I was reading my devotional book the other day and have been wanting to write about it, so now that I have some free time, here is what it said:
"This is a time of abundance in your life. Your cup runneth over with blessings. After plodding uphill for many weeks, you are now traipsing through lush meadows drenched in warm sunshine. I want you to enjoy to the full this time of ease and refreshment. I delight in providing it for you.
Sometimes my children hesitate to receive My good gifts with open hands. Feelings of false guilt creep in, telling them they don't deserve to be so richly blessed. This is nonsense-thinking, because no one deserves anything from Me. My kingdom is not about earning and deserving; it's about believing and receiving.
When a child of Mine balks at accepting My gifts, I am deeply grieved. When you receive My abundant blessings with a grateful heart, I rejoice. My pleasure in giving and your pleasure in receiving flow together in joyous harmony." (Devos)
Lately, I've been feeling extremely blessed about my life. I'm thankful for the friendships I have, my family, free time, weather, joy, and several other things. I wrote about this last year, how I sometimes feel like something should be going wrong in my life when I'm this happy with how things are going. This devotion really made me realize that God wants to bless us and not make us feel guilty for having joy within our days. That's why I've been trying my hardest to be as thankful as can be throughout the entire day. Being thankful in all circumstances in important, whether they are difficult or fun times. Sometimes it's easy to forget about God when your life is going perfectly, but those are the times when we really need to be thanking God. I don't want to miss the opportunity to tell God how blessed I feel. God is so good.
So as an application to this devotion, try to write down things you're thankful for each day: not just generic things, but more specific things. God works in awesome ways, but in order to catch these things, we have to be more aware of what He is doing around us. In my opinion, the more thankful you are, the more joyful you will be on the days where nothing is going right and you're struggling. Yes, I know there are days when it seems easier to just complain, but instead, try to think of something that God has done for you in that day.
"My cup overflows with blessings. Surely Your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life"~Psalm 23:5-6
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Happy 3 Years, Dad!!
Well, the 3-year anniversary of my Dad passing away is coming up on Friday. I didn't think I was going to write anything about it since I've written several blogs before this, but after reading my sister's amazing, touching note on Facebook, I decided to anyway =)
I cannot even begin to explain how blessed I feel today and how much this experience has changed me for the better as I'm typing this today. I actually ended up sharing my testimony to the New York group during our missions' trip and I continued to realize that God gave me a story...my own individual, unique story that He wants me to share with other people. Yes, it may be extremely difficult to do this, considering I bawl everytime, my voice shakes, and it's hard reliving the memories, but God still gave me this huge opportunity! Maybe not many other people have lost their dad's, specifically, but they could have lost other loved ones, whether that be a family member or a close friend.
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."~Romans 8:18
I am so thankful that I have this story to share because through the tough times, I have grown more in love with God everyday. He is my everything. He is my first love. He is my healer and my comforter. He is my shoulder to cry on when I am weak. I want everyone to know this kind of Father like I know Him. He allows me to have joy in my sufferings because I know that one day, I will leave this earth and get to worship my Creator every single second of eternity. Just writing this brings me to tears because of how incredibly amazing this sounds. What a day that will be when all the tears are washed away and I can be with my Heavenly Father forever.
Yes, I do realize this blog is very randomly written, but I felt the need to say that I am SO incredibly thankful and blessed for everything in my life right now. I am willing to suffer for Christ so that I can use my experiences to help others who are going through similar situations. I want to thank everyone who has been there for my family and I through these past 3 years. We are so blessed to have you all in our lives. God is the source of our strength and may the glory be to Him forever and ever. I pray that you may all know this joy and peace that He has given me. God bless you all =)
I cannot even begin to explain how blessed I feel today and how much this experience has changed me for the better as I'm typing this today. I actually ended up sharing my testimony to the New York group during our missions' trip and I continued to realize that God gave me a story...my own individual, unique story that He wants me to share with other people. Yes, it may be extremely difficult to do this, considering I bawl everytime, my voice shakes, and it's hard reliving the memories, but God still gave me this huge opportunity! Maybe not many other people have lost their dad's, specifically, but they could have lost other loved ones, whether that be a family member or a close friend.
"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us."~Romans 8:18
I am so thankful that I have this story to share because through the tough times, I have grown more in love with God everyday. He is my everything. He is my first love. He is my healer and my comforter. He is my shoulder to cry on when I am weak. I want everyone to know this kind of Father like I know Him. He allows me to have joy in my sufferings because I know that one day, I will leave this earth and get to worship my Creator every single second of eternity. Just writing this brings me to tears because of how incredibly amazing this sounds. What a day that will be when all the tears are washed away and I can be with my Heavenly Father forever.
Yes, I do realize this blog is very randomly written, but I felt the need to say that I am SO incredibly thankful and blessed for everything in my life right now. I am willing to suffer for Christ so that I can use my experiences to help others who are going through similar situations. I want to thank everyone who has been there for my family and I through these past 3 years. We are so blessed to have you all in our lives. God is the source of our strength and may the glory be to Him forever and ever. I pray that you may all know this joy and peace that He has given me. God bless you all =)
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Slow dance with Jesus...
Last Sunday, Joe (Central's chaplain) talked about slow dancing with Jesus. For some, that might seem like an odd thought because we cannot physically see Him, but it relates to our relationship with Him. The Calm started off with Joe talking about middle school dances and the awkwardness of it all. I know from my own middle school dance experiences, I was a very shy girl who stood as far away as possible from the guy I was dancing with. I even remember one of our teachers telling us that we could not say "no" to someone if they asked us to dance, but we could just stand across from them and sway back and forth if we didn't want to touch them. I totally did that! So pretty much, these dances were filled with awkward swaying back and forth, trying to make conversations with OTHER people besides your partner, and not ever making eye contact with them. This definitely can be applied to our relationship with Jesus:
"Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil--the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live this way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God's anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead." (Ephesians 2:1-4)
"You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to Him through the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:12-13)
I had never really heard this last verse until this year. It speaks volumes! We were once far away from Jesus, but because of His precious blood, we are now close. Joe was also talking about some of his most memorable dances, which included dancing with his daughters at their wedding. When he started talking about this, I definitely got teary-eyed as I listened to him talk about this special moment for him. I think this was so powerful for me because I no longer have my dad around to dance with me on my wedding day. Yes, I do wish that I could have that unforgettable memory with my dad, too, but that was not God's plan for me. For me, I get to dance with my heavenly Father for the rest of my life instead =) This brings me so much comfort to know that Jesus, the Son of God, would love me so much that He'd want to share such an intimate relationship with me.
