Where God Leads

My bff, Kat, texted me a few days ago letting me know that not only had Ann Voskamp commented on our One Thousand Gifts picture, but that we also were in the new slideshow on her posts at A Holy Experience and Bloom (in)courage. I was almost giddy when I saw that she had written on a picture I had loaded on Facebook. Still more so when I saw mine and Kat's faces drift by on the slideshow. And as I sit here still excited, I start to wonder...why?

Why did I get so excited that a woman, a mother like me who homeschools her children and loves her husband and worships her God, commented on a picture? Well, it's hard to get past the fact that it IS Ann Voskamp. Even before the book, her blog has blessed me so many times. I told her at Relevant '10 that I had stopped reading her blog because it brought me to tears each time I read it. Do you know what she did when I said that? She apologized. For making me cry. I'm telling you, this woman exudes grace.

Ann patiently listening to me

But looking past that, what she is is a woman who simply listened to what God told her to do. From beginning her beautiful blog, to writing the book, she listened to His nudging. Is still listening as the popularity of her book grows. If I were to do the same thing, where would God take me?

No, I don't expect to write a best selling book. Nor do I expect to be a speaker at a blog conference. I don't expect to sing concerts the world over, either. But what joy and happiness would be mine if I just listened to Him...and did what He asked?

I have to admit that I let my life be guided by fear more often than I let it be guided by God. Fear of the future, fear of people not liking me, fear of people not liking my child, fear of not parenting my child well, fear of getting bitten by a brown recluse (yes, I'm serious...I'm deathly afraid of spiders).

Why do I live like that? I haven't read One Thousand Gifts completely...since I'm reading the Bible in 90 days, I haven't had time to read it the way I really want to, but I've read far enough into it to know that if I let go of my fear and grab hold of Eucharisteo...giving thanks in EVERYTHING...that my life will be changed.

I can't wait to read it. To sit with it and hear Ann's voice as I read the words. In case you haven't purchased it yet, you can get it by clicking the link above. It's on sale for $12.99. You can also get a "DayBrightener" and the book in a set...what a beautiful gift that would be!

Ann Voskamp - DayBrightener and Book Set - God in the Moment and One Thousand Gifts

If you just gave the DayBrightener and kept the book for yourself I wouldn't tell! Right now is a GREAT time to purchase the set...it's on sale for $16.98, normally $26.98.

While I do get a small percentage from any sale generated from clicking my Dayspring ads (like the one above as well as the ones on my sidebar), I was not compensated in the least to talk about Ann's book. I just can't wait to read it.

And I can't wait to read it after I've finished THE ENTIRE BIBLE THIS THURSDAY!!! I'm just a little excited.

My Hero - a Repost

See note at bottom : ) *

No, I'm not talking about my Sound Man. Although he does fit that description. No, I'm talking about a dish detergent. No, I haven't lost my mind. And no, I'm not even talking about doing dishes.

See, one lovely day last year my Kiddo forgot to tell me that he had placed crayons in his leg pockets. The pockets that I didn't check before putting the pair of pants in the washer and subsequently the dryer. Oh, what a mess. All over my dryer as well as my clothes, was red crayon. Melted, waxy, red crayon. I cried. I wailed. I Googled. Yes, I put in "How do I get red crayon out of clothes?" or something along those lines. It said anything from WD-40 to Borax, but the one thing I had on hand was Dawn dishwashing liquid. Enter my Hero.

I used Dawn on those awful red crayon spots, washed the clothes again, and you know what? It worked. Dawn dishwashing liquid got out dryer-melted red crayon from my clothes! So, I figured, hey, it might work on all my grease spots. Nothing I've ever used before has worked, so what do I have to lose? And guess what? (you probably know where this is going, don't you?) It has worked. Every. Single. Time. Even clothes that I had put in the dry cleaning bag that had sat for months came grease-spot clean. Here, let me show you.

Here's Kiddo's shirt with two greasy stains on it. It has already been washed AND dried. I used to think, "Well, this shirt's done for!" But now I know better. See the grease stain on the shoulder and the one on the tummy? Here's a closeup on the shoulder:

Now, all I do when I find one of these stains is pull out the old Dawn liquid. It can either be the original or ultra, they both work the same.

And here's the shirt after washing.

Now, because I believe in full disclosure, let me say that this was with two washings. It was movie butter popcorn that made those stains. I had some on my jeans that required two washings, too. Man, whatever they use for that popcorn is scary industrial grease. Makes me wonder if I will ever order butter popcorn anymore, for sure.I have wanted to write Dawn and tell them what a miracle product they have in the hope that they'd send me a lifetime supply of the stuff, but that's probably not going to happen. Oh, well, I'll just let this little blog post suffice.

