Ten P's in a Pod

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness. 2Timothy 3:16

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105

BB gave me a wonderful audiobook this past Christmas called Ten P's in a Pod: A Million-Mile Journal of the Arnold Pent Family. Though I found it advertised in a homeschooling catalog, the book challenged and convicted me, not about education, but about the priority and place of God's Word in our home.

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The book is a journal-style account of the 8 children and two parents in the Arnold Pent family. Mr. Pent's passion and calling was evangelism, and all through the 1940's and 50's, the whole family rambled throughout the United States and Canada, going where the Spirit led, to share the Truth of salvation in Christ.

Though the Pents did homeschool their children, it was not that aspect of their story that so got my attention. It was Mr. Pent's high regard for the Bible. The actual routine of scripture reading he prescribed for his family is less important in my mind than the fact that all of their family life and personal life revolved around the hearing and reading of Scripture.

I came away from the book with that overwhelmed feeling that something must change. There was something very right in giving the Bible a higher place of honor in our lives.

So, slowly but surely, God showed us what that needed to look like in our family, and like I mentioned in this post, it was like drinking from a fire hydrant at first. It took some getting used to. But, oh how fruitful!


The point here is not a legalistic drive to read huge chunks of the Word (though I definitely urge and encourage saturation combined with small-chunk study, all as God leads), but to ask God to give you a hunger for His Truth and the grace to prioritize it in your life and home. To truly love Jesus is to love His Word! If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples. John 15:6-7

Ten P's in a Pod was written by the eldest Pent child, Arnold. One verse of Scripture he claimed for his life as this: Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:8

May we walk in obedience to this command, and may we enjoy the promised blessings, for the glory of our God!

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Photos:
Top - LC, with me yesterday, checking out some wildflowers
Middle - MK reading to CA. MK really, really loves CA and truly delights in being able to help her or make her happy in any way.
Bottom - EG, very focused on her bubbles, in a happy world of her own