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.

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 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

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...

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 =)