So, if you've got some greasy stains you've been putting off trying to get clean, try putting some Dawn on it (regular dish liquid might work too, but I've only tried Dawn). I really scrub it in the spot, then I leave it on for a LONG time. Like overnight. If not, it might need another washing to get it out. If the first try isn't completely successful, keep trying. Dawn has given me back many of my shirts that I had forgotten about in the abyss of the dry-cleaning bag.

Yes, Dawn is truly my Hero. At least for my laundry, where I need all the heros I can get. Whatever that means.

*This is a repost from 2009, but since it was just featured at Mom's Toolbox the other day, it's been on my mind. I also wanted to link it to The Stories of A to Z's Tutorials & Tips Tuesday as well as Holly's Tuesdays Tips and Tricks.

Life to the Full

Last October, when I went to The Relevant Conference I was introduced to Dayspring's Life to the Full Collection. Honestly, I didn't pay that much attention to it, since it was smack in the middle of fall and Christmas was coming up. I wasn't in a springy frame of mind. But when I recently had the opportunity to review a Life to the Full place setting, I jumped at the chance!The cheery colors and floral design practically yell, "Spring!" And while I don't see me using a full set of these place settings for every day, they are truly beautiful plates. Each plate has something to do with "life" on it, whether it's just the word "life," the word "life" in over a dozen languages, or John 10:10, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (NIV).

Included in the place setting is a dinner plate (which is HUGE), a breakfast plate, a dessert plate, and a bread plate. Now, if I was the kind of person who collected dish sets, I would be all over these. You wouldn't think the black and red design would fit well with the spring colors of the other plates, but it just works. It also means these dishes would go with just about every decor. The plates are so thick they are almost like serving dishes. They are also dishwasher and microwave safe. That is a MUST in my household.

Since I don't have it in my budget to buy any more place settings, I will use these plates in other areas of my home. I put the dinner plate on my wall with my white plates, and while the arrangement might not be exactly right (I'd have to redo my nail holes, so until I'm ready to do that, this is just for this post) I like it.Like my little ski bear? I got him on dirt cheap clearance at Hobby Lobby and just had to keep him out for the winter. He makes me smile. I will hate to put him away for spring.

Sorry for the distraction...back to the plates. I really do love the way the dinner plate looks against my wall. I might have to rearrange this wall to have a spot in the middle for seasonal plates.

As for the smaller plates, the bread plate would be the perfect size for a bathroom where it could hold jewelry or hair accessories. The other two plates would be really pretty in a plate stand on a shelf or mantel.

However you might use these plates, you can get them on sale right now!

The 4 Piece Place Setting is on sale right now for $40, and you can use coupon code LIFE30 to get 30% off of that price, making the final price just $28! That is a GREAT price for a place setting with as many dishes as this comes with! If you order two sets you get free shipping (all orders of $50 get free shipping)! I love that! Click the link above to get to the collection (and to give me a few pennies if you purchase anything...I am a Dayspring affiliate).

While you're there, check out all the other gorgeous pieces that are in the Life to the Full collection. They are ALL 30% off with the coupon code!

And while you're in the checking out mode, go to (in)courage's (in)spired deals page, where you can read other reviews of Life to the Full pieces, and you might just find yourself a giveaway or two to enter.

Dayspring compensated me for this review with a free place setting, but the opinion shared was all mine. For further disclosure information, check out my disclosure page.

Featured at Mom's Toolbox!

I'm so excited! Amy at Mom's Toolbox is using my tip for getting grease stains out of clothes for her Super Quick Mom Tip today!

Amy is the one who took Ted Cooper's ministry, The Bible in 90 Days, and offered it as a ministry for bloggers. I'm so very thankful for what she does!

I would so appreciate you heading over there and leaving a comment after you read my post!

Beautiful Jesus

I love the Bible. It's God's message to us, His children, after all. But now that I've read over half of it, I'm ready for some Jesus! As I read through Isaiah and came to chapter 53, it reminded me how beautiful my Savior is. The passage talks about His suffering, not how beautiful He is...but His suffering was for me.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace
was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

The Sunday before I read that the Praise Team had practiced "Beautiful Jesus" for the next week. As I read that chapter, that song kept running through my head. I wrote "Beautiful Jesus" out beside it in the margin.

