Summer Reading

Learning to Trust & Falling in Love with His Word. A summer of Lessons!

I just graduated from seminary with my Master's degree. You'd think with all the required reading I just finished that I would not want to read another single book, BUT I have always, always, loved to read and am looking forward to some specific channeled reading this summer. These two books, "His Word in my Heart" by Janet Pope and "Did I Kiss Marriage Goodbye?" Carolyn McCulley, are two books I have wanted to read for a very long time. Both are two areas that I want to strengthen in my life. I have struggled for a long time with consistent memorization of God's Word. While working on my Bachelor's degree I had to take speech. I am not a spokes person and am not very good at talking  any way you look at it. I prefer reading and writing any day to standing in front of a group of people and talking. But, in order to finish my degree I had to take speech. During the course of speech class I had to memorize John 15. My speech teacher let me borrow this book and I read part of it and it enabled me to memorize that passage. I wanted to finish reading it but have only just now been able to get the book. I have challenged myself to memorize scripture this summer and not only memorize it but apply it to my life and obey what I have memorized. Janet begins her book with a quote that has drawn me in as it hits very close to home for me. "I trained myself to use moment throughout my day to memorize Scripture when my hands were busy but my mind was free. Household chores required busyness but not thoughtfulness, so I included Scripture memory in my daily routines: showering, drying my hair, folding laundry, vacuuming, waiting in traffic or at the dentist's office. Minutes that were once idle became opportunities to get to know God's Word."
The other book "Did I kiss Marriage Goodbye" is a subject matter very close to my heart. I have personally traveled the road of singleness and am still on that road. But I long with all my heart to embrace this path with all my heart and with full joy. I am really anticipating reading this book so I can help other young ladies as they travel down the same path I have gone down. This is a quote from the beginning of her book, "I began to wonder what Girl is supposed to be doing if Boy isn't meeting her.What good purpose could God have in keeping me single? Was there something wrong with me? Or with the men around me? Am I stunted in my femininity because I'm not a wife or mother? What about my friends--what should our lives look like? How are we to prioritize demanding work, a home with a constant parade of roommates, shifting relationships as others marry, and so on? Should I continue to hold out hope, or did I kiss marriage goodbye without realizing it? So many questions--and all those questions led directly to the most important one: Am I trusting God with this hope deferred?... I hope you will close this book with an increased passion for our Lord and Savior, who is fully worthy of complete trust."
Well, as I start my summer reading I look forward to what God will teach me through these books. I desire to live out what God has taught me and be able to help others with what he's given me! Don't be afraid to take up the challenge of drawing closer to God this summer. Don't waste another moment. Are you willing to trust Him? Are you willing to read and fall in love with Him through His love letter to you? Join me on this summer quest. Feel free to comment below and let me know what you are doing this summer to draw closer to the Lord.