In what area of your life are you struggling the most to change? Are you trying to change with willpower or God’s power?

I am struggling the most to get back to eating right and exercising. I have often asked for God’s help. I have never noticed receiving God’s help on this issue. So I am not doing it.

The next thing would be something that is new this semester, from having so many additional classes, and that is that I am not getting papers graded as fast as I used to. I feel as if I am constantly behind in grading. But as long as I grade for about three hours this weekend, I am caught up. I am not behind right now.

What are some ways you’ve seen God prune areas of your life? What has been the result of His cuts into your life? Where are you still waiting to see results?

My hubby said:

The teaching is based on John 15:1-5, where Jesus is talking about our being the branches and he the vine. The gardener prunes the branches that bear fruit. We don’t think about God pruning those that are bearing fruit. I’ve never grown grapes, but I’ve been involved with other fruit bearing trees and roses. In those cases you have to trim back perfectly good branches, even cut off buds, to ensure that the fruit that is finally borne is big and full.

So… where do I think God is pruning my life right now? In friends, maybe. The friends I have are a lot more precious than they might be because I haven’t made any new friends here in seven years. Is that pruning?

I’m not really sure where God is pruning.

I am sure God can prune. He might be pruning. I’m just not sure what that would look like in my life.

What are the current barriers to spiritual health in your life?

Doubt. Desire to read/study more. Lack of motivation. I know if there is a God he loves me. I know that I love him.

How do I love someone who might not exist? The same way everyone else does when they love that “perfect” person, who turns out not to be so perfect after all….

I am not being stretched to study or learn because I’m not hanging around anyone who knows more than I do. So I have become satisfied. And I know I’m in good with the boss, so I am coasting. Hate that when someone does it at work. So why am I doing it?

I do talk to God a lot, more than I talk to my friends. These days way more than I talk to my parents. Not as much as I talk to R though.