My Journey Journal

Children are a gift from the LORD; they are a reward from Him.
Psalm 127:3 NLT

We adopt concepts and principles of educating children that were articulated by Charlotte Mason such as respecting a child as a born person, teaching them habits, valuing relationships and the affirmation and commitment “I am, I can, I ought and I will.”

Charlotte Mason, painted by Frederic Yates, 1902

   Read more... (431 words, 2 images, estimated 1:43 mins reading time)

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue,
and virtue with knowledge,
and knowledge with self-control,
and self-control with steadfastness,
and steadfastness with godliness,
and godliness with brotherly affection,
and brotherly affection with love.

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Peter 1:5-8 ESV

If you wonder “For what very reason?” join the club.

In verse 3 Peter tells us

His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness ….
2 Peter 1:3 ESV  Read more... (242 words, estimated 58 secs reading time)

I’ve made the mistake of thinking my salvation is primarily about me.  To be sure, God’s love is for me but a deeper reason He saves is for His purposes and to bring glory to Himself.

In my myopic existence I don’t focus my attention on Jesus.  I often consider my benefits and blessings, which are truly benefits and blessings and I should recognize them as such and thank God for them but His purpose goes beyond just saving me; He saves me as a testimony to His faithfulness, His grace, His love, His patience and His sovereignty.  His desire is to see all people choose Him and enter into an eternal relationship with Him but in Paul’s case, specifically:  Read more... (475 words, 1 image, estimated 1:54 mins reading time)

The Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded,
and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin:
The LORD is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.
For a long time Israel was without the true God, and without a teaching priest and without law,
but when in their distress they turned to the LORD, the God of Israel, and sought him, he was found by them.
2 Chronicles 15:1-4 ESV  Read more... (431 words, estimated 1:43 mins reading time)

I believe in a personal, engaged, all-powerful, God who is alive, aware and refers to Himself within His creation.  I believe the garden of Eden was His first example and  Judaism was another.  I believe He is and has been demonstrating that we, humans, as His creation will chose sinfulness rather than Him that no matter what options He gives us; we will choose to turn our backs on Him and reject Him.

I believe that He gave Israel (the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Israel) repeated grace; leading them Himself, through judges, prophets, priests and kings and they still rejected Him until He chastised them with slavery in other nations for almost 3,000 years.  Read more... (815 words, 2 images, estimated 3:16 mins reading time)