Chocolate for the Soul

During this pregnancy (Ok fine, my whole life), I have really been loving chocolate. ♥

Around Valentine's Day I was craving fudge, so as a Valentine's present, Andrew let me buy the ingredients to make some! It turned out so yummy, and I enjoyed it for a long time. :) 

For my sister's bridal shower I hosted, I borrowed a fondue fountain machine, and we had chocolate dipped strawberries and bananas. Double yum!

During the pregnancy, I have been privileged to savor many chocolate cookies, brownies, donuts, truffles, and candies from various places. Every time I got to eat chocolate, it felt like a special day.

And so I treated the chocolate as special. I don't just pop them in my mouth and swallow. I bite off a little bit and savor it, rolling it around my mouth and pressing it to the roof of my mouth with my tongue. I enjoyed the pure chocolatey goodness for as long as I could, before it went down to baby for her to enjoy. ;)

Now for a confession, seemingly unrelated to chocolate.

I haven't been reading my Bible nearly as often as I'd like. I have done plans and books and journals off and on in recent years, but lately with all the busyness (and sleeping in due to being so tired), I've let it fall by the wayside. Shame! I am purposing right now to read every day, even if I have to set myself a daily alarm reminder.

I know I need it, and I know my soul misses it. Every time I hear a sermon I am inspired to read more! Every time I see a verse, whether it is a new one or one that has been in my heart for years, I feel encouraged. I'm inspired to read more, to find more verses to memorize, and to start purposing to live by those verses daily!

For example, today this verse popped up on Facebook, and I felt compelled to share it.

The encouragement I felt reading it was similar to the joy I feel eating chocolate, but the joy was on the inside. My heart and mind and soul were enjoying it. And no surprise! These are life-giving words from God himself! I feel ashamed to have neglected to read them regularly, when I know they have changed my life more than anything in the world. 

I know my soul is hungering for more. I am blessed by the tidbits I see on Facebook, like tiny truffles for the soul. But what I need is a whole tray of fudge, or a whole fondue fountain-worth of chocolate for the soul every day.

Encouraging verses are like chocolates for the soul. Eat up!