Weight Loss Bible Study - Are We Ready?

Welcome and Happy New Year's Eve!!

Tomorrow we begin our Weight Loss Bible Study.
Are we ready?

I've gathered a few things to begin and thought I would share my list.
1. Barb's Book "Taste For Truth" (I have the Kindle version)
2. Barb's App, "I Deserve a Donut..." downloaded to my Smart Phone
3. A journal/notebook for verse mapping and logging my weight and exercise
4. Craft supplies, i.e.: washi tape, stickers, felt pens, etc. to make everything pretty/artsy (totally  optional)
5. Bible

I got on the scale today. Bleh.
It was higher than I thought by 3lbs.
Okay. I start from here.
I will not let it get me down.
I will weigh in again tomorrow and log that with the exercise I do.
I'm starting slow with the exercise. I haven't done any in a long time, so I am going to be careful starting out. Low and slow. I've already got my Alexa set up with a personal exercise program. I got her a couple of weeks ago as a Christmas present for myself and am amazed with what I can set up to do with her. Amazing really.

For the ladies who are following along with me, you might want to follow my blog by following with your email. I do not send out anything else, except updates when I post. I do not flood your email boxes with other things.  I promise. If that ever changes, I can't see that happening anytime soon, I will let you know before that happens. You can find the place to enter your email at the top right side.

I'll see you back here tomorrow.
Rest up, sleep well, binge on chocolate!
Just kidding about that last one! lol

Gratitide
1. The ladies following me on this journey
2. A God who provides guidance
3. A New Year tomorrow!!

Blessings,
Deborah

Weight Loss Bible Study

Welcome!
Hope you enjoyed your holidays.

I've been thinking about goals for 2018 and the one I need to do most is what most people resolve to do in the new year...
lose weight.
How many times have we all made this resolution?
More than I can count.
Being diabetic, it is very important for me as well as people with many types of health issues.
So, I have the goal again to begin Jan. 1 and try to lose some weight.
I have found a new plan to follow on Barb Raveling's Blog called,
Weight Loss Bible Study. Here's the link:
https://barbraveling.com/2012/06/25/weight-loss-bible-study-day-one/

(Link below)**

Following Barb's plan, I have made my:
1 ."Renewing of the Mind Goal"
2. Set my boundaries
3. Stated the Truth

My "Renewing of the Mind Goal" is to think before I eat anything and plan my meals.

My "Boundaries" are:
1. Eat smaller portions
2. Eat more fish (not hard since I love the stuff)
3. No sugar for the first three weeks. (I will look at this boundary again at the end of the three weeks and will decide if I need to continue with this.)

My "Truth Statement" is I need to lose weight to be healthier.

Barb's plan is not a meal plan, (we all know how to lose weight) it is a spiritual plan set up to help us keep our goals through Bible study. There are scriptures to help us remember that God is on our side and he has a plan to prosper us. *

I will also be verse mapping some of the verses and probably adding art, because that is what I like to do. *smiles*

I will be posting about this for the first three weeks of my journey.

Barb also has a couple of books to go with the study.
I bought this one: **
https://www.amazon.com/Taste-Truth-Weight-Bible-Study/dp/0980224314/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467823884&sr=8-1&keywords=taste+for+truth

This one is also available:
https://www.amazon.com/Deserve-Donut-Other-Lies-That/dp/0980224306/ref=pd_bxgy_14_img_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=2RT4J4BTGC73HFR39TMP

She also has an app you can download for your phone that you can find on her website.

Okay! Who is with me?
Leave a comment below if you would like to join me.
See you Jan. 1, 2018!!

Gratitude
1. Our Savior
2. God's plan to prosper us
3. Biblical help with goals

*Jeremiah 29:11-13
For I know the plans I have for you,
declares the Lord...
plans to give you hope
and a future....
You will seek Me
and find Me
when you seek Me
and find Me
with all your heart.

Blessing,
Deborah

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas, my dear friends!

Looking forward to new things in the new year!
I have plans. :)
Stay tuned!

Gratitude
1. Our Savior
2. All of you for hanging in here with me
3. A God who loves us

Blessings,
Deborah

Proverbs 31 - Final Lesson

Welcome and thanks for stopping by!

Proverbs 31:31 (NIV)
Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

In the final lesson, Teacher Robin talks about the Virtuous Woman of Proverbs 31 and Lady Wisdom of Proverbs 8 & 9.

The Virtuous Woman:
* is hard working
* makes wise investments
* plans ahead
* is a good mother
* cares for others
* is clever with her hands
* is generous to the needy
* is good at business
* is respectful to her spouse
* shares Godly values with others
* gives wise counsel
* speaks wisely
* exhibits a love of God (in worship, in trust, in service, in obedience)

Proverbs 8
"The Bible uses a literary device called personification to refer to wisdom. Personification means "giving human qualities to items that are not human." For example, Wisdom is portrayed as a respectable, proper and dignified lady. Her ways are open and honest."
(Quote by Robin Sampson in Lesson 22 of Proverbs 31 class.)

We gain wisdom by studying the Word of God. It leads us down the right paths in life and gives us the wisdom we need to stay on them.

My final pages created with the graphics and backgrounds provided by Robin. 

Let me say, one more time, you will not be disappointed in this study and it is well worth the small fee she charges for the classes. Here is her link one last time:

https://biblejournallove.teachable.com/p/proverbs-31-bible-journal-class

This is a side view of my nice, fat TN all finished with my classes on Proverbs 31.

This is the file of all the things that are left over after I finished the classes. As you can see, she is very generous in what she provides.

(I was not paid money or given anything to advertise these classes.)

Gratitude:

1. Teacher Robin Sampson

2. A finished class

3. New wisdom in the Lord

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers. 

