Just a Note...

A big thank you to all my readers this year! I loved each of your comments, and I am grateful if you found encouragement through my posts. I don't know what next year will hold, but I am not planning on regular posts each week. I intend to keep up the quotes postings, but the devotional posts will be more infrequent, I think. Look out for the last quotes post of 2016 next Friday. May you find blessing and joy during the remaining days of this year.

In the Bleak Midwinter

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,

He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes. He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs; who can stand before his cold? (Psalm 147:16-17)

earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone.

From whose womb did the ice come forth, and who has given birth to the frost of heaven? The waters become hard like stone, and the face of the deep is frozen. (Job 38:29-30)

Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,
in the bleak midwinter, long, long ago.

For to the snow he says, "Fall on the earth," likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour. (Job 37:6)
Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all deeps, fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling his word! (Psalm 148:7-8)

God, heaven cannot hold him, nor the earth sustain;

But who is able to build him a house, since heaven, even highest heaven, cannot contain him? (2 Chronicles 2:6)
But will God indeed dwell with man on the earth? Behold, heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, how much less this house that I have built! (2 Chronicles 6:18)

heaven and earth shall flee away when he comes to reign.

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. (Revelation 20:11)

In the bleak midwinter, a stable place sufficed:
the Lord God almighty, Jesus Christ.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. (Luke 2:11-12)
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us). (Matthew 1:23)

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,
cherubim and seraphim thronged the air.

And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased." (Luke 2:13-14)

But his mother only, in her maiden bliss,
worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. (Luke 2:19)

What can I give him, poor as I am?
If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb.
If I were a wise man, I would do my part.
Yet what can I give him: give my heart.

All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. (John 6:37)

And the Word becamse flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Song from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. 

From the darkness came the Light of the Dayspring.

The One who created the wind, earth, water, and heavens came to live and die among us.

Immanuel: God with man. God with us. 

For nothing will be impossible with God.

Testimony and Encourager

I grew up in a Christian home from the day I was born. We attended various churches for the first several years of my life, and then home-churched for several more. I remember listening to sermons as a family, reading the Bible, and singing together. Around the age of eight, my family started attending Grace Baptist Church. In Sunday school class, we were given the suggestion to read through the Gospels, and being an avid reader, I took on the task. The gospels were not unfamiliar to me, but this time, when I reached the end of John, I remember praying and asking God to save me. I don’t remember many specifics from my childhood, but I do remember understanding that I needed a Savior and that

Christ was the only one who could cleanse from sin.

During the next several years, we had special speakers and evangelists in our church, and most of the time when they asked if people needed to be saved or if they wanted to talk to someone about it, I would raise my hand. I remember sitting with one pastor’s wife in the Sunday school room and praying the “sinner’s prayer” because I wanted to make sure that I was saved. I am unsure as to which prayer was completely genuine, but I know it was around this time that I was aware of my sin and acknowledged Christ as the only remedy for that sin.

My testimony doesn’t have a specific lightbulb moment or a drastic turning point from a past way of life, rather it was a growing knowledge of who God is and what He has done for me. And I am still in that process today. Many people’s salvation stories are a one-time event, but even once the moment of salvation is gone, God is still in the work of saving His people…because we are sinful and always in need of sanctification.

I think most people struggle with assurance of salvation from time to time. Assurance isn’t something you hear preached on too often—perhaps for good reason—but I think most Christians would agree that at some point they question their salvation. Maybe they’re going through a difficult time or maybe they are just working through a spiritually dry season. Either way it can be an incredibly lonely place, and I just wanted to leave you with some encouragement in that area.

Satan likes to use our own doubts, the world’s criticism, and the sin of others around us to cause us to question God’s work in our lives. Often it’s a small seed of doubt, but once it’s planted, it takes root quickly. At full growth, it can lead to despair, depression, and worse--if we allow it a hold on our mind. We question if we’re allowing God to sanctify us. We wonder if that prayer was sincere when we first prayed it. We doubt that we’re bearing fruit.

