Biggest Loser - Week Eight - Self Control!

Now there is a word I have a problem with, and apparently all of America has the same issue NO?! Self control.... hummm......

Self control - restraint exercised over one's own impulses, emotions, or desires

"Restraint" now there's an interesting word.

Restraint - a control over the expression of one's emotions or thoughts

As I have read through the "Spiritual Secrets to Weight Loss" this week the word self control has come up, ALOT! Self control is one of the fruits of the spirit, but do we pursue it as passionately as we pursue the other eight fruits! It says in the book "we view self control as a nice but unobtainable ideal that we may speak of in theory but are incapable of practicing"

Could it be we don't want to practice it?!!! In my own life there have been way to many times where I have said "Lord I know I shouldn't eat this, but I'm going to." Then I cry and stomp my feet saying "why do I way so much! I just can't seem to lose weight!" Woe is me! Oh pleeeaaazzzeee, don't I take the cake! (Oh cake that sounds good) I am expecting God to just magically keep the pounds off me because I don't want to realize that I have the same power to practice self control as I do to practice, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness. In the book the author says "The end result of this reasoning is that instead of practicing self control, we succumb to the doctrine of indulgence that says "If it feels good do it."

We hear in America have been fed the message "do it" for so long, it has become part of our subconscious. We have to break free from that thought process, we can do it according to 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, we can demolish any argument and pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God (I will be memorizing this passage). I have the power within me to exercise self control. I have willfully disobeyed my Father by now practicing the power I have in this area.

Dear Daddy,

I am so sorry for my willful act of disobedience in my practicing self control! I know that what I have done is wrong and I ask you to forgive me and restore my relationship with you. Continue to teach me by your wonderful word! Let me meditate on your precepts and hide them in my heart! Remind me that I do have all that I need to demolish strongholds that I have allowed to infiltrate my life because I have not had my armor on. Thank you for always loving me, and guiding me and disciplining me!

I love you with all my heart!

Your Daugther

lbs lost .6
gained self control

In the Palm of Your Hand

"In The Palm Of Your Hand

"If I could have the world and all it owns

A thousand kingdoms, a thousand thrones

If all the earth were mine to hold

With wealth my only goal

I'd spend my gold on selfish things

Without the love that Your life brings

Just a little bit more is all I'd need'

Til life was torn from me

I'd rather be in the palm of Your hand

Though rich or poor I may be

Faith can see right through the circumstance

Sees the forest in spite of the trees

Your grace provides for me

If I should walk the streets no place to sleep

No faith in promises

You keepI'd have no way to buy my bread

With a bottle for my bed

But if I trust the One who died for me

Who shed His blood to set me free

If I live my life to trust in You

Your grace will see me through

I'd rather be in the palm of Your hand

Though rich or poor I may be

Faith can see right through the circumstance

Sees the forest in spite of the trees

If I could have the world

If I could have the world and all it owns

Biggest Loser - Week 7 - contentment

Hey it's Saturday, not Thursday night, but I just couldn't get myself together enough to sit down and form a post before this morning! We'll see if I can do it now! Forgive me if I ramble on!!

In my journey of weight loss over the years I have always fretted on "why must I always watch what I eat?" "why can't I eat like skinny people I see (this of course includes my wonderful, precious husband)? "why me, why me, why me????!!!!!" blah, blah, blah!!! You name if I have said it and stumped my feet! (that by the way is a story in itself, I may have to blog about my fee stumpin' sometime) I wanted to do what I wanted to do!!! Forget the fact that it wasn't healthy for me, I WANTED TO EAT WHATEVER I WANTED WHENEVER I WANT AND WITH NO REPERCUSSIONS!!!!

Hummmm..... does that sound like I was content? Not so much!

The devotion that just hit me between the eyes this week was entitled "Be content". The scripture verse was:

1 Timothy 6:6-8

But godliness with contentment is great gain.

For we brought nothing into this world,

and we can take nothing out of it.

But if we have food and clothing,

we will be content with that.

