My great grandpa, E. Poe Young, was born on February 4, 1909. Today, 101 years later, he passed away.
Yes, it's always sad when someone you love passes away. But besides the fact that he is now gone, I can't help but think about how amazing it is that he lived on this earth for 101 years.
Papa Young lived a long, blessed life. He was married to his wife for 73 years, until she passed away. He had one son, two grandchildren, and six great grand children whom he got to know well while he lived. He was county clerk of our town for many years.
One thing I forgot to mention though, is that Papa Young became blind for several years before he passed on. Other than that, he remained in good health for the majority of his life, even when he was very old. It really just amazes me.
Papa didn't have to suffer long as a lot of older folks do before they die, and for that I am very thankful. He inspires me so much; I can remember ever since I was a little girl that he always said he wanted to live to be 100.. And he did.
I hope to live a long, wonderful life just as Papa Young did. I thank God that I got to know him for 16 years of my life, because most people don't get that much time with their great grandparents. I truly believe that he wouldn't want us to mourn over his death, but rather celebrate the 101 years of wonderful life he experienced.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011
God's Plans > My plans
Summer is finally here but it's fading fast. I am enjoying every minute of it, but in the back of my mind I keep thinking, it's going to be gone before I know it. That is one of my many problems, anticipating the future. No matter what's going on and how much fun I'm having, I can't help but think.. That eventually, whatever it is that is making me happy or entertaining me.. Is going to end. Now I'll be the first to say you shouldn't think like that; you should enjoy the wonderful moments in life while they last. Usually I am a generally positive person, but this is just one negative quality that I can't seem to shake.
But just as I am typing this, God reminded me that His power, grace and love will never ever end. And shouldn't that be enough for me to be content? Besides, God is in control of my future anyways. I had planned on just rambling about my thoughts in this post [Because I've had plenty of spare time to think here lately] but instead, God literally reminded me write in the middle of blogging about His everlasting love, and the eternal life He has given me through the resurrection of His son.
You can't tell me there's not a God when I witness Him doing amazing things in my life and the lives of others all the time. Just simple things like Him speaking to me while I'm writing a blog post show me what an amazing God He is.
I guess I don't really have anything else to say except that I am thankful that God can interrupt my negative thoughts and worries with His wonderful love. And as far as anticipating the future goes, I'm going to try to break that bad habit, because God is in control. Jeremiah 29:11 :)
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Two down, two to go
After Thursday afternoon, I will have completed my sophomore year of high school. Which means? I'm halfway through high school. I'm going to get my license after summer. I'm about to have to make a lot of decisions that will affect me the rest of my life.
Don't get me wrong, I'm super excited about summer break, it's going to be awesome. But just thinking about how fast the past two years have gone by makes me want time to slow down a little bit. Two years from now, I'll be a few days away from graduating. A few days away from saying goodbye to everything I've been used to. A few days away from one of the most exciting, yet depressing experiences of my life.
Okay, so maybe I'm making it sound worse than it is. All I'm saying is that it's crazy how fast time flies. I remember being in elementary school, thinking it would be forever before I would graduate or even be in high school, and now here I am, with two years to go.
Why does graduating intimidate me? For one thing, the whole never seeing some of your friends again thing is pretty sad. But I have no doubt that as awesome as my friends are, we'll stay in touch, The worst part I think will be all the decision making. There's so many different things I'd like to do with my life, and I'm going to have to choose. Plus I'm going to have to go to college and I can only imagine that it's far worse than high school, which personally I don't think is a piece of cake.
For now instead of thinking about all this, I guess I better enjoy my time while it lasts. I have faith that God will lead me on the right path and help me make the right decisions when it comes down to it. At least I'm not a senior now, or I would be freaking out right about now!
Best Wishes and Congrats to any seniors that may or may not be reading this.. And for the rest of us, let's make the next couple of years the best we've ever had. :)
Don't get me wrong, I'm super excited about summer break, it's going to be awesome. But just thinking about how fast the past two years have gone by makes me want time to slow down a little bit. Two years from now, I'll be a few days away from graduating. A few days away from saying goodbye to everything I've been used to. A few days away from one of the most exciting, yet depressing experiences of my life.
Okay, so maybe I'm making it sound worse than it is. All I'm saying is that it's crazy how fast time flies. I remember being in elementary school, thinking it would be forever before I would graduate or even be in high school, and now here I am, with two years to go.
Why does graduating intimidate me? For one thing, the whole never seeing some of your friends again thing is pretty sad. But I have no doubt that as awesome as my friends are, we'll stay in touch, The worst part I think will be all the decision making. There's so many different things I'd like to do with my life, and I'm going to have to choose. Plus I'm going to have to go to college and I can only imagine that it's far worse than high school, which personally I don't think is a piece of cake.
