“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” – Hebrews 11:1
We’ve all heard of and know the “Faith Chapter” or “Hall of Faith,” however you choose to refer to it. But I want to take a minute and ask you: “You’ve heard of it, but do you know it? You know it, but do you understand it?” I can’t remember how many times I’ve heard and read this chapter. For encouragement, for whatever, it’s a wonderful passage of scripture. But this morning, as I was doing my devotion (I’m once again going through Hebrews), I began reading determined not to see the same ‘ole same ‘ole. Encouraging whether it’s your first time to read it or your thousandth, I didn’t want to skim it simply because I could practically quote it. I went in looking for something new. Looking for a lesson – something to learn and grow from. Looking for something I hadn’t seen yet. And here is what I saw:
Verse six is probably just as well known a verse as verse one: “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for everyone who would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” Ok. That’s simple enough. “Without faith it is impossible to please him…” Well unless you have faith, you won’t believe and have no reason to please, so, of course… and it continues into the next part of the verse: “…for everyone who would draw near to God must believe that he exists…” how do you get closer to something you don’t believe exists? Pause. Ok. That’s easy. That’s understandable. As humans, I think we have that part down pat. You believe or you don’t and based on whether or not you believe, you will do different things with your life. You will try to please God or you won’t care. As Christians, we’re covered to this point. Obviously, we believe and, hopefully, that belief would inspire a desire to please the one we believe in. But unfortunately, I think that this is where a lot of us stop. “Ok. There’s a God. I believe in him and I’m going to do my best to please him with my life. But if it’s inconvenient, then, well we’ll see – I’ll just do my best. I mean, he can’t ask for more, right?” And we live our lives. Our “best” consists of: “Thank you for this food and protect my family” and “Shoot! I forgot to read my Bible today! Oh well, I’ll read Psalm 23 and he’ll be happy I read his word, then I can go to bed!” and we never actually live for him. Or maybe – maybe we get the prayer and Bible reading thing down. “Oh ya! I pray first thing after waking up and even through the whole day and don’t forget that hour long devotion/journal session I had this morning! Yep! God got a good deal on me!” But the truth is that even though we’re talking to him, we’re not listening to him. Our Bible reading is just that – reading – and we’re not actually working to apply anything that we might have seen. We’re not actually reading with the intention of finding a lesson, we’re just writing our own little commentary about the Bible and occasionally think, “Huh, that’s really cool,” but forget about it as soon as the journal closes. Or maybe we’ve allowed God to infiltrate our life but we don’t exactly understand what that means. Honestly – I’ve been in all three of those stages. Currently, I’m in the last. Desiring for God to consume my life, but hesitant with the question of “How much do I let him have?” See, the Bible makes it very clear that God’s ways are not our ways. And I can tell you right now that some of the most obvious times that I’ve seen God work in and through me have been when I was doing something so off the wall that I myself would have never contemplated going there. I’m reminded of Paul saying “If we are out of our mind, it is for the sake of God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.” in 2 Corinthians 5:13. See Hebrews 11:6 goes beyond pleasing God and believing in him. It continues: “AND that he rewards those who seek him.” Now stop for a moment. Do you actually believe that God rewards you? I think that a lot of us think “after all I’ve done and he’s already done, I don’t deserve to be rewarded.” And we would be right. But I’m not talking about us. I’m talking about him. See it’s not our call what he does and doesn’t give us. We can certainly ask for certain gifts and we can certainly refuse to use the gifts he gives us, but I want to take this beyond even that.
