Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Proverbs 31: Week 4



First, I want to say that I am learning so much through this study!  This week, I was reminded of a very important lesson:  We need to listen if we want to hear God.


The Proverbs 31 woman gets up and out of bed before the rest of her family.  Why?  Because she needs to prepare for the day before the craziness begins.  The first part of being prepared is focusing ourselves back on God.

When I started this study, I assumed that I didn't need to do my short morning devotionals anymore.  But, I didn't do this study early in the morning, either.  This study isn't as easy effortless.  It involves looking up scripture (not already printed in the margins), writing out answers (where did I put that pen?), praying (something I didn't do as often with the other devotional)... it is just more effort!  More often than not, I would do this study in the afternoon, after most of my day was already over.  Hey, at least it was getting done!

When I realized I had drifted away from my morning quiet time, I prayed for discipline to get up early and do this study in the morning, "like I'm supposed to".  I had just bought Beautiful on God's Eyes by Elizabeth George to compliment this study so now I had the perfect plan.  Bad idea.  I'm a bit of a perfectionist.  I'm not a detailed-neat-freak-perfectionist... it's worse than that.  If something can't be done right, or "perfectly", I will put it off until it "can be done right" and it doesn't get done.  It took one day after my "new plan" for me to completely stop working through this study.

Thankfully, I have been doing the study with my mom.  My accountability to her pushed me to catch back up.  I haven't caught up in the new book I got, but that's okay.  I don't roll out of bed and do this study every day, but that's okay.  I do recognize that I need to start my day off on the right foot, with the right focus.  If the craziness of the day has already begun, I read something quick and easy.  If I'm up before the sun, I take some quiet time to dive deeper into the Word.

I am going to be more intentional this week by focusing on God in the morning, before my day starts.

One thing I can do before I get out of bed every morning is pray.  I took the challenge from Sheila Wray Gregiore to pray for my husband every day.  Since I've been remembering to love him with his love language (words of affirmation), I chose the challenge to pray for him more often.


Growing Home Photobucket a-wise-woman-builds-her-home amothersheritage.com I Was Featured On...

9 comments:

  1. Great post! I am doing this study as well and learning so much through it. I started in April getting up early {gasp!} and beginning my days with the Lord. What a change it is to be filled before my day actually begins!
    Thanks for sharing!
    Popping over from Titus2Tuesdays
    ~Heather @ourcultivatedlife

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  2. I agree, there so much in this study - it really does challenge you. And yes the getting up early struggle is always there, but the reward comes with getting up too, which is nice (well most days)

    Its always nice to hear what other people gain from these studies because it can feel a little isolating, even though I am in a "small group" of ladies doing it together.

    Thanks for sharing

    Marissa @ forfunreadinglist.blogspot.com

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  3. Really liking this! New to your blog! Nice to meet you!!!

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  4. This study sounds great! These are great reminders. I just pulled out my Power of the Praying Wife book to start praying more for my husband, too. And I, too, try to wake early for my quiet time, but I have to be intentional because the time fills up easily with other things. This is good stuff. Thank you for sharing!

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  5. Visiting from Beholding Glory... love your post and your heart.

    www.CountHisBlessings.com

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  6. I struggle with this too. It's such an encouragement to read another sister saying "I'm there." Thank you so much for sharing this on Titus 2 Tuesday.

    By the way, how did you get your buttons to scroll at the bottom like that. That's neat!

    Hope to see you again this week!

    Kathy

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  7. You were among the top 3 most viewed linkups from last week on my blog. In fact this post, and your post on 31 Days to clean reboot was also among the top 3!!

    It will be featured tomorrow

    Feel free to grab my feature button

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  8. Replies
    1. This was two years ago, so it might not be available anymore. Similar studies are done on http://www.goodmorninggirls.org/

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