Family devotions, accountablity and determination...

Did you grow up in a home that had/has family style devotionals? I'm not sure who all would be familiar with the series called The Bible Story by Arthur Stanley Maxwell, but those were some of our family's devotional material. I remember sitting in the living room while Dad would read from those books, as all of us sat quietly listening to the stories. Those were special times. I treasure family devotions, so when I was blessed with a small, make-shift family this summer I was super excited to get to pull out our own copy of The Bible Story and begin our own "family" devotions.

Christianna and Laura are two fellow GBSers that have been rooming with my sister and I this summer and we've become that make-shift family. They're great girls and I've really enjoyed getting to know them better. Both of them were more than game to have devotions together, so we set the time frame for after Nichole got back from work each night. The reading was done in turns and whoever was reading that night was also in charge of the prayer. I felt like these times were meaningful and a time of bonding for all of us girls. Sadly we're having to alter the devotionals a bit, because Christianna is now traveling for several weeks and Laura and Nichole are leaving for Ukraine next week, but we've begun a tradition that I feel we'll be able to return to once we're all back together and I eagerly await that time!

OK, so I realize that this week was definitely NOT the best for my "daily" devotionals...online anyway. I would like to go on record (just for a little accountability) that I have been having my own personal devotions, but I simply had a busy week and got behind with the blog version. Thanks for anyone that's keeping tabs though!

I've been thinking a lot lately about how blessed I am to be able to surround myself with Christian reading materials, to take them to any public setting (coffee shop, Panera, etc.) that I like to hang out and read, or for that matter walk into most book stores, thrift stores and a host of other places and find Christian reading material. I am blessed so much!

While I've been thinking about this, I've realized how little advantage I've taken of said blessings. I have read plenty of Christian texts of course...I did just spend five years in Bible college, but how many have been of my own choosing, for pleasure, just to learn more and strengthen my faith? I have read several things on my own, devotional type things or perhaps something specific to a need, struggle or issue in my life, but I've realized how sadly lacking I've been in this area.

I am constantly drawn in to a good book I see on the shelves of a Good Will or Half Price Books, but due to all the extra curricular reading I've done over the last several years I find myself stacking them on a bookcase with the "I can't wait to read that!" approach. Well this summer I want to beat that slump...I want to read again...just for fun, just because I want to, just because I have a desire to learn more about God, His characteristics, my faith, my heritage and a host of other things.
Sure, I like to read books that are fiction, mystery, sci fi, etc. but I want to cultivate the desire to continue learning without it being for an assignment. I'm determined to take time for this this summer. So feel free to recommend reading material (we'll see how long it takes me to get through what I've already got) and check in on me to see how it's going!

Anyway, hope you all are doing well and staying close to God. Blessing to each of you!

“For whatsoever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” – Romans 15:4