Safari Through Daniel Week Seven Discussion- Education vs Gullibility

*note: I posted my answers to last week's post just Friday- you can read it here: prayer vs planning

Much to my very own surprise, we just completed our SEVENTH week of the Safari through Daniel- and now it's time for us to share what we've learned along the way!

Here are the details:

If you are a participant, you can write your answers to one of the following questions as follows and then use the mr. linky to lead us to what you wrote:

a) on your own blog-or-

b) on your Facebook 'notes' area -or-

c) in the comments section below

OR

Come join us over at the Facebook Safari Page!  You can answer each question on the discussion page after you join the group.

If you are not a participant, you can still pipe in! You can leave your two cents in the comments section below, too!

*if you're participating... be sure to come back and check out (and comment on) at least 3 other's entries.

_____________________________________________

In this vision, Daniel finds something that doesn't make sense, and asks for understanding. Tell of a time when you asked God for understanding and were given a fresh perspective.

-or-

Discuss your personal "Spiritual Education."  What factors have been key in your understanding of who God is?

 

(click the graphic above to add your link, and to read responses from others)

I, Daniel, was troubled by all I had seen, and my visions terrified me. So I approached one of those standing beside the throne and asked him what it all meant.

Daniel 7:15-16

Prayer vs Planning

My better late than nothing post today is part of a Safari Through Daniel study. You can check out the other posts on this topic HERE.

Oh, how I love to plan. Like a lot of you out there, (or so I've read) a list for me is like therapy! Checking things off a list makes me feel like I'm in control. Sometimes, when I'm feeling especially frazzled, my husband or kids will bring me paper and a pen just to help me chill.the.heck.out. Knowing that I'm headed toward a goal, and that progress is being made is just the best thing.

Conversely, when I see no progress, I tend to feel pretty shaky. If I don't know what's going on, if I can't see the end of the tunnel, if I don't know the plan, well... things can get ugly real fast. Like a claustrophobic person in a submarine, my heart beats faster, my pulse rises, and you already know I have enough problems with breathing.

Last year I had a situation that I had no control over at all. I became so desperate, I began to pray. (how ironic that there are still times I use prayer as a last resort and not a first defense even now as a ministry leader) I prayed, and prayed, and I prayed. I watched, waited, and tried to make some sort of list. nothing. God was seemingly standing perfectly still. I begged, pleaded, and prayed some more. silence.

I once heard that during a test is when a teacher is the quietest.  It's not time for a history professor to be lecturing, for example, during finals. Instead, they walk around quietly, observing, allowing the students a chance to show what they've learned

This silent time was clearly a test. I prayed, prayed, prayed some more. Then, something magnificent happened. No, not the answer to my prayer... but something better! I began getting used to this hour by hour communication with my Savior! I started loving our time together, getting to know Him better, re-learning to lean on Him instead of lists.

The situation eventually came to a head, not in the way I hoped, and certainly not the way I would have planned out, but eventually I felt like God had answered my prayers. The worst of it was over.

Just recently, I had a conversation with someone who was behind the scenes during this ordeal. This person gave me a little glimpse into the backstory of what was happening while I was praying and waiting. I what I discovered was amazing! That season of what I thought was God's silence was not silence at all. Unbeknown to me, there were BIG things happening out of my eyeline. God was artfully checking things of His list, moving the slide puzzle around, lining things up just right so the maximum good could come from this horrible situation. As I was rediscovering that plans are ALWAYS better when preceded by prayers, God was right where He was supposed to be, doing things so much better than I would have even remembered to put on a list.

God didn't have to show me that peek behind the curtain, but when He did, tears sprang to my eyes. I got all choked up with emotion...mostly because it was so humbling & awesome to hear confirmation that God was carrying us... footsteps in the sand style. I cried also because hearing those things reminded me that this is how I want all stories of struggle in my life to end. I want every account of my life to go: she prayed, He planned, she obeyed, His will was done. repeat.

Oh, that I would be like Daniel, and hear of tragedy coming my way, and go straight to my knees. This can only happen from practicing... the scriptures say that Daniel prayed 'according to His custom' when he caught wind of the decree that would send him to the Lion's den for praying to God. In order to be able to have prayer be my 'go to' reaction during the BIG times, I need to be well practiced on a daily basis. I keep a prayer journal partly so I can look back on times like the one I've just told you of when I lose my way, sort of like keeping old tests to study from... they're much more valuable and inspiring than the scraps of papers I've made all my little lists on. I can use them to remember how much better God's plans are than mine... time after time after time.

finished writing about prayer vs planning...check! (in the spirit of full disclosure, I still intend to be a lists girl. I just want to be a prays-first-makes-lists-later girl haha)

I AM

God replied to Moses, “I Am Who I Am. Say this to the people of Israel: I Am has sent me to you.” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: Yahweh, the God of your ancestors—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob—has sent me to you.

