Author Archives: Shirley Logsdon

About Shirley Logsdon

I am the only child of Christian parents who wanted me to know God personally as they did. One night during church we watched a movie depicting a family in their home accepting Jesus as their personal Savior. I was nine and realized then my desire to make Jesus my personal Savior. With the full support of my parents, I met with the pastor and prayed to receive Christ. A few years later, several of us around the same age began classes for our confirmation to become church members. The privilege of taking communion was a special time for me. . During my teenage years I was outwardly complacent, but was inwardly rebellious. I developed the nasty habit of disrupting harmony in the household by nitpicking at anything and everything. A preacher came to hold revival services at my dad’s church and nailed me silently with looks. This helped me tremendously. I turned a corner and began to respect and obey my parents in attitude and actions. I survived these years through prayer (mine, my parents and friends). The love and tenacity of my parents and God’s grace got me through these years of upheaval. I readily identify with David the Psalmist when he said in Psalm 25:7, “Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to Thy mercy remember Thou me for Thy goodness’ sake, O LORD.” Because my parents provided a stable home life for me, when I went to college my Christian values remained intact. After completing my education in 1979, I started working. For a while, I worked at temp agencies, then I did odd jobs. I settled down in a secretarial position in 1986 working for a firm specializing in retirement plan administration. In 2007, I started working for a law firm, eventually becoming a knowledge management assistant in their law library, helping to alert attorneys to new business opportunities. I am a productive citizen of my country in large part because my parents prayed for me and made clear by word and example what they expected of me. I am extremely grateful to God for them. John 15:5 is my life verse: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.” I am confronted with this realization every day I live, and it helps keep me on the straight and narrow path. I met my future husband at church. After a few years of our two families getting acquainted, he and I started courting. We married at the church where we met, in the presence of many relatives and friends. We have been married for 29 years. My hobbies are reading, cooking, and canning or freezing what my beloved husband grows in the garden. Also, I thoroughly enjoy writing. While my writing has included poems, most of my writing has been letters to family and friends. I like to share my faith when I write and am fond of adding a Bible verse or two to help focus on the source of our life. Since I am now retired after working 38 years, I can concentrate on keeping up with birthdays. Something else I enjoy is studying the Bible, often with others. Blogging is a new form of writing for me. I am getting my feet wet and I’m beginning to enjoy the experience.

The Bible, God’s Gift

 

The Bible God's Gift

The Bible, God’s Gift

“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him” (Psalm 34:8).

The Lord is good, and we experience His goodness by trusting in Him. When we trust God for some need in our lives, it is like tasting delicious food, then eating more because of the wonderful flavor and texture it offers.

Reading the Word of God is like taking a bite of heavenly food. Our appetite grows with every mouthful. Jeremiah said, “Thy words were found, and I did eat them, and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by Thy name, O LORD God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16).

How do we eat Scripture? Eating Scripture is to read a small portion of the Bible, then think about what we have read. Does it offer encouragement, correction, instruction, or give us a command? God wants us to be complete and equipped to do good works (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

Yes, That’s the Book for Me!

https://youtu.be/Wg582srC7cg

For examples of what to read in the Bible, here are some ideas:

  • The Psalms help stabilize our emotions
  • The Proverbs are full of wisdom for everyday life
  • The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) teach us who Jesus is and how He lived on earth
  • For fast moving history showing God’s interactions with humans, read First and Second Samuel, First and Second Kings, and First and Second Chronicles
  • If something terrible has happened to you, try Job

More Examples of God’s Word, Our Gift

  • For an overview of the early church, Acts is the place to go
  • To get God’s perspective on sin, try Isaiah
  • Sprinkled throughout Jeremiah is hope
  • For a history of the world, Genesis is the book of beginnings
  • To see how early churches functioned, read the epistles (letters) to the Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians and Thessalonians
  • If you are looking for an early church understanding of Jesus, read Hebrews
  • On how to love others and overcome the devil, read the three letters John wrote
  • For visions of the future, Daniel and Revelation offer a glimpse

The words in the Bible, the Scriptures, are God’s gift to us. We grow spiritually when we respond to God by obeying or following up on something we have read in His Word. 

As we read, we can keep a notebook handy. If a question comes up, we can jot it down. Our notebook could also serve as a place to record decisions we make. When we go back and review our notes, we can watch ourselves grow in Christ.

Happy Growing!

Shirley Logsdon