This blog post covers numbers 150.-159. on my way to counting up to One Thousand Gifts.
I have committed to posting the things that I am thankful for and sharing them here with a community of bloggers. Usually I literally copy the list from my journal onto a post, but this week I am going to have to devote an entire post to BSF because my heart simply cannot contain all the gratitude and joy from my experience within a list. So much can be said about what BSF has meant to me so I will do my best to organize my thoughts here. Whenever I doubt my decision not to teach this year and stay home I think of BSF and my doubts vanish. The Wednesday mornings from this last September until this May were meant to be spent at BSF for me; in a classroom that did not belong to me.
The ladies at BSF and my discussion group:
The ladies in my discussion group were such beautiful encouragers to me. Most of them probably have no idea I feel that way. I have always been a talker, a person who wears their heart on their sleeve and just might share too much. But this year in my group I found myself to be so quiet. God was prompting this silence for my heart. I needed to listen more this year than share. So I did. Most weeks I may have said one thing here or there, but for the most part I sat and listened and soaked it all in. The wisdom, passion, sorrow, struggle, faith, and humility of these women were the water for my soul and they allowed me to grow.
Each week I sat in a sanctuary with 400+ women and surveyed the room with awe and wonder. Here we all were because we shared the same longing. We were desperate to know more of our Lord and His Word and we felt and knew that Wednesday mornings were hallowed ground for our travel weary hearts. We came together, a sisterhood, who may not have recognized one another's faces, but who recognized one another's heart hunger. That is something so sweet and so dear to me. A room of 400+ women, who sing praises and promises together on Wednesday mornings in preparation for an eternity when we will all come together and do it again.
The ladies in my discussion group were such beautiful encouragers to me. Most of them probably have no idea I feel that way. I have always been a talker, a person who wears their heart on their sleeve and just might share too much. But this year in my group I found myself to be so quiet. God was prompting this silence for my heart. I needed to listen more this year than share. So I did. Most weeks I may have said one thing here or there, but for the most part I sat and listened and soaked it all in. The wisdom, passion, sorrow, struggle, faith, and humility of these women were the water for my soul and they allowed me to grow.
Each week I sat in a sanctuary with 400+ women and surveyed the room with awe and wonder. Here we all were because we shared the same longing. We were desperate to know more of our Lord and His Word and we felt and knew that Wednesday mornings were hallowed ground for our travel weary hearts. We came together, a sisterhood, who may not have recognized one another's faces, but who recognized one another's heart hunger. That is something so sweet and so dear to me. A room of 400+ women, who sing praises and promises together on Wednesday mornings in preparation for an eternity when we will all come together and do it again.
The Children's Program:
I don't have children of my own yet, but I cannot sing the praises of the children's program at BSF enough! I volunteered in the kids classes and witnessed first-hand how incredible the teaching of these tender hearts is at BSF. I loved watching the teachers share the stories, lead discussions, pray for and with the kids, and sing songs. There is nothing more precious than a toddler talking excitedly about Jesus! I also have the privilege of calling a BSF mom, friend, and she shared story after story of the things her kids were learning, discussing, and applying to their lives at the ripe old age of 2 and 3. I am excited and hopeful that I will be a mom someday, and when that day comes I will be so eager to bring them with me to BSF.
Please visit my friend's blog and read her account of what the children's program has meant to her and her family. You will be blessed!
I don't have children of my own yet, but I cannot sing the praises of the children's program at BSF enough! I volunteered in the kids classes and witnessed first-hand how incredible the teaching of these tender hearts is at BSF. I loved watching the teachers share the stories, lead discussions, pray for and with the kids, and sing songs. There is nothing more precious than a toddler talking excitedly about Jesus! I also have the privilege of calling a BSF mom, friend, and she shared story after story of the things her kids were learning, discussing, and applying to their lives at the ripe old age of 2 and 3. I am excited and hopeful that I will be a mom someday, and when that day comes I will be so eager to bring them with me to BSF.