This is my eternal name,
my name to remember for all generations
Exodus 3:13-15

Before I begin, a bit of background: I am blessed to be a part of an incredible ministry team. We've been doing a Bible study method this year that my dear friend Angela put together for us, and it's been going wonderfully. In fact, it's going so well that I felt that God would be very pleased if we adapted/adopted this for my family. First, I talked it over with my husband... totally on board. Then, I searched around and bought this totally cool tree. Then the hard part (so lame that I was so nervous)- introducing this idea to my family- the teen boy & the tween girls. I raced home from work tonight, gathered up everyone's Bibles, set the scene for our after dinner activity, put dinner on, and then waited for the fam to get home. It was SO INCREDIBLE that I thought I should right away with ya'll.... so, here's the gist:

 

Tonight we had our first Sweet time with God Night (which may be renamed at a later time) at the His Girl home.  After dinner, my kids, my husband and I gathered on our cozy sofa with pens and Bibles in hand. I popped an apple pie in the oven while we were eating dinner, and as we were waiting for it to cool, we dove right in.

Since it was our first night, we began with the scripture that inspired this study, the passages in Exodus 3. Each of us took turns reading out loud, pausing now and then for clarification or to point out differences in the translations. (we were working with a NASB, a couple of ICBs, and two NIVs)

Then, we chatted about how all of the the Bible reveals little parts about Who God is... each passage tells us just a little bit more about His character. We talked about what God might have meant when He said His name is I AM.

Then, I called attention to the tree.  At the highest, centermost part of the tree, I had placed a card that said 'God Is'... (our card at work says 'I AM'- but I thought for my family's clarity I'd try it this way) Then, we began looking through the passages we just read to see what we could know about God's character by simply reading the text.

My son, shockingly*, was first. 'He's concerned!'

'Okay, how do you know?' I asked...

'It says right here- in Exodus 3:7'

'Great! write it down!'

Then, it was ON! We each shouted out attributes and evidences from the passage, writing them down on paper diecut apples (in honor of apple pie night, borrowed from Angela... thanks, sis!) and placing them on the tree. Soon, we had all kinds of fruit on the branches!

We talked about how important it is for us to see God for who He is. I tried to explain the lesson we've been learning in the office about how that means we aren't those things, but the kids weren't really tuned into that. Instead, they were really intrigued at the concept of idolatry, and how any time we put anything in God's place, how we're set up for disappointment, because false gods can't ever be the I AM.

I almost cried right out loud as my children debated this, citing Biblical proofs, adding to the tree.  It was INCREDIBLE.... and very, very humbling. These kids were so ready for more! They were so excited to go deeper into the Word of God, and I am just so glad I didn't put it off even one second longer. (By the way, Shanda, your comment on the Remembering blog is what inspired me to quit procrastinating!)

In the future, I hope to add some more prayer to our time together, and the children are very excited about my 'hosting' proposition. If they want to be the week's host, they get to pick & prepare the dessert for the study, as well as the passage we study. K already reserved next week, has highlighted her scriptures, and is pouring through cookbooks even now! We decided we'll pick the diecut shape this week sometime.

We voted on making this a weekly study, and the decision was unanimous- a resounding YES!

*and to think I was nervous*

Glory to God!

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

3 John 1:4

I'm not certain I explained this all the way well... if you have questions, please ask, and I'll try to clarify :) I'm all wound up and floopy and happy, so I may have forgotten some important details.

*also, if you've never met my teen son, you have no idea what a miracle it was that he was enthusiastic and participatory in anything other than texting. trust me... it's amazing.

Safari Through Daniel Week 6 Discussion- Prayer vs Planning

*note: I posted my answers to last week's post quite late- you can read them here: remembering

Hello all! We just completed our SIXTH week of the Safari through Daniel- we're at the halfway point, and ready to share what we learned!

