Take Time

My Personal Bible Reading and Bible Study

Right now, I cannot soak in enough of the Word of God. I usually am not this thirsty. I'm normally thirsty, yes, but this is to the extreme. However, it's in a very a good way.
I'm doing more Bible study in a day than I've done in a month, I'm afraid for a few months over the last couple of years. (Ouch. It embarrasses me to be so honest. But, it's true.)
The Bible studies I am doing right now are:

1 BELIEVING GOD by Beth Moore
(Information about it can be found here: http://www.lifeway.com/n/product-family/believing-god/?intcmp=BethMooreBS-Tiled-Tiled-BelievingGod-20140221)

2 Personal Bible reading of Bible in a year. Just started a new reading program this morning. The M'Cheyne program.

3

4 Just started this one as well:

5 Oh, silly me! I forgot this one.

{Image credits:
Top image: Microsoft images online 2008-2014.
Next Image of "Believing God: is copied from Lifeway.com and here: http://www.lifeway.com/Product/believing-god-experiencing-a-fresh-explosion-of-faith-member-book-P001227729?intcmp=BelievingGod-MTX-Text-MemberBook-20121106
Top Middle Image: Cover Image Copyright and All Rights Reserved: Image courtesy of khunaspix / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Bottom Middle Image: Cover Image Copyright and All Rights Reserved: Image courtesy of digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Bottom Image: Stacy Duplease 2014.}

Seeking God and Knowing God

SEEKING AND KNOWING GOD

Seeking God is looking for and searching for Him. It’s trying to identify Him and His work in our lives and around our lives. In order to be able to identify Him, though, we have to know Him. Otherwise, how do we know it’s Him and not something or someone else? Part of knowing God is knowing His attributes or characteristics. It’s also about knowing His Word.

Let’s be real here and face it: if we are not in His Word, we do not know Him. If we do not know Him, how can we seek Him?

(Image credit for top image: Microsoft images online 2008-2014.)

Why A Year of Always Giving Thanks and Counting of Blessings

Why A Year of Always Giving Thanks?
Giving thanks is a way to give God glory and praise.
Giving thanks is acknowledging God for who He is and what He has done in our lives--and in the lives all around us. Giving thanks is looking around to see God and His workmanship. It's always being open and searching for His glory.
Giving thanks is something we can do at all times, even as we do other things.
Giving thanks when you are having a tough moment or day tends to make your day a little brighter. It's recognizing He is the most important, powerful, faithful, and loving One in our lives.
Why always give thanks? So we can remember what God has done and we can continually give Him credit for it if we write it down to remember.
Giving thanks takes the focus off of self or circumstances and puts our gaze on Who and what really matters.
Why give thanks always? There's too much to lose otherwise.

COUNTING OF MY BLESSINGS
235 A new day
236 The Word of God to read and soak in, slowly and sweetly, so I can get as much out of it as possible.
237 Christian authors--non-fiction and fiction
238 Another day to do Bible reading and study
239 God getting my husband and I through another bend in the road last week.
240 God speaking to us (B and me)
241 God guiding B and me
242 God's love--it's faithful, never-ending, deep, unconditional
243 God's guidance
244 "Believing God" by Beth Moore
245 The radio/sermon series by Dr. David Jeremiah on worshiping God and knowing Him.
246 My new personal Bible study, "Seeking God: A Godly Vision Bible Study Journey"
247 Using B as much as You do, Lord. Thank You so much.
248 Lord, thank You for putting up with my mood swings as I try to deal with the bends in the road that seem to keep hitting
249 For telling me when to draw back from writing so I can focus on You and the reading, study, and implementation of your Word... So I can ruminate on it and soak it all in over time and not rush through it.
250 My new Bible reading in a year plan. M'Cheyne, round--whatever
251 The heart you've given my husband, Lord.
252 I know You will get someone close to me a new job--and thank You in advance.
253 Thank You for the job that individual in #252 has had the job they have had.
254 Possibilities and opportunities
255 Seeing You
256 For teaching me how to seek You

I Want to Seek God

Seeking God:

A Godly Vision Bible Study Journey

I WANT TO SEEK GOD

I want to seek God.

I want to seek Him where I am, doing what I am doing, not just during my quiet moments. And not just when I read the Bible and do Bible study.

I want to seek God and find where all He is working all around me, in me, through me, and in the lives of others. God is always present and is in me and is without (meaning around me). I want to seek Him and see Him in every moment. After all, every moment I am alive, He is there. He is here. And, He is in you, and with you, and is working and present around you.

So, yes. I want to seek God and find Him here--and there. And, I want to join Him in the work, and in the being, He has planned for me. How about you?

When I think of how God is always here and there, and how few times I've actually searched and looked for Him in the moment, it makes me sad and frustrated. How can I miss Him so often? So, I want to live with purpose and intentionality and seek Him in every moment. I want to be mindful of Him. Hence, I want to seek Him and to constantly be seeking God.

The Bible tells us to pray 24/7/365. It also says to thank Him always. It also says to meditate or ruminate on the Bible every night and day. If we are in the Word, are praying, and are counting our blessings, then wouldn't we be seeking Him all the time?

Care to join me in seeking God? That is what this Bible study journey is all about. Let's see the glory of God all around us and recognize it day and night—and stop missing Him. Let's seek God and continually do so.

This is Seeking God.

(Image credits of top picture: Stacy Duplease. Sunrise at Virginia Beach 2014.)

Updated on Apr/29/2014/815 a.m.

My Current Writing Project and My Current Personal Bible Study

My Current Writing Project and My Current Personal Bible Study

This is what I'm doing right now, along with A Year of Always Giving Thanks.

{Cover Image Copyright and All Rights Reserved: Image courtesy of khunaspix / FreeDigitalPhotos.net}

Psalm 105:4

{ HCSB: Scripture quotations marked HCSB are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible®, Holman CSB®, and HCSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.}

A Country Based on Prayer

April 26, 1607 was the First Landing of the settlers who came from England to establish the first permanent English settlement in Jamestown, Virginia.

The charter of the monarchy said they were to pray whenever they came to land.

This cross is the monument to mark both.

If you ever hear the United States of America is not a Christian nation, or think it yourself, think again. The first thing we did was pray here, on this land, at Cape Henry on their way to Jamestown.

May that be said of us today. May the first and last thing we do all day and night is pray.

Side-Note: This is quite close to me, for three of my ancestors came with this voyage in 1607.

The base of the cross.

(Image credit: Stacy Duplease April 26, 2014 at Cape Henry.)

Updated on Apr/29/2014 at 1053 a.m.