reading

Happy Sunday, Family!

I hope you’re doing well and that you were able to rest a bit this weekend.

When it comes to my faith, I apply the adage “You are what you eat.” A bible verse a day is a good way to digest small bites, but sometimes I like to go deep into a passage or person that I read about. That’s what I love about God’s Word; there’s always something to discover.

I’m often asked about how I study the Bible, so I’m sharing some basic tools in my toolbox. Being a pastor’s daughter/former music minister/bible book store associate, you see firsthand what it takes to deliver God’s message and you also collect a lot of resources over time, so I’ll spare you and just share five things from the vault. 🙂 NOTE: These are not sponsorships or advertisements. I’m just letting you know of a few resources I like to use.

YouVersion – The Bible App
One of my favorite quick tools on any device. You can read devotionals, highlight verses, create images, and even submit prayer requests. When I’m studying, I like to use my Bible app to note verses that grab my attention.

Jewish Virtual Library
I love using this resource for Judaic context, especially when I want insight on ancient Jewish history.

BibleHub
This online parallel Bible also has commentaries, dictionaries, and more. I’ve inserted links from their site on previous posts to reference Bible verses. My favorite feature is the breakdown of a scripture by Hebrew definition (scroll down after clicking the link). Soooooo dope.

The New Inductive Study Bible (NASB) by Harvest House Publishers
I have different kinds of bibles and this is one of my favorites. There are different versions of NISB’s, but the majority of them encourage the inductive marking approach to understand a passage and there are plenty of spaces for you to jot down your thoughts and maps to reference historical details.

Where to Find It in the Bible by the late Ken Anderson
When I need to look up a topic quickly and I don’t want to use the Internet, this book is a great resource. From earthquake to real estate, it is most likely listed with some reference verses underneath. There’s a lot of things in the Bible that you don’t think are there!

REMINDER:
Remember, it’s not about the quantity of chapters or length of time that you study God’s Word. Unless you’re in seminary or academia, God hasn’t bestowed on you the weight of teaching what you’ve read. The goal for the rest of us is to become the version of ourselves that God had in mind when He created us… to apply principles that go against what we feel sometimes… to allow the Love of Jesus to flow out of us and into the world around us. So, as with any subject, be patient with yourself as you learn. Sometimes I read one verse, sometimes I read 3 chapters, and sometimes I read 3 chapters in 3 different books of the Bible. I let my learning flow when it needs too. If that means, I spend 30 minutes studying geography or an hour reading about one person, I go with it. God’s Word fascinates me that much (and being nerdy doesn’t hurt).

If you get overwhelmed, take a deep breath, pray, and open your heart to listen to what God has to say for your life. That’s the beauty of His Word; it is applicable to every person on any level. Start with a word, emotion, or person if you need to. Let the Holy Spirit guide and you can’t go wrong. 🙂

Peace & Happy Discovering! Thanks for listening!

Hey Sweethearts!

Tonight’s wind down is pretty simple because that’s how it hit me.

I was reading an article last night from Entrepreneur.com – 3 Rules I Use to Stay Productive and Not Overwhelmed. I read productivity articles often to find practices that best suit my purpose and vision. This one was particularly interesting because the guest writer Ted Serbinski engaged personal examples that created a comprehensive model of how he uses life-changing principles.

Over the last couple of years, I have adopted some of these rules and they have enriched me personally, academically, and professionally. I am a full-time student, educator, writer, and executive director of a performing arts troupe. On any given day, I have homework to grade, rehearsal to attend, and content to write. So, needless to say, I was eager to read Serbinski’s wisdom as a father of three under age three that has a portfolio of 40-plus startups that he has invested in and actively support – plus, he receives 1,000 emails and takes 15-30 meetings. WHAT THE WHAT?!

One section especially grabbed my attention – “Consider this: Each time you say yes to something, you are inadvertently saying no to something else. That “yes” takes up time in your life and when that next opportunity comes up, you don’t have the time to say yes.”

I incorporated this principle into my life some time ago and put it in overdrive 2 years ago, and I appreciated his wording of it.

So tonight, I’m asking you the same question I asked myself – Where are your yes’s going? Are you saying no enough to make room for the yes’s you’re supposed to say?

Let that churn a bit and make it settle in your spirit. Have a great week and wind down safely, my Loves.

Peace & Thanks for listening.

Photo courtesy of Forfend.

Listening at the Speed of Life

– by C. J. Wade –

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#blogbetter: Use Your Tools

Wednesday Wind Down: Yes and No

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