Day Five: January 5, 2011

Today was a great day! For the past year (2010) I have been apart of BSf - Bible Study Fellowship. It is a Bible Study that meets weekly and we are going through the book of Isaiah. They have meetings in all different locations and all locations study the same thing! My grandmother does it in Pensacola and I used to do it in Montgomery while we lived there.

The Lord has taught me so much through the book of Isaiah and used it to do much pruning of my heart through our journey of coming to Soperton. When we knew we were moving one of the first things I did was search where the closest BSF was - which is in Macon. It takes about an hour or so to get there, but I told Mike that I felt like I needed it and that it would be worth it! They have an awesome children's program as well and I didn't want the boys to miss out on that either.

So this morning was the first day of the new semester. I packed the boys up and drove an hour and 15 minutes (in the rain there and back) - we arrived late, but I was just happy we arrived. The boys did great on the road - not a peep (thanks to prayers and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse).

One of the things I love about BSF is the groups - for the first half of the meeting you are with small groups of people your age, same stage of life. I grew very close to my ladies in Montgomery and formed great, Biblical friendships with them. I was very excited about being apart of that again and I really enjoyed meeting the ladies today. They were welcoming and very genuine and I feel really good about getting to know them.

Once again the Lord uses the book of Isaiah to bring such encouragement to me. (Which is funny, because what we have been studying lately has been more of "Woe, Woe, Woe, destruction, destruction, destruction). One of the "phrases" that the Lord used to encourage my heart towards obedience in coming to Soperton was "This is the Way; walk in it" - My friend Cristal prayed that over us - that we would hear his voice say that to us in this process. It stayed with me and we knew that he was saying in regards to Soperton that "This is the way - walk in it." (Preface: I did not know this was a verse until last night - I just thought it was a phrase she had used)

As sometimes it happens during transitions, I began missing things from Montgomery. And with this wet, cold, dark weather it made me feel even more "sad" at times. Having full confidence that we have obeyed the Lord and that this is exactly where He wants us I have to just realize that you have these emotions at times but that this is new season.

Yesterday was a bad day and I ended the day working on the BSF homework. I was in a frustrated mood due to the fighting of children, my house was a mess due to the business and sickness, and with BSF being the next day I was really missing my BSF girls from my group. I needed encouragement and that encouragement was found in Scripture - right where it should be found! The lesson that I was on was Isaiah 30 and as I read the chapter, answering questions, I came to this part of the passage:

"How gracious He will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you. Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behing you, saying, "THIS IS THE WAY; WALK IN IT""

As soon as I read that I cried. What joy! How sweet of the Lord to continue to be patient and gracious to me and continue to confirm things in my heart, even after he has confirmed it again and again. How sweet of Him to provide encouragement to me at the time that I needed it in the way that I needed it. I am learning that my encouragement comes from Him - I must not be dependent on people to provide that for me - my sole dependance on all things in life must in Him.

I am also deeply encouraged that the Lord has continued to use Scripture to encourage and confirm with the "scheduled" scripture. What I mean by that is that it is what I was going to be reading that day as part of my Bible Study Schedule - not that I just sat down and let the Bible open where it may. But it was that on that day the passage to read was Isaiah 30 - the Lord knew my state and knew that this would be the Scripture that I was going to read. His sovereignty is so full of grace in my life.

So - I drove 3 hours total with about 2 of those it rained the whole time - but it was so worth it!

Once we got home it was past 1pm and so the boys went straight for a nap and slept until 5! They were tired and I spent that time getting the house back in order. After church when we were putting the boys to bed they were so giddy! They played and played and sometimes they are just too cute to put to bed - which introduces picture #5:

#5: January 5, 2011



I love them.