sunday side dishes...

Well, after a long winter with busy season and getting sick kids to and from school/church/doctor's office, I feel like I need to get back into the swing of having my daily quiet times again. I often feel guilty when I get so busy I just resign myself to saying a quick prayer at night before I exhaustingly fall asleep. It seems like there have been several seasons of this in my life, and it seems to be worse when my life is so chaotic. My husband's job requires 60 plus hours a week during busy season, and this "season" also occurs during cold and flu season when my babies stay sick! I have coped much better each year, but I am hoping to get better and better in my daily walks with God, because isn't when life is so chaotic when I need God the most?!
I recently decided, instead of just "reading" the word, I needed something more engaging, like a workbook. When Julie was first born, I did a Beth Moore bible study called "Believing God." Ladies, If you have ever done a Beth Moore bible study, you know how hard core and awesome these are! I remember this study having a tremendous effect on my faith. I pulled out my workbook and began. Sure, I don't have the videos to watch, but just going through the day to day lessons and homework has been so rewarding for me.
I wanted to share some of what I have learned. This whole study is about applying faith and going from the noun form of faith to the present-active-participle form of the word faith. in other words Faith=active beilieving in God through our actions.
One of the things I have been guilty of is seeking God's rewards and blessings instead of just purely seeking Him. It's as if I am saying okay, I will trust you..... but you will provide, right?! In my heart, I shouldn't need proof that He will never leave me or forsake me (because after all, God is who HE says HE is), but in my head I want PROOF. He wants me to continually seek Him, and DO HIS pleasing will for my life. Beth Moore says that in doing this, 1) God is glorified, 2)the body of Christ is edified, 3) our souls will be satisfied, and 4)the world is further evangelized.
The bible says we are to diligently seek the Lord. but it must occur in the correct verb tense in our life- the present-active-participle form. Okay so I have faith in God, the thing that "got" me my salvation, but how can it be applied in an active sense? Some of my questions that were answered was, "What kind of seeking does God most reward?" and "What does HIS will for my life include?" we will know when:
We are consistent in our relationship, and we communicat often with HIM
We are never ceasing in prayer
We pray for opportunities to "find the Lord" in all situations
and We open our hearts continually to God.

I am very excited about doing my daily homework and going through this workbook again and seeing how my answers have changed from 4 years ago.
May you all have a blessed week!