January Scripture Memorization

January Scripture Memorization

Carolyn

“Yours, O LORD, is the greatness,
The power and the glory,
The victory and the majesty,
For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours;
Yours is the kingdom, O LORD,
And You are exalted as head over all.
Both riches and honor come from You,
And You reign over all.
In your hand is power and might;
In your hand it is to make great,
And to give strength to all.
Now, therefore, our God, we thank You and praise Your glorious name.”
1 Chronicles 29:11-13 (NKJV)

Around Christmastime, my mom texted me and my sister to see if we could learn these Bible verses together. I agreed, and it took me the whole month of January to learn them completely. (I find memorizing harder the older I get!) Read more →

Happy New Year 2020

Carolyn

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Happy New Year 2020! The picture above is the first sunrise of the year that greeted me this early morning.

Over the years, it has been my pattern to write down a word or theme for the coming year. I’ve had themes around prayer, Bible reading, “firstfruits,” the Lord being our Shepherd, “whiter than snow,” “God is Light,” the fear of the Lord, and others. Each year I’ve written about the word or theme to record it. Read more →

A Prayer from Psalm 26

A Prayer from Psalm 26

Carolyn

I found this brief prayer below on my computer today, written back in 2015. It seems like a random psalm to pray through, but I probably wrote this when we passed Psalm 26 in our church’s Bible reading plan. I love it that we can turn God’s Word back into prayer and praise to Him.

This psalm reminds me of Psalm 1, giving instruction on how we should sit, stand, and walk (26:3-5), which really is to say that God’s Word gives guidance for every aspect of our lives. And as Psalm 139 reminds us, God knows when we sit down and rise up (139:2). He comprehends our path (the way we walk and go) and our lying down and is acquainted with all our ways (139:3). What wonderful knowledge (139:6)!

PRAYER:

Praise you, Lord, that you are a merciful Redeemer (v.11). You show us the way to walk and to go, a path that leads to life. May I trust in You without wavering, and may my foot be on a level place that it might not slip (v. 1, 12). May I have a sturdy trust in You, my faithful God. Examine me and prove me; try my mind and heart (v. 2). Keep your lovingkindness before my eyes, help me walk in your truth (v.3). May I bless you in the congregation, proclaiming with a voice of thanksgiving, and declaring all your wonders (v. 6-7, 12). May I walk in integrity (v. 1, 11). In Jesus’ name, who has made these things possible, Amen.

Book Review and Giveaway

Carolyn

9780802419194This summer, I went through a new Bible study on prayer called On Bended Knee: Praying like Prophets, Warriors, and Kings by Crickett Keeth. Crickett is the women’s ministry director at First Evangelical Church in Memphis, where I grew up. She is also a graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary, where my husband earned his Th.M. So we have many mutual connections which helped stir my initial interest in this study. I’ve also been impressed with the growing number of Bible studies being offered by Moody Publishers (where my husband also happens to work!) and have enjoyed using them over the last few years as resources to dig into God’s Word. Read more →

A Salvation Story

A Salvation Story

Carolyn

Let me tell you a story. It’s a good story, a true story.

In the beginning, God created all things—the heavens and earth, the far-flung galaxies, the deepest oceans, the highest mountains, the farthest lands, the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky and the animals of the land—and he did so with precision and order. And then this wholly other, indescribable and perfect God also created you and me. So vast and big; so personal and near. This Creator God cared about relationship with us.  Read more →