In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.
Proverbs 16:9 (New International Version)
For the time being, I plan to discontinue my Sunday posts. I do this with hesitation as this is one of my most personally rewarding posts of the week. Likewise, I hope some of the readers have been blessed by these Bible study posts. These posts may return in the future or be incorporated into my weekday posts. These are my current plans, but I will let God guide me in this.
I had considered a separate Bible Study blog but I am not an expert and there are many others who have much greater knowledge than I and who can provide much more accurate exposition of God's word. Currently I feel that I am not led in this direction. but if I do feel called to return then I will go to that place.
We often make plans and have big ideas about where our lives will lead us. Sometimes there are lessons to be learned and other times those plans are part of God's design for us. My life has been blessed and God has always brought me through times of trouble. He has also allowed me to experience my dreams, perhaps not as I had envisioned them, but in the way that was right for me. My dreams will hopefully never fade as long as I have this gift of life that God has given me. I will trust in God to guide me in my attempts to attain my dreams and to provide me the knowledge to understand and appreciate the places he takes me.
How about you? Are you relying totally on your own efforts to attain your own dreams? Or are you listening and watching for God's direction? Are your dreams in line with what God is calling you to do? Study his word, pray for guidance, and listen to the voices. If you find yourself on a continual path to failure in achieving the dreams that you have set out for yourself, then perhaps you are not following in the steps that God has put before you. God's way will prevail with or without you.
Listen to advice and accept instruction,
and in the end you will be wise.
Many are the plans in a man's heart,
but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.
Proverbs 19:20-21 (NIV)
Once again I am sorry you are not continuing with yet another day, I find your blog as one of the cornerstones of my day along with some others. But as I said yesterday it is your blog and it is entirely up to you though I'm sure you will be sorely missed over the week-ends.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your visit and the wonderful comment.
Take care
Yvonne.
PS. thanks for enlightening me about the Nashville weather, much appreciated.
I always appreciate spiritual reflections where I am being reminded of God's guidance. In my most difficult times in life-which have been quite a few- I have found strength in prayer and faith. And I have overcome my challenges beyond my expectations. I truly feel so blessed.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this great post. Have a wonderful day!
Doris
Lee, I feel led to post my Sunday scripture and usually comment and a Wednesday inspiration which may or may not include scripture. I do both with God in mind.
ReplyDeleteIf God only used experts on his behalf, he would be very limited. You may be reaching people that will never comment, but read your column every Sunday. I'm just saying....
Have a great Sunday.
Teresa
Part 1 Of 2:
ReplyDeleteLEE ~
In my opinion (which admittedly rarely coincides with the prevailing opinion), I think that you ought to continue with your Bible posts if those are the ones you get the most satisfaction out of. Perhaps "the Voice" you're supposed to be listening to and acknowledging is the one that says "this feels good" after you've posted something related to Scripture.
At the same time, you are correct that many others are already blogging about the meanings of Bible verses, and so yours was yet another voice in the crowd. Was another voice that's saying essentially the same things really needed? You seem to think not, and I tend to agree with you.
But just for the heck of it, and for what it's worth (which might well be very little), let me share this with you...
Years ago when I was writing product reviews for Amazon.com, I had a personal policy that went like this:
I will not compose a review unless I have something truly unique to say that has been thus far overlooked, or unless I have a truly unique or creative way of restating what has been previously pointed out.
I was always amazed at how many reviewers would submit reviews for a product when there were already plenty of reviews for that same product that were already saying essentially the same thing. I wasn't going to participate unless I felt I really had something new or something uniquely wrapped to contribute.
As you must know by now, one of my all-time favorite books, and one that I think is also one of the most important, is "THE CREATURE FROM JEKYLL ISLAND". For a couple of years I had wanted to write an Amazon review for it, but there were already a couple dozen posted that said essentially the same thing I would have said. So I refrained and held out, sticking to my guns that anything I post must be new information or at least include a new spin on an old idea.
