An interesting concept.
I realized something last night at youth group when Pastor Brian did a lesson on just this: Stand Out, Stand Up.
Standing out for Christ is something we see a lot of with athletes and singers and those in the public eye. We see them standing out from the norm and praying in public or making comments in front of thousands of people about their profession of faith. How did they get there? Well, God gave them these amazing talents and blessed them with it. But these people also know the balance of standing OUT and standing UP. They have been able to Stand UP to their peers and in doing so, because of their leadership that God has given them, they Stand OUT.
However...most of us try to Stand OUT first. We try to be good at something or we try to look different or act different. But are we really stand out? Maybe God wants us to Stand UP first. Maybe we are to Stand UP for Jesus Christ to others. When we see people swearing or talking bad about someone else, maybe we should stand UP and tell them different. Maybe in our beliefs, if someone you know is living in a wrong way you don't approve of and they just don't get you, maybe you STILL will Stand UP for what you believe and not back down for what Jesus Christ has put on your heart. By standing UP we can make the little difference in the world and eventually that could catch on to millions. And maybe just then God will have you Stand OUT and put you in a place so that others will be able to see what you do. It's a fine balance, I do believe.
I guess I never realized you need a balance of each. And I believe God will give you that balance He wants for you, but you have to be willing to let God lead you in this area of your life and be open to the amazing things He will use in your life to let you Stand UP and Stand OUT. Are you willing to? Are you willing to go through a heart ache situation so that down the road God could use that situation to help others and to have other hears of Jesus Christ through you through the situation? Are you willing to Stand UP, even if you don't get noticed for what you do?
Lord Jesus, I always thought you had to Stand OUT to be able to make a difference in this life of ours. All I simply need to do is Stand UP and you'll take care of the rest. Thank you Jesus! I want to Stand UP for you and make the little differences in this world today. I want my attitude and my actions to be glorifying to You. That I might walk the walk and talk the talk boldly.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Attitude is Everything
God has really been challenging me lately with situations that have made me really look at my attitude. At first, my natural reaction (probably like most of us would be) is to think it's not me it's the other person or it's the situation, BUT NOT ME! Right?
Well I've really been frustrated by how things have played out in these situations and so I've set my self apart from them and have pick apart what is going on here. I'm realize more and more things and still have more to reflect on. But I know God is working on my heart with this because I feel I'm being challenged daily with my attitude.
My attitude in the fact of how I deal with situations, how I REACT to them and how I respond to them (probably the same thing as react, huh?).
Well, I've tried to avoid things all in general and just not say anything. I figured maybe that would help with my attitude, but you know what, only to a point. This is where I see God really trying to show me something. But as soon as I realize what has just played out in front of me, I get frustrated, I'll admit, to the point that I just want to drop everything and say "forget it!". Well, is that the best thing to do, nope! So I just relax and pray! And when that has happened I have definitely felt God's presence and His care for me to figure that situation out and He has given me a renewed attitude. That probably sounds strange. But what I mean is, just when you think I should like "walk away" or do something like that, no I've felt more LOVE for the situation or person and God has given me this amazing strength to not get frustrated by it. Which, if you know me at all, I can be a strong-willed person when I want to be. So it's incredible to me how God is literally breaking me down to my knees and making me realize how Attitude and what you make a situation is all what you PUT INTO IT!
I've heard this before and I've known this, but actually experiencing it, is amazing. Relationships take work, with friends, with coworkers, with customers, with spouses, and with parents. Everything takes works, but if you don't put in your effort, how do you expect to make things better or change? You won't! So make the best out of a situation and change your attitude! It means everything to God and it should mean everything to you!
Something God really has been laying on my heart for a couple weeks now...
Thank you Jesus for showing me how to Love when I don't want to love. Thank you for making me deal with situations when I just want to give up and just walk away and be like, "this is impossible". Thank you for giving me the will and strength to face things head on! I know you are going to continue to show me this and you will keep putting me in these situations, and I want that! I won't know how to deal with it if you don't help me or show me where I need to work on things. I pray that I will continue to be open to You changing my thoughts and actions so that it Glorifies You! In all I do, may I honor You!
Well I've really been frustrated by how things have played out in these situations and so I've set my self apart from them and have pick apart what is going on here. I'm realize more and more things and still have more to reflect on. But I know God is working on my heart with this because I feel I'm being challenged daily with my attitude.
My attitude in the fact of how I deal with situations, how I REACT to them and how I respond to them (probably the same thing as react, huh?).