Here are the details:

If you are a participant, you can write your answers to one of the following questions as follows and then use the mr. linky to lead us to what you wrote:

a) on your own blog-or-

b) on your Facebook 'notes' area -or-

c) in the comments section below

OR

Come join us over at the Facebook Safari Page!  You can answer each question on the discussion page after you join the group.

If you are not a participant, you can still pipe in! You can leave your two cents in the comments section below, too!

*if you're participating... be sure to come back and check out (and comment on) at least 3 other's entries.

_____________________________________________

-What is your prayer "custom"? Post about your prayer or quiet time. How often do you pray? What works for you?

or

-Tell of a time when you felt tempted to make plans and chose to pray and wait on God instead.

or

-Why is it important that we pray before we make plans?

or

If you made a commitment to revive your prayer life, write about any immediate feelings you've experienced this week... be honest-talk about any struggles you're having- and victories too!

 

(click the graphic above to add your link, and to read responses from others)

But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. Then the officials went together to Daniel’s house and found him praying and asking for God’s help.
Daniel 6:10-11

Remembering...

This is my contribution to the SAFARI through Daniel Study... you can read other entries by clicking here.

This week we're talking about spiritual amnesia in the SAFARI through Daniel Study. You know what I mean by Spiritual Amnesia, right?- the kind of phenomena that caused the Israelites to forget they just crossed the Red Sea and escaped the tyranny of the Egyptians and whine about wanting to go back. It's the same phenomena that makes me FREAK OUT when I'm worried about not having enough ___________ (fill in the blank here... time, money, strength, patience) and completely forgetting about the God who has always made sure I had the exact amount of everything I've ever needed.

Not only does forgetting the past make one panicky, it can also breed arrogance.  They say that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. As soon as we think that the successes and failures of others don't apply to us, we are just asking for trouble. The king in this week's story, Belshazzar, was celebrating his invincibility, completely forgetting recent history and the humbling tales of his father, Nebuchadnezzar. He forgot a simple truth... NO ONE IS INVINCIBLE.

This simple truth has been ignored by countless Christians. The lie that satan whispers to us that 'that will never happen to me, I don't need to think about that' - when believed- is the downfall of many of us. It's what allows ministry leaders to commit adultery though we all have seen pastor after pastor fall publicly. We watch alcoholics, gamblers, porn addicts, and druggies destroy their families, yet think 'I am stronger that that, I can handle it in moderation.'  When we watch people get caught up in pride, selfishness, worldliness.... satan would have us to judge, but God would want us to learn.

It's important that each of us realize that 'There but for the Grace of God go I'- that we are not above sin, nor the consequences of sin... we are merely not bound to it. In other words, we don't HAVE to sin. We can resist temptations merely by leaning on God.  Like Daniel, we can read the writing on the wall and ask God for help. If we REMEMBER- if we seek the scriptures for God's presence historically, if we keep journals to record God's presence personally, if keep our eyes open to see God's presence daily, if we watch and learn the lessons being learned around us socially, we can immunize ourselves from forgetting both the consequences of sin and the Goodness of Our Lord. Spiritual amnesia is common, but not inevitable.

I'm glad to hear that... my short term memory tends to be spotty at best. I forget what I walk in a room to do, I forget to write things down so I remember to do them, I forget to call friends on their birthdays,  I forget where I put my cell phone, keys, jacket, brain.  I love that I can have hope that the Holy Spirit will act as my Reminder... not just so I don't have to suffer, but so the Name of Jesus Christ will be glorified.

amen.

They refused to obey and did not remember the miracles you had done for them. Instead, they became stubborn and appointed a leader to take them back to their slavery in Egypt! But you are a God of forgiveness, gracious and merciful, slow to become angry, and rich in unfailing love. You did not abandon them,

Nehemiah 9:17

Safari Through Daniel... Week Five- Remembrance vs Obliviousness

*note: this post is an auto post... I'm actually in TX at the C3 Kids conference right now... I'll be back later in the week to tell y'all about it!

We just finished our FIFTH week of the Safari through Daniel and it's time for the discussion! 

Here are the details:

If you are a participant, you can write your answers to one of the following questions as follows and then use the mr. linky to lead us to what you wrote:

a) on your own blog-or-

b) on your Facebook 'notes' area -or-

c) in the comments section below

OR

Come join us over at the Facebook Safari Page!  You can answer each question on the discussion page after you join the group.

If you are not a participant, you can still pipe in! You can leave your two cents in the comments section below, too!

*if you're participating... be sure to come back and check out (and comment on) at least 3 other's entries.

