How do you read your Bible? When do you read it? What do you read? 

I've grown up hearing the Bible referred to as a roadmap and God's love letter to us.

But I'm pretty sure that not everyone who reads the Bible will find their way to heaven, and the mauling of 42 teenagers in 2 Kings for making fun of a bald guy isn't exactly the type of love letter I am used to reading (what can I say, my husband has set high expectations for me). 

Of course, I know what they are intending by saying this. I just think sometimes we limit the Bible to trivial and cutesy phrases, when it is so much more than that.

The Bible is all the information I can ever know about God.

The power in that is amazing. It should draw us to want to read more of it every day!

And yet, I neglect my Bible for days at a time. Only to find it sitting in the backseat of my car or buried deep in my couch underneath a pile of laundry. Some pastor's wife I am. 

I do read a devotional with two or three Scriptures at the bottom that pertain to the lesson of the day. But I've always felt a little guilty about that. Like I'm using Scripture as a fortune cookie, instead of reading it in context and understanding the whole powerful story.

But the days of sitting down and studying my Bible with a pen, highlighter and journal have honestly been few and far between. When I was a single gal (seems like centuries ago now) me and Jesus had a lot of quality time together. We took walks, had picnics, just us. I'm so thankful I went to Bible college and had the privilege of being immersed in it. But looking back, I took for granted how blessed I really was to have that opportunity. I learned so much about God during those years.

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My season of life and my relationship with God is quite different now, but I don't ever want to stop learning.

It's like dating someone and getting to know them, and then getting married and never trying to learn anything else about them. How exciting would that relationship be? 

Sometimes I feel like that with God.

I'm the one in the marriage who has quit trying. He has never stopped pursuing me. I am too focused on taking care of the family and too focused on doing things for Him. He is continually seeking time to just sit down and talk.

The longer I am away from Him, the more discontent my heart gets. This relationship is real. And it needs attention like any other one.

We have "date nights" reserved for our hubby and are sure to let everyone know how important it is to make that a priority, especially after having kids.

How much more should our passion be for God? 

We need to advocate for that time with Him. Undisturbed, if possible.

I know it's hard, I'm struggling too! But I'd love to hear from those of you who have found a way to make it a priority. So I'll ask those first three questions again, and feel free to share your answers below!

How do you read your Bible? When do you read it? What do you read? 

This post is part of a series I’m writing for the month of October entitled “31 Days of Being Content.”  See all other posts in this series by clicking here. Or enter your email address in the sidebar on the right to subscribe to this blog and receive posts straight to your inbox!

Oh hello there. I hope the crickets on the blog this morning didn't bother you too much. The inevitable happened and I missed a day. We got home yesterday from vacation and in the midst of rushing to get dinner ready, taking care of my boy who has a little cold, and revamping my husband's website to set up an online shop, I ran out of time. No excuses though.

I was hoping no one would notice that I was kinda, already, trailing behind the past few days. I was staying up until a little past midnight to get in a post for that day. Whew. They don't call it a blogging "challenge" for nothing, huh?

And then today I got this text...

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Thanks for noticing, sis. I knew I could count on you.

So here I am. Starting fresh with Day 11. As Day 10 rests in peace in the history of drafts that never get published. 

If you guys want to know the truth, this is how my life seems to go pretty regularly. I am not your Type A personality at all. Actually, I've heard that term so many times and never even knew what the actual traits of a "Type A" personality were. I just knew I was nothing like the people that were saying they were one. So I looked it up for myself:

Type A Personality

• Type A’s have a severe sense of time urgency. They are always running and can hardly relax. If they sat without doing something useful they may end up feeling guilty.
• Type A’s are over achievers, they usually get themselves involved in many different unrelated activities and perform well in them all.
• Type A's biggest problem is stress, they are usually overwhelmed by the amount of tasks they have to do. These tasks are usually a huge list that they planned for themselves.
• Type A is usually competitive and has a high challenging spirit.

Type B Personality

• Type B personality is almost the opposite of Type A. This type of person is relaxed by nature and has no sense of time urgency.
• Type B's have no problems relaxing or sitting without doing anything.
• Type B's may delay the work they have to the last moment and they usually don't get stressed that easily.
• Type B could be an achiever too but his lack of sense of time urgency helps him much in not feeling stressed while doing his tasks.

I would say I definitely lean towards a Type B personality. My husband is a Type A. It's funny, because I really think we've helped each other find a happy balance. I am trying to challenge myself to make lists and complete tasks (on time) more often and he has really learned how to sit down and make time to relax.

I know personality tests and stereotypes are not everything, but there is a peace in knowing how you function. Not to use it as an excuse, quite the opposite actually, but as a way to challenge yourself to improve in your weaknesses.

That's the whole reason I attempted this blogging challenge. Because I need more routine, diligence and perseverance in my life.