Well, I've tried to avoid things all in general and just not say anything. I figured maybe that would help with my attitude, but you know what, only to a point. This is where I see God really trying to show me something. But as soon as I realize what has just played out in front of me, I get frustrated, I'll admit, to the point that I just want to drop everything and say "forget it!". Well, is that the best thing to do, nope! So I just relax and pray! And when that has happened I have definitely felt God's presence and His care for me to figure that situation out and He has given me a renewed attitude. That probably sounds strange. But what I mean is, just when you think I should like "walk away" or do something like that, no I've felt more LOVE for the situation or person and God has given me this amazing strength to not get frustrated by it. Which, if you know me at all, I can be a strong-willed person when I want to be. So it's incredible to me how God is literally breaking me down to my knees and making me realize how Attitude and what you make a situation is all what you PUT INTO IT!
I've heard this before and I've known this, but actually experiencing it, is amazing. Relationships take work, with friends, with coworkers, with customers, with spouses, and with parents. Everything takes works, but if you don't put in your effort, how do you expect to make things better or change? You won't! So make the best out of a situation and change your attitude! It means everything to God and it should mean everything to you!
Something God really has been laying on my heart for a couple weeks now...
Thank you Jesus for showing me how to Love when I don't want to love. Thank you for making me deal with situations when I just want to give up and just walk away and be like, "this is impossible". Thank you for giving me the will and strength to face things head on! I know you are going to continue to show me this and you will keep putting me in these situations, and I want that! I won't know how to deal with it if you don't help me or show me where I need to work on things. I pray that I will continue to be open to You changing my thoughts and actions so that it Glorifies You! In all I do, may I honor You!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
This is your Life...
...Are you who you want to be?
Most of us have probably heard this song a few times. If not, it goes something like this:
This is Your Life by Switchfoot
Yesterday is a wrinkle on your forehead
Yesterday is a promise that you've broken
Don't close your eyes, don't close your eyes.
This is your life and today is all you've got now.
Yeah, today is all you've ever had.
Don't close your eyes
Don't close your eyes
This is your life, are you who you want to be
This is your life, are you who you want to be
This is your life, is it everything you dreamed it would be
When the world was younger, and you had everything to lose
Yesterday is a kid in a corner
Yesterday is dead and over
This is your life...are you who you want to be.
The song goes on and on after that.
I've always love this song and every time I hear it I just want to belt it out at the top of lungs. Tonight I once again heard this song, except I SAW it at a totally new level. At youth group tonight we had a group of kids from CRCS (a christian school) and come do some dramas and worship with our youth group. At first, I'll admit, I wasn't too sure what to think of this whole thing and really wondered how good it was going to be. I was amazingly surprised and could definitely feel God there in the room. High school students put on some dramas to a few different type of songs.
I'd have to say this one was the best one for me. It's probably because I could relate to it so well. The students put on a drama of the "cool kids" and the "weird or outsider kids". I never was a "cool" kid in my high school. Of course I went to a high school of a graduating class of 450+. Anyways, even with that, I always found myself on the outside. The drama continued with how the "cool" kids or the kids in general would pick on certain people and bully them around. And how this kid that was bulling around, in the middle of all of this and everyone watching, got up and went to the kid and in the chorus of the song "This is your life, are you who you want to be"...the kid just sings it (well mock sings it). It just was amazing, because he was about to turn back around to this person that was just being a jerk and ask them if this is really the they want!
That takes some boldness...but it is God who brings the kid to be able to do this. And that one act then started a train reaction of that "then bully" going to other kids and stopping them from doing things he didn't see was right.
Just think if we all did this? If we all confronted people with "this is your life, are you who you want to be?" How would their reaction be. Some would probably laugh it off and some would probably be like, no, I hate my job... either way, this is a complete way for us to witness to others about our life in Jesus Christ.
If we are happy in our life, we need to show others this in our daily actions and in our own life...which is how our life should be...filled with Jesus Christ!
Thank you Jesus for bring these CRCS students to us tonight. I pray right now that what was done in that room this evening will stay with these young people and that many go home and even now are pondering on things! I ask that if there anything that needs to come out of this that these young students would seek out individuals to get help or comfort or someone to talk to. I pray that we all would observe about your lives and our lives in YOU. Are we who we want to be? Am I who I want to be?
Most of us have probably heard this song a few times. If not, it goes something like this:
This is Your Life by Switchfoot
Yesterday is a wrinkle on your forehead
Yesterday is a promise that you've broken
Don't close your eyes, don't close your eyes.
This is your life and today is all you've got now.
Yeah, today is all you've ever had.
Don't close your eyes
Don't close your eyes
This is your life, are you who you want to be
This is your life, are you who you want to be
This is your life, is it everything you dreamed it would be
When the world was younger, and you had everything to lose
Yesterday is a kid in a corner
Yesterday is dead and over
This is your life...are you who you want to be.
The song goes on and on after that.
I've always love this song and every time I hear it I just want to belt it out at the top of lungs. Tonight I once again heard this song, except I SAW it at a totally new level. At youth group tonight we had a group of kids from CRCS (a christian school) and come do some dramas and worship with our youth group. At first, I'll admit, I wasn't too sure what to think of this whole thing and really wondered how good it was going to be. I was amazingly surprised and could definitely feel God there in the room. High school students put on some dramas to a few different type of songs.
