Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Thanksgiving Thoughts

Here I sit on Thanksgiving Eve. Turkeys have been bought, groceries have been put away with care, and menus are set. As is our tradition, we will be spending Thanksgiving Day itself with family friends and then on Saturday, we will have our own family feast.

Every year, we have a tradition where we go around and tell what we are thankful for before we eat. As I sit here, I am pondering just what I might say this year. This year has been full of many good and bad moments, as life often is. There have been lots of memories made and more than a few moments I wish I could forget. In it all, I have learned a lot.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says to: "Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." My thankfulness is not limited to my circumstances.

Even the darkest moments, I didn't walk alone. Even the brightest moments were not without pain. The question then comes to mind: What am I NOT thankful for?

We live in a "Me" centered society; thankful for all we have on Thursday and spending all we have on Friday.....I don't want to live like that. I want to live thankful. Maybe it is cliché, but thankfulness is not just a day, but a way of life. It is more than a one day act, but a attitude everyday. An attitude of gratitude will get me much farther than an attitude of complaining. Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up for just one day!

So, as we go into Thanksgiving, my prayer would be that among all the family, food, and merriment, we would remember to give thanks for everything. Not just the good times; not just the fun times. But all times; good and bad.

From my family to yours: Happy Thanksgiving!
 
 

Friday, November 14, 2014

God Provides in Small Ways

It's been a CrAzY week! Yes, I know, that pretty much describes every week! Lol. However, the past two days have had a little sweetness to add to the craziness: I have felt overwhelmed in love. Here's how it's been going down:
  • Yesterday I went to meet some friends that came in out of town for lunch. I had a wonderful 2.5 hours of just listening, talking, and seeing how God works. These are not your run of the mill people. These are people who understand me just as I am. I need not hide anything from them. They understand how exciting the little stuff is and are much more on fire for God then I am. They have taught me so much of what I know to be true about God and myself. To listen and talk to them was just so encouraging to be soul!
  • I mentioned that I had lunch while I was out. Well, the owner of the place considers me family and he paid for my lunch! It was a simple blessing.
  • Then, I come home and I get on Facebook to see a message from someone I send letters to thanking me for my letter. This might seem so little in the grand scheme of things, however, people rarely thank me for my letters. When they do, it really means the world to me.
  • I also have two events going on this weekend and with my dad being down with strep throats, all our running around has to be done by my mom because I cannot drive yet. So, I set out to see if I could find a ride, at least coming home every night. That was very humbling because I HATE asking for help and after being turned down, I was discouraged. In the end though, God worked it out and I now have a ride home both nights! Isn't God amazing?!
  • The trend continued this morning when I received another Facebook message from a woman who is dear to my heart saying that she has been thinking about me and misses me. Simple, but greatly appreciated!
Now, for anyone who hasn't picked up on this yet: I appreciate the simple things in life. To see all this really made my past two days really special. I value people taking the time to show they love and appreciate me, even in the simplest ways. In my mind, I can see how God is loving on me through simple acts by others and it is priceless to me. I am overwhelmed in gratitude!

Is it not awesome how God takes care of even our most basic needs; how He uses the simple things to uplift our spirits? My prayer for each of my readers would be that we not get so busy looking for God to do big things, that we miss the little things. We serve a great God who sees our every need and will provide for them....in big and, often, small ways!

"And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus." Philippians 4:19

Sunday, November 2, 2014

God Is Able

This week has been rocky. Every once and awhile I have a week where nothing seems to work. My brain goes into overload with everything going on and has to play catch up. Let's just say it is still playing catch up.....Lol.

I am part of a band that helps lead my youth group in worship every Sunday night. We recently lost our youth minister/band leader, so we have had the interesting experience of learning to bond and lead worship together. Tonight we sang "Our God is Able."

However, as we were singing, I started thinking what we are singing about. We are saying that "Our God can do more than we can hope for or imagine. He will never fail us! Our God is able!" In that moment, the whole week faded away. It was me and God.