Here is the song with the lyrics in the video. Take just a minute and listen to it...the lyrics are so beautiful!

The more I read the Old Testament and read between the lines about their (and our!) need for a Savior, I now realize just how beautiful Jesus really is to and for His people.

Warrior Prayers Giveaway Winner!

Just wanted to let you know the winner of Brooke McGlothlin's book, Warrior Prayers: Praying the Word for Boys in the Areas They Need it Most, is Traci, from Beneath My Heart! Congratulations, Traci! I will send you and email with the details.

My Son's Mission Field

The other day my 11 year-old Kiddo went down to the end of our cove to meet the kids that live down there. He is not what I'd call shy, but he's not the most outgoing person when it comes to meeting new people. Kind of like me. I'm as loud-mouthed and crazy as anybody else when I'm with my friends, but put me in a situation where I don't know anyone, and I'm a regular wall flower.

Anyway, these boys have lived there for several months, and Kiddo had just gotten the courage to talk to them. He came home a few minutes later, saying he really didn't want to be friends with them because they "cussed." A lot.

Now, I have to say that I'm proud of my son for not wanting to be around that kind of language. His daddy and I have hopefully taught him that is not honoring to God, just like watching t.v. shows (or commercials for that matter!) with scantily-clad girls on them is not honoring to Him. He is almost paranoid about that one. That's fine with me.

Sorry...back to my story. Sound Man and I talked a little about Kiddo reaching out to them, but then we sort of didn't bring it back up for one reason or another. Well, evidently it's been on Kiddo's mind. Yesterday we were eating lunch at my favorite establishment and we started talking about those boys again. Kiddo finally decided that he needed to do something. He decided that talking to his pastor, Bro. Jack (our children's pastor) was what he wanted to do. Mom has only so much to say on the subject, after all. Heh.

But it's what he said next that broke my heart as much as it made me happy. He said, "I need to talk to Bro. Jack as soon as I can because they could die tonight and not ever know Jesus or go to heaven!" Oh, that I would have that urgency for those around me!

We did go see Bro. Jack today, and now Kiddo has some ideas of how to get into their lives without them (or more specifically, their language) getting into his. He does want them in his life...just not their influence.

I have no way of knowing if my sweet son (that my mother thought from the day he was born would be the next Billy Graham) will stay on the path the Lord wants for him. We as his parents can do our best, parenting the way God teaches us, but ultimately he will make his own choices. One thing I can do now to ensure I am doing all I can is begin praying Scripture over him.The other day I introduced you to Brooke McGlothlin, author of the new e-book, Warrior Prayers: Praying the Word for Boys. She has issued a challenge for the month of April: "21 Days of Prayer for Sons." If you want to begin praying for your boys in earnest, I encourage you to hop over to Brooke's blog and read about it.

Oh, and you don't even have to have boys to participate. Do you want your daughters to marry men who've had their lives prayed over? I would!

Don't forget that I'm giving a copy of Brooke's book away! You must go to the giveaway post and comment to be entered to win. If you are reading this after February 25th, you can buy Brooke's book for only $5.97 here.

I'll keep you posted on how Kiddo reaches out to his neighbors.

Oh, How Thankful!

Over the past six months, we've had a lot to worry about. So much has happened that we have hurt over, that we have lost, that has been taken from us.

But even in all of that, there have been things to be thankful for. I started my list last week, and have much to add to it. Even on nights my mind won't stop long enough for me to sleep, I am still thankful for things. Sometimes it takes me sitting down and actually working my brain to think of them, but when I do, my mood is instantly changed.

So...to continue...

11. Getting to eat lunch with my best friend and her kiddos.

12. Haircuts for both my guys...they were getting a bit shaggy...okay, a lot shaggy. : )

13. Warm enough days to open the windows and fill the house with the smells of spring...if only for a couple of days.

14. A church that has a vision to reach our entire county for Christ.

15. Frozen fruit.

16. Doggy kisses.

17. Food in the pantry...organized and everything. : )

18. Ceiling fans.

19. A husband who knows that one way to bless his wife is to take over kitchen duty every once in a while.

And

20. Through many hours of sweat and grease and friends who volunteer their time and expertise, a truck that is fixed after being off the road for a month (and therefore leaving me without wheels on a regular basis).

Yes, for these I am thankful. : )

Praying Scripture Over Our Boys - and a Giveaway!

Yesterday I introduced you to Brooke McGlothlin, author of Warrior Prayers: Praying the Word for Boys in the Areas They Need it Most. Today I'm concluding my interview with Brooke. Stay tuned to the end, because I will tell you how to win a copy of Warrior Prayers!

