Thursday, September 20, 2012

Time to Reflect!

Happy Thursday, everyone! I have to be honest and say that today has been a tough one for me, mainly because I got up at 4:45 this morning to go for a run. I know, I know... I am SO not a morning person, but in this crazy life of ours, I have no other available time to get my run on unless I'm up before the roosters. Actually, a friend of mine suggested running together and I agreed because there is no way I'd be accountable to do this if someone wasn't waiting on me! But, just like anything else, it's going to take a couple of weeks to adjust to this new schedule so forgive me if my brain is mush on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
 
But anyhoo...
 
I wasn't really sure how long my hiatus from my "Reflections" series was going to be, but as it turns out, I just can't stay away! More than a hiatus, I think I really just need to make it an every-other-week thing rather than a weekly thing because that's a more manageable commitment right now. I want to have posts up when I say that I will, but I also want to have the flexibility to read or study whatever it is that I am being led to read or study, rather than just focusing on the weekly chosen topic. Make sense? I hope so. So in the upcoming weeks you can expect a Reflections post bi-weekly... I will probably post a topic one Thursday and my post on it the following Thursday then the next topic on the Thursday after that, etc., etc., etc. Cool? You're probably reading this thinking that you don't actually really care that much, but it makes me feel better to clarify so that's my story and I'm sticking to it!
 
Which brings me to this week's topic! I think the reason I felt compelled to bring Reflections back starting this week is because God has been smacking me upside the head with a topic, and it's a pretty common one that I'd love to hear other people's opinions about. I'm sure most of you are familiar with the "Proverbs 31 woman" and let me just tell you that she is everywhere I look lately! I have read Proverbs 31 many times and am super familiar with it and with the qualities of that perfect Godly woman, but it seems like it's being pressed on me from every angle here lately in big and small ways. I'm not one to audibly hear the voice of God, but when I see something over and over and over again, I can always attribute it to His still, small voice... that's how God speaks to me. So over the past two weeks it's been everything from a great friend of mine posting a snippet of Proverbs 31 on her Facebook status everyday, to hearing it on K-Love (radio) every time I'm in the car, to even finally finding a date that worked to host a thirty-one party. It may not sound like much to you, but again, it's the tiny, little things over and over again that speak to me. I think God communicates in so many different ways and I know that we probably miss it sometimes, so I guess He knows that I need repitition so it really sticks... but of course it's not my job to figure Him out because I'd never be able to anyway. But back to my point...
 
Over this next week I want you to meditate on Proverbs 31 with me. It is basically a guideline of how to be a Godly woman and whether you're married or not, have kids or don't, it's something we should all strive for. How do you feel like you're measuring up? How do you feel about these expectations? Is this something you strive for daily or is this the first time you're reading it? I'd love to read your thoughts and you can check back next week to hear mine... ahh, it's good to be back!
 
And just because sometimes it's good to see what else other people are reading, I thought I'd include the book I'm about to start as well as one I just finished, just in case you're looking for something to pick up.
 
The one I just finished (well, I say "just" but it was months ago) might be hands-down my all-time favorite book. Granted, I'm not a big reader and it takes me forever to get through a whole book (if I finish it at all), but I devoured this one in a matter of days. It's historical fiction, so that helps, and it's a parody of the story of Hosea in the Bible. If you are looking for an incredibly good story that will leave you changed, I urge you to pick up (or download) Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I promise you won't be disappointed.


The second is a book that our small group is about to start and is called Fresh Air by Chris Hodges. Chris is one of the founders of the ARC and leads a church that is somewhere in the ballpark of 18,000 people... yes, you read that correctly. I think his success is directly linked to the incredible amount of humility he has as well as this "fresh" relationship he keeps with Christ. I don't know about you, but I could certainly learn from someone like that!


What are some of your favorite books? What are you reading right now?

1 comment:

  1. Rachel Held Evans has been blogging a lot about Proverbs 31 lately, mainly that we should not treat it as a pressure-filled checklist by which we grade ourselves as women. The interesting thing I've learned from those posts is how in Jewish tradition, Proverbs 31 is treated as a blessing, and husbands recite it to their wives at certain sabbath dinners.

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