Taking a Break - Experiencing God

This summer I was going to take a few classes to ensure I would be done with my senior year in May instead of July. But I also had this unquenchable yearning to draw closer to God. So I began to pray for clarification to see where God really wanted me. I continued my journey and enrolled in summer classes but finances became tight and overwhelming and stressful. As I withdrew from my needed classes, I began to feel free and peaceful about withdrawing and the urge to spend time with God was growing greatly.

I had only shared this tidbit with my husband. I did not know where to start nor did I try to come up with a plan or a schedule. I just waited on God; something I learned to do while being a student here at Regent.

One day while browsing around Lifeway Bookstore, I was looking at the Experiencing God bible study by Henry and Richard Blackaby and Claude King. While I was in that aisle, a young woman said to me "Oh, that looks interesting. I am trying to narrow down where I should start as a new believer". A store worker happened by with the usual greetings and takes a survey of what we have in our hands. To the young woman in the aisle, he let her know that her items were good for someone who wanted to get familiar with the bible. To me he exclaimed, "Now that is an excellent study no matter where you are in your Christian faith". A woman that I had noticed in the store earlier peered over my shoulder and said "If you honestly open up and embrace God through this study (Experiencing God) you will have an encounter and never be the same again". Upon hearing this, the young woman in the aisle with me picked up the complete study of Experiencing God and looked at me with the sheer exhiliration and exclaimed, "I am soo excited! This is going to be great!" And my awesome and brilliant comeback was -I cannot afford the whole thing so I am just going to purchase the workbook (I have no idea what my problem was). This statement seems to have sent this woman's excitement through the roof because she immediately chimed in "GREAT WE CAN DO THIS STUDY TOGETHER THEN"!!!!!

By the time I left the bookstore, I had a new bible study and a new bible study partner and a hint that God was up to something. I told my walking partner about this encounter and she immediately wanted to join us. So the three of us are on this awesome summer journey learning to know and do the will of God. We are halfway through the study and it has been amazing to be able to look around and see that God really is always working. Blackaby and King give 7 points to experiencing to God. So far the second one is my favorite -God pursues a continuing love relationship with you that is real and personal. I think this resonates with me because I felt God's urging to draw nearer to Him.

This study is very scriptural based and not a lot of opinionated fluff. It is actually like a class. There are 5 days of activity work to complete each week before our group meeting. We also have weekly scripture memorization, prayer, journaling, sharing and a video in each meeting session. We meet each Saturday morning at 7am. Initially we decided to be done by 8:30am but following the Holy Spirit we usually end by 11am. If anyone tried to get me to sign up with a bible study that lasted for four hours, it just would not happen. But we eagerly meet with our coffee and fruit and enjoy learning the Truth!

Show me Your ways, O LORD;

Teach me Your paths,

Lead me in Your truth and teach me,

For You are the God of my Salvation;

On You I wait all the day.

Ps. 25:4-5, NKJV