Ezekiel is hard, y'all.  But I'm still not pulling out a commentary. I'm going to wrestle it on my own.

I almost went and got a commentary on it today. I even talked to one of my professors about which one would be best.  Then I went to my missions class, and Dr. Medeiros did about an hour lecture on the importance of wrestling through the text on your own without always depending on commentaries.  He talked about the danger of letting commentaries become the primary material, and the importance of learning to search through and understand scripture itself without depending on the opinions and interpretations of others. 

Needless to say, I didn't go get the commentary on Ezekiel after class.  I'm going to keep wrestling.

Well, the schoolweek is finally over and now I can relax a little.  No wait, I have 3 books to read, a paper to start, and a presentation to put together.

In case you're wondering, my week DID get better.  Tuesday and Wednesday were really good and really encouraging, Thursday was good except for the fact that it's my long day on campus so I'm usually drained when I get back.  Today so far is going well, except for having to take a Hebrew test this morning. 

When the week started out bad, I just decided that I would dig into my Bible more than I normally do.  I decided to lengthen my quiet times and and really dig in to whatever I was reading that day.  I've found that reading a passage in the Old Testament, a passage in the New Testament, and a Psalm is a great way to start your day.  I was doing some workbooks and things in the past, but it got to where it felt too much like homework, which I do all week.  So I decided to just jump into the Bible with no workbooks, no study guides, no books, and just see what God teaches me.  So far I've enjoyed it.  I feel like I hear God's word much clearer when I dont have the words of a book/workbook/studyguide author drowning it out.  Usually when I have some kind of guide to supplement my quiet times, the words I end up remembering aren't words from scripture, but the words from the supplementary material.  So I've decided to just put away everything else and spend a while with just me and God.  I'll probably pick them back up again later down the road, but for now, this is where I feel led.... and it's good. The "appointments" we've had at 6:45am each morning this week -just us- have been wonderful.

This time tomorrow I should be celebrating. Hopefully. Unless I'm an even bigger slacker than I originally thought and really actually DO wait until the midnight deadline. But the plan is to be finished before work tomorrow.

So far, I have more than half of the paper to finish, alot of studying to do, and a final to take.  This is another test that will be just like the one that kicked my bum so hard 2 days ago. I'm prepared for another attack. I expect to have my bum fully bruised up all over again.

As for the paper, it's coming along well. I've actually enjoyed writing it. I might actually post some of it for you, because I think it's really interesting. I don't ever post my work, so you should be feeling really special right about now.

There has been one great thing about my assignments...  I listened to the first 15 chapters of Acts this morning while I was getting ready and cleaning the house, and I just can't express how much I LOVE THAT BOOK. It's my favorite in the New Testament.  Every time I read/hear it, I'm just totally amazed all over again.  If only I had that kind of faith. If only I had that kind of passion. I love that you can tell just by reading the sermons recorded there how passionate the apostles were.  They LOVED their jobs! I love how Paul jumps on any opportunity to share the Gospel.  You give him a tiny crack of an opening, and he's going to pour out the whole thing for you before you've realized what has happened. 

This afternoon I'm going to finish up chapters 16-28. I can't wait.  I know how it ends, but still. The anticipation gets me every time!

Tim Challies (as I've said before, one of my favorite bloggers), has asked in this post that Christian bloggers take some time this coming Tuesday to post their testimony online.  He rightly says that

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"The steadfast love of the lord never ceases. His mercies never end; they are new every morning.  Great is thy faithfulness!" --Lamentations 3:22-23

I believe in my Jehovah-Rophe. I do.

"I will sing of your mercy that leads me through valleys of sorrow to rivers of JOY"

Sorry that I'm several days behind. Here's the topics for the last couple of days...

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Day 20:

Pray that your husband will yield his mind and thoughts to the Lord. Pray that he will not entertain immoral or impure thoughts, and that he will resist the temptation to indulge in pornography.

Scripture for Prayer and Meditation:

Prov. 27:12

The prudent sees danger and hides himself,
   but the simple go on and suffer for it.

2 Cor. 10:5

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

Day 19:

Pray that your husband will be patient and a man of peace. Pray that he will not give in to anger, but will allow the Holy Spirit to control his responses.

Scripture for Prayer and Meditation:

Rom. 14:19

So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

Ps. 34:14

Turn away from evil and do good;
   seek peace and pursue it.

Day 18:

Pray that your husband will have an eternal perspective—living in light of eternity. Pray that he will reject materialism and temporal values and put God first in his life.

Scripture for Prayer and Meditation:

Matt. 6:33

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Deut. 6:5

You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

Eph. 5:16

...making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

Ps. 90:12

 So teach us to number our days
   that we may get a heart of wisdom.

Day 17:

Pray that your husband will enjoy his manliness as he patterns his life after Christ and strong men in the faith. Pray for his physical, emotional, mental, social and spiritual strength.

Scripture for Prayer and Meditation:

Eph. 3:16

...that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

1 Peter 2:21

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

1 Cor. 10:11

Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.