What do you see as the major deficiencies in parenting today?

I'm certainly not a perfect parent, and I believe there is SOOOOO much grace for moms, but it really saddens me to see Christian moms falling for all of the latest fad parenting and neglecting to allow God's Word to teach them about parenting. So many women have bought the lie that they can have it all and are so busy "living" that they don't even have time to see what the Bible says about parenting, much less apply it. It's easier just to "trust the experts." Unfortunately, much of the modern parenting techniques only change a child's behavior...not his heart. If we don't reach for the hearts all we're doing is producing little Pharisees, who look good on the outside, but are rotten on the inside (ref. Tedd Tripp's Shepherding a Child's Heart)

How do you think God has equipped us to be mothers of boys?

I question that nearly every day ;) For me, it's just a simple trust that God will provide me with what I need to mother these boys WHEN I need it. I don't know that God has really equipped me, in the sense that I already posses all I need to be a good mom...if He had I wouldn't need Him. But I do believe that He will never leave me nor forsake me and that when I call on Him, He will come. Some of the worst parenting days of my life have seen me locked in the bathroom, head in hands, begging God to meet me, help me, save me. And He has NEVER failed me. When I stop and ask, He comes. That doesn't mean He always gives me exactly what I want, but He does give me what I need...more of Him.

How have you seen Scripture prayers answered already with your boys?

I've seen God soften their hearts in specific areas over time, but honestly, I think praying the Word over my boys has done as much for me as it has for them. It reconnects my heart in faith that God is able to be true to His Word. It reminds me of what He's truly capable of and that ultimately, He is the one most responsible for the hearts of my sons...the part I play is really so small.

I so love Brooke's heart. Out of her passion for her boys she has written a resource that I see as invaluable. There are so many Scriptures to pray over our sons...multiple verses for each topic she covers.

If you are a mom of a boy (or boys!), you need this little e-book. Unlike reviews in the past, I didn't receive anything for this review. I just fully believe in it.

Brooke is selling her e-book for just $5.97. You can purchase a copy by clicking here. However, you may want to wait until you find out if you win the copy I'm giving away!

For a chance to win a copy of Warrior Prayers, just leave me a comment letting me know why you'd like to win. Are you a mom with a boy? Are you an expectant mom with a boy-under-construction? Are you mom of a girl who will one day marry a boy? You need this book.

There are a few other chances to win. Leave me a separate comment for each. Be sure and leave your email address if you don't have one attached to your profile.

• Follow (or subscribe) to Butterfly Genes
  
• Follow Brooke's blog, A Life in Need of Change
• Like Brooke's Facebook page
  

Thank you, Brooke, for not only sharing your story with me, but for writing this precious book that I know will change the way I pray for my son.

Warrior Prayers

I am so excited! I recently purchased the new e-book by Brooke McGlothlin, Warrior Prayers: Praying the Word for Boys in the Areas They Need it Most. Brooke not only writes for her own blog, A Life in Need of Change, but also writes for one of my favorite blogs, The M.O.B. Society, of which she is co-founder. Today I have the privilege of interviewing Brooke...my first blog interview that involves someone over the age of 11! This is big.

Before I get to the interview, let me say that this book has the potential to change generations. Not the book itself, but implementing what she outlines in it...praying Scripture over our sons in the areas they need it most. As I read the introduction to the book, I was already crying. When I realized she wrote each Scripture out, leaving blanks to add our sons' names, I was toast. She has Scriptures for over a dozen areas of our sons' lives, from obedience and submission to authority, to purity and integrity, to the fruit of the Spirit. I can't read over them for too long right now because I'm going to lunch with a friend and don't want to cry my makeup off. I can't wait to start praying these over my Kiddo.

Beginning April 1, 2011, through April 29, 2011, Brooke will be hosting 21 Days of Prayer for Sons. It is based on Warrior Prayers, and will be an intensive time of prayer for our boys. Like she says on her blog, "It's our hope." Oh, how it is our hope!

Now that you know a little of the e-book, I want you to hear from the author's heart. This is the first part of our interview. Tomorrow I will post the conclusion as well as have something special for you!

First, introduce yourself! Tell us about your family.

In short, I'm your average homeschooling mom, married to the guy I've had a crush on since the 3rd grade. We've been married for almost nine years now and we have two little boys born just 23 months apart.

What prompted you to write this book?

