easter at eastlake. i need to anticipate easter more next year so i can be more deliberate about choosing something to lent. last year i chose to give up not-cleaning and the mister chose to give up not-eating. this week marks the end of my eastlake growth groups - one for glassblowing (yes, our church "bible study groups" include glassblowing) and the other with a group of strong, amazing women. my prayer request in the latter group each week was always the same - to read the bible, to pray. because i haven't in a very long time.

i received my favorite book as a simple graduation gift from my high school and it's a timeless, no-nonsense, non-mushy/touchy-feely devotional written by a man in 1935.

"Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this." Revelation 4:1

...Compare this week in your spiritual history with the same week last year and see how God has called you up higher...Never let God give you one point of truth which you do not instantly live up to. Always work it out, keep in the light of it.

Growth in grace is measured not by the fact that you have not gone back, but that you have an insight into where you are spiritually; you have heard God say "Come up higher," not to you personally, but to the insight of your character.