2004 has been very busy for me.  I’ve taught a weekend ladies’ retreat, continued to be faithful to my writing by making tough deadlines, taken a bunch of high school kids to Student Life conference for an overnight stay, worked hard at my day job, started teaching the book The Purpose Driven Life to my high school Sunday school class, kept up with my homework for a six week bible study class I’ve been attending about 120 miles roundtrip from home, and have enjoyed precious – as well as life changing – moments with my teenager.  It has been a busy year and it’s not even 1/3 over yet! 

God blessed me in the midst of this hectic time with a much-needed trip to New Mexico to visit my best friend, Kim Adams.  New Mexico greeted me with a patchwork quilt of desert and snow.  The weather is frightfully colder than my warm spot in Texas!  I’m in the mountains though, and couldn’t be happier.  You can’t beat getting away from it all, and going to the mountains.  Cloudcroft, New Mexico is just breathtaking!  As Kim and I arrived here today, we talked about all the references in scripture that describe the earth as God’s footstool and the clouds like dust beneath His feet.  We experienced the actual picture of those scriptures today.  As we climbed further and further to the top, we shared a wonderful time of praise for our God.

I’m attending a Ladies’ Retreat this weekend (from now forward I’ll refer to the event as LRW).  Kim is the coordinator, and I’m getting to sit back and participate!  No leading anything this weekend!  We’ll be learning how to study the Word.  I’m excited about reviewing what I know, plus learning new tips.  I never tire of studying God’s Word. 

The first thing that grabbed me about my LRW was God’s answer to my urgent prayer.  I had started praying about two weeks prior for God to give me a strong word on a few issues I’ve been praying about.  I asked Him to show me through scripture, a sermon, a Sunday school lesson, or any other avenue a word directed right at me.  I told God how important it was to me to know deep in my heart that I was hearing Him and following His will and not my own.  Well!  The theme song for the LRW was “Ancient Words” by Lynn DeShazo.   The words brought tears to my eyes:

Holy words long preserved for our walk in this world,

They resound with God’s own heart.  O let the ancient words impart.

Words of life, words of hope,

Give us strength, help us cope.

In this world where e’er we roam

Ancient words will guide us home.

Ancient words, ever true, changing me and changing you.

We have come with open hearts,

O let the ancient words impart.

All I could do is cry!  God had a word for me alright!  It was, “Hello!  I left you a whole book of instructions!  Dig!  Read!  Meditate!”  I knew at that very moment that it was going to be an extraordinary weekend.  You see, earlier in the day, I climbed up the side of the mountain for some alone time with God.  He was pressing on my heart to go back to my room and start reading Proverbs 16.  I have never read Proverbs, but God was telling me to go there.  Dig there.  Read there.  Meditate there.  Those ancient words were about to impart huge truths to me.

Assignment:  Read Proverbs 16.  Journal about what it means to you.