I've asked God for a lot of things in my life. But I never asked Him to give me a prayer ministry. I inherited that when He gave me two strong-willed, demanding, rambunctious, selfish, delightful little boys. I found out very quickly after #2 was born that I couldn't do this thing called motherhood by myself. I distinctly remember one of my first nights alone with them after my husband went back to work (he works shift work). My oldest was crying for my attention. My youngest was crying to be fed, but I couldn't get him to nurse because of the chaos my firstborn was creating. To top it all off, our 80 lb English Bulldog needed to go out. So both boys were crying, the dog was crying and I was crying. I put my youngest in the swing, my oldest in the playpen, leashed up the dog, grabbed my phone and plopped myself down on the front porch, miserable. I called my husband in tears and said "I NEED BEER AND CIGARETTES NOW!" (It's even funnier when you know that I don't really drink and I don't smoke). He brought me a Coke and dark chocolate. It helped. That may have been the first of many times to come that I would find myself walking around my house screaming "HELP ME JESUS!" at the top of my lungs. And so was birthed my desperate prayer life.

Why "warriors" why not just "good guys"?

The term "warrior" may be a tad overused, but I love what it communicates. I'm a passionate person. I believe strongly in things. And more than anything I desire to raise men who will be passionate about Christ, what they believe in, willing to stand up for it, die for it if need be.

I love the thought that we are raising "warriors" for Christ, even though it is NOT easy. I am so thankful Brooke's passion for her own children spilled over to help the rest of us! Tomorrow I will have the rest of the interview and the chance to win a copy of Brooke's e-book!

The Beginning of My List

I have read the first two chapters of Ann Voskamp's book, One Thousand Gifts. If you haven't bought it, go now. Drop whatever you are doing and go get it. And that's just after the first two chapters. Just as a side note, you can purchase One Thousand Gifts by clicking the Dayspring button on my right sidebar. See my disclosure at the bottom of this post.

One thing I have learned is to be thankful. No matter my circumstances. So, even though we are going through a very rough time financially, Kiddo has had strep AND the flu at the same time, and we are down to one car, I will be thankful.

I've wanted to start my own 1000 list for a while. And today is a good day. Just because it's another day I'm alive. So, here goes. I am thankful for...

1. A husband who loves me much more than I deserve.

2. My Kiddo, who loves his momma.

3. An extended family, without whom I wouldn't have been able to survive the days right before and right after Mom's death.

4. The pups.. cute old one and sweet young one. They both make me smile. Even if they do need baths.

5. My church...where I learn to worship every time I step through the doors...where I learn to grow in ministry and stretch beyond what I ever thought I could do.

6. Home...a sanctuary for my family and me when life is too much.

7. Friends, good and best, who love me even when I'm unlovable. And that's a lot.

8. Having the freedom to homeschool my son. Some days it's easier to be thankful for that than others. Heh.

9. This blog, where I can write whatever crazy things come to my mind. And they come fairly often.

10. And I probably should have listed Him first, but I guess it's just a given...how can I express my thankfulness for my beautiful Jesus? Without Him, none of the above would be in existence.

So many times I write what I think YOU want to read. But today, I'm writing for me...a visual reminder of why, even in the hard times, I must be thankful.

You can click the Dayspring link on my right sidebar to purchase One Thousand Gifts. I do get paid a little bit for each sale of the book, but any opinions expressed here have nothing to do with that. I would recommend the book even if I had to pay YOU to buy it.

Tassel Giveaway!

My new blog friend Karen is hosting a tassel giveaway at her blog, Faith, Family, & Fibromyalgia!

Karen and I kept passing each other at Relevant and never got to meet. Hopefully that will change this October and we both get to attend Relevant 11.

Head over to her blog to enter to win one of my favorite tassels ever!

More Than a Sparrow

Today was a snow day. I mean a SNOW day. As in, (you gotta hear this in a movie big voice) SNOWMAGGEDON III: Fear the Frost! Frost Frost Frost...

I crack myself up.

Now, we got nothing like the Midwest did earlier, but for us, this snow storm crippled our area. This is the first time I've been scared for my husband to drive home. I begged him to leave work at 1:45 when I started hearing reports of 5 car pileups and road closings. I wasn't worried about HIS driving...it was all the crazies out there (you know, the ones who have to drop everything and BRING THE BACON!) that I was worried about. A friend of mine said her husband counted no less than 20 cars that had run off the road on his way home from work. A trip that normally takes thirty minutes or less took my husband an hour...which was REALLY good time, considering so many people had hours of driving instead of their normal minutes.

