Character Camp

Every word of God is flawless; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. 

- Proverbs 30:5

My family just returned from a whitewater rafting trip on the Arkansas River in Colorado.  My worries about it the night before turned out to be unnecessary.  Partly because the stretch of river we had booked was un-runnable due to high water, and partly because whitewater rafting is just so much fun.  There were some pretty hair-raising rapids, but my daughters were in the front of the boat taking the brunt of the waves (and water in the face).  Between rapids, on calmer sections of the river, they’d play a game called Would You Rather.

They’d ask each other a questions like, “would you rather have a photographic memory or speak every language in the world?”  “Would you rather be able to change the past or know the future?” Or my favorite, “would you rather eat a tarantula or have one crawl over you while sleeping?” (Chew on that one for a bit.) 

Here’s one I’ll ask you all: Would you rather remain where you are in your faith but be comfortable, or endure hardships in exchange for greater wisdom and understanding?

We’ve spent the month of June in pursuit of God’s wisdom and truths by walking through the Book of Proverbs.  If you ask me, it’s felt a lot like attending a “Character Camp” all month.  We’ve come a long way.  Here a few pieces of wisdom we’ve pulled from Proverbs.  

• Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.
• God’s knowledge is pleasant to your soul.
• Our ways are in full view of God.  He examines our paths.
• Etch God instructions in your heart.  They are precious to your sight.
• Wisdom calls you higher.  Build your life upon it.
• God will correct you along the way. 
• Be kind to the poor.
• Control your tongue.
• Commit all your works to the Lord.
• Love your friends at all times and choose them wisely.
• As our wisdom grows, patience flourishes.
• Let God direct your steps.  His plans are greater than yours.
• Humbly walk with the Lord.  Lean in and listen to His voice because He’s got you. 

Think of life as one long Character Camp, for God cares more about the kind of person you are than your cash flow or career choices.  He desires for you to become more like His son Jesus.  So keep up the good work of faithfully thanking Him every day, and remain in His word.  

Oh, and I’d much rather eat that Tarantula… as long as it’s fried.

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a Part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Get in the Boat

He who trusts in himself is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom is kept safe.

– Proverbs 28:26

Have you ever committed to do something you thought would be wonderful, but when the time came to pack up and go, you wondered what in the world you were thinking?  

In a few hours my family of five will set off to Buena Vista, CO for a whitewater rafting trip. Due to Colorado’s heavy late spring snowfall, the Arkansas River is now flowing fast, furious, and freezing cold.  The rafting trip my husband booked describes itself on the web as: 

“Continuous paddling through mostly uninterrupted whitewater, with highly technical maneuvering around many obstacles and through complex channels.  Excellent physical fitness is required.” 

It’s a trip for the brave and fit.  Our guide is going to take one look at me and know I’m neither.  

I was making a mental list of excuses for staying out of the boat and just taking pictures from the shore when my youngest daughter, seeming to read my mind, reminded me how I’d faced my fear of heights in Costa Rica by plunging off the side of a mountain and zip-lining through the jungle. (I screamed all the way.)  She’s right.  It’s time again to step way out of my comfort zone and trust God to protect us as we twist and turn our way through outrageous whitewater rapids. 

What adventurous dreams fill your heart with fear when you picture yourself stepping out of your comfort zone to go after them?  If we’re going to fulfill God’s plans for our lives, we’ll have to wrestle with and conquer fear.  The enemy knows that fear has the power to stop us in our tracks.

God does not promise to take away our fears, but He does promise to remain beside us as we walk (or paddle) through them.  Tomorrow on the river, I will no doubt remind myself of that.

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. – Psalm 46:1-3

Whatever fears you face this summer, remind yourselves of the truths in this Psalm.  Hold tight to God because He is your ever-present strength.  Trust Him, and step out of your comfort zone into any “boat” or plan He has for you.

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a Part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Gossip Girl

Without wood, a fire goes out; without gossip, conflict dies down. – Proverbs 26:20 (HCSB)

When my kids were young, a group of mothers decided to meet up for a “mom’s night out” twice a month.  In the beginning, I enjoyed the adult conversations and meals without sippy cups and cheddar goldfish.  But after a few months, I began to dread going.  Not really sure why, I asked a friend what she thought.  Bluntly she answered, “I can’t stand it anymore. All we do now is gossip.”  She was right.  What had once been an uplifting break from young motherhood had devolved into nights of drama and conflict.