Blessings,

Deborah

Proverbs 31 - Lesson 21

Welcome and blessings on this chilly Thursday morning in the mountains!

Proverbs 31:30
Charm is deceitful,
and beauty is vain,
but a woman who
fears the Lord
is to be praised.

Woman of the Bible - Rachel

This story is really about Rachel and Leah, her sister and sister-in-law.
Jacob, who we met in our last story of Rebekah, meets Rachel and falls madly in love with the beauty. He asks her father, Laban, for her hand in marriage and Laban says yes, but tells Jacob he must work for him for seven years first. Jacob complies and marries Rachel, who is really Leah covered in veils. Laban has tricked Jacob. Laban is not a very nice man. When Jacob realizes what has happened, he demands to marry Rachel and Laban tells him he must work another seven years to have her. Jacob complies once again. Finally he marries Rachel and then takes all that is owed to him and runs away from Laban. Rachel steals her father's idols, which Laban comes after and Jacob denies having. Rachel sits on them and covers them with her skirts so they cannot be found.
Between the two sisters, the 12 sons of Israel are born. Leah gives birth to several sons before Rachel finally conceives Joseph. (The story of Joseph is one of my all time favorite stories in the Bible.)
If you have never read the story of Rachel and Leah I highly recommend you do. You can find it in Genesis 29 - 48:7.
The story takes place in Mesopotamia and Canaan.
Mesopotamia is a historical region in West Asia, in modern days roughly corresponding to most of Iraq plus Kuwait, the eastern parts of Syria, Southeastern Turkey and regions along the Turkish-Syrian and Iran-Iraq borders.
Canaan, the biblical name for the area of ancient Palestine, west of the Jordon River, the Promised land of the Israelites.

Once again, teacher Robin has provided beautiful background pages and graphics, lessons rich in tradition and information to enhance the story. You can find the link to her website in the last post.

Gratitude 

1. Biblical stories filled with mystery and intrigue.

2. History

3. You, my dear readers.

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,

Deborah

Proverbs 31 - Lesson 20

Welcome and Happy Tuesday!

Proverbs 31:29 (NIV)
Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.

Woman of the Bible = Rebekah

Rebekah's story in an interesting one to me. First of all, any woman who will leave the home she has always know and travel to places far away is very brave. It takes her 20 years to conceive her twins, Jacob and Esau. She then favors Jacob and plots with him to deceive his father, Isaac, and cheat his brother Esau out of his birth right and blessings. The plot works, Esau gets very angry and says when their father dies he will kill Jacob. Jacob leaves for his mother's homeland to escape Esau and his plans.

Robin, the teacher for this class, believes that God gives us examples of imperfect characters so we see how God can use us in our imperfectness. I tend to agree. What do you think?

I used Robin's beautiful graphics to create this two page spread, adding some washi tape and a little verse mapping. 

Here is the link to the Proverbs 31/Women of the Bible class by Robin Sampson.
https://biblejournallove.teachable.com/p/proverbs-31-bible-journal-class

Gratitude
1. Imperfect Bible characters
2. Hope in God
3.Family coming for Thanksgiving!!

Ephesians 1:16
I have not stopped giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers.

May I pray for you? Please leave a comment and I will add you to my prayer list.

Blessings,
Deborah

Prayers of Blessing for Your Friend

Welcome!

Starting a new challenge today, because, well, it's what I do! lol

https://adivineencounter.com/prayers-of-blessing-for-your-friend/

Go to the link above and begin praying for a friend or friends this month.
There is even a booklet you can print out. It is a traveler's notebook style.

Blessings,
Deborah

Proverbs 31 - Lesson 19

Welcome and blessings.

Proverbs 31: 28
Her children rise up and call her blessed
her husband also and he praises her.

The most appropriate woman of the Bible to fit this verse is Mary, the Mother of Jesus.
Some aprocryphal accounts say Mary was betrothed 12-14 years old and died when she was 41.

Twelve to fourteen years old.
Sit with that a moment.

The angel, Gabriel, comes to her and tells her she is to give birth to God's son.
Sit with that a moment.

If you had a daughter that age and she came to you and said an angel told her she was going to give birth to God's son would you believe her?
I wonder if her parents did at first?

The Bible doesn't say an angel visited them, like an angel visited Joseph and told him everything would be okay and to go ahead and marry Mary.
How would you feel?
Would you believe her?
Interesting question.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifCWN5pJGIE

Other questions to ponder are asked in the song, "Mary Did You Know?"
Above is the link to my favorite version by Pentatonix.
The song makes me cry and makes the hairs on my arms stand up.

The wonders and mysteries of this story are amazing in the least.

Scripture verses to reference this story of "The Incarnation" are:
Betrothed to Joseph - Luke 1:27
The Annunciation - Luke 1:30-31
Mary visits Elizabeth - Luke 1:42-45
Mary's Song - Luke 1:46-55
Jesus' birth - Luke 2:4-16
The Flight to Egypt - Matthew 2:14

Have you ever realized that if we only had the Gospel of Mark, we never would have heard the story of Mary and the birth of Jesus? Mark picks up the story with the baptism of Jesus.

I used vellum to copy the Song of Mary and used it as a tip-in. 

Gratitude

1. Mysteries and wonders of the Bible

2. Thoughts to ponder

3. God's promises

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,

Deborah

Proverbs 31 Lesson 18

Happy Sunday and welcome!

Proverbs 31:27
She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

Jochebed, mother of Moses, is our featured woman of the Bible in this lesson. We find her story in Exodus 1:22 - 2:1-10. Imagine Pharaoh making a law that all Hebrew boys were to be killed and you had a son!! This happened to Jochebed, so she took a basket and laid her baby son, Moses, in it and placed it in the Nile river. Pharaoh's daughter found him in the reeds and had her maid pull him out. She raised him as her own. There is much more to this wonderful story that you can read for yourself in these verses. We all know the wonderful story of Moses being called by God to set His people free. What a proud Mother she must have been.

