I'm a student again

I know I have said multiple times over the past few years that I never want to go back to school again, that I'm so glad I only had to do two years of college for my profession, blah blah blah. But what I failed to realize is that I only feel that way when it's something I am not that into that I'm learning about. If it's a topic I'm interested in, I could spend hours researching, just for fun. When I would work third shift at the hospital that's what I'd usually end up doing in between patients- researching anything and everything, whatever fascinating topic came to mind first. I love history, so it was usually the background, historical significance, genealogy, etc. that I spent my time on. Which brings me to my point: I'm currently studying the book of James. 

I am part of a women's Bible study that meets Wednesday mornings and they are doing Beth Moore's study on James. I've never been part of an organized women's study like this, but I'm really liking it so far. 

What really captured my interest is that she takes the time to go through the history of who James was as a person. AS A PERSON. So many times I find myself reading the Bible without thinking about the human-ness of those it is written about, their emotions, their family life, if they were married, who they were actually writing to when they wrote that book of the Bible, what was going on in the culture around them to inspire their thought process. I love this fresh perspective. 

And even more, I love what God is bringing out of it. 

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³ because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. ⁴ Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4

I've heard this verse so many times. But breaking it down, analyzing it, putting it into practice, that's some of the fruit coming out of this study. 

Some of the things I've found most interesting that I never knew or never fully appreciated before: 

*James grew up in a home where he was second born of at least seven. As if there's not enough competitive drive in a second born son already, his older brother was PERFECT. literally. 

*James didn't believe in Jesus until after he saw him resurrected. And then he went from disbelieving to being the leader of the Jewish Christian church practically overnight. 

*James real name was Jacob.