Small group always helps me focus.  We finished the last week of our Hosea study last night, and this verse caught my attention:

 

 

“For I am God, and not man – the Holy One among you.”  (Hos 11:9b)

 

 

The Holy One among you.

 

 

While we are no longer objects of wrath because of His rescue (Eph 2), He does “bring His holiness and that changes things.” (Chains Falling, pg. 96)

 

 

Next week, after a long weekend break, my youngest starts preschool.  It feels like vacation is officially over and routine will be in full force.  I want to really hone in on the things He’s asked me to do:

 

1.  Invest deeply in family, including praying for my husband in a new, intentional way. 

 

2.  Stay deep in the lives of others He’s put in my path.  He is being so faithful in this area.  I really believe in our church’s philosophy of ministry: More time spent with fewer people = greater lasting impact for the Kingdom.

 

3. Continue to invest in my fitness job.  Writing is becoming a higher priority as the years go on, but if I just hole up somewhere and write I will shrivel up and die!  Fitness gets me out among others and in the path of people I may not otherwise meet. 

 

4.  Keep obeying each next step with the outreach.  His heart for the women we seek to serve is obvious by how faithful He’s been.

 

5.  Writing.  This blog is one medium for that.  I have committed that He is my audience but wanted you to know the areas I’m feeling pulled toward:

 

– Our group is going through Hosea again, this time teaching each other.  So I want to pass on what I learn in studying Chapter One in-depth.

 

– I’ve been reading the mind-blowing book Inside Out and want to share some lessons from it.  While I read often, I read very slowly.  So I’m still not completely done with this one. 

 

– Simplicity.  The last section of writing I did about this on the blog felt very “out there” as far as how having single eyes gets us among those who need Him.  The next section is slow in coming but it feels more along the lines of the Inside Out lessons: The “Stress” section of 7.  The Media Fast lessons.  More of the internal nature of simplicity.  Being and Doing coming together in our lives.

 

So I want to type out some of these lessons…you know, for otherpeople.  Just kidding, the only reason I would teach would be because I need to learn!

 

And that’s what I have at this point.  There will probably be random kid-isms and sweet stories about how my students knock my socks off.  And I do really plan on working near and interviewing my iPad friends.

Just know that since I have other balls in the air, this much will take us quite a while.  But I wanted to write it out while it’s fresh in my head.  Plus I do better at committing to things when they’re written in ink. 

Or typed in…internet.