And it gets hard to fight, because it seems like we’re fighting something all the time. There is little time to rest on the battlefield of life. Soldiers get weary. Some fall. Some die. Some leave. In the constant fight, we forget to protect our own mind and soul from the doubt that creeps in. And we forget that saved sinners have a new name: saints.

Ephesians 2:19

So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God.

Saints are those who are set-apart and holy through faith in Jesus Christ. Though we live in sin and battle it daily, it holds no dominion over us. It does not define us. We don’t live to serve it any longer. The doubts, worries, and questions that plague us, don’t have to take control over our minds.

Scripture teaches that once saved, always saved—otherwise known as the doctrine of eternal security. Once saved, there is nothing you, Satan, or the world can do to destroy your salvation. Salvation rests on God, and because He is unchanging and all-powerful, He cannot refuse those who have come to Him. We could not keep our salvation if we tried, but Christ’s work and God’s covenant cannot be reversed, and He holds us eternally regardless of our doubts.

So in the weariness of life, remember that the battle you fight is not for your salvation—that’s already been secured. Amid the doubts and questions, remember that the war for holiness was conquered at the cross—the outcome of your salvation is secure. The God-Man who saved you, is still saving and sanctifying you—He will complete His good work.

Sometimes we dwell so much on the sin and weakness in us that we forget we are saints. We’re not just saints when we reach heaven, we’re saints now. We’re created in the image of God, and His deity dwells in us. He has triumphed over our past, present, and future sin, and it holds dominion over us no more. Salvation is God’s work. Let us walk as saints because the victory is already certain. The battle is conquered. The war for salvation’s security was won at the foot of the cross. Instead, when you question your faith, give thanks for His faithfulness. He will hold you fast.

Philippians 3:9, 12

And be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness form God that depends on faith…Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.

I leave you with the words of the second verse of “Before The Throne of God Above”, a hymn written by Charitie Lees Bancroft, the daughter of an Irish minister.

When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look, and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

A Bigger Picture, Part Three

The assignment I'm sharing here today is one question from a larger assignment. I was required to read Mark 5:21-43 and then note the differences and similarities between the stories of Jarius and the woman who had been sick for 12 years. See if you can find the comparisons and contrasts before reading my answers. It's a bit challenging at first, but the more you think about it, the easier it is. Enjoy! :)

Mark 5:21-43 (NASB)

When Jesus had crossed over again in the boat to the other side, a large crowd gathered around Him; and so He stayed by the seashore. One of the synagogue officials named Jairus came up, and on seeing Him, fell at His feet and implored Him earnestly, saying, “My little daughter is at the point of death; please come and lay Your hands on her, so that she will get well and live.” And He went off with him; and a large crowd was following Him and pressing in on Him.

A woman who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years, and had endured much at the hands of many physicians, and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all, but rather had grown worse— after hearing about Jesus, she came up in the crowd behind Himand touched His cloak. For she thought, “If I just touch His garments, I will get well.” Immediately the flow of her blood was dried up; and she felt in her body that she was healed of heraffliction. Immediately Jesus, perceiving in Himself that the powerproceeding from Him had gone forth, turned around in the crowd and said, “Who touched My garments?” And His disciples said to Him, “You see the crowd pressing in on You, and You say, ‘Who touched Me?’” And He looked around to see the woman who had done this. But the woman fearing and trembling, aware of what had happened to her, came and fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth. And He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace and be healed of your affliction.”

While He was still speaking, they came from the house of thesynagogue official, saying, “Your daughter has died; why trouble the Teacher anymore?” But Jesus, overhearing what was being spoken, said to the synagogue official, “Do not be afraid any longer, only believe.” And He allowed no one to accompany Him, except Peter and James and John the brother of James. They came to the house of the synagogue official; and He saw a commotion, and people loudly weeping and wailing. And entering in, He said to them, “Why make a commotion and weep? The child has not died, but is asleep.” They began laughing at Him. But putting them all out, He took along the child’s father and mother and His own companions, and entered the room where the child was. Taking the child by the hand, He said to her, “Talitha kum!”(which translated means, “Little girl, I say to you, get up!”). Immediately the girl got up and began to walk, for she was twelve years old. And immediately they were completely astounded. And He gave them strict orders that no one should know about this, and He said that something should be given her to eat.