For now instead of thinking about all this, I guess I better enjoy my time while it lasts. I have faith that God will lead me on the right path and help me make the right decisions when it comes down to it. At least I'm not a senior now, or I would be freaking out right about now!
Best Wishes and Congrats to any seniors that may or may not be reading this.. And for the rest of us, let's make the next couple of years the best we've ever had. :)
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Blessed days of confusion
Have you ever had one of those days where something just doesn't feel right? Like you feel stressed for no particular reason at all? Well, today was one of those days for me. So not knowing what else to do, I turned to God and began to pray, not really knowing what to pray for.
I prayed on and off througout the day. A couple hours ago, I went to a local restaurant. And without looking around the place, I began to pray for others there, hoping that they had or would come to know the Lord.
Then in the middle of my prayer, I looked forward and saw a group of six men sitting around a table that appeared to be in deep conversation. I noticed that one had a cross on the back of his shirt, and as I looked even closer, I realized one of the men had been my minister on my Chrysalis weekend a couple months ago. My dad went on to inform me that this group of men were a "reunion group", which is kind of like a bible study group.
This might not seem significant to you at all, but to me it just reminded me that God is always with us. Even distant I feel from Him, He is there for me still. It was so encouraging to see that as I prayed for the people around me, that some of those people in that place were following the Lord as well.
I love experiences like this that just prove to me there has to be a God. It is truly amazing how God works, especially when I needed a little something to lift my spirits.
Never forget that God is everywhere, and always there when you need Him. And maybe, if you just take a little time and pay attention to what is around you, you will be blessed just as I was today:)
I prayed on and off througout the day. A couple hours ago, I went to a local restaurant. And without looking around the place, I began to pray for others there, hoping that they had or would come to know the Lord.
Then in the middle of my prayer, I looked forward and saw a group of six men sitting around a table that appeared to be in deep conversation. I noticed that one had a cross on the back of his shirt, and as I looked even closer, I realized one of the men had been my minister on my Chrysalis weekend a couple months ago. My dad went on to inform me that this group of men were a "reunion group", which is kind of like a bible study group.
This might not seem significant to you at all, but to me it just reminded me that God is always with us. Even distant I feel from Him, He is there for me still. It was so encouraging to see that as I prayed for the people around me, that some of those people in that place were following the Lord as well.
I love experiences like this that just prove to me there has to be a God. It is truly amazing how God works, especially when I needed a little something to lift my spirits.
Never forget that God is everywhere, and always there when you need Him. And maybe, if you just take a little time and pay attention to what is around you, you will be blessed just as I was today:)
Monday, April 18, 2011
Summer is calling my name
Woot woo, Summer is approaching! Only 27 days of school left, and let me tell you, they better go by fast! As you know I like making lists, so here's a list of some of the things I will accomplish this summer, and some things I hope to accomplish.
- Get a killer tan.
- Play a whole lot of golf, and improve my game quite a bit.
- Go on a mission trip to Cleveland, Ohio.
- Spend too much time with my friends.
- Enjoy some delicious summer foods. [You know, grilled hot dogs, chicken, cheeseburgers, popsicles, fresh fruit dipped in sugar.. Yummy I get excited just thinking about it:) Anyways..]
- Go to Disney World!
- Attend multiple county fairs.
- Do some pageants. [Maybe? Haven't decided yet.]
- Take a bunch of pictures.
- Drink a lot of Kool-aid.
- Go to San Francisco.
- Attend Beta Nationals, and hopefully win group talent.
- Ride around with all my friends who will be able to drive then.
- Shop a little bit.
- Do some thing really nice for someone. Maybe more than once.
- Paint something. [Not sure what, or why I have the sudden urge to be artsy?]
- Find a way to make some money.
- Go to baseball games.
- Swim, of course.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Blessed
Okay, so I would like to apologize for my previous post, because it mistakenly made me sound very depressed. I have learned my lesson not to blog when I'm at the peak of a very emotional day. So having said that, I am currently content and much less stressed.
Now that that is out of the way, I would like to share a story with you. Well, I'm not sure as if you would call it a story or not. Anyways, I am sharing this in hopes that it will make you appreciate life just a little bit more; it sure has made my perspective change.
My great uncle Jerry is in his sixties, and is dying of cancer. A few months ago he found out he had cancer and it was spreading quickly, and that his time left on this earth was very limited. Recently his condition worsened and he was put in the hospital in Florida, where he is originally from. Knowing that at this point it was not likely that he would live much longer, he decided to return to Kentucky where most of his family is.