_____________________________________________

*Have you ever experienced 'spiritual amnesia'? Discuss.

-or-

*Talk about things you to to keep your spiritual memory fresh. Are there any customs/traditions you do to keep your family from forgetting what God has done? Share.

-or-

*Post about a time when you were able to lean on a memory of the past to endure the present.

Have fun! I'll post my own answers when I get back from TX!!!

(click the graphic above to add your link, and to read responses from others)

And I said, “This is my fate;
      the Most High has turned his hand against me.”
But then I recall all you have done, O Lord;
      I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.
 They are constantly in my thoughts.
      I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.

Psalm 77:10-12

What's in the Bible?

 

When my family was new, when my now-14-year-old son was just a tiny tot with a bowl haircut, we watched a LOT of Veggie Tales. Clever and nutritious,these videos would make my little cheese-headed-bean-boy and I laugh and laugh and laugh (over and over and over). I didn't mind the repetition because all along I felt like together we were becoming better people.

After the twins were born, as they grew and as our family grew past the Veggie years, I grew as well. A children's ministry volunteer for years before, and a trainer and conference speaker already, God eventually called me to come to be on staff at my church. A passion that already burned in my heart to help train up children in the way they should go ignited as I joined this dynamic team of amazing people with the same passion.

I wish there weren't a rule (it's a good rule, but it's in my way right this minute) against blogging about my job. If the rule didn't exist,  this is the part where I would've told you about the incredible work God did in my heart during a particularly rough patch. I would tell just exactly how I was humbled through reading a book by the Veggie Tales' creator, Phil Visher, called  Me, Myself, and Bob. It was during that time that I became a better servant and ministry leader.

If that rule didn't exist, I would also tell you a very long and incredible story about the revival God has been doing in that ministry that I'm not blogging about. I'd also mention that I've been praying like crazy about how on earth we could start reaching families and teaching them how to teach children the whole Word of God.  It was about that time when I caught word from a tweet by Whimzie about a new project by Phil Vischer's new team called What's in the Bible. As I researched and discovered the vision for this project, I flipped all the way out. I could feel something BIG ahead, and I just knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that God had big plans for this video series. A few emails later, some excited prayer, and suddenly I had a free advanced copy of the first DVD in my hands from the WITB people.

Let me just say that what I saw WAS BEYOND INCREDIBLE. The videos had the typical irreverent reverence I enjoyed so much from the Veggie Tales. The music was captivating, the puppets were hilarious, the format was perfectly paced.  But that's just the gravy... and this project is so much more than gravy.

What the What's in the Bible videos do is teach children about the word of God- literally from cover to cover.  I can tell already that they're not planning to take the easy route.  In the first two videos, they took on issues like 'Why does the Catholic Bible have more books?' and 'Was the world created in 7 literal days?'- I have to admit I held my breath, just waiting to see HOW IN THE WORLD they were going to do it. The answers were perfectly, beautifully, excellently addressed, focusing not on the details of the stories but the Author of them.  I found myself smiling, nodding, and WAIT FOR IT.... learning!  Not just how to teach these topics to my kids and the kids in the ministry, but real Biblical truths that I had never known before! *le sigh*

Truth is, there are many, many, many children in churches these days. The sad reality is that most of them will leave the church as soon as they are old enough to choose to sleep in Sunday mornings. I join Phil Vischer and crew in believing that at least part of the reason this is happening is because we are raising Biblically illiterate children.  Our kids are leaving God because THEY DO NOT KNOW HIM.  They don't know their way around the Bible, they don't know what they believe or why they believe it. To them, the Bible is filled with mysteries and words and old stories, but they don't know the treasures within.  This project, What's in the Bible, appears to be addressing this... and I couldn't be more excited for me, for my family, and for the families in the ministry I'm not blogging about ;) I love the idea of parents and children learning together... the whole give a man a fish principle put into real life application. Together, families can become people who are not just better human beings, not just better servants, but people who actually know God & His Word.

I can see that this post is just rattling on waaaaay too long, so I'm going to wrap it up by saying this: if you have elementary- aged children, you can't afford not to add these videos to your library. This is not a paid endorsement... but it is an endorsement by a girl who, after 19 years of studying, teaching, and ministering to kids thinks these DVDs are pretty much the the coolest thing she's seen in a really long time. They release in March at your Christian Retailer or here: http://whatsinthebible.com/

And that's all I have to say about that.

Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up.

