God's word is sovereign

These past two weeks have been awesome. I started Genesis two weeks ago and it was a really enjoyable book to chart-even though I have read that book so many times it was so good to read it, to see how God used so many people-Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph-who themselves were sinners. Were kind of pretty stupid at times but still God chose to use them, to appoint them, to grant them powerand Godalways keeps his promises. It was just really refreshing to start at the beginning and see how I serve the same God even now.

Last weekend a friend and I were driving back from town and we noticed some people icefishing on the lake-really far at andwe decided to walk out on the lake. We both were a bit terrified but we did it-it was amazing, so beautiful to enjoy God's creation. It is so beautiful here-i really did not think i would be able to say that about Montana--but the mountains, the lake, the cute lil shops, the coffee stands everywhere, the friendly people, the fake cop, the small little towns...i just am really enjoying it.

This past week our whole class went on a retreat--near a little town called Hungry Horse (Yes they have ridiculous names here) and we spent 3 day-2 nights there just to relax and finish up the book of Exodus. There was so much snow there--in many areas it was past my knees. I had so much fun just going on walks with people, sitting by the fire inside-many games of dutch blitz, lots of food, catch phrase, worship and we did have one class. It was just so nice to talk to people-not have the stress of work (we were not allowed to bring computers) and just enjoy each other's company. The only bad thing about going on a retreat is coming back to the base and having lots of work to do. Exodus was really good though-looking at the character of God, his promises and just remembering what he did for his people even though they failed so many times he still loved them, pursued them, and kept revealing himself to them.

I am currently working on Leviticus-and first when i finished reading it I was like wow--um this is an interesting book filled with so many rules and things that seem a bit irrelevant and things that just are not done anymore. But after going to class, and learning about the historical background--looking at Canaan and Egypt and seeing what was happening there and how these people were disgusting--like just all that they were doing-all the sex, all the idols and it just makes so much more sense why Moses would have written this-and that God's heart for the people was he did not want them to be like these people. For example if you look at Leviticus 12:5..it says that after a women gives birth to a daughter she is unclean for 66 days (a time of purification) but if she has a son-it is only 33 days. And i just automatically was a bit offended by that-thinking that girls are more unclean. BUTi was totally wrong about that this was actually for the girls protection because there is a Canaanite god called Molech and this god was made out of brass and they would make a fire underneath it and his arms were out {so that one could place a child in the hands} and the hands would warm up. And what people would do would bring there child to Molech-and place him/her in his and and they child would burn and as a result they believed they would be blessed. This is so horrible and i got really emotionalwhen i was hearing this-but now looking at the law of the 66 days of purification were for the protection from molech-because they believed that the god wanted the younger children-therefore the girls were being protected. This is just one of the many things that i have been learning from researching the background and what Canaan was like.

I just want to encourage you to read the bible-but also be willing to look at the background, to ask questions, to look past the words and look into what God is saying through the words. Ever word in the bible is God breathed and is there for a reason and if what the Bible says goes against what Jesus stands for-different then the salvation message then i believe it is not being interpreted properly. The Bible does not contradict itself.

love you all..miss you..here are a few more pictures of the past few weeks...