Ladies, as some of you may know, this is my first year teaching. It is also the first time that I have worked outside my home full-time in MANY years. Well, I am soliciting your prayers. I must admit I feel sooooooooo overwhelmed by everything that is going on. I feel anxious all the time and I feel as if I am going to lose control. I am constantly on the verge of tears and I wonder if I have made a mistake. I would like you to pray that God would grant me peace in my mind, home, and on my job. That He would help me to stand and be a light for many there who do not know him as Lord and Savior. Pray for our children, and that God would touch the heart of their teachers, and anything else that you are led to pray for. I know that I can count on you all. I thank you in advance.
Be blessed!
Kenyatta
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Finding Order in a Busy Season
Can I just tell you all that i'm loving this virtual accountability. LOL. Let me encourage all of you to blog on LLOP as often as you like. It's like having an online journal, very cathartic;-).
Okay, back to the regularly scheduled program....
Finding order in a busy season. I'm beginning to think that there is no such thing as a busy season. What i've been defining as a busy season seems to just be life. If it's not this it's that and if it's not that then it's this - basically it's one thing or another. Perhaps I should replace the word "busy" with productive. Yeah, I like that better, productive. If we are in fact working while it's day as the bible admonishes us to, then we probably do feel "busy" most times. There's really no time for unplanned or extended idleness. I can testify how one day turns into 2, which turns into a week, which turns into a month. Ah ha! My thought pattern has been interrupted.....here's what came to mind:
While typing, I was suddenly reminded of our foremother in Proverbs 31, here is what we know about her from v.27, "She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness." Or the message bible says it like this "She keeps an eye on everyone in her household, and keeps them all busy and productive. " Okay, so how do we (or me if i'm alone in this) be busy and productive? How should I keep order in my life? I've been struggling to find a balance for several months (since the July 24th's "Reboot" post). Let's see, I may have a solution.
I'm an analytical person so by default I operate with the left side of my brain. In order to be optimally effective, I need order, to-do lists, calendars and other organizational tools. This works for me in my career and in my social life so I'm thinking it's high time I use these tools in my spiritual life as well. With our online bible study beginning, this is a good time for me to be more purposeful in my biblical study and quiet time - you know, doing it on purpose. Not fitting it in, not being neglectful, but truly on purpose and with focused intent I will continue studying to show myself approved and seeking Him so that he will tell me great and mighty things that I do not know (jeremiah 33:3). What I did last season is no longer effective so I need to try something different.
Here's my new regimen until further notice:
Morning - 15 Minutes of Fulfillment (title borrowed from a co-worker):
Okay, back to the regularly scheduled program....
Finding order in a busy season. I'm beginning to think that there is no such thing as a busy season. What i've been defining as a busy season seems to just be life. If it's not this it's that and if it's not that then it's this - basically it's one thing or another. Perhaps I should replace the word "busy" with productive. Yeah, I like that better, productive. If we are in fact working while it's day as the bible admonishes us to, then we probably do feel "busy" most times. There's really no time for unplanned or extended idleness. I can testify how one day turns into 2, which turns into a week, which turns into a month. Ah ha! My thought pattern has been interrupted.....here's what came to mind:
While typing, I was suddenly reminded of our foremother in Proverbs 31, here is what we know about her from v.27, "She watches over the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness." Or the message bible says it like this "She keeps an eye on everyone in her household, and keeps them all busy and productive. " Okay, so how do we (or me if i'm alone in this) be busy and productive? How should I keep order in my life? I've been struggling to find a balance for several months (since the July 24th's "Reboot" post). Let's see, I may have a solution.
I'm an analytical person so by default I operate with the left side of my brain. In order to be optimally effective, I need order, to-do lists, calendars and other organizational tools. This works for me in my career and in my social life so I'm thinking it's high time I use these tools in my spiritual life as well. With our online bible study beginning, this is a good time for me to be more purposeful in my biblical study and quiet time - you know, doing it on purpose. Not fitting it in, not being neglectful, but truly on purpose and with focused intent I will continue studying to show myself approved and seeking Him so that he will tell me great and mighty things that I do not know (jeremiah 33:3). What I did last season is no longer effective so I need to try something different.
Here's my new regimen until further notice:
Morning - 15 Minutes of Fulfillment (title borrowed from a co-worker):
- Quiet Reflection
- Review & Recite Memory Scriptures
- Morning Prayer
- Spoken Affirmation
Evening - Hour of Power ("hour" here is not literal)
- Bible Study
- Meditation
- Prayer
- Spoken Affirmation
Any of you have a prescription that's working? Please do share.
