Sharing the upcoming- starting Feb. 4th- online Bible Study of Ephesians by Pastor Dr. Ralph F. Wilson.

I love his studies as he speaks my language- you'll find him extremely knowledgeable yet easy to understand.

Following each study are footnotes, which you can use to go even deeper into the study. I have emailed him with questions and he always responds within the week.

I have completed studies for Advent, Lent, several portions on Psalms, and many other books of the OT & NT. I've never been disappointed & always gained new insight. I highly recommend learning from him. Let me know if you'll join us!

All the studies are free- even his older material from before he retired. He encourages young pastors to use any of his work to build on for their sermons and Bible study nights.

I used to copy & print all his studies, but the ink is getting too expensive. So I do purchase his study booklets when available.

Here's the email address:
Ephesians Online Bible Study www.jesuswalk.com/ephesians/

Guest writer: Jean Wise

Frederick Buechner wrote, “We have God’s joy in our blood.”   And I would add in our DNA.

The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves.  He will take great delight in you; in his love, he will no longer rebuke you but will rejoice over you with singing.  Zephaniah    3: 17

My practice of joy takes these intentional steps: Seeing. Saying. Savoring

Seeing – paying attention to all the moments of joy in each day. 👀

Saying – expressing gratitude for joys. 💋

Savoring – pausing and beholding those moments. 💖

The fullness of joy is to behold God in everything.  - Julian of Norwich

Each day I watch for joy, recognize its gift, and allow it to seep into my soul. Thank you, Lord, for joy.

One place I find joy is in poetry. 

Mindful

Every day I see or hear something that 

more or less kills me with delight,

that leaves me like a needle in the haystack of light.

It was what I was born for –
to look, to listen,

to lose myself
inside this soft world –
to instruct myself
over and over in joy, and acclamation.

Nor am I talking
about the exceptional,

the fearful, the dreadful,
the very extravagant –
but of the ordinary,
the common, the very drab, the daily presentations.

Oh, good scholar,
I say to myself,
how can you help but grow wise
with such teachings as these –
the untrimmable light of the world,
the ocean’s shine,
the prayers that are made out of grass?

by Mary Oliver

* * *

And I would add that practicing joy yields gratitude.

Selah - think on this,

Connie

(https://healthyspirituality.org/the-spiritual-practice-of-joy/)

Others say it better...

I begin each year with a new calendar, a spiral notebook and journals.

A spiral notebook sits on my desk as a catch-all for things to save: dates, appts., messages, quotes, ideas, prayers,  reminders, etc. Once they're filed in an appropriate place they are disposed of.

 My colorful journals vary, in number, type, size, etc. and I like to start at least one new one each year. Besides helping me stay organized, their value is great as I review the past year's copies as a way of evaluating the year gone by and setting new goals.

There are also 3 ongoing binders I use: a Writer's Journal, a Reader's Journal, and a Knitting Journal.

I prefer journals that will lay open for easy access and has college-ruled lines so my writing stays straight.

All the books I purchase are recorded in my Reader's Journal prior to being shelved. All call-outs for submission are written in the Writers Journal including the due date calendar.

My favorite journal is for quotations because others can often say it better.