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Here’s our continuation on the Wednesday series “Recording Our Actions” Since January, I’ve been researching every instance of the word ‘book’ in the Bible. In these Old Testament passages, I’ve found the lives of many kings were recorded. Some of the rulers were godly, others were…eh.

Here are more passages for you to ponder:

“And Jehoash king of Judah took all the hallowed things that Jehoshaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah, his fathers, kings of Judah, had dedicated, and his own hallowed things, and all the gold that was found in the treasures of the house of the LORD, and in the king’s house, and sent it to Hazael king of Syria: and he went away from Jerusalem. And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?” ( 2 Kings 12:18-19, KJV)

“Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen, and ten chariots, and ten thousand footmen; for the king of Syria had destroyed them, and had made them like the dust by threshing. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz, and all that he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?” (2 Kings 13:7-8, KJV)

“And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD; he departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, who made Israel sin: but he walked therein. And the rest of the acts of Joash, and all that he did, and his might wherewith he fought against Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?” (2Kings 13:11-12, KJV)

“And he took all the gold and silver, and all the vessels that were found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasures of the king’s house, and hostages, and returned to Samaria. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoash which he did, and his might, and how he fought with Amaziah king of Judah, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?” (2 Kings 14:14-15, KJV)

Question for You: If you died and a book were written about your life, what would it say? How were you as a spouse, a parent, a friend or a co-worker?

Hey everyone, it’s Preslaysa!

I’m happy to have author Suzanne Woods Fisher as today’s guest blogger for Marriage and Motherhood Mondays. Suzanne’s latest non-fiction release Amish Values for Your Family is available now! This book explores how the non-Amish can incorporate Amish values into their family life. One of my favorite Amish values is their take on parenting:  “We don’t prepare our children for the future, we prepare our children for eternity.” (I’ll blog about that on August 31st!)

Also, there are two contests going on right now to celebrate the release. See details at the end of this post.

Here’s Suzanne…

Five Things I’ve Learned from the Amish that Have Nothing to Do with being Amish and Have Everything to Do with being a Christian:

Being Amish is not a lifestyle. Life among the Amish has to do with faith. Faith can’t be squeezed to an hour or two on Sunday morning; it infuses their entire life like a teabag in hot water. What they do and how they do it is rooted in the spiritual question: What is pleasing to God?

Amish proverb: “Letting go of earthly possessions enables us to take hold of heavenly treasures.”The Lesson: To pray about my day’s activities and offer them to God, first, for His purposes. And then trusting interruptions (seeing a friend in the grocery store, for example) or de-railings (those days when everything goes wrong!) to be God-managed.

Cherish your family. A family that works together, grows together. Amish families spend a lot of time together and try to keep their work close to home. Children are valued as gifts from God, wanted and enjoyed. They’re included in all of Amish life—from barn raisings to three-hour church services. An Amish bishop once said, “We don’t prepare our children for the future, we prepare our children for eternity.”

Amish proverb: “Tomorrow’s world will be shaped by what we teach our children today.”

The Lesson: Involving children in chores and activities may not be the most convenient or efficient way to accomplish a task, but the benefits are long lasting. Look for ways to get everybody involved—cook together, sweep out the garage together, set the table together. And have fun while you’re doing it!

Draw a land in the sand. The Amish want to be good stewards of God’s resources—time, money, material goods. They know that convenience comes with a cost. They don’t want to be dependent on outside sources (such as electricity or gas!). Convenience means loss of something valuable. For example, fast food means less nutrition. More stuff means more maintenance. They’re willing to say no.

Amish proverb: “Things that steal our time are usually the easiest to do.”

The Lesson: Technology has its limits. And technology isn’t all good. Evaluate purchases more thoughtfully. Think of where a purchase or an added expense will lead your family. More time together or less? More stress or less? Reframe your view of time and money and goods as God’s resources.

Watch Your Words. The Amish continually stress the importance of filtering their speech.

Amish proverb: “Words break no bones, but they can break hearts” and “Mincing your words makes it easier if you have to eat them later.”

The Lesson: Say less. Prayer more.

Nothing replaces face-to-face visits. Back in the day when telephones emerged on the scene, the Amish bishops made a deliberate decision to keep the telephone out of the house. They didn’t want to interrupt family life. But they drop everything for a face-to-face visit.

