Devotion

You know when you have those moments when you're pretty sure the Holy Spirit is whispering in your ear and you think, oh right, I should do that, and then life happens, and a child calls you and your dinner boils over and then, the nail in the coffin, you forget!? And then lo and behold, the Holy Spirit kind of ups the anti so to speak and smacks you upside the head?

Yea, I had one of those moments this morning. But before I get there, let me back up and start with this. About a month ago I finished a really good devotional book written for moms. It's called, Don't Make Me Come Up There! Quiet Moments for Busy Moms and it's written by Lisa Welch. I think it was the title that actually caught my attention, likely for obvious reasons to you my frazzled mama friends. And so I got a kindle version and I began reading it every day. I had to stop myself from reading more than ONE a day so that I could really savor the goodness of each devotion and lengthen my time in it. But alas, the day came when I finished the last devotional.

I did some research and looked for another devotional and then relented that I'd better start reading the Psalms again because frankly at this stage of my life, a few minutes in his word is so much more beneficial than none. Except I didn't. I didn't pick up my bible or open my NET bible application. I'm sure you've been here before. And pretty soon, I forgot I should be doing it at all.
Until a couple days ago.

A couple days ago that still small voice whispered, "Hey Karen, get back in my word." And I literally thought, "oh, right, I should be doing that. No I want to be doing that." And then the kicker, "I'll get serious about it again after the holidays."

LOL. WHAT?! Wait a minute. AFTER THE HOLIDAYS? What in the world kind of wicked logic is that? But then my kids called me, and my dinner boiled over, and you know the rest of the scenario.

And then Thursday came. GUM day. Blessed, eat-a-meal-and-talk-with-mams-Thursday! Our speak this morning was Dottie McKissik. I've heard Dottie speak before, and if you ever have the chance again, don't miss it - she's fantastic! So here we are: it's Thursday, we're at GUM, with Dottie, and apparently for me, also with the Holy Spirit's two by four! Okay, message received - get back in my word!

I never cease to be amazed at how God works these things together, moving my heart and then giving me the tools to follow through.

Dottie spent time with us, encouraging us to take even just 5 minutes and teaching us three different techniques for bible study. She walked us through these techniques in Psalm 1. Nothing better than learning by doing! So for anyone who missed it, here's the breakdown of the three methods, try them yourselves this week.


Kathy's Method:
1. What does this verse/passage teach about God?
2. What does it teach about living?
3. What effect should it have on my life today?

The CoW-P Method:
1. Find a Command, mark the verse with a C.
2. Find a Warning, mark the verse with a W.
3. Find a Promise, mark the verse with a P.
4. Circle the verse number you want to focus on today.

Three Questions Method:
1. Make a true/false or fill in the blank question.
2. Make a multiple choice question.
3. Make a thoughtful, personal application.

I so appreciated the reminder: I don't have to have another devotional book to read every day, and I certainly shouldn't wait until tomorrow or after the next busy season of life. I can pick up the best devotional ever written, the Bible, and spend a few minutes going through one of these methods, right now.

Thanks Holy Spirit for bring Dottie, for preparing these words just for me, before I even knew I needed them. May we all take to heart, and put into practice something she shared with us today. Amen.