These were wonderful women.  Great mothers and faithful wives.  Somehow, we had let our guard down and allowed negative thinking to take over the conversations.  It happens all too easily.  Think about the last time someone brought up the messes in another person’s life, like an unfaithful husband, or an out of control child.  How quickly did the conversation turn to critical analysis of what they were doing wrong and or how they could fix it?

• “I know it’s not my place to judge, but…”
• “I just can’t understand how she puts up with that…”
• “It’s a simple fix, really.  She should just…”

It’s hard to resist not chiming in, because we have strong opinions and well-intentioned advice.  But ask yourself, would you be speaking that way if that person was sitting across the table from you?

God tells us in Proverbs 26 that without gossip, a conflict fades and dies down.  Wouldn’t you rather surround yourself with people who lift your spirit, encourage your faith, and spur you on to live your best life possible?  

That is my prayer for you.  Be encouraged to squelch any desire you may have to gossip.  Stand strong in your faith and be wise knowing your words have the power to uplift or tear down.  And give thanks to God because your past gossip is forgiven and He can put out any fire of conflict that is smoldering in your life.

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

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Fleeting or Forever

Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich…Riches disappear in the blink of an eye; wealth sprouts wings and flies off into the wild blue yonder. – Proverbs 23:4-5 (MSG)

Many years ago, my husband and I got to vacation together (without the kids) in Vail, Colorado.  Dan’s business partner had given us the keys to his multimillion dollar house for two days as a gift.  We were awed by the luxury of it all.  A state of the art kitchen, four poster feather beds, enormous marble bathrooms, and a wraparound deck overlooking the infinity pool and the beautiful Rocky Mountains.  

I remember at one point hearing a line from a Toby Mac song streaming from the house’s surround sound speakers: “I don’t want to gain the whole world and lose my soul.”  I quickly tuned the words out, though, as I dreamed of one day being rich enough to buy a place like this. Yes, this is how I wanted to live… and I told my husband so. 

Within a few months, like millions of other American families in 2008, our financial world was rocked.  My husband lost a job that had provided half our income, and a house in Vail seemed a million miles away. I kept hearing Toby Mac on the radio… “I don’t want to gain the whole world and lose my soul.”  

After a little searching, I found that he got this verse from Mark 8:36. In it, Jesus was teaching that if we spend our time and energy running after possessions, power and prestige, we’ll ultimately fall short of what our souls truly long for.  God wants us to seek Him first and run to Him for all we need.  He has plans for our lives that are much richer and more rewarding than amassing worldly wealth.

When I began to seek God to guide us out of our financial crisis, He opened my eyes to the free gifts He’d already given my family.  Our salvation was free.  His love was free.  And all the good gifts I enjoyed every day were from His generous hands (James 1:17).

Proverbs 23 warns us that riches disappear and wealth flies away.  But God’s presence is always available.  He promises to be found when we seek Him (Jer. 29:13).  He also promises to be our sure foundation, a rich store of salvation, our treasure (Isaiah 33:6).

Instead of pursuing worldly wealth, satisfy your soul by pursuing the One who is forever, and never disappears during tough times.  When you seek God first and thank Him for all your good gifts, He is storing up eternal treasures in heaven for you (Matt. 6:20). 

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a Part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Tug of War

There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD.

 – Proverbs 21:30

Do you ever play tug of war with God?  You loosen your grip on an area of your life, but then quickly grab it back from Him.  Because who knows what needs to be done better than you do?

I play this game with God all the time. I trust that He’ll keep my three teenagers safe, but track them on their phones day and night.  Every week, I lose hours of sleep playing tug of war with God.

I used to think that it was a lack of trust that kept me tugging.  But recently, I’ve come to think that it may instead be a lack of understanding.  

By this, I mean that although I may often thank God for his “limitless power,” I don’t fully understand it, so I sometimes have trouble fully relying on it.