So the next time you aren't sure about your relationship with God, remember that He loves you with such an agape love and nothing could make Him love you less or more. He made you with a specific purpose in life and no one could ever take the role of being you. Make time to slow dance with Jesus every day =)
"Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil--the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live this way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God's anger, just like everyone else. But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead." (Ephesians 2:1-4)
"You lived in this world without God and without hope. But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to Him through the blood of Christ." (Ephesians 2:12-13)
I had never really heard this last verse until this year. It speaks volumes! We were once far away from Jesus, but because of His precious blood, we are now close. Joe was also talking about some of his most memorable dances, which included dancing with his daughters at their wedding. When he started talking about this, I definitely got teary-eyed as I listened to him talk about this special moment for him. I think this was so powerful for me because I no longer have my dad around to dance with me on my wedding day. Yes, I do wish that I could have that unforgettable memory with my dad, too, but that was not God's plan for me. For me, I get to dance with my heavenly Father for the rest of my life instead =) This brings me so much comfort to know that Jesus, the Son of God, would love me so much that He'd want to share such an intimate relationship with me.
So the next time you aren't sure about your relationship with God, remember that He loves you with such an agape love and nothing could make Him love you less or more. He made you with a specific purpose in life and no one could ever take the role of being you. Make time to slow dance with Jesus every day =)
Monday, August 1, 2011
Psalm 139
So, I read my devotions a few days ago and it was based off of Psalm 139. I've been wanting to write a blog about it, but have kept putting it off until today. I keep thinking about this chapter in the Bible, so I figured I should probably write about it because I love this chapter =) If you're not familiar with this chapter, you should check it out! I'm just going to write down the verses that really stick out to me:
- "O Lord, You have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away." 139:1-2
- "You know what I'm going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me." 139:4-5
- "Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand." 139:6
- "I could ask the darkness to hide me and the light around me to become night, but even in darkness, I cannot hide from You." 139:11-12
- "You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in Your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. How precious are Your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered! I can't even count them; they outnumber the grains of sand! And when I wake up, You are still with me" 139:16-18
- "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life." 139:23-24
To some, it might freak them out a little bit that there is someone who knows EVERYTHING about you. To me, it's a relief! I spend my days feeling like I have to put on a happy face all the time. I know this isn't true considering I have wonderful family and friends who will help me through anything, but for some reason, I still feel the need to "act" happy and okay with everything all the time. I know this is something I struggle with; I've known for years now. I've read this chapter plenty of times, but the other day, it just really hit home for me. God, our Heavenly Father, Lord of all creation, knows me so well that I cannot hide anything from Him! Even if I tried to pray to Him and tell Him about my day and wanted to make it sound fine, He knows what's really going on in my head. In my devotion the other day, I really liked this part:
"Do not close off any part of yourself from Me. I know you inside and out, so do not try to present a "cleaned-up" self to Me. Wounds that you shut away from the Light of My Love will fester and become wormy. Secret sins that you "hide" from Me can split off and develop lives of their own, controlling you without your realizing it."
God didn't send His Son to die on the cross for the people who have it all figured out; He sent Jesus for the weak, the tired, the helpless, the broken. To me, that is true comfort. Even when I feel like I don't even know what's going on in my life and I'm confused beyond belief, God understands that. I don't have to try and explain my confusion to Him because He knows! Sometimes it's hard telling friends and family everything that's going on inside your head because it may seem crazy and overwhelming to them, so we may all tend to hold those bits and pieces inside. But God wants to hear every single one of those crazy, ridiculous, confusing thoughts that you have! Let Him comfort you. Let Him inside your heart. Let Him in on all your feelings no matter what they are.
God, I pray that we can all come to You with open hearts willing to rest in Your peace and presence. I pray that we will no longer be stubborn and hold ourselves back from You because You love us with such an agape love that nothing can change that. We are Your children and You are our everlasting Father. Thank You for Your grace and mercy. Amen...
Friday, July 22, 2011
Plans
Well I was reading through this book that has a bunch of letters from my dad to my mom last night and I came across a song that my dad wrote called Plans. I thought the lyrics were very fitting for my life right now, so I thought I'd share it =)
Plans
By: Jeff Rankin
Lord I'm here
Lord be near and hear me.
Search my heart.
See my willingness to live for You.
Lord I see a long road ahead of me
And I want to walk it with You
Let not my plans get ahead of You
Slow me down and keep my course true
Lord I look back and see
All the years I've known You but You
couldn't shine through me.
My plans block the way.
I wonder how many more souls might be saved today.
Lord I see a long road ahead of me
And I want to walk it with You
Let not my plans get ahead of You
Slow me down and keep my course true
Lord I see how I must grow in You
I see a reason for me to live in You
Open up Your word to me
Open my eyes that I might see.
Lord I see a long road ahead of me
And I want to walk it with You
Let not my plans get ahead of You
Slow me down and keep my course true
Lord I see a long road ahead of me
I'm planning on walking it with You
Letting not my plans get ahead of You
Slowin' down and keepin' my course true
with You
I was so glad when I found this book last night =) I love seeing the romantic side of my dad and also how he completely trusted in God for whatever would happen next in his life. He was always praising God and giving Him all the glory in his letters. He's definitely a role model for me, now especially, and I want a relationship like him and my mom had: with God in the center of it. I also went across these verses yesterday:
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do and He will show you which path to take."~Proverbs 3:5-6
Plans
By: Jeff Rankin
Lord I'm here
Lord be near and hear me.
Search my heart.
See my willingness to live for You.
Lord I see a long road ahead of me
And I want to walk it with You
Let not my plans get ahead of You
Slow me down and keep my course true
Lord I look back and see
All the years I've known You but You
couldn't shine through me.
My plans block the way.
I wonder how many more souls might be saved today.
Lord I see a long road ahead of me
And I want to walk it with You
Let not my plans get ahead of You
Slow me down and keep my course true
Lord I see how I must grow in You
I see a reason for me to live in You
Open up Your word to me
Open my eyes that I might see.
