Saying "Bye-Bye" to 2013

As 2013 comes to an end, I find myself reflecting back on what made this year memorable for me. This year was the end of my junior year and the start of my senior year. It was the end of a terrible year of AP Chemistry and the start of the headache of scholarships. It was the pledge to begin to walk myself through the bible and the blessing of actually finishing it.It was a summer of camps, both spiritual and non-spiritual, that would forever change my life.  2013 meant a lot to me. But, in all honesty, these past few days of reflection have meant the most.

Maybe for me this year it isn't about what made 2013 memorable. Right now, it's about the protection that 2013 has/had to offer me. When the ball drops and the people kiss, 2014 starts. The year of graduation. The year of college. The year of money talking and making ends meet and meeting new people and being uncomfortable for some amount of time. Don't get me wrong- these are all things I'm excited for and I'm ready for... But that doesn't mean I'm not fearful, even just a little. This new year will be the end of what most people called the best days of their lives. My life is skating right by me and I can't even slow down. I've been wanting to skip through high school, and, don't get me wrong, I'm READY to take this next step. But for the next 5 months, I want to take it in. I don't want it to fly by. I want to enjoy the last 5 months with some people I will never see or talk to again ever. I want to enjoy living under my parents and being a kid. Because in 5 months, that's over. It will never ever go back to the way that it is now. And that's more than tough in some ways. 

All in all, I'm ready. I'm ready to grow up and to start life. I'm ready to meet those new people, to not me familiar with my surroundings, and to make more memories than I could imagine. I'm ready for the independence. I trust that God will get me there, no matter what I will be leaving behind in 5 months. 2014 is MY year. It's the year of promises and happiness and new beginnings. And I'm ready for that. But for the next 5 months, I will still be living in 2013. And I'm okay with that. 

My advice to anyone making those new years resolutions: stop. You don't need a new year to be a new you. If you are like me and you need the current year to stretch on just a little bit more, that can happen too. The next year is full of opportunities to improve you and improve the world. Be selfless, be wild, do something that you will remember for the rest of your life. But please, please don't stay the same. Embrace what God gives you, even if it's not what you're used to. This new year could mean 1000 different things, but only if you make it into what you want it to be. You don't need a resolution because such a thing does not exist. Make a change, stick to it, become who you've always wanted to be. And live. 

The First 40 Days Of Jesus- The Strength of Mary

   When we think of Christmas, we think of Luke chapter 2. We focus very little on Mary and Joseph and all the other characters brought in and we focus a lot on Jesus. And that is 100% okay, but when we narrow our sight on a single concept in a chapter in the bible (because we as an American society have made this chapter into NOTHING but Christmas), we lose sight of ALL that God wants us to see. This past month, my Sunday School teacher has been hitting Luke 2 hard and has been encouraging us to dig a little deeper, and this blog post is based on some things I learned about parenting from what she has told us/I have stringed together. (If you have never read Luke 2, I encourage you to do so right now and then return back to this point)

   Let's put ourselves in Mary's position: 

• She's a newly engaged young girl, historically most likely around the age of 13 or 14. 
• An angel has appeared to her and told her that she will birth the Messiah at her young age, even though she is most definitely a virgin
• Her fiance tried to quietly divorce her, only to decide to stay by her side because an angel came to try and explain what's going on to him. 
• Everyone around her thinks she is insane or not telling the truth. 

    I'm sorry, but we take this lightly when reading. This is HEAVY. If any of us were in this position we would most likely complain at every point we possibly could and not put as much trust in God as Mary did. It's easy to "trust God" through the little waves, but Mary went through something not a single other person in the history of man kind ever did. I can not imagine what was going through her head. 

   When we fast forward to Jesus' birth, we see that Mary had to get up and hike her very pregnant self up to her home town (which was a couple of days of travel via camel), where she went into labor with just Joseph to help her. Most people believe she actually had to give birth in a cave, although some do believe that it was literally a stable. The point of that part of the story was Mary had to give birth in the lowliest, most uncomfortable of places. 

   About 40 days after Jesus was born, he was to be consecrated in the temple. While Mary and Joseph were there, a man was overtaken by the holy spirit and led to basically tell Mary that her son will die and she will be so deeply affected by the death that it will "pierce her soul" as well. Mary had to have known before that moment that Jesus would die. When she found out that he was the Messiah, she would know his fate. However, I do believe that this was the first time that it really hit home with her. 

