Don't Love Later, read this Love Letter.

The Bible to me has almost become homework. There, I admit it. I feel like it's homework that I keep putting off, again and again. And many of you have probably been in that small group where someone's pray requests rings, "my prayer request is that I need to read my Bible more." My college youth pastor is someone I really look up to, and is a man whose often has these really profound quotes that are so full of meaning yet are so simple. One thing I will always remember him saying is... that's not really a prayer request. If you need to read your Bible more, then do it. Not in a harsh way at all, maybe You need prayer for motivation to read your Bible more. But I just don't know what God thinks when we ask Him for motivation to read it, as if it's not entertaining enough. And again, I hope this doesn't come across as harsh or judgmental. I only say these things because, I do this all the time!
I'm that Christian who doesn't make time to read my Bible. I hate that it's true, and I am ready to make a change. I feel this way especially having a great conversation with my friend Audrey today. I went to my favorite coffee shop with the purpose of doing homework. And for an amount of time, I was the only one there. Then Audrey walked in, and unplanned we talked for hours. Our conversation about how important God's word is, and how granted we all take it, made me realize something.

When you go to school to get educated, the teachers are not there for their own benefit. If they are, they are doing it wrong. Teachers teach others. Often teachers will add, "I took the time and unpaid effort to grade your papers and to write what you did wrong and need to improve on, not for my own benefit. So don't take those markings for granted." And after our conversation, I realized... God didn't make the Bible for his pleasure. For His benefit. For His gain. If you think about it, God doesn't need the Bible. God knows everything in it, and around it, and everything in general. God solely formed the Bible through others for our benefit. For our purpose. For us.
I guess what I'm trying to say is, I know I'm not alone in often shrugging off the Bible for reading it another time, and for putting it off at the bottom of my mental to-do list. But God gave this special gift to me, to us. It's not homework we have to turn in. It's not business papers we need to read because our job titles are "Christian". It's a lifestyle. It's life, itself. It's love. It's vital.

A sidenote: This blog has immensely blessed me and allowed me to confess my thousands of shortcomings, and make the most out of them. I think God challenges us to do that constantly, and confess to others our shortcomings as well. Thank you for being a part of my healing process as a reader of this post/blog :)

The Difference

Infatuation is unreal
Infatuation lasts for a moment
Infatuation lies to you
And tells you you're in love

Infatuation starts by manipulating
Your heart and then your mind
Infatuation makes you think
A spark is just enough

Infatuation is an interest
We believe is love
Infatuation intercedes
And makes you feel blinded

Love is strong, love is true
Love hangs on through pain
Love remains and then love guides
When the road is winded

Love gives you hope and permanent laughter
Love has no inch of doubt
Love drenches every part of who you are
Even beyond your mind and heart

Now I know these things are certainly true
But when I see them in direct contact
I panic, I worry, I tear my hair out
Because Icant seem to tell them apart