Please visit my friend's blog and read her account of what the children's program has meant to her and her family. You will be blessed!
My wonderful leader and Barbara:
The leadership at BSF has ministered to my heart in a way that will leave a lasting impact. I have been encouraged, challenged, humbled, and inspired by them. My discussion leader was a constant source of encouragement to me. She always had words of wisdom and a story to share that helped us relate to one another. I looked forward to her calls each week, and was always so disappointed when I missed them. Her peace and calm spoke volumes to me. She taught me so much.
Then there are the teaching leaders who lecture each Wednesday morning. They are incredible women of faith whose insights and gift for communication blessed me so much each week. I wish every woman in the area would come to experience the lecture for yourself. You will feel as though you've gained a friend who is speaking right into your life wherever you're at.
The leadership at BSF has ministered to my heart in a way that will leave a lasting impact. I have been encouraged, challenged, humbled, and inspired by them. My discussion leader was a constant source of encouragement to me. She always had words of wisdom and a story to share that helped us relate to one another. I looked forward to her calls each week, and was always so disappointed when I missed them. Her peace and calm spoke volumes to me. She taught me so much.
Then there are the teaching leaders who lecture each Wednesday morning. They are incredible women of faith whose insights and gift for communication blessed me so much each week. I wish every woman in the area would come to experience the lecture for yourself. You will feel as though you've gained a friend who is speaking right into your life wherever you're at.
Friendships that have blossomed:
BSF has been a blessing in the friend department, too. God brought some seriously sweet friends into my life through this year's study. I, like the Israelites in the desert with Moses, was grumbling and heart heavy because I did not have what I felt like I needed. And though He did not have to, He sent me manna straight from Heaven in the form of beautiful encouragers. I longed for deeper friendships. I longed for real conversations. I longed to talk about and hear about the moving and changing God was doing in another woman's life. Those are my favorite type of conversations and I had gone so long without. But that all changed this year when God brought me to BSF and gifted me with one friend who manages to look like the cover of an Anthro catalogue while chasing 3 under the age of 4 with grace and another friend who's smile and joy makes her more beautiful and radiant with each coffee date. I am blessed to call them my friends!
BSF has been a blessing in the friend department, too. God brought some seriously sweet friends into my life through this year's study. I, like the Israelites in the desert with Moses, was grumbling and heart heavy because I did not have what I felt like I needed. And though He did not have to, He sent me manna straight from Heaven in the form of beautiful encouragers. I longed for deeper friendships. I longed for real conversations. I longed to talk about and hear about the moving and changing God was doing in another woman's life. Those are my favorite type of conversations and I had gone so long without. But that all changed this year when God brought me to BSF and gifted me with one friend who manages to look like the cover of an Anthro catalogue while chasing 3 under the age of 4 with grace and another friend who's smile and joy makes her more beautiful and radiant with each coffee date. I am blessed to call them my friends!
God's Word and His character:
The most valuable gain through BSF was spending so much time each week really delving into the Word. Isaiah is an incredible book and I learned so much. I learned some history. I learned how faithful God has always been. I've learned about who He is in greater depth and I find that I love Him more now than ever before. I have more faith and trust in Him than ever before. I have a greater peace in seeing the evidences of His sovereignty and His great love throughout the book of Isaiah because I know that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever more. Words cannot adequately express how sweet it is has been to camp out in the book of Isaiah and hear God whisper right into my soul.
The most valuable gain through BSF was spending so much time each week really delving into the Word. Isaiah is an incredible book and I learned so much. I learned some history. I learned how faithful God has always been. I've learned about who He is in greater depth and I find that I love Him more now than ever before. I have more faith and trust in Him than ever before. I have a greater peace in seeing the evidences of His sovereignty and His great love throughout the book of Isaiah because I know that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever more. Words cannot adequately express how sweet it is has been to camp out in the book of Isaiah and hear God whisper right into my soul.
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