I'd have to say this one was the best one for me. It's probably because I could relate to it so well. The students put on a drama of the "cool kids" and the "weird or outsider kids". I never was a "cool" kid in my high school. Of course I went to a high school of a graduating class of 450+. Anyways, even with that, I always found myself on the outside. The drama continued with how the "cool" kids or the kids in general would pick on certain people and bully them around. And how this kid that was bulling around, in the middle of all of this and everyone watching, got up and went to the kid and in the chorus of the song "This is your life, are you who you want to be"...the kid just sings it (well mock sings it). It just was amazing, because he was about to turn back around to this person that was just being a jerk and ask them if this is really the they want!
That takes some boldness...but it is God who brings the kid to be able to do this. And that one act then started a train reaction of that "then bully" going to other kids and stopping them from doing things he didn't see was right.
Just think if we all did this? If we all confronted people with "this is your life, are you who you want to be?" How would their reaction be. Some would probably laugh it off and some would probably be like, no, I hate my job... either way, this is a complete way for us to witness to others about our life in Jesus Christ.
If we are happy in our life, we need to show others this in our daily actions and in our own life...which is how our life should be...filled with Jesus Christ!
Thank you Jesus for bring these CRCS students to us tonight. I pray right now that what was done in that room this evening will stay with these young people and that many go home and even now are pondering on things! I ask that if there anything that needs to come out of this that these young students would seek out individuals to get help or comfort or someone to talk to. I pray that we all would observe about your lives and our lives in YOU. Are we who we want to be? Am I who I want to be?
Monday, January 18, 2010
Day of Rest
Take a Sabbath Day...
Every think why God put this at the 4th commandment? There are ONLY 10 and he chose this one to even be on the 10 commandments, let alone, #4! So...is it important? You bet!
God has really been speaking to me lately about rest and time. Time is so valuable, I think we all forget just how precious it is. I have been, once again, listening to some old pod casts on my ipod lately. I have been richly blessed by going back through them. The one I listen to this morning was on this very topic...
It really spoke to me, well because I don't rest...NONE OF US DO according to this passage above. Think about it...
Do you HONESTLY take a 1 day, a 24-hr. period COMPLETELY OFF of work?
You might sure, yeah, I take off work...
Okay, but when you are home, do you do the laundry, do you do dishes, do you clean, do you work on project at home, remodeling, quilting, doing homework, so on so forth? Do you? I bet somewhere in there, we do a few dishes, we clean something, or we work on that project that has been looming over our heads...
right?
Right!
Taking a Sabbath day, means to take a complete 24 hrs. OFF...and to do nothing! :) Hey, we all need it and love it when we can, so why do we grumble or freak out that nothing will get done if we do take that time off...
Well...again, think about it...
We have 6 DAYS to complete ALL our work. We are to work VERY hard in those 6 days and then on the 7th, we are to rest, completely. And we can rest, because we just spent 6 days to the fullest getting everything accomplished. And you know what else...even if you don't get everything accomplished, God will honor you and bless you for taking a day of rest for Him.
It was very cool how Andy Stanley put this...he said, when he was in school the professor challenged the students to do just this...take a sabbath day. Andy was like, "are you kidding me, if I do that, then I'm really going to be behind on my school work". But he did it any way. And you know what? God provided him the time and he got his work done in half the time he originally was before he was taking a Sabbath day. Andy has stuck with this every since. Once that Sabbath day starts, he drops everything he was doing and just gives it up to God and says, Lord, I've worked so hard for 6 days, now I rest and I trust that whatever is to come next week that I am not prepared for, you will help me through. And God comes through every week!
Are we willing to take a Sabbath day? Are you willing to work so hard for 6 days so that when your sabbath day comes you can just stop and rest on Him? Are you willing to give up a job so that you won't work for 7 days and trust that God is going to provide for you and your family by honoring Him with the Sabbath?
I challenge all of us to look at our lives and take a Sabbath day...for an entire month...so each week, for a month, take a sabbath day. And at the end of the month, see what God has done for you. I"m not saying great things will come out of this by any means, but I am saying if we Honor God, He will provide the rest for us that we need, but we need to Trust.
Taking a Sabbath day doesn't have to be on a Sunday, it can be whatever day you want it to be. It can be a Monday, or a Wednesday or a Saturday. But whatever day you pick...and make it your Sabbath day. And on that Sabbath day, don't work, don't do those dishes, don't clean...do as the verse says... "...six days shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates..."
I am challenging myself with this very thing! God is telling me to work my days I am to work and to rest the day I need rest. I find myself so bogged down with projects and things to get done at home, that I get discouraged. But I work so hard to get them all done in 6 days that I am to work, then the 7th I depend on God and rest in Him.
Can we do it?
Exodus 20:8 (the 4th commandment)
"Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."