“Do you believe God has the power to reward you?” Really. Because according to this verse, you must not only believe that he exists, but you must believe that he rewards. And if you believe that he rewards, then why aren’t you looking for them? Why are you content to sit and passively accept what has been given you as enough rather than getting up and seeking out the rewards he has promised? And don’t tell me it’s because you’re humble. That’s manure. God is saying right here, in this itty bitty verse, a key that I think a lot of us, myself included, have missed. Christianity isn’t just about believing in God and living your life so that you’re not in too much trouble with him when you die. Christianity is about believing in a POWERFUL God who not only exists, but permeates every part of our being with himself and overflows us with rewards. I’ve heard so many people ask “Why does God let so and so happen?” Maybe it’s because we refuse to believe he’s powerful enough to use us, so we refuse him access. God REWARDS those who seek him. Faith isn’t just believing in an existence, guys. It’s not even living a different life based on the belief in that existence. It’s living your life based on the belief of a powerful and rewarding existence. So many times we go to an extreme with the people of the Bible. They were “oh so holy” or “no different than us.” How about a happy medium? They were just like us in that they too were human, but they were “oh so holy” in that they didn’t allow their humanity to cripple them. Instead, by faith, they allowed a powerful existence to completely absorb their lives and bring a reward none of them could begin to imagine. Our reward isn’t just heaven. Our reward is here and now if we let it be; if we too, live by faith and allow God to reward us. Fully believing that he not only can – but will. Our reward is living a life of faith that has meaning and influence and even so much more. The heroes of the Bible were people; people who lived by faith and believed in a God powerful enough to reward them. They lived in expectancy of reward and that, dear friends, is what made then exceptional. If we are to please God, we can’t stop at believing he exists. I can believe Santa exists. What is the point in believing in God if we don’t also believe that he is powerful and rewarding? You guys, we have GOT to get this or we cripple ourselves! The phrase “by faith” is used 18 times in the span of 29 verses. I think God thinks it’s important. Please don’t hear me condemning. This is something I’m working on too. But I truly believe that we have got to stop listening to the world and dumbing our God down to its standards. We have got to leave the world behind and live in faith, giving the God we claim room to be powerful – room to be God. I want to close with Hebrews 11: 15-16 – “If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.”
Brothers and sisters in Christ, I beg you, let us live in the knowledge that the God we claim is powerful beyond our imagination and that in that power, he bestows rewards on us who will follow him. Let us live by faith.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Just another day...
Breathe in...breathe out....
It's just another day here. Yet what is "another day?" We take life so carelessly sometimes. When was the last time you slowed down and noticed the things that you walk past a thousand times a day and take for granted?
This past week was really good for me. It was the first steady week of my whole summer. Ironically, it's also been one of the craziest. I've had so many different things going on from kids I work with, to the people I work with; from the girls I counsel, to the people who counsel me; from my friends, to my family, to fighting myself; from working one job, to setting up another; and from my personal life, to school. I don't think there's and angle of me that hasn't been hit HARD this summer. And yet in the craziest moments of it all - I blanked out. I stopped thinking. I got so caught up in the stress that I forgot to remember the simplicity of life. That this is temporal and that I will make it through. Thankfully, that's what good friends are for - giving you a swift kick in the pants. Just pray you listen to them! ;)
So I guess I'm writing this just to remind you what I myself forgot for a while - enjoy life. Because no matter what it throws at you, with God on your side, you will make it through. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers! I'm doing so much better and I'm remembering to notice the little gift from God in each day. God bless!
It's just another day here. Yet what is "another day?" We take life so carelessly sometimes. When was the last time you slowed down and noticed the things that you walk past a thousand times a day and take for granted?
This past week was really good for me. It was the first steady week of my whole summer. Ironically, it's also been one of the craziest. I've had so many different things going on from kids I work with, to the people I work with; from the girls I counsel, to the people who counsel me; from my friends, to my family, to fighting myself; from working one job, to setting up another; and from my personal life, to school. I don't think there's and angle of me that hasn't been hit HARD this summer. And yet in the craziest moments of it all - I blanked out. I stopped thinking. I got so caught up in the stress that I forgot to remember the simplicity of life. That this is temporal and that I will make it through. Thankfully, that's what good friends are for - giving you a swift kick in the pants. Just pray you listen to them! ;)
So I guess I'm writing this just to remind you what I myself forgot for a while - enjoy life. Because no matter what it throws at you, with God on your side, you will make it through. Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers! I'm doing so much better and I'm remembering to notice the little gift from God in each day. God bless!
Friday, June 25, 2010
From the Mouths of Babes
:) I can't do anything but smile.
I've been working at a camp over the past three weeks and have another four before the summer's over. Long story short - it's been hard. About fifteen minutes ago I was so worn - not just mentally and physically, but spiritually. Dealing with hard work situations, lack of personal care, and girls who have hard questions has drained me to the point where, honestly, I have wanted to quit. It has seemed like one thing after another and every time it began to feel like I was getting my head above water the next thing would hit harder than the thing before it. I have felt little encouragement from those around me and haven't been helping myself by staying as firmly in the word as I should. Honestly - the last thing I expected was to get encouragement from the one place that I am all but worn through and literally hanging on by a thread in. After a solid week of children, I find myself spending my "off" time babysitting. Lol - I know. Not exactly relaxing. But they're good kids - they really are. Despite that thought - it's still working after working. But when little Hailey came up to me and asked to show me something, I thought I was going to once more put a smile on my face and nod sweetly - instead, I found myself amazed at the purity of a child's heart. What she wanted to share and shared with me were two songs she had written. Songs she had written for and about God. I found my heart warmed, refreshed, and for the life of me - a much desired ray of sunlight finally breaking through the crust I had felt beginning to surround my heart. And in that moment, I my heart changed from beaten to hopeful. I wanted to share little Hailey's songs with you. I hope the innocence of her sweet love for God touches you as it did me.