So I don't feel like a failure at all for missing one stinkin' day. In my book, this is a record! And all the positive affirmation I've received from so many of you who have been encouraged, uplifted and challenged right along with me - have spurred me on to continue writing from a place of honesty and transparency. I know that I can be real here.

This may sound a little contradictory for a Type B, but I haven't always felt content about my personality.

I've often compared myself with many other more disciplined, organized and detailed women. Those who make lists and collect coupons and plan out their dinner schedules. Those who clean their homes on a routine basis. Those who are never late to an appointment and always the first to send out thank you cards (ugh, that was just a painful reminder that I still need to send out cards from Micah's birthday party).

Those who would never, ever start a blogging challenge and then miss a post. 

I have tried to do all these things, and do them well. But like today, I found myself missing the mark. Again and again.

Then I always go back to the story of Mary and Martha.

I may not be doing all those things well. I may need to improve in many areas of my life involving the mundane and routine tasks. But if every day I can look for the one thing that matters and do that well - I believe that I'm doing the right thing.

Yesterday, blogging was never on "the one thing that mattered" list. My family needed me more. Now, if I had planned ahead (something that I do need to work on) then you would have seen an entirely different post here this morning. But there is a reason for everything, I believe that.

And something else I am super grateful for today? That my relationship with Jesus is never about me measuring up. And if there is ever anything to be content about, it's that.

This post is part of a series I’m writing for the month of October entitled “31 Days of Being Content.”  See all other posts in this series by clicking here. Or enter your email address in the sidebar on the right to subscribe to this blog and receive posts straight to your inbox!

Today is our last full day of vacation! It's been wonderful and relaxing. But I need to admit one thing... my packing job for this trip was horrible. Probably the worst I've ever done, actually.

I will blame some of it on the fact that I had - maybe - two full hours at home during the few days leading up to our trip.

But the truth is, at 17.5 weeks preggo, I'm just struggling to find clothes that fit anymore. I've reached that point in pregnancy where I am too big for my normal clothes, but still too small for some of my maternity wear. The result is a a bunch of dresses, yoga pants and loose fitting tees thrown in a suitcase. I didn't even bother to make sure I had shoes to match. I basically wear out one pair of sandals anyway.

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Hello unwashed hair, and baggy maternity shirt.

This is my life.

I've never been one to care about the latest fashion. I'm a comfort-over-cute girl any day. Add a pregnancy to the mix, and I'm all about living in my husband's t-shirts (yes, I'm wearing one right now).

And while I am super comfortable sitting here snuggled up on our hotel bed, eating my chocolate covered almonds in sweatpants and my hubby's tee, I wish I could say that I'm truly content. But if I walked outside our hotel room right now, I would feel like a bum.

Which leaves me to wonder... am I not as low-maintenance as I thought?Or does every woman out there struggle with these same insecurities?

The more I read scripture, the more I am encouraged to not be concerned with outward beauty and to not worry about the next fashionable thing I will wear. But then I look up. And out. And begin to see such an emphasis on the outward - the outfit posts, the fashion blogs, the hair tutorials. And I give in to all of it (well besides the #ootd posts... never).

Because looking beautiful on the outward, has somehow made me feel more beautiful on the inside. 

And this lie that has found it's way into the core of my being is not just a lie that I believe. It's a lie that is preached by many. And this false sense of beauty has created such a discontentment in my life.

As Christians, we are quick to speak out against things that go directly against Scripture. But this is one of those areas that we tend to ignore. Because what harm does looking nice do to anyone? 

Well I can only speak for myself, butthe fashion posts do a lot of harm in my heart. I want more than I can afford. And am never satisfied with what I have. Which is exactly why I don't read a lot of them. But the truth is you can get this way from walking into a clothing store if you're not careful. It's all about finding the struggle and removing it from your life. For me, it's fashion posts and pictures. And some days, I just need to avoid Target. I just do.

I think this would be an easier battle to face, if I didn't feel so alone in it.

And here's a big honest statement that I'm scared to write, but gotta say - I truly think we do our sisters (and brothers!) in Christ a huge disservice by constantly praising their outer appearance.

Praise their genuine love for people, or their ability to make people laugh... or something that lets them know that you value them for more than what they look like. I feel a lot of us have believed the lie that when we look beautiful we feel beautiful, because that's the only time people tell us we do.

I am making a point this week to start handing out intentional compliments - those godly traits I admire about someone that truly make them beautiful to me. Because if there's one way to create peace and contentment in my heart - it's by noticing and valuing it in others.

This post is part of a series I’m writing for the month of October entitled “31 Days of Being Content.”  See all other posts in this series by clicking here. Or enter your email address in the sidebar on the right to subscribe to this blog and receive posts straight to your inbox!