My Summer Challenge

Several posts ago, around last summer, I blogged about how I accepted a role in Bible Study Fellowship teaching the children.  This study lasted the whole school year and it just ended this week.  Now we have the summer off......off from BSF but not from Jesus, not from God's Word, not from spiritual growth...as our teaching leader reminded us.  I just LOVE her by the way!  I want to give a big shout out to my BSF leader.  God has called her to a mighty work and she performs it so beautifully.  The Holy Spirit works so powerfully through her and I love sitting under her teaching.  I have learned more and grown more under her than anywhere else.  Try a BSF class.  You'll never regret it! 

Okay, okay.  *climbing off of soap box*

Back to summer.  What am I going to study over the summer?  To be honest, in past summers after BSF was over I would hear the same charge, "Decide now what you are going to study/read over the summer.  Don't put God's Word on the shelf until fall!" and I would think to myself...yes you're right, and then I would inevitably study Nothing until September.  I need the structure in order to stick with something...a side note here.  You P90X people are Awesome in my mind mostly because of your diligence to work out on your own...every day!  I have to hire someone to work me out, otherwise I would always find an excuse not to do it.  Okay, the same goes with my Bible.  Sorry Jesus, but it has been so true for me.  It helps me so much to have the accountability of a study, a friend, a plan, a group....something to help me stay faithful in my walk with Jesus because otherwise the affairs of my life begin to swallow up my time, and I allow it, not really believing that I will suffer for it....but then I always do.  So, as the charge was being given to us again this year, I heard myself say the same thing in my mind I always do.  "Yes, you're right."  Then I also had the next thought that I always have after it.  "Really Julie?  Are you really going to decide on something and stick with it?  Aren't you tired?"

Well, I sat in that space as the study was coming to a close, not really purposing to choose a section of God's Word to study.  I guess thinking that my time in the Scriptures would "just happen."  Well, then one of the other leaders in the group shared in our last leaders meeting what God had laid on her heart to do over the summer.....and I was so awed by the idea of it that I haven't been able to get it off my mind ever since.  In fact, when I think about it I get more and more excited...and nervous.  Can I really do that?

She planned to memorize the Book of James. 
What?  That's right.  The whole book of James.  Memorize it.  Whoa.  I've never attempted something like that before.  It's not even crossed my mind.  James has special meaning to the ladies of our study this year because it is one of the books that we went through.  James is so practical.  There's so much there about persevering through trials and how we use our tongue.  The thought of memorizing it brings such excitement to my heart.  Talk about "hiding God's Word in my heart!"  What are the limits of how God can change me in such practical ways if I memorize such wisdom?  It's 5 chapters.  Can I do it?  We'll see because I'm going for it!  I've already started....and I've even enlisted my kids' help.  I pass my Iphone to Logan who reads along in the car as I quote it to him.  He even helps me!  "No mom.  It's not and the man, it's but the man."  You know me....have to learn it word for word. 

Well, I've already learned the first 11 verses.  Every time I get a few moments, I start repeating the verses to myself.....and it just rejuvenates me!  It makes me really think through them...understand what I'm saying.  I've already used one of the verses during a mildly frustrating moment......."the testing of your faith develops perseverance."  It was right there on the tip of my tongue too!  I love that!  Here are the verses I've learned so far, for your reference:

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
Greetings.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.  If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.  But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.  That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.

The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position.  But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower.  For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed.  In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.

So, are you at a loss as to what to do this summer to stay in God's Word?  Do you want to memorize something with me?  I'd love to be encouraged by you!  Post a comment below and let me know.  Pick a passage that has special meaning to you, or a Psalm or Proverb...or pick a section of James and we'll learn it together!

Oh, side note again with a bit of Bible trivia......Who do you think wrote the book of James (for you avid Bible readers out there)?  Did you say James the disciple of Jesus....the "James & John" disciple?
*insert loud buzzer here*
Incorrect.  However, that is the James I have always associated this book with in my mind though.
See Acts 12:2
It is believed that John's brother James was martyred too early to have written this letter....also noting that the letter was written to the 12 tribes scattered throughout the nations, which only had just started to happen when he was martyred......and also noting that his letter addresses himself as a "servant" and not an "apostle" like the other letters written by the apostles.  So who was it?  It is believed to be Jesus' brother, converted to a believer after the resurrection.  Jude verse 1 (written by Jesus' brother Judas) also references himself as "a brother of James."  Cool huh!  Please tell me I'm not the only Bible-studier that didn't know this........is that a word?  Studier?

