Tag Archive for book reflections

Book Reflections-Chapter 6" Unlikely Lessons From a Pineapple"

Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl
Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl

Do you like fruit that is canned or fruit that is fresh?

For those who have both, you know that there is a distinct difference and taste to fresh fruit, and also no preservatives in most cases.
"I looked at biblical truth from afar. I ddidn't feel equipped to open it and attempt to stuidy it on my own. Instead of reading the fresh truth for myself, I only read books that talked about the Bible. Just like that canned pineapple, my experience with learning God's truth teased me that greater possibilities existed." Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl Pg. 73
I love how Lysa said, “If people ever say that Jesus and His biblical truths don’t work, I am quick to ask how consistantly they’ve applied what they’ve read. People fail; truth never does.”
 
We live in a world of quick fixes.
People want it now and fast. They are too busy, in too much of a hurry to take the time. I have had people treat me, like I’ve performed a miracle, because I cook from scratch, but they don’t listen when I try to explain that it didn’t happen overnight.
It took time and persistance and I study cookbooks, watch cooking shows and really watch how the chefs cook their food, and ask questions, but more than anything, I worked on it by actually cooking.
Practice makes perfect as the saying goes, but the really true limits, is ourselves a lot of the times.
I may never cook like a famous chef, but I can still create some good and healthy meals and we taste the difference when we sample the “fast food” counterparts or grocery bought, quick meals.
It was heartening to read the story about David and Goliath, because I could remember growing up, wanting to fit in and even now, I still feel that way.
I would like to feel like I can be “part of the group”, but often I feel “different” and “overlooked”.
She, Lysa, shared, “Being overlooked and rejected by people does not equate to being overlooked and rejected by God. Often it means exactly the opposite.” (from page 77), and “Oh, how true,”. My closest and dearest friend, I feel is in Our Father in Heaven.
He doesn’t mind if I’m shy or socially awkward; He is willing to accept me and my imperfections and know that I am trying and I want to try and I am so humble that He even cares that much about me.
I don’t think I can ever fit “in”.
I still wear the wrong clothes.
I don’t say what people what me to say that pleases them.
I don’t have the right life that fits other ideals of the “right life”.
I’m a misfit still in many eyes, but I am okay that though many may or still reject me, God doesn’t and won’t.
I’m His.
I belong to God not men.

25 The fear of man brings a snare,
      But whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe.
       (Proverbs 29:25, New King James Version)

The blessings of what He has given me is that I spend time with Him. I hear Him and listen to Him. I am so humble that no matter what, HE uses me for HIS purposes not mine.

It humble me to read as Lysa shared,

“He (David) just accepted that God had led him where he was supposed to obe-the right place for right now. Whew, this is hard for me sometimes! I find myself wanting to rush things, to get past the waiting as quuickly as possible. Sometimes I forget that God is doing signficant things around me and in me, even while I am waiting.” (pg 79)

Think of the disaster that happens when instead of allowing God to do what He needs to do and doing what God tells us to do, we just give in to our emotions and our impatience and our desires and do things our way; Try to have it our way, but how WE determine is right.

Is it worth the price of needless hurting people then?

The other day, I read a devotional called “Relative Obedience” and posted about it and how King Saul, as he did with David’s older brother, decided, he knew better and rather than wait, not only for Samuel but on God, our Father, just went ahead and decided what offering to make, under the pretense for the good of all.

In the process, many people were needless hurt because of making an emotional and self-need decision and not allowing our Father in Heaven to direct him.

Look before you leap.

Patience is a virtue.

The list goes on.

David understood. He saw the bigger picure that you just don’t push things because you just want to get something. You don’t demand something, just because you want to get it.

There is greater good in….waiting.

It’s not about me.

It’s not about you.

It’s about our Father in Heaven whom we serve before all others.

Book Reflections-Chapter 5 "Devotion Time Blues"

Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl
Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl

There are many ways I can choose to react when things happen each day. I can choose the way of “It’s my right to be frustrated.” I can choose the way of “Doesn’t anyone listen to me around here?” I can choose the way of “Do you know how this makes me feel?”

Or, I can choose to let God teach me His way.

from “Becoming More than a Good Bible Study Girl”, page 69

Powerful words isn’t it?

We face two choices, call it the sterotypical “Good angel” on one shoulder and the “Bad angel” on the other shoulder, and when handed a decision, we do have the decision to make, which do we choose.

I teach my children, that they, and they alone are responsible to how they respond to a situation. They are responsible not for the other person’s or the event’s actions, but they are responsible for how they choose to respond to what is presented to them and the outcome of the choices that they make.

Same with making time to spend with our Heavenly Father.

We can blame the phone, but who is in control? You or the phone? Then turn it off.

We can blame our schedules, but do we have to say yes to everything? It’s okay to say no sometimes.

Teach me Your way, O LORD; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name. Psalm 86:11
I think something we have to remember as followers as Christ is that as much a blessing, our emotions can be, at the same time, it can be a curse, if left uncheck and we allow our feelings to overrule or determine God’s word.

Lysa writes, “My way leads to all kinds of runaway feelings that pull me away from the truth and into an absolute pit of yuck.”

Isn’t there a saying that goes something along the lines of, she lets the best of her emotions get to her, or something to that effect.

When we allow, “Oh we are having a bad day” or “I don’t like that person” or “I don’t feel good”, we sometimes forget too, that it can open the door for the enemy to slip in and capitalize on our emotions and get the best of us and do what it wants to do….keep us from truly following the truth of God’s word.

I like how Psalm 86:11; “Teach me your way…….”

Not teach me, on my terms, or how I feel, but “…your way…” God’s way.

We need to be more open to His way and put aside our petty ways.

As Lysa reminds us, “The world’s offering of joy, hopen and love is fleeting, temporary, and dangerously unstable…but it can put on a good show in the short term.”

God’s not asking for the best, because He knows we all have fallen short of that, but He does ask, we try our best.

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