joshua

although i'll admit that i read the book of mormon more than any other book of scripture, lately joshua - in the old testament - has really drawn my attention.  there is such great strength in this prophet's words, so much that has sustained me, reminding me that everything will work out (i'll find a job, be able to perform as well as i need to in school to keep my scholarship, find the words and time to keep my relationships strong and help my friends in their struggles) because i'm relying on the only source of power that can never let me down - the Lord.  these few scriptures help to me worry a lot less, and pray a lot more.

joshua 23:8-11 (my favorite parts)

     "but cleave unto the Lord your God, as ye have done unto this day... for the Lord your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.  take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God."

joshua 1:9 (what i turn to most when i worry)

     "have not i commanded thee?  be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee withersoever thou goest."

joshua 24:15 (to strengthen my resolution)

     "...choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

during church today, this last scripture made me think a lot about my priorities.  a thoughtful man sitting a few rows in front of me made a comment that i liked quite a bit.  "priorities are not determined by your stated purpose," he said, "they're determined by how you are actually spending your time."  i'm a list-maker. at this very moment, i have seven different lists just on my desk next to my laptop, and at least another three hanging from my bulletin board on sticky notes.  but i realized, just because i wrote it down on the top of my list, doesn't make it my priority.  it's whether or not i actually do it.  i think sometimes i need to stop making lists and just do it (not promoting nike here, no worries).

on another note, i've always thought of this scripture in a "decide today what you're going to do forever" sense, but today i thought of it a little differently during sunday school.  sometimes you have to take life one day at a time, and i think that might have been part of what joshua meant here.  choose what you will do to serve the Lord, today.  not what you did yesterday, not what you have to do tomorrow, just today.  just choose for today. one day at a time.  it makes the concept seem a little more personal, right now in my life, easier to grasp.

ps. i successfully haven't fallen asleep during my morning scripture study for more than a week now.  my roommate was right, reading on the floor instead of on my bed made all the difference!

pps. in the last two days i've eaten more than nine cookies. after how many weeks of resisting every sugar-filled, white-flour yum that passed under my nose?? more to come on that ridiculousness later.