Back in 2008, my english teacher told me that sometimes the best writing that we can come up with is when we are able to clear our heads completely and just write whatever comes to mind. But everything in your head just has to come out on paper...or in this case, on the web :) so here goes some stuff, just to clear my head and get everything on the perverbial table.
to understand and be understood. sometimes i wonder how anyone can really know what is going on in a persons head. we try to comprehend what people tell us about their lives and all that is going on, but really, we can't fully understand what they are trying to tell us, becase we don't know what exactly is going on in their head. As with most people, you never hear the full story. all you hear is what one person, from their perspective is telling you. you hear what you want to hear. yes, we all have selective hearing to an extent, even if you're not willing to admit it. and when people start talking, there is no stopping them. even with all of the stuff that we try to tell ourselves people aren't saying about us, it's probably coming out in not the most pleasant way. Yet, if we are willing to ask someone, it won't necessarily be the truth. but then that crosses the line of why we lie. i guess it's just a thing some do, but i just don't understand. it's all about what that person sees as right and wrong. and i don't think you'll ever fully agree with someone. mostly because you'll know their heart fully. they only person that will know you're heart fully is Jesus. He knows your every thought, every whim, every desire, every reason. there is nothing you can hide from him. and as you move forward and seek him, you will hear him so clearly. you will know him so much better. but the best part is that he will tell you what to do, where to go and how to do it. even when you think nothing is going the right way, and you just can't get anyone to understand. he does. he knows exactly how to help and the best way to do it. he knows what you need to hear and what to put in your path to know it's him and no one else. as i sit and comtemplate the omniscience of my God, i'm in awe. the reason is so simple, he knows what is going on in my head. he knows how to deal with me, he knows what my reasoning in, he knows that i'm not lying, he knows everything. and when i let him be my everything, things go so much smoother. the awesomest part of life is knowing that he has got it. i will never ever please the world like it wants me to, because i am called to a high standard. i will never be able to have everyone happy with me. it's just not possible. but learning that, accepting that, and moving forward with that is key. you can't just not do what God has told you to do because everyone and their mother is telling you not to. it's just not acceptable. no, my friends, do what He has called you to do. and do it whole heartedly.
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Emotional
How beautiful emotions can be. The ones that are happy, inspiring, lovely and make you feel like you can do anything. And then are the opposite, sadness, depression, apathy and all the rest we feel.
Emotions can be dangerous things. It is so easy to be swept up in the emotions of life. To feel things and let those feelings be the guiding light that you follow blindly. There are so many ways that we can be emotional and not be emotional at the same time. Someone once told me that it's okay to show emotion. It's okay to let them come out and be out in the open. But having emotions shows your vulnerability. It shows that you're human, that you can't do things on your own, and that you ARE NOT in control. I know, it's a crazy concept. For some reason, I had felt like I couldn't show emotion or be emotional cause I had to have it all together. I had to look like I could handle everything. And let me tell ya, it was hard at first. Espeically because I've always been an emotional person. You know when I'm happy, sad, frustrated, irritated, joyful, inspired, deep and every other emotion under the sun, because I wear it on my sleeve. Yup, you guessed it. My whole life I've been told that it's good to show emotion, but you also need to know how to show emotion.
God has given us emotions to glorify Him. He tells us to "rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn." He tells us to worship him and praise his name. He tells us to be joyful and love those around us. Our God is a God full of emotion! He says to fear him!
So how can we, as humans, say that we should have emotions, we shouldn't feel?!
Surely NOT!
Be emotional, but in keep Christ in mind. How does your emotion glorify him? For he is truly the God of our emotions :)
Emotions can be dangerous things. It is so easy to be swept up in the emotions of life. To feel things and let those feelings be the guiding light that you follow blindly. There are so many ways that we can be emotional and not be emotional at the same time. Someone once told me that it's okay to show emotion. It's okay to let them come out and be out in the open. But having emotions shows your vulnerability. It shows that you're human, that you can't do things on your own, and that you ARE NOT in control. I know, it's a crazy concept. For some reason, I had felt like I couldn't show emotion or be emotional cause I had to have it all together. I had to look like I could handle everything. And let me tell ya, it was hard at first. Espeically because I've always been an emotional person. You know when I'm happy, sad, frustrated, irritated, joyful, inspired, deep and every other emotion under the sun, because I wear it on my sleeve. Yup, you guessed it. My whole life I've been told that it's good to show emotion, but you also need to know how to show emotion.