The author goes on to say how God provides for our every need, but we in all our human self-centeredness say "well that just ain't good enough!". I want more! I want something different! I want to be skinnier without sacrifice!! You fill in the blank_______________________! She uses the example of the Israelites in the desert from Numbers 11: 4-6. This is the one where they are sick and tired of the Manna that God was providing (without effort on their part) for them daily. They thought and actually said they were better off being slaves in Egypt because there they got to eat cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But here all we get is this awful white stuff! (my emphasis)

They were not grateful for what God was providing! They always wanted something more! God was just not giving them what they wanted! I'm reminded of the toddler mentality here! Doesn't that sound like something a little child would say?!

Here are a couple quotes that spoke to me:

"a state of discontentment will invariable cloud our perception and even make us ungrateful for the blessings we experience each day."

"The goodness of God moved Him to break the law of sowing and reaping on their (Israelites) behalf. But instead of responding with awe and thanksgiving, they grumbled." (that's me too!)

This one is a biggy for me: :The root of their discontentment was that they found restriction intolerable." Remember above "I want, what I want!!!!" Ouch that one hurt real good!!!!

"They were upset because limits were placed on what they could eat, and this was heightened by their awareness of what they were missing." (oh ouch again!)

"Like the Israelites, we tend to let restriction cloud our eyes to provision."

lastly:

"The issue for the Israelites (and me) was not manna but thanklessness and rebellion."

All these quotes were from "Spiritual Secrets to Weight Loss" by Kara Davis, MD

I have to admit this is how I think too! I so want to glorify God through this journey, so I confess my thanklessness and rebellion to Him and to you!

Here is the prayer from the end of the devotion:

Father, I rejoice today in your provisions, and I choose to live in a state of contentment. Help me to understand that contentment brings peace, and thankfulness brings joy. Lord, I purpose to take my eye off what I don't have and rejoice in what I've been given. AMEN!!!

.3lb loss Contentment gained!

The Color of my rainbow!

Mari had this on her blog this morning and I thought it might be fun!

Your rainbow is intensely shaded yellow, white, and brown.

What is says about you: You are a deep thinking person. You appreciate optimism. You're good at getting people to like you. People depend on you to make them feel secure.

Find the colors of your rainbow at spacefem.com.

I think my colors are a bit faded but this does describe me pretty well.

Biggest Loser post coming I just have to get my thoughts together!

Genesis 9:16

Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth."

Spinning wheels got to go round!

I've been listening and watching Hersey in his spinning ball lately! I never thought I would have so much fun watching a Hamster! It really makes me laugh! That little bugger can really get that thing going! But do you know what, he doesn't get anywhere!


Do you ever feel like that? Your running around and around, stop, look and doggoneit your still in the same place you were. I feel like that alot! I feel like I have all this stuff I'm doing and where is it getting me? Is it really important in the larger scheme of things? Am I that much further in my walk with the Lord? If I am not moving forward in Christ am I backsliding? I want to move from where I'm at, closer to where He wants me to be!

Ecclesiastes is one of my favorite books in the Bible. People are always shocked at that, because they think it is such a dreary book. I don't see it as dreary. I see it as what life can be without a close relationship to God. Solomon had all the wisdom! God gave it to him! An awesome thing to ask for, maybe. Solomon says in chapter 1:18 "For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief." But Solomon did not remain close to God. He did not use his wisdom wisely. It's like I sometimes say to my son "You may be smart, but you are not very wise". Solomon strayed from God.
He begins the book saying this:

Ecclesiastes 1:4-9

Generations come and generations go,

but the earth remains forever.
The sun rises and the sun sets,

and hurries back to where it rises.
The wind blows to the south

and turns to the north;

round and round it goes,

ever returning on its course.
All streams flow into the sea,

yet the sea is never full.

To the place the streams come from,

there they return again.
All things are wearisome,

more than one can say.

The eye never has enough of seeing,

nor the ear its fill of hearing.
What has been will be again,

what has been done will be done again;

there is nothing new under the sun.