Psalm 8:2 - "From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise."
I've been working at a camp over the past three weeks and have another four before the summer's over. Long story short - it's been hard. About fifteen minutes ago I was so worn - not just mentally and physically, but spiritually. Dealing with hard work situations, lack of personal care, and girls who have hard questions has drained me to the point where, honestly, I have wanted to quit. It has seemed like one thing after another and every time it began to feel like I was getting my head above water the next thing would hit harder than the thing before it. I have felt little encouragement from those around me and haven't been helping myself by staying as firmly in the word as I should. Honestly - the last thing I expected was to get encouragement from the one place that I am all but worn through and literally hanging on by a thread in. After a solid week of children, I find myself spending my "off" time babysitting. Lol - I know. Not exactly relaxing. But they're good kids - they really are. Despite that thought - it's still working after working. But when little Hailey came up to me and asked to show me something, I thought I was going to once more put a smile on my face and nod sweetly - instead, I found myself amazed at the purity of a child's heart. What she wanted to share and shared with me were two songs she had written. Songs she had written for and about God. I found my heart warmed, refreshed, and for the life of me - a much desired ray of sunlight finally breaking through the crust I had felt beginning to surround my heart. And in that moment, I my heart changed from beaten to hopeful. I wanted to share little Hailey's songs with you. I hope the innocence of her sweet love for God touches you as it did me.
Hailey’s Songs
Prayer Song
We are specially and wonderfully made.
He said we are His greatest creations.
Keep me still and hear my prayer.
I call upon You and You hear me.
Keep me still and I will listen to You.
You are all I have and You say I am wonderfully made.
Keep me still and call on me.
God Is
God is, God is, God is,
God is faithful.
He keeps His promises and loves me so.
God is, God is, God is,
God is the Maker.
He made me wonderfully and remarkably made.
He is the King of all and faithful and wonderfully made.
He keeps me up and loves me.
Psalm 8:2 - "From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise."
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Helpless Hero
Do you ever find yourself in a situation where you are able to be nothing more than sheerly frustrated? You can't be indignant and you can't be apathetic. You're just... frustrated.
I have two of these exact situations in the past two days. It's enough to make me scream.
Ok - backing up. Explanation:
Situation 1: My cousin recently came to visit our family for a week. She's been on my heart over the past year especially as we are the same age and in the same stage of life, spreading our wings and trying to figure life out. We have a blast together! The thing that weighs on me is that she is not a Christian. God burdened my heart for her and I have prayed for strength and opportunity to talk to her about it. I was so excited when, as a part of my training for leadership team at my church, I went through an evangelism training. It was perfect for sharing in an already established relationship. I felt ready. She came down Sunday. Since then I have continued to pray and look for opportunity. Last night, I felt "opportunity" got as good as it was going to get and asked her about her Religions class at school. She threw out what little she remembered. Mostly from the other text book in the class - not the Bible - then quickly shut me down explaining that we were "just different." Now, I'm not about to deny this. We couldn't be MORE different. But where was I to go from there? The problem is - we ARE so different. How am I suppose to share something that literally requires her to change every aspect of her life then send her back to the exact same self destructive environment as before and ask her take my word for it? I know that with God all things are possible, but how on earth... I mean WHAT on earth... am I suppose to do? It was so - frustrating.