God has given us emotions to glorify Him. He tells us to "rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn." He tells us to worship him and praise his name. He tells us to be joyful and love those around us. Our God is a God full of emotion! He says to fear him!
So how can we, as humans, say that we should have emotions, we shouldn't feel?!
Surely NOT!
Be emotional, but in keep Christ in mind. How does your emotion glorify him? For he is truly the God of our emotions :)
Friday, November 5, 2010
The Beauty of Simplicity
How I long to get away for just a day, maybe a few hours, to just sit, talk with my Savior, my King, the one who always makes sense.
I wish that everything we did was simple and easy, black and white. It would make it a whole lot easier to understand life, to cope with it. And yet, the beauty of Simplicity is God. He doesn't require us to handle things on our own. He would rather have us give it to Him, and let Him deal with it.
1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxieties on Him, for he cares for you." Therefore, each of the cares that we have, the things we hold dear, the decisions we feel we have to make, the stresses that we are weighed down with, are not our burden to carry. They are His. He goes on to say, in Matthew 11:29-30, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Why do we hold on to the emotions of what is going on when we could let them go and give them to God, who actually DESIRES for us to let Him have them?! Beats me!
But that is my challenge to you. All of the things that you're holding onto, the temptations that you are giving into, give them to God. Right now, in this moment, make a commitment to Him that you won't take them back. You will let Him have them.
And if you need to, take that time to get away from the world, from the drama, from life, and spend some time just communing with your best friend. He'll love it! and so will you :)
I wish that everything we did was simple and easy, black and white. It would make it a whole lot easier to understand life, to cope with it. And yet, the beauty of Simplicity is God. He doesn't require us to handle things on our own. He would rather have us give it to Him, and let Him deal with it.
1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxieties on Him, for he cares for you." Therefore, each of the cares that we have, the things we hold dear, the decisions we feel we have to make, the stresses that we are weighed down with, are not our burden to carry. They are His. He goes on to say, in Matthew 11:29-30, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Why do we hold on to the emotions of what is going on when we could let them go and give them to God, who actually DESIRES for us to let Him have them?! Beats me!
But that is my challenge to you. All of the things that you're holding onto, the temptations that you are giving into, give them to God. Right now, in this moment, make a commitment to Him that you won't take them back. You will let Him have them.
And if you need to, take that time to get away from the world, from the drama, from life, and spend some time just communing with your best friend. He'll love it! and so will you :)
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Understanding...and Forgiveness
Ah yes, that beautifully frustrating word. Understanding.
Do you understand? is a phrase often used when asking someone if something was clearly explained. It is used when one person is trying to get a point across. It is asked when a friend tells you that you can't be friends. It's asked in many different circumstances, many different ways and the result varies. But almost always, you walk away with a sense of "understand," whether you actually do or not.
How is one supposed to understand when a friend tells you that you can't be as close as you once were? How are you supposed to forgive them and understand that that is what God wanted? When do you make the distinction between being able to be understanding and just not caring anymore about it? How do you try to comprehend, to understand, what your mind is focused on when the only thing you want is it to go away?!
The Father calls us to forgive those who have hurt us, to love those who don't understand His love, and to be Him to all people, everywhere. The world is here, telling us not to be understanding. Not to give grace. But to hold onto the bitterness, the anger, the confusion. To live in blind rage. But our Jesus, our precious Savior, has loved us so much that He wants us to express that to those around us.
Matthew 18:21-22
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."
It's not being understanding. It's understanding the pain, the brokeness, the hurt. Recognizing it, beginning the healing process and coming out stronger.
Sadly, though, some of the hurt and pain can change the person that you are. It can alter the way you think, the way you process things, the way you look at yourself. And even if you know that all the things that you are believing are lies, you still don't want to let it go.
but that is where God's truth can speak to us the most. I was talking to Him yesterday and He spoke to me about trust.
Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understand; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
So first, we have to trust Him. Trust that His plan is better than our own plan, and He will prosper us.
In Jeremiah 29:11, it says "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Then in Numbers 23:19, it says "God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?"
Therefore, God wants us to know He has the best plans for us. And He also says that He fulfills the promises that he has spoken to us, that he has given us. And with that we know that He is good to His promise. So trust Him. Trust that what he has done in your life, fits perfectly into what He has next for you.
Now the question is, will you trust Him?
Do you understand? is a phrase often used when asking someone if something was clearly explained. It is used when one person is trying to get a point across. It is asked when a friend tells you that you can't be friends. It's asked in many different circumstances, many different ways and the result varies. But almost always, you walk away with a sense of "understand," whether you actually do or not.
How is one supposed to understand when a friend tells you that you can't be as close as you once were? How are you supposed to forgive them and understand that that is what God wanted? When do you make the distinction between being able to be understanding and just not caring anymore about it? How do you try to comprehend, to understand, what your mind is focused on when the only thing you want is it to go away?!
The Father calls us to forgive those who have hurt us, to love those who don't understand His love, and to be Him to all people, everywhere. The world is here, telling us not to be understanding. Not to give grace. But to hold onto the bitterness, the anger, the confusion. To live in blind rage. But our Jesus, our precious Savior, has loved us so much that He wants us to express that to those around us.
Matthew 18:21-22
Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?”
Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."
It's not being understanding. It's understanding the pain, the brokeness, the hurt. Recognizing it, beginning the healing process and coming out stronger.
Sadly, though, some of the hurt and pain can change the person that you are. It can alter the way you think, the way you process things, the way you look at yourself. And even if you know that all the things that you are believing are lies, you still don't want to let it go.
but that is where God's truth can speak to us the most. I was talking to Him yesterday and He spoke to me about trust.
Proverbs 3:5 says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understand; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight."
So first, we have to trust Him. Trust that His plan is better than our own plan, and He will prosper us.
In Jeremiah 29:11, it says "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Then in Numbers 23:19, it says "God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?"
Therefore, God wants us to know He has the best plans for us. And He also says that He fulfills the promises that he has spoken to us, that he has given us. And with that we know that He is good to His promise. So trust Him. Trust that what he has done in your life, fits perfectly into what He has next for you.
Now the question is, will you trust Him?
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Idols
oh MAN! I heard this insane talk tonight about idols.
The guy preaching was going over Daniel 3 about how Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace. I can't begin to tell you how insane it was. He started off by giving us tons of background of the context and everything. And the fact that God wants us to be on fire for him! When we are, it's contagious to the people around us.
And how we, as humans, make anything an idol. Even when we think we haven't, if it is before God then we have made it something we're worshiping. Really take a look at your life and see if this is an issue for you. Are you putting anything before God? If your answer is yes, then you have an idol. The God we serve is a jealous God. He says in his commandments NOT to have ANY idols before. He wants all of you, every last part, and when you won't give everything to him he is jealous! Some things you know you haven't given to God completely and they are becoming an idol to you, and others you know that you're holding onto them too tightly and something needs to change.
So, whats yours?
The guy preaching was going over Daniel 3 about how Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the fiery furnace. I can't begin to tell you how insane it was. He started off by giving us tons of background of the context and everything. And the fact that God wants us to be on fire for him! When we are, it's contagious to the people around us.
And how we, as humans, make anything an idol. Even when we think we haven't, if it is before God then we have made it something we're worshiping. Really take a look at your life and see if this is an issue for you. Are you putting anything before God? If your answer is yes, then you have an idol. The God we serve is a jealous God. He says in his commandments NOT to have ANY idols before. He wants all of you, every last part, and when you won't give everything to him he is jealous! Some things you know you haven't given to God completely and they are becoming an idol to you, and others you know that you're holding onto them too tightly and something needs to change.
So, whats yours?
Friday, July 30, 2010
Understanding
I titled this understanding because for me, it's been a time of understanding. God is showing me how much he wants all of my heart, all of my love, all my mind, all of who I am...He wants as His.