As usual, I have done a verse mapping with the story, added some washi tape and used Robin's beautiful graphics she provides with the lessons. The link below will take you to her website where you can sign up for this class. It is self paced.

https://biblejournallove.teachable.com/p/proverbs-31-bible-journal-class

Gratitude
1. Biblical inspiration
2. God's influence
3. God's laws

Ephesians 1:16
I have not stopped giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,
Deborah

Proverbs 31 Study - Lesson 16

Good morning and welcome!

Proverbs 31:25
Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
~~~~~~

She can laugh, because she is prepared.

Luke 1:5-80 is our story today. It is about Elizabeth, Zachariah and Mary. Elizabeth is old in years and she and Zachariah are childless. Zachariah is visited by the angel, Gabriel who tells Zachariah that he and Elizabeth will have a son. The story is similar to Sarah and Abraham, who were also in advanced years and like them, Zachariah found it hard to believe it could happen. God made him unable to speak until the baby was born. In the meantime, the same angel visits Mary and tells her she will have God's son. Some time later, Mary goes to visit her cousin, Elizabeth and when Elizabeth sees Mary coming she feels her baby move for the first time and has a revelation that Mary will give birth to the Messiah! Pretty heady stuff.
Once more, God has rewarded people who are righteous and faithful.
Elizabeth's son grows up to be John the Baptist, a prophet who tells of the coming of Jesus.
Elizabeth was of the daughters of Aaron. She is revered as a saint in the Catholic Church as the patron of pregnant women.

 

I just love the llamas Robin provided in this lesson! Aren't they cute?

Gratitude

1. Everyday heroes in our country

2. Creative days

3. Crisp, sunny Autumn days

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,

Deborah

Proverbs 31 Challenge - Lesson 15

Welcome and Blessings!

Proverbs 31:24
She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchants.

The Widow of Zarephath found in 1Kings 17:7-24 is our story for today. Zarephath was a small Phoenician town, now Surafend, about a mile from the coast. God told Elijah to go there during the great drought and He directed a widow to supply him with food. When he came to the gate, he saw the widow and asked her for water and a piece of bread. She was very poor and told him she barely had enough oil and flour for her son and herself. Elijah told her to not be afraid that the Lord told him if she does this the flour and oil would not run out until God sent the rain. She did what Elijah told her to do and she fed him, her son and herself everyday until the rains came. The flour and oil never ran out. She became a believer in the God of Israel.

Sometimes it hard to remember that "the Lord shall provide," isn't it?
I remember several years ago I was always stressing about having enough money to cover everything. Stress. Stress. Stress. Worry. Worry. Worry. Then one day, while reading Matthew in my Bible, I came across verses 6:25-27:

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to you life?"

Since that day, I turned my finances over to the Lord and I have never been unable to pay my bills and put food on the table. He is our Provider!

Gratitude
1. A Lord who provides
2. Art
3. Crafts

Ephesians 1:16
I have not stopped giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,
Deborah

Two Challenges, One Story

Welcome friends! Hope you are having a blessed Sunday.

I was doing my Proverbs 31 Challenge and was all caught up and thought to myself, "You really need to get caught up in the Deeper Still Challenge!" So I checked the lesson and, lo and behold, it was the same story!

Proverbs 31:23
Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.

When you think of this verse, who comes to mind? Sarai/Sarah? Yes. She is perfect for this verse.
This story is found in Genesis 18 and is about the time when three men/angels come to visit Abraham. One of them tells Abraham that this time next year Sarah will have a son. Sarah is listening and laughs, for she is an old woman beyond child bearing years. The man asks Sarah why she laughed and she denies having laughed. He tells her she did laugh and to believe all things are possible with God. Sarah had a son and they named him Isaac.

The Proverbs 31 Challenge, Lesson 14:

The Deeper Still Challenge , Lesson 6:

As usual, I verse mapped the story.
I used all my brown washi tape to make the tree. I love how it turned out. We were supposed to paint the tree, but that is not my cup of tea. :) 

Gratitude

1. A Lord who provides

2. My job

3. My marriage

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,

Deborah

Proverbs 31 - Lesson 13

Welcome and Blessings!

Proverbs 31:22
She makes bed coverings for herself:
her clothing is fine linen and purple.

As I mentioned yesterday, today we will learn about Mary of Bethany. Mary was Martha and Lazarus' sister. We find her in Luke 10:38-42, John 11:1-44, Matt 26:6-10 and John 12:3 Today we focus on Matt 26:10 and John 12:3. They are the same story.
In this story, Mary takes a very expensive perfume, pours it on Jesus' feet and washes Jesus' feet with her hair. Some of the disciples are angry with the waste of money. "Jesus said to them,' Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a beautiful thing to me.'"
It is believed by some that this act is symbolic of the oils used on his body when he dies.

The only thing I have added to Robin's beautiful graphics and backgrounds is my own never ending supply of washi tape. :) 

Here is the link once more to Robin Sampson's beautiful lessons on Proverbs 31 and women in the Bible. It will be available for one year.
https://biblejournallove.teachable.com/p/proverbs-31-bible-journal-class

Gratitude
1. RAIN!!!!
2. God's grace
3. Robin Sampson

Ephesians 1:16
I have not stopped giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers

May I pray for you? Please leave a comment below and I will add you to my prayer list. <3

Blessings,
Deborah

Proverbs 31 - Lesson 12

Hello! I'm so glad you stopped by today.

Proverbs 31:21
She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.

I read that the color scarlet was believed to be a warmer color for winter.

For lesson 12 and 13 we will focus on Martha and Mary.