Lord I see a long road ahead of me
And I want to walk it with You
Let not my plans get ahead of You
Slow me down and keep my course true
Lord I see a long road ahead of me
I'm planning on walking it with You
Letting not my plans get ahead of You
Slowin' down and keepin' my course true
with You
I was so glad when I found this book last night =) I love seeing the romantic side of my dad and also how he completely trusted in God for whatever would happen next in his life. He was always praising God and giving Him all the glory in his letters. He's definitely a role model for me, now especially, and I want a relationship like him and my mom had: with God in the center of it. I also went across these verses yesterday:
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do and He will show you which path to take."~Proverbs 3:5-6
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Ecclesiastes
Well I was feeling kinda down today, so I decided to read one of my favorite books of the Bible: Ecclesiastes. I found so many good and interesting verses, that I just decided to write a blog and post the ones I found interesting or comforting to me.
"No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content."~Ecc. 1:8
"The greater my wisdom, the greater my grief. To increase knowledge only increases sorrow."~Ecc. 1:18
"For everything there is a season...A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance....A time to search and a time to quit searching....A time to tear and a time to mend."~Ecc. 3:1, 4, 6, 7
"Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end."~Ecc. 3:11
"Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble."~Ecc. 4:9-10
"Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken."~Ecc. 4:12
"Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don't have."~Ecc. 6:9
"Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there's no use arguing with God about your destiny."~Ecc. 6:10
"Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us."~Ecc. 7:3
"Don't long for "the good old days." This is not wise."~Ecc. 7:10
"Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God."~Ecc. 7:14
"Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest."~Ecc. 11:4
Well I really like some of these verses. In a weird way, they comforted me. It's so hard being in this stage of life, not knowing what will happen in the future, but we can rest in the knowledge that God has our future planned out. I read part of the "meaning and message" part before the book of Ecclesiastes and this is what it said:
"The wisdom of Ecclesiastes is in coping with and even thriving in this life despite its brevity and apparent futility. Although we cannot comprehend all of God's actions or the purpose of our lives, Ecclesiastes assures us that our sovereign God has a strong hand in all that happens, both positive and tragic. Those who trust God will take the apparent futility of life as an incentive to diligently and wisely achieve what they can while they are alive and to enjoy God's good gifts in the process."
So true! We are only on this earth for a short time, so take advantage of it! It's so hard sometimes because we forget the big picture! We are living for God and to spread His word to others, not living for ourselves so that we may have an easy life. Our lives are not made to be all rainbows and unicorns (cheesy, I realize!); there will be suffering! But we're suffering so that we come closer to God, which is all that matters overall!! So it's okay to be sad sometimes! Cry! Yell! It's okay! There is a season for everything that we ever go through. The sadness is what shapes us as an individual. I know that without the hard experiences I've been through, I would definitely NOT be the person I am today. As crazy as it sounds, I'm thankful for those experiences because I would not have the faith I do today if it were not for those things to happen. I am realizing that God is what truly brings joy to my life. I keep trying to fill it with meaningless things, but I find I'm the happiest when I'm reading His word, sitting outside in His beautiful creation, or singing praises to Him. I just get that giddy feeling! Other material things/earthly relationships don't bring that same type of joy into my heart. For example, God has given me so many beautiful sunsets, bright starry nights, and powerful thunderstorms this summer and I absolutely love it! I feel as if they're completely for me because they put a smile on my face every time. I will literally run outside and skip towards the sunset with my camera when I see that it's beautiful outside. I feel like a little kid again...and God does all of that for me! He gave me a beautiful starry night for my birthday and I felt so special =)
As much as I've jumped around in this blog, point is to really focus on what's important in life, instead of filling your days with meaningless things. Yes, it is good to have relationships and experiences, but if they're bogging you down, remember God loves you and will always love you.
God bless all of you!!!
"No matter how much we see, we are never satisfied. No matter how much we hear, we are not content."~Ecc. 1:8
"The greater my wisdom, the greater my grief. To increase knowledge only increases sorrow."~Ecc. 1:18
"For everything there is a season...A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance....A time to search and a time to quit searching....A time to tear and a time to mend."~Ecc. 3:1, 4, 6, 7
"Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God's work from beginning to end."~Ecc. 3:11
"Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble."~Ecc. 4:9-10
"Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken."~Ecc. 4:12
"Enjoy what you have rather than desiring what you don't have."~Ecc. 6:9
"Everything has already been decided. It was known long ago what each person would be. So there's no use arguing with God about your destiny."~Ecc. 6:10
"Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us."~Ecc. 7:3
"Don't long for "the good old days." This is not wise."~Ecc. 7:10
"Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God."~Ecc. 7:14
"Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest."~Ecc. 11:4
Well I really like some of these verses. In a weird way, they comforted me. It's so hard being in this stage of life, not knowing what will happen in the future, but we can rest in the knowledge that God has our future planned out. I read part of the "meaning and message" part before the book of Ecclesiastes and this is what it said:
"The wisdom of Ecclesiastes is in coping with and even thriving in this life despite its brevity and apparent futility. Although we cannot comprehend all of God's actions or the purpose of our lives, Ecclesiastes assures us that our sovereign God has a strong hand in all that happens, both positive and tragic. Those who trust God will take the apparent futility of life as an incentive to diligently and wisely achieve what they can while they are alive and to enjoy God's good gifts in the process."
So true! We are only on this earth for a short time, so take advantage of it! It's so hard sometimes because we forget the big picture! We are living for God and to spread His word to others, not living for ourselves so that we may have an easy life. Our lives are not made to be all rainbows and unicorns (cheesy, I realize!); there will be suffering! But we're suffering so that we come closer to God, which is all that matters overall!! So it's okay to be sad sometimes! Cry! Yell! It's okay! There is a season for everything that we ever go through. The sadness is what shapes us as an individual. I know that without the hard experiences I've been through, I would definitely NOT be the person I am today. As crazy as it sounds, I'm thankful for those experiences because I would not have the faith I do today if it were not for those things to happen. I am realizing that God is what truly brings joy to my life. I keep trying to fill it with meaningless things, but I find I'm the happiest when I'm reading His word, sitting outside in His beautiful creation, or singing praises to Him. I just get that giddy feeling! Other material things/earthly relationships don't bring that same type of joy into my heart. For example, God has given me so many beautiful sunsets, bright starry nights, and powerful thunderstorms this summer and I absolutely love it! I feel as if they're completely for me because they put a smile on my face every time. I will literally run outside and skip towards the sunset with my camera when I see that it's beautiful outside. I feel like a little kid again...and God does all of that for me! He gave me a beautiful starry night for my birthday and I felt so special =)
As much as I've jumped around in this blog, point is to really focus on what's important in life, instead of filling your days with meaningless things. Yes, it is good to have relationships and experiences, but if they're bogging you down, remember God loves you and will always love you.