Every think why God put this at the 4th commandment? There are ONLY 10 and he chose this one to even be on the 10 commandments, let alone, #4! So...is it important? You bet!
God has really been speaking to me lately about rest and time. Time is so valuable, I think we all forget just how precious it is. I have been, once again, listening to some old pod casts on my ipod lately. I have been richly blessed by going back through them. The one I listen to this morning was on this very topic...
It really spoke to me, well because I don't rest...NONE OF US DO according to this passage above. Think about it...
Do you HONESTLY take a 1 day, a 24-hr. period COMPLETELY OFF of work?
You might sure, yeah, I take off work...
Okay, but when you are home, do you do the laundry, do you do dishes, do you clean, do you work on project at home, remodeling, quilting, doing homework, so on so forth? Do you? I bet somewhere in there, we do a few dishes, we clean something, or we work on that project that has been looming over our heads...
right?
Right!
Taking a Sabbath day, means to take a complete 24 hrs. OFF...and to do nothing! :) Hey, we all need it and love it when we can, so why do we grumble or freak out that nothing will get done if we do take that time off...
Well...again, think about it...
We have 6 DAYS to complete ALL our work. We are to work VERY hard in those 6 days and then on the 7th, we are to rest, completely. And we can rest, because we just spent 6 days to the fullest getting everything accomplished. And you know what else...even if you don't get everything accomplished, God will honor you and bless you for taking a day of rest for Him.
It was very cool how Andy Stanley put this...he said, when he was in school the professor challenged the students to do just this...take a sabbath day. Andy was like, "are you kidding me, if I do that, then I'm really going to be behind on my school work". But he did it any way. And you know what? God provided him the time and he got his work done in half the time he originally was before he was taking a Sabbath day. Andy has stuck with this every since. Once that Sabbath day starts, he drops everything he was doing and just gives it up to God and says, Lord, I've worked so hard for 6 days, now I rest and I trust that whatever is to come next week that I am not prepared for, you will help me through. And God comes through every week!
Are we willing to take a Sabbath day? Are you willing to work so hard for 6 days so that when your sabbath day comes you can just stop and rest on Him? Are you willing to give up a job so that you won't work for 7 days and trust that God is going to provide for you and your family by honoring Him with the Sabbath?
I challenge all of us to look at our lives and take a Sabbath day...for an entire month...so each week, for a month, take a sabbath day. And at the end of the month, see what God has done for you. I"m not saying great things will come out of this by any means, but I am saying if we Honor God, He will provide the rest for us that we need, but we need to Trust.
Taking a Sabbath day doesn't have to be on a Sunday, it can be whatever day you want it to be. It can be a Monday, or a Wednesday or a Saturday. But whatever day you pick...and make it your Sabbath day. And on that Sabbath day, don't work, don't do those dishes, don't clean...do as the verse says... "...six days shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your manservant or maidservant, nor your animals, nor the alien within your gates..."
I am challenging myself with this very thing! God is telling me to work my days I am to work and to rest the day I need rest. I find myself so bogged down with projects and things to get done at home, that I get discouraged. But I work so hard to get them all done in 6 days that I am to work, then the 7th I depend on God and rest in Him.
Can we do it?
Thursday, January 14, 2010
When You're Worried
From the end of the earth I will cry to You,
when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
-Psalm 61:2
Without question, life is full of troubles, troubles and concerns of our future, health, family, finances, the world and so on. Big things happen that scare us and getting is thinking or worrying, like natural disasters or family issues that shake our world up. These things cause us to be filled with anxiety/worry.
We all worry a little, which we all have anxiety. I believe I worry probably MOST than anyone else I know. Now, this is probably not true, because a lot of people keep these things in. And if you are reading this, you probably are thinking the same about me, I don't show I worry. Well, I do, and if you know me REALLY well, you'd probably see that or know that. :(
I'm not proud of my worry or that I am like this. But I must say, God has done a work in my life over the course of a years time! And I'm now proud to say that I worry less, and lean on God more! I am still a work in progress, we all are.
Worry is not a virtue. And in fact, it can be a sin in which we are failing to trust in God. My biggest help with this: Whenever I feel anxious or worried, I immediately turn to God and PRAY! Instead of fretting about things, pray instead.
Prayer is the way by which God helps us to overcome our anxiety and worry. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all He has done. Then you will experience God's peace! And let me tell you, it's a feeling you'll love vs. the feeling of worry!
Maybe God will take your problems away, then again, maybe He won't! But here is what happens: you get perspective. You see God for who He is, and you see your problem for what it is. If you have a big God, then you have a relatively small problem. But if you have a big problem, it may be that you have a small God, because you are not seeing Him in His glory and for what He can do.
Prayer will give you peace and strength. God already knows the outcome for what you are worrying and anxious about. And whatever the outcome might be, we once again will turn to God to give us the guidance through it...but that is only if we turn to Him! He will give you strength and peace for the person who will call on Him.
