Sunday, May 26, 2013

God is better than a cold drink of water!

     Do you ever start to feel like you can't handle the responsibilities that God has given you anymore?  Or that you just need about a three second break from your life to get a breath of fresh air and then you would be fine.  But then three seconds never come, so you just keep pushing on....trying to survive from day to day.
     I will be the first to admit that I do not handle stress well.  I don't know if some people are just equipped to handle stress better or if that is a learned skill, but when things start getting crazy, my inner balance gets, well......wacky!  :)  This is the state that I have found myself in lately.  I have tried to pull myself out of the funk, but have been unsuccessful.  And with the summer looming ahead, I see three long months of four kids looking to me for structure, entertainment, guidance, nurturing, etc.  I have got to get my act together.
    So, my best efforts of willing my spirit renewed was just not getting it done.  I was frustrated.....I wanted my mojo back so bad, but I couldn't find it. Finally I decided that perhaps my slacking off of my daily Bible reading might have something to do with my desire to find a hole and be left alone! 
     In the past two years Robert and I have read through numerous books of the Bible together and then have ventured our separate ways, reading one chapter of a certain book per day.  Reluctantly, I must admit that I had never read the Bible this way.  In the past I have always read the Bible along with a certain Bible study or devotional.  So, that means that I would read a certain number of verses and then read someone else's commentary about those verses and then decide what God was trying to tell me through the verses.  Reading the books of the Bible, chapter by chapter, takes a different approach.  Any particular chapter is usually not very long in itself....it takes only a few minutes to read it through once.  So, then it leaves time to reread and take my time to meditate on just what God is speaking to me about through those verses.  God has opened my eyes to understand many things that I did not understand before...as well as have many new questions.
   My life is exhausting, metaphorically, is causes extreme thirst. :)  So, why do I drift away from Him when He is the only thing that can quench my thirst?  It is cliché but true, the Bible is living water....it is fresh water.....or in other words, a breath of fresh air in our lives.  God renews us through the reading of HIS words.   He has called me to walk the path I am on in life right now....a wife, a mom of four, homeschool teacher, ministry leader, etc., but He NEVER called me to walk this path without Him!!!! 
     In order to help me get back on track, Robert has agreed to read James with me the next few days.....you know James only has 5 chapters, so it is a good place to start.  :)  Last night we read James 1....wow, God gave me just what I needed.....my thirst was getting quenched.  Tonight I read James 2 and I already feel like I have spent a week on a beautiful island with just me and the hubby!  :)  I feel my mojo coming back.....isn't God cool?  He truly is all that we need.  Why do I allow myself to get busy with life and forget what matters most?
     If you are feeling empty and/or thirsty today.......pick up your Bible, pick out a book (I would probably chose New Testament to start out) and start with chapter 1!  And be sure to have a journal handy to write down what He teaches you and any prayers that you have.  God will surely take you on an exciting ride!