Deuteronomy 11:19

Humility vs Vanity... getting personal.

*this is my personal post in response to week 4 of the Safari study. You can read the other beautiful perspectives of my Safari Sisters by clicking HERE.

I knew this week was going to be rough for me... it's no secret that pride is one of my most toxic vices. I crave glory like an alcoholic lusts for a glassful of their own poison. I yearn for recognition, spotlights, feedback, praise. It's filthy and disgusting to look at in its raw form, so I'd often hide it behind false humility... which worked for me about as well as a paper bag wrapped around a bottle of booze works for a drunk. 

Since I've made the decision to follow Jesus, I've prayed for Him to allow me to humble myself, to want His glory more than my own... to replace my yearning for the spotlight with a drive to give it all to Him.  Honestly, these prayers have for the most part been answered... or are in the process of being answered anyway. I suppose if you want to continue with my addict analogy... I'd be a recovering prideoholic.  Though I lean on God's grace to avoid the temptation to overindulge in my vice, I battle my self-centered nature one day at a time...sometimes minute by minute.

The ironic thing about my personal addiction is that my professional life and hobbies have the potential to be the most humbling, glory-to-God-giving, most selfless arenas ever...

or it can be like letting a wino work in a bar.

Public speaking, training, teaching, consulting, writing, blogging.... all can be used to reflect His light, and all can also take a violent swing to expose the worst of me- when my motivations switch from wanting to point people to Jesus, and over to wanting to soak up accolades for myself.  The gifts that God gave me of being comfortable in the spotlight and fairly adept at stringing words together can also be my greatest curse.

So, you can imagine the battle that took place in my heart when I heard God whisper to my heart to start this Daniel Safari.  Selfish-and-salivating-for-opportunities-to-shine-Amber both loved the opportunity and hated it.  She drooled at the chance to draw attention to herself, and feared failure and public humiliation.  The other part of me (the His Girl part) feared only the possibility of uncaging that horrid side of herself.

However, God has called me His own.  I don't have to be that girl... drunk on pride, seeking my own way... I have been given the gift of humility- I just need to use it, nurture it, care for it more than I do my vanity. I can't let fear be a reason I don't obey God. That's just ridiculous.

So I took a deep breath and jumped... out of my comfort zone and into the jungle... leading 42 other women onto a Safari deep into the heart of God....

to be continued.....

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works 

and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:16

Safari Through Daniel... Week Four- Humilty vs Vanity

Here we are, ready to chat about our FOURTH week of the Safari through Daniel! 

Here are the details:

If you are a participant, you can write your answers to one of the following questions as follows and then use the mr. linky to lead us to what you wrote:

a) on your own blog-or-

b) on your Facebook 'notes' area -or-

c) in the comments section below

OR

*NEW* come join us over at the Facebook Safari Page!  You can answer each question on the discussion page after you join the group.

If you are not a participant, you can still pipe in! You can leave your two cents in the comments section below, too!

*if you're participating... be sure to come back and check out (and comment on) at least 3 other's entries.

_____________________________________________

-Talk about a humbling experience in your life. What did you learn from that time?

-or-
What's the difference between humbling yourself and being humbled? Post your findings from your word study on humility &  pride.

-or-
Being vain and not accepting correction can have painful consequences. Discuss.

Have fun! I'll post my own answers on Wednesdays!

(click the graphic above to add your link, and to read responses from others)

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

James 4:7

Fortitude VS Compromise... part 2

(this is the second part of a post I started earlier today yesterday... you can read part one by clicking HERE)

Okay, so where were we? Oh yes... I last left off telling you about my rotten day last week. I was feeling pretty awful after overhearing my kid rant about my ridiculous rules to a small crowd of kids. I was at the same time brokenhearted, embarrassed, and FURIOUS.  I wasn't even sure what to do... and I'm still not sure I did the right thing.  What I wanted to do is put him in a box marked 'Return to Sender' and leave him on the curb. But I didn't. First, I went down and stopped the kid from saying anything worse. I spoke in a tone of controlled anger and in no uncertain terms let the room know that this comic routine was not only rude, hurtful, and mean spirited, but false. Then I let my kid suffer a bit think on it for a minute before being called to my room for a private peek at the pain that cruelty had caused. I cried genuine tears and, for the first time in a long time, I saw my kid with a look of true repentance. That night I found a note on my pillow with a sincere apology and a promise for better choices in the future. Though it was short and reasonably mild, this trial was draining. I took a deep breath and collapsed into bed that night, exhausted from the day's battle. 