Well, there you have it.  A small nugget from my BSF study, a public commitment to memorize a crazy-long passage, and a challenge for you to join me.  I hope it blessed you.

Eternal Perspective

Editor's note:  It's been several months since I blogged so I logged on to refresh my memory on what I last talked about and I found this "draft" post that I wrote last October.  I barely remember writing it...isn't that weird?  Anyway, even though it sounds like I'm reading someone else's blog when I re-read this, I thought I'd go ahead and post it.  It's a little different from my other posts, which is why I guess I waited to post it the first time.  Oh well...here goes:

Okay...so now you get a chance to peer into my brain.  My unconventional brain.  I actually think about eternity a lot, but probably not in the way you are thinking.  I actually don't spend much time imagining what eternity will be like.  I know a lot of people get a lot of enjoyment wondering what life will be like after this one ends, but the practical side of me can't do that very long before it feels like a waste of my time.  I guess that's because it doesn't really matter what I imagine because it will most likely be wrong.  If you knew you could stare at a mystery forever but never figure it out, why bother with it?  Just acknowledge it's a mystery and wait for it to be "revealed" later.  Can you tell I am very left-brained?  Not many creative, artistic or curious thoughts persist long in my mind...only those that actually lead to a conclusion with real meaning.  Now that's the good stuff to meditate on!  (For this reason, I have a great appreciation for those who are creative & imaginative because my mind can't seem to get beyond the question of Why is this practical in my life?  So I feel a bit stunted in that area sometimes.)

Okay...so I've spent a whole paragraph explaining what is Not on my mind.  What is on my mind is how my life fits into the realm of eternity.  Huh?...is maybe your first thought.  What I mean is, I frequently think about how eternity is forever...right?  The Bible refers to our earthly lives as being similar to an ambassadorship.  An ambassador leaves his home to live in a foreign land for a while, but they are really a representative of their homeland.  You're whole perspective of life on this earth changes when you see it in that light.  If heaven is my eternity, and it is where I am headed after this life ends, and it is my real home, and it lasts forever-  and by forever I mean a lifetime multiplied by infinite lifetimes - then what is this lifetime supposed to be?

Ultimately, I'm just visiting here.  My purpose is to honor God in all aspects of my life and make him look bigger in a world that does not know Him.  But other than that, the events that happen in my life (or anyone's life for that matter) don't matter.  Don't get me wrong...they do matter, but they only matter in the context of how God intends to use our lives.  They are His to use...and not just for the Christians.  He created all people, so the lives belong to Him to use as He pleases.

I guess I think of it like a baseball game that God is playing, and we are the balls.  Ok...go with me here.  God is playing a "game" with the enemy (no disrespect intended here) and we are the balls in the game.  God uses some...the enemy uses some.  The score has already been foretold, so we know who wins.  God chooses to take some of the balls home with him after the game is over because of their role in the game.  But the balls are expected to do what's asked of them when it's their turn at bat...not worry about whether they will be dropped, hope they don't get smacked too many times, or complain if their usefulness was short-lived.  Be a ball and serve the player.  It's God's game anyway, not the ball's.

I guess that's where we/I get hung up.  We think this game is all about us...but we are just the ball.  From His perspective, I would think that looks pretty ridiculous.  What difference does it make if we endure some suffering or experience pain?  Well, it makes a difference in the play of the game maybe...but it shouldn't make a difference to the ball how he is used in the game.

Ok.  I'm not trying to diminish the painful effects of suffering in this life.  This life can be brutal.  But frequently I find myself remembering that my life is not about me.  The odd thing is that it feels like it is all about us because it is the only way that we know to experience Life.

Someday we will see our lives from God's perspective...and what will we see?  How will we feel about it?  Hmmmm.  Good question.  These are the things that fill my mind at times.  I hope you enjoyed your visit into my deep thoughts!  Come back next time.