What keeps us from understanding God’s power?  Could it be that:

• It’s easier to let our complicated circumstances obstruct our view of God’s invisible power at work in the background?

• We equate God’s unlimited power with our own very limited “manpower,” selling short His ability to take control?

God gave John a glimpse into heaven so he could reveal His power to us in the Book of Revelation:

Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty.  Just and true are your ways, King of the ages.  Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy.  All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed. – Revelation 15:3-4

These passages highlight that God is…

great, marvelous, almighty, 

just, true, righteous, 

king forever, alone holy, 

worthy to be praised by all nations.

God’s power has no end.  It is infinite, everlasting, and more than capable of caring for all His children.  So let’s drop the tug of war rope.  God’s got this.

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a Part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Patience in Time

Wisdom gives patience. – Proverbs 19:12

Here’s a tough question: are you a patient person?  Most of us would answer “yes.”  But think back to the last time you were stuck in traffic or a slow moving line.  How did you handle it?

I’ve come to realize that my level of patience is directly related to the amount of time I have available.  If I’m in no hurry, I’m content to move along at the speed of the crowd.  If I’m running late (as my husband often accuses me of), then my time in line is a toe-tapping, watch-checking nightmare that ends up feeling like it took twice as long as it actually did.  

Andy Stanley’s Breathing Room sermon series takes on the concept of how we prioritize what’s important in our busy lives.  A sign that you’re missing the mark, he says, finding yourself saying things like “I might be 15 minutes late,” and

“I’ll probably have to leave a little early.”

Ouch.  I say those things way too often. Do you?

In Psalm 90:12, Moses asks God to teach him to number his days to gain a heart of wisdom.  Acknowledging that our human lives are brief, he is praying for help in maintaining a more Godly perspective on time. I feel like we should be praying for this too.

Our summer calendars can quickly become overscheduled to the point where in doing so much, we are actually living very little.  What needs to move to the top of your priority list?  What needs to fall off your schedule so that your time is spent on what’s really important? If you could pick only three things to focus on this summer, what would they be?

“Remembering our time is limited gives us the wisdom to know how to spend our limited time.” – Andy Stanley

God is the only one who knows the number of our days, He wants us to use each one of them wisely.  Prioritize after asking for God’s perspective, then enjoy your limited time wisely.

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

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Runaway Thoughts

Commit your ways to the LORD, and your thoughts will be established. – Proverbs 16:3 

Isn’t it amazing how one innocent look or offhand comment can send your thoughts spiraling?

I was pushing my cart through Costco the other day when a middle-aged mom and her two teenage daughters rounded the corner into my aisle and headed my way.  About twenty feet away the mother began waving at me, as if calling me to come closer.  Her daughters frantically tugged at her arms to get her to stop.  A moment later she did.  I could see her face redden as she looked beyond me and hurried past, clearly embarrassed by the case of mistaken identity.

I was embarrassed too, and my mind started reeling:

• What made her think I was someone else?  Do I look fat?  
• I’m definitely out of shape, I better hit the gym.
• I shouldn’t have eaten that big lunch!
• Why were they too embarrassed to stop and explain? Do I look unfriendly?
• And speaking of friends, why haven’t my best friend and I gotten together for so long?  Why are we so busy?  Am I actually that busy, or just a bad friend? Well, I’m too busy to get to the gym, that’s for sure, which is why that lady thought I was her fat friend….

And on and on it went.  

Thankfully, this was a harmless case of mistaken identity and my thoughts were back on track by the time I hit the bakery. But I was a little shaken by how quickly my self-criticism had spiraled out of control.

Aren’t you glad God’s thoughts about us don’t spiral similarly?  God wants us to think of ourselves the same way He does.  That’s why His Word says:

• Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things (Philippians 4:8).

• We take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 15:5).

The next time your critical thoughts start spiraling out of control, hit the brakes and ask yourself, “Would God talk to me this way?” If the answer is no, then turn your thoughts to Him, focusing instead on what is pure, excellent, and praiseworthy. 

