2010 Bible Reading Plan

Another year has come and gone and yet another year I make no resolutions. This past year I challenged myself I read through the Bible in a year, tonight I will finish the reading it through. I really enjoyed this plan, given out by Grace Baptist Church in Cape Coral, FL last year as a challenge to their church. I read this year through the ESV Reformation Study Bible.

This coming year I intend to start the plan over starting at the beginning. This time reading through my ESV Study Bible and looking for a couple specific things as I read, which helps me to pay much more attention to detail.

I benefited tons and learned so much more as I looked at all the scriptures...I'm left with many more questions as I ponder the text. I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to study, freely, the word of the Lord. I look forward to other studies I will be beginning in addition to the read through the Bible plan. My prayer from here on is that the Lord would give me more desire and a deep hunger to study, ponder, meditate, read the scriptures, that He'd reveal new things to me in each verse, and that he'd transform my life.

Sermon prep for the Congregation - Consider how you listen

I was catching up on some blog reading this afternoon and was convicted by a couple of blogs posts written by Tim Challies on the topic of considering how we listen to sermons. I recommend giving both posts a read.

The first of the posts is excerpted from a George Whitfield sermon...These pearls of wisdom will help you listen to sermons in a way that will bring great blessing to your soul. Or as Whitefield said, “Here are some cautions and directions, in order to help you hear sermons with profit and advantage.”

The second post is a great list of ways we who do not preach can prepare for the Sunday sermon..."What we consider less often, I think, is that while a pastor bears great responsibility in preparing for and delivering the Word of God each Sunday, the listener shares in the responsibility. The church has no place for an audience. We are all to be involved in the preaching, even as listeners." - Tim Challies

Jake and USC football

I came across this video on a couple blogs I read, it's worth taking the 7 minutes to watch. It'll make you cry, least it did me.

My list...part 1

A few years ago now I made a list, a list of what I would look for in a man that I would want to marry. Not the type of list I would have made in my early teen years...tall, dark, handsome....yeah you know what I am talking about. And a list that is more than just the obvious (at least obvious for me)...that he's man and a Christian. But a list coming mostly from scripture...I don't have the list any more, but to recall a few...

He loves his wife as Christ loves the church – Eph 5:25
He should love their wife as their own bodies – Eph 5:28
He'd live with his wife in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel 1 Peter 3:7

Then there were other qualities – not necessarily given in scripture as addressed to husbands but more general...
A man of prayer
self-controlled
be in accordance with sound doctrine
sound in faith, in love, and steadfastness
sober-minded

And the list went on...But when I was thinking back on the list this week I was convicted. Convicted that I need not be focused on searching for this man who fits the description or try to make a man fit that description and trust that the Lord would bring him if the Lord wills.

Rather, I need to focus on becoming a godly woman and wife. What are those things that I should be learning or reinforcing in my life that that will lead to that? So I began to prayerfully think on this and journaling my thoughts, some of which Lord willing I will be posting in the coming days.

But here me say, I am not erasing from my mind that list that I had written out about what type of man I want to marry. I still will use that as I do want to get just caught up in a relationship for the sake of being in a relationship but because I am interested in getting to the man God had placed in my life and see if he may be that one who embodies these biblical characteristics.

Music new to me...JJ Heller

In the last week or so I have discovered the music of JJ Heller and she has quickly become one of my favorite musicians/vocalists. Her music can be found on itunes, jjheller.com, or amazon. One album, Wake Up The World, is available for free on noisetrade.com for a limited time. I highly recommend checking it out!

The Pipers - Molly Piper

John Piper is a well known pastor and speaker, his son Abraham Piper has become a well known blogger. While I am grateful for John Piper's ministry and enjoy reading Abraham Piper's blog 22 Words I really appreciate the blog The Pipers written by Abraham's wife, Molly Piper.

Molly Piper blogs on many topics ranging from family, life's issues, crafts, books, home renovations, and possibly the saddest but most helpful - especially to those in a similar situation - is the still birth of her daughter Felicity and the grief that follows. I can't say enough about the blog, how much I appreciate her honesty in happiness and grief, her practicality of many of the posts (I've even learned how to fold a fitted sheet!)

I recommend The Pipers blog to anyone, especially women, those seeking godly wisdom from other Christian women, those grieving the loss of a child, those looking for practical ideas, mothers, young ladies hoping to be mothers...basically any woman.