Week 5 - Proverbs Study

Wow.....we are up to Week 5 in our study.  I do not know about you, but this week has been more challenging for me to stay on task and it's only Tuesday :-)) I have so many things swirling in my brain that I am having to really focus on God and His word.  Yesterday morning....Proverbs 31:17. was just what I needed......coupled with rising early ( last verse )  and being ready to work with strength ( my application :-)  has been so helpful.  Feeling as if I have nothing left to give and yet having to give more is only done through the Lord's strength. Yep...I have been pretty depleted but the Lord is carrying me through and even filling my heart with gladness "most" of the time.   I am so thankful for each one of you.  As I have gone through this study there are character traits that each of you exhibit to me on a continual basis that encourages and strengthens me in my walk.  As I look at the Proverbs 31 woman and all that has been displayed in the previous verses I realize that the strength that she is strengthening herself with is from the Lord.  Because she is living out His ways in her live she in turn is displaying that strength to each of us.  I think that we can say this is the ideal woman and we may not attain it or we can say that she is only the ideal woman because she has placed her faith in the Lord and what she accomplishes she attains through Him. He wants to do the same in each of us.   I think this is a beautiful display of a woman surrendered to God in every aspect of her life.  I would have to say that she probably doesn't always want to rise early but she does.  She may not want to gird up her loins at times to work but she does.  That is my challenge.....am I surrendered to God in every aspect of the life that I live because of Christ.  Thoughts to ponder.  Certain areas to challenge my heart to let go and let God do as He wills.   Then we come to This is the day that the Lord hath made, I WILL rejoice and be glad in it.  I was really pondering this this morning as there are times that I will rejoice for the day that God has given.  However,  the Lord has been and is still teaching me to be glad in ( during ) those days.  Take the rain for instance.....after living in the desert I really appreciate the rain but had I not had that experience in my life I don't know if I would be so glad it is raining today because I have some shopping to do and it means in and out of the car with a little one that doesn't seem to notice that Mom is waiting patiently in the rain for him to gather his things and come. :-))) I could go on and on but I will not because I need to go and care for my family.  I trust God is teaching each one of you also and that you are able to look back and see how you are walking out what you are learning with His grace.