I’ll try to fill you in on some  of it soon but, in the meantime, I had to share what struck me in today’s reading of Proverbs.

“A generous man will prosper;

he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed.”

- Proverbs 11:25

So let’s refresh others in a great pursuit!

Earlier this week I learned of a group of ladies who will read the entire Bible in 90 Days (or so) this summer, from Memorial Day to Labor Day. You KNOW how much I love the Bible in 90 Days program and I love it when groups form to read all of His Word!

If you have a minute, please swing by and refresh those ladies with  some encouragement and prayer as they prepare to begin.

• Stacey from 29 Lincoln Avenue
• Ruth from The Better Mom
• Teri Lynne from Terilynne Underwood
• Amy  from Amy Thue

And, if you have been thinking of reading the entire Bible, this may be YOUR time. Pray about it and jump in if it is.

If summer is not right for you, consider joining the MomsToolbox community in reading it beginning in August for “Back to school, Back to the Bible.”

So back to our reading for today…

Please join me in refreshing others today. Other than those newest Bible in 90 Days grads-to-be, who else can you refresh today? Do you need refreshment?

Tell us in the comments…

And thanks for stopping by.

This month’s assignments for Operation Intentional #Kindness are:

• Contribute some food you love to a food pantry. Lynn’s post on food donations really hit me where I needed to be jostled, and now I am sure to only give food we love.
• Bring your neighbor’s trash cans up to the house after the trash service.
• Write a letter to a child… your niece, a nephew, a grandchild… Don’t worry if you can’t write one to all the children in the family. Vow to yourself to write one per week, if you feel you must send one to every child in a family.
• Hold the door open for 5 people this week.
• Leave a kind comment on a blog post or three. If you are active on Twitter, RT 3 nice Tweets, just because

Remember, you only have to choose three assignments to do each month, but you are always welcome to do more.

Thanks for joining in and sharing kindness with those around you!

To learn more about Operation Intentional #Kindness, or to get the code to place the button on your own site, please click over to the introductory post of Operation Intentional #Kindness.

And, as always, please let me know how this mission is going for you or share more ideas for intentional kindness in the comments….

This month I plan to read through Proverbs, taking in one chapter each day. Seeing as there are 31 days in May and 31 chapters in Proverbs, I think this is a perfect reading assignment for the month.

I have done this a few times before on MomsToolbox, SOAPing through each day. This time, though, I am not planning to SOAP, but instead reflect on the entire reading each day and see what I hear.

I’ll post some of my reflections and I’ll also post a link back to what I heard in that same chapter of Proverbs the last time I read and SOAP’ed through as we read.

I’d like to invite you to read with me and journal along yourself, either using SOAP or a different format.

Today’s reading is Proverbs 2. If you’d like to read Proverbs 1 first, go for it. If you feel like jumping in with 2, do that instead. Either way, grab your Bible, sit back, read and soak in your time with the Lord… and let me know about it, if you like.

If you follow me on Facebook or Twitter, I’ll be posting reading reminders there daily. I’d love to hear you tweet back, comment on Facebook or leave a note on the posts I share here on MomsToolbox so I’ll know who is with me.

Thanks for reading, and listening, with me.

Here’s what I shared last time on Proverbs 1 and Proverbs 2.

Today’s reading is Ephesians 2.

Here is what jumped out at me:

Scripture: Ephesians 2: 10

For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Observation:

He crafted us and set us on course to do positive things, long before we even thought of the idea.

Application:

We are made to do good things. God knows what is in store and he prepared us long ago.

To get them done, though, we need to rely on Him and take action as directed.

Prayer:

Lord, thank you or setting things in motion long ago so that I could be used by You to do good, positive things. Please, Lord, help me to get out of the way when I hold things up. Help me to hear your guidance better and follow it. I want to serve you.  I want to do good. And I don’t want to be swayed and distracted anymore.

Thank you for loving me so much to create me this way. And, Lord, for those who feel so awful that they don’t think there is any good in them, help them to see your love, your kindness, your mercy. Help each of them to see that they, too, were created to do good things, and identify the path straight to you.

What about you?

What did you hear in Ephesians 2 today?

Whom can you pray for today so that they would realize that they, too, have been created by God to do good things?

Click for this month’s Bible reading schedule.

After about 95 miles-- my day one finish in 2010 :)

This weekend I’ll be cycling in my 5th BP MS 150, a two-day, 180-mile ride from Houston to Austin to help raise funds and awareness for the battle against Multiple Sclerosis.

Yesterday, as I was finishing up my training, I had to face a lot of wind against me, but the wind I fought in 3 hours of cycling was nothing like the torrent those with MS suffer, not knowing what will happen next and not understanding why their bodies don’t function as they used to.

I realize each of us has our own organizations we support. If you would consider adding the MS Society to that list, or supporting me again this year, I know your contribution will be well spent and greatly appreciated by those battling Multiple Sclerosis. Progress has been made… and you can help that progress continue to make life better for others.

To find out more about Multiple Sclerosis or to contribute, please click over to my MS 150 donation page.

Every single donation makes a difference, whether it is $5 or $5,000.

Also, I covet your prayers. My own health threw me a curveball earlier this year which caused my training (and fundraising, as I wondered whether I would be able to ride myself) to get a very late start. If you would make a note to pray for me this week as I mentally prepare and this Saturday as I ride, I would tremendously appreciate your support that way. And I if you have any prayer requests I can pray for you, please tell me about them and I would be honored to pray for you.

Thanks for whatever you can do. And those battling MS thank you, too.

In case you missed it, here’s that link to my donation page again: http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/AmyGross

Have you ever come across something so beautiful it just took your breath away?