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

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Summertime Gifts

Compassion for the poor – what a blessing! – Proverbs 14:21 (MSG)

As a little girl, I remember my mom always buying extra Thanksgiving turkeys.  We’d load them into the family van and deliver them around downtown Indianapolis.   At each apartment building, we’d carry the turkey up to the front door and knock.  As I anxiously waited for a complete stranger to answer, my childish eyes would dart from side to side, and up and down. 

I’d often see missing floorboards, busted up bikes, peeling paint, cracked plastic chairs, and piles of discarded cardboard.  I wondered why we lived so differently.  But then the front door would swing wide open and I’d lock eyes with a thankful mother or father.  Smiles of gratitude, and sometimes even hugs of joy, were shared in celebration of the gift.  I’d walk back to the van with a heart overflowing with joy.

Those acts of compassion and giving to the poor left imprints upon my soul.  I am forever thankful that my mom had the courage to drive into the run-down parts of the city and deliver joy to families we’d never see again.  

I didn’t know it then, but when we act on our compassion for the poor and give with a generous heart, we are the ones blessed beyond measure.  

• Proverbs 14:31 tells us that, whoever is kind to the needy honors God.  

• 1 John 3:17 states that if anyone has material possession and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?  So let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

It’s more common for people to think of giving generously around Thanksgiving.  But in the summer, our lives take on a different pace and the weather calls us to vacation and relax.  God reminds us in Proverbs 14 that the poor are still in need.

What if you spent a moment with God asking Him who you could give to or serve this summer?  God will surely bring someone to mind.  Could you:

• Fill a small cooler in your car with water bottles to pass out to homeless people you see on a street corner in the heat of the day?

• Sign up to volunteer for a non-profit organization to help with the summer lull in staffing?

• Shop for a cause by skipping a dinner out and buying canned goods for a food shelf instead?

Ask God to move your heart for the poor, then step out in faith.  When you sense a nudge to give, give.  When you see someone in need, give.  When you do, you will be honoring God and will be blessed beyond measure with love and joy. 

If you take this giving challenge, write to me and let me know how you were moved and how God met you in your giving.  laura@3oclockwakeup.com

I’d love to hear your stories!

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a Part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Course Correction

Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid. 

- Proverbs 12:1

In the passage above, God sure isn’t beating around the bush. When He calls something “stupid,” we should probably listen up.

I think it’s safe to say that most people are searching for more wisdom in some area of their lives.  In our world, more wisdom leads to greater rewards:  

·      College students who master the curriculum get As. 

·      Business owners who understand the market make more money.

·      Parents of toddlers who figure out the terrible twos get more sleep.

Everywhere we look, we find people searching for more wisdom and understanding.

We care about WHAT we need to do to become wise, but God cares more about WHO will make us wise. WHO, He asks, is your source of wisdom?

God packed Proverbs 12 full of clear paths to wisdom.  Just like a good parent, He gives us choices between wise and foolish living.  He also lets us know how wise choices will be rewarded and rebellious choices (which are stupid, remember) will result in more disciple.  For God, wisdom is not just knowledge for the head, it’s a full body experience. 

If God is your source of wisdom then:

Your HEART will: love correction, accept discipline, and be filled with faith rooted in Jesus Christ.

Your MIND will: think plans through before acting, overlook insults, filter your words before you speak, and learn from your mistakes.

Your MOUTH will: praise God, speak kindly to others, be quiet enough to listen, share honestly, promote peace, and be truthful.

Your HANDS will: work hard, be diligent, and stay consistent.

The rewards for this wise living include: His favor, stability, escape from trouble, praise, joy, and an abundantly fruitful life. 

So choose God as your source of wisdom and follow His course corrections. In time, His paths lead to greater rewards than anything this world can offer.

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

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Wisdom's Invite

Wisdom has built her house…she has set her table…she calls from the highest point of the city.  Let all come in here! – Proverbs 9:1-2, 4

While running around frazzled the other day, my seventeen-year-old daughter jokingly mentioned that she was in the throes of “FOMO.”  In response to my confused look, she described this “Fear Of Missing Out” as being anxious about too many social choices.  If she went with one circle of friends, she said, she’d be missing out on fun with another…  

While the name makes it sound like a teen problem, if we’re honest, we all suffer from some degree of FOMO.  If you have a Facebook account, it’s probably a little worse.

