Snow Days

Dear Reader,

I'm not sure if you are stuck inside your house today, but I am. We had a huge blizzard come through town yesterday and it basically shut the city down. They are calling it the 'Blizzard of 2011' and while they are trying to figure out a way to plow every street, I am stuck inside. Yes, stuck. I am going stir crazy and there is nowhere for me to go. So here I am.

Yesterday I read the book of Genesis. I've been wanting to read it, and so yesterday while the snow was falling and the winds were howling I curled up inside with a lot of coffee and chai teas and read it. The major thing that I realized yesterday was that Genesis REALLY happened. It's not just a bunch of cool stories. It's the beginning of a very long love story that God wrote just to show how much He loves us. It's real. The story about Adam and Eve really took place some 6000 years ago. Noah and His family really were in an ark for about a year while there was a flood destroying everything and everyone that they knew. (And I'm going stir crazy for 2 days...) Anyways, my point is that every story in Genesis really happened.

My favorite story in Genesis is found in chapter 24. Isaac and Rebekah. I'm not sure why I love it so much, but it has to be one of my favorite stories in the Bible. (I have a lot.) I've heard 2 teachings on this chapter. I've heard one on evangelism by Rich Stevenson, and one on the Holy Spirit's work in getting and preparing a bride for Jesus by Mike Bickle. They both caused me to fall in love with this chapter. Plus, anytime there is a bride involved I usually like the story- especially in the Bible. Then I read the book of Ruth before I went to bed. Which again, I love. After reading Francine River's series on the women in Jesus' lineage (I cannot remember the title) I have loved going back and actually reading the stories of each one. They are each so unique and different, and you can just see God's compassionate and loving heart in each one as the different stories play out.

Today it's done snowing, but we still have a snow day. I am going to attempt to make a good use of my day by reading Revelation. Although it isn't as long as Genesis, I am assuming it will take me most of the day. If it doesn't then I am planning on going back to the Old Testament to read some of Elijah's story.

And if I finish all of that, then I may just go outside and build myself a snowman because I've been dying to do that since winter started. All my friends want to go sledding, but I just want to build a snowman, take a couple pics with it and then come back inside for a nice hot cup of something :)

I hope that if you are stuck inside as well that you find something fun and creative to do!

Many blessings,

Whitney :)

Rebekah: The Extravagant Heart of the Bride (Gen. 24) by Mike Bickle
http://mikebickle.org/resources/resource/2976

Searching for the Bride: Rich Stevenson (September 2010)
http://ihop.org/Group/Group.aspx?ID=1000036428