I hope I haven't depressed anyone that is not the reason for this post! It just came to mind how we all tend to work so hard on the things of the natural world and neglect the things of the invisible world. All that is in the natural ceases to be, what we build for eternity will be the only thing that last! We will not be spinning our wheels if we concentrate on the eternal. Here is how Solomon ends this book:

Ecclesiastes 12:13

Now all has been heard;

here is the conclusion of the matter:

Fear God and keep his commandments,

for this is the whole duty of man.

For the sake of Your name!

Lately I have been doing a study of the book of Ezekiel. In Ezekiel 20 it mentions this phrase "for the sake of My name" 4 times. It is in reference God not destroying Israel because of their sin. He did it so his name would not be profaned among the nations. God honors HIS promises!

This phrase has stuck with me lately. The other day I heard a sermon on the radio that mentioned the same thing, but with a verse in the NT. I kept saying to myself don't forget that verse (ya know because I was driving and couldn't write at that moment). Well I forgot the verse, but no matter. I typed up sake and name in Biblegateway and below are a few excerpts or whole verses that give such hope to us, poor sinners saved by grace! I hope they bless you too and help you to remember God has kept his promises from before time began and will continue to do so FOR THE SAKE OF HIS NAME!

1 Samuel 12:22 - For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people

Psalms 23:3 - He restores my soul; he guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake

Psalms 25:11 - For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great (I love this because David is reminding God, not that he needs reminding, but see the intimacy there!)

Psalm 31:3 - Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me

Psalms 79:9 - Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name's sake

Psalms 106:8 - Yet he saved them for his name's sake.....

Psalms 109:21 - But you, O sovereign LORD, deal well with me for your name's sake...

Psalms 143:11 - For your name's sake, O LORD, preserve my life....

Isaiah 48:9 - For my own name's sake I delay my wrath.....

Jeremiah 14:7 - Although our sins testify against us; O LORD; do something for the sake of your name....

Jeremiah 14:21 - For the sake of your name do not despise us; do not dishonor your glorious throne. Remember your covenant with us and do not break it.

Here are the verses I mentioned above from Ezekiel:

20:9 - But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned....

20:14 - But for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned....

20:22 - But I withheld my hand, and for the sake of my name I did what would keep it from being profaned.....

20:44 - You will know that I am the LORD, when I deal with you for my name's sake.....

Ezekiel 36:22 - ....It is not for you sake, O house of Israel, that I am going to do these things, but for the sake of my holy name, which you have profaned among the nations where you have gone

Daniel 9:19 - O Lord, listen! O Lord, forgive! O Lord, hear and act! For your sake, O my God do not delay, because your city and your people bear your name (Oh I love that one! I bear his name!!)

Romans 1:5 - Through him and for his name's sake, we received grace and apostleship......

3 John 1:7 - It was for the sake of the name that they went out.....

Out of these verses I get:

HOPE because he has promised

PEACE because he remembers

DISCIPLINE because I deserve it

LOVE because of HIS GREAT NAME!

TSMSS - Come Thou Fount

I have been thinking of the Ebenezer stone from 1 Samuel 7:12 lately. When I googled it the other day it mentioned it being part of this wonderful old song. Here David Crowder puts his unique spin on it (with lyrics below)

Come thou font of every blessing

Tune my heart to sing thy grace

Streams of mercy never ceasing

Call for songs of loudest praise

Teach me some melodious sonnet

Sung by flaming tongues above

Praise the mount I'm fixed upon it

Mount of thy redeeming love

Here I raise my Ebenezer

Hither by thy help I'm come

And I hope by thy good pleasure

Safely to arrive at home

Jesus sought me when a stranger

Wondering from the fold of God

He, to rescue me from danger

Interposed His precious blood

O to grace how how great a debtor daily I'm constrained to be!

Let thy goodness like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee

Prone to wander Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love

Here's my heart, O take and seal it, seal it for thy courts above

Join others at TSMSS at Signs, Miracles and Wonders

Valentine's Day Meme

I was over at Melissa's and she had done this meme that she found at Mari's. It looked like fun so I thought I would join in:



♥How long have you been together? 15 years. One year dating, 14 years married.

