5-22-2013 Daily Devotional

I'm just gonna post this here.

Good lesson this morning, don't you think?

I'm damaged. But God can still use me.

Phillippians 4:11

Philippians 4:11

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

Update on My Reading

The New Testament is...going slowly to be honest. With my mom and my's schedule's its a little hard for us to stay on point. To be at the same place at the same time. And life has been interferring too much as well. We're through the Gospels and should've finished Acts early this week, but that didn't happen. I really need to just focus and make sure I read every day. Or if I don't, I need to make sure I read six chapters the next day to  make up for missing instead of just doing three.

Acts has also been a little bit of a tough read. The chapters are long, and word heavy. But I'm pushing through!

Mom is not enjoying it, because she doesn't like Paul. After repeated mentionings of that fact, I told her that she needed to let it go and let me form my own opinions because I've never read most of the New Testament.

Letting Go of Perfect, our Bible study book, is not going very well. It is more of a memoir than a self help book, and focuses on being a wife and mother. So it's been very hard to relate to for many of us, even those that are married and have children! I think we're all looking forward to the next book. (which I need to go buy soon...)

I enjoyed Unfashionable. I actually want to give it a second read, this time with the study questions. So that's on my summer to do list.

Morning Bible Verse

"Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ." Philippians 1:27a (NIV)

This just really spoke to me this morning. Cuz I have a habit of losing my cool over the dumbest things, justifiable or not. This is a good reminder NOT to do that.

What I'm Reading

First of all, we finished the Apocrypha and have started the New Testament. We're doing a plan to read it in 90 days by reading three chapters a day. Right now we are about halfway through Matthew, I think we'll finish it up on Sunday.

This past Monday, my Bible study group met to pick out our next book. We ended up choosing the next three that we're going to read -- (1) Letting Go of Perfect by Amy E Speigel (2) a study of the book Nehemiah by Kelly Minter and (3) Simply Jesus by N. T. Wright. I have a feeling that I'll take a lot from Speigel's book, I'm really looking forward to the Nehemiah study, and the N.T. Wright book sounds interesting. It was also suggested by my friend L.J. that I brought to group with me. So thankful that she's joining us!

I also picked up a CD by Kutless.

A book I selected was not chosen for group, but I bought it anyways because I really wanted to read it. Unfashionable by Tullian Tchividjian. It's about living as a counterculture instead of trying to blend in with the dominant culture of today's world. Considering the effect that a sermon on Romans 12:2 had on me last year, I just had to pick it up. I'm four chapters in and am completely fascinated. Plus there's 'discussion' questions for each chapter! I try to at least think through each one after reading, but I haven't started writing any answers down yet.

Matthew 8:26

 Jesus responded, “Why are you afraid? You have so little faith!” Then he got up and rebuked the wind and waves, and suddenly there was a great calm.

I just had this one tattooed on the inside of my right wrist, do go with the Proverbs 31:30 on my left (which is going to be redone at some point, ink faded really bad). 

Today's Devotional Verse

"'You don't have enough faith,' Jesus told them. 'I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.'" Matthew 17:20 (NLV)