Will I call on Him now?
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Travel your Christian walk
A lot of things can come out of snow storms. This summer God showed me this amazing thing about traffic. Well, today it came back into mind.
I was driving to Target to pick up some items and then I was headed off to work after that. It had been snowing through the night and still was this morning when I ventured to leave the house. We had about 3 inches. I figured the roads ahead of me would be pretty decent, considering it was about 9:30 am already, and figured the plows would have been out for a while now. Figured I wouldn't have much of problems.
I drive nothing by side street roads, well because where we live doesn't require me to jump onto any major roads to and from work or to the stores for that matter. Which, I really like.
As I was feeling VERY confident in my driving, thinking, this is just fine. I went around a SLIGHT corner, wasn't a big turn and the back of my car started to swerve. I was like, "really?! You've got to be kidding me!" I slowed down from there on out, which, at the time I was only going 25 mph. Yeah! I thought, how is that possible, my car is just that horrible isn't it!
Well, then it came to me. No matter what kind of car you have or what shape your car is in...you never know what it is going to do. Just like ourselves...I might LOOK like I have everything together and that everything is fine in my life...but one little turn and I could be slipping away (from God). Or I might be really rough looking and so on, but I might actually have strengths, when no one would tell I do because of how I appear in many ways.
So many things hit me today, which is just awesome, but it's so hard to keep up with these thoughts God is giving me and I can't seem type it all fast enough. ah! I love that!
So then...God also showed me that I might be going down a path or a road that I think I have everything ahead of me handled JUST fine! And all of a sudden, I slip, and I think, "what?". I was just thinking I was headed to the store fine and this was no problem to drive in just a few inches. I can totally apply this to my life. A lot of times I'm going through this life of mine thinking I have the road ahead of me all figured out and it will be smooth sailing from here! yah...but what happens? You know, God throws you for a slide! Something will happen in my life or your life that will cause us to slide and loose our grip a bit.
But it's how we deal with this that really can build our character! Either I could have completely slammed on the breaks, freaked out and probably would have slide into a pole on the side of the street for all I know. But I didn't. Why? Because I realized at that moment that it's just a minor slip and that I can regain control again by letting my foot off the gas and letting it ride out.
In life, I can either freak out about a situation and think I NEED to take control of this situation!! Or I can breathe, slow down and LET GOD take control of the situation!
Whew! Wait, there is more...
When something like that happens and you make it through that situations, no matter how you handled that one at that time...you then start to travel differently, don't you? Well, at least I do! I then realize, wow, okay, this isn't as easy as I thought and I began to slow it down and just take the first few blocks at a time until I felt more comfortable.
Here is the analogy...
After a situation happens (or maybe before too) in my/your life I tend to look at things a little differently and really rely on God fully. That is how He wants us to always be! Why does a situation have to happen before we realize this? Well, I honestly, I think, because He wants us to be focused on Him all the time and "test?" us. I've always wondered if "test" is a right way to put things. He wants to see how sure footed we are in our Faith. Do we turn to scriptures, do we talk with Him about things? Or do we just keep driving down the road one stop light after another thinking we got it all under control and that even though I just slipped back there, I still can go along at my same speed...
But you see...HERE IS ANOTHER ONE...
We all travel at different speeds as well! Winter driving tends to be a stressful thing for me. I don't mind driving in it. It's driving with others around me, that I just don't trust! Why? Well, because I know speed and what pace I am able to do. I don't go faster than what I don't think I can handle. I slow down if I feel nervous. But then there are those other vehicles on the road, that think that just because they have the 4x4 and blah blah blah...that they can plow through the snow at the speed that is posted (no matter the weather) and just zip right on by. What does that do to me? It causes me to slow down, FREAK out a bit, and get a blast of snow blown at my windshield, leaving me lost in the snow dust, or sometimes in the ditch!
In our Christian walk, we all travel at different speeds as well. Some may be traveling right along just cruising on by knowing what God is telling them and He is taking them places and just everything seems to be lined up. They are on fire with God, know the scriptures, are confident in who they are with their relationship with the Lord. Others might be traveling a little slower, being cautious as to what God is showing them and really trying to be aware for what is around them. They might be a new Christian, and are just learning scriptures or they aren't even fully knowledgeable with the Bible completely. Then there are even non-Christians in our lives, that FLY by us and do this and that and get in to that, go here go there without a question in their mind of what they are doing may be wrong or right. Just that whatever they are doing is FOR THEM and they don't care what that what they are doing is doing to other people. They are the ones that make us slip of course and make us slow down. We are to be careful of these people because they can hinder our walk with God by the things they do in their lives.
