Here we go again, ladies! I’m excited for those of you joining me in on a journey to read and discuss/study through Elyse Fitzpatrick’s new book, Found in Him, with me.
What I have found wonderful about this book is it takes the last season: Christmas, the Incarnation, and makes that doctrine come alive in our lives and our relationship with God the rest of the year.
So, let’s embark on this together. Each Monday I’ll post my thoughts on the chapter (this week is the introduction and chapter 1), and then comment, whether here, on fb, or anywhere else.
1. “Everyone struggles with feelings of alienation and isolation.” (pg 17) You always think that when you grow up and get out of high school, you’ll leave feelings of the “first day of school” behind. But…it doesn’t happen that way. You think that when you get married or have a family, that you’ll leave those feelings of isolation behind. But…you don’t.
Elyse has definitely written to people and counseled with ladies who need help handling feelings of loneliness. Lonely can happen at any stage of life and in whatever season of life you are in. Psalm 25.16 is an amazing verse. The Psalmist asks the Lord to turn to him and be gracious for he is lonely. The Lord is gracious in answering: friends, family, love. But most of all – He gives himself. “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.”
2. The mystery of the incarnation: we are not alone. We have the God of the Universe. Literally. God sent His Son – the One who was the agent of creation – to earth to become a man. He came so we would NOT be lonely. Do you recognize this? Do you recognize this as an important part of the incarnation. God with us. The Word Became Flesh. Did you take time over the Christmas holidays to experience this wonderful aspect of the Christmas season?
3. Would you say you are stubborn? My husband would probably say there are things that I am stubborn about. But, do we allow the softness and the penitration of the Holy Spirit to soften our hearts? Do you desire to be like the Israelites who wandered in the desert all those years because of their stubborness? Or do you want to be a woman of God who God uses because of your soft heart toward Him and His correction? I hope I know the answer for myself – and for you!
4. Do you often read the OT in light of the NT? Do you read the Creation account and the flood and the psalms and the laments and the history found in the Bible all in light of Jesus and the incarnation and the fact that He died on the cross? The whole Bible reveals Him. I am going through the OT this year learning more about God – and keeping my eyes and heart open to seeing salvation on every page. I challenge you to read through the Scriptures that Elyse has in this book – and read the OT in light of the knowledge of the Resurrection. Oh, how that will radically change your view of the OT.
What did you get out of the Introduction and the first chapter? I look forward to interacting with you and hearing your thoughts on this book.
Last week was New Years, and on the second day of the new calendar – I started on my journey of cooking through Jenna’s recipe journal on Eat Live Run.
I hung out with a friend and her daughters for a play date, convo day mixed with yummy cookies. Jenna’s recipes give me creativity and allows me to try new foods and cooking techniques. It will definitely be a culinary adventure this year.
These oatmeal cookies were small, thick and chewy. I added more milk and some cinnamon to the buttercream but that was the only alteration to her recipe. We had fun and they were all gone in two days.
Chewy Oatmeal Cookies with Cinnamon Buttercream
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: kd316
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
Delicious sandwich cookie
Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
For filling:
1 stick butter, unsalted, softened
3 cup powdered sugar
4 tsp milk
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375.
Grease two cookie sheets and set aside
Cream wet ingredients for cookies.
Combine dry ingredients.
Mix wet and dry.
Form 24 hopefully uniform cookies
Bake for 8 minutes.
Let cool completely
Mix all ingredients together for the filling. Place filling in between two cookies.
This year I am working my way through the Old Testament. How did this goal come about?
I was driving on I-40, listening to an Andrew Peterson song with a ton of names. I thought to myself all of those people knew God somehow. They all had an encounter with God. I wanted to know more about that God.
So, I am reading through an OT reading plan. With each day I’m jotting down my thoughts, and what I learn about God, who He is. By the end of they year I plan to take photos, quotes from reading, journal thought and compose an ebook out of it. I am looking forward to this journey.
Each week I will share a snippet with you. I hope you enjoy.
One of the most dreaded parts of the holiday season (Thanksgiving until my birthday) is the amount of traffic that is created. I love living in metropolitan areas – but I’d rather do anything than fight busy intersections and crowded shopping malls.
What is it about the holiday season that raises our blood pressure, turns highways into crowded parking lots, and makes doing errands almost unbearable?
Something we DON’T DO: we don’t rest.
We strive.
We plan too much.
We go too often and too fast.
We don’t take time.
We don’t REST.
This goes not only for our physical activity, but also for our spiritual activity. We seldom take time to enjoy the Christmas season and all that it entails. Even if we go to Christmas Eve services, we are rushed getting in shopping and huge family meals with lots of cooking before and after it. We rush into places that we need to go and never take time to rest and enjoy the holiday season.
I look forward to the days after the holidays when the parking lots of back to normal, the traffic is back to normal, and life can resume a comfortable, full life of friends and cooking and photography and play dates and doing nothing with my Mister.
I think this might be the number 1 resolution of most of the world. Somehow, in someway – choose to do something that impacts your health. Where most of the world fails is in determination and accountability and in attainability.
Going on a reality show and working out 9 hours a day for 3 months is not reality. Starving yourself is not reality. Giving up a certain product for the rest of your life (for most people, not those with health reasons) is not reality. So how will you choose to better your physical health this year?
Here are my goals for 2014:
1. By 2015: I want to be 40 lbs lighter. That is a number agreed upon by my husband and me – and no one else. He is the one I want to please with how I look, so that is why I wanted his feedback. He is also a great accountability partner and likes to walk and eat healthy too! Thanks Love.
2. Now to break that down into attainable goals. The first one: lose 17 lbs by the first weekend in April which is my first 10k race in a few years! I’m very excited. That is a little over a pound a week which is SO doable and set at a great pace! That will also get me back to pre-pregnancy weight!!!!!
3. I want do to more 30 day challenges. Right now, I’m doing the LBD challenge with some friends on FB. It is fun and challenging and quick and changes up my routine from what I always do!
4. I am about to sign up for my first 10k in April and then have plans and hopes to do one in October – a half! I love half marathons. A challenge and not too much (like a marathon).
5. I want to hike Pinnacle Mountain here in Little Rock to get me ready to do Blood Mountain at Vogel in September. Mister will be glad to do both with me.
6. Mister and I have talked and made plans. We plan to walk during his lunch break with the boys 2 days a week, walk or be active on Fri and Sat which are his days off, and then allow me to go early on 2 days a week to run or be active by myself! He is so my biggest fan!
Love accountability and determination! And my smaller sized jeans and tops and dresses! What motivation!
What are your challenges this year?
(The above picture was taken at the Anthem 5k in Louisville in 2010 – 4 years ago. My friend Sarah was a huge help in my running beginnings. It was cold but we finished and finished well.)
