Patriarchs

The Patriarchs study is going very well. Thanks to everyone who is coming consistently and participating. The week two homework has been amazing. Looks at Hagar and Sarah (wait till you get to this one! I'm still pondering it) And the video last night was great. If you know someone who doesn't have a workbook but still wants one, please let me know. I asked Heather to order an additional 5 last night. We've had the wonderful problem of having to reorder -- 3 times! That's never happened before.

And the retreat is in the works. It will be in April. And as soon as I confirm the date with Gina I will post it. I can tell you we will be at Twin Lakes this year, and the theme is INTENTIONAL LIVING. If you don't live your life intentionally, it will happen haphazardly. Come learn how to live YOUR life with God's purpose and power. The theme verse is Eph. 3:10.

This week in the Sunday School class we will start the last chapter of lies. Should be another good discussion.

Living in a Fog?

We had six or seven inches of snow on Friday -- and this morning it's all gone. Yesterday the temperature was well into the 40s, and the area was blanketed in a think fog. All day. We live far from San Francisco...yet, yesterday it felt like we'd somehow slipped across the Rockies and over to that part of California. This morning it's still foggy.

Sometimes life is like that. Everything is beautiful and pristine, washed white by a blanket of virgin snow. Then, wham, you find yourself squinting through a fog...trying to find your way to the road and then stay on it.

What do you tell yourself when lost in a fog? Sometimes it's a fog of self-doubt. Or impatience. Or a fog of depression and sadness.

I've done enough Bible studies to know that I shouldn't let my emotions control me. There's nothing productive or God-honoring in wallowing in emotions. While God created us with emotions, I am to master them. Because the heart is deceitful above all things. Yet walking through a blanket of fog makes it difficult to raise your eyes to the One who never changes. Who never fails. Who is always with us.

Instead, we so often lower our gaze and squint to see a foot or two in front of us. Yet how our perspective changes when we lift our eyes and focus on God.

So as I walk and drive through one more day of fog, I'm going to chose to focus on Him as many times as it takes until the fog clears.

Patriarchs and Retreat

This week we watched the first video to Patriarchs. Wow! And I hope you are digging into the study. Even in the first day, God was using it to speak to me, encourage me, exhort me, remind me who He is. If you commit to doing the homework, you will get so much meat from this study. I can't wait to meet with you on Wednesday and discuss the first week.

Also, plans are in the works for a retreat. It looks like it will either be the last weekend of March or very early April. Stay tuned -- but know that several ladies are hard at work already.

Cara