   From this chapter, we see that not only was Mary's life flipped completely upside down forever, but that she handled it flawlessly. Seriously, she was favored for a reason. I think God waited until the perfect person came along who could handle this situation because it truly is a weight to carry. Mary was strong, she was a lady, and she kept God's word even when it hurt. SO many lessons can be learned from Mary, but the one I want to focus on right now is this:

Parents, be Mary. Prepare for "your soul to be pierced too"

   Yes, I know that's very heavy. But it's true. There isn't an experienced parent out there that won't tell you when their kids finally left the nest, it was one of the hardest things they ever had to go through. However, this pain is prophesied from the very birth of the child. Did Mary hold Jesus back? Do we ever get the hint that Mary begged Jesus not to go through with the Crucifiction? No. Mary wanted God's will for Jesus to be done, and it was. But it was painful. This wasn't a surprise to Mary- she knew this pain would come. But she put Jesus' relationship with God first. This is what parents need to focus on most. If your kid wants to do foreign missions, or do anything away from home, don't discourage them. Please. Don't tell them not to go because YOU don't want them to go. Parents and children should seek God together. Learn something from Mary. God is the ultimate Father,the ultimate parent. He knows what is best. Reflect on the strength of Mary and want that strength for your children. 

   

The Big Bible Challenge

Since December 27th, 2012, I have been in a one year bible study plan. The plan was to read through the bible, starting in Genesis and ending in Revelations, in one year. I am proud to say that...

I DID IT!!!

I finished my one year plan about 2 weeks ago, which was 3 weeks ahead of schedule. I encourage all of you who havent already done something similar to challenge yourself. Reading ALL of God's word is so important. I can not begin to describe the blessings I have received in doing this or how God has talked directly to me from his word. You will never understand this until you just do it. I found the biggest blessings in the most surprising of places, places in the bible that Christian pastors often dont include in their Sunday sermon. I have probably learned more from the Old Testament about Jesus than I have from the New Testament, and I never thought that would be so. 

Another great reason to take this challenge (which I will include below) is because it allows you to be in the word every single day. Seriously, if you got anything out of this post, it needs to be this: read scripture EVERY SINGLE DAY. God will use his word to bless your life specifically for that day. Daily doses of scripture transform your thoughts and bring them to God. I am a firm believer that nothing will lift you up better than daily scripture and prayer. The way that this challenge is laid out, you will be dealing with manageable chunks of scripture that you can easily fit into 20-30 minutes of your day. It's worth the sacrifice, I promise.
So here is the challenge! It may seem like a lot, but you have an entire year. It works. There is no reason you can not do this challenge, it just takes a little will power and prayer. Good luck!

The Big Bible Challenge 

(I got this challenge from my study bible, so don't think I came up with this myself)

• Monday-Saturday: Read 3 chapters a day. 
• Sunday: Read 5 chapters 

Extra tidbit of help: To get the most out of this experience, write/highlight/underline important things to you as you go along. A bible that is falling apart belongs to someone that isn't. :)

Hebrews 12:8

Doubt (verb): to feel uncertain about; to be afraid of. How often do you and I doubt? Sometimes our doubt is visible and we are open about it. Sometimes it’s in moments where there is a little voice in the back of our heads that is barely whispering but plants the tiniest seed of doubt. We all doubt. And it will forever serve as one of the biggest cripples for Christians. I find that the moments when we as Christians experience most of our doubt is when we feel like we’re being punished. We can’t hold up under the pressure, so we doubt God’s love or maybe even his existence. Trial and tribulation causes us to question God’s motives.

          Many people will tell you ways to deal with the tribulation in order that you don’t doubt. There are a lot of empty promises out there that we easily get confused with what God actually tells us about the things we’re going through. Cliché statements like “God gives his toughest battles to his strongest soldiers” are statements that you won’t find in the bible. We make up our own comforting words to convince ourselves that we’re going through this struggle but that it won’t be hard. But what does the bible actually say?