God bless all of you!!!
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Sacrifices
Genesis 22: 1-18
So at church today, we talked about Abraham and Isaac. It was the story of when God told Abraham to sacrifice his one and only son, Isaac. Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but I've heard this story a kajillion times and it's always been the same-old, same-old for me. I always thought it was pretty sweet how an angel of God came in before Abraham was going to sacrifice his son, but other than that, it really never clicked with me. I always thought Genesis was a pretty boring book just because I thought I knew the stories really well, so I never paid too much attention to them when I read the Bible. Kevin, the pastor at Third, really hit home with the story of Abraham and Isaac, though! He showed a video of the event happening (it must've been from a really old movie) and it was so powerful! I cried through some of it just seeing how difficult it was for Abraham to completely trust in God. I was thinking to myself how in the world would I have handled it and I don't know if I would've listened to God. Sacrificing my own son? Abraham was so faithful!!
Then Kevin tied it in with how God spared Isaac's life because He knew Abraham trusted and feared Him, but God actually DID sacrifice His own son. That would be so hard! But that's the thing...God cared about us that much to sacrifice His one and ONLY son, so that we may have everlasting life. Even though we are selfish sinners, God loves us that much. We are like a grain of sand compared to this entire universe, but yet God cares so intimately about our every detail. He even knows how many hairs we have on our head...He wants that deep of a relationship with us even though we seem so small compared to His whole creation.
Something that we can take from the story of Abraham and Isaac is that we need to realize what we need to sacrifice to God. If there is something in your life that is taking focus away from God, then you need to give it to God. It is SO incredibly hard...I know, but remember that God is the only thing that matters in the end. It's really hard having things being taken away from you, but once you realize that it happened for a reason and that those earthly things may be taking focus away from your Heavenly Father, it makes complete sense. That may sound really jumbled and confusing, but like I mentioned before, God wants that relationship with us and we NEED that relationship with God.
So at church today, we talked about Abraham and Isaac. It was the story of when God told Abraham to sacrifice his one and only son, Isaac. Now, I don't know about the rest of you, but I've heard this story a kajillion times and it's always been the same-old, same-old for me. I always thought it was pretty sweet how an angel of God came in before Abraham was going to sacrifice his son, but other than that, it really never clicked with me. I always thought Genesis was a pretty boring book just because I thought I knew the stories really well, so I never paid too much attention to them when I read the Bible. Kevin, the pastor at Third, really hit home with the story of Abraham and Isaac, though! He showed a video of the event happening (it must've been from a really old movie) and it was so powerful! I cried through some of it just seeing how difficult it was for Abraham to completely trust in God. I was thinking to myself how in the world would I have handled it and I don't know if I would've listened to God. Sacrificing my own son? Abraham was so faithful!!
Then Kevin tied it in with how God spared Isaac's life because He knew Abraham trusted and feared Him, but God actually DID sacrifice His own son. That would be so hard! But that's the thing...God cared about us that much to sacrifice His one and ONLY son, so that we may have everlasting life. Even though we are selfish sinners, God loves us that much. We are like a grain of sand compared to this entire universe, but yet God cares so intimately about our every detail. He even knows how many hairs we have on our head...He wants that deep of a relationship with us even though we seem so small compared to His whole creation.
Something that we can take from the story of Abraham and Isaac is that we need to realize what we need to sacrifice to God. If there is something in your life that is taking focus away from God, then you need to give it to God. It is SO incredibly hard...I know, but remember that God is the only thing that matters in the end. It's really hard having things being taken away from you, but once you realize that it happened for a reason and that those earthly things may be taking focus away from your Heavenly Father, it makes complete sense. That may sound really jumbled and confusing, but like I mentioned before, God wants that relationship with us and we NEED that relationship with God.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Thankful...
As Father's Day is approaching this Sunday, my thoughts about the day have been everywhere. It's been really difficult hearing things about Father's Day on every radio station I listen to, but just a few minutes ago while listening to a young girl talk about her dad on the radio, something really clicked with me. My dad does not have to be here physically in order for me to celebrate him; I can be thankful for the 17 years that I did have with him!
He was such an amazing father and role model in my life, especially now as I'm growing spiritually. My dad was such a strong Christian and he loved to worship God with songs of praise by playing his guitar and singing. I definitely took those things for granted when he was around, but I'm so thankful to have had him in my life, along with my mom, raising me in a loving family. So I guess for the rest of the blog, I will be listing why I am so thankful for my dad and also memories for this upcoming Father's Day =)
He was such an amazing father and role model in my life, especially now as I'm growing spiritually. My dad was such a strong Christian and he loved to worship God with songs of praise by playing his guitar and singing. I definitely took those things for granted when he was around, but I'm so thankful to have had him in my life, along with my mom, raising me in a loving family. So I guess for the rest of the blog, I will be listing why I am so thankful for my dad and also memories for this upcoming Father's Day =)
- He could always make me smile/laugh
- His gift of singing and playing guitar was always heard around the house
- He was very supportive of me in everything I did
- I loved how he took an hour to help me with one math problem, even though it annoyed me at the time ;)
- He let me hang around with him and do "manly" things around the house even though I'm a girl lol
- He had a huge heart for people
- He told the best stories
- His family was extremely important to him
- I'm thankful for his quirkiness....his straw hat, awesome mustache, wearing black pants with a brown shirt
- Giving me a hard time about boys...saying that if I burped at the table, I would never have a prom date. Sorry Dad, you were wrong ;) Also, when he met my first boyfriend, he talked to him in a Donald Duck voice: very embarrassing at the time! Lol!
