Classes were pretty bearable today. I didn't feel too sleepy in any of them. In the afternoon I took a two hour nap before going to help set up for bible study at 5:45. Bible study started at 7:30, so we set up for quite a while. Afterwards we took down the equipment and transported it all back to dana house too.

I've been getting a lot of work done recently, trying to stay on top of things so it doesn't overwhelm me when the workload gets bigger.

At midnight I was upstairs in Dustin's apartment studying and doing homework, when all of a sudden everyone came in and surprised me with a birthday cake. I'm really thankful for all the friends I've made so far here in Berkeley, and I'm hoping to continue to grow together with them as friends and in Christ.

Thanks everyone!

Hello family! See you soon!

Devotion time questions:

1 Samuel 31

After years of rejecting God as king, Saul finally comes to the tragic end of his life and the lives of his sons. What are the crucial steps that Saul took that led to this kind of tragic end?

Saul disobeyed God and rejected his commends, instead following his own will. He refused to acknowledge David as God's anointed King, but instead decided to secure his own power by hunting David to kill him.

How did Saul’s tragic end bring shame not only to his name but to God’s name (vv.9-10)?

He wasn't simply a King, but God's anointed King over God's people Israel.

What warning does Saul’s life have for me?

If we continue to try and secure our future for ourselves, we will bring shame upon ourselves and upon God.

What did the people of Jabesh Gilead risk because of their loyalty to Saul? What should my loyalty and gratitude to God result in?

They risked their lives to take down the bodies of Saul and his sons. My own loyalty and gratitude to God should result in my own sacrificing of things in my life for God's glory and honor.

What can I learn from the people of Jabesh Gilead about the proper place of gratitude and honor toward people based on their past conduct, even if their later conduct is not worthy of honor?

To remember the things people have done for me in the past, even if they do not treat me in the same way presently.