~bdr
Monday, September 22, 2008
Online Bible Study - Update
Hello my LLOP fam, hopefully you are as excited about the bible study as I am. We were scheduled to begin the study today but I'd like to push it back until Monday, Sept 29th. Let me know what you think.
http://www.lifeway.com/believinggod/
I hope you will join me in this study. Feel free to invite others as well.
http://www.lifeway.com/believinggod/
I hope you will join me in this study. Feel free to invite others as well.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Online Bible Study - Believing God
Are you interested in joining me for an online bible study? As many of you know, Beth Moore is like a mentor to me. She is my absolute favorite bible teacher and I so appreciate her ministry. I "finished" the bible study Believing God a couple of years ago but I think it's worth revisiting. What do I mean by "finished." Well let's just say that all of my homework pages had words on them but not all of them were completed in a studious fashion. Some were completed in a rush and without much thought at all.
The bible study comes highly recommended by me. I plan on starting the week of Monday, September 22. The cost for the online bible study is $23.95 and it's a 10 week session (which will take us through the month of November).
Please comment back and let me know if you plan on completing the study. I'd love to have a discussion on the blog during our study.
http://www.lifeway.com/believinggod/
Much love,
~bdr
The bible study comes highly recommended by me. I plan on starting the week of Monday, September 22. The cost for the online bible study is $23.95 and it's a 10 week session (which will take us through the month of November).
Please comment back and let me know if you plan on completing the study. I'd love to have a discussion on the blog during our study.
http://www.lifeway.com/believinggod/
Much love,
~bdr
Monday, September 1, 2008
Memory Scripture 21
Jeremiah 29:11 (Message Bible Translation)
I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out - plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.(NKJ: For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.)
Philippians 4:8 (Message Bible Translation)
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious - the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.
(NKJ: Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.)
Ahhh...these memory scriptures could not have come at a better time! Prayerfully they are just as timely for you as they are for me. Against all odds, against all circumstances, against all feelings, against all naysayers, against all logic - we must not only believe IN God, but we MUST BELIEVE Him (period). Dear Lord help me. Even as I type i'm having an internal battle between spirit and flesh. The spirit is willing but the flesh is...uhm...gonna get beat into submission because i'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. (you thought I was gonna say weak didn't you - well i'm changing the script:-).
If I gave you a cliff hanger and left you wondering, just know that all is well. I'm having one of those moments when you have to truly remind yourself of what God said and not give into the temptation to rely on what you see or comprehend, and definitely not what you feel (I can write a thesis on how dangerous our 'feelings' can be). It is that moment when you have to focus your mind and meditate on things that are true, such as God's word. I don't mean just casually think, I mean when you have to do it on purpose and with intent. Then you realize, the thing that makes you valuable (other than the blood) is the Word that He spoke to you, over you and for you. Yep, it's a battle for the Word within me and within you.
I do solicit your prayers and I promise to pray for you as well. Let's continue to pray for our fellow LLOP family. Let's also pray for those who may be experiencing the effects of hurricane season.
Much Love!
I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out - plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.(NKJ: For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.)
Philippians 4:8 (Message Bible Translation)
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious - the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse.
(NKJ: Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.)
Ahhh...these memory scriptures could not have come at a better time! Prayerfully they are just as timely for you as they are for me. Against all odds, against all circumstances, against all feelings, against all naysayers, against all logic - we must not only believe IN God, but we MUST BELIEVE Him (period). Dear Lord help me. Even as I type i'm having an internal battle between spirit and flesh. The spirit is willing but the flesh is...uhm...gonna get beat into submission because i'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. (you thought I was gonna say weak didn't you - well i'm changing the script:-).
If I gave you a cliff hanger and left you wondering, just know that all is well. I'm having one of those moments when you have to truly remind yourself of what God said and not give into the temptation to rely on what you see or comprehend, and definitely not what you feel (I can write a thesis on how dangerous our 'feelings' can be). It is that moment when you have to focus your mind and meditate on things that are true, such as God's word. I don't mean just casually think, I mean when you have to do it on purpose and with intent. Then you realize, the thing that makes you valuable (other than the blood) is the Word that He spoke to you, over you and for you. Yep, it's a battle for the Word within me and within you.
I do solicit your prayers and I promise to pray for you as well. Let's continue to pray for our fellow LLOP family. Let's also pray for those who may be experiencing the effects of hurricane season.
Much Love!
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