[Previously at Platt]

◘ Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar & Darius

Whaddaya know?  Lions. Writing on the wall.
Visions, interpretation.  Prayer. Exile. Power, rule & misrule.
Only book written in Hebrew & Aramaic
Unusual due to the specificity of some prophecies

Chiasm 2 = 7  |   3 = 6  |  4 = 5 ( Read more... )

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the NEXT RIGHT THING:
Emily P. Freeman

23. Expect to Be Surprised

'Glory showed up on the other side of the glass
 in ways I couldn't possibly explain or expect.'

◘  .... It’s about my continual insistence that I am in control of my own life.  It’s about the endless pressure I put on myself to make the right choice, the best choice, at the ( Read more... )

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the NEXT RIGHT THING:
Emily P. Freeman

20. Pick What You Like
("small scale overwhelm")

what is supposed to be fun, delightful  →
turns into overwhelm, discouragement, shame
=  big idea vs. too many options

◘  You could start by acknowledging the fear ( Read more... )

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the NEXT RIGHT THING:
Emily P. Freeman

17. Find a No Mentor

◘  Knowing what you want to do is important. But knowing what you don’t want to do can be even more so ( Read more... )

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the NEXT RIGHT THING:
Emily P. Freeman

14. Stop Collecting Gurus

◘ Evidence of your own guru collection may show up in spaces other than your inbox. Maybe it's the websites you visit, the books you read, the podcasts you subscribe to, or the actual real-life people you pursue. All of these have value, bring encouragement, and offer company, ( Read more... )

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the NEXT RIGHT THING:
Emily P. Freeman

11. Stay in Today

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice & be glad in it.
-  Psalm 118:24

◘ Psalm 46 invites us to be still & know that he is God.
There's a reason why God invites us to be still first: the stillness makes way for the knowing. It creates space.. [122]

◘ On anxiety: - I ( Read more... )

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There is a reason why we call these things 'disciplines'. Lent can be a time to re-calibrate ...  For talkative people like me, it can be a time to be a little quieter;  for busy people known for their many actions, it can be a time to cut back.

Teach me, O God, the value of being still
when I am constantly on the move ( Read more... )

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1 Kings 18
◘ Elijah & the prophets

Not a random act but fulfils Deut 11:16 (worship of idols)

cf: Romans 6
"the wages of sin is death"

[ uncomfortable truths ]
_________________

1 Kings 19

'TEAM DESPAIR'  or , 'TEAM RIGHTEOUS ANGER' ?
  - which of the commentators is right?Ahab's actions - may be despised by ( Read more... )

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the NEXT RIGHT THING:
Emily P. Freeman

8. Know What You Want More
◘ ... Make no mistake - denying your desire is also an answer...
If you don't take the time to admit what you most long for, decisions will still need to be made. [84 - 85]
What does the Bible have to say about desire?
..  We don't have to wonder what God would do if he were a ( Read more... )

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the NEXT RIGHT THING:
Emily P. Freeman

5. Look for Arrows

Logic & limits often get in the way of longing. And longing is key to our growth.
... This awakening didn't come like a glorious sunrise or a blooming flower. Instead, it arrived more like a summer storm: dark clouds, thick air, rolling thunder. Here is where we learned that desire often ( Read more... )