          Hebrews 12:7-8 “Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined- and every one undergoes discipline- then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.” This verse tells us A LOT about how God thinks of us. How often does Satan whisper to us “God doesn’t love you” when the storms of life rage on? More so, how often do we believe it! We agree with Satan 9 times out of 10, but Satan is a liar. The bible, God’s written word, tells us that we are undergoing our hardships because we are true children of God. Does it say that it will be easy? Not at all. Jesus never once said this life would be easy. In fact, he was pretty upfront about the trials we will endure. Too often we let the severity of our storm persuade us into doubt.

          I assume that many of you who read this paper are parents yourself. God makes sure that you personally will be able to relate to what he’s saying by adding the tidbit in about parenting. It is a fact of life that you have to discipline your kids in order for them to mature and to grow. Do you like it? Of course not. It’s hard for you and it’s hard for the kids. As a child, a spanking or a time out is devastating. To them, it’s just as bad as anything you are going through in your “grown up life”. But you still have to put them through it. God wants you to relate to this verse with your own life.

          It may be tough on both parties, but God is our Father. He disciplines us, his true children, in order that we may come out stronger and wiser than before. We’re not being punished, we’re being refined. This is such a hard thing to keep in mind when we are at that point of struggle, but it is essential. Even when life is raging on, we must continue to seek God, continue to love God, and continue to believe God. Satan is a liar. Any non-believer could tell you this. Don’t let a liar talk you out of the most intense love and experiences you could possibly imagine. Take hold of the life God gave you, along with its ups and downs, and live. 

When it Rains, it Pours

     It's pouring. Elongated strips of lightening light up the sky like the sun. Rolls of thunder make the foundations of your house tremble. Wind sounds like a freight train. It's pitch-black (between the bolts of lightening) and limbs are flying off of trees constantly. You are scared out of your mind, helpless, in a state of panic. What do you do? Do you trust God through the storm?
     The scene above is something that every single one of us will encounter over and over and over again. It's the storms of life, the times where confusion is clouding your vision, the times where fear makes you freeze in your steps. This is the time where the majority of new believers abandon God, as well as a large percent of veteran believers. So what do you do? Are you going to trust God through it? Or are you going to take the easy way out and bail?
    A lot of people don't see that the easy way out is giving up. They think the easy way out is blindly trusting God. It's easy to cling to your beliefs, even if you can't exactly explain why you are doing so. It's easy to not give up on something because, after all, the only reason you still are a believer is becuase thats the only way you have been identifying yourself. Its easy because being a Chrsitian has become your identity and you're not going to give up on it. Right? Actually, wrong.
     It's not easy. It's really, really, really hard. When things are going wrong in your life and you're in the storm, it's easier to let your breath quicken and abandon ship. It's hard to take one deep breath and trust that no matter how long it takes, no matter how rough the storm is, you will trust that God will deliver you. It's a fight to not question why God is putting you through things. Its really really easy to say "I'm not doing this anymore," and choose to believe that God doesn't guide and direct your paths. Turning your back is so easy.
     What's the hardest part of it? God doesn't give you any guarantees. He doesn't tell you when the storm will end, if it ever does, and he doesn't make it any less rough because you're a believer. All God gives us is the promise that it will end (weather in this life or in death, we don't know), and that He is enough. Even if your entire life is falling apart, God is enough. You could have absolutely nothing, but God is still enough. Are you going to believe that? Are you going to be able to swim in the most choppy of oceans, but trust that God will keep your head above the water? I'm telling you now, it's HARD. 
      But its not in vain, that I promise you. Your view on the storm is exactly that... your view. You want to be happy and positive? Do it. You want to be sad and moan? You can do that too. It all depends on what you want to put your values in. When you put them in God and the furthering of his kingdom, you're choosing to be happy. If you want to measure your life through the eyes of this world, you're choosing a long and hard path of despair. I encourage you all to take the hard path- the happy one. Put your faith in God. He IS faithful. He will pull through if you are keeping your eyes on him.
John 16:33 "I have said these things to you, that in me you may find peace. In this world you will face tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

"

Nature is God's Love in a Painting

I am forever obsessed with clouds. I don't think there is ever a day where I'm driving and I am not in total amazement at the sky. No matter if there is barely any clouds in the sky or if they're taking over, they are always spectacular and breath-taking and awe-inspiring. And any time I see them and I appreciate them, I give thanks to God for giving me such a view and the vision to be able to see them.

