week five.

i am officially into this story.

i'm really excited for chapter five. and i'm even more excited to read it with these new eyes i'm acquiring. the story is really so much deeper when i can grasp the fact that the characters were real people. flesh and blood. with feelings. that is sometimes easy to forget when reading the action-packed old testament. as my youth pastor once told me, it 'reads like an r-rated movie.' all this to say, i'm loving picking apart this true story.

a couple things that stuck with me during my study last week.

number one. my favorite section of lesson four was the focus on God's sovereignty. here we are reminded of acts 17:26 '..He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.' i need to be reminded of this all the time. God knows exactly how my day will be interrupted, where i should be next year, and which trials will be mine for the rest of my time here on imperfect earth. He knows it all. and it is important to remember that 'God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, you will abound in every good work.' such a relief! as james tells us, we should consider it a joy when we face trials. anxiety, interruptions, annoyances, give us a chance to glorify Him with our response and grow from perseverance. will i use my problems as an opportunity to trust the Lord and wait patiently on Him? will i bring Him my every care and burden, confess that i am helpless without my Savior, and be content to be still and know that He is God? oh i hope so. this is my prayer.

number two. mmm. a verse that i really love was discussed in lesson five. it is one of my favorite verses to pray.. 'turn our eyes away from worthless things.' i like to pray this one along with it.. 'open my eyes that i may see wonderful things in your law.' psalm 119.18. such a good way to start the day. open your bible, ask to see wonderful things as you read, and ask to be turned away from worthless things. if you're like me, sometimes you find that throughout the day, the wonderful things are easily mixed up with the worthless things. i need help from the Holy Spirit nearly every moment to discern which things fit into which category.

helpful verses for study this week.

1. proverbs 27.2

2. proverbs 16.18

3. proverbs 6.16-19

4. james 1.2-4

5. psalm 119.18 & 37

and a word to the wise.. as you go about your day, ask yourself often and over again.. is this wonderful or worthless?

so looking forward to all that chapter five entails. deliverance from death, royal favor, swelling pride, a brilliant plan, and a new threat. until next week.