Situation 2: I love my neighbors beyond words. It's hard to know such sweet people for four years and not love them. And they're right there! Our relationship with them is what America use to be like - what it should be like. We knew them before they even had their two daughters they have now. We watch them so much that they're basically my sisters even though we aren't blood related. I wouldn't hesitate going out of my way for them. Not a second. They weren't "religious" when we first became close. But having children does something to you. It makes you think more to the future - and statistically - more people become "religious" after they have their first child. My neighbors were no different. I had been praying for them ever since we became close, but began in earnest when they found out they were pregnant. I prayed til my heart broke that God would use this baby to bring them to Him. I don't think I was unclear... and I know God didn't make a mistake... but my heart shattered as they came to visit one day all lit up about how they had found a church that morning. "It's even right here in the neighborhood!" she beaming. I was SO happy - until I realized she was speaking of the Mormon Temple on the other side of the subdivision. I quickly informed God of His mistake. I continued praying. To my shame - not as faithfully as before, but still with the same sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach and the same wrench in my heart that threatened tears no matter where I was. (And I don't cry in public!) That was three years ago. Today their oldest daughter came over so her mom could have some down time while the dad was gone. Where was he? "Missionary" training. For the second day in a row I shut everything down to try to think through what was going on before I did something unchecked. And I was back at that same - disabling feeling of frustration.
So what is it? What am I to do?
I have the only information that will ever matter. The information they need. The information that will change eternity - good or bad. I am a hero. I have what they can't begin to imagine they need.
And yet here I am - nearly four years into close relationship with both cases - and they still don't get it. They still don't know. They still won't listen. I still can't approach it.
The clock ticks on. It's not waiting for me. It's not waiting for them. It doesn't care. I'm helpless. And time is doing nothing but gaining downhill speed fast.
So I'm frustrated. More aware of it now, but frustrated just the same everyday. I wake up a hero and go to bed hopeless. My cousin sleeps below me in the bunk bed and my neighbors are not a hundred yards across the street.
I believe in the power of prayer. And I'm not going to stop praying. But for now - I just feel like a helpless hero.
I have two of these exact situations in the past two days. It's enough to make me scream.
Ok - backing up. Explanation:
Situation 1: My cousin recently came to visit our family for a week. She's been on my heart over the past year especially as we are the same age and in the same stage of life, spreading our wings and trying to figure life out. We have a blast together! The thing that weighs on me is that she is not a Christian. God burdened my heart for her and I have prayed for strength and opportunity to talk to her about it. I was so excited when, as a part of my training for leadership team at my church, I went through an evangelism training. It was perfect for sharing in an already established relationship. I felt ready. She came down Sunday. Since then I have continued to pray and look for opportunity. Last night, I felt "opportunity" got as good as it was going to get and asked her about her Religions class at school. She threw out what little she remembered. Mostly from the other text book in the class - not the Bible - then quickly shut me down explaining that we were "just different." Now, I'm not about to deny this. We couldn't be MORE different. But where was I to go from there? The problem is - we ARE so different. How am I suppose to share something that literally requires her to change every aspect of her life then send her back to the exact same self destructive environment as before and ask her take my word for it? I know that with God all things are possible, but how on earth... I mean WHAT on earth... am I suppose to do? It was so - frustrating.
Situation 2: I love my neighbors beyond words. It's hard to know such sweet people for four years and not love them. And they're right there! Our relationship with them is what America use to be like - what it should be like. We knew them before they even had their two daughters they have now. We watch them so much that they're basically my sisters even though we aren't blood related. I wouldn't hesitate going out of my way for them. Not a second. They weren't "religious" when we first became close. But having children does something to you. It makes you think more to the future - and statistically - more people become "religious" after they have their first child. My neighbors were no different. I had been praying for them ever since we became close, but began in earnest when they found out they were pregnant. I prayed til my heart broke that God would use this baby to bring them to Him. I don't think I was unclear... and I know God didn't make a mistake... but my heart shattered as they came to visit one day all lit up about how they had found a church that morning. "It's even right here in the neighborhood!" she beaming. I was SO happy - until I realized she was speaking of the Mormon Temple on the other side of the subdivision. I quickly informed God of His mistake. I continued praying. To my shame - not as faithfully as before, but still with the same sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach and the same wrench in my heart that threatened tears no matter where I was. (And I don't cry in public!) That was three years ago. Today their oldest daughter came over so her mom could have some down time while the dad was gone. Where was he? "Missionary" training. For the second day in a row I shut everything down to try to think through what was going on before I did something unchecked. And I was back at that same - disabling feeling of frustration.
So what is it? What am I to do?
I have the only information that will ever matter. The information they need. The information that will change eternity - good or bad. I am a hero. I have what they can't begin to imagine they need.
And yet here I am - nearly four years into close relationship with both cases - and they still don't get it. They still don't know. They still won't listen. I still can't approach it.
The clock ticks on. It's not waiting for me. It's not waiting for them. It doesn't care. I'm helpless. And time is doing nothing but gaining downhill speed fast.
