The first three...

We are breaking James down into three verse bites; with each of us taking a turn at the lead post.  Since each prefer a different version, we will post our version of the verses first, followed by our commentary.  It so happens that James 1:4 is my favorite verse, so I was elected to take the first three!

James 1:2-4 (Amplified)
2 Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations.
3 Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.
4 But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.

I first came upon these verses as a point of promise (something I could depend on as being true in my life) as a teenager.  Gawky, gangly, socially an outcast and towering over others, I had decided dating could wait.  Not that I didn't want to date, but it seemed so improbable, making it a choice was easier than rejection.  I made a list of prospective husbandly traits, written in blue marker and done by candlelight.  I told God that this was what I wanted in a husband (not a boyfriend) and that I was content not dating as I erroneously believed I would never have a broken heart.  In searching scripture, my eyes lighted on James 1:4.  "let patience have her perfect work, so that you may be fully developed and lack nothing." (the paraphrase I still think of it in!) I would patiently wait for my husband.  Then I would lack nothing on my list.

My first husband came along when I was 20.  Pulling out the dogearred list hours after our engagement, I wept happy tears as I was able to check off all my hopes for a husband my new fiancé possessed.  At our wedding at age 21, it was on this page if the Bible, with this verse clearly showing, that we posed our newly ringed hands.  Patience had taken and made a perfect work.

But what of verses 2 & 3?  Count it all JOY when the world is falling apart?

That came into play just 2 1/2 years later, when in my fifth month of pregnancy my husband was diagnosed with brain cancer.  He entered hospice care four days before our daughter was born.  He could not remember her birth for the first few weeks, and kept asking why we had a baby in our house.  He died 3 months later.

Joy.  The emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires.  What joy was there in a dying husband?  One who couldn't seem to grasp his daughter's birth?  Of being widowed at 24?

Count it wholly joyful.

It's a choice, you see.  When accounting, you chose to put the sum in the debit or credit column.  In life, you choose to see it as joy or trial.

As I was wheeled out of the hospital by my mother and sisters, I clung to joy.  My husband wasn't with me-but I could choose to make the memory sweet.  I put two bonnets on my newborn baby girl (the one I wore home from the hospital, and the winter one she needed) and we laughed at my determination she'd wear my summery little frock in January.  At home I chose to enjoy my husband reliving the news over and over that his child had been born.  I enjoyed those winter days and evening snuggled up on the coach (we could no longer sleep together- our room was on the second floor, so our dining room was converted) and having him here, somewhat comfortable.  Days before he entered the hospital he looked at our sleeping baby and said simply, "You know?  I love her." Somehow, despite the sickening cancer, she had crept into his heart.  

He spent five weeks in the critical care unit.  The baby wasn't allowed in his room.  I spent hours by his side, reading scriptures and singing and talking to him.  (I honestly think he lived longer, pulled to stay by our bond.) Was it horrible?  Moments were; but overall I knew that I knew that I knew-no matter what his outcome-whether he lived or died-I would be ok.  "know that the proving of your faith brings out endurance, steadfastness and patience...and let patience have her perfect work, so you may be fully developed and lack nothing." My choice of Joy made it bearable.

After his death, I spent many an evening contending with God.  Many a day I had to make a choice for joy, instead of grief.  Having a baby made it easier-how can one not find joy in a baby's firsts?

I remarried two years later, and we'll celebrate fifteen years together in April.

If I don't kill him first.

Lately, I have to remind myself to choose joy.  To count it wholly joyful when you want to strangle your spouse, lash out at coworkers, smack your kids & tear up the mounting bills.  Real life isn't as dramatic as the death of a spouse, so perhaps that is why it's harder to have joy in the everyday trials. As I have grown in my faith, I have learned that it seems to get particularly bad right before a big breakthrough...we must be on the verge of something major!!  My endurance is about shot, I'm unsteady instead of steadfast, and my patience is wearing thin.  And then Paula picks up the Book of James, and the first three verses are assigned to me.

2 Consider it wholly joyful, my brethren, whenever you are enveloped in or encounter trials of any sort or fall into various temptations. 3 Be assured and understand that the trial and proving of your faith bring out endurance and steadfastness and patience.

But wait!  I am to choose joy, then to be ASSURED that this trial BRINGS OUT endurance, steadfastness and patience.  

4 But let endurance and steadfastness and patience have full play and do a thorough work, so that you may be [people] perfectly and fully developed [with no defects], lacking in nothing.

At the end of it, we will be people perfectly and fully developed, lacking in nothing.  It is my choice to believe this Word is true.  My choice to have faith in this promise.  My choice to consider it joy-The prospect of possessing well being (even though lately things seem grim.). To me, these verses are a command with a promise; a blueprint for success in battle.  Writing tonight of past victories through this use of joy has reminded me again of His promise.  Perfect and entire, lacking nothing.

All Good Things Come To Those Who Wait (Upon The Lord), Not Me!

Well finally, eh?!  So first things first, yes I am Kelly (who you have apparently been waiting for) and I am a major procrastinator, or perhaps master of distraction (and as I just shared my first 2 sentences with my husband, his only response is "yes.").  Well anyway, as Katie already relayed I am also a mom of 3 with my kids ranging from 8 to 2 years as well as a wife to Jason for 11 years.  I am a speech pathologist by trade and a lia sophia jewelry lover, advisor, and team leader by convert.  True story, I didn't wear a bit of jewelry until lia sophia, well except that belly button ring which was so unsightly during the first pregnancy that it really had to go.

