SOAP

So, my master plan of waking up early is never hard on the first, even the second day, but the third...oh, mama! :) Somewhere deep there is energy. I'm just not sure where.

But isn't that life and our walk with the Lord? He provides enough strength for today and all it requires...and we are to "stay in that day." We are not to jump ahead and worry about what is down the line...but stay present, thankful for the provisions of the day, rely on His wisdom and strength, and put one foot in front of the other (because I know when I stop moving, then the whole brain shuts down!).

And let me just say about my Proverbs emails: I am so not the expert at anything. I am not the end all, be all of anything. I am just a mommy and a wife believing that the Word of God can transform even my most destructive and unwise ways.

I hope you know that I am right there with you- walking straight into the same wall over and over again, feeling the bump on my head, saying it hurts, only to walk right back into the same wall. Sometimes I inform God that I've learned His lesson for me...and yet, I wind up right back to where I started weeks later. Isn't that unbelievably frustrating? Not at God, but at me!! Human nature is very defeating!

So Proverbs 6: I like the Proverbs where the sections are all topical. Call me neurotic, but I like when the themes are clustered:

v. 1-5 Don't Loan Money to Friends
v. 6-11 Don't be Lazy
v. 12-15 Definition of Evil People
v. 16-19 6 Things the Lord Hates
v. 20-23 Listen to Good Counsel
v. 24-29 Immoral Women (again!!)
v. 30-35 Consequences of Adultery (acting upon v. 24-29)

So, choose the section that speaks the most to you. And ladies, take it to heart.

Try the SOAP journal method on a sheet of paper. Take that section and write the Scripture (S) reference, then your Observation (O) in that passage, then how you will Apply (A) this passage in your life TODAY (key because if you don't put it to use today, you won't ever use it!), and then write a short Prayer (P) asking the Lord to put the Scripture into your heart and burn it into your mind.

I'm pasting a response from my friend Carolyn below to yesterday's immoral woman Proverb. I love that you have responses. If you don't mind, I'll make everyone's email available and we can have an email chat about the Proverbs. I'd love that! I'd also love to learn from you!!

Love girls! Have a fantastic day! Happy Middle-of-the-Week!!

Rebecca
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From Carolyn:

It’s crazy because once you’re married you think you’ve won the prize. I mean you both said, “I do,” in front of friends and family and were bound for life by God. If you look at it like you have to compete to keep your man, like one of those Survival competitions, that’s more like it. There’s so much temptation out there, through technology and people that cross paths with your husband. You have to work at it to keep that spark alive. Unfortunately, we also know sex is so important to our guys and it’s the first thing we tend to use as leverage in many situations. It’s also the first thing on the list of things to do that often get crossed out because we’ve run out of time or energy or both. We really have to make an effort to keep that spark alive and make home the place our hubby’s come to be filled up. It’s a tall order!!!