- He passed on the genes of storm-loving =) He would stand outside when the sky was green and there was a tornado warning
- He rode rollercoasters with me, when the Jenny and Mom wouldn't...and laughed the whole time beside me
- He chased one of our cats around the yard in his robe with a huge stick...he also called them "flea-bitten varmints"
- He loved to take random gravel roads and get lost on purpose
- He would have anything on his peanut butter sandwiches...spaghetti was a popular one
- He bounced his leg up and down...all the time, which now has been passed onto me since I can never sit still
- He was always there
I don't know if anyone will read this, but mostly it's just for me =) I love memories like these and there are many more. I could probably write a book over them! I guess moral of the blog: be thankful for what God has blessed you with. I feel so incredibly blessed to have such an amazing family right now. I love them so much. It's always hard for me not to take people for granted, but it happens to all of us. Also, for those of you who have lost a father (which I know many of you have) or any loved one for that matter...think of why you are thankful that God placed them in your life. It helps and will bring a smile to your face when you think of all the funny and amazing memories you had with them. God didn't place those people in your life to just take them away from you and give you heartache...He placed those people in your life because you learned from each other, helped one another grow, and you now have more love in your heart because of them.
Happy Father's Day, Dad!! Thank you for being the best father anyone could ever ask for...looking forward to seeing you once again, someday ;)
Also just for fun, here are some hilarious old pictures of my dad that I found on my computer...he was such a hippie ;)
Oh Dad...wish I could've seen your hippy days ;) Hahaha
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Lyrics...
So I randomly decided to look up songs on KLove.com just because I wanted something inspiring to think about and found this new song...it's called Fall Apart by Josh Wilson and the lyrics are very powerful:
Why in the world did I think I could
Only get to know You when my life was good
When everything just falls in place
The easiest thing is to give You praise
Now it all seems upside down
(Chorus)
'Cause my whole world is caving in
But I feel You now more than I did then
How can I come to the end of me
And somehow still have all I need
God, I want to know You more
Maybe this is how it starts
I find You when I fall apart
Blessed are the ones who understand
We got nothing to bring but empty hands
Nothing to hide and nothing to prove
Our heartbreak brings us back to You
And it all seems upside down
Chorus
I don't know how long this will last
I'm praying for the pain to pass
But maybe this is the best thing
That has ever happened to me
Chorus
This definitely happens to all of us...when our life is great, we sometimes forget to thank God and remember that we need Him. Sometimes we need these tough times to remind us that we need Him more than anything else in this world. As it said, "Our heartache brings us back to You." Yes, sometimes life can just plain suck and it's really hard to move forward because we're constantly looking backward, but in the end, none of these earthly things even matter. Our ultimate reward lies in Heaven with our mighty and everlasting Father! Sometimes we get too caught up in what we do or don't have here on Earth that we forget that God is only preparing us for eternity with Him. I was talking to a friend last night about this...we many times ask "Why?" to God because we feel like our whole world is crumbling around us, but everything will work out for those who love Him. We need to remember this...it has brought me through a lot and I know that it can help others. It sounds easier than it appears to just believe this, but it's truly as simple as that. Believe that God loves you and wants the best for you. Believe that you are a part of His plan. Have faith and remember that we are only on this Earth for a short time and we will one day get to see our Heavenly Father face to face. Amazing...
Why in the world did I think I could
Only get to know You when my life was good
When everything just falls in place
The easiest thing is to give You praise
Now it all seems upside down
(Chorus)
'Cause my whole world is caving in
But I feel You now more than I did then
How can I come to the end of me
And somehow still have all I need
God, I want to know You more
Maybe this is how it starts
I find You when I fall apart
Blessed are the ones who understand
We got nothing to bring but empty hands
Nothing to hide and nothing to prove
Our heartbreak brings us back to You
And it all seems upside down
Chorus
I don't know how long this will last
I'm praying for the pain to pass
But maybe this is the best thing
That has ever happened to me
Chorus
This definitely happens to all of us...when our life is great, we sometimes forget to thank God and remember that we need Him. Sometimes we need these tough times to remind us that we need Him more than anything else in this world. As it said, "Our heartache brings us back to You." Yes, sometimes life can just plain suck and it's really hard to move forward because we're constantly looking backward, but in the end, none of these earthly things even matter. Our ultimate reward lies in Heaven with our mighty and everlasting Father! Sometimes we get too caught up in what we do or don't have here on Earth that we forget that God is only preparing us for eternity with Him. I was talking to a friend last night about this...we many times ask "Why?" to God because we feel like our whole world is crumbling around us, but everything will work out for those who love Him. We need to remember this...it has brought me through a lot and I know that it can help others. It sounds easier than it appears to just believe this, but it's truly as simple as that. Believe that God loves you and wants the best for you. Believe that you are a part of His plan. Have faith and remember that we are only on this Earth for a short time and we will one day get to see our Heavenly Father face to face. Amazing...
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Lightning...
So the coolest thing happened tonight...or at least I thought it was pretty cool! I was driving home from Sully and it had started to lightning everywhere around me. I absolutely love lightning and everything about storms, so that was awesome in itself...then the song "You Never Let Go" came on the radio. I have known this song for years and have always loved it, but then I really started listening to the lyrics.....
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I'm caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won't turn back
I know you are near
And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?
(Chorus:)
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me
And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We'll live to know You here on the earth
(Chorus)
Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You
Okay, so as it was lightning all around me, this song came on! It's talking about storms of this life....as it's storming! I might be the only one who thinks this is completely awesome, but that's fine =) Then when it said the word "light", a lightning flash was right in front of me. And it was such a "glorious light!" I truly believe God gave me this storm just to remind me how awesome and mighty and powerful He really is! This was a very random blog post, but I just thought it was cool because I love storms so much. We worship one awesome God =)
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I'm caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won't turn back
I know you are near
And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?
(Chorus:)
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me
And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We'll live to know You here on the earth
(Chorus)
Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You
Okay, so as it was lightning all around me, this song came on! It's talking about storms of this life....as it's storming! I might be the only one who thinks this is completely awesome, but that's fine =) Then when it said the word "light", a lightning flash was right in front of me. And it was such a "glorious light!" I truly believe God gave me this storm just to remind me how awesome and mighty and powerful He really is! This was a very random blog post, but I just thought it was cool because I love storms so much. We worship one awesome God =)
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Control
Control by JJ Heller
I just heard this song yesterday for the first time. I never really knew what JJ Heller had sang, but I've heard the name. I was listening to the radio yesterday and she was a guest on the radio station, so I decided to look up these lyrics of the song she was singing (since I'm addicted to looking up lyrics now) and I really liked them a lot...