Of the 3 of us, I am probably the worst writer and pay the least attention to details, well Paula may have me on the latter.  Contrary to Katie, my house is never silent except perhaps in the wee hours of the morning when I am completely passed out from exhaustion.  My current passion is health and nutrition and I would love nothing more than to have a sustainable farm and live completely off my own land.  I am in the current process of trying to convince my husband to build a chicken coop so we can have our own laying hens and meat chickens!!  He's not so on board yet..........yet.....I can be relatively persuasive so check back in a few weeks.

Speaking of meat, James.....wow what a meaty book of the bible.  I suspect that we may need to chew on it slowly savoring every ounce of goodness it offers.  Other times however I'm betting it will be tough to cut through.  Not sure about you, but I am looking forward to diving into this with two amazing women who love  Jesus with all they have.  I have shared personal, professional, and spiritual struggles and triumphs with each of them and I am excited to dig deep and come out closer to Jesus and even closer to them!  So what are you waiting for, join us!!

Oh Katie - no worries, I prefer the NASB or sometimes the NKJV!!

The Waiting Game

We are waiting for Kelly to get on and introduce herself before we get started, but as she has a particularly busy week, I'll introduce myself further.

When I saw Paula's post on James, I immediately contacted her with the idea for this blog.  James contains my favorite verse in the Bible, and chapter one is definitely ranked in the top chapters I enjoy.  The idea of sharing my love of James, with other Christian women I love and admire, was highly appealing.

My favorite version of the Bible, and the one I will be using, is the Amplified.  I was brought up on it; anything less seems to be leaving something out.  Imagine my delight when Paula shared she uses the NIV exclusively.  I don't like the NIV, she doesn't like the Amplified.  We both feel strongly on it- PURE DELIGHT;  what revelations this can add!  I am so hopeful Kelly has a different version as her preferred, so that three different versions are used in exploring the text.

My daily life is a bit different from Paula and Kelly, my youngest is 10 (nearly 11) and in her final year of elementary school (I currently have one in high school, one in middle and one in elementary.)  I cannot claim to be a stay-at-home-mom, for although I work from my home, there is no one here with me (except the dog, Bowie.  We recently rescued him from the pound.)  Sometimes the silence is deafening...but I am not one who ever wishes to return to the days of little ones underfoot.  I must admit, I enjoy my children so thoroughly at the age they are, I don't pine for the baby days or feel their youth is flying by.  Everyday I am so enamored with who they are becoming - it is much more fun as they grow than wishing for days past (that and I clearly recall how freaking hard those days were.)

This year I celebrate 15 years of marriage, my oldest is 17 and a product of my marriage with my late husband, who died of cancer at age 29 (we were married just under 3 years when he passed.) This life event has left me with powerful convictions...it will be interesting to explore them with James.

Please follow our blog (I assure you that there will be disagreements, agreements and great reading in the weeks ahead.)  We look forward to you joining us on the journey!

Join Us!

Greetings! As Katie stated, I am Paula, a mother of three fabulous children (maybe she didn't say "fabulous") with a degree in Elementary Education. My Bachelor's is actually Elementary/Middle Ed with a minor in English. I have a Master's degree in Educational Administration and a Doctorate in Mommyology. :)  (And yes, I am a writer who DOES use emoticons--shame on me.)

I have to tell you how this blog began, as it is stinkin' exciting!!!

So, I was minding my own business, relaxing in the jacuzzi tub with the jets on full blast reading the Good Book. I adore my bath times as they are quite often the only "alone" time I get during my day. Don't tell anyone, but sometimes I take two or three baths a day, just to get "away". Shhhhhh.

I fancy myself an avid reader and it is not a unique experience for me to get so wrapped up in a good book (mainly women's fiction, mind you. Unlike Katie, I am NOT scholarly), that I stay up for hours turning pages, physically unable to put the book down! When something captures my attention in such a way, I find it difficult to focus on anything else. Imagine my surprise when, as I am chillin' in the bath, the book of James hooks me like a Nicholas Sparks novel! I was so enthralled that I immediately posted about it on facebook!

God works in amazing ways, because Katie responded to my post and we had quite a conversation right there on my "wall!" And Katie, being the creative genius she is, came up with this super fun idea of creating a blog! I love it!!!

One of the greatest things about this blog is that Katie, Kelly and I are about as different as can be, yet we love each other dearly. Through this journey, a reader will truly experience three very different perspectives and personalities. Our writing styles will vary greatly. We each live in different states, love different people, but each of our hearts belong to the One and Only Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! I am so excited about this journey and could not have hand-picked two more amazing women with whom to embark upon it! Grab your compass and your fanny pack. We're going on a journey!!!

The Book of James

James 1:1  James, A servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes scattered abroad [among the Gentiles in the dispersion]:  Greetings (rejoice)!

So begins the Book of James, in the Amplified version of the Bible.

This blog chronicles the personal interpretations of three women as they explore the Book of James together.

Katie (myself) is a region leader with lia sophia jewelry.  It was I who introduced the other two women, who are part of my jewelry downline, but in different groups.  I am married, mom of three who has a history degree, and enjoy volunteering at the local history museum, Sharlot Hall.  I live in Arizona.

Paula is currently an advisor with lia sophia jewelry; married, mom of three with an elementary teaching degree, who enjoys writing.  Paula resides in Kansas.

Kelly is a unit leader with lia sophia jewelry; married, mom of three.  She works part time as a speech therapist, and holds her master's in speech therapy.  Kelly lives in Michigan.

My, don't we sound droll??

We each share a keen desire to know God more, but three more lively dames you have never met.  I invite you to join us as we explore the Book of James in an unconventional, modern mom and entrepreneurial way!