The next day, my friend shared this scripture with me:

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:10

"What if," she asked... "what if this scripture is not just for people in foreign countries who are jailed for being Christians, but also for US when our kids are angry with us for making rules based on righteousness?" 

*cue the aha moment*

"OOOOOhhhhhhh," my soul breathed as I pondered on this throughout the day, "What if the persecution we feel from refusing to compromise in our homes is actually a tool of God's to bless us, and prepare us for heaven as well?" 

When I realize that God allows even the small trials to shape us, when I realize I'm not in this alone... when I really look at the words from the Bible that say that God disciplines those that He loves...When I realize that God understands what it's like to have children who rebel against what's good for them *a-hem*.... then, I can gather the fortitude to press on. I can keep on going even though there are many more years of this, and I hold on tight & fast to a promise that I am claiming in the mighty Name of Jesus Christ:

Train up a child in the way he should go, And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

Fortitude Vs Compromise Part One...

 

This week I've been really looking at trials from many angles... from the angle of  STUPID STUPID CANCER, from the angle of mourning the death of children, fathers, mothers, marriages, babies, guilt, from the angle of looking at Who our protector is, from the angle of it's benefit: genuine faith.  And that's just the beginning!

So it shouldn't be a surprise to me that even though I had in my head one kind of trial when I wrote week three, I would be learning a whole 'nother kind of fortitude lesson. *sigh*

Now, I try really hard not to write about my children in unflattering ways. I don't think that's about putting up a false front, but about respecting them as people. I can't imagine reading a post about mistakes I've made or stupid things I've done. That being said, I learned such an amazing lesson this week, I'm going to make an exception... and hope the kid will forgive me. (I'll try to make it as anonymous as possible)

One of the children who lives in my home is a teenager.  Lately this kid has been battling me over several different house rules that have up to now never been questioned. We don't play video games that are violent, gory, foul, or naked. We don't listen to music that is hateful, profanity-laced, s_xual, or satanic. We don't watch rated R movies, and we read the reviews of all movies before we attend one together. Head butt, Head butt, Head Butt. (sometimes it takes actual restraint to not reverse the word order in that last sentence)

The civil unrest has been relatively civil, but it's pretty frequent.  Then there was last week.  We were in the car with a different teenager who announced out loud that she watches CSI and so should my kids. I let my kid know that that was SO not going to happen.  I actually find the 'gore' pretty cool in CSI, but it's the whole darkside f_tish stuff that was happening back when I was last watching it that made me choose not to EVER watch it again. I let them know that it was not a good show and why. In about 2 minutes, we were on the next topic.

Later, from up in my room, I heard my kid ranting to the other kids in the room about how he had to ENDURE A TWO HOUR LECTURE, I'M BARELY EVEN KIDDING! There were some other unflattering sentences that included the words 'blah, blah, blah' and some mocking laughter.

My heart broke. I am not so unrealistic as to think my kids will never complain about their mother, I just never thought I'd have to hear it. I was embarrassed, furious, and sad.

... there's a lesson here in this trial, but I have to run off for a few hours. I'll be back later this evening to finish the story and share the happy ending.....

Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. (James 1:2-8 ESV)

*sorry about the vowel substitution. creepy people were finding my blog by searching those words and then coming here to say gross things.

Week 3- Fortitude vs Compromise

It's time to check in again, this time on our THIRD week of the Safari through Daniel! 

Here are the details:

If you are a participant, you can write your answers to one of the following questions as follows and then use the mr. linky to lead us to what you wrote:

a) on your own blog-or-

b) on your Facebook 'notes' area -or-

c) in the comments section below

OR

*NEW* come join us over at the Facebook Safari Page!  You can answer each question on the discussion page after you join the group.

If you are not a participant, you can still pipe in! You can leave your two cents in the comments section below, too!

*if you're participating... be sure to come back and check out (and comment on) at least 3 other's entries.

_____________________________________________

Have fun! I'll post my own answers on Wednesdays!

Post about a time when you got an unexpected benefit as a result of a trial
-or-
Discuss 1 Peter 1:17 and what you discovered while reading it
-or-
Are trials a necessary part of Christianity? Discuss.

-or-
Tell about someone you know who has gone through a trial and the impact watching this made on you spiritually.

(click the graphic above to add your link, and to read responses from others)

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.
Romans 5:3