Create a response to this classmates posts. When responding, consider the following topic ideas for your responses:

• Offer Encouragement and Support: Positive reinforcement and encouragement can go a long way in fostering a supportive atmosphere.
• Supportive comments like, "I had a similar experience," or "Great insight on that passage of scripture!" can help build confidence.
• Acknowledge Similar Experiences: When you notice that others have had similar experiences, acknowledge this commonality, creating a sense of camaraderie.

"For this weeks discussion post, I felt that the book of Ecclesiastes spoke to me the most. Ecclesiastes has two different writer's voices: the author and the critic. The author begins the book and then turns over the narrative to the critic who has a darker tone and often uses the word "meaningless" to describe everything in the world, but the Bible Project says the Hebrew word "Hevel" that the critic uses is closer in definition to smoke, meaning that the world is fluid and ever changing and can become so thick, like fog, it's impossible to see anything when you're in the thick of it. (Bible Project, 2016) Although this book seems to have a depressing and dark tone to it, there are elements of hope at the end. "Fear God and keep all his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." (Ecclesiastes 12:1-12:14, NIV) This passage really spoke to me the most of any I read this week because I felt like it combined all the wisdom learned from the book of Proverbs, but also reminds the reader that the only thing in life a person truly has control over is their reaction to every situation. You cannot control other people or their reactions to situations. I feel like sometimes in the human condition when wrongs are done to us, we demand immediate justice and want to believe that the guilty will pay and if justice is not swift, we can oftentimes be caught in a negative spiral and obsess over the situation which eclipses everything else in our lives. Ecclesiastes reminds us to remember that we can only control our own reactions and instructs us to find the beauty and joy in the small things in life and reminds us that everyone eventually will be judged in the end. For me and the season I am in in my life, this book felt like it held the most wisdom to me for I am often frustrated by things I have no control over and reading this book reminded me that I am not in control, and I can only control my reactions to things. I can save myself a lot of stress and frustration by appreciating the small things in life everyday and I feel this wisdom will enrich my life and lower my stress, which is a great thing while being in school full-time, working full-time and being a mom :)"