thought that a key to life was to have vision and goals in it. That’s a summary not a direct quote. But it made my day! I think it’s important for me to remember and for me to say, that when it comes to trying to do life in our own strength, we will ultimately fail. We need the Holy Spirit to empower us to live the lives Christ has called us to live. 


Oh, and Happy New Year from me, Conner, and my double (nah, triple) chin.

Love,