Author: Carolyn

I am a Christian, a sinner saved by God's amazing grace. Much like my life, my blog is a work in progress. The main objective I have for this blog is to "proclaim the praises" of the One who called me out of darkness and into His marvelous light! (1 Peter 2:9)

Bible Study Wrap Up

Carolyn

My Bible study group had a wrap up dinner together a week or two ago in our leader’s lovely home. What a fun year it has been together! We studied Philippians during the fall semester and the Minor Prophets in the spring.

I did not expect to do Bible study at church this year because I work on Wednesdays, and the classes are on Wednesday morning and Wednesday night. By night time, I am pretty tired and in the middle of a busy week. However, I thought it might be fun to do with a friend, so I thought I would invite her, and if she said yes, then we could do it together.

Well, she did say yes, and we both enjoyed the studies so much. My children participated in Wednesday evening programs, so Wednesday became a church night for us this year. It had been seven years since I had been able to participate in Women’s Bible Study because of a year of homeschooling, then six years of working, and it was wonderful to be back. I remember the first lecture back in the fall as the speaker gave an overview of the Bible. My heart was so full being back in this setting together, gathering with women in the community to study God’s Word.

Then who would have thought my two sweet leaders would recommend I speak at the Bible study spring celebration!? And that I would agree?! I was grateful to be able to share what the Lord has done in my life and trust He will use it for His glory. That He would be seen and I would not was my prayer.

I praise the Lord for what He has done in this group this year, for the truths we have learned about His character that absolutely caused us to stand in awe of Him, and for the friendships He has developed. The study of His Word does not return void, and my life is richer for knowing these ladies!

Mother Daughter Tea

Carolyn

My mom and I took my daughter to a Mother Daughter Tea today at church. We had such a sweet time making stationery, having tea and treats, meeting new people, visiting with friends, and hearing a guest speaker. I enjoyed catching up with friends that I don’t get to visit with nearly enough, and my mom enjoyed meeting a lot of new people in her new town. So thankful for our church, for my dear friends, and for a special time with my mom and daughter.

Sweet friends, a gift from God

Field Trip and Friends

Carolyn
Riding one of the trikes!

The middle school at my children’s school recently had a service project collecting used bikes and bike parts for a ministry that fixes these bikes and then provides them to people all over the world who need transportation. Yesterday, my son’s class took a field trip to see the work they do. It was a neat ministry, and they also shared some wonderful things with the children about ministry in general and then bike care and safety.

The lady who started the ministry told us the most important part of any ministry — prayer. We spent time praying together. And the children also learned how they bend steel, put the bikes together, and were encouraged to wear their helmets, take care of their bikes, grease the chains, keep the tires pumped up, etc. They also reported the results of the middle school bike drive and how it would help.

I had a great time being with the students, listening to their conversations, seeing their friendships. I love these children whom I have watched grow for so many years. I remembered the summer before our school started, my son was the only 2nd grader registered, and some wondered if he would have friends and if the school would grow.

By the start of school, there were five 2nd graders, good friends. They combined with the 1st graders and had a nice class of nine children, five boys and four girls. The next year, they had 14 children, 10 boys and four girls. Then they were able to separate out the classes. Though the class has changed year to year, this remains a special group of children, families, and friends, and I was thankful to witness it again yesterday and praise the Lord for bringing together this school and its community.

Bible Study

Carolyn
“Let us press on to know the Lord” Hosea 6:3

I am enjoying blogging more regularly because it is keeping me accountable! I have a goal to exercise at least 3 times a week (I’m starting with low expectations), and it was great to wake up and walk again this morning. It was so neat to see the moon out as I walked one direction, and the sun rising as I walked the other! I read Proverbs 9-10 before I walked (I was already a day behind in that goal!) and reflected on the verses as I walked.

Proverbs 9 continued with contrasting wisdom and folly, while Proverbs 10 talked a lot about the tongue/mouth and also contrasted righteous living with evil. There is a connection between the way we speak and the way we live, between mouths that are a fountain of life and righteous, wise living.

It struck me again that God’s Word teaches us how to live and speaks to our lives. The reason I sometimes don’t know what to do is because I don’t ask or seek or look in the Bible. But it is there, the truths that I need, the ways I should follow, knowledge about the loving God who made me and whom I want to trust and serve.

My Bible study group for this year met one last time last night for dinner at my leader’s house. It was lovely, and I am going to miss seeing these ladies regularly. Studying the Bible together and praying for one another through the year builds sweet friendships and brings encouragement.

I am doing a Beth Moore Bible study Esther: It’s Tough Being a Woman with a friend now and looking forward to studying James: Mercy Triumphs, another Beth Moore study, with a group starting in late June. I find if I don’t have a plan for summer, it’s easy to miss my daily time reading the Bible simply because I don’t have a plan!

So my praise for this morning is God’s Word, the Bible. What an amazing gift to us that God has spoken to us through His Word. I also remembered this morning that it is a gift to have it in my language, readily accessible,  and to have the freedom to read and study it openly with friends. We have been given much, and I want to know this gift and its Giver and give it to those who do not have it or know its power.

Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Proverbs 10:19 “In the multitude of words, sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.”

Mom’s in Town!

Carolyn
Dinner at my mom’s new place with my in-laws — she’s already cooking for a (small) crowd!

I’ve referenced it in some earlier posts last week, but my mom has moved to town! It’s been very exciting for us and a lot of fun. We awaited her arrival with great expectation. I can only hope she is enjoying her time here so far. She’s come at a time when all programs are ending like Bible studies and such, but I’m sure she’ll make friends as she moves along.

We haven’t lived in the same city in most of the last 20 years, so this is a treat, and we are thankful to the Lord for His provision to provide a wonderful place for her to live and bring her here!

One thing my mom encouraged my sister and me to do when we were young was to read a chapter of Proverbs a day through a month. So on the first day of the month, you would read Proverbs 1, and by the last day of the month, you would be at Proverbs 31. I decided to pick up on this for the rest of May, and this morning was encouraged by considering the blessings of wisdom in Proverbs 8. After reading it, I took a nice walk around our neighborhood and reflected on those words.

“The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil (8:13a); riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold (8:18-19a); I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice, granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries (8:20-21).

Then it talked about the LORD possessing wisdom at the beginning of his work; wisdom was set up before the beginning of the earth. That was an interesting section to read. I hadn’t thought about it before.

It ends with, “For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the LORD, but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death” (Prov. 8:35-36).
I’m reminded today to seek wisdom and thankful that we can ask God for wisdom in faith, and He will give it to us (James 1:5-8).