The cut is deep, but never deep enough for me
It doesn’t hurt enough to make me forget
One moment of relief is never long enough
To keep the voices in my head from stealing my peace
Oh, control
It’s time, time to let you go
Perfection has a price, but I cannot afford to live that life
It always ends the same; a fight I never win
Chorus
I’m letting go of the illusion
I’m letting go of the confusion
I can’t carry it another step
I close my eyes and take a breath
I’m letting go …
There were scars before my scars
Love written on the hands that hung the stars
Hope living in the blood that was spilled for me
It's always really hard to not want to control your own life because we think that it's OUR life....but really, it's not our life; it's God's. God created us and brought us into this world. We are the clay and Jesus is the potter: "But Lord, You are our Father. We are like clay, and You are the potter; Your hands made us all." (Isaiah 64:8). It's so difficult to realize that God has a plan for each of our lives. He knows what is going to happen. Jeremiah 29:11 has always brought me through the tough times in my life because it reminds me that I don't have to worry about the future. God has a plan for all of us; a plan to prosper us and not to harm us; a plan to bring us hope and a future. All these trials we are going through now are only to prepare us for the future God has already planned. I feel like God has been trying to help me with knowing He has a plan for years now. Even though it's been a slow process, He's still not giving up on me.
So start to say "I'm letting go" because God has a handle on everything. Francesca Battistelli also has a song about letting go...
This is a giant leap of faith
Trusting and trying to embrace
The fear of the unknown
Beyond my comfort zone
I'm letting go
Of the life I planned for me
And my dreams
Losing control
Of my destiny
Feels like I'm falling and that's what it's like to believe
So I'm letting go
Like she says, it is beyond our comfort zone to have faith in God and allow Him to take control. So right now, for me, I'm working on "letting go".....
I just heard this song yesterday for the first time. I never really knew what JJ Heller had sang, but I've heard the name. I was listening to the radio yesterday and she was a guest on the radio station, so I decided to look up these lyrics of the song she was singing (since I'm addicted to looking up lyrics now) and I really liked them a lot...
The cut is deep, but never deep enough for me
It doesn’t hurt enough to make me forget
One moment of relief is never long enough
To keep the voices in my head from stealing my peace
Oh, control
It’s time, time to let you go
Perfection has a price, but I cannot afford to live that life
It always ends the same; a fight I never win
Chorus
I’m letting go of the illusion
I’m letting go of the confusion
I can’t carry it another step
I close my eyes and take a breath
I’m letting go …
There were scars before my scars
Love written on the hands that hung the stars
Hope living in the blood that was spilled for me
It's always really hard to not want to control your own life because we think that it's OUR life....but really, it's not our life; it's God's. God created us and brought us into this world. We are the clay and Jesus is the potter: "But Lord, You are our Father. We are like clay, and You are the potter; Your hands made us all." (Isaiah 64:8). It's so difficult to realize that God has a plan for each of our lives. He knows what is going to happen. Jeremiah 29:11 has always brought me through the tough times in my life because it reminds me that I don't have to worry about the future. God has a plan for all of us; a plan to prosper us and not to harm us; a plan to bring us hope and a future. All these trials we are going through now are only to prepare us for the future God has already planned. I feel like God has been trying to help me with knowing He has a plan for years now. Even though it's been a slow process, He's still not giving up on me.
So start to say "I'm letting go" because God has a handle on everything. Francesca Battistelli also has a song about letting go...
This is a giant leap of faith
Trusting and trying to embrace
The fear of the unknown
Beyond my comfort zone
I'm letting go
Of the life I planned for me
And my dreams
Losing control
Of my destiny
Feels like I'm falling and that's what it's like to believe
So I'm letting go
Like she says, it is beyond our comfort zone to have faith in God and allow Him to take control. So right now, for me, I'm working on "letting go".....
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Comfort
I remembered how much I love these lyrics from the song "Times" by Tenth Avenue North...
"My love is over. It's underneath.
It's inside. It's in between.
The times you doubt Me, when you can't feel.
The times that you question, 'Is this for real?'
The times you're broken.
The times that you mend.
The times that you hate Me, and the times that you bend.
Well, My love is over, it's underneath.
It's inside, it's in between.
These times you're healing, and when your heart breaks.
The times that you feel like you're falling from grace.
The times you're hurting.
The times that you heal.
The times you go hungry, and are tempted to steal.
The times of confusion, in chaos and pain.
I'm there in your sorrow, under the weight of your shame.
I'm there through your heartache.
I'm there in the storm.
My love I will keep you, by My pow'r alone.
I don't care where you fall, where you have been.
I'll never forsake you, My love never ends.
It never ends."
These lyrics are so incredibly powerful. It speaks volumes for me and for everyone, I'm sure. There are so many times when we doubt God and fall away from Him without even realizing it. When a tough time comes into our lives, it's difficult to go straight to God instead of going and talking to a friend. I've realized that this past year...I will sometimes go to a friend to talk rather than praying and talking to God about the situation. I am learning that God needs to be the first one I talk to.
Some of these lyrics I definitely find stronger than others for me...
"The times you're broken.
The times that you mend.
The times that you hate Me, and the times that you bend.
Well, My love is over, it's underneath.
It's inside, it's in between."
Pretty much, God will never leave our side when we're at our extremes, whether that be broken or healed. Even if we feel like God is not with us, His love is actually surrounding us and IN us!
"These times you're healing, and when your heart breaks.
The times that you feel like you're falling from grace.
The times you're hurting.
The times that you heal."
At Third Reformed Church last week, we talked about comfort. The pastor was talking about Heaven and how we have that to look forward to. It was amazing to think about. He was talking about this little boy, who had been 4-years-old and had been to Heaven after almost passing away when he was little. This boy was describing so many details that he would have never known unless he was in Heaven. It was amazing! Then he asked us how we feel about that after he asked us and I say it's incredible! I felt so happy just thinking about that! I get to spend eternity with my Heavenly Father! Wow. It's beyond words. I get to see my dad once again, my great-grandma, my cousin...it's just so awesome to think about! Those of you who know me know that I'm completely random...and you're probably wondering why I decided to write this after I posted those specific lyrics. It's because when I am hurting, I think of these thoughts. When I'm sad about my dad, I think of seeing him again in Heaven; when I'm
confused about the future, I think about God knowing the best for me and preparing me for what He has planned.
"The times of confusion, in chaos and pain.
I'm there in your sorrow, under the weight of your shame.
I'm there through your heartache.
I'm there in the storm.
My love I will keep you, by My pow'r alone.
I don't care where you fall, where you have been.
I'll never forsake you, My love never ends."
