Knowldege – Applying Qualities

Hello friends! Welcome back to Weekly Challenge! We’re talking about Applying Qualities right now and today’s topic is knowledge. I love learning so this is one of my favorite topics thus far!

Last week we talked about moral excellence. Your challenge was to spend 10 minutes away from distractions and think about good things. It was pretty hard for me to sit still for 10 straight minutes. My to do list was calling out to me! Tell me how you did with last week’s challenge in the comments below and as always, feel free to print the cards for your personal use. Remember to post this week’s verse in a location you’ll see daily!

Topic:
Knowledge

Definition:
N. facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or education

Scripture:
Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Challenge:
Read a book for the fun of it.
Continue to memorize 2 Peter 1:5-8

Feel free to print for personal use

Proverbs 4

1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction;
    pay attention and gain understanding.
² I give you sound learning,
    so do not forsake my teaching.
³ For I too was a son to my father,
    still tender, and cherished by my mother.
⁴ Then he taught me, and he said to me,
    “Take hold of my words with all your heart;
    keep my commands, and you will live.
⁵ Get wisdom, get understanding;
    do not forget my words or turn away from them.
⁶ Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you;
    love her, and she will watch over you.
⁷ The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom.
    Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
⁸ Cherish her, and she will exalt you;
    embrace her, and she will honor you.
⁹ She will give you a garland to grace your head
    and present you with a glorious crown.”

¹⁰ Listen, my son, accept what I say,
    and the years of your life will be many.
¹¹ I instruct you in the way of wisdom
    and lead you along straight paths.
¹² When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
    when you run, you will not stumble.
¹³ Hold on to instruction, do not let it go;
    guard it well, for it is your life.
¹⁴ Do not set foot on the path of the wicked
    or walk in the way of evildoers.
¹⁵ Avoid it, do not travel on it;
    turn from it and go on your way.
¹⁶ For they cannot rest until they do evil;
    they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
¹⁷ They eat the bread of wickedness
    and drink the wine of violence.

¹⁸ The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
    shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
¹⁹ But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
    they do not know what makes them stumble.

²⁰ My son, pay attention to what I say;
    turn your ear to my words.
²¹ Do not let them out of your sight,
    keep them within your heart;
²² for they are life to those who find them
    and health to one’s whole body.
²³ Above all else, guard your heart,
    for everything you do flows from it.
²⁴ Keep your mouth free of perversity;
    keep corrupt talk far from your lips.
²⁵ Let your eyes look straight ahead;
    fix your gaze directly before you.
²⁶ Give careful thought to the paths for your feet
    and be steadfast in all your ways.
²⁷ Do not turn to the right or the left;
    keep your foot from evil.

Proverbs 1:1-7

1 The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

² for gaining wisdom and instruction;
    for understanding words of insight;
³ for receiving instruction in prudent behavior,
    doing what is right and just and fair;
⁴ for giving prudence to those who are simple,
    knowledge and discretion to the young—
⁵ let the wise listen and add to their learning,
    and let the discerning get guidance—
⁶ for understanding proverbs and parables,
    the sayings and riddles of the wise.

⁷ The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge,
    but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Thursday Stories

Today’s brave story is from a friend that I have known a very long time. She has a beautiful and huge family who, though they didn’t know it, partially influenced my desire for a large family.  Cassie and her siblings have been through many trials together and are now on the adult side of life, living for Jesus. I hope you are encouraged by her story!

Stories from Houston

Bravery was not the word that came to mind when I heard that I had melanoma. I was shocked and really unsure of what was going to happen. It was my first trip ever to the dermatologist, but that was my result: melanoma on my chest. I was told that I had to go to a plastic surgeon for surgery the next week.

I went to the consultation not really knowing what to expect, and when I learned that I was going to have a three-inch incision plus all the tissue taken for an inch radius around and under the spot, I was scared. Scared of what it would look like, what the surgery would feel like with only local anesthesia, and what the healing process would be. Looking back it seems like it all happened so quickly, but while I was going through it I felt the emotional side of it all very poignantly.

My sweet then-boyfriend, now-fiancé, Levi, was very supportive and joined me in prayer for peace for my spirit. Several of my close friends and family knew about it and were praying, as were people I did not even know from Levi’s college. God gave me a peace about the whole thing that I never expected, and I walked into the surgery feeling very brave and thankful to God for the support and love He had surrounded me with.

The surgery itself was very stressful, as I could feel the surgeon working on me and… it was bad. I was very glad to be done with it, though I did not feel that I could rest easy just yet. You see, I had another spot in the same area that the surgeon thought I should get biopsied to be sure it was not melanoma as well. So I scheduled another appointment with the dermatologist and sure enough, she saw it and thought it needed to be checked.

I waited for almost a week expecting a call, when finally I received a letter in the mail saying it was a dysplastic nevus. Not a regular spot, but not melanoma either. For now, nothing further is required. I have to go back to the dermatologist every three months for a year to get checked over to make sure it does not show up somewhere else, but for now, I’m cancer-free.

I’m still dealing with the feeling of loss, but I have an amazing fiancé who is quick to assure me of his love for me even with scars and such. God is a good God, and I’m thankful for His unfailing faithfulness to me. Proverbs 31:25 was a focus for me during a time God asked me to be brave, and it’s worth sharing: “She is clothed in strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future.”