Starting out with the Bible

Since I don't have any pictures to post, I just thought I'd write about life.... These types of questions have been at the forefront of my mind lately:

1. Who do I love, and what am I doing about it?
2. Am I pursuing my dream, or is fear stopping me?
3. Am I doing something that matters?
4. What am I doing to help others?
5. Am I as good a person as I want to be?
6. What am I doing to live life with passion, health and energy?

So one thing I am doing to help me answer these questions is to learn more about what it means to be a Christian and to learn more about the Word through Bible studies. I've never done a formal Bible study before, and I am completely motivated to dig in and to grow spiritually. I want to do this for myself and for my family, so that I know we are focused on what matters most.

I actually have joined two groups. One of my Bible studies includes a group of women from my area who all are 30-something Christians with various backgrounds in religious studies and denominations. We are studying the Beth Moore Esther "it's tough being a woman" series. It's a great balance between the history of the time and to the interpretation to the present time. The latest lesson is on "it's tough being a woman in a mean world" and it has given me perspective on how I interact with people and how easy it is to bubble up in anger. I'm making it a goal whenever I feel my blood pressure rise to pause and pray on it. What is making me feel this way? What is the Lord teaching me? Is this anger really even necessary? I have a long ways to go regarding many of my relationships, but I hope that I am going to be a more forgiving, relaxed person with the Lord in the center of my thoughts.

And I'm in another Bible study with some wonderful female friends from work. We meet every 2 weeks over lunch. It's so nice to not only have a break from all things Boston Scientific for an hour here and there, but to also know these women better. We are studying the Beatitudes from the gospel of Matthew through a Max Lucado book called "Applause from Heaven." I think this particular passage is opening my eyes to how valuable it is to get multiple perspectives in order to add depth to the message. I would never have gotten the same interpretation on my own, and I'm grateful for the messages and self-reflection the study is giving me. (We're going to be starting a new book in a month or so, so let me know if you have any recommendations for a read and discuss type of study book.)