Honestly, where am I at? Just like the slow, cautious driver that I am in the winter, I believe I am that in my Christian walk. I don't know scripture verse by memory, I don't know all the stories in the Bible very well. I am attentive to what God shows me and tells me and I talk to Him daily so that I do stay on the road. I take one mile at a time, one day at a time and I trust in Him that He will guide me in that. I also know that God is showing me that I need more confidence in my life as well. That I seek out the approval of man, when ultimately God is the only one that I should be concerned about for my life. He is showing me daily that I need to TRUST more in him that even when the road seems traitorous ahead, I need to rely on Him that He will take me through it and not get nervous by it.
I've probably just jumped from one thing to the next...I tend to do that.
O Lord Jesus, you've revealed so much to me today, and in just one little thing that so much could come out of it for me. I am amazed and in awe of you that you have given me these things to think about and rest on in You. I pray that these things you've given me that I will dwell on them and that you continually guide me on this road ahead of me. I trust in You that you know the plan of my life and that even when I feel I have it figured out, that You will show me yet again that it isn't up to me, but Your plan instead. And that whatever that plan maybe at that time in my life, that I would be at peace with it. I always want you Lord Jesus at my side! I wouldn't want it any other way!
I was driving to Target to pick up some items and then I was headed off to work after that. It had been snowing through the night and still was this morning when I ventured to leave the house. We had about 3 inches. I figured the roads ahead of me would be pretty decent, considering it was about 9:30 am already, and figured the plows would have been out for a while now. Figured I wouldn't have much of problems.
I drive nothing by side street roads, well because where we live doesn't require me to jump onto any major roads to and from work or to the stores for that matter. Which, I really like.
As I was feeling VERY confident in my driving, thinking, this is just fine. I went around a SLIGHT corner, wasn't a big turn and the back of my car started to swerve. I was like, "really?! You've got to be kidding me!" I slowed down from there on out, which, at the time I was only going 25 mph. Yeah! I thought, how is that possible, my car is just that horrible isn't it!
Well, then it came to me. No matter what kind of car you have or what shape your car is in...you never know what it is going to do. Just like ourselves...I might LOOK like I have everything together and that everything is fine in my life...but one little turn and I could be slipping away (from God). Or I might be really rough looking and so on, but I might actually have strengths, when no one would tell I do because of how I appear in many ways.
So many things hit me today, which is just awesome, but it's so hard to keep up with these thoughts God is giving me and I can't seem type it all fast enough. ah! I love that!
So then...God also showed me that I might be going down a path or a road that I think I have everything ahead of me handled JUST fine! And all of a sudden, I slip, and I think, "what?". I was just thinking I was headed to the store fine and this was no problem to drive in just a few inches. I can totally apply this to my life. A lot of times I'm going through this life of mine thinking I have the road ahead of me all figured out and it will be smooth sailing from here! yah...but what happens? You know, God throws you for a slide! Something will happen in my life or your life that will cause us to slide and loose our grip a bit.
But it's how we deal with this that really can build our character! Either I could have completely slammed on the breaks, freaked out and probably would have slide into a pole on the side of the street for all I know. But I didn't. Why? Because I realized at that moment that it's just a minor slip and that I can regain control again by letting my foot off the gas and letting it ride out.
In life, I can either freak out about a situation and think I NEED to take control of this situation!! Or I can breathe, slow down and LET GOD take control of the situation!
Whew! Wait, there is more...
When something like that happens and you make it through that situations, no matter how you handled that one at that time...you then start to travel differently, don't you? Well, at least I do! I then realize, wow, okay, this isn't as easy as I thought and I began to slow it down and just take the first few blocks at a time until I felt more comfortable.
Here is the analogy...
After a situation happens (or maybe before too) in my/your life I tend to look at things a little differently and really rely on God fully. That is how He wants us to always be! Why does a situation have to happen before we realize this? Well, I honestly, I think, because He wants us to be focused on Him all the time and "test?" us. I've always wondered if "test" is a right way to put things. He wants to see how sure footed we are in our Faith. Do we turn to scriptures, do we talk with Him about things? Or do we just keep driving down the road one stop light after another thinking we got it all under control and that even though I just slipped back there, I still can go along at my same speed...
But you see...HERE IS ANOTHER ONE...
We all travel at different speeds as well! Winter driving tends to be a stressful thing for me. I don't mind driving in it. It's driving with others around me, that I just don't trust! Why? Well, because I know speed and what pace I am able to do. I don't go faster than what I don't think I can handle. I slow down if I feel nervous. But then there are those other vehicles on the road, that think that just because they have the 4x4 and blah blah blah...that they can plow through the snow at the speed that is posted (no matter the weather) and just zip right on by. What does that do to me? It causes me to slow down, FREAK out a bit, and get a blast of snow blown at my windshield, leaving me lost in the snow dust, or sometimes in the ditch!