Amish proverb: “Use friendship as a drawing account, but don’t forget to make a deposit.”

The Lesson: Nurture relationships by investing face-to-face time in them. No technology can substitute for the real thing.

Honor the Sabbath. An Amish person would never think of working on a Sunday. But it’s more than that—they truly cherish their Sabbath. They spend time on Saturday to make Sunday a smooth and easy day.

Amish proverb: “Many things I have tried to grasp and have lost. That which I have placed in God’s hands I still have.”

The Lesson: Strive to make Sunday a different day than other days. A day of rest is important on so many levels—time to worship, time to reflect, time to re-energize. A re-charge your battery day.

Suzanne Woods Fisher is a bestselling author of Amish fiction and non-fiction and the host of a weekly radio program called Amish Wisdom. Her most recent book, Amish Values for Your Family released in August. The Waiting is a finalist for a 2011 Christy Award. Amish Peace: Simple and Amish Proverbs were both finalists for the ECPA Book of the Year (2010, 2011). Her interest in the Amish began with her grandfather, W.D. Benedict, who was raised Plain. Suzanne has a great admiration for the Plain people and believes they provide wonderful examples to the world.  When Suzanne isn’t writing or bragging to her friends about her first new grandbaby (!), she is raising puppies for Guide Dogs for the Blind. To Suzanne’s way of thinking, you just can’t take life too seriously when a puppy is tearing through your house with someone’s underwear in its mouth. Keep up on Suzanne’s latest news on Facebook, Twitter and on her blog!

Contest Number One!

I’m giving away two copies of Amish Values for Your Family
Leave a comment in this post with your email address for a chance to win. Winner announced on September 1st.

Contest Number Two!

Suzanne Woods Fisher is thrilled to announce the release of Amish Values for Your Family, her latest non-fiction release. “It offers loving ways to bring your fractured home back to life-Amish style. Read it and apply generously! It’s a beautiful book-funny, charming, soulful, and beautiful.” -Mary Ann Kirkby

Read the reviews here.

To celebrate the release of Amish Values for Your Family, Suzanne has teamed up her publisher Revell Books to giveaway a Kindle, and with Bill Coleman (the amazing photographer used on Suzanne’s book covers) to give away a signed Bill Coleman original.

One Grand Prize winner will receive an Amish Values Prize Package (valued at over $200) and includes:

* A brand new KINDLE
* A Signed Bill Coleman original
* Amish Values for Your Family (for KINDLE)

Click on one of the icons to enter. Winner will be announced on 9/2 at Suzanne’s blog. Be sure to stop by the blogs on Suzanne’s blog tour – many have copies of Amish Values for Your Family to give away.

But, wait there’s more! Suzanne is running a Bill Coleman caption contest during the month of August on her blog. Title one of Bill’s gorgeous photos for a chance to win a print from Bill’s Amish Photo site and/or a copy of Amish Values for Your Family.

Here’s our continuation on the Wednesday series “Recording Our Actions” Since January, I’ve been researching every instance of the word ‘book’ in the Bible. In these Old Testament passages, I’ve found the lives of many kings were recorded. Some of the rulers were godly, others were…eh.

Here are more passages for you to ponder:

“And Jehoshaphat made peace with the king of Israel. Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land.” (I Kings 22:44-46, KJV)

“So he died according to the word of the LORD which Elijah had spoken. And Jehoram reigned in his stead in the second year of Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah; because he had no son. Now the rest of the acts of Ahaziah which he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel?” (2 Kings 1:17-18, KJV)

“Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. Then Libnah revolted at the same time. And the rest of the acts of Joram, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah?And Joram slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David: and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.” (2Kings 8:22-24, KJV)

“From Jordan eastward, all the land of Gilead, the Gadites, and the Reubenites, and the Manassites, from Aroer, which is by the river Arnon, even Gilead and Bashan. Now the rest of the acts of Jehu, and all that he did, and all his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? And Jehu slept with his fathers: and they buried him in Samaria. And Jehoahaz his son reigned in his stead.” (2 Kings 10:33-35, KJV)

Question for You: If you died and a book were written about your life, what would it say? How were you as a spouse, a parent, a friend or a co-worker?