I'm sorry, but that's gorgeous. I don't think there's ever a time when clouds aren't incredibly beautiful. Even when it looks like a gray sheet over the sky, I can still appreciate that the clouds make the colors of the earth pop out and come alive. There are so many things about the universe in general that are breath-taking, and we don't appreciate it enough. The turquoise ocean, the bright fall trees, the red hazy mountains, an orange sunset, a night time sky full of milky stars.
        When I think about these things, I become overwhelmed with God's presence. When we think about creation in Genesis, we often times choose to focus on the creation of us too much. What about when God made land and water and sky and animals. What did he have in mind? He made the earth ready for us to inhabit and he made it to be beautiful. Adam and Eve lived in a garden, a place where you appreciate nature.God made the earth for us to enjoy, and He did it out of his love for us.
    I'm not trying to go hippy on you, but we do need to appreciate this gift more. In truly appreciating the world, we will come to have a greater respect for it. Remember every time you look at the sky or the trees or the ocean that God made this view for your eyes and your heart. He took the time to create for you a masterpiece in the day and a spectacular view at night. His works are never ceasing, always beautiful, and forever a physical and visual token of his love for us. Have you thanked God for the cool air you breath, the sunshine on your skin, the plop of acorns on the ground? Have you thanked God for the leaves you have to rake or the rain you have to walk through? Have you even tried to see the beauty in the inconveniences of nature as well? Every aspect of the earth is a blessing being rained down on us. Take advantage of it.

Being the Answer

Recently in my 1-year bible study plan (Yes, I’m keeping with it!), I have entered into the book of Acts. I’ve already read most of the New Testament before, however this book I never actually got to. When I was a “baby Christian” a few years ago, I wanted to feed my soul with what most of us want to be fed with: Matthew-John, Romans –Revelations. I skipped right over Acts and told myself I’d eventually get into it when I got done reading “all the good stuff”. Well, I’m to it now, and I have to say it is definitely part of the good stuff (and of course the rest of the bible is still good stuff too!). If you haven’t read Acts, it’s pretty much all about how the disciples grew the new faith of Christianity after Jesus was taken back up into heaven. It’s a book that highlights missions and what that means, and it’s fascinating and seriously encouraging to those wanting to further the ministry. “Missionaries” can look to this book and mold how they want to spread the good news.

          Well, as I was reading the other day, I came to the last passage in Acts 8. Philip was being led by God to Gaza, but on his way he encountered an “Ethiopian eunuch”  (a very high official in the society) who was traveling back home from Jerusalem. Philip noticed that he was reading scripture and the Holy Spirit asked him to go and talk to the guy. So he walks up to the guy and asks such a bold question. He says “Do you understand what you are reading?”. I mean, that’s a bold question! Imagine someone from a different religion walking up to you while you are reading the bible and asking you if you even know what the heck that thing is talking about. But I very strongly believe that the Holy Spirit wasn’t only guiding his heart but his mouth as well and God knew exactly how to get to the heart of this man. The Ethiopian immediately opens up to this stranger and responds “How can I unless someone explains it to me?”. Wow. Let that sink in. If you continue to read, the Ethiopian converts to Christianity after Philip takes the time to teach him what he believes and why.

          Why is that question so powerful? That single question motivates me to get up every morning and put a smile on my face even when I don’t want to. It makes me want to talk to strangers who don’t yet know Jesus and invest my time in them. That question expresses need that every day we as believers neglect. Someone out there is trying to know Jesus and to understand the Bible and talk to God, but they just don’t know how. I’m a believer in missions and going to other countries and teaching people who know NOTHING about Jesus, but I’m also a huge believer in reaching out to those who pass along our very own path who are crying out for help on the inside. To a normal passer-by, this man probably seemed pretty put-together. The guy is reading scripture! Who would have every thought he of all people needed saving? Unless someone invested some time into him, they may never see the front he had put up.

          I know I have talked a good deal about missionaries lately, but I just want to hit home the fact that you don’t have to go to Africa to be a missionary. You can start right here, right now. If you aren’t just telling people about Jesus through words, but actions, you are a missionary. I encourage you to see those in need and look for those who may only have a need on the inside. Someone who maybe looks like they have it all together may be the one that is falling apart.

Romans 12:12-13  “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”