The first story about them is found in Luke 10:38-42. In this lesson we learn that Martha has invited Jesus to their home and begins to prepare a meal, while Mary sits by Jesus and listens to him teach. This angers Martha that Mary is not helping her and she asks Jesus why He is allowing Mary to just sit while she does all the work? Jesus says to her, "Martha, Martha you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her." (Luke 10:40-42)

I will admit I'm a Martha. The difference between me and the original Martha is I am shy and would have loved the fact that Mary was occupying the guests, keeping them out of my kitchen. lol. It is not that I wouldn't love to hear Jesus speak, but I would have to feed Him and clean the kitchen first. Of course, now I know who Jesus really is, so I may react a bit differently. *smiles*

Another story about the sisters is found in John 11 and is about Jesus raising their brother, Lazarus from dead. Lazarus had been dead for four days before Jesus got there. Jesus loved Lazarus very much and wept when he learned he had died. The sisters were so distraught and it was Martha's belief that Jesus was the Messiah and that God would give Him whatever he asked. Mary also believed in Him and He was moved in spirit by her grieving and rose Lazarus from the dead. This was done for God's glory and so that the Son may be glorified through it.

Gratitude

1. Lessons about believers

2. Biblical role models

3. Less smoke in our area today

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,

Deborah

Proverbs 31:20 Lesson 11

Welcome! I pray you are safe from fire or flood.
I have a wildfire close to my home. Please keep my community in your prayers.

Proverbs 31:20
She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.

1 Samuel 25 tells us the story of Abigail, Nabal and David.
Abigail was the wife of Nabal. David and his men had been keeping watch over Nabal and his vast flock and when David sent messengers to Nabal asking for food. Nabal refused. This angered David and he was coming with some of his men, 400 of them to be exact, to kill Nabal and all he owned. Abigail was told of this by a servant and acted quickly. She brought him and his men food and drink and talked him out of killing Nabal. David changed his mind, because of what Abigail had done. A short time later Nabal died and David married Abigail. They had a son and named him Daniel. He is the Daniel from the Book of Daniel in the Bible. Abigail certainly is a Proverbs 31 wife and fits this verse very well.

I love the graphics Robin provided in this lesson, especially the animals. 

Gratitude

1. Large tanker planes fighting fires

2. Cal Fire

3. Helicopters

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,

Deborah

Proverbs 31 - Lesson 10

Welcome! Hope you are having a blessed Sunday.

Proverbs 31:19
She puts her hands to the distaff
and her hands hold the spindle.

distaff - a stick or spindle onto which wool or flax is wound for spinning.
spindle - a slender rounded rod with tapered ends used in hand spinning to twist and wind thread from a mass of wool or flax held on a distaff.
(see photo) Click on image for larger view.

One of the women in the Bible who fits today's verse is Lydia. You will find her story in
Acts 16:14-15.
Lydia was the first documented convert to Christianity in Europe. She was a merchant who sold purple cloth and dye used by the Jews in the temple.
When she hears the Apostle Paul preach by the river, God opens her heart and she converts to Christianity. She offers her house to Paul, which indicates she is either a free woman or a widow.

I'm really enjoying reading and learning about all these women in the Bible.
If you would like to join us here is the link to Robin Sampson's lessons:
https://biblejournallove.teachable.com/p/proverbs-31-bible-journal-class
The lessons are available for one year.

Gratitude
1. The color purple
2. Firefighters
3. Family

Ephesians 1:16
I have not stopped giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,
Deborah

Proverbs 31 Challenge - Lesson 9

Hello! I pray you are having a blessed day.

Proverbs 31:18
She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.

What is your thoughts about "Her lamp does not go out at night?"
1. Do you think she stayed up late in the night to work?
2. Do you think she was able to keep the lamp burning all night due to her contributions to the household's budget? (Either by earning money or being thrifty.)
I think it may be a little of both, but I lean towards #2. After all, a girl's got to sleep sometime. *smiles*

Priscilla from the New Testament is the woman we are studying for this lesson.
Priscilla, along with her husband, was a tentmaker. She was a prominent woman and one of the first missionaries in the early church. The Apostle Paul stayed with them in Corinth for 18 months, working, traveling, studying and preaching. Paul was also a tentmaker.
Priscilla's name was mentioned before her husband's name in four out of six references.
Some scholars believe she may have been the author of the Book of Hebrews.
She was loyal to her husband, her friend Paul, the church and to Christ.

Gratitude

1. Studies that make time fly

2. Creativity

3. Cooler temps

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,

Deborah

Proverbs 31 - Lesson 8

Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!

Proverbs 31:17 (NIV)
She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.

That sure describes Ruth, our woman of the Bible for this lesson. She worked day after day gleaning the left-over barley from the harvest in Boaz's fields to feed her mother-in-law and herself. Ruth is a generous, determined, loyal, patient, strong and loving woman. The way she cares for her mother-in-law is a lesson we can learn from.
Boaz, a kinsman, later takes Ruth as his wife and she gives birth to Obed. She is not a young woman, estimated to be about 90 years old. She is not the only women of the of Bible to conceive at an old age. Their son, Obed becomes the father of Jesse who becomes the father of David and so the lineage of Jesus begins. Some say this is the purpose of the Book of Ruth to show the lineage of David.
I love how God shows that everyone, regardless of race, nationality, status or gender is important to Him and how He uses "little" things to accomplish His great plans.

Gratitude

1. God's love for everyone

2. God's great plans

3. The Book of Ruth's inspiration

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,

Deborah

Proverbs 31 Challenge - Lesson 7

Welcome! It is so nice that you stopped by.

Proverbs 31:16
She considers a field and buys it:
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.