How do you feel when you see pictures of friends at a party or wedding that you couldn’t attend or, worse, that you weren’t invited to?

In Luke 14:15-24 Jesus tells the story of a man who prepared a great banquet for many people. When the guests received their invitation, they gave excuses and declined to go.  So the host called to anyone in the streets and in the surrounding countryside to partake in all that had been wonderfully prepared.  I bet the banquet host was hoping for a little bit of FOMO from his invited guests.

Similarly, in Proverbs 9, titled Invitations of Wisdom, Wisdom prepares a feast for her guests, saves a place for them at the table, and calls when everything is ready.  Her guests also have a choice.  Will they her receive wisdom and enjoy her company? God is asking us the same question. 

God communicates His wisdom through His word, divine circumstances, and the counsel of others. Unfortunately, we are often too busy, make up excuses, or care more about what other people think, and God’s voice goes unheard.  

• What if…your FOMO applied more to God’s wisdom and less to the callings of the world? 

• What if…you went into each and every day listening for invitations from God?  

• What if…you anticipated wisdom’s call and already agreed to respond YES?

God’s wisdom IS calling you.  You are invited to follow Jesus, be transformed into His likeness little by little, and grow in your faith each and every day.  Remember, fear is the first step towards wisdom (Proverbs 9:10).  

The fear of the Lord is a good fear, not a fear that produces anxiety like FOMO.  No, the fear of the Lord is a godly fear that causes your feet to walk in wisdom, so you don’t miss out on the wonderful journey God has planned for you. 

Thankfully, you are invited.  Wisdom is calling.  Will you say YES and GO?

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a Part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Treasured Truths

Dear friend, do what I tell you; treasure my careful instructions.  Do what I say and you’ll live well.  My teaching is as precious as your eyesight—guard it!  Write it out on the back of your hands; etch it on the chambers of your heart. – Proverbs 7:1-5 (MSG)

When was the last time someone you love gave you unsolicited advice or asked hard questions?  It’s never fun to be on the receiving end of questions like:

• Why don’t you join Weight Watchers with me?
• Are you drinking too much?
• How much Netflix are you watching?

Critical questions catch us off guard, but we often need the truths they reveal to re-focus our priorities. It’s amazing how quickly good things can grow to throw our lives out of balance. 

• In the process of learning new recipes and making delicious meals for your family, you embrace the fact that everything tastes better with cream sauce and real butter.  Thirty pounds later, you’re wondering why you’re out of breath climbing the stairs.  
• Soon after a vineyard tour ignites an interest in wines, you go from researching dinner pairings to drinking a bottle a night. 
• When the Netflix series you binge watched ends, you realize how much you miss the screen’s ability to distract, and find glued to it most nights of the week in order to escape. 

God wants us to enjoy our lives with good things but warns us that where our eyes go, our minds and feet will follow. That’s why in Proverbs 7, God tells us how important His word is to our lives.  We are to see the Bible as a priceless treasure, a precious guidebook worthy of being tattooed on our hands and in our hearts.

Think for a moment, what Bible passage do you think is precious enough to be tattooed on you? (Regardless of whether you’d actually get one or not.)

I know a local pastor who tattooed Grace on one wrist and Truth on the other.  Every day, when he lifts his son up into his arms, he wraps Grace and Truth around his child and is reminded of Jesus’ powerful message to all of us. 

God knew we’d need reminders to hold fast to His truths.  After all these years, my 3 o’clock alarm snaps me out of whatever thoughts or desires are monopolizing my mind and switches them to God’s truths. I hope it is doing the same for you.

What is God prompting you to remember about Him today?  Is it His unfailing love, unearned grace, understanding of your pain, or His unchanging truths?  

What is God asking you to tattoo in your mind and on your heart?

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a Part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Wisdom in a Warning

For a man’s ways are in full view of the Lord, and He examines all his paths.  – Proverbs 5:21

Years ago, one of my close friends came over and asked my husband and I what we thought about her “martial crisis.”  She explained that she’d walked into their home office to discover an employee sitting and laughing on her husband’s lap.  Startled, my friend screamed, the other woman jumped, and her husband said it was no big deal.  My friend asked us if we thought she was overreacting?  