	Jairus	Bleeding Woman
1	a man	a woman
2	goes to Jesus for help publicly	goes to Jesus for help privately
3	Likely well-to-do financially	Spent all she had on medical doctors
4	Needed healing for daughter	Needed healing for herself
5	Daughter gets worse and dies	Woman  suffers more and gets worse
6	Wanted Jesus to place hands on daughter	Wanted to touch Jesus herself
7	Led the crowd	Followed in/with the crowd
8	Daugher  had shorter sickness	Sick for 12 years
9	Weaker faith	Strong faith
10	Wailing and mourning for girl	Silent suffering
11	Girl lying down	Walking/standing to get to Jesus
12	Called “little girl” by Jeuss	Called “daughter” by Jesus
13	Family all around her	No one else with her (that we know of)
14	Outward sickness/death	Inward bleeding
15	Pleaded verbally for daughter’s healing	Silently touched Jesus’ clothing
16	Daughter 12 years old	Sick for 12 years
17	Only 3 disciples witnessed	Witnessed by crowd
18	Daughter healed after death	Healed before death
19	Jesus laughed  at by mourners	Jesus scoffed at by disciples
20	Synagogue ruler	Poor woman
21	Daugher’s physical healing	Woman’s faith healed her
22	Falls at Jesus’ feet while pleading	Falls at Jesus’ feet while trembling
23	No internal dialogue recorded	Internal dialogue recorded
24	Saw Jesus in the crowd	Heard about Jesus
25	Daughter dies first	Instantaneous healing
26	Jesus questions the crowd as to who touchedHim	Jesus questions mourners as to why they were wailing
27	Jesus went up to dead girl	Went up to Jesus herself
28	Jesus healed girl by speaking	Jesus healed her by power leaving His body
29	Ordered not to tell anyone	Healing observed by crowd
30	No apparent fear of Jesus’ presence	Trembled with fear

Blogging Break

Due to illness and the busyness of life, there won't be a devotional today. I'll be back next week with the second part
of Ephesians 2:10, Lord willing! Stay strong in Him. :)

Verse Study: Ephesians 2:10 (Part One)

Last month a few of my friends and I did a verse study on Ephesians 2:10, so I thought I'd write out a bit of what we got through. We basically picked apart the verse's phrases and studied the words, and then put it all back together again. Though we didn't have time to study this verse within its surrounding context, the fellowship was sweet and much needed and we came away with a greater understanding of what it means to dig deeply to find the treasure.

Ephesians 2:10

For we are his workmanship,

created in Christ Jesus for good works

which God prepared beforehand,

that we should walk in them.

Workmanship

-This word comes from the Greek word poiema. It means "to do, act, cause, manufacture, or construct."

-Other translations of Scripture translate it as "handiwork" (NIV), "masterpiece" (NLT), and "creation" (HCSB).

-This word translates as "creation" or "made"; literally "thing that is made."

-This Greek word is used only twice in the New Testament (Ephesians 2:10 and Romans 1:20).

-"For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse" (Romans 1:20).
-A cross-reference, Deuteronomy 32:6, communicates the idea that it is God who creates and establishes people. Mankind's debt to God can never be repaid. Therefore He is our rightful and sole Owner: we belong to Him.
-Cross-reference: Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture (Psalm 100:3).

Created
-The Greek word ktizo means "I create, form, shape, or make" and properly only applies to God because only He can create something ex nihilo--out of nothing.
-It is translated as "created us anew" (NLT) or past tense "having been created" (NETB).
-This particular word has 15 references in 8 books. The first use of it is in Matthew 19:4 where Jesus answered the questioning Pharisees referencing the creation account of Adam and Eve in Genesis.
-The only place in the NT where it is translated as "Creator", speaking specifically about God, is in Romans 1:25: "...they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen."
-All instances of this word in the NT say that God created something or someone or that He is the Creator.
-Colossians 3:10 says "and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator." Here we see God as Creator of our external and internal beings. Our bodies and minds were made in the image of God. We have companionship and eternity written in our hearts, but because of sin, God as Creator must continually be empowering us to put off the old self and renew the new self in His image.
-We weren't just created absent-mindedly. We were created for something. For good works. Our specific purpose was to do the will of God--the good works that Scripture speaks of. These are the good works that Jesus and the believers' gone before also did. These good works shape our character and they will stand before us at the consummation of the age.
-We were created in Christ Jesus, meaning that as believers our life was fixed permanently in His death and resurrection. We are everything in Him, and nothing outside of Him. His power, love, compassion, strength, and holiness are present in us right now. It's not something we have to pray for more of (though we can pray to demonstrate it more), because it's already there.

