— Prioritizing Scripture (When You Don't Want To) —
Dear friend,
Over the ten years Josh and I have been married, there's been some sort of trial in some sort of way. Isn't that the way it is? When we were engaged, he was hunting for an engineering job in a saturated college town.
When we were married a year, I was deciding whether to stay at my position or quit a job I loved to stay home with our baby. We moved to a new state when I was 37 weeks pregnant: no apartment, no hospital, and me with no job (I did in fact quit).
Then we found out I had an autoimmune disease that would change my life for the next six years.
Josh lost his job when I was pregnant with Eva (the day after we signed on our first mortgage).
I broke my leg in a soccer game when I had a toddler and an infant, and laid on the couch an entire summer while Josh was on call and working long hours.
We bought Willows Bend while I was still in a wheelchair, I hosted the first Verity Conference when barely off crutches and our friends moved us into the farm while I was there.
In 2020, while I was pregnant with Ivan, Josh left his job as an operations manager to come work with/for me at our fledgling ministry. We barely made enough to live on – it was a massive step of faith.
And of course, you know the story of the years since then. In trials like these I learned I could not survive in step with the Spirit if I was not regularly, deeply, exposed to the Word of God and prayer. Trials make you feel like your head is barely above water; you're treading and splashing and coming up for air between the waves. But the air you need is in those pages, and they must be prioritized. But how?
It's simple. But it's not easy. It will not come naturally and we should not expect it to; discipline never comes naturally to anyone. Rigidity might, but not discipline. True, biblical discipline is the commitment to show up to the love of God consistently because of relationship, not duty. And that's very different than rigid, legalistic checklists.
In the depths of chronic illness, when lying on a sofa with a propped up broken leg, begging God to provide for us when Josh was applying for jobs, or processing the grief of double miscarriages, I quickly learned the wisdom I needed was in the Word of God. I was certainly free to numb the pain with media: phones, TV, the latest show, or Instagram. But doing so never strengthened me. The hours spent in Scripture and talking to God never, ever returned void. I could not have anticipated what would happen in the years ahead. But God could. And He provided all of Himself – His experience, His wisdom, His affection and presence – through a physical gift of Scripture, accessible to me if I will unwrap it.
Yes, there were days I was tired. Yes, there were (and are) days I miss, but never too many in a row. Because when I know my heart relies on the strength found here, in the words of life, I cannot stay away. You will ever know the depths of that strength if you don't show up to the Word and see the difference it makes over time.
If you are waiting for the trials to end to start seeking God, friend, that day may never come. It has not come for me. And I think that's just part of living in a broken world. But I am able to see the goodness of God with clarity because I know how the story ends; I've read it a dozen times. I've stood on it, soaked in it, clung to it. I've recited it, memorized it, dug into it. The Scriptures we consume in “easy” seasons come back to us in the hard, and in those trials we see them in new light. In seasons of darkness, I hold up the lamp for my feet and the light to my path: the very Words of God, lighting the way forward.
It doesn't have to be complicated. But I encourage you to be consistent. At the end of the day Bible reading plans, checklists and journals, pens and highlighters - they will all pass away. Is the Bible enough for you, just as it is?
Pick a time. Pick a place. Then show up by faith. Faith isn't just for salvation; we walk by faith every day. Have faith that God meets you in Scripture and His Spirit is at work through the words. Then show up consistently, not looking for a quick takeaway or application, but looking for the face of God.
My Book Recs for Discipling Toddlers
My friend Lisa recently asked me for a list of books for discipling toddlers, so I thought I'd share that list here! These are on rotation in our home weekly.
This is a board book collection with books about emotions, colors, numbers, letters and more! Each book uses biblical themes to teach simple concepts for young minds. These make a great baby shower gift. I recommend the full series plus their larger book on the ABCs.
This is a BIG series (you can grab the entire set for $150). The illustrations are whimsical and the message is biblical! These are picture books, not board books, which means they can be read beyond the toddler ages. The entire series is great, but I love Any Time, Any Place, Any Prayer, God's Very Good Idea, and The Garden, the Curtain and the Cross best.
This bible is in two-parts with a beautiful gold and linen cover and stunning illustrations. Also usable beyond toddler ages, but engaging for the younger years too. I like that it follows the entire story of Scripture and has questions at the end of each chapter. (We have read aloud almost every storybook Bible on the market, so it says a lot that we liked this one!)
Faithful Kids is my own imprint for children's books within Verity Press, the publishing arm of Every Woman a Theologian. We offer nine children's books on topics like evangelism, God's love, prayer, identity, grief,the covenants, and family. Our most popular book of all is the Kids Theology Handbook, which answers questions kids ask about God in short, accessible chapters.
Another board book bundle, this series answers questions like “does God sleep?” and “does God go on vacation?” There are three in the series. Great for bedtime reading!
I'm continuing in my goal of reading 30 classics this year. Though I got a little hung up in spring wading through Anna Karenina, I started again with Frankenstein (which I've never read!), Mansfield Park (a re-read for me), and Walden by Thoreau. For devotional time, I read our passage from Bible in a Year Club followed by A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23.
The kids and I worked hard on Saturday mulching flower beds, weeding the garden, and picking up the yard. They impressed me with their hard work and the garden looks much better! We are battling rose chafers on the beans, but otherwise our little plants have taken off – even with their late start! (We buy our plants from Bear Creek Organic Farm).
Our Fourth of July traditions: For the last 15-20 years my family has gathered at the waterfront of Lake Michigan to watch fireworks. We walk up to the downtown for the local parade and afterward Josh and I read by the water, play corn hole, and watch the kids play. This time I bought a book from McLean and Eakin, our local bookstore, and grabbed an iced americano from Roast and Toast, one of our favorite coffee shops.
I am a month into Love Paced Race, the endurance walking program I've been doing since early June! It's not too late to join. The discipline of this program has been fantastic, but it's also simple enough to work for our hard season.
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