I think these lyrics are by far my favorite. God has not forgotten about us...He only puts us in these times of trial because He loves us. They bring us closer to Him so we can see His power and grace. God is so magnificent and mighty. He's there with us every step of our lives. He knows our pain; He understands. He will never leave us and He will always love us.
I wish I could explain this better than what I'm writing, but really, it's too amazing for words. God is too amazing for words. Just thinking that when we are hurting and confused, God is sitting there right beside us, listening to our prayers, wiping our tears away. That is real comfort. I really pray that all of you can feel this comfort because it is truly amazing. Your hurt will most likely not go away completely, but just knowing that God is right beside you is comfort right there.
"My love is over. It's underneath.
It's inside. It's in between.
The times you doubt Me, when you can't feel.
The times that you question, 'Is this for real?'
The times you're broken.
The times that you mend.
The times that you hate Me, and the times that you bend.
Well, My love is over, it's underneath.
It's inside, it's in between.
These times you're healing, and when your heart breaks.
The times that you feel like you're falling from grace.
The times you're hurting.
The times that you heal.
The times you go hungry, and are tempted to steal.
The times of confusion, in chaos and pain.
I'm there in your sorrow, under the weight of your shame.
I'm there through your heartache.
I'm there in the storm.
My love I will keep you, by My pow'r alone.
I don't care where you fall, where you have been.
I'll never forsake you, My love never ends.
It never ends."
These lyrics are so incredibly powerful. It speaks volumes for me and for everyone, I'm sure. There are so many times when we doubt God and fall away from Him without even realizing it. When a tough time comes into our lives, it's difficult to go straight to God instead of going and talking to a friend. I've realized that this past year...I will sometimes go to a friend to talk rather than praying and talking to God about the situation. I am learning that God needs to be the first one I talk to.
Some of these lyrics I definitely find stronger than others for me...
"The times you're broken.
The times that you mend.
The times that you hate Me, and the times that you bend.
Well, My love is over, it's underneath.
It's inside, it's in between."
Pretty much, God will never leave our side when we're at our extremes, whether that be broken or healed. Even if we feel like God is not with us, His love is actually surrounding us and IN us!
"These times you're healing, and when your heart breaks.
The times that you feel like you're falling from grace.
The times you're hurting.
The times that you heal."
At Third Reformed Church last week, we talked about comfort. The pastor was talking about Heaven and how we have that to look forward to. It was amazing to think about. He was talking about this little boy, who had been 4-years-old and had been to Heaven after almost passing away when he was little. This boy was describing so many details that he would have never known unless he was in Heaven. It was amazing! Then he asked us how we feel about that after he asked us and I say it's incredible! I felt so happy just thinking about that! I get to spend eternity with my Heavenly Father! Wow. It's beyond words. I get to see my dad once again, my great-grandma, my cousin...it's just so awesome to think about! Those of you who know me know that I'm completely random...and you're probably wondering why I decided to write this after I posted those specific lyrics. It's because when I am hurting, I think of these thoughts. When I'm sad about my dad, I think of seeing him again in Heaven; when I'm
confused about the future, I think about God knowing the best for me and preparing me for what He has planned.
"The times of confusion, in chaos and pain.
I'm there in your sorrow, under the weight of your shame.
I'm there through your heartache.
I'm there in the storm.
My love I will keep you, by My pow'r alone.
I don't care where you fall, where you have been.
I'll never forsake you, My love never ends."
I think these lyrics are by far my favorite. God has not forgotten about us...He only puts us in these times of trial because He loves us. They bring us closer to Him so we can see His power and grace. God is so magnificent and mighty. He's there with us every step of our lives. He knows our pain; He understands. He will never leave us and He will always love us.
I wish I could explain this better than what I'm writing, but really, it's too amazing for words. God is too amazing for words. Just thinking that when we are hurting and confused, God is sitting there right beside us, listening to our prayers, wiping our tears away. That is real comfort. I really pray that all of you can feel this comfort because it is truly amazing. Your hurt will most likely not go away completely, but just knowing that God is right beside you is comfort right there.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
I love the book "Captivating" =)
So during the second semester, some of us girls had a Captivating book study. I got this book from Megan my senior year of high school and it never really applied to me until last year and this year, especially. It has SO many crazy awesome stuff in it. It is definitely my favorite book. From what's in this book, it sounds like I wrote it because it applies that much to me =) I just found some really good quotes/verses in it today (since I never finished reading it this year), so I thought I would post them and maybe they can bless someone else as much as it blessed me today =)
"Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes; I will wall her in so she cannot find her way. She will chase after her lovers, but not catch them; she will look for them, but not find them." Hosea 2:6-7
You're probably wondering why in the world I put this verse up as being inspiring. Well I have found this verse so incredibly true these past couple years. I have learned that life is NOT easy ever since my junior year. Sometimes I would ask why, but this verse explains it all. Sometimes, the things that make me happy block me from being close to God. I found another section of the book that explains it better....
"And so you will see the gentle, firm hand of God in a woman's life hemming her in. He'll make what once was a great job miserable, if it was in her career that she found shelter. He'll bring hardship into her marriage, even to the breaking point, if it was in marriage she sought her salvation. Wherever it is we have sought life apart from Him, He disrupts our plans, our "way of life" which is not life at all."
Again, this may sound harsh again, but we need to be focused on God and put Him in the middle of everything. I have found this extremely hard to do, but it's all a learning process for me. I slowly am getting better and it will be a life-long journey for me. I truly want God to be first in everything I do...any relationships, friendships, school work, jobs, family...everything. It's so hard for me to do that, but like I said, it's a learning process and God has been showing me that. I can be thankful for these hardships because I learn so much about myself and what God wants for me.
Here's another long part of a chapter I found super interesting. It's about forgiveness. I don't necessarily struggle with forgiving people very much, but I know a lot of people do struggle with that, so I thought I would post it so it could help someone else =)
"Forgiveness is a choice. It is not a feeling--don't try and feel forgiving. It is an act of the will. "Don't wait to forgive until you feel like forgiving," writes Neil Anderson. "You will never get there. Feelings take time to heal after the choice to forgive is made." We allow God to bring the hurt up from our past, for "if your forgiveness doesn't visit the emotional core of your life, it will be incomplete," said Anderson. We acknowledge that it hurt, that it mattered, and we choose to extend forgiveness to our fathers, our mothers, those who hurt us. This is not saying, "It didn't really matter"; it is not saying, "I probably deserved part of it anyway." Forgiveness says, "It was wrong, very wrong. It mattered, hurt me deeply. And I release you. I give you to God."