Lesson 8 will be the second part to this lesson of Naomi & Ruth. We are taking a break and letting our teacher, Robin heal from an illness. We will be slowing down the lessons, probably only two per week, as most of us fall behind for one reason or another.

Naomi and Ruth's story is one of loyalty, determination and dedication.
My favorite verse is:
Ruth 1:16
"Where you go I will go
and where you stay I will stay.
Your people will be my people
and your God will be my God."

Ruth says this to her mother-in-law, Naomi when Naomi decides to go back to Bethlehem after her husband and two sons have died. The famine is over and she wishes to return to her homeland. Naomi tells her two widowed daughters-in-law that they should return to their families. Orpah returns home, but Ruth says the above verse to her mother-in-law.
To give up everything she has ever known, her family, city and religion, to follow and stay with Naomi is a very brave and loyal thing to do.
I wonder how many of us would have done the same?
Not sure I would have been able to do that.

I only did a little verse mapping today. After the art work I wanted to add it didn't leave me much room, but I managed to find some history on Bethlehem and Moab.

One fact is that they are 136 miles apart, so Naomi and Ruth traveled quite a distance to get home. 

The picture of Naomi, Ruth and Orpah was painted by William Blake. 

Gratitude

1. Friendships

2. BFF

3. Rain

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,

Deborah

Proverbs 31 Lesson 6 and Hannah

Welcome!
Hope you are having a blessed day.

Proverbs 31:15
She rises while it is still night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.

Hannah's story, found in 1 Samuel 1-2:11, is one of faith and diligence. Hannah prays to God for a son and God finally grants her prayer.

1 Samuel 1:27
For this child I prayed,
and the Lord has granted me
my petition that I made to Him.

petition - make or present a formal request to (an authority) with respect to a particular cause.

Commentaries:

Michelle Osherow tells us that Hannah represents the character of the earnest petitioner and grateful celebrant of divine glory. Hannah was an important figure for early English Protestantism, which emphasized the importance of private prayer. The Jerusalem Talmud took Hannah as an exemplar of prayer. The story of Hannah is the Haftarah reading for Rosh Hashanah.

Nelson's Bible Commentary 1 Sam. 1:27
Hannah offered a testimony of what God had accomplished on her behalf. By telling others, she exalted God and praised Him for His gracious acts towards her.

Gratitude
1. Answered prayers
2. Children
3. My sons

Ephesians 1:16
I have not stopped giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers.

The link for the Proverbs 31 class if you would like to join us.
https://biblejournallove.teachable.com/p/proverbs-31-bible-journal-class

Blessings,
Deborah

Lesson 5 - Proverbs 31 Class

Welcome and hello!
Thanks for stopping by.

Proverbs 31:14
She is like the ships of the merchant:
she brings her food from afar.

(How easy it is for us today to find "food from afar" in our local markets!)

The woman of the Bible for this verse is Phoebe.
Her story is found in:
Romans 16:1-2 (NIV)
I command to you our sister Phoebe,
a deacon of the church in Cenchrea.
I ask you to receive her in the Lord
in a way worthy of his people and
to give to her any help she may need
from you, for she has been a benefactor
of many people, including me.

NIV = deacon
KJV = servant
CJB = shammash

deacon - an ordained or appointed minister ranking lower than a priest.
syn. = cleric, clerk, ecclesiastic, minister

benefactor - a person who gives money or other help to a person or cause.
syn. - patron, donor, supporter, sponsor

Cenchrea, now called Kikries, is a port of Corinth. It was a place of some commercial note and the seat of an early church. (Rom. 16:1-2)

My never ending supply of washi tape was added to enhance the beautiful graphics provided in this study.

Gratitude

1. Ships

2. Food from all over the world

3. Benefactors

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,

Deborah

Lesson 4 - Proverbs 31 Class

Happy Sunday and Welcome!

Due to working the past two days, I am a little behind in my studies. This will always happen on Friday and Saturday with catch-up on Sunday.



Proverbs 31:13 (NIV)
She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.

The woman we are studying for this verse is Dorcus, also know as Tabitha and her Hebrew name is Tavita.
Dorcus' story is found in Acts 9:36-42. She was a generous seamstress to the poor, especially widows. She is thought to be a widow of means that allowed her to care for the poor.  She died and Peter was sent for and he brought her back to life. God used this miracle to make believers of those who heard about her story.

I love the hexagon graphics Robin gave us for this story and all the little sewing tidbits. She also made a verse mapping sheet for us to explore deeper. She is so generous. I added my own washi tape again. I have an embarrassingly large amount of the stuff. lol

I wanted to include the link for this study again, just in case you'd like to join us.

https://biblejournallove.teachable.com/p/proverbs-31-bible-journal-class

I can't say enough good things about the lessons she writes and the graphics she provides. It is an exceptional bargain for learning about the women of the Bible and studying Proverbs 31.

Gratitude
1. Cooler weather!
2. A caring family
3. Semi-retirement

Ephesians 1:16
I have not stopped giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers.

Please keep my cousin, Nancy in your prayers. She is experiencing mild liver transplant rejection.
May I pray for you. Please leave me a comment below and I will add you to my prayer list.

Blessings,
Deborah

Lesson 3- Proverbs 31

Good afternoon and welcome!

Today's verse is Proverbs 31:12 (NIV)
She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

The woman we are focusing on for this verse is Esther, one of my personal favorites.
(Seems I have a lot of favorites when it comes to the Bible. *smiles*)

Esther was born Hadassah. Her story, The Book of Esther, is the basis for the celebration of Purim in the Jewish tradition. Purim commemorates the saving of the Jewish people from Haman, who was planning to kill all the Jews. Esther's determination to save her people was a very brave thing to do. My favorite verse from her story is:
Esther 4:14
...And who knows
but that you have come to your royal position
for such a time as this?

Have you ever felt you were at the right place at the right time?
