Book Suggestions Needed.

I have just officially finished reading completely through the Bible at the beginning of this week. It was such a wonderfully growing experience. In the last couple of days I have begun to do some reading on the first topic I mentioned in my previous entry - friendship.  I'm reading the concordance verses (along with the contextual verses) that are listed for "friendship" and I can tell that I'm going to need to look into some more resources and do some more digging if I want this to be a meaningful learning experience. So, does anyone have any suggestions? Any study books that have helped you in this area of your life? 

You use steel to sharpen steel,

and one friend sharpens another.

Proverbs 27:17

Haha, I couldn't resist putting these songs on here.

A Journey's End...no...not *THAT* Journey...

*THAT* journey is our adoption journey and that is not yet at an end. However, I have been on another journey this year, a journey through the Bible. In February 2009 I began reading through the entire Bible for the first time. I made a commitment to finish it, but didn't give myself a time line.  After a 1 year and 4 months  I have begun reading the book of Revelation.  I had sort of been a little apprehensive about this book. There are so many different opinions regarding it's contents. In my life I've heard at least 4 or 5 different teachings about what Revelation means for the Christian life: end times time-line, prophesy, poetry, etc. I was excited to be reading it in a different version than I had read before. I felt like I could go into it fresh, without all the questions and ponderings with which I had previously approached it.  So far I am enjoying the reading immensely.  It is so worshipful, what a great way to end my journey through the Bible. 

I must say that I am getting very excited to decide on my next reading plan. I think I'd like to do a topical study for a little while. In reflection though, it was so amazing to see how what I was reading in the Bible-in-a-little-over-a-year-Livi-style reading plan matched up with what I was feeling at that particular time. Worry, impatience, anger, numbness, joy, excitement, you name it, I've felt it over this last year and God's Word dealt with it at that precise time. I didn't do any hunting nor topic searches, but the Spirit within me helped me to identify what God had to say about what I felt. Even so, there are some areas of growth that I'd like to work on and I know that God's Word will help me to grow in them.

SO, since I've decided to use this journal as an outlet to all I'm learning about with God in my life, I think I'll share a couple of the ideas that I plan to study.

• Friendship: What does it look like in God's Word to be a good friend? Who are some examples that I can learn from? What is the balance between being a friend to the world and being too friendly with the world?
• Passionate Patience: In 1 Peter 1:5-8, Peter uses the phrase "passionate patience." It has stuck with me and I really want to look into it more. Perhaps I'll use the People of Faith's stories for examples to learn from.

 I'm really looking forward to these areas of study, but I must finish what I've started first.  

And they chanted night and day, never taking a break:
Holy, holy, holy
Is God our Master, Sovereign-Strong,
The Was, The Is, The Coming.
Revelation 4:8

Faith in What We Don't See

To be honest there was one particular chapter I was excited to read in my personal "journey through the Bible" this year. I know that the whole of scripture is God-breathed and useful, but I was looking forward to Hebrews 11, The Faith Chapter.  I say was because last week I finally got to it and I must say that it was a lot more convicting that I remembered (hahaha).

I've always found this chapter to be so uplifting and encouraging - sort of like the "after" part of a "before & after" show on TV. Having read all the background stories of each of the people mentioned fairly recently, it was pretty great to see that even though they were flawed and they messed up along the way, their faith in God is what is remembered. As I read through the first twelve verses it was like pure encouragement to my wavering resolve to completely trust in God regarding his plan for our family. I even went so far as to pray that God would allow people to look back on my actions and say, "By an act of faith, Olivia waited and waited and waited for God to deliver a child into her family." (That's kind of embarrassing now as I read this, it sounds a pretty obnoxious...).  

I then continued reading  and got to vs 13, "Each one of these people of faith died not yet having in hand what was promised, but still believing." Pow! Smack! Wham! What a wake-up call!  You see, I realized that what they were looking forward to was not worldly happiness nor life dreams fulfilled, but life eternal, life forever with God. I love how this next part is said in The Message: "How did they do it? They saw it way off in the distance, waved their greeting and accepted the fact that they were transients in this world. People who live this way make it plain that they are looking for their true home." Hebrews 11:13b-14. 

Once again I was convicted that my focus has been drawn to what is happening (or not happening) to me in this world rather than looking toward things eternal. I needed some time to confess this before God and really make an effort, with God's help, to accept the fact that I am only a transient in this world. I desire that God will bless us with a child in this life, but I am not to place my hope in that desire.  My hope is in God and in eternal life with him made possible through Jesus' death and resurrection. My eyes should not be downcast and disappointed, but looking up, peering toward my true home. 

I feel like this is something that will be a constant struggle for me.  Looking back over the short life of this journal I confirm that it has been on my heart often. I continue in my prayer that God will capture my full attention and that it will be his forever.