Starting Again

Happy New Year! We're on our way in 2013 and I'm sure you're contemplating changes to make or new things to try/implement. We've thrown around topics such as our budget, home improvement projects, exercise and diet. Now, we don't have answers, resolutions or plans in place yet, but we're discussing these things. One thing that we do have a plan for is our bible reading plan for 2013. I don't think that's ever been a "plan" for me, but after reading the above pictured book, I was challenged to read the entire bible in a year. David Platt issues some challenges at the end of the book, and while we're not embracing the whole list, this one I am. As of right now, the plan is to read it chronologically, as in the order each piece was written. Wes has chosen 12 different books of the bible and will spend a month on each book.

Other things I took away from this book:

• We need to be focused on discipleship as Christians, to try to be more like Christ and help other Christians do the same thing.
• We are ridiculously rich compared to much of the rest of the world. We need to remember that, we need to be grateful for what we have, we need to share what we have. 
• I was reminded that often what God calls us to do sounds crazy and stupid and irresponsible to someone who doesn't have a personal relationship with God, who hasn't committed their life to Christ. (For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:17-19)
• I was reminded that often what God calls us to do sounds crazy and stupid and irresponsible to even those who are Christians and have been for awhile. (For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. 1 Corinthians 1:24-26)
• We need to give more and more away.
• We are blessed in the United States because there are so many churches, Christian radio stations, bookstores, websites and so forth that provide answers to questions about God, that provide the bible for us to read, and even people who will pray for you. While we sometimes feel persecuted as Christians in the states, comparatively to other countries, it ain't nothing. This inspires me to pray for more and more missionaries to go and at least give those elsewhere the opportunity to at least HEAR the name of Jesus and who he is, with the opportunity to commit their life to Christ and have their sins forgiven and secure their place in heaven. I need to pray this prayer for myself as well as others because the bible tells us to go and make disciples of the nations. This means some sort of mission trip for us. This makes me love my friends in Africa and those going to Africa for their obedience even more, even though I miss and will miss them. Someone's life will be changed and saved because of their obedience to God. 
• We have but one purpose here on earth - to glorify God. God tells us how to do this in his Word and as a Christian, I need to be obedient to his commands to share his gospel, to love him above all else, to love others as myself, to be holy because he is holy.

I think I could go on and on because this book was awesome in a refocusing and makes you want to be better way. A co-worker challenged me to read it this past summer and I just got to it this fall. It was a great recommendation and I highly recommend it as a beginning of the year read as it will probably spur some thought on how you're currently living and maybe give you some thoughts on your relationship with God - do you have a real relationship with him? if so, how are you serving him? how are you sharing the gospel? how are you showing love to others? if you're not doing these things, are you going to start?

Anyway, hope you had a safe and happy New Year's Eve. We waited until midnight to celebrate with a kiss then hit the sack pretty soon after. And by "hit the sack" I mean we set the sleep timer and turned off our lights because if we were up that late, we were definitely already in pj's and laying in bed. Yep, we're already there friends. Whatever. 

Life returns to normal tomorrow with Wes going back to work. Hopefully more snow will come for more fun pictures, and I'll try to catch some candids of the crazy toddler we have around here. She's utterly ridiculous and hilarious MOST of the time, and I want to share that with others, of course.