The Obedience Factor!!

So have you read 1 Kings 17: 1-6? If not, grab the Bible off the shelf and open it with me. Can I just interject right here? (yep just bear with me :), but the Bible is the best book ever written. I know I know you hear that all the time, you see all the "my fav's" on different sites all the time and you'll see its the fav of a lot of people. But what about you? If you don't know take a little time this summer and get to know it. Treat it like an old friend, one that will never leave you, one that always sees you right where you're at, and one that loves at all times. Now your probably thinking that sounds a lot like Jesus, well your right, because when you hold that book in your hands you are truly holding the story of life; True life; Abundant life; Everlasting life sacrificed for you and me. It truly is the greatest story ever told!! God desires to know us and for us to know Him and through the Bible we can know the intricacies of life and the simple; the grand and the common; life and death; it is all in there. So pull up a chair, grab that beautiful Bible and let's begin a great journey through the pages of Holy writ!!

In I Kings 17 we find Elijah and the beginning of a fascinating life; at least in the sense of where it starts in the Bible. This is not the birth story of Elijah, no we are not told the situation surrounding that or his growing up years or even his years before Ahab stepped into the picture, but of this you can be sure, God had His eye on this one. Yep Elijah was going to be used by God in a mighty way. Now I don't know about you, but this is my hearts cry: "God use me!!"

So when you check out verse 1 Elijah is having a conversation with Ahab. Ahab was a very wicked king. This dude? Yeah not a nice guy. Elijah is informing him that God, The God of Israel, The Only God (the One whom Elijah served faithfully) was going to withhold rain and dew from their land until further notice.

A drought is devastating to the land. Where there is no rain, nothing grows; and when nothing grows, your animals do not eat off the land because it is all dried up, and if the animals don't eat they die and if the animals die there goes your food and if the land is all barren there goes more food and if it doesn't rain the streams and rivers dry up; droughts are devastating and Ahab of course knew this, so as you can imagine this was NOT good news, and it was NOT received well!!

So you can see in verse 2 that God tells Elijah to get out of town (Dawn paraphase :). But He didn't just say leave and go anywhere you want, no God told him exactly where he needed to go and even how He was going to provide for Elijah.

So look in verse 5 ~~ look at the argument that Elijah has with God ~~ go on look close ~~ okay seriously you could look all day and you're not going to find one; Elijah didn't argue; he obeyed. Just like that~~ God said leave the comfortable, go to this ravine. He didn't say go to the Hilton and hang out and dial room service, nope go to the ravine, and the Word tells us in verse 5 "So He did what the LORD had told him. He went to the Kerith Ravine, east of the Jordan, and stayed there." Now how amazing is that?!! God said go and Elijah went ~~ love that!!

So we're actually going to look at verse 6 in our next lesson. I'd like to stop here and just ponder a minute. So what has God told you to do? Which ravine is He asking you to go to? And how obedient are you in going? Let me just say that God has asked something specific of me, and Praise His Name I'm trusting Him and He's working it out. I love that about God ~~ you trust, He works. Now granted this is something I've prayed about for a loooooonnnnnnnnnnnggggggg time, and to see it coming to fruition in my life is amazing, but it is not how I imagined it would be, but having said that WOW it is GREAT!! God is teaching me so much, but I would not be learning these things if I did not have the obedient factor. I'm sure Elijah had his human doubt moments, but he chose to trust God in this. God said go and Elijah did.

So let me encourage you today to be in the Word and in prayer. You cannot possibly know what God is calling you to do in your life if you don't know Him. So if your reading this today and you're not sure where you stand with God; if your not sure if your saved, pray to Him ask Him to help you and find someone in your life that you know loves God and can open the Word with you and show you the way to life. . .don't delay it is the most important decision you will ever make!!

Thanks for reading today, spend sometime alone with God every day. Don't let the busyness of summer get in your way of time with God. Your summer will go much better if you let God lead you to the ravine instead of the Hilton, if that's His plan!! He is God and He is good!!

In Christ alone,
Dawn

Short Week . . . Lots to do!!!

Just wanted to jump on and apologize for not getting a lesson posted yesterday. The short week has left me with a long do-to list. So please bear with me. I will try to post our Elijah study tomorrow and then start afresh and anew next week.

Thank you for your patience,
And have a restful day ~~ don't get to hot out there,
Dawn

Glad to Meet ya Elijah!!!

In this post we're going to meet Elijah. We'll find out a little bit about him by way of intro and then we'll be off and running on our summer study session for CYC. SSS for CYC if you will ~~ hey I think I like that ~~ Okay anyway.



So a little background on Elijah. He was a prophet in the northern kingdom during the reigns of Ahab and his son Ahaziah. His name means "The LORD is my God", representing the unshakable conviction of the life Elijah led. Elijah's life was centered on God and the conflict between the worship of the Lord and the worship of Baal. Elijah's mission was to help the Israelites find their way back to the God of Israel. Elijah sought to reestablish the covenant.