I've had two women I would like to think I encouraged, join the Lord in Heaven this week. I have had misunderstanding after misunderstanding with people that I really just want to be friends with despite my best efforts. I have had school stress, family stress, and everything that falls in between. I have striven to encourage and come away feeling generally like an idiot this week. HOWEVER....in that moment, all that faded away.

God has not promised me any easy life. He has not promised that I will not be a 17 year old feeling 37 (I swear that I have more than a few grey hairs already!). He has not promised that I would always feel like I am making a difference. He has not promised that my body will not fall apart (17 with 60 year old knees....lovely....lol). He has not promised that I won't get stressed.

He HAS promised that He is able to do far more than I can ask for or imagine through His work within us (Ephesians 3:20).

So while my life may not make sense to me and while I may have bad days and bad weeks; while I may feel like a pest and like I come across totally not encouraging; while I am stressed and disorganized; God can use me.

He can take my mess and turn it into a message because He IS ABLE! That gives me hope that all my tomorrows are in His hands. It gives me peace that I don't have to be in control. It gives me strength to carry on.

It's funny how so often we say we place our life in God's hands, yet we are so quick to try and take control. In doing so, we don't really show trust in the One who really holds our lives. Tonight, I choose to put my life in His hands once again. I trust that He is able!

"God is Able" by Hillsong

Saturday, November 1, 2014

I Will Boast......The Rocks Will Cry Out!

People will sometimes approach me and tell me that I am really far too serious about Jesus. They will tell me that being a bit more discreet in my sharing with others of what God has done for me will draw more people to me. They tell me that I am shoving my opinions down people's throats and not loving them before I try to "change their lives."

Guys and gals, let me get up on my pedestal for a minute.....When Jesus came, He came quietly. He did not barge in with trumpets or angels singing His praises; however, He did not stay quiet for long. Everywhere Jesus went, He ruffled feathers. He made people mad. He made people want to literally kill Him! Why? Because He spoke up against the norm and socially accepted. While everyone else was out doing what might have been accepted and seen as the new norm, even if it was wrong, He was out speaking truth. Yet, people still came to Him. He radiated Christ's love to some and appalled others; it just depended on what you were looking for!

When Jesus died for me and chose to take my sins on Himself, I would say He was pretty serious about me. When Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life and NO ONE can come to Father except by me," I would say He was pretty serious.

See, in today's culture, if people don't like what we are saying (this goes for anyone), they like to say we are "shoving our opinions down their throats." I'm sorry if what I believe isn't what you want to hear, but I am not going to stop talking about it. If something changed your life so much that you desired to walk in a new way, would you not want to share about it to anyone who would listen?

There are enough people out their who live a "timid faith." They don't not believe in God and they are pretty upright people, but they don't try to insert Him into their everyday lives either. They don't give Him credit. They are chameleon Christians. I don't want to be one of those.

This isn't me judging, it's me speaking truth. Of course, I shouldn't go around saying, "You are going to Hell!" However, I should speak truth in love. Love is not timid. Love is not subtle. It is obvious and bold; it is real!

As a Christian, I am called to love as Christ did, yet to not speak truth is to not love someone enough to do so.

Yes, there is more than one way to skin a cat (sorry cat), but this is my way and what I believe God has called me to. I love people. Anyone who doubts that really needs to hang around me a bit more. However, I am not subtle.....at all. I am bold, I am blunt, and I don't disguise the truth.

I can't change anyone, only Jesus can do that, but I can be an instrument in God's hand and speak truth. No one has to listen, but it won't stop me. Like Jesus said in Luke 19, "If they keep quiet, the rocks will cry out." Might as well save the rocks the trouble and just do it myself! Lol.

If it bugs people....well, I can just remember that if I am not bugging someone, then I obviously am doing something wrong. No good thing ever gets done without some criticism.......just look at Jesus! He was lied about, spit on, laughed at, mocked, and nailed to a cross and that still didn't shut Him up.

That's the kind of God I serve and the kind of gal I want to be! "I will boast only in the LORD; let the afflicted hear and rejoice!" Psalm 34:2 "Therefore, as it is written: "Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 1:31

"I Will Boast" by Phillips, Craig, and Dean