Then one day a couple years later, out of the blue, my mind hit on the idea of playing up the "monster" imagery in the title. I thought of The Creature From The Black Lagoon, and so I wrote a review for the book, wrapping it in references to famous Hollywood monsters. The review proved to be one of my very best and one of my most influential with Amazon shoppers.
Continued...
Part 2 Of 2:
ReplyDeleteSo what I'm saying to you is, if you don't have anything truly unique or revolutionary to say about the meaning of Biblical verses, why don't you just start fishing for some very original way of saying the same thing - something singularly creative that might get people thinking about what God has to say to us through His Book?
Ever heard of "The Andy Griffith Show Bible Study Program"? Now there's a great idea someone came up with - and I'm still envious of him!
What if you explained the meaning of Bible verses through some sort of succinct Aesop's Fables-like scenarios involving animals, etc. Or maybe better yet, why don't you write short stories (like you did with "Nothing") that are actually Bible based? They could be self-contained, single blog bit pieces, or even a kind of serialized story which encapsulates a Biblical principle in each installment. I'm just tossing out ideas off the top of my head here, but maybe give this some thought (and pray on it?)
I have a manuscript for a children's book based on the story of The Prodigal Son. Although it hasn't been published, I still think it's one of the best things I've ever written and I still think (modesty aside) it's pretty darn good and the world's loss that it hasn't been published.
Anyway, in a nutshell, I still believe that you need to listen to your own feelings about the Bible posts. If you're really sorry to see yourself discontinuing your Sunday blog bits, then I think you're making a mistake in discontinuing them. With God's help, why don't you just "go fishing" for a new way of presenting or packaging them - a way that might even reach individuals not already in "the choir"?
~ D-FensDogg
'Loyal American Undergound'
Sometimes there are more important things to do than post. It's not clear why you are leaving behind your Sunday posts, but I don't think your plans for the future will suffer as a result. Good for you for following your heart.
ReplyDeleteYou could always start a blog with several others and continue with the Bible studies.
ReplyDeleteI agree, you should continue on this path. My fav minister, never preached. His sermons were one verse from the bible that reflected something that had happened to him or someone he knew. They were interesting stories of how he wove God's word in with the daily facets of life. I still smile, when I think of his words. I was 12 at the time. Haven't met anyone like him, since... Listen to the whispers of your heart!
ReplyDeleteI've missed about 2 weeks worth of posts from everyone. I'm going to have to find time to go back and read your Sunday posts.
ReplyDeleteMe, I sabotage myself with my writing. I find all sorts of other things to do. And I'm miserable. Fear. It's a humdinger!
I hope you continue to realize your dreams and I admire your faith in God to lead you in the right path.
Lee-
ReplyDeleteI would think you'd want to continue with the posts that gave you the most satisfaction.
I found these very interesting (although I must admit to feeling too much time was spent on Jonah) and often inspirational. I felt these posts had some of your meatiest content.
But how often do we set out a plan and things fall into place very differently anyway?
Larry
Lee-
ReplyDeleteOne more thing-
>Ever heard of "The Andy Griffith Show Bible >Study Program"?
I think we may need to get Stephen T. some professional help...
LC
Thanks to all for the encouragement and suggestions.
ReplyDeleteJust a word to provide some background about the Sunday posts. I started doing the Sunday posts as a Bible Study when I started teaching a Bible study at church. I used my blog primarily as notes for my lessons.
When I stopped my church study earlier in the year I decidec to get detailed on the Jonah study because the novel I have been working on uses the Jonah story as a theme. This study was primarily for this purpose.
Since the study was mostly done for personal reasons, it was personally rewarding, not to mention the fact that Bible study is always rewarding.
I may decide to go back to doing the Bible study again some day, but for now I felt I needed a blog break.
And, Larry, as far as Stephen and the Andy Griffith Show Bible study, at least it wasn't The Twilight Zone or Twin Peaks Bible study -- that's when we would really need to be concerned about Stephen.
"at least it wasn't The Twilight Zone or Twin Peaks Bible study"
ReplyDeleteWouldn't that just be Scientology?
Oops-now Tom Cruise and John Travolta are gonna want to kick my butt!
LC