colored pencils and 1 John

I'm not a big journal writer which is weird because I do this but it just doesn't interest me enough...I've tried.  My pastor and best friend have told me to journal about my spiritual journey and time with the girls I am having a Bible Study with but I haven't done it yet...so I write about it here sometimes...and again, I've been blessed by these women...maybe not the women so much but so truly amazed at how wonderful God is! 

We are studying 1 John using an inductive study guide.  Now John writes this letter as a tough love kind of love letter...not the sentimental type.  He compares light to dark, lost to found, love and hate, etc. Some of it is difficult to swallow but he is trying to get across to the readers (I think) that you either love God or don't...you either know you are going to have eternal life or you don't, you are walking in light or you aren't.  And he says over and over and over again that Christ is our advocate, our Mercy Seat, our propitiation.  It is amazing the things that these women gain from this...and to sit there and be a part of the Holy Spirit working on them is out right amazing and I tell them this!  One of the gals was so excited for today, was there before I was, told me that she wanted to read the scripture more than once to take it all in, and answering questions.  They all discussed loving their brother and what that means...they were feeling convicted and it was so crazy to me...the Holy Spirit working on seekers after reading His word....they want to do some intentional acts of kindness and I said go for it but here is the issue....WHY is it that you want to do it...do you want to earn a reward, do you want to prove your goodness, do you want to do it because you love as Christ did, are you walking in the light?  I feel so amazingly, unbelievably, extremely (can't think of any other cool words) privileged to be a part of this!  I wasn't feeling so hot yesterday and today and I sent them all an email (a way out) to let me know who exactly was going to be there so I knew whether to show up (summer is a whole different beast when it comes to scheduling and vacations and kids being out of school)...and I immediately got texts and emails back saying 6 of them would be there...well there you have it!  The pull of the Holy Spirit...what else could be dragging them to Chick-fil-a at 8:30 in the morning before they have to work a 12 hour shift!