… Something that was so undeniably made by God that you just had to stop to take it all in, stare in amazement and wonder how you got to be so fortunate to see it… And then you had to tell everyone about it?

I’ve had a few of those moments… and I want to tell you all about them, and hear all about yours, too!

This summer on MomsToolbox, we are going to be talking about those moments, those sights, those feelings… those gifts from God to each of us in Exploring the Wonders of God’s Creation, a brand new Bible study I am writing.

Together we will:

• share blessings He has revealed to each of us
• learn how to spot everyday wonders
• read the Bible together
• have guided personal reflection
• discuss creation
• share our photos on Facebook and Pinterest
• … and be even more amazed by those spectacular sightings!

This won’t be a fact-paced study like Bible in 90 Days with mentors to guide you, instead it will be more relaxed and your whole family is invited to marvel right alongside you.

The lazier days of summer will be perfect for us to explore these wonders together and perhaps, since summer vacation is still 6 weeks away (for us) or more (for my neighbors more north), you might even have time to adjust your plans to take in His beauty somewhere new.

So… what do you say? Will you add me to your virtual summer vacation plans so we can go Exploring the Wonders of God’s Creation together and share in the amazement of his gifts? (If you haven’t already, you might consider subscribing to MomsToolbox via email so you don’t miss a post when we begin in June.)

And, if so… Won’t you help me to get ready? In the comments please tell me of some wonders you have already seen… or wish to see someday. I’d love to include your thoughts in future posts. Thanks!

Over on MomsTravelTales, my family travel blog, I’m sharing a few thoughts on a Mom & Me Cub Scout camp out earlier this month. I’d love for you to click over and let me know what YOU think.

And, by the way… what is camping to you?

Tents? Campers? Holiday Inn? Hyatt? Do tell!

It was well worth all the slicing and dicing. Plus, my darling husband even helped with that part, which made it even better.

I made the dinner as part of a blogger wine tasting of coastal Chilean wines. The people at Wines of Chile shared the recipe and wine to try with the the foods prepared as I watched a live stream of interviews with the winemakers in Chile and a sommelier in New York. It was pretty cool to ask questions and get the answers that way. And tasting the wines ‘with’ the winemaker is always a lot of fun.

Once I get my notes from the tasting organized, I’ll share over on VineSleuth Uncorked and I’ll also share the recipes here on MomsToolbox.

In the meantime, just think about all those fruit, veggies and fish….. Yummmmmmm!

If you are reading with me, today we are reading Galatians 3. (Click over to view the rest of the Bible reading schedule for April.)

Before I began reading today, I asked God to help me order my day and get the tasks done that need to get done. (I figure He knows what really needs to get done and what is fluff.) And then here is what I heard loudest in the reading:

Scripture: Galatians 3:3

Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?

Observation:

You listened to the Holy Spirit and accepted the truth and eternal life. Now take that and build on that, rather than trying to please Me and men with works alone. That won’t get you closer to Me. Don’t lose that faith which allowed the Holy Spirit to enter you. Be freed by it. And count on Me to help you, not human effort.

Application:

He has forgiven me and given me eternal life through Him, just by my asking and having faith.

And, if He can do that, He will help me set my other goals properly and attain them, provided I ask, listen and follow.

Prayer:

Lord, please continue to guide me and show me where to put my efforts and time. You know what is right. You know what my motives should be for each project on my plate. Show me what it is YOU want me to do, and please guide me in the path to accomplish what you have set forth for me.

If I relying on You will take me to the ultimate goal of forgiveness of sins and eternal life with you, then you can definitely help with all the ancillary stuff, too.

Thank you so much for that.

What did you hear in Galatians 3?

I will be reading and SOAP’ing through Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians one chapter per day through the end of April.

Would you like to join me?

Many of you may know me as the fast-paced host of the Bible in 90 Days, but I have really enjoyed taking in some New Testament readings at a slower pace over the past few months and hope to continue reading at this pace for bit longer. I have heard God speaking to me in beautiful ways.

If you are looking to grow closer to Christ, I invite you to join me in my reading schedule for the rest of the month. The reading should take about 5-10 minutes each day and the journaling and prayer time to go with that is completely up to you.

I’m a fan of the SOAP devotional method, but feel free to use whatever works for you and Him. If you do use SOAP and are a blogger, feel free to use my SOAP Ring graphic and encourage your readers to join us, too.

This is our Bible reading schedule for today and the rest of the month:

• Weds., 4/11: Galatians 1
• Thurs., 4/12: Galatians 2
• Fri., 4/13: Galatians 3
• Sat., 4/14: Galatians 4
• Sun., 4/15: Galatians 5
• Mon., 4/16: Galatians 6
• Tues., 4/17: Ephesians 1
• Weds., 4/18: Ephesians 2
• Thurs., 4/19: Ephesians 3
• Fri., 4/20: Ephesians 4
• Sat., 4/21: Ephesians 5
• Sun., 4/22: Ephesians 6
• Mon., 4/23: Philippians 1
• Tues., 4/24: Philippians 2
• Weds., 4/25: Philippians 3
• Thurs., 4/26: Philippians 4
• Fri., 4/27: Colossians 1
• Sat., 4/28: Colossians 2
• Sun., 4/29: Colossians 3
• Mon., 4/30: Colossians 4

(Don’t worry Bible in 90 Days fans… and those looking to read the entire Bible… I am in prayer over how to manage a back to school, back to the Bible in 90 days session this fall. It is coming back! :) )

So…. will you read with me? And, if so, will you SOAP, too? Please let me know in the comments…