Bible study

This afternoon, I sat down to work on my Bible study for church tomorrow night.  Yes, I had all week to do it, but honestly, I'm far to ADD to actually remember what I read & meditated on a week ago, so I have to save it all up to the end & do it all in the last couple of days before the next meeting.  Otherwise, we sit down in our group to discuss what we studied this week & I say things like "what book did we read?  what was it about?".  ha ha!

So anyway, I sat down to work on it & was going along so well, really soaking it up & enjoying it.  While reading & doing the homework in the workbook, there is a lot of Bible page-turning & reading to be done to answer questions.  One of the questions led me to Isaiah 55.  During the time Andrew lived here, I highlighted the following section & double underlined verse 11 (in yellow below).  It was such a comfort to re-read it because one thing I've struggled with since the kids moved out is whether or not we did enough to make sure that they knew God & His WORD before they left.  I mean, in the future, I'm sure they'll look back & realize that we were nice church-going folks & all, but I mean... did we make enough effort to really impact them on a personal level?  I guess every parent struggles with that.  Anyway, this is what I read:

Isaiah 55:8-12 (NIV):

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways, declares the Lord.  9 As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. 10 As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, 11 so is my word that goes forth from my mouth; It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.  12 You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; and the mountains and hills will burst into song before you and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

What a neat confirmation for me. I maked this in my Bible a long time ago, while the kids still lived here & specifically wrote "Andrew" next to vs. 11.  ahhhh....God is good.

(By the way, the study's called Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer--she's Dr. Tony Evans' daughter & has several good studies out!  She's the next Beth Moore or Kay Arthur, I tell ya!)