This part of the book was so neat to me. I had never thought of forgiveness this way. I have found myself always waiting until the feeling was right and until I felt like I could truly forgive that person, but this chapter really turned that around for me. Like I said, usually I'm a person that forgives pretty easily, but I just thought this was really cool to read and hopefully it can help any of you who are reading this blog =)
God bless you all and enjoy the beautiful weather God has given us!!! <3
"Therefore I will block her path with thornbushes; I will wall her in so she cannot find her way. She will chase after her lovers, but not catch them; she will look for them, but not find them." Hosea 2:6-7
You're probably wondering why in the world I put this verse up as being inspiring. Well I have found this verse so incredibly true these past couple years. I have learned that life is NOT easy ever since my junior year. Sometimes I would ask why, but this verse explains it all. Sometimes, the things that make me happy block me from being close to God. I found another section of the book that explains it better....
"And so you will see the gentle, firm hand of God in a woman's life hemming her in. He'll make what once was a great job miserable, if it was in her career that she found shelter. He'll bring hardship into her marriage, even to the breaking point, if it was in marriage she sought her salvation. Wherever it is we have sought life apart from Him, He disrupts our plans, our "way of life" which is not life at all."
Again, this may sound harsh again, but we need to be focused on God and put Him in the middle of everything. I have found this extremely hard to do, but it's all a learning process for me. I slowly am getting better and it will be a life-long journey for me. I truly want God to be first in everything I do...any relationships, friendships, school work, jobs, family...everything. It's so hard for me to do that, but like I said, it's a learning process and God has been showing me that. I can be thankful for these hardships because I learn so much about myself and what God wants for me.
Here's another long part of a chapter I found super interesting. It's about forgiveness. I don't necessarily struggle with forgiving people very much, but I know a lot of people do struggle with that, so I thought I would post it so it could help someone else =)
"Forgiveness is a choice. It is not a feeling--don't try and feel forgiving. It is an act of the will. "Don't wait to forgive until you feel like forgiving," writes Neil Anderson. "You will never get there. Feelings take time to heal after the choice to forgive is made." We allow God to bring the hurt up from our past, for "if your forgiveness doesn't visit the emotional core of your life, it will be incomplete," said Anderson. We acknowledge that it hurt, that it mattered, and we choose to extend forgiveness to our fathers, our mothers, those who hurt us. This is not saying, "It didn't really matter"; it is not saying, "I probably deserved part of it anyway." Forgiveness says, "It was wrong, very wrong. It mattered, hurt me deeply. And I release you. I give you to God."
This part of the book was so neat to me. I had never thought of forgiveness this way. I have found myself always waiting until the feeling was right and until I felt like I could truly forgive that person, but this chapter really turned that around for me. Like I said, usually I'm a person that forgives pretty easily, but I just thought this was really cool to read and hopefully it can help any of you who are reading this blog =)
God bless you all and enjoy the beautiful weather God has given us!!! <3
Friday, May 13, 2011
Strong Enough
So I heard a Matthew West song today called Strong Enough and the lyrics really hit me...
You must
You must think I'm strong
To give me what I'm going through
Well, forgive me
Forgive me if I'm wrong
But this looks like more than I can do
On my own
I know I'm not strong enough to be
everything that I'm supposed to be
I give up
I'm not stong enough
Hands of mercy won't you cover me
Lord right now I'm asking you to be
Strong enough
Strong enough
For the both of us
Well, maybe
Maybe that's the point
To reach the point of giving up
Cause when I'm finally
Finally at rock bottom
Well, that's when I start looking up
And reaching out
I know I'm not strong enough to be
Everything that I'm supposed to be
I give up
I'm not stong enough
Hands of mercy won't you cover me
Lord right now I'm asking you to be
Strong enough
Strong enough
Cause I'm broken
Down to nothing
But I'm still holding on to the one thing
You are God
and you are strong
When I am weak
I can do all things
Through Christ who gives me strength
And I don't have to be
Strong enough
Strong enough
I can do all things
Through Christ who gives me strength
And I don't have to be
Strong enough
Strong enough
Oh, yeah
I know I'm not strong enough to be
Everything that I'm supposed to be
I give up
I'm not stong enough
Hands of mercy won't you cover me
Lord right now I'm asking you to be
Strong enough
Strong enough
Strong enough
I don't know why this song stuck out so much, but I really liked the lyrics a lot. It reminded me that it's okay if I'm not strong all the time. God wants us to lean on Him for EVERYTHING. We were not put on this earth to have an easy life all the time...God gives us trials, but they make us STRONGER. Trials allow us to rest in His presence and trust in Him with all our being. I am learning to be thankful for trials because they are making me a stronger woman of God.
You must
You must think I'm strong
To give me what I'm going through
Well, forgive me
Forgive me if I'm wrong
But this looks like more than I can do
On my own
I know I'm not strong enough to be
everything that I'm supposed to be
I give up
I'm not stong enough
Hands of mercy won't you cover me
Lord right now I'm asking you to be
Strong enough
Strong enough
For the both of us
Well, maybe
Maybe that's the point
To reach the point of giving up
Cause when I'm finally
Finally at rock bottom
Well, that's when I start looking up
And reaching out
I know I'm not strong enough to be
Everything that I'm supposed to be
I give up
I'm not stong enough
Hands of mercy won't you cover me
Lord right now I'm asking you to be
Strong enough
Strong enough
Cause I'm broken
Down to nothing
But I'm still holding on to the one thing
You are God
and you are strong
When I am weak
I can do all things
Through Christ who gives me strength
And I don't have to be
Strong enough
Strong enough
I can do all things
Through Christ who gives me strength
And I don't have to be
Strong enough
Strong enough
Oh, yeah
I know I'm not strong enough to be
Everything that I'm supposed to be
I give up
I'm not stong enough
Hands of mercy won't you cover me
Lord right now I'm asking you to be
Strong enough
Strong enough
Strong enough
I don't know why this song stuck out so much, but I really liked the lyrics a lot. It reminded me that it's okay if I'm not strong all the time. God wants us to lean on Him for EVERYTHING. We were not put on this earth to have an easy life all the time...God gives us trials, but they make us STRONGER. Trials allow us to rest in His presence and trust in Him with all our being. I am learning to be thankful for trials because they are making me a stronger woman of God.
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