So I'm frustrated. More aware of it now, but frustrated just the same everyday. I wake up a hero and go to bed hopeless. My cousin sleeps below me in the bunk bed and my neighbors are not a hundred yards across the street.
I believe in the power of prayer. And I'm not going to stop praying. But for now - I just feel like a helpless hero.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Matter of the Heart
"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" - Jeremiah 17:9
"The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out." - Proverbs 20:5
"As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man."- Proverbs 27:19
"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." - Proverbs 4:23
So, I'm in a semi solemn mood tonight. Not always a good thing. I tend to think too much when I get this way. Obviously, the topic for my pondering this time is man's heart. What a mysterious thing. Can you actually ever know it? ...I don't believe so. And even more - can you actually ever know your own heart? It's a ridiculous thought really. Of course you're suppose to know the reasons behind your own decisions and motives! But sometimes I wonder if we actually do. We're so good at tricking ourselves sometimes. To realize it, you have to pay attention and look for it. "It's a matter of the heart" is a phrase I've heard used a lot recently. It's a pretty common "Jesus-jargon" phrase basically meaning "I don't know, only you can decide if your motives are actually God-glorifying." But can you? You can check yourself, but if not continually checking yourself - you're gonna slip. I've started so many things with the right motives only to get months down the road and realize not only did I no longer have the right motives, but I actually had grown to loathe the very thing I started to glorify God with. So many people have good intentions... but then life happens - and you end up completely forgetting the good intentions, turning it into something required, and eventually realizing that you've now created an entirely avoidable issue.
So how do you tell? How do you keep your heart in check? I said earlier that I didn't think you could really know your heart. Let me clarify - I don't think you can know the heart in its own nature. However, what you can know is how you train it and how you train it is what it will become. I'll share a little about my own experience.
It's a day by day thing. Each day, each moment, each choice- you can go two ways. You can go a way that would be comfortable and easy, or you can go the way that the Lord is calling you to. Even in the simple things. It's not always the easiest choice. Sometimes I really just want to roll over and hit the snooze one more time, promising God I'll get to Him later that day. This is generally the biggest mistake of my day. I have come to find that, in my personal life, until I wake up and acknowledge God and dedicate the day to Him - I'm going to have a really hard day. It starts right there for me. My eyes open and the first thing I try to think is "G'morning God. :)" Trust me - it's not easy - I am NOT a morning person! But if I don't start my day off right - let's just say it's not pretty. I'm more distant from God throughout the day, I'm shorter with people, and I'm shorter with myself. In this mindset I really can't be all that God has given me the potential to be. It's a lot easier to keep your heart right, if you start it right. (Don't mistake me - I'm not one of those people claiming you HAVE to have your devotion in the morning. I'm just saying that even though I'm probably the most awful morning person you've ever seen, I've learned to swallow that because of how much it helps me keep my heart right throughout the day.) After I've started my day right, it becomes a lot easier to talk to God throughout the day - this continues to keep my heart right. I try to notice Him in the things around me as often as I can (if you haven't read it yet, go find my entry "Untitled" in January '10) and thank Him for His presence. No - I'm not "super godly." This is not something that came naturally to me - it's something I have trained and still am training myself to do. As one of my friends once said "Good habits are painful to learn until they become habits." It's true - rarely if ever are good habits easy or natural. From here, if you continue paying attention, keeping your heart right flows into everything you do and everything you touch. If you are consciously striving to keep your heart right before God, you will realize that the only thing that matters is what He wants you to do - and that becomes all you want to do. It seems trivial, the decisions that result in a right heart, but just like anything else- it's built. Like a wall made of many bricks, the sky made of many stars, or a field with each little blade of grass - they wouldn't be the same without every indiviual detail. In the same way, when it comes down to it, choice by choice - your life and the way you live it is a matter of the heart.
"The purposes of a man's heart are deep waters, but a man of understanding draws them out." - Proverbs 20:5
"As water reflects a face, so a man's heart reflects the man."- Proverbs 27:19
"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." - Proverbs 4:23
So, I'm in a semi solemn mood tonight. Not always a good thing. I tend to think too much when I get this way. Obviously, the topic for my pondering this time is man's heart. What a mysterious thing. Can you actually ever know it? ...I don't believe so. And even more - can you actually ever know your own heart? It's a ridiculous thought really. Of course you're suppose to know the reasons behind your own decisions and motives! But sometimes I wonder if we actually do. We're so good at tricking ourselves sometimes. To realize it, you have to pay attention and look for it. "It's a matter of the heart" is a phrase I've heard used a lot recently. It's a pretty common "Jesus-jargon" phrase basically meaning "I don't know, only you can decide if your motives are actually God-glorifying." But can you? You can check yourself, but if not continually checking yourself - you're gonna slip. I've started so many things with the right motives only to get months down the road and realize not only did I no longer have the right motives, but I actually had grown to loathe the very thing I started to glorify God with. So many people have good intentions... but then life happens - and you end up completely forgetting the good intentions, turning it into something required, and eventually realizing that you've now created an entirely avoidable issue.