♥ How long did you know each other before you started dating? 2 months

♥ Who asked who out? Steve asked me out

♥ How old are each of you? Currently we are both 43, but I will be 44 in July. Yes the older woman!

♥ Whose siblings do/ did you see the most? My sister Kam, but otherwise his family

♥ Do you have any children together? 2 - Jeremiah (12) and Bekah (9)

♥ What about pets? yes 2 - One wierd mutt named champ and our recent addition of Hersery the Hamster

♥ Did you go to the same school? Nope. I went to Lowell Senior High School and he went to Unity Christian.

♥ Are you from the same home town? Nope. I'm from Lowell, he is from Jenison

♥ Who is the smartest? I would say Steve is, but I do have alot of useless information in my head. He sometimes gets upset (jokingly) when I use words he doesn't know

♥ Who is the most sensitive? We both are but in different ways

♥ Where do you eat out most as a couple? Russ' or Applebees

♥ Where is the furthest you two have traveled together as a couple? We went on a cruise that went as far ar Cozemul

♥ Who has the worst temper? ME

♥ Who does the cooking? I do most of it, but Steve makes a great pizza, and from his bach days he likes to make hamburger helper or Mac & Cheese

♥Who is the neat freak? Steve is more then me

♥ Who is the more stubborn? Ah ME

♥ Where was your first date? Damon's then we were supposed to go bike riding, but it was raining cats and dogs, so we went to a movie instead

♥ Who has the bigger family? I do by 3. He has 7 kids in his family I have 10

♥ Do you get flowers often? No, not that I wouldn't mind it, but it's not that important

♥ How do you spend the holidays? Usually trading off families. At Christmas we usually have Christmas Eve or Christmas Day to ourselves because Steve's family celebrates in 2 weeks before. That is so nice!!!

♥ How long did it take to get serious? Not very long

♥ Who eats more?Steve, but you'd never know

♥ Who’s better with the computer? Me or maybe Jeremiah

♥ Who drives when you are together? Usually Steve, but when on big trips we trade off every 2 hours, unless we're pulling the trailer, then I may give him a 1/2 hour break. That thing scares me!

Biggest Loser - Week 6, missed Week 5!

Hello again! I totally missed last weeks check in! Thursday of last week began a pretty stressful week in the Vander Helm household! We are over the hump now Praise God, but it totally slipped my mind to blog about my journey.

I just got back from my Biggest Loser meeting. I have to tell you again I love getting together with this group. Some I have known for quite a while and others I have just met, but they are all such encourager's! Everyone seems to enjoy being there and hearing what everyone is doing and how everyone is doing. We spur each other on, just like in my live verses for this year "consider how we may spur one another on to love and good deeds". And well eating well is a good deed because it is taking care of the temple of God, right!

I'm not exactly keeping up with most of the group on the devotions, but I feel I am right where God wants me. The devotion that stuck out to me this week was entitled "The Peace of God".
It talked about a subject that is very close to me "stress eating". Does anyone know what that is?! The verse that she used to begin the devotion is so precious to me as well - You will keep in perfect peace him/her whose mind is steadfast because he/she trusts in you. (my emphasis added) Isaiah 26:3

I have had to remind myself of this verse and my life verses of Hebrews 10:23-25 several times this week. To hold unswervingly to the hope that I profess!

Hear are a few insights from the book (Spiritual Secrets to Weight Loss) that I want to share with you tonight:

"We typically feel stress when we are subjected to circumstances that we feel powerless to change or control." - Boy can I relate to this one!!!! But as I typed I have to remind myself of:

2 Corinthians 10:3-5

For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does.

The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world.

On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.

We demolish arguments and every pretension

that sets itself up against the knowledge of God,

and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

I do not have to control every situation, and believe me after this week I realize how little control I have! There is victory in that! I can rest in His power! Now I know this, but it is over time becoming more and more true! Thank you Jesus!