Or that you had gone through something terrible that caused something good to happen?
Esther had, but her position saved her people.
We don't always know or understand God's plans, but if we remember to have faith and believe in Him we can overcome so many things.

Gratitude
1. Esther's inspirational story
2. Grace from God
3. My readers

Ephesians 1:16
I have not stopped giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers.

May I pray for you?
Please leave a comment and I will add you to my prayer list.

Blessings,
Deborah

Lesson 2 - Proverbs 31 Challenge

Thanks for popping in! Welcome.

Lesson 2 of Proverbs 31 Challenge is verse eleven.

Proverbs 31:11 (NIV)
Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.

CJB
Her husband trusts her from his heart,
and she will prove a great asset to him.

Robin is bringing in women of the Bible who fit the theme of the verse.
Today we learned about Rahab and trust.

Once again I added some of my own washi tape (don't you love that green vine down the right hand page!) and verse mapped a little.

I looked up synonyms for trust and value.

Trust - confidence - belief - faith - reliance

Value - worth - usefulness - benefit - profit

How important is trust to you?

It is very important to me. Once trust is broken it is hard to get back. I have trust issues with a family member. They lied to me on several occasions and although I forgave them and still love them, I can't trust them anymore. There comes a point when you have to say - enough.

In Rabbinic literature Rahab marries Joshua and their descendants include the prophets Jeremiah, Hilikiah, Seraiah, Mahseiah and Baruch, and the prophetess Hulda.

They are also the parents of Boaz from the Book of Ruth. Boaz marries Ruth and their son is Obed, father of Jesse and grandfather of David.

I love the history stuff!

Gratitude

1. Biblical heroines (so inspiring)

2. Verse mapping

3. The ability to create

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,

Deborah

Lesson 1 Proverbs 31 Challenge

Hello and Welcome!

Proverbs 31:10 (NIV)
A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.

A Rabbi I know says Proverbs 31 was written by King Soloman about his mother.

The first lesson in Proverbs 31 is done. I found it thought provoking and insightful. She spoke about worth and reminded me - I AM a daughter of the KING!! I am!

She gives us lots of pretties in the downloads to make our pages special.

I added a little of my own washi tape to the wonderful downloads. There are too many to use on just two pages!!

Of course, those of you who really know me know that I turn any Bible study into Verse Mapping. Just can't help myself. *smiles*

I am working on Lesson 2 that I will share tomorrow.

Gratitude

1. Robin Sampson

2. Washi tape

3. Working AC (Yea!)

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,

Deborah

There's a New Challenge!!

Welcome and thanks for stopping by!!

There is a new challenge and you know how I love a good challenge. We will be creating this in a Travelers Notebook Insert. If you know me, you know I could not resist this. :)
This one is about Proverbs 31 and I find this scripture so interesting. It has caused many good debates. One thing we must always remember is the women had servants! We could all accomplish all that is talked about in this scripture if we all had servants. Right?!!

Here is the link for the details. It begins tomorrow. She also offers some lovely bonus printables for those who buy the class. It is $22, but if you use the coupon you get it for $12 less. Did I remember to use the coupon? Heck no.  But I know you will be a lot smarter than me and cash in on this deal.

https://biblejournallove.teachable.com/p/proverbs-31-bible-journal-class

I am not being paid or receiving anything to promote this.

Gratitude
1. A new challenge!
2. AC on a 100* summer day (mine broke) :(
3. My mother-in-law

Ephesians 1:16
I have not stopped giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers.

May I pray for you? Please leave a comment below and I will add you to my prayer list.

Blessings,
Deborah

Verse Mapping Psalm 62:8

Welcome and blessings.

I just finished Lesson 3 in the Deeper Still challenge and once again combined it with Verse Mapping. I added something I hadn't tried before. I personalized the verse.

Psalm 62:8
Trust in Him at all times, you people;
pour out your hearts to Him,
for God is our refuge.

Personalized:
Trust in Him at all times, Deborah;
pour out your heart to Him,
for God is your refuge.

This gave it a whole new meaning for me.
Try it.
I'm going to do this more often when reading or studying scripture. It adds a whole new dimension.

In the Bible Study Tools Commentary it says, "Faith is an abiding duty, a perpetual privilege."
Faith is a duty and privilege. That really spoke to me. I found it to be an interesting perspective and true. Had you thought of that before? I hadn't in quite that way.

My art work in my Faith Journal is inspired by Joann Fink of Zenspirations. I love her stuff. So inspiring.

Gratitude

1. God is my refuge

2. Faith

3. Visiting grandkids!

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

May I pray for you.

Leave me a comment and I will add you to my prayer list.

Blessings,

Deborah

Bible Journaling & VM Micah 7:7

Hi! I'm so glad you stopped by.

Today I am sharing my study on:
Micah 7:7 (NIV)
But as for me,
I watch in hope for the Lord,
I wait for God my Savior,
my God will hear me.

I combined the challenge "Deeper Still Lesson 5" with Verse Mapping.

The images I used are from "The Complete Guide to Bible Journaling," by Joanne Fink and Regina Yoder. This is a fabulous book that everyone who bible journals should own. I have linked to it in previous posts.

This is also a verse on patience; something I'm not always good at doing. It depends on the situation, but I'm a "get it done now" kind of gal.

Wait? How long?

THAT long?!!

It might not work for me.

Pacing and toe tapping might happen. lol

But, when the Lord is involved, He has His own timeline and we don't always understand that.

It is good thing we have His word to remind us.

Gratitude

1. Warm summer days

2. Forest fire close to my town is contained 100%!!

3 All Firefighters

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,

Deborah

New Adventures

Hello, my dear friends.
Many things have happened since my last post.
1. My father-in-law passed away on May 10.
2. On May 12, we began moving in with my mother-in-law to care for her. (In my world, "move" is a four letter word.)
