3 Gifts Read

534. Last week I blogged about some books I read as a young girl. You can read that blog H.E.R.E.  When I wrote the blog, I pulled out the books I was going to write about to take their pictures. As I was looking through this one:

to find the name of the main character - I got "involved" in the story and wound up reading the book again. Not only was it a gift to get reacquainted with the characters, it also brought back many memories.

535. We are reading and studying "The Story" in our Life Group. This whole study has been a blessing for me. 

536. I enjoy reading the blogs. I have several favorites and read them each time they write a new post. Some of my favorite are:

Bob Russell

A Holy Experience by Ann Voskamp

Mennonite Girls Can Cook

Prairie Songs by Debra Blakley  

Debra is a Book Club friend from Oklahoma and I love keeping up with her on her blog - and the added benefit is that she is a terrific writer.

I have become a member of Kansas Women Bloggers and of Faithful Bloggers. 
In joining these sites I have found some new friends! I have found some more great blogs. 

Delta Moxie

Girl Returns Home

Scissortail SILK

vomitingchicken.com

I continue to watch for great blogs and these writers are an encouragement to me. I really count each of them a gift!

3 Gifts Read

I've listed my Bible so many times that I'm going to go a different direction today!

199. As a young adult, I spent most of my extra reading time reading about Missionaries. Nate Saint, Jim Elliot, John and Betty Stam, Gladys Alyward, Amy Carmichael - just to name a few. These books were true gifts in my life and they helped shaped my attitude towards spirituality, prayer, missions, simplicity and so much more.

200. From childhood, reading has been the most important past time in my life. I can't name a favorite book - too many to list! I have several favorite authors - but again, too many to list in this #joydare. So I'm going to put my own twist on this gift today and say that the gift of reading has molded my life and I can not imagine not having this ability. God has not only blessed me tremendously with being able to read, He has gifted so many many people to be able to write.

201. My oldest devotional book is "My Utmost For His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. I have read it over and over throughout the years. I write in my Bible and one of the things I have written is from May 6th of this devotional.

"A Spiritually minded man will never come to you with the demand - 'Believe this and that'; but with the demand that you square your life with the standards of Jesus. We are not asked to believe the Bible, but to believe the One whom the Bible reveals.... Always keep your life measured by the standards of Jesus... Jesus said, 'Go and make disciples,' not 'go and make converts to your opinions.'"

This is just one small example of the wisdom in "My Utmost For His Highest."