That's just the first half of the verse. I'll post about the latter half next week and write a conclusion to it all. God bless! :)

Gospel of John, Part 4

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Should the resurrection of Jesus be considered one of the "signs" of the Gospel? Why or why not? (This is not asking you if the resurrection is important to Christianity.)

John’s Gospel records seven of Jesus signs before His resurrection and one sign after His resurrection. These signs were displayed by Christ to manifest His glory, turn unbelief to belief,[1]  test faith,[2] and proclaim His deity.[3] John’s eight signs, however, were not the only ones Jesus performed. Surpassing even these miraculous signs was Christ’s resurrection: a miracle demonstrating His power over His own physical body and over the sting of death.[4] The resurrection should be considered one of the signs of the Gospels because it also accomplished the same results as the other signs.

In the resurrection, Christ manifested His glory by demonstrating that He had power over death.[5] Satan thought He had conquered Christ by slaying His human body, but just as God had promised hundreds of years before, Christ would crush the Serpent’s head by His resurrection.[6] After His resurrection, Christ’s glory was displayed even more fully in His ascension to the right hand of the Father.[7]

The resurrection was one of Christ’s signs to turn unbelief to belief. Though Jesus had often spoken of His death and resurrection to His disciples, they didn’t not understand it nor grasp the full meaning until His ascension. The resurrection was meant to bring about ultimate saving faith in those who would believe.[8] The disciples did eventually believe. The women who followed Jesus believed. The centurion at the cross believed. The thief crucified with Christ believed. Countless others also followed the Savior and many gave their lives because of this one sign. The other eight signs recorded by John were meant to bring about faith in a Person. The resurrection was a sign of that Person meant to confirm faith.

The resurrection tested the faith of Christ’s followers. Mary, blinded by her emotions, had her faith tested when the “gardener” spoke to her. Peter’s faith was tested through his denial. The disciples were tested in the Garden of Gethsemane and during the three days and nights after the crucifixion. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus were tested by Jesus Himself when He scolded them for not remembering the words of the Old Testament Prophets. Thomas faith was tested when he saw the Lord’s pierced hands and side. The resurrection was the one great sign that tested faith to the utmost, determining whether a person’s faith would stand or fall. Many had believed in Jesus previous signs and wonders, but the sign of the resurrection laid the foundation for saving faith. Without saving faith, there is no salvation, forgiveness from sins, or eternity with Christ.[9]

The resurrection, like Jesus previous signs, also proclaimed Jesus’ deity. Only the Giver of Life could break the chains of death and work a physical and spiritual miracle in raising Himself from the grave. No other had done this, and no others would. In raising Himself from the dead, Christ demonstrated His equality with the Father, for God is the Author of Life.[10]

The resurrection was Christ’s greatest sign to believers and unbelievers alike, that Jesus is the Christ.[11] Those who believe today don’t have the blessing of seeing Christ’s physical miracles. Though John and the other Gospel authors recorded the miracles of Christ, our faith today rests completely on what Christ has already done and in our faith in the miracles that others witnessed. Thomas had the advantage of seeing in order that he might believe, but we are blessed because we haven’t seen, yet we believe.[12] The resurrection was also written that we might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that in believing we might have life through His name.[13] The resurrection stands in the past, present, and future as the greatest sign of the Bible.[14]

---

[1] Elmer Towns, The Gospel of John, 208.

[2] Merill Chapin Tenney, Topics from the Gospel of John, 157.

[3] John MacArthur, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, John 1-11, 83.

