Storylines by Andy Croft & Mike Pilavachi

It's is a great book filled with amazing stuff about bible, Hannah definitely got it right when she picked this book for me.

I've always felt a bit lost reading Bible. Lets be honest, we all are, otherwise there wouldn't be books about how to read the Bible, would there?

One of the things i really wanted from this year was that i could get a bit more "biblesmart". This book definitely helps to get some more knowledge.

I guess one of the things that i'll never forget is Psalm 22.

If u compare Ps 22 with Matt. 27:41-43 ; John 19:28 ; Luke 23: 34 ; Heb 2:11-12 ; John 19:30.

It Is Crazyyy!!

Psalm 22

¹ My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
so far from my cries of anguish?
² My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,
by night, but I find no rest.

³ Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;
you are the one Israel praises.
⁴ In you our ancestors put their trust;
they trusted and you delivered them.
⁵ To you they cried out and were saved;
in you they trusted and were not put to shame.

⁶ But I am a worm and not a man,
scorned by everyone, despised by the people.
⁷ All who see me mock me;
they hurl insults, shaking their heads.
⁸ “He trusts in the LORD,” they say,
“let the LORD rescue him.
Let him deliver him,
since he delights in him.”

⁹ Yet you brought me out of the womb;
you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast.
¹⁰ From birth I was cast on you;
from my mother’s womb you have been my God.

¹¹ Do not be far from me,
for trouble is near
and there is no one to help.

¹² Many bulls surround me;
strong bulls of Bashan encircle me.
¹³ Roaring lions that tear their prey
open their mouths wide against me.
¹⁴ I am poured out like water,
and all my bones are out of joint.
My heart has turned to wax;
it has melted within me.
¹⁵ My mouth is dried up like a potsherd,
and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;
you lay me in the dust of death.

¹⁶ Dogs surround me,
a pack of villains encircles me;
they pierce my hands and my feet.
¹⁷ All my bones are on display;
people stare and gloat over me.
¹⁸ They divide my clothes among them
and cast lots for my garment.

¹⁹ But you, LORD, do not be far from me.
You are my strength; come quickly to help me.
²⁰ Deliver me from the sword,
my precious life from the power of the dogs.
²¹ Rescue me from the mouth of the lions;
save me from the horns of the wild oxen.

²² I will declare your name to my people;
in the assembly I will praise you.
²³ You who fear the LORD, praise him!
All you descendants of Jacob, honor him!
Revere him, all you descendants of Israel!
²⁴ For he has not despised or scorned
the suffering of the afflicted one;
he has not hidden his face from him
but has listened to his cry for help.

²⁵ From you comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly;
before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows.
²⁶ The poor will eat and be satisfied;
those who seek the LORD will praise him—
may your hearts live forever!

²⁷ All the ends of the earth
will remember and turn to the LORD,
and all the families of the nations
will bow down before him,
²⁸ for dominion belongs to the LORD
and he rules over the nations.

²⁹ All the rich of the earth will feast and worship;
all who go down to the dust will kneel before him—
those who cannot keep themselves alive.
³⁰ Posterity will serve him;
future generations will be told about the Lord.
³¹ They will proclaim his righteousness,
declaring to a people yet unborn:
He has done it!

Matt. 27:41-43

⁴¹Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said,

⁴²He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.

⁴³He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.

John 19:28

²⁸ Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”

Luke 23: 34

³⁴ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

Heb 2:11-12

¹² He says,

“I will declare your name to my brothers and sisters;in the assembly I will sing your praises.”

¹³ And again,

“I will put my trust in him.”

And again he says,

“Here am I, and the children God has given me.”

John 19:30

³⁰ When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

It even starts with the same words that jesus says on the cross. (Matt. 27: 46) “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Back to the book…

It gives you a quick overview of the stories that run through the Bible, it connects them and makes them more easy to understand.

What i really liked about "Storylines", is that u can use it in a small groups for weekly bible studies, because after every paragraph it has summary of the main verses, that were used, and u've got some questions about them as well.

This book definitely helped me to understand better, what is going on in the old testament and how both testaments are connected to each other.

Every young woman's battle by Shannon Ethridge & Stephen Arterburn

When Pav first gave me this book, there was no " Liisa is reading books " (yet), not even a slightest idea of it (yet). And to be honest it was in my drawer for a month or something.

It is weird, because i did always feel something telling me that i need to read this book.

Finally when i did start reading it, I realized that i should have read it ages ago. I really do wish i would have read it few years earlier. Lots of things would have never happened.

But what is it in that book, that spoke to me sooooo much?!?

Well to start with, it's all TRUE, everything that is written there. Many times i found same patterns going through in my past. Just the lack of knowledge about your own feelings, can cause so much trouble in your life.

It is also filled with Bible verses, that i really did enjoy.

It talks a lot about the difference between men and women. How men are more visual and women are more interested the emotional side.

On that note, i think one of the important things i learnt from this book was what we (girls/women/ ladies… whatever we like to call ourselves) wear. Before we go out, we have to re-think what we put on. We don't want to make it difficult for our brothers to be in the same room with us do we?!?! There were quite cool tips how to check if the clothes are wrong, for example "Hallelujah" test ( if u lift ur hands above ur head and ur shirt is not covering everything, then it might be a great idea to get rid of that shirt). It really did open my eyes to the new world. I had no idea, that it is so difficult for guys. It's not like i've been trying to wear really mini clothes before, but i do re-think before i leave house now. But i've noticed, it does make me expect more from guys too. Because lets be honest, girls are not fully visual, but we still are!!! I have to admit, there has been times when it has been a bit uncomfortable, and it is weird to go and say " Hey button ur shirt up a bit, thanks mate!" how awkward would that feel. Anyways, everybody! Boys and Girls, think what u wear, ok?

All my stress was relieved when i got to that place "Should you be concerned if you notice that a guy is eye appealing? Have you crossed the line into compromise? Are you failing to guard your heart just because you find someone handsome? Absolutely not. You have done nothing that goes against Scripture or broken any vows, and guilt you may be feeling is false guilt. You can rest easy in the fact that your eyes function very well, and you can simply thank God that He makes such fine art." All my life ( not all obviously, i'm a girl and i like to exaggerate! I mean the time when i started noticing guys), anyways, all that time i've been living in a false guilt, i was beating myself up ( in my head, not literally, that just would be weird) when i saw a cute guy. God made us the way that we would notice His awesome, let me say this again, AWESOME! work. "When you notice a good-looking guy, he has our attention. This is perfectly healthy, normal, and appropriate, even when he is someone you have no business dating or getting close to. As long as your level of emotional connection doesn't move into the yellow- or red- light stage, you have absolutely no reason to feel guilty." And that's how little girl called Liisa got her freedom.

I do suggest this book to everyone, it does have everything in there and it has been really helpful with all my little issues in my life and also been really helpful with overcoming my past.

My child, pay attention to what I say.

Listen carefully to my words.

Don’t lose sight of them.

Let them penetrate deep into your heart,

for they bring life to those who find them,

and healing to their whole body.

proverbs 4:20-22