We're going to find in this study some very practical ways to serve and honor God with our lives. Elijah stood, but it certainly wasn't always easy. He faced many obstacles and opposition, but he was faithful.

I'm really looking forward to our summer together. I plan on posting 3 times a week, Monday (this is Monday's post for this week although it's Tuesday when I'm posting and Sunday when I started this post, hence the tag:), Wednesday and Fridays.

So for tomorrow we'll be looking at I Kings 17:1-6 where we'll look at the service of Elijah and the provision of God. So until then. . .

Have a GREAT Tuesday!!
In Christ alone,

Dawn

Introducing Our Summer Study!!

Well, hello all!! I am so excited to announce that our summer study will start on Monday. What a great avenue God has given us through this blog.

I've been considering what we might study and one thing keeps coming up in my heart: the life of Elijah. Even this morning as I'm getting ready to study, God is impressing this upon my heart. There are so many lessons we can learn from the dedication and devotion Elijah exemplified in his life. So open up your Bibles with me this summer; it's going to be a great study and time to walk ever-increasingly towards God.

Hope your summer is going great so far. Thank you for letting CYC be a part of it!!

In Christ Alone,
Dawn

Let the Summer Begin. . .

Well, it's official school for this year is done ~~ Congrats!! Thank you to everyone who came over for the end-of-school party!! We had so much fun hanging out and sharing a meal with you.

As summer begins let's think about some things:


1. What will I do over the summer that will help me get closer to God? My Answer: Read my Bible and pray daily. Spend time every day waiting on God and meditating on scripture.


2. How can I strengthen my relationship with my family? Spend time with them; quality time. Listening and sharing. Thank them for their help.


3. How can I be a better friend? Listen to them and be willing to tell them the hard things if necessary, but remember all things need to be done with love.

Okay, this is not by any means an exhaustive list, so be creative. Think of some things you can do to get closer to God this summer, and closer to your family and friends and think beyond the normal box.

Thanks for reading the blog and being a part of CYC.

Check back often as this will be our outlet for CYC this summer.

In Christ Alone,

Dawn

Congrats . . . Dear Seniors!!!

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

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Okay I know I know, I haven't posted in a while. Been busy with uh. . .uh. . . okay I'm thinkin' here. . . uh. . . stuff!! You know mom's day, company, gardening, studying, parties ~~ did I mention parties?!! Yep Ashley's to be exact. We (Dakota and I) went to her grad party on Saturday, and what fun that was!! She had a ton (okay a lot) of people there; probably like 50 or something, all just wanting to honor and love on her. Because Ashley my girl, seriously YOU ROCK!! and Congrats!!!

Now to our other Senior Brian ~~ YOU ROCK TOO!! It has been so nice getting to know you this year. I look forward to see God work in your life.

We are soooooooooooooooooooo proud of our senior's and their accomplishments. God has so much in store for your lives. Stay close to Him; He will direct, lead, and love you through all of lives moments ~~ big and small ~~ Hold on for the ride of your life!! You will be thrown lots of curve balls, and you may fumble (like my football terminology), but God is faithful. He will help you; just call on Him ~~ He's always, always, always there for you!! He loves you!!

So here are a couple of pics from Saturday. Ashley you are a beautiful girl!!

Thanks for letting me post these pics!!

Ray and Ashley ~~ Too cute ~~ Seriously Too Cute you two!!

So are you ready for Friday? Yep of course it is the last day of school for this year, but it's also our CYC party!! So plan on coming right after you get out of school.

It's going to be fun, Fun, FUN!!

God bless and love you all,

Dawn

And remember:

Jeremiah 29:11
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Seniors and Finals . . .

Here are just some thoughts as you prepare for finals next week.

For some of you this will be the last finals you take in High School. You will find there are many finals in life. They are a closing of sorts - the closing of that semester or year of school - or for seniors they mark a closing on a big chapter of your life.

And in life you will find it is the same. You do not stay in one chapter in your life - that is not the way God designed it. In order for there to be growth in your life, there must be change; and only God brings about the lasting change that we so desperately need in our lives.

So as the seasons of your life come and go, and you take another final to close that chapter remember, the next season is at hand ready to get started, ready for exploration, ready for you. Let God lead you in all you do through every season and every final.

Jesus said in Matt 28:20 "And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age."

I love you all so much!! And can't wait to see you in CYC on Friday.

In Christ Alone,
Dawn

National Day of Prayer!!

Good Morning All!! Today is the 57th annual National Day of Prayer. A day when we gather as a nation in unity to pray: pray for our nation, our leaders and the salvation of the lost around the world.

The scripture this year is:
Psalm 28:7 "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy, and I will give thanks to Him in song."

God is our strength and shield. He is our ever-present help in time of need. I don't know what you're facing today, but our great and mighty God knows. He is your help; your strength; your shield. Let His unfailing love wrap you into Him today.

In Christ Alone,

Dawn