3. I am just beginning to find my sanity again. Not totally, but getting there.

I have not Versed Mapped since my last post on that topic, nor have I done any kind of studying or Bible journaling. To say I miss it is a vast understatement. I miss the communities I am involved with on Facebook and YouTube and here that teach and inspire me.

I'm feeling I may be able to get back on track very soon. I have set up my craft space and know where most of my supplies are. *smiles*

I did do one art challenge page the other day and am feeling more centered and at home than I have in awhile.

It was a 4th of July spread. My theme was redheads, family and red, white and blue. It was fun and got my juices flowing.

While going through my Faith Journal today I came across this quote:

   "When God sees you, He sees a beloved creation that is known from head to toe. You are worthy of love and restoration simply because He is intimately invested in who you are as your Creator."

by Ed Cyzewski

I really needed that today.

Please keep me in your prayers as I settle in this new adventure. Hopefully, I will have something to share with you soon in the study department.

Gratitude

1. A new home

2. Supportive friends and family

3. Fresh peaches from the Farmer's Market

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,

Deborah

I Won! & a Book Review

Welcome!

Recently, there was a contest on a Facebook group I belong to called "Bible Study from the Heart (Faith Journaling and Bible Study). You had a chance to win the "Faith Sprinkles Adult Coloring Bible Study" book by Leslie Eaton.. I entered and I WON!! I was and am so excited. I just received the book in the mail today and I love it. It is a combination Bible study, testimonial, devotional coloring book for adults. Very heartwarming and just what I was looking for. I wanted something to enhance my Bible Journaling an this will do the trick quite nicely.

This is the Amazon link to the book:

https://www.amazon.com/Adult-Coloring-Bible-Study-Sprinkles/dp/0998090565/ref=cm_sw_em_r_dp_w_dc_8S87ybW5RZ67K_lm

This is the link to her YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCe1JvoKj5NQzJqUYBBUX-_w

Leslie'sYouTube channel has the link to her Facebook group where you can find files to download and lots of inspiration from Leslie Eaton and other members of the group. She is very generous with her printables  and even has links for the lessons if you can't afford to buy the book. You will be blessed by this lady.

Before I got my book, I download Week #2's lesson and the printable. Before I printed the picture, I shrunk it by 50% and then printed it on vellum to glue in my Bible Journal as a tip-in. I love the picture and how it turned out. It is based on John 4:39-42.

 After attaching it in my Bible Journal.

What it looked like before inserting it in my Bible.

The cover of the book I won.

I highly recommend this book. I am not being compensated in any way for this review. I simply wanted to share with you something I think you will like, also.

Thank you, Leslie Eaton for giving me the chance to win your wonderful book and for all you do to share your faith with others.

Gratitude

1. Leslie Eaton

2. Study books

3. Inspiration from others

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

May I pray for you today?

Leave me a comment below and I will add you to my prayer list.

Blessings,

Deborah

Catching Up on Lent

I've been playing catch up in my Lenten Studies of the "Fruit of the Spirt" lessons.

I'll share the pictures without a lot of commentary beginning with the most current.

Lessons #10 - Gentleness
Phil. 4:5
Let your gentleness
be evident to all.
The Lord is near.

Lesson #9 - Faithfulness
For we live by faith,
not by sight.

Lesson #8 - Goodness

Romans 12:21

Do not be overcome by evil,

but overcome evil

with good.

(Lesson #7 was posted on 3/23/17 Bible Journaling for Lent)

Lesson #6 - Patience
Romans 12:12 (NIV)
Be joyful in hope,
patient in affliction,
faithful in prayer.

 This picture is Lesson #6 after I put the tip-in in the Bible.

Gratitude
1. Time to catch up
2. Another rainy day
3. Laundry done

Ephesians 1:6
I have not stopped giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,
Deborah

VM Revelation 2:1-7

Hello! Welcome.
Are you seeing Spring in your area?
Lots of things popping up and budding here.

Verse Mapping (VM)
Revelation 2:1-7 is the letter Jesus told John to write to the church in Ephesus.
Seems they were slacking a little on the love they had at first. He told them they needed to repent or He would remove their lampstand from its place and they would not be able to eat from the tree of life. In other words they would be judged and found lacking.
He did like the fact that they hated the practices of the Nicolaitans as he did.
According to Nelson's Bible Commentary the Nicolaitans were a heretical group that troubled the churches at Ephesus and Pergamos.
The commentary also says that Ephesus was the most important city in Asia Minor when Revelation was written. It was the center of worship of Artemis the goddess of fertility. Paul invested nearly three years in establishing the church there.

The second picture shows a tip-in of a map of Asia Minor. I will include this map each time I VM the 7 churches and circle where they are. It may be hard to see in the picture. Remember you can click on the pic for a larger view. It still may be hard see. I think I found the map on Wikipedia when doing a search for Ephesus.

Gratitude

1. Jesus' love

2. Trees and flowers budding

3. Gentle rain

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,

Deborah

Bible Journaling For Lent

Happy 3rd Day of Spring Everyone!!

I'm a slacker.
No big news there, eh?
I am so far behind in my Lenten study it is not funny.
Not at all.
I did the first lesson and stopped. Not for any one reason, but many and not because I don't like the study. I do. Very much.
Instead of going in order I decided to just start with this week's lesson #7. If you remember the study is on the Fruit of the Spirit. Today's lesson is kindness and the lesson focuses on:

Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)
Be kind and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other just as in Christ
God forgave you.

It is so important to be kind to one another. We are all on the same journey and for some people the roads are bumpier than others. When I get a cranky person in the store I just love on them. I smile more, say a silent little prayer and try to be as helpful as I can. They usually leave smiling and treating me better than when they came in. My little trick and it seems to work.