[4] 1 Corinthians 15:54-55.

[5] 1 Corinthians 15:26-27.

[6] Genesis 3:15.

[7] Philippians 2:9-11.

[8] Merill Chapin Tenney, Topics from the Gospel of John, 158.

[9] Leon Morris, Jesus is the Christ, 186.

[10] John 2:18-22.

[11] John MacArthur,  The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, John 12-21, 386

[12] John 20:24-29.

[13] John 20:31.

[14] 1 Corinthians 15:1-20.

The Reading Habits Tag

Well, there's an extra Friday this month, so I thought I'd pick up a book/reading tag from Lady B's blog. I don't write much about myself here anymore, but perhaps this will give my readers a little inside look at the author of all the Facing the Waves devotionals. I'm not just a writer. I'm a reader.

Random Facts about Me (and My Books)
Last year, I bought the lifetime version of LibraryThing.com and began cataloguing all my books. It was a long process at first, but now it's much easier, as I just add them in as I get them. Currently, I'm at 963 books. The scary thing is that I should be able to make it to 1000 books by the end of the year. Without any trouble.

I have nine individual shelves of books. Seven of which are in my room. I have two shelves of the books I used to read as a kid. One shelf holds counseling/coaching/life type books and my special fiction books. Another shelf has my favorite non-fiction books. The shelf above my bed has all the books I've never read (easily accessible ;), and the remaining two shelves holds fiction and non-fiction books that I don't read much.

I have the Kindle app on my laptop and I have several hundred books in there, I think. I'm trying to do better at reading them, because sometimes I forget they exist. I like my "real" books better. ;) I also have a Pinterest board of book quotes and book shelves and pictures and book house ideas. Maybe someday the hidden rooms or stairs or windowseats made out of books will be come a reality. 

I don't throw away books. Perhaps that's a fault of mine, but unless a book is completely bad with no hope of redemption, then I don't throw them away. I might not recommend them to people or display them where people can see them, but they're still there somewhere. 

I love series of books, and I attempt to collect them when I can. There are some amazing Christian fiction and allegory-type books coming out by young authors, and I'm hoping to find more series as I find good ones. The covers of books in the last 3-4 years...oh my. They've been amazing. I wish I could say that the content is always as good, but as I haven't read all the new books, I can't. However, the authors and illustrators and publishers are doing an amazing job of cover details. 

My family tells me I have book radar. There are few book stores or book sales that I can go by and not stop at. I also don't miss the signs leading up to them. I always take a book with me wherever I go. You know. Just In Case. I sign up for all the websites that offer free books, and I enter the giveaways for books (never won any, of course). And I'm starting to try to help out authors and buyers by posting short reviews--haven't created a habit of that, yet, but I hope to!

I don't like reading a series as it's published. I'd rather wait until the whole series is complete and then just read straight through it all. And I'm not one of those people who loves the books better than the movie necessarily. In some cases there are extreme differences, but somehow I can love the books and movies as they are and for what they show individually. 

So...all that because those are extra details you probably won't find in the answers to the tag questions. ;) 

1. Do you have a certain place at home for reading?
My bed or my desk(s). It really doesn't matter actually. I can read anywhere in any place. I like to read at my desk if it's a Kindle book or I read in my bed before I go to sleep. I remember when I was younger I cleaned out under my desk and created a little hideout by covering the desk with a blanket. Then I'd just sit under my desk and read there. It wasn't very comfortable, though, so it didn't last long. I think I liked the idea better than the reality of it. Couches are great for reading, too. 

2. Bookmark or random piece of paper?
Both. I use bookmarks primarily, but if I don't have one accessable, then I use paper, money, kleenex, tissue paper, grocery lists, receipts, bobby pins, another book, earbuds, or whatever happens to be lying around. I don't like lying the book face open, though. That's just horrible. I always stick something in it rather than splitting the spin by lying it down open. But I try to carry bookmarks around with me. I have a container next to my bed with all my special bookmarks in it.

