Holding Fast and Pressing On through Memorials

     Yesterday was Memorial Day.  We have not always attended Memorial Day events but this year we took our children to a ceremony at the Ridgecrest Cemetery.  We were remembering our Veterans from past wars and their sacrifice for our country.  It was a good time to remember that our freedom was purchased by the hard work and determination and sense of duty of many great men and women.  Some of them giving their lives in the pursuit of freedom.  The military is our life so we are much more aware than most the sacrifices involved and want to teach our children to be grateful for the freedom they have.  

     I love how God works.  We were just discussing Memorials in the Bible Study I am teaching.  We are studying Joshua and how God wanted Joshua to build a memorial after the people crossed the Jordan River.  He wanted them to remember the mighty hand of God and most importantly that they tell their children.  As I have studied Memorials, I can see that God finds it very important that we remember.  Memorial is used in the Bible 32 times and remember 148 times in the KJV.  God instructs His people to remember what He has done for them. 
     I believe remembering God's hand in my life is very important.  There are many things people use as memorials, objects, ceremonies, journals; I chose to use pictures.  I am a scrap-booker and I come from a line of scrap-bookers.  My mom and grandmother have albums from years ago that document the journey of our family.  I have taken that form of remembering one step further and I have created scrap-books for each of my children telling them of what God has done in their lives.  I have created one using the names of God.  I collected pictures and scripture that reminded me of each aspect of God's character and I created a book I can go back to when I am discouraged.  One of the ways we overcome discouragement is by remembering the good things God has done in our lives. 

     I hope today you do something to create a memorial that reminds you of the mighty hand of God in your life and that you share it with your children.
Holding Fast and Pressing On,
Teresa Draves

Holding Fast and Pressing On in God's Word

     I am very excited to be starting the study of Joshua, Precept Upon Precept.  I have been studying using the Inductive Study Method for 12 years now and I love it.  I first began this method of study because I wanted to understand what God said in the Bible in the original language,and not just accept people's interpretation.  It is easy to take scripture and turn it into a confirmation for our own will instead of having it be a guide to God's will. 
     I am studying Joshua with some faithful women of God and I am going through it at home with my 13 year old son.  This will be part of his history curriculum for homeschooling.  He is loving understanding the history of the Jewish people. We are also learning many things that can apply to day to day living.

     I believe the Bible provides us with the answers we need to succeed in life.  Studying it in the original language is an important endeavor. I would encourage everyone to do an indepth study of God's Word and see what He has to say to you personally.

     I will be starting a new blog tab labeled Joshua where you can go to read the insights God is revealing to me through the study of the book that has much to say about leadership and obedience.