PRAYER OF A HUSBAND

Several years ago I spent two weeks battling a very painful headache. I don't really like taking medication but because of the intense pain I had tried several pain relievers. I used ice packs and a heating pad on my neck where the pain started. But nothing was giving me relief. Nothing. Then one Sunday, after two weeks of pain, we came home from church and the pain was so extreme I felt as though my eyes were bulging and I just couldn't take it anymore.

I went to my husband and asked him to pray for my headache to go away. He held my neck in his hands and prayed that God would take away the pain and give me relief. Within fifteen minutes my headache and neck pain was fifty percent better. And continued to get better as the evening went on.

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LESSONS FROM EYESHADOW

When it comes to eye make up, I am a very simple, neutral girl. I wear light browns and light pinks. Once in a while I'll get brave and do a red lip, but mostly, I am very basic. And I like it. One day years ago, I decided to change it up and do a smoky eye. My husband loved it and said, "You look sexy." I did my typical eye roll and said, "Sure, whatever." It's what I always do when he gives me any kind of compliment. My then my twelve year old daughter said this, "Mommy, Daddy was just telling you how pretty you are. You should say 'thank you.'"

Ouch.

Yes, I should reply with a 'thank you.'

How many times do we scoff at our husband when he hands us a compliment? Why do we do that?

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BECOMING A THEOLOGIAN

When we think of a theologian, we automatically think of someone who has been to Bible college. Someone who has dedicated their life to studying the Word of God. Maybe someone who has their doctorate. But the truth is, a theologian is simply one who studies theology. And, theology is the study of the nature of God.

It doesn't require a dissertation to be a theologian. It doesn't require a degree. It requires a heart and mind that desire to learn more about God. It's that simple. And by that definition, we should all be a theologian.

No one, absolutely no one will ever "arrive." There is no possible way that we will ever learn all there is to know about God and the Word of God. Someone who has been saved for 62 years, read the Bible through dozens of times, and even taught the Bible can still learn something new about God just as much as someone who has been saved two years and hasn't finished reading through the Bible yet.

So, how do we become a theologian? We already said it requires a heart and mind that desire to learn more. So to be a theologian we simply need to dive in heart first.

Becoming a theologian

What do I need? The most important thing you need, the one thing you must have is a Bible. Having a Bible study, a journal or notebook, a good commentary, those are great and will be helpful. But without an actual Bible, those things mean nothing. And an actual study Bible is a great option. Study Bibles give commentary, give explanation of things happening with the culture and time, and can help you go deeper.

Who should I listen to? There are so many great Bible teachers to glean from. Some still living and sharing God's Word, some no longer with us. There are so many wonderful books, podcasts, YouTube videos, etc. These are helpful resources. But when you listen, read, and watch, you need to do two important things. First, always, always, measure what is being said or written to the Word of God, Just because someone claims to know something or claims to be a teacher, doesn't always mean they are teaching Truth. Always measure against the Word. Second, always ask a trusted source. If you read or hear something that you aren't sure about or can't find a clear answer in the Bible, ask a trusted source like your pastor. And of course, the most trusted source, ask God Himself. Pray about it and trust the Holy Spirit to teach you.

What do I need to actually do? Reading the Bible is the best place to start. Highlight things. Make notes. Look for keywords. My pastor has said, "If you see a therefore in the Bible, what is it there for?" Utilize the study portion of the Bible if you have a study Bible. Utilize the cross referencing in your Bible. Most Bibles have cross referencing. You know, those tiny numbers randomly next to words and other Scripture addresses randomly on pages. Those aren't there by accident. They are there to tell you to look up those verses in correlation to what you are reading. And of course, always pray before you read and study the Word, and after you finish.

How often should I be in the Word? Daily! The Bible is called our "Daily Bread." Those two words right there tell us how often we should be in the Word. Daily, obvious. Bread, sustenance, not cake for special occasions. Every single day may not be a deep dive with commentary and cross referencing. Every day may not be journaling and note taking. Yet, every day can and should be getting into the Word and seeing what God has for you. We can't learn more about God, we can't know His heart and nature if we aren't opening our Bibles.

Anyone who claims to be a Christian should desire to continually want to study the very nature of God. Anyone who claims to be a Christian should strive to be a theologian.

I am loving the new Theologian collection from The Daily Grace Co! The Theologian Boat and Tote is a large, roomy bag sturdy enough to carry those heavy Bibles and all the extras you might use. The Theologian notebook is a beautiful soft leatherette spiral bound journal perfect for notetaking. The Theologian pen set is one of my favorites. These pens are the best. They are fine tip and write so smooth. They also have a Theologian tumbler that is so cute! And of course, The Daily Grace Co also has a wide variety of Bibles and Bible studies. Everything you find at The Daily Grace Co is perfect for beginning your journey to becoming a theologian. To shop the Daily Grace Co, click HERE and use code JENIFERMETZGER10 for 10% off your order.

Bonus! If you are like me and love adding pops of color to your Bible study time, I love the Goodness and Mercy Bible study stickers and the Give Me Jesus Bible study stickers from Daily Grace Co. I tear the pages out of the books and slip them into these clear pages and add them to my sticker binder (comes it lots of colors). It makes them more organized and helps me see them clearly. 

WEEKLY BLESSINGS {10.20.25}

My soul, bless the Lord,
and do not forget all His benefits.
Psalm 103:2 CSB

Every day I keep track of my steps. I have a personal goal of hitting 9000 steps each day. Of course, we keep track of money, whether adding to a savings, paying bills, or making a purchase. Many of us count pounds or calories as we work on our health. There are many things we keep track of or count each and every day. What about our blessings? Do we keep track of the ways God has blessed us? Do we count our blessings?

What is something you are thanking God for today?

Continuing to count God's sweet blessings...

3990. My son replacing the brakes on my truck.

3991. Watching my husband, son, and grandson together with dirty hands as they work together on the truck.

3992. Dinner date with my husband and relaxing Friday night.

3993. Sunday lunch with all our kids and grandbabies to celebrate my son's birthday.

3994. The prayers of dear friends.

It's your turn! Share something you are praising God for. I would love to rejoice with you.

SLUGS & BUGS

Kids love music. It's fun. It gets them moving. But not all music is good for kids. That is where Slugs & Bugs comes in! Slugs & Bugs is Christian music for kids, music they will love.

The brand new Slugs & Bugs cd, Sunday Songs, is out now and so much fun. My grandkids are loving this cd, especially Father Abraham! Just listen:

Isn't it so fun!? All of the Sunday Songs are so good. Classics we grew up on every Sunday with a new spin kids today will love.

Our family is getting ready for a road trip and Slugs & Bugs Sunday Songs is definitely going to be in the cd player!

To check out Sunday Songs and other Slugs & Bugs music, click HERE.