So how do you tell? How do you keep your heart in check? I said earlier that I didn't think you could really know your heart. Let me clarify - I don't think you can know the heart in its own nature. However, what you can know is how you train it and how you train it is what it will become. I'll share a little about my own experience.
It's a day by day thing. Each day, each moment, each choice- you can go two ways. You can go a way that would be comfortable and easy, or you can go the way that the Lord is calling you to. Even in the simple things. It's not always the easiest choice. Sometimes I really just want to roll over and hit the snooze one more time, promising God I'll get to Him later that day. This is generally the biggest mistake of my day. I have come to find that, in my personal life, until I wake up and acknowledge God and dedicate the day to Him - I'm going to have a really hard day. It starts right there for me. My eyes open and the first thing I try to think is "G'morning God. :)" Trust me - it's not easy - I am NOT a morning person! But if I don't start my day off right - let's just say it's not pretty. I'm more distant from God throughout the day, I'm shorter with people, and I'm shorter with myself. In this mindset I really can't be all that God has given me the potential to be. It's a lot easier to keep your heart right, if you start it right. (Don't mistake me - I'm not one of those people claiming you HAVE to have your devotion in the morning. I'm just saying that even though I'm probably the most awful morning person you've ever seen, I've learned to swallow that because of how much it helps me keep my heart right throughout the day.) After I've started my day right, it becomes a lot easier to talk to God throughout the day - this continues to keep my heart right. I try to notice Him in the things around me as often as I can (if you haven't read it yet, go find my entry "Untitled" in January '10) and thank Him for His presence. No - I'm not "super godly." This is not something that came naturally to me - it's something I have trained and still am training myself to do. As one of my friends once said "Good habits are painful to learn until they become habits." It's true - rarely if ever are good habits easy or natural. From here, if you continue paying attention, keeping your heart right flows into everything you do and everything you touch. If you are consciously striving to keep your heart right before God, you will realize that the only thing that matters is what He wants you to do - and that becomes all you want to do. It seems trivial, the decisions that result in a right heart, but just like anything else- it's built. Like a wall made of many bricks, the sky made of many stars, or a field with each little blade of grass - they wouldn't be the same without every indiviual detail. In the same way, when it comes down to it, choice by choice - your life and the way you live it is a matter of the heart.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Monuments for Memory
So, it's been a while but that's ok. It's been a while for a good reason. Sometimes you're learning so much that you need to absorb it all before you can get time to actually write it down. That's where I've been.
It's been an amazing month and an amazing ride. Beginning and most obviously, with the start of a new relationship in my life. Ha! Talk about learning! There's so much involved that you can have as much head knowledge as you want, but until you're actually there, you don't realize just how much is involved in it. It's not like in the movies where everything just "works." It is work. But the coolest thing about it is that it's a joyful work. I've loved working at this and figuring it out and I look forward to future lessons. It's a blast of an adventure and God has been faithful in taking care of the relationship so far and honoring our efforts to glorify Him in all we do. (And of course that's not to mention my boyfriend being a huge help and blessing!) I've come to learn so much about God through this adventure. Learning to trust Him gladly with what I myself cannot control (like - another person!), and even beyond that in having drawn closer to Him and asking His input out of honestly caring what He thinks has been huge for me. Learning how to put God first and fully depend on Him and seeing Him handle things and come through has been wonderful. I gladly say that my relationship with God is deeper today than it ever has been in the past - I trust Him more fully and love Him more deeply than I ever have before. This, in large part, is due to lessons I've learned from my dating relationship with Shaun. I now desire God more than ever as I earnestly seek to remain in His will - especially in this.
On top of that adventure I've had everything in my life seem to peak in the last month - school, church, extra-curricular, friends, family - it all came at once! THAT was an adventure too! Less than five and a half hours of sleep a night and lucky for more than four, packed weekends, Sunday wasn't even restful - I was running myself into the ground! God taught me a lot about time management. Hopefully I've learned my lesson for next semester! Lol.