3. Can you just stop reading or do you have to stop after a chapter/ a certain amount of pages?
Non-fiction books I can stop anywhere, though I always try to finish the chapter. When reading fiction, I try to end the scene, wherever that might be. But when all else fails, I just stop--fiction or non-fiction. I can usually pick it up just fine later on, so I don't think about it too much. 

4. Do you eat or drink while reading?
Yes, I have done and do both. Sometimes I'll avoid it if it's a really special book or if it's brand new, but I'm pretty good at not damaging books while I read. Comes with practice I guess...and from being homeschooled and doing online college. :P

5. Multitasking: Music or TV while reading?
Well, we've never had a TV, but I can read with movies and music. Sometimes I listen to music on purpose while reading. I don't typically read while watching a movie, but I have been tempted to sometimes. I can read through most noise and distraction, which I think is nice. It has it's pros and cons. ;) I can do many things while reading: listen to lectures for school (which isn't the best idea ever, actually), texting, music, listening to conversations, walking around the house, eating. And audio books are great when driving. I'm just finding that out recently!

6. One book at a time or several at once?
Several at once. I like finishing a book on a fairly regular basis, and that doesn't happen if it's a slower-going book. I have about four on the go right now. I tend to read fiction very quickly, so it's good to throw one of those in now and then to balance out the non-fiction that sometimes takes longer. I read several non-fiction at once to give me variety in topics and to connect mentally with another topic if one book is just not working. 

7. Reading at home or everywhere?
Everywhere! In doctors' offices, airplanes, cars, libraries, parks, beaches, malls, bedrooms, dentists', backyards, barns, lofts, alone, with friends. Anywhere, basically. When it's not rude. ;) And read late at night or early in the morning. 

8. Reading out loud or silently in your head?
In my head. I can read fine out loud, but I read much quicker in my head so it keeps me mentally alert, rather than forcing my brain to slow down to verbalizing each word. I understand things quicker and better when I read in my head, than when I read out loud. Though, when things are hard to understand (like for school or exams), I have been known to say the sentence or paragraph aloud to try to understand it better. I like reading in my head, because the imagination creates the voices and scenes which can be shattered if someone reads it aloud. 

9. Do you read ahead or even skip pages?
I read ahead. Particularly the endings. Especially if I'm suspicious of the author's plot and I want to make sure some character makes it to the end. In reading non-fiction, sometimes I'll skip ahead to a topic that I need or that is more relevant. However, I don't read ahead often, and if I do, I read it again when I come around to it a second time. I never skip pages not to read them. I just return to them later on. I once attempted to read ahead on a short story someone was writing for me. *cough* It didn't work very well despite my pleas and arguments. But they can't say I didn't try..and it was most fun in the process. :D 

10. Breaking the spine or keeping it like new?
I like to keep it new. Breaking the spine does eventually happen, but I try to keep my books in as good condition as they came (or better, if they were bought second-hand). I don't mind getting books in rough shape. I like to think they get a better home with me, but on the other hand, I love the new-new of books straight from the bookstore. 

11. Do you write in your books? 
The first thing I do when I get a book is write my name and the date in it. I didn't always do that, so I'm guessing that many of my books are missing that, but I've been doing it for several years now, and I intend to keep up the practice. I don't write in my books, but I will underline sentences or bracket paragraphs if I find them meaningful. I didn't used to do that, but college courses cause me to mark things so I wouldn't spend hours trying to find that one paragraph. I highlight in my Kindle books when I remember to do so. Other than that I don't typically write in my books. But I do write messages on the first available page when I'm giving books to friends. That's a special part of giving and receiving books. 

There you have it. A little more about me and my books. I read to learn...to educate myself, but also to find people, places, and characters who have lived life and come out victorious on the other side. I read to find hope. But the best place to receive wisdom, education, and hope is from the Bible. All other stories and authors are only tiny replicas of The Greatest Story ever written. And they are replicas in and of themselves, because, regardless of the content (and yes, sometimes it can be very bad content), people are made in the image of God and they have eternity set in their hearts. So whatever we do (though we can use it for good or bad due to our human nature) stems from an internal knowledge of a Creator, and is a tiny copy, a mirror, an imitation of the Best Author. 

So, yes...

What about you?