"Other people appear to be calm, but instead of a true inner peace, they have artificially generated calmness through substances they use to help them cope". Mine being food! Oh I can talk a good talk about peace, but when the rubber hits the road, how do I react?! Not always Christ centered, if I can be complete honest! True inner peace comes from my Heavenly Father -

Philippians 4:6-8

Do not be anxious about anything,

but in everything, by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding,

will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble,

whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,

whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy

—think about such things.

Who doesn't know these verses, but do we claim them everyday?!

I am so thankful for what God is teaching me, and I hope some of this blesses your heart too!

Last week I had gained 1.1lbs

This week I lost 4.7lbs

But most of all I feel I've gained God!!! I want to leave you with this wonderful benediction:

Hebrews 13:20 & 21

May the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever.

Amen.

Scattered Stones!

I've been thinking alot lately about the name on my blog or more so my blog address astonegatherer.blogspot.com. Don't get me wrong I still love the name of my blog and I will not be changing it any time soon, but lately God has been speaking to me about the stone gatherer part. Of course the reason I named it Scattered Stones is because I love the stones from the shores of Lake Superior! Read more about that here. I cannot get enough of them! My stones have also been used for special occasions: An award for a Summer Bible Challenge at church; Given to ladies in my Bible Study with the verse Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another".; As decorations, most recently at a going away party for a special lady; and at a wonderful fast we had a church a couple of years ago.

But like I said lately it has brought another thought to mind. Do I gather stones for other things? Things that aren't good like gathering them to through them at someone who I think is not as spiritual as I am?

Am I like the men in John 8 that would cast stones at someone caught in sin? Would I be one of the ones to cast stones at Jesus at the end of John 8:59?

Isn't that an ugly thought?! I think so, but I'm glad God brought it to my mind. I hope and pray that every time I think of the name of my blog it is a remembrance to not take up stones for bad, but to take them up as an altar to God.

I hope that my stones will be like the Ebenezer stone that Samuel set down to remind me that The LORD has helped me!

1 Samuel 7:12

Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us."

or stones of remembrance like the Israelites stacked up on the other side of the Jordan.

Joshua 4:6 & 7

to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, 'What do these stones mean?' 7 tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever."

Thank you Lord for showing me this truth, and helping me not to cast stones, but to use them to give you praise for all you have done for me!

Something Sweet to make you smile!

I saw this video over at Safe in HIS Arms and just needed to share it with you all! I dare you not to be blessed!

The Newest Member of our family!

I would like to introduce you to the newest member of our family:
His name is Hersery and he is a Russian Winter White Hamster. In the winter he is supposed to turn white. Isn't he cute! Honestly I can't believe I am saying that, but he is a cutey! I find he is alot like Champ! They both sleep alot! Sleep, eat and poop! Anyway Hersery belongs to the smiley little girl below. This chick can save money like no ones business! She is nothing like her mother or brother! If we have money it burns a hole in our pockets. She was saving for a dog, but Dad is not to keen on tht so she opted for Hersery.

Welcome Hersery, I hope you live a good long time ( 1 or 2 years is average).

Music!!!

Music has been on my mind alot lately. The other night we had the awesome opportunity to hear the Grand Rapids Symphony Orchestra play. They came out to Allendale to play with our Middle School and High School bands. They do this for only a few schools each year so we were one of the privileged ones this year. I love classical music but can't go to the Symphony often because (of course) it is priced out of our price range!



Listening to the music the other night got me thinking about how wonderful our God is, that he created music! He loves music and knows how music effects us! Music can bring on so many moods or calm us!

The Psalms are a great picture of that! Throughout the Bible they are songs that have been sung, like Miriam's song, Mary's song and more, but the Psalms are like a hymnal in places. It says 56 times at the beginning of certain chapters "to the director of music". Do you wonder how the Director of Music put the particular songs to music? I do. Who sang the songs that were written? I know that the Psalms bring much joy, peace and comfort to my soul, just like music does!

Yesterday in church during our prayer time I read this Psalm: (the parts that stuck out to me bigger)

Psalm 144
Of David.