Now I'm embarking on another adventure as I prepare to be a camp counselor this summer with 14 new girls in my cabin for each of the eight weeks of camp. I'm excited and even have a few butterflies, but I'm remembering that my ultimate goal is to be a willing utensil for His service.. I pray that I may keep my eyes open for His signs, for all of the campers I will encounter this summer, as well as the girls I will be serving with. This is a wonderful opportunity and I can't wait to see how God will use it to grow me even more.
This year has truly been a growing experience for me. I've had a ridiculous amount adventures and while I definitely got some bumps and bruises, they've healed. The ride's been a blast and I am truly looking forward to the future with anticipation. :)
I wanted to share some of the verses I have found that have helped me throughout this past year. They are beautiful treasures to me and I hope they will touch you and help you as much as they have me. God Bless! :)
It's important to remember where we came from. This is to help me remember. This is a monument for me to look back on and remember what God has done for me. I hope in some way, these scriptures have encouraged you as they have me.
It's been an amazing month and an amazing ride. Beginning and most obviously, with the start of a new relationship in my life. Ha! Talk about learning! There's so much involved that you can have as much head knowledge as you want, but until you're actually there, you don't realize just how much is involved in it. It's not like in the movies where everything just "works." It is work. But the coolest thing about it is that it's a joyful work. I've loved working at this and figuring it out and I look forward to future lessons. It's a blast of an adventure and God has been faithful in taking care of the relationship so far and honoring our efforts to glorify Him in all we do. (And of course that's not to mention my boyfriend being a huge help and blessing!) I've come to learn so much about God through this adventure. Learning to trust Him gladly with what I myself cannot control (like - another person!), and even beyond that in having drawn closer to Him and asking His input out of honestly caring what He thinks has been huge for me. Learning how to put God first and fully depend on Him and seeing Him handle things and come through has been wonderful. I gladly say that my relationship with God is deeper today than it ever has been in the past - I trust Him more fully and love Him more deeply than I ever have before. This, in large part, is due to lessons I've learned from my dating relationship with Shaun. I now desire God more than ever as I earnestly seek to remain in His will - especially in this.
On top of that adventure I've had everything in my life seem to peak in the last month - school, church, extra-curricular, friends, family - it all came at once! THAT was an adventure too! Less than five and a half hours of sleep a night and lucky for more than four, packed weekends, Sunday wasn't even restful - I was running myself into the ground! God taught me a lot about time management. Hopefully I've learned my lesson for next semester! Lol.
Now I'm embarking on another adventure as I prepare to be a camp counselor this summer with 14 new girls in my cabin for each of the eight weeks of camp. I'm excited and even have a few butterflies, but I'm remembering that my ultimate goal is to be a willing utensil for His service.. I pray that I may keep my eyes open for His signs, for all of the campers I will encounter this summer, as well as the girls I will be serving with. This is a wonderful opportunity and I can't wait to see how God will use it to grow me even more.
This year has truly been a growing experience for me. I've had a ridiculous amount adventures and while I definitely got some bumps and bruises, they've healed. The ride's been a blast and I am truly looking forward to the future with anticipation. :)
I wanted to share some of the verses I have found that have helped me throughout this past year. They are beautiful treasures to me and I hope they will touch you and help you as much as they have me. God Bless! :)
Psalm 90:12 - "So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a
heart of wisdom."*Look for everything you can to see what God would have you take advantage of
for Him.Ezekiel 18:25 - " Yet you say, 'The way of the Lord is not right.' Hear now,
O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not
right?"*We may have our plans, but don't try telling God he's wrong! Lol. I think He made
His point clear here.1 Peter 1:13-16 - "Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in
spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the
revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be
conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the
Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because
it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."*We are called to be set apart. Be a story - not a statistic.
Shine for Him.Ephesians 4:29 - "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths,
but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that
it may benefit those who listen."*Say what you mean - mean what you say. Be kind and don't
get caught up in the world's games. Sticks and stones may break
bones, but words cut deeper than seen. Don't take advantage of words - you
will be held accountable.1 Timothy 4:12 - "Do not let anyone look down on you because you are young,
but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith, and
in purity."*Going back to being set apart. Don't let others tell you it can't be
done. Know what God calls you to do and go for it with all your heart.1 Corinthians 13: 1-3; 13 - "And now I will show you the most excellent
way. If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I
am only a resounding gong or clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and
can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have faith that can move
mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the
poos and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain
nothing. And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the
greatest of these is love."*I've been so busy this year, but something God has called my attention to
recently is the fact that I can do all I want for Him, but unless I'm doing it
in love, it means nothing. It's really weird to see everything I've tried
over the past several months disintegrate to nothing on the altar realizing that I
was doing it to get it done, not in love. When I remember to serve God's
children in love - it changes the whole outlook to my service. I am so
much more useful to God and I find so much more joy in serving.
