A Summer Reflection Post

The last time I blogged about life, I was beginning a new semester of college. Now, it is summer and it's time to reflect on things. Oftentimes, the uncertainties of life bring forth many questions that sometimes can be left unanswered. So far this summer, I've managed to dive in to so many questions. I'm also in a new small group at church, which is an exciting experience. 

Prayer 

Over the summer, I have decided to integrate prayer in my life. How does prayer enrich my daily life? The way I can answer this is that prayer is a conversation with God. It's more than just praying when a test comes up or on Sundays during worship. It's constant communication. It's persistent prayer that helps lead to action. It reminds me of 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18: "Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 

The Greek word for without ceasing is adialeiptōs, which also means without intermission, incessantly, uninterruptedly, and without omission. The Greek word occurs five times in four verses in the New American Standard Version's Greek concordance, and four times in four verses in the Greek concordance of the King James Version. 

In my experience, prayer gives me a more repentant heart and a more mature outlook on life. 

Scripture

Over the summer, I started reading more of my Bible. I've recently downloaded three study apps dedicated to understanding it more. 

Bible by Olive Tree: Provides a powerful Resource Bible that links the text with study Bibles, commentaries, and more. I've discovered archived sermons from John Wesley in text form. 

Faithlife Study Bible: It helps visualize the Bible in original context. 

Blue Light Bible: I enjoy using this resource to help go deeper. It shows the Hebrew texts and the Greek texts, as well as the concordances. It also helps show translation differences. 

These are some of the amazing resources that have helped me. I have also used YouVersion's Bible app as well as Bible Gateway. 

Life, Itself

Sometimes, in order to gain maturity is through reflecting on life experiences. In the spring semester, there were some trials that shaped me. Hard work paid off as I earned a 4.0 for the entire semester, and another trip to the Dean's List. 

I honestly could not have made it through the semester without the support of my family, friends, teachers, professors, advising staff members, and church friends as well as the grace of God. All the encouragement has given me the confidence to succeed even though I felt like giving up. 

I can't wait to see what the upcoming semester holds. So many new opportunities are in store, and life is an adventure. Until next time, folks! 

Jessica