1 Praise be to the LORD my Rock,

who trains my hands for war,

my fingers for battle.
2 He is my loving God and my fortress,

my stronghold and my deliverer,

my shield, in whom I take refuge,

who subdues peoples under me.
3 O LORD, what is man that you care for him,

the son of man that you think of him?
4 Man is like a breath;

his days are like a fleeting shadow.
5 Part your heavens, O LORD, and come down;

touch the mountains, so that they smoke.
6 Send forth lightning and scatter {the enemies};

shoot your arrows and rout them.
7 Reach down your hand from on high;

deliver me and rescue me

from the mighty waters,

from the hands of foreigners
8 whose mouths are full of lies,

whose right hands are deceitful.
9 I will sing a new song to you, O God;

on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you,
10 to the One who gives victory to kings,

who delivers his servant David from the deadly sword.
11 Deliver me and rescue me

from the hands of foreigners

whose mouths are full of lies,

whose right hands are deceitful.
12 Then our sons in their youth

will be like well-nurtured plants,

and our daughters will be like pillars

carved to adorn a palace.
13 Our barns will be filled

with every kind of provision.

Our sheep will increase by thousands,

by tens of thousands in our fields;
14 our oxen will draw heavy loads.

There will be no breaching of walls,

no going into captivity,

no cry of distress in our streets.
15 Blessed are the people of whom this is true;

blessed are the people whose God is the LORD.

This has been a hard week, and I love how God showed me again that HE is all I need! Thank you Jesus!!!

Just in case you want to watch them, here is a video of my son's class playing, then one of the Symphony. (oops it wouldn't upload my symphony video, if you want to see it, it's on my facebook. It's a wonderful song!)

Looky what I won at the Bloggy Carnival!

Our pastor's wife told me about this study a couple of years ago, just when it came out! She thought specifically of me when she heard about it. We haven't done the study at church and I haven't had the gumption to go anywhere else to do Bible study then with my wonderful Bible study partners of the past few years. But who can resist the Bloggy Carnival when it comes around! I was over at Chrysalis and thought boy that would be great to win, and looky looky!

Thanks so much E-Mom! I so appreciate the encouragement I receive when I visit your blog, and this little treasure is awesome too!

Mothering moment!

I just have to vent a little! We all have our moments right?! I am having a major mothering aggravation moment here! Our sweet eldest has trouble with memory! Not memory when it comes to Pokemon, Smash bros, star wars, Raymond or every other non important issue in life, but memory when it comes to ah....homework, projects, notes home so parents know what's going on, etc.... etc....

This mother is having a hard time knowing when to keep the pillow in place and when to yank it out from under his lilly white butt!!!! I'm sure some of you wonderful bloggy sista's can relate and maybe even sympathize! Please someone sympathize!!!! I may be going a tad bet nuts here, but I just don't think I can remember everything he is forgetting!

argghhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Psalms 127:3

Sons are a heritage from the LORD,

children a reward from him.

Thank you I am done now!

He is so worth it!!!!

Mari had this on her blog this morning and I must join in because of the wonderful man I am married to. It originated at Diary of a SAHM. Won't you join us and spend the next month and beyond praying for your man?

This is what she says on her blog:

"So I think they need to be recognized and admired and acknowledged for the wonderful husbands they are and what better way to do that, than to devote a whole month of prayer to them. Will you join me?

Embark with me on a journey for the next 31 Days, in which we devote ourselves to prayer for our husbands.Everyday I will put up a prayer and a Mr Linky. Now, you don't need to go to your blogs and do your own post, you can if you want to but it's not required. But I would like you to sign your name on Mr Linky if you do say the prayer for that day, just so that we can see how many wonderful women are praying for their husbands.

Day 1

Pray that your husband will grow spiritually and consider his accountability before the Lord. Pray that he will guard his heart by developing spiritual disciplines—Bible reading and study, prayer, meditation, scripture memorization, etc. (2 Peter 3:18; Prov. 4:23)

2 Peter 3:18

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

Prov. 4:23

Above all else, guard your heart,for it is the wellspring of life.