Hello Friends!
I'm so sorry I'm a day behind. Our whole family was hit hard this past weekend with sickness, but we have now all recovered, recouped, and cleaned house and are ready to jump back into life. Because of this our reading plan is a bit short, but it will not put us behind in finishing the study in the next 3 weeks. This week's reading plan: Tuesday - Deuteronomy 21 Wednesday - Deuteronomy 22 Thursday - Deuteronomy 23 Friday - Deuteronomy 24 Keep reading! Joyfully His, Andrea
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Hello, Sweet Sisters!
Sorry this is a bit late, but here is our reading plan for the week! Monday - Deuteronomy 16 Tuesday - Deuteronomy 17 Wednesday - Deuteronomy 18 Thursday - Deuteronomy 19 Friday - Deuteronomy 20 Keep reading God's Word! Joyfully His, Andrea Have you ever felt stuck?
Like you were just treading water? Like you were hanging from a cliff and your hand was slipping? Nothing seems to be changing or there doesn't seem to be an end in sight? I imagine, after forty years in the wilderness, the Israelites felt this way. I'm sure their burdens began to feel too heavy to bare. Unfortunately, their problem was continued disobedience. They knew God's commands. They understood them, but it's not always easy to be obedient. Near the end of their journey, Moses spoke to the Israelites, telling them all that God had told him to say. He reminded them of their rebellion and God's discipline because of their choices. Those forty years? That was their discipline. "Normally it takes only eleven days to travel from Mount Sinai to Kadesh-barnea, going by way of Mount Seir." ~ Deuteronomy 1:2 The forty years Israel spent in the wilderness, should have only taken them 11 days. Eleven days. Wow! How often do we get stuck in a rut because we are not following God's commands. We know what they are. We are reading and learning His Word through the Bible, yet we don't choose to follow ALL of His ways. When God calls us to do something, and we feel that tug yet we choose not to follow, we have to pay the consequences for that disobedience. We may be left to wander right where we are until we surrender to His Word. I have been there. There was a time when I let discontentment consume me. It stole my joy and I was stuck. No matter what I did, there was never a change. My circumstances remained the same. And then I surrendered. I told God I was okay if He didn't give me what I desperately wanted. I was grateful for what I had and I was going to start appreciating that instead of dwelling in my selfishness. I'm embarrassed to say it took me years to get to that point of contentment. But when I did? God blessed me twice as much as I ever asked of Him! I don't ever want to take for granted the blessings God has given me. I don't want to forget all that He has brought me through and everything He has given me along the way. Because the truth is: I don't deserve any of it. I don't deserve His love. I don't deserve the sacrifice of His Son's life for my sins. I don't deserve His mercy. I don't deserve His forgiveness. And I don't deserve His blessings. I'm a sinner. Plain and simple. I mess up. Every. Single. Day. No matter how hard I try, I'm going to make mistakes. But.... I'm so thankful for His grace, and this life, and His blessings and JESUS. I want to trust Him and obey Him and serve Him fully. Why? "But even after all He did, you refused to trust the Lord your God." ~ Deuteronomy 1:32 We are so quick to thank God for His goodness and blessings in the good moments, but then quickly return to worrying and trying to handle things ourselves when times get tough. So often, we get caught up in our circumstances and forget who is really in control. Who sees the whole picture? Who knows the outcome? Who has our best eternal interest at heart? I need to trust God completely in EVERY situation. Even the hard ones. Even the ones that bring me to my knees. Even the ones I don't understand or like. Even the ones that break my heart. I need to trust Him. I need to obey Him. And I need to remember all that He has done for me and thank Him. That's my challenge today: Thank God for His blessings, love, mercy and His Son, no matter what circumstances I may be facing. I don't want to get stuck in the wilderness. I want to know God and His commands and I want to follow Him and recognize all that He is doing for me. May God bless each of you today! Keep reading Scripture! Joyfully His, Andrea Happy Monday, Friends!
Last week became a bit busier than I had expected so I was unable to do any extra posts. Hopefully this week I will have a bit more time . Here is this week's reading plan: Monday - Deuteronomy 11 Tuesday - Deuteronomy 12 Wednesday - Deuteronomy 13 Thursday - Deuteronomy 14 Friday - Deuteronomy 15 I'm praying for you! Keep reading God's Word! Joyfully His, Andrea Good morning, Sweet Sisters!
