365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 109

Commitment is a wavering thing in our culture today. That word has been on my heart the last few days. The definition of commitment is the act of commiting or the state of being committed. Interestingly, the second defition is dediction and application. When I look at the things in my life that I have been dedicated to, I have grown more and that 'thing' has been successful. My first mememory of dedication goes back to my high school days when I was in drill team. I didn't make the drill team the first year I tried out but all my friends did. In looking back, I can honestly see I am a late bloomer in most things. I was dedicated in that next year to perfecting my skills and getting on the team and I did it with flying colors. I ended up getting awarded with the Most Dedicated award in my second year with drill team. My marriage is another thing that both Nathan and I went into with hearts that were committed to endure until the end and beyond. On a smaller scale, I went to a dentist cleaning appoitment one time and they said things weren't looking so great, I needed to do more. So, I committed right than to flossing every night. I have only missed two nights in the last two years. It made a difference! Committment brings success, blessings and growth. Committing to doing this praise challenge has been a glorious thing. I am in His Word everyday, thinking about Him all the time and am more open to seeing Him in everything. It is an amazing blessing. Commitments can be challenging but they are worth the effort. Have you committed to doing something to help you on your faith journey? Reading the bible everyday, praying more, memorizing scripture, bible study, faithbooking. Pick something today and say I am dedicated to doing this everyday and enjoy the fruit of God's blessings upon you.
2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose herts are fully committed to him.

365 Days of Praise Challenge-Day 57

On the way home last evening as I was battling the super strong wind gust with my little blue car, I was thinking on what was spoken and discussed in our class at our church and the word reflection came up and I wandered into thinking about this ministry and what faithbooking is. There really are a number of ways that it can be looked at. I have been looking at it more as a way to study deeper what we hear at church or read from the bible or in a bible study. I have been applying what I am learning to my life which in education terms is called life application. Often times, in our studing of the bible and wanting to learn about God, we are leaving off the most important aspect with the life application. Following through and applying what you learn to your life and taking it one step further by putting into a concrete form of a scrapbook page can have incredible benefits. Since begining this ministry, I have been in the bible everyday, praying everyday and I can see that I am thinking and feeling and living with the Lord more and more in my life, not just on Sundays or Wednesday evenings or with my bible study ladies but all of the everyday parts. There is still lots of room to keep that intimacy with the Lord growing but I feel more happy than ever, yes, even despite the pains of life and the negativity that strikes me thanks to hormones. So I am praising God today and everyday for encouraging me and guiding me and calling me to do this ministry. Is follow through a tough one for you? Have you tried some life application? Journaling is a good first step but if you have never scrapbooked, I would love to help you take that step into discovery. I will discuss a little more about "reflection" in faithbooking tomorrow. Stay tuned.
Proverbs 27:19 As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man.