Not Just Small Talk Anymore

            A man by the name of C.S. Lewis, whom I find exceptionally inspiring, once said, “When I have learnt to love God better than my earthly dearest, I shall love my earthly dearest better than I do now.”

          At first glance it seems shocking and even harsh… loving someone more than your significant other? However, I believe he’s exactly right. Relationships today can seem caught up in silly mind games and attempting to steer clear of commitment, while making an effort to “win” even the most insignificant arguments. Do you truly believe that’s what God has in mind when he tells us to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind?” Followed by “love your neighbor as yourself.” It’s no coincidence that God tells us to love himself first, and then love our neighbor. We are called to love God above all else, that’s why it comes first. Then we are commanded to not just love our neighbor, but love him/her as ourselves. (That means love them A LOT).

          So what is love? Love is a “profoundly passionate affection for another.” Did you catch that part in the middle? A passionate affection. Passion, as in a powerful and compelling emotion, and affection as in gentle and caring. Since when did the term “love” get twisted into meaning the above description of trying to “win” and have the upper hand? Since when did love turn into avoiding commitment? The term itself directly implies not just any commitment, but a deep and purposeful one!

          Here’s where I think C.S. Lewis hit the nail right on the head. When you learn to love God and form a relationship with Him, you acquire a whole different perspective on life, friendships, and yes, even love. Believe it or not, the Bible has some great relationship advice. Don’t just take my word for it though, go ahead and check it out for yourself!

          I speak from experience when I say having Christ at the center of your relationship makes ALL the difference. Suddenly it’s not about trying to win, or worrying whether your honey might find someone better when they hit up that party this weekend. It turns into something much, much more meaningful. Small talk turns into deep and purposeful conversation. Worrying fades away and is replaced by complete trust. And putting yourself first turns into wanting what’s best for the other, even when it may not seem to be best for yourself. It’s rather astonishing what can come from trusting in God and letting things fall into place. I’m challenging you to take the wise words of Mr. Lewis and apply them to your life. I think you’ll find the outcome to be utterly extraordinary.

 

 

XOXO

Mary Kate

Journaling: Learning to Color Outside the Lines

Calling all you Bible-readers out there (non-readers, it’s never too late to startJ). Do you ever find yourself in a rut with your daily devotion time? Maybe you just don’t feel like you’re retaining what you’ve been reading, or some days it seems like more of a chore than anything else? Red flag; reading the Bible should never feel like a ‘chore,’ and you shouldn’t feel guilty when life happens and maybe you get a little behind. Don’t let that discourage you and prevent you from picking it back up again and diving back into God’s glorious word.

            I’ve found that the way you take notes and reflect on the Word makes all the difference. I’ve sorted through a few techniques, and I’m still trying to find what works best for me. I tried journaling and categorizing my notes by favorite verses, meaningful words, a quick summary, and how the chapter or passage applied to my life. For a while it worked great, but it started to become somewhat monotonous.

Truth be told, it reminded me of school, and that’s when I knew I needed to switch things up. I’m an arts and crafts kind of gal, so after a quick Pinterest search (great resource, by the way), I found a more creative approach! I began using stickers, stamps, markers-you name it, and started writing down the most important parts to ME. That might be a verse, a few words, a main idea or theme, a picture, recap of events, or a number of other things! I love it because I can get crafty with it and make it more personal. It’s more of an artwork than just a black and white journal without any personality to it.

I’m aware that this won’t work for everyone and if the traditional journal works for you, by all means keep on doing it! However, for anyone out there that might find themselves in a similar situation to my own, and want to try something different, I encourage you to give it a shot. Sometimes you have to color outside the lines a little and keep your options open! Try combining your passion for the Word with another hobby-you’ll be surprised with what you might come up with. If you’re struggling with getting started, the internet is a great resource for some ideas. I’ve also attached a few pictures of my new system of journaling in case you find it helpful!

 XOXO

Mary Kate

The Bible: What book should I read?

Beginning to read the Bible can be scary and intimidating, but remember – you’re not going through it alone. Finding the perfect book for you is just three easy steps away. The first step in finding the right book depends on your interests and what you want to learn about. Each book of the Bible can pertain to a different aspect of your life, even if you read the same book ten years from now it will have an altered view point on your life. The second step is finding the perfect length. Now, this may not seem like a huge problem, but if you have tried to read Psalms in two months it seems nearly impossible (although nothing is impossible with God, so if that is your passion - go for it). The third step is determining how much time you would like to spend reading the book, for example let’s say you want to read Proverbs in one month. Well, Proverbs has 31 chapters and roughly each month has 30 days therefore reading one chapter a day and two chapters on the 30^th then you’re golden!

            For our purpose today, let’s look at Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (also known as the four gospels). Each of these disciples describe the miracles of Jesus that ultimately lead to His death and resurrection. Now, I’m sure you’re wondering why four different people wrote about the same events. However, each disciple tells the story in a particular way based on their own reaction and influence from the specific event. John, for example, is more of a symbolism type of guy which is probably why he was chosen to write the book of Revelation. Typically, if you are new to reading and studying the Bible the four gospels are recommended, but if you are like me and have an interest in what happened after then the book of Acts is right for you. Regardless of what book you choose each will grant you a new outlook on life.

            Personally, I prefer to read the shorter books of the Bible such as 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude, 1 Peter, or any other one that has less than ten chapters. For me, it is easier to set a short term goal, such as finishing a book in a week rather than finishing one book a month. On the other hand, reading a longer book with roughly 25 chapters are sometimes easier to follow. When the chapters all flow together to create a story such as King David or Solomon, it keeps the reader interested and almost wills them to read the next chapter. Despite the length, each book of the Bible has a purpose and a message buried within. It’s our job as Christians to seek out the significance and share it with others.

            The last step is to pick a Bible reading plan or start a Bible study with a small group of friends. This step is the hardest one for me to complete because sticking to reading the Bible every day is hard not because it is not interesting, but rather the fact that I don’t make time to read. However, when I do take the time, the lessons embedded within are superbly rewarding. My advice to you is to have a friend read along with you and take 20 minutes a day to discuss the passage. Having someone else to go through it with, will not only bring new ideas but a stronger friendship as well.

~ Ashley