When looking up "Fruit of the Spirit" art ideas, there is no consistency on which fruit stands for which attribute. Sometimes kindness is a pineapple, sometimes it is lemon and another it is a cherry. I chose to go with the lemon since I love them so much. I am snacking on lemon drop cookies as I type. How appropriate. (smiles)

This is my second entry in my new Bible journal. I decided not to do my own art this time and used magazine cut-outs instead. Works for me. Much less stressful. You've seen my art so you know what I'm talking about. (smiles)

Gratitude

1. Fruit

2. Cookies

3. Lemons

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,

Deborah

VM Rev. 14-20

Welcome back!
Hope you are having a wonderful Spring day.

This post is about the verse mapping (VM) of Revelation 1:14-20.
I decided to do all these verses together, because they are describing Jesus.
He sounds just like I picture Him; full of light and glory.
I'm still enjoying the cross references and have shared a few here in my Faith Journal.

Daniel 7:9 describes His hair like white wool, just like in Revelation 1:14.

Daniel 10:6 says "His eyes like flaming torches" compares to Rev. 1:14 "His eyes were like blazing fire."

I love the rich metaphors in all these verses. Very poetic.

Gratitude (prompts from aholyexperience.com)
A gift salty, sweet, just right
1. Chips
2. Chocolate
3. White wine

Ephesians 1:16
I have not stopped giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,
Deborah

Would the Apostle John Have Been a Blogger?

I read a post by Arabah Joy today that tickled me and got me thinking.
Go here to read her entire post. It is not long, but really got me thinking.

http://arabahjoy.com/5-surprising-tips-for-being-a-successful-christian-blogger/

In 1John he talks about how much he writes. He mentioned the word "write" 13 times according to Arabah in this small book of the Bible.

That made me wonder...if John lived today would he be blogger?

I'm pretty sure he would be. Don't you?

He would have some powerful things to say, eh?
Some wonderful stories to share.
The thought just made me smile.
I never thought of him as a blogger before.
I kind of like that thought.

1John 2:12-13
I am writing to you, dear children,
  because your sins have been forgiven on account of His name.
I am writing to you, fathers,
 because you know Him who is from the beginning.

Gratitude

1. Bloggers

2. Writers

3. Rainy winter day

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,

Deborah

VM Revelation 1:12-13

I'm sorry it took me so long to update and continue my study of Revelation.
Life sometimes gets in the way of what you really want to be doing.

Revelation 1:12-13 (NIV)
I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands and among the lampstands was someone like a Son of Man, dressed in a robe reaching down to His feet and with a golden sash around His chest.

I focused on the lampstand for my study and learned a few new things about its meaning.

1. A lampstand is a menorah.

This may be quite clear to others, but in my many readings of Exodus 25:31-40 that describes the making of the lampstand ordered by God, it never occurred to me that it was a menorah.
DUH, Deborah.

2. The lampstand with seven lights also stands for the holy truths. (Zech 4:2,3)

3. The lamp denotes the Divine and the light, faith. (Rev. 22:5)

4. The seven golden lampstands represent the seven churches named in v. 11.

5. The signification of the lampstand is the Divine spiritual in heaven and in the church from the Lord.

Verse Mapping (VM) in my Faith Journal:

Nelson's Bible Commentary
1:13 One like the Son of Man is a reference to Daniel 7:13. Comparison of these two passages, along with Jesus' common use of the name Son of Man (Matt 20:28) for Himself, indicate that Christ is the subject of vv. 12-18. The robe and sash indicate the glorified Christ is dressed like a high priest. Christ was fully human and fully God.

Please share anything you can add to this study in the comments. I always like to learn as much as I can.

Gratitude
1. Learning new things
2. Verse mapping
3. Enlightenment

Ephesians 1:16
I have not stopped giving thanks for you,
remembering you in my prayers.

May I pray for you specifically today? Leave me a comment and I will do so.

Blessings,
Deborah

Ash Wednesday, We Begin

"Lent is a time of reflection as we prepare ourselves for the Good News of Easter Sunday.
We must always remember the glimmer of hope as we remember what is to come: love and redemption."
Sarah Laughed

I am beginning a Lenten Study by Sarah Laughed, same lady I followed for Advent.
If you would like to join us, here is the link. It begins today.

http://seasonsillustrated.com/announcing-lent-illustrated-2017/

I hope you'll take this walk with me.

Today's reading is Genesis 3:19 (NIV)
...for dust you are and to dust you will return.

My first entry as a Bible Journalist. Like I've said before, I am not an artist. My plate of ashes looks more like a hat. lol

But time spent in His Word is precious. Don't be afraid to try this form of spending time with God. If you don't want to try the art, then just do the lettering and take some notes. BE with the Lord daily.

In this Lenten study, there are two verses per week until Holy Week, then there is a lesson everyday. Time well spent. Be blessed.

Gratitude

1. Lenten Studies

2. Clear, sunny skies

3. Bible Journaling Groups

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,

Deborah

New Bible Journal

I did it.
I bought a Bible Journal.

This is called the Canvas and it is 'The Message" version.

I bought it because it is partially illustrated with Zentangles and ZIAs. I have taken classes to learn how to Zentangle and almost squealed in the store when I found this!

Here are a few photos of some of the  pages.

There are a few 2 page spreads throughout the book that are awesome!

Each book of the Bible has a beautiful drawing on the first page.

Click on the picture for a closer look.

 

Some pages are more simple, like this page.

And some are more elaborate, like this page.

There are plenty of blank pages with lines to do your own art or note taking.

I'm excited to begin this new adventure of Bible Journaling.

I will still use my Faith Journal for Verse Mapping and other studies.

Gratitude

1. Bible Journals

2. Time with spent with God in a new way!

3. Sunny days of Winter

Ephesians 1:16

I have not stopped giving thanks for you,

remembering you in my prayers.

Blessings,

Deborah