Bible in 90 Days- Week 11 Check-In

Can you believe this is week 11??? It has gone by so quickly.

Today (Thursday) is actually day 81. Here is what you should be reading if you are on track:

Used 2 grace days: Acts 16:38-40 to Acts 28:1-16

Used 1 grace day: Acts 28:17-31 to Romans 14

Used 0 grace days: Romans 15 to 1 Corinthians 14

Seems I keep getting a few days behind and then I get caught back up. This has been hard work but very rewarding. If you are like me you are probably learning things you've never knew were in the Bible. It's been a great experience.

Leave me a message and let me know you are still with me!!

Styler (hair clip) Holder

I have too many little clips. In my house/family we call them stylers. (I think my first niece called them that when she was tiny and the name just stuck.) This past weekend at the gem show I bought a few more and now my little box is overflowing. I decided to make a STYLER HOLDER.

I thought about it for a few minutes and came up with an idea. I already had all the supplies I'd need laying around the house. When I got home from the park yesterday I felt motivated so I got right to work. Here is what it looked like when I was done.

Here is how I made it:

I gathered my supplies: a cake board (corrugated cardboard), ribbon, fabric, glue gun, scissors, a ruler, and stylers.

I measured the cake board 4 1/2 inches wide. (Didn't do anything to the length. I think it was already 14 inches.) THEN I glued fabric to the board.

Next I wrapped a piece of ribbon all the way around the board and glued it in the back. The front needs to be free and not secured down at all.

 Then I glued two ribbons to the top that I will eventually tie into a bow to hang my holder up.

Finally I tied the two ribbons in a bow and put on the stylers.

 
It was so easy that I made one for Abigail also. (I like hers better than mine.)

 

Bible in 90 Days- Week 9 Check in

Hello again.

How is your reading coming along? We are in the home stretch. Less that 30 days to go. Today you should be 70% done- give or take a little if you have used your two grace days or not.

I'm excited for the end to get here and hear from you what you have learned. Perhaps you learned something in the Scripture that you had never read before. Perhaps the Lord spoke to you through the Scriptures to change something about how you were living or thinking or being.

The end is in sight but if you are behind just take it one day at a time. If you have extra time read extra. If you go over the 90 days it's no big deal. Just keep on reading!

On Sunday I was 3 1/2 days behind. As of this blog I'm right on track. I was overwhelmed and thought I'd never catch up but I prayed and asked God to help me get it done and find the time. Then one of my kids was sick on Sunday night and I had to stay home from our small group. I took that time to catch up a little. Then I skipped exercising that day and read my Bible instead.

Let me know how you are doing and that you are still with me. Praying for you all!!

 

Don't Judge, Just Pray

A few weeks ago I was at church on a Wednesday night and we gathered in different rooms with our Watchcare Groups. (Watchcare groups= every family in the church is divided between deacons. Each deacon group is called a watchcare group.) My deacon was working late so my watchcare group was in with another watchcare group. I would guess there were probably 16-18 people in the room.

The focus of Wednesday nights is corporate prayer. For half of the evening we go over our prayer bulletins, pray for what is listed on them, and then share our own prayer requests and pray for those.

This particular night when our deacon announced we would now go to prayer, praying for the items on the first page of the bulletin, he said we could pray as we felt led. Everyone closed their eyes and bowed their heads. Someone opened up the prayer-  and then the room was totally silent. And silent. And more silence. It seemed like it had been 10 minutes of silence but it probably was only 60 seconds.

I sat there frozen in my seat. Wanting to pray but knowing that since it had been quiet for so long someone else was probably thinking they would start praying and so as soon as I'd start to pray someone else was gonna start to pray and we'd stumble over each other. So I stayed quiet. Still quiet. Starting to smile out of nervousness (I smile when I'm nervous) and wondering why in a group of 16-18 people NOBODY was praying. Were they all anxious in that moment like I was? I mean, all these Christians in a room who believe in the power of prayer yet nobody is praying (out loud).

Finally the deacon prayed and we all looked up, ready to go over the next part of the bulletin and I was thankful to be out of that moment of anxiety. The deacon smiled slightly and said he knew it was tough to pray in large groups but he didn't want us to miss out on participating and the blessing the Lord had for us.

I don't have a fear of praying in large groups. (Can you believe there is actually something I'm NOT afraid of?? lol) My fear is not of praying. I just don't like the part where I have to decide- should I pray now?

The second round of praying was about to happen. Our deacon asked for volunteers this time and I was the first person to raise my hand. I was much more at ease this way. He took a few more volunteers and then he asked someone if they would close. The volunteers came quickly and we prayed no problem.

And then a third round of praying no problem. Lots of volunteers.

So, what is the point of this story??? I have a few.

1. I think people want to volunteer or be assigned when they are going to pray instead of speaking out. If I ever lead a prayer group I'm going to take volunteers instead of leaving it open.
2. Don't assume you understand why a person isn't praying. It isn't necessarily cause they are afraid. It might be for the same reason as me. It might be because they are having personal issues and just want to pray along. Just because a person isn't praying out loud doesn't mean they aren't pray inside.
3. Pride. When I am "afraid" to speak out and pray because I'm afraid someone else will also speak out at the very same time and I'll be embarrassed, I'm being prideful. Who really cares, right?? I should just pray. That's what I'm there for. (I'm not saying everyone who doesn't pray is being prideful but I am saying that I am.) I'm going to try and work on this. If you are ever in a prayer room with me please hold me accountable.