At the beginning of the week he was telling me that one thing that he wants from me is to not depend on other people's words so much. My love language is words of affirmation, which means that i LOVE LOVE LOVE when people tell me what I mean to them and how great they think I am. It may sound vain, but it's not meant like that in any way, it's an encouragement, an affirmation in words. Tonight God hit me with the reality of what it looks like. He showed me that I tend to put others words first, before his. He wants the first spot. He wants to be my number one word encourager. The only one that truly matters is what he says to me about me.
I was writhing in pain emotionally, balling on the my knees before him after I realized that all he wants, is to be my number one word encourager. That everyone else might give me praise, but first and foremost, he wants His to be heard.
Lately, I've been feeling that no one is truly excited for me to go and do what God has called me to do. It's not just an opportunity, it's what God has told me that I need to do. Without question. And sometimes I doubt myself after hearing how much I'm needed at a particularly place. In Luke 5:5, Peter says, "...Because you said so..." In the context he's saying that simply because Jesus said to let down his nets he would. Even though to everyone else, it was pointless to do so. He could be mocked and ridiculed for what he did, because to the world it doesn't make sense why he would let down his nets after he just pulled them in...EMPTY. And yet, he does it because Jesus told him to. That was the only reason.
And really, what more reason do we need?
My goal now is to listen to his words first and base everything I do off of his words. Listening to other opinions is good, because of the perspective, but they should never go before what God has told you to do. Ever.
Live in that truth. I challenge you to do that. Whether it's big or small. Seek Jesus first, and when he talks, listen. Then obey.
At the beginning of the week he was telling me that one thing that he wants from me is to not depend on other people's words so much. My love language is words of affirmation, which means that i LOVE LOVE LOVE when people tell me what I mean to them and how great they think I am. It may sound vain, but it's not meant like that in any way, it's an encouragement, an affirmation in words. Tonight God hit me with the reality of what it looks like. He showed me that I tend to put others words first, before his. He wants the first spot. He wants to be my number one word encourager. The only one that truly matters is what he says to me about me.
I was writhing in pain emotionally, balling on the my knees before him after I realized that all he wants, is to be my number one word encourager. That everyone else might give me praise, but first and foremost, he wants His to be heard.
Lately, I've been feeling that no one is truly excited for me to go and do what God has called me to do. It's not just an opportunity, it's what God has told me that I need to do. Without question. And sometimes I doubt myself after hearing how much I'm needed at a particularly place. In Luke 5:5, Peter says, "...Because you said so..." In the context he's saying that simply because Jesus said to let down his nets he would. Even though to everyone else, it was pointless to do so. He could be mocked and ridiculed for what he did, because to the world it doesn't make sense why he would let down his nets after he just pulled them in...EMPTY. And yet, he does it because Jesus told him to. That was the only reason.
And really, what more reason do we need?
My goal now is to listen to his words first and base everything I do off of his words. Listening to other opinions is good, because of the perspective, but they should never go before what God has told you to do. Ever.
Live in that truth. I challenge you to do that. Whether it's big or small. Seek Jesus first, and when he talks, listen. Then obey.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Because you say so...
So I've been reading Luke for my personal devotion time. I ran across Luke 5...I remember talking about it a while ago when i was at a Bible study for my church, but hadn't really read it, i went cause Anthony and I were making this video for announcements. Anyways, one of the verses that stuck out to me was Luke 5:5 and it says...
Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."
Can you imagine doing something regardless of fears and doubts and doing it simply because God said so?!
I can't wait to just do this! I've started already and boy is it freeing! I love the fact that we can just rely and trust in God for everything. There is no reason to be afraid and doubt what will happen because I know my God is in control of everything and he has my best interest in mind! it's INCREDIBLE! go GOD!!!
I challenge you to do things without doubt and fear and do it "because he said so" :)
Simon answered, "Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."
Can you imagine doing something regardless of fears and doubts and doing it simply because God said so?!
I can't wait to just do this! I've started already and boy is it freeing! I love the fact that we can just rely and trust in God for everything. There is no reason to be afraid and doubt what will happen because I know my God is in control of everything and he has my best interest in mind! it's INCREDIBLE! go GOD!!!
I challenge you to do things without doubt and fear and do it "because he said so" :)
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