In our Christian walk, we all travel at different speeds as well. Some may be traveling right along just cruising on by knowing what God is telling them and He is taking them places and just everything seems to be lined up. They are on fire with God, know the scriptures, are confident in who they are with their relationship with the Lord. Others might be traveling a little slower, being cautious as to what God is showing them and really trying to be aware for what is around them. They might be a new Christian, and are just learning scriptures or they aren't even fully knowledgeable with the Bible completely. Then there are even non-Christians in our lives, that FLY by us and do this and that and get in to that, go here go there without a question in their mind of what they are doing may be wrong or right. Just that whatever they are doing is FOR THEM and they don't care what that what they are doing is doing to other people. They are the ones that make us slip of course and make us slow down. We are to be careful of these people because they can hinder our walk with God by the things they do in their lives.
Honestly, where am I at? Just like the slow, cautious driver that I am in the winter, I believe I am that in my Christian walk. I don't know scripture verse by memory, I don't know all the stories in the Bible very well. I am attentive to what God shows me and tells me and I talk to Him daily so that I do stay on the road. I take one mile at a time, one day at a time and I trust in Him that He will guide me in that. I also know that God is showing me that I need more confidence in my life as well. That I seek out the approval of man, when ultimately God is the only one that I should be concerned about for my life. He is showing me daily that I need to TRUST more in him that even when the road seems traitorous ahead, I need to rely on Him that He will take me through it and not get nervous by it.
I've probably just jumped from one thing to the next...I tend to do that.
O Lord Jesus, you've revealed so much to me today, and in just one little thing that so much could come out of it for me. I am amazed and in awe of you that you have given me these things to think about and rest on in You. I pray that these things you've given me that I will dwell on them and that you continually guide me on this road ahead of me. I trust in You that you know the plan of my life and that even when I feel I have it figured out, that You will show me yet again that it isn't up to me, but Your plan instead. And that whatever that plan maybe at that time in my life, that I would be at peace with it. I always want you Lord Jesus at my side! I wouldn't want it any other way!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Little g's
I was listening to an old podcast that I have of Andy Stanley. I'm not even sure what the title of the sermon or series was, I just happened to re-listen.
It's funny how even though it is at least a good 2 year old sermon, how it can still apply to my life today. I remember when I did first listen to, it was on my way down to Texas to visit my brother on my flight there.
And now exactly 2 years later and I'm listening to it again. I love that you can read old notes or listen to old podcast and they can once again apply to your life. It's a God thing! :)
Well, the main thing I took away from this was having little "g's" in your life. It's funny, because just a couple days ago, or yesterday I had those thoughts about going nowhere fast...and how many times we put worldly things before God himself. Well, this message was exactly that, funny huh? yeah....another God thing! :)
Well, Andy Stanley talked about all those little "g's" in our life that we make as gods. Not that we mean to make them gods before God, but it can be that way. Even putting a husband before God, my husband could be considered a little g. Now do I worship my husband, no. But Andy talked about little g's being those things that we run to more than we do God himself or those things that consume our time and distract us from our relationship from God. I'm not saying my husband is causing me to stumble, but my husband is someone I tend to go to a lot...well, he is my husband. BUT...here is the fine line...I need to go to my husband, but if I DON'T GO TO GOD, then that would be that I run to my husband for those things, when ultimately I need to be going to God as well or even first. Or putting material things first, like hunting or fishing. Andy talked about a guy he met at a softball game that was going to be getting married. And that he has come close before to getting married, but it never worked out. Andy ask why and the guy began to explain that he was a hunter, and that he needed someone that could deal with that. So basically this guy was saying that marriage is important, BUT deer hunting is even more important than that (b/c he broke it off with the gal b/c they couldn't "deal" with it). He just revealed his little "g".
It's so amazing how this can reveal so much about your heart and where you are at spiritual and mentally. I'm in love with this idea and really want to look more into my life of the "little g's" that are in it.
Lord Jesus, I want my life to be shaken so that I know where my little g's are. We all have them, I know I do. I can even think of some now. Lord Jesus I ask that you show me every area in my life that I do not come to with you or that I try to figure out on my own (like finances) or that I run to first before you. I pray that I would be diligent in running to you first with all things in my life.
It's funny how even though it is at least a good 2 year old sermon, how it can still apply to my life today. I remember when I did first listen to, it was on my way down to Texas to visit my brother on my flight there.
And now exactly 2 years later and I'm listening to it again. I love that you can read old notes or listen to old podcast and they can once again apply to your life. It's a God thing! :)
Well, the main thing I took away from this was having little "g's" in your life. It's funny, because just a couple days ago, or yesterday I had those thoughts about going nowhere fast...and how many times we put worldly things before God himself. Well, this message was exactly that, funny huh? yeah....another God thing! :)
Well, Andy Stanley talked about all those little "g's" in our life that we make as gods. Not that we mean to make them gods before God, but it can be that way. Even putting a husband before God, my husband could be considered a little g. Now do I worship my husband, no. But Andy talked about little g's being those things that we run to more than we do God himself or those things that consume our time and distract us from our relationship from God. I'm not saying my husband is causing me to stumble, but my husband is someone I tend to go to a lot...well, he is my husband. BUT...here is the fine line...I need to go to my husband, but if I DON'T GO TO GOD, then that would be that I run to my husband for those things, when ultimately I need to be going to God as well or even first. Or putting material things first, like hunting or fishing. Andy talked about a guy he met at a softball game that was going to be getting married. And that he has come close before to getting married, but it never worked out. Andy ask why and the guy began to explain that he was a hunter, and that he needed someone that could deal with that. So basically this guy was saying that marriage is important, BUT deer hunting is even more important than that (b/c he broke it off with the gal b/c they couldn't "deal" with it). He just revealed his little "g".