At one point in the afternoon, I had gotten so worked up about him coming home I was almost in panic mode. I had to do something to get my mind off of it, so I trudged outside and fed the birds. I made sure to put some seed on the porch so they would come up to the window where I had been sitting.

Sure enough, minutes after I sat back down at the computer, I could hear the peeping of juncos and white throated sparrows. I looked outside and there were at least three juncos and a sparrow...and I was reminded of the verse that Kiddo was reviewing for Awana this week. I asked him to say it to me, and without hesitation, he quoted,

"Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows." Luke 12:6-7

My heart was immediately filled with peace.

Sound Man returned home without a scratch, and I learned my lesson. As children of the Most High God, we are so much more than sparrows...we are not forgotten...we do not have to be afraid! Thank you, Lord!

Photo of white throated sparrow taken by my friend Lisa L...thanks, Lisa!

In Honor of Sarah Mae's Birthday

Sarah Mae's birthday is today, and she fearlessly posted a Glamor Shots pic of her 16 year old self on Facebook, then invited us all to post our own big hair, boa wearin', glamor shot selves. Mine is not Glamor Shots, but part of my senior pictures...oh, yeah, baby! I am rockin' the red boa!

Happy Birthday, Sarah Mae! Thank you for making me eat my words! Ha!

In need of advice...

I've been wanting to spruce up the place (meaning my blog) for a few months, and I've just now had the energy (or some semblance thereof) to get to it. But, it's far from finished.

I asked my husband to make a new banner for me, and I love it. We're still tweaking it, so it's not completely finished. Hence the disclaimer right underneath it. I'm also trying to figure out how to widen my columns. I might even be inclined to go back to two columns if I can find the right template. There's so much stuff I need to get rid of at the moment. I want to go back to a simple look, and I've already taken off my Facebook thingie. I might put it back on later, but for now, it's out. I'm seriously considering taking the Twitter thing off, too, but I haven't quite made my mind up about that.

I'm just bit tired of the visual mess on my blog. Don't get me wrong, I love the blogs (and more importantly, the people behind them) that I have buttons for, but they might just be more clutter I need to get rid of.

Now, here's where I need your advice. Do you think taking buttons off will improve the look of the blog? What else could I take off that will clean it up? I would love your advice!

I will be posting more in the future, once I get settled in my new digs (or spruced up digs, anyway). I have one post that has been mulling in my head for quite a while. I hope to get to that next week. In the meantime, I'm having a blast reading the Bible in 90 days. More posts to come on that soon. A lot of posts, if my notes have anything to say about it.

Oh, and I got this book this week. Chapter one already has tear-stains on it. Sigh...she always makes me cry; in a good way...most of the time. : )

And because I can't stand to have a post without a picture on it, here's something I've been working on...

That's something else I've been doing. 'Cause my poor Etsy has seen better days. More tassels (and pics!) to come.

Bible in 90 Days - Day 22

This is an updated post - the first one went wonky on me.

Three weeks. I've read the Bible every day, except one, for three weeks. I have never been this consistent. Even reading for quiet times I would skip the weekends because my routine was always different. And you know what? I'm loving it even more now than I was when I started.

There are days when the reading gets long (HELLO? Leviticus and Numbers, anyone?), but I keep at it. Let me share a quote from Amy at Mom's Toolbox...

"Every sermon you hear will be different. Every study you take after this will be more meaningful and yes, I believe that reading at this pace IS more valuable than just completing it all.

When you read at this pace you can see how it all fits together.

When you read this fast you DO remember more than you think

And, when you read this fast, you are encouraged to keep it up and not stop, not give in but keep going, surrounding yourself with His Word."

When I read something or hear something in a sermon now (like Wednesday night one of our pastors preached about Jacob and Joseph - "Hope Deferred") I understand so much more now about why things were the way they were. I am starting to see now how Israel and Judah are becoming two separate countries...I never understood that before. Oh, I heard the "why's" a long time ago (and let them go in one ear and out the other), but now I can SEE it happening.

It's just like Amy said, "When you read at this pace you can see how it all fits together." It excites me so much I want to cry. As someone who grew up in church, I can now see the hand of God moving in the lives of His people more clearly than I ever have before. I also see His heart breaking at their disobedience. Lessons for my life today.

And so, you're probably saying, "Well, good for you! I'm so glad you're doing this!" But I want to encourage you to do it, too. I promise only one thing...that if you stick with it, it will not only change the way you see God's Word...

...it will change how you see God Himself.