Hello!

I feel terrible. I forgot to tell you all (didn’t I?) about the 30-day Bible Challenge that started November 1. I do morning devotions and Bible study every single morning, but checked this off my to-do list anyway, I guess to have more opportunities to share the word with others.

Since it’s already my ritual, I didn’t think to say anything here because most of you who follow me already read the Bible, though I don’t know your daily rituals. So just in case this is something new for you, I want you to know that you can jump in any time!

Just get the YouVersion app and every morning you will get a prompt to read the daily verse, an explanation of the verse by someone participating, time to have a few moments with GOD, and then a short video from The Bible Project. After that, you can choose to go on with your own morning studies, or start one!

This morning, for instance, here is today’s verse:

Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you also are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

That is what I’m doing here, I’m trying to encourage you to read the Word and be lifted up. You can even share your prayers with others, share YouVersion, and study together -if you can’t physically be together.

In my personal study, I am reading 2Samuel and learning all about King David. He was the greatest, the G.O.A.T. of kings. YET HE MADE MISTAKES. Just as we all do and God forgave him, just like he does all of us, if we ask for forgiveness.

Right now I’m concentrating lots of my prayers on my friend Stephanie and her family, and caregivers. Her dad just got his schedule for chemo/radiation. She is looking for extra help in the evenings and weekends as well as trying to come up with a long-term plan. She needs help 24/7 and now her dad has his situation and he will also need help. Pray with me that they find all the help they need and that Lynn gets through his treatment with flying colors. 🙏🙏

Thanks in advance.

Let me know if Bible study is a daily ritual or if you are already doing the challenge. Consider it if not. I feel that being in God’s word every day is the root of everything good. Saying prayers daily is good, and so is practicing gratitude.

I am grateful for so many things, I wouldn’t know where to start, but one thing is for sure. I can move and moving is the secret to surviving until I get my back fixed. I’ve been doing my workouts again and honestly, my knees have been hurting worse than my back. We will worry about them later.

Seems that my focus has mainly been on getting enough steps every day. If I don’t keep moving around, it will be bad news for me. So, I haven’t painted or much else this week. It’s been chilly, but we’ve been walking inside and out. (well, I walk inside 😆)

One last thing before I go. I was listening to a podcast for writers on Reedsy about how to get unstuck when writing a novel (or any long story) and I heard him say a phrase that stopped me in my tracks. He didn’t mean anything by it, it’s just that it made me think right off the riff, “This guy might not be a Christian” but many people aren’t, that’s really not the issue.

He had been talking about taking care of yourself while writing; drink water, sleep, meditate, do yoga if that’s your thing, pray -if you’re a faith person-wait, what?? If you’re a faith person? What’s a faith person? Does he mean Christian? Does he mean someone who goes to church? Was he scared to say the word “religious “ I mean, what?? It just hit me wrong and I had to say something to you about it. To me, it was almost as bad as denial. Ok, beating a dead horse here, move on.