It's so amazing how this can reveal so much about your heart and where you are at spiritual and mentally. I'm in love with this idea and really want to look more into my life of the "little g's" that are in it.
Lord Jesus, I want my life to be shaken so that I know where my little g's are. We all have them, I know I do. I can even think of some now. Lord Jesus I ask that you show me every area in my life that I do not come to with you or that I try to figure out on my own (like finances) or that I run to first before you. I pray that I would be diligent in running to you first with all things in my life.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
Going Nowhere...
I was working out the other day on a treadmill at our gym we go to. I love to run and going to this gym has been wonderful since I haven't been able to run or be very active like I like to do since Fall.
Well, I never really used a treadmill very often...at least not for a couple years.
I always loved my time this Spring, Summer, & Fall, when I was able to run outside and just enjoy the weather and just ponder on life and what God was showing and teaching me. I feel like when I am in the gym, for some reason the thoughts just don't flow. It's been very frustrating to me. Then I began to think...
Why am I go nowhere with this? Why am I not feeling at peace when I run, like I did when I am outside running?
Hahaha...then I realized...well, because I am literally going NOWHERE. Maybe it is the treadmill, in the fact that I am in one spot the entire time...and I don't feel like I'm making any progress? Or maybe it's that I am actually MORE distracted by the treadmill, then when I have ran outside? How does that work?
Well anyways...
But I realized...there have been times in my life where you are running full pace...and yet, you are not moving. We put so much effort and so much energy into life and into everyday activities and people and things...that we go NOWHERE with what is truly the most important things in our lives...our relationship with Jesus Christ.
God wants it the other way around. He wants us to run full pace towards Him, with everything in our lives...with finances, with relationships, with jobs, with hurts, with joys, with EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING!
So instead of going nowhere with our relationship with God, we should be going somewhere!
On the other hand...
could this mean that God also wants us to sit still and listen? See, this is where I'm pondering. Maybe God is ALSO showing me that when I'm on a treadmill that I am to just take in the moment that I have...and just rest (well not really rest when you are running, but you get my point) on God and just stay put with Him. ???
Interesting two fold, huh?
Lord Jesus, I just thank you so much for what you have shown me and that you are making more and more real to me that I am to drive towards you and only you, not material things. I ask that you help me focus on this and dwell on this. Show me areas in my life that I run to more than you. Make me fall on my knees to realize where I need to be and where I need to focus less on and focus more on you!
Well, I never really used a treadmill very often...at least not for a couple years.
I always loved my time this Spring, Summer, & Fall, when I was able to run outside and just enjoy the weather and just ponder on life and what God was showing and teaching me. I feel like when I am in the gym, for some reason the thoughts just don't flow. It's been very frustrating to me. Then I began to think...
Why am I go nowhere with this? Why am I not feeling at peace when I run, like I did when I am outside running?
Hahaha...then I realized...well, because I am literally going NOWHERE. Maybe it is the treadmill, in the fact that I am in one spot the entire time...and I don't feel like I'm making any progress? Or maybe it's that I am actually MORE distracted by the treadmill, then when I have ran outside? How does that work?
Well anyways...
But I realized...there have been times in my life where you are running full pace...and yet, you are not moving. We put so much effort and so much energy into life and into everyday activities and people and things...that we go NOWHERE with what is truly the most important things in our lives...our relationship with Jesus Christ.
God wants it the other way around. He wants us to run full pace towards Him, with everything in our lives...with finances, with relationships, with jobs, with hurts, with joys, with EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING!
So instead of going nowhere with our relationship with God, we should be going somewhere!
On the other hand...
could this mean that God also wants us to sit still and listen? See, this is where I'm pondering. Maybe God is ALSO showing me that when I'm on a treadmill that I am to just take in the moment that I have...and just rest (well not really rest when you are running, but you get my point) on God and just stay put with Him. ???
Interesting two fold, huh?
Lord Jesus, I just thank you so much for what you have shown me and that you are making more and more real to me that I am to drive towards you and only you, not material things. I ask that you help me focus on this and dwell on this. Show me areas in my life that I run to more than you. Make me fall on my knees to realize where I need to be and where I need to focus less on and focus more on you!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)