I’m a day late in posting but I wanted to continue on the series which I started two weeks ago called ‘Recording Our Actions”. Here’s a passage from 1 Kings 22:38-40 (KJV) where we learn about King Ahab. He didn’t please the Lord during his reign and was met with an unfortunate end. The lives of people like Ahab were recorded so we can avoid their follies. Here’s what’s recorded about King Ahab.

^“And one washed the chariot in the pool of Samaria; and the dogs licked up his blood; and they washed his armour; according unto the word of the LORD which he spake. Now the rest of the acts of Ahab, and all that he did, and the ivory house which he made, and all the cities that he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? So Ahab slept with his fathers; and Ahaziah his son reigned in his stead.” (I Kings 22:38-40, KJV)

Question for You: If you died and a book were written about your life, what would it say? How were you as a spouse, a parent, a friend or a co-worker?

Hey Everyone,

I’m still busy unpacking from our cross country trip. I will see you on Friday!

🙂

In numerous sections of the Old Testament, we see the acts of the kings of both Israel and Judah recorded. Some of these kings pleased God, others displeased Him. But in both instances we see that their actions were not performed in  a box, apart from God’s omniscience.

Although we may not be kings and leaders of nations, God is deeply interested in our lives. Second Chronicles 16:9a says “The eyes of the Lordsearch the whole earth in order to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” 

Here are some passages from the Old Testament which show that the actions of various kings were written and recorded for future generations.

The rest of all the acts of Asa, all his might, all that he did, and the cities which he built, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? But in the time of his old age he was diseased in his feet. So Asa rested with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the City of David his father. Then Jehoshaphat his son reigned in his place. (I Kings 15:23-24, KJV)

 because of the sins of Jeroboam, which he had sinned and by which he had made Israel sin, because of his provocation with which he had provoked the LORD God of Israel to anger.  Now the rest of the acts of Nadab, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? And there was war between Asa and Baasha king of Israel all their days. (I Kings 15:30-32, KJV)

The dogs shall eat whoever belongs to Baasha and dies in the city, and the birds of the air shall eat whoever dies in the fields.” Now the rest of the acts of Baasha, what he did, and his might, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? ⁶ So Baasha rested with his fathers and was buried in Tirzah. Then Elah his son reigned in his place. (I Kings 16:4-6, KJV)

for all the sins of Baasha and the sins of Elah his son, by which they had sinned and by which they had made Israel sin, in provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their idols.  Now the rest of the acts of Elah, and all that he did, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? (I Kings 16:13-14, KJV)

because of the sins which he had committed in doing evil in the sight of the LORD, in walking in the way of Jeroboam, and in his sin which he had committed to make Israel sin. Now the rest of the acts of Zimri, and the treason he committed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? (I Kings 16:19-20, KJV)

For he walked in all the ways of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, and in his sin by which he had made Israel sin, provoking the LORD God of Israel to anger with their idols.  Now the rest of the acts of Omri which he did, and the might that he showed, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Israel? So Omri rested with his fathers and was buried in Samaria. Then Ahab his son reigned in his place. (I Kings 16:26-28, KJV)

Question for You: If you died and a book were written about your life, what would it say? How were you as a spouse, a parent, a friend or a co-worker?

I’ve been pounding out some serious wordage, so I’m taking a blog break today. See ya back on Friday with an interview with Elizabeth Camden.

Our search through each mention of the word ‘book’ in the Bible has taken us here:

There was war between Rehoboam and Jeroboam all the days of his life. Now the rest of the acts of Abijam and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? And there was war between Abijam and Jeroboam. And Abijam slept with his fathers and they buried him in the city of David; and Asa his son became king in his place. (I Kings 15:6-8, NASB)

Life doesn’t always give us a smooth ride. There can be bumps and hiccups along the way. But God has promised us peace through the storms and He has given us the ability to be stronger and wiser through each trial. In this passage, Rehoboam and Jeroboam were at war with one another all the days of their lives. Today, we have the privilege of God’s gift of peace. Jesus made peace through His death, burial and resurrection. He paid the price for the war waged over the souls of men. We can rest in that promise as we rest in Him and His Word.