Serving From Home
I’m going to be brutally honest.
My quiet times have plummeted. They have been horrible. Non-existent.
And yet, I have felt connected to the Lord {kind of}. I have fellowshiped with Him throughout the day. I have chosen joy. Forced my heart. Obediently complied because I am an adult. Convicted by words from this blogger.
My children remarked that after my recent weekend away in Harrisburg (near Hershey), Pennsylvania that the chocolate must have made me happy.
No. I purposed to change the atmosphere of my home.
A Defeated Quiet Time
Each time I opened my Bible to “do” my quiet time, it resembled that moment where you hit the wrong key on your computer. Instead of the desired outcome, your computer belittles you. It makesa highly irritating noise loud enough for the neighbors to hear and resonating enough to make you feel condemned.
I basically just stopped sitting on the couch each morning to read my Bible. I gave up and raised my hands in defeat.
Each time I tried to interacting with the Word, it didn’t seem like there was a good return on my investment.
So I quit investing.
If you know anything about the stock market, then you know that to not invest is foolish. The market will change.
I gave up.
Gave up on the Living God.
Stupid.
How Could I tell Others to #writetheword?
I missed Him, though. I felt lonely. And it bothered me that I spouted off to everyone else about #writingtheword yet I was not even in the Word.
What. A. Hypocrite.
A Trip to Lifeway
Yesterday afternoon afforded me the chance to drive over to Lifeway. I purchased a study by Beth Moore called To Live is Christ.
I felt called to it because of this one line,
Paul provides us an example of sold-out servanthood.
That may not sound like a party to you, but it is a theme in my life right now that I am embracing with passion.
Serving From Home
Laura Booze changed her focus. She began not serving the world, but serving from home to impact her community. And I am challenged by this.
Helping me serve from my home:
- Pure Charity — Generous Tuesday is approaching (November 27) . I want it to make a bigger splash than Black Friday or Cyber Monday.
- FashionAble Scarves — While scarves are fashionable right now, these scarves create sustainable business for women in Africa — providing a life for them off of the street.
- One Verse — A monthly sponsorship program of The Seed Company (supporting Bible Translation)
- My son — stay tuned for the opportunity to have freshly sprouted and quickly ground grain (thanks to Grain Mill Wagon) in your home. The income from his endeavor will help to send him on a mission trip.
There has been some discussion on my Facebook page about studying this book . . . let me know if you are going to follow along. My goal will be to post an Instagram picture each morning . . . and hopefully come content on the blog once a week if enough of you need some help like I do!
Ah friend. I have failed in this area so many times. Yet God is always faithful to call us back to him, is he not? I’m not going to sit here and tell you it’s ok, because it’s NOT! We have a saying in our small group – the DISCIPLINE of the word leads to the DESIRE of the word leads to the DELIGHT in his word. But it sure doesn’t take much of a lack of discipline to derail us, does it?
You know that title is near and dear and a struggle in my heart :0) Love you so much, and your honesty here, because your openness will help reveal to others where their hearts are at also!
Have you set up some accountability for being in the word? I’d love to be a partner if you want/need!
I love that you can tell me it isn’t OK. Love that.
Going to Allume kicked my bootie. And this post really reflects a lot of what I came back with. You are just seeing it woven through many of my more recent writings.
No, I haven’t set up any accountability yet. However, I had thought the most accountable thing for me to do would be to post my picture of it. That is my language, you know. I’m an image driven girl. How does that sound? Will you look for my picture on Instagram?
Since I see so much of you on there, I was already thinking that would be a great accountability route! You bet missie, I’ll hold you to it. I’m struggling with my weekends, so I need to keep a plan in place for that!
Jodi- I appreciate your brutal honesty & surely you know that this is so common! Life is way too busy and we give way to our schedule and push our QT’s to the back burner or even to a non-existence! I struggle with this also! Wanted also to say that ‘To Live is Christ’ was my very 1st Beth M study and I learned so much from it! You might have inspired me to pick it up as go thru it again! I loved it, grew, learned and was amazed by Paul’s sold out commitment to living a life that pleased Christ- exactly what I need to put more time/effort into doing! I don’t know how we’ll ill keep up but I’m gonna give it a try! Wld love to chew on it with you when time allows! Thanks again!
Thanks Kay. Sometimes it doesn’t feel common. But I know a few brave souls who will confess to this malady. 🙂 I’m trying to slow down (hence the reason you don’t see me working out with you beautiful women on Thursday nights). I am really excited to dive into this study. I actually have been wanting to do another day — though this morning I did 1 1/2 days!!!! I was excited to get out of bed — all for a QT! Praise the Lord! I needed this refreshment!
I’d love to chat about it!
Oh thank you for your honesty lady! I must admit, I hold you in high regard in this area! Whenever my quiet time is floundering I always think, “If only I were more like Jodi! She is so committed!” It’s refreshing to know that even you flounder at times! Not that that excuses my floundering, but it makes me feel more like it’s a normal thing to have happen to moms.
I do have a question though- what is your take on the Beth Moore contraversy? I have just been hearing things lately and I am curious to hear Godly women that I admire weigh in.
Hah hah hah! I so not perfect in this area. Now before kids or even with one kid, I still had these amazing 1 hour long bibles studies and thought women were crazy who couldn’t get into the word. What a fool I was. Nope, all real here girl. I struggle these days. Especially because my “paid job” has to be done before the kids wake up. So I try and get that done — before I even do my quiet time because I don’t want to be on the computer any more than I need to be with them around. Nope. Not perfect.
And I am going to look into the Beth Moore controversy. HAven’t heard anything about that. But I just emailed you about that, so you know that. 🙂 Love ya girl!
On the Beth Moore controversy side….if it’s the one going around about Lifeway pulling Blind Side, or her supposed endorsement of a word of faith book….I broached it with our church, they contacted the parent church (Harvest Bible Chapel in Illinois – James Macdonald’s church) – they were unaware of it, looked into it, and found it all to be false. there’s a lot going back and forth about her but from what I’ve found out I’m pretty sure she’s solid and it’s a lot trying to disengage her ministry! But do your own research! :0)
Thank you for bringing some new insight into this!!!
I am SO with you! Once I started BSF this fall in Indy, it has been amazing my consistency and love for the Word again! PS> You will LOVE LOVE LOVE that study! It is an amazing one! Done it, loved it, learned a lot!