Looking into my friend’s red, puffy eyes, I could see that she was as upset as I would have been.  I desperately wanted to believe that her husband was telling the truth and their marriage was strong.  My husband was less optimistic, shaking his head and flatly stating “they’re having an affair.”

Over the next several months, we watched a marriage unravel and a family fall apart.  They would never fit the pieces back together again.  The affair continued and the husband moved away. Two children lost a dad, while a wife mourned deeply, saying “this is worse than a death.”

The twenty-three verses of Proverbs 5 describe how easy it is to be lured away by sexual sin.  None of us are foolproof.  As soon as you announce “that could never happen to our marriage,” you become a target for the enemy. 

What does the Bible say we can do to combat the temptations of adultery?  

Proverbs 5:18 encourages husbands to rejoice in the wife of their youth.  I am not a martial counselor or psychologist but I certainly believe in the power of rejoicing.  When we rejoice, we express our joy and gladness as well as our thanks and praise out loud.  

If you’re married, I challenge you to carve out time this week to experience joy and gladness with your spouse.  Make it an everyday practice to say “Thank You” and praise your partner for his/her specific characteristics that enhance your marriage.  

You can also discover each other’s Love Languages (how you best receive love) by taking a simple quiz online.  If you’re not married, you can still take the quiz.  We all give and receive love daily.  Your results will be helpful to all your relationships.  I also challenge you to pray and encourage the marriages around you. We need your encouragement to stay faithful and true.  Your kindness, guidance, and love may be just what we need to keep us on track and in bounds.

God is love (1John 4:8).  He is waiting to be invited into the center of all of our relationships.  There, He has the most power to transform, heal, help, and restore.  There are marriages that overcome affairs with God’s hands leading them and knitting their hearts back together again.  With God nothing is impossible.  He can put the pieces back together again.

Rejoice and be glad, give thanks and praise the One who is always faithful, even when we are not.  His love can be trusted.  He watches over us and guides us along good paths.  We can thank Him for giving us the wonderful gift of marriage.

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a Part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement

Let's Get Wise

For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. – Proverbs 2:10

Years ago, I had an illicit love affair with Target.  Without thinking about it, I’d find myself walking the aisles with a cart full of knick-knacks, cute kids’ clothes, and storage bins to hold what I’d bought last week.  This drove my husband insane.  I’d apologize, but within a week, I’d be staring at another big bill. I finally got wise and tallied up my monthly Target spending. Wake Up Call!  A change was made and the shopping sprees stopped.     

I believe that we’re all wired for positive change.  We join a gym to lose weight, make a budget to save money, or sign up for classes to gain new knowledge.  Research shows that it takes at least three weeks to form lasting habits, so I want to dedicate an entire month to making positive spiritual changes by walking through the Book of Proverbs together.  

If you don’t already know, Proverbs is 31 chapters of sayings written (mostly) by Solomon.  Taken together, these nuggets of wisdom are like an owner’s manual to a happy and wise spiritual life. 

If you only receive our emails, you may want to sign up for the text messages or download our free App to receive the daily prompts. 

Yesterday we looked at Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise discipline.”  In this case, “fear” does not mean being afraid of God.  Instead, it means standing in awe of His incredible creations around you, His awesome, unchanging character, and His mighty hand at work in your life.

Today we’ll look at Proverbs 2, which outlines WHY we want to be wise.  I want to focus on its first three verses, though, which outline just HOW we are to obtain this wisdom.  In them, God tells us that in order to effectively seek His wisdom, we must ACT.

• A - Accept His instructions and store them within you (2:1)
• C -  Call to Him for more insight and understanding (2:3)
• T - Turn your ear to Him and apply your heart to what you hear (2:2)

When we do, He promises that we will “understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God” (2:5).

My highest hope is that by ACTing together through the Book of Proverbs this month, we’ll be able to confidently say that we are walking through life with much greater wisdom. Let’s seize this summer for spiritual growth.  

The Power of Giving God Thanks Will Ignite Your Faith and Change Your World!

Thank You for Being a Part of the 3 O’Clock Wake Up Movement