It's important to remember where we came from. This is to help me remember. This is a monument for me to look back on and remember what God has done for me. I hope in some way, these scriptures have encouraged you as they have me.
Friday, March 19, 2010
Learning to Receive
Are you one of those "gift" people? You love to give gifts - and in polite honesty, you like receiving them too? Haha. I'm not. Well - not so much anyway. One of the hardest things for me to do is to "indebt" myself to someone. Which at times, is basically what I view a gift as. Unfortunately, this mindset also transferred into my view of God sometimes. I didn't think I deserved such blessing. So even though He wanted to bless me, I would stubbornly refuse to accept it thinking that I didn't deserve it, I couldn't pay Him back, or I would mess it up somehow. I thought if I resisted long enough God would get the picture and leave me alone realizing that I really wasn't worth it.
In Malachi 3:8-10 God is talking to His people about how they have been robbing Him of the financial tithes due Him. In my case, the"tithe" that I have been withholding is myself. For some silly reason, I thought that I knew better than God. "I know what I'm really like..." But I forgot something. Kinda the most important something ever. That's not what He sees. He sees the fact that His Son shed His blood for me. He sees the fact that I've been washed in that blood and now stand with no accusation against me. Why do we hold onto what God has forgiven - and even more - forgotten? Psalm 103:8-14 says: "The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust." Do you see that? God remembers exactly who we are. We are dust. So who are we to tell God "better?" Who am I to tell God what He can and can't give me? I love this verse and have carried it in my book bag ever since I found it: Ezekiel 18:25 "Yet you say. 'The way of the Lord is not right.' Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?"
Haha. I laugh, but it's more of a sad chuckle when I realize how much it hurts God for me to fight Him so. I've fought, I've kicked, I've screamed - and I've ended up where God would have me anyway. :) Praise God that He doesn't obey our sad, confused little human minds. Praise God that He knows better. Praise God that He knows what we need more than we ourselves do. Don't hold yourself back from God. Let Him shower you with blessings. It's only natural for your Heavenly Father to want to bless you! ("Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" - Mt 7:9-11) God want to bless his children. Going back to Malachi, think about this. God says if you give Him whatever it is you're holding back, "see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." It's a lot more enjoyable that way. And yes - lol - you're gonna end up there anyway. ;)
I'm still learning - but hopefully - I'll be able to remember too.
James 1:17 "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
In Malachi 3:8-10 God is talking to His people about how they have been robbing Him of the financial tithes due Him. In my case, the"tithe" that I have been withholding is myself. For some silly reason, I thought that I knew better than God. "I know what I'm really like..." But I forgot something. Kinda the most important something ever. That's not what He sees. He sees the fact that His Son shed His blood for me. He sees the fact that I've been washed in that blood and now stand with no accusation against me. Why do we hold onto what God has forgiven - and even more - forgotten? Psalm 103:8-14 says: "The LORD is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love. He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust." Do you see that? God remembers exactly who we are. We are dust. So who are we to tell God "better?" Who am I to tell God what He can and can't give me? I love this verse and have carried it in my book bag ever since I found it: Ezekiel 18:25 "Yet you say. 'The way of the Lord is not right.' Hear now, O house of Israel! Is My way not right? Is it not your ways that are not right?"
Haha. I laugh, but it's more of a sad chuckle when I realize how much it hurts God for me to fight Him so. I've fought, I've kicked, I've screamed - and I've ended up where God would have me anyway. :) Praise God that He doesn't obey our sad, confused little human minds. Praise God that He knows better. Praise God that He knows what we need more than we ourselves do. Don't hold yourself back from God. Let Him shower you with blessings. It's only natural for your Heavenly Father to want to bless you! ("Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" - Mt 7:9-11) God want to bless his children. Going back to Malachi, think about this. God says if you give Him whatever it is you're holding back, "see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." It's a lot more enjoyable that way. And yes - lol - you're gonna end up there anyway. ;)
I'm still learning - but hopefully - I'll be able to remember too.
James 1:17 "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."
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