We are beginning week 4 of our spring Bible study today. I hope you are as eager to dig into Scripture as I am! I won't linger here long today, as I have homeschool studies to oversee and toddlers to entertain! :) This week's reading plan: Monday - Deuteronomy 6 Tuesday - Deuteronomy 7 Wednesday - Deuteronomy 8 Thursday - Deuteronomy 9 Friday - Deuteronomy 10 I'm praying for you today! Keep readng God's Word! Joyfully His, Andrea Why do some people make reading Scripture so hard? Why does it seem to be such a task, at times? Of course, there are many parts of Scripture that I don't understand, and there are many things of this world that Scripture does not directly address. There are many things we will not understand, and many situations we will not be able to comprehend until we are in the presence of God ourselves. I know this and have many questions. But.... it absolutely floors me when people make simple Scriptures, complicated. God knows our minds: He created them. So, I believe what He ordained to be written in the Bible, He ordained it to be simple enough for us to read it. We have a tendency to complicate things. Just read God's Word. He will reveal His truth to you. Don't overthink it or try to make it fit what you want. Trust Him. He never changes. What He ordained to be written with the first Bible scrolls is the same thing He means for us today.
As a parent, there are certain values I want my children to learn. My husband and I want our children to share our conservative, christian values. We teach these things to them, but we also teach them to refer back to Scripture on everything they are taught. This includes what they are taught by the church, other people (even teachers and respected family members), their schoolwork, their friends, and the things they read, hear and see, and even us (their parents). We would never steer our children wrong on purpose, but we are imperfect humans living in a fallen world- so we will make mistakes and we won't always be right. That is why we always lead our kids back to Scripture. We want them to know that any question they have about something, needs to be tested with Scripture. And if it doesn't line up with God's Word? Than it isn't truth. II Timothy plainly explains the importance of Scripture. And truly, it is so simple and easy to understand. "All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work." ~ II Timothy 3:16-17 That's it. It's that simple. Those two verses give us simple and direct purposes for Scripture. That is the reason we have the Bible: to teach us what is true, to make us see what is wrong in our own lives, to correct us when we are wrong, to teach us what is right, and to prepare and equip us to do every good work. Wow! I love this! I am memorizing these Scriptures along with my children so that we are always reminded of why God has given us His Word. What is God teaching you through His Word? How is Scripture changing the way you live your life? What difference is God's Word making in you? I'm praying for each of you! Keep reading God's Word! Joyfully His, Andrea Good morning, Friends!
I'm sorry that I am sending this out a week late. A week ago at this time, I was in the hospital recovering from emergency surgery due to complications from our miscarriage. It was a very scary time for our family as it was very serious and I lost too much blood. Praise God, I am feeling better and getting around a bit faster this week! God is so good! Despite the sorrow we have felt through this loss, I cannot help but to be thankful in this season. I am alive! Today I am sitting on my couch watching my babies play in the floor and watching my older children do their schoolwork. God saved my soul over 20 years ago and gave me eternal life through Jesus Christ, He saved my life last Sunday night and has given me more time here on earth with my wonderful husband and precious children. I don't want to take either gift for granted. Last Sunday night my husband was pleading with God to save me, and at the same time he was having to sign papers and make decisions for my emergency care. Wow! What a difference a week can make! We are praising God each day for this gift of life He has given us together. Thank you for your continued prayers. Now, without further ado.....Let's jump right into our reading plan for this week! Monday - Deuteronomy 1 Tuesday - Deuteronomy 2 Wednesday - Deuteronomy 3 Thursday - Deuteronomy 4 Friday - Deuteronomy 5 I'm excited to be back in God's Word, this week! I'm praying for each of you! Keep reading! Joyfully His, Andrea |
For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. " AuthorHi! I'm Andrea, wife to my handsome hubby, homeschooling mama to my 7 amazing blessings, and daughter of the King of kings. I am so glad you have stopped by my little piece of the web. My prayer is that the Lord will use this blog to encourage you in your personal, daily walk with Christ. Archives
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