Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Time Flies

Time flies when you're having fun! And I'd add that time flies faster as you get older. At least it's a true perception. I haven't blogged for a couple weeks. So thought I'd put some thoughts down tonight.

Since November I've been leading a women's Bible study at my church on Wednesday noon's. We've used books to guide our studies. Before Christmas we used Liz Curtis Higg's book "Women of Christmas." In January we began a study of St. Paul using Beth Moore's "To Live is Christ." The four weeks before Holy Week we stopped our St. Paul study and used Adam Hamilton's "24 Hours That Changed the World." The week after Easter we will continue with our study of St. Paul. 


This has been a wonderful experience for me. I haven't led a Bible study for years. The group of women that attend are eager, perceptive, easily lend their thoughts and voices to our discussions, and we have a trusting atmosphere which leads to sharing of all sorts of life experiences. We include prayer concerns as well, praying before and after each time, or in the middle if the Spirit leads us.


My "assistant" leader is a friend from church that I didn't know very well until we started this Bible study together. Now I so admire her and her discipline of Bible reading and her many experiences of women's Bible studies at other churches. Plus I am so impressed with stories of raising her children who are now young adults. 


Molly also has a well-worn leather Bible that I've been looking at from afar. She writes in her Bible, including dating some of the pages as she reads them (in small letters with pencil). We read a Psalm last week that she had read on 9/11/2001, and the date was written there. 


Well I do not have a well-worn Bible, for one reason I haven't been very regular with daily Bible reading, as well as not participating in many Bible studies recently. Over the years I've gotten different translations and types of Bibles---like the Good News Bible, RSV Bible, Quest Bible, Jerusalem Bible, NRSV Lutheran Bible, Amplified Bible, and so on. So I have a collection. I've taken notes in some and highlighted passages in others, but not all in the same Bible. So I admit to Bible "envy"! I have now ordered a NIV Life Application Study Bible, which is what Molly has. I'm spending more to get a bonded leather one. This Bible will be the one I use from now on, read daily, make notes in, and wear out. My other Bibles will be good for expanded study or comparing translations. 

I've written previously about the Christian blogs I've been reading. And the books that have been deepening my faith, one being Ann Voskamp's "One Thousand Gifts." Add my women's Bible study, and I know my spiritual growth will continue. Plus a fabulous new Bible is certain to add many dimensions to my study and life.



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