Lenten lessons: Mine

It's amazing the timing of God and the way He teaches me -- just opens my eyes. Be it through the mouth of my children (which happens daily, multiple times a day), my husband, my friends, or through personal study (which happens less that I would like to admit, BUT which is what I am working on during this season of Lent) -- and this is where this story takes place. It actually happened the week of the beginning of Lent as I was beginning 2 studies -- SShe Reads Truth's Near the Cross (more on that in another post) and IF:EQUIP - Hebrews. Now let me say that I really don't make a habit of doing 2 studies at once and I kinda thought it was an accident, BUT, our amazing God knew better and He is already showing me what He is wanting me to learn!

But first let me back up and tell on myself. I recently got to experience an awesome weekend shared with some sweet friends called IF:GATHERING, which was a women's retreat including some of my favorite Christan women: Jennie Allen, Jen Hatmaker, new fave Christine Caine, and Angie Smtih -- just to name a few!! It was amazing and filled with so much goodness from the story of Joshua. Mmmmmmm...so so good.

So with IF, first you gather, and next step is IF:EQUIP, which is Bible Study.

I had been so excited about this because I so loved listening to all these speakers bring the words of scripture alive and I had gotten so much from IF: GATHERING! I could not wait to get that first email with the study. So I really felt a sense of disappointment when I got the first email for the Hebrews study from IF and it was the verses ONLY and nothing else. No commentary, no this is what you need to get out of these verses. And I will admit, I am a pray-re and a love-re and an encourage-er, but I am sad to report that I am weak-er (ahem, understatement) study-er. So...the Hebrews study...it's the verses from the Bible (God's holy word, mind you) and below the verses is this statement: "If you believe this is true, what does this mean about God? You? The world?" So I thought to myself, "Where is the rest of the commentary/devotional? This is just the verses!" (I really do shock myself with my just shear neediness.) To which I hear God say to me, "Melanie, What more could you need than my WORD?" Hold up! God? God!!! What in the world is wrong with me?!? God, sometimes you just have to tell it to my face for me to get it. So, after that....WHAT an awesome study it has been for me! Hebrews has spoken to me in many ways and I am so thankful for this study and for a NEW desire (hopefully a habit is forming) for studying God's Word for exactly what it is and how it speaks to ME, what is says about God and our world! There IS a short video with some of the girls from IF kind of introducing the verses which is cool too!

Here is our awesome scripture memory verse this week and my goodness I am just in love with it:

Lenten lesson learned: Truly studying the Bible can be such a Joy -- and it is even sweeter when HE tells ME exactly what HE wants ME to hear and learn from it!!! Don't you just love God when he does things like this?!?! I sure do!!