Monday Beginnings

God has been teaching me so many things since our big move last month, many things. Revealing dark shadows lingering around in my heart, inconsistences in my daily life as a wife, mother and homekeeper and more and more of His grace. My heart is on fire to surrender ALL for Him. In the last couple of weeks He has been bringing things together for me. It is hard to explain and I don't have time to, the early morning is slipping away and will soon be overtaken by little people. He has encouraged me in these 4 areas that I will be commiting wholeheartedly to Him... I will briefly explain....

1. TIME... I have been longing to get up early each morning to have my own quiet time with the Lord and to prepare for each day. While checking some blogs I ran across this , then this ,then this on time and was convicted further and then providencially found this. What a cool thought! I could do that and so I began with ideas when a few days later I found the 5:16 Club... an anwser to prayers. I need encouragement!! At least to get me started again. I love the Ephesians 5:15-16 "Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil." It is just amazing how God put all of the things together to encourage me to do just that... make the best us of my time.

2. CIRCUMSTANCES. Soveriegnty of God in the big and little, global and personal happenings of life... lately piering in on others lives and dealing with my own set of circumstances as well as thinking of the world, Christian persecution, suffering and economic issues I have been thinking a lot about the soveriegnty of God in all these things... mostly in the bad things. Why? is a question that unfailingly floats through my head and while I can understand or accept then to a degree it still finds me at times struggling... so by the grace of God I one day feel upon a book study that The Preachers Wife is hosting called Spectacular Sins by John Piper. I knew it was not an accident that I just happened to find this blog and this study... so I picked the book up while out one day and just the intro has me gripped at knowing more of Him so that I can be strengthened for things to come... for they will come.

3. MARRIAGE. I have recognized my own sinful and rebellious behavior as a wife lately... I have allowed myself to be decieved in ruling over my husband. It was a slow fade that took place over months. I have been stubborn in surrendering my pride over to Him with my submission and respect towards my husband. I through the grace of God finally broke down and surrendered. I am going to "host" a little (if anyone wants to join) 30 Day Husband Encouragement Challenge here starting on Feb. 1st. My aim is to put my husband above myself, to exhaust myself in serving him, loving him, encouraging him, honoring him, to display and keep the perspective of our marriage being the covenant of Christ and the church to outsiders looking in (especially my children), me displaying the church and to encourage other wives in this calling of being a wife to His ultimate glory.

4. MEMORIZATION. Something that has been severly lacking in my daily life is the memorizing of God's word, the treasuring of His holy word in my heart. I have tasted it's sweetness many times but have simply allowed my laziness and unfaithfulness to swallow up this joyful discipline of hiding God's word in my heart. I am going to again make a commitment to hide the scriptures away in my heart to carry with me in times of trials and temptations and in times of rejoicing and worship. Each week I will hide a new verse away and will be visiting The Simple Wife each Monday participating in Memory Monday's to fellowship with others in this discipline.

JOYfully in Him,