First off, I would like to begin with my deepest apologies for not posting in forever! April was really crazy for me with school, as was the beginning of May, and then I was on vacation, but I have returned now – at least for a short time! I know, I know! No excuses should be given! I have just been lazy in this area of my life, and I am very sorry!!! I shall try to do better!!
Be rest assured though, I did not forget about you all! Although it sometimes felt like my life was spinning out of control, I kept trying to think of what I could post here…
However, if I were to be very honest with myself and you, I would have to admit it wasn’t just school and busyness which kept me from posting here, although that was a big part of it. The other big part was that I have been on a bit of a… Standstill I guess you could call it, in my spiritual growth. With all the craziness I got lax with my Bible reading and alone time with God – one quick chapter a day when I am falling asleep is not enough. I also have been feeling the lack of being around Christians who really push me to keeping faithful. No, I have not been doubting God, or falling away from the faith – Jesus is my Savior, and always will be, but it has been a down time for me in growth areas. I am very thankful that He has given me a certain Christian friend at school (an old friend of mine), and allowed us to have lots of time together this past semester for studying, library time, and weekly Panera lunch trips, and she has really helped me when I have needed to sort things out about what I believe about stuff. And also for our own dear Author HannahBeth, who always points me to the Lord. But I have not been strict with myself, and things in my life have suffered because of that.
This all sort of leads up to what I wanted to share with you this week. Just this week I had the pleasure to go visit HannahBeth at the ministry where she serves, and got to help out there for a couple days – it was an amazing experience – being around such Godly Christian ladies, who really encouraged me and pointed me to the Lord, and getting to have some good long heart-to-heart talks with HannahBeth! One thing especially stuck out to me however, which happened yesterday. Monday night HannahBeth and I stayed up to the wee hours of the morning just talking and sharing our hearts – which was amazing, and the next morning we sort of dragged ourselves out of bed, and got started with the busy day right off. Around lunchtime I headed to the main ministry house and went down to see if Linda, the lady in charge of watching the kids needed any help getting ready for them. (On a side note – this lady is so amazing – so sweet, and loves Jesus and the kids so much! So inspiring! I was so blessed to be able to work along side her two days in a row on my short visit!). While I was down helping a sweet African lady who also was going to be helping with the kids came down and was full of smiles and “God bless you!” And “Jesus loves you!” and was just so full of joy, and sharing about what she had learned that morning in her Bible reading. And then it happened – turning to me she asked me with a face full of anticipation – “What did you read this morning?”
What could I do with such a Godly woman but to just be honest and tell the truth? Blushing to the roots of my hair I admitted reluctantly that I had not read anything that morning (and was hoping really hard she wouldn’t ask what I had read the day before, because if I was honest I would have to say – nothing then either. 
I’m ashamed even to write that!). She proceeded to ask me when I was planning on reading my Bible, and I told her I normally do at night. Then she gave me a beautiful lecture about how important it is to spend time with the Lord in the morning – at the start of the day, to get help and encouragement to help us through the day. And also how important it is to be able to share that with others.
Ok, I was very ashamed of myself, but at the same time I was able to honestly thank her for the encouragement in that area of my life. Sadly I am rarely put into that situation, and I realized how helpful it is – we as Christians need to be asking each other if we are keeping up with our Bible reading, and what we are learning! It is very important, and going away I felt inspired and challenged! (And made sure to read my Bible this morning, even though it was 3:30am when I had to get up for the plane ride home!). Later HannahBeth and I had a really good talk about how good it is to be pushed like that, how we felt ashamed of ourselves, and how we felt inspired and how beautiful it was that she asked that of us – just the seemingly simple question of “What did you read this morning?” Of course this morning I had to text HannahBeth between flights and ask her what she read this morning, and share what I had read! 
Anyways, my challenge for you is to SHARE! And ASK! This lady didn’t have to wait to be asked what she had read – she was bubbling over just WAITING to share it with someone, and ready to be encouraged by what someone else had learned! Let us be more like that. Next time you see a Christian friend say – “God bless you! This is what I read and learned in the Bible this morning! What did you read and learn??” You might just make a huge impact on someones life, like she did for me! And don’t be afraid to push each other to be faithful! As Christians in a dark world we NEED that!
Proverbs 27:17 says -
“As iron sharpens iron,
So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”
This is so true! Be faithful sisters! And encourage and sharpen each other! We all need it!
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