Of course, the fact that he unexpectedly was diagnosed with cancer is a terrible thing in itself, but there are other details that make the situation even more tragic. Several years ago, his wife passed away. Then a couple years after that, his only son, whom was only in his forties, died of a heart attack. So for a while, Jerry was very lonely. Two of the people that he loved the most in this world were gone. But he met a wonderful lady named Pat whose spouse had died as well, and they fell in love and got married. [Aww so precious right?]
Pat lived here in Kentucky and Jerry lived in Florida, so for the past year or so that they have been married they have traveled back and forth between the two states.
But now, things are to change. Pat will soon have to deal with the death of another husband. That just kills me. I can't imagine having to go through that once, much less twice. It seems just as if when their lives were better and complete again, and then this had to happen.
I went and visited Pat and my Uncle Jerry yesterday. It was tough seeing him, because he looked completely different and you could tell he was just barely holding on to life. But as I sat by his bed and held his hand with my mom and brother standing next to me, he said something that I never ever will forget.
My mom sympathetically said, "I wish you felt better", and he simply responded with, "Well sometimes you just have to take what you're given."
It amazes me and inspires me that even though he was in an enormous amount of pain, and even though his world was quickly fading, he still did not complain once. He was grateful, despite his condition.
I thought about this a lot yesterday, and I was reminded how blessed I really truly am. I have an amazing healthy family and I am healthy myself. I take so much for granted, and I forget to thank God sometimes for the simple fact I'm still breathing. I freak out over little things that in comparison to how things could be, are nothing. God has given me so much!
"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 :)
Now that that is out of the way, I would like to share a story with you. Well, I'm not sure as if you would call it a story or not. Anyways, I am sharing this in hopes that it will make you appreciate life just a little bit more; it sure has made my perspective change.
My great uncle Jerry is in his sixties, and is dying of cancer. A few months ago he found out he had cancer and it was spreading quickly, and that his time left on this earth was very limited. Recently his condition worsened and he was put in the hospital in Florida, where he is originally from. Knowing that at this point it was not likely that he would live much longer, he decided to return to Kentucky where most of his family is.
Of course, the fact that he unexpectedly was diagnosed with cancer is a terrible thing in itself, but there are other details that make the situation even more tragic. Several years ago, his wife passed away. Then a couple years after that, his only son, whom was only in his forties, died of a heart attack. So for a while, Jerry was very lonely. Two of the people that he loved the most in this world were gone. But he met a wonderful lady named Pat whose spouse had died as well, and they fell in love and got married. [Aww so precious right?]
Pat lived here in Kentucky and Jerry lived in Florida, so for the past year or so that they have been married they have traveled back and forth between the two states.
But now, things are to change. Pat will soon have to deal with the death of another husband. That just kills me. I can't imagine having to go through that once, much less twice. It seems just as if when their lives were better and complete again, and then this had to happen.
I went and visited Pat and my Uncle Jerry yesterday. It was tough seeing him, because he looked completely different and you could tell he was just barely holding on to life. But as I sat by his bed and held his hand with my mom and brother standing next to me, he said something that I never ever will forget.
My mom sympathetically said, "I wish you felt better", and he simply responded with, "Well sometimes you just have to take what you're given."
It amazes me and inspires me that even though he was in an enormous amount of pain, and even though his world was quickly fading, he still did not complain once. He was grateful, despite his condition.
I thought about this a lot yesterday, and I was reminded how blessed I really truly am. I have an amazing healthy family and I am healthy myself. I take so much for granted, and I forget to thank God sometimes for the simple fact I'm still breathing. I freak out over little things that in comparison to how things could be, are nothing. God has given me so much!
But I really hope my Uncle Jerry lives at least a few more days so that I can go see him once again. He really is a remarkable man and will be missed by me and many others. My intentions of writing this were not to make anyone feel sorry for me, I really just hope that you will remember to praise God for the life that he has given you. Hard times will come but they will pass. And through hard times, God is by your side, helping you each step of the way.
"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." 1 Thessalonians 5:18 :)
Sunday, April 10, 2011
You probably don't want to read this.
Hello Bloggers, I haven't had a new post yet this month. There has been plenty of time to blog and much to blog about, but I just haven't been feeling it lately. Not sure why. But now that I've finally gained the urge get on here and type, I'm pretty much just going to tell you what's going through my mind. No, you probably don't really care. But I really just need to sort out my thoughts.
First of all, it seems lately God has really been speaking to me through other people, and He's telling me that I need to be sharing him with others more. And that is the one thing I struggle most with in my walk with God, is sharing my faith. I don't really know why either, it's not that I'm ashamed, afraid, or shy. I just don't really feel comfortable going up to someone I barely know or don't really know and talking to them about God. So I know why God is trying to tell me to do this, because He knows that's something I really need to work on. It bothers me that I don't share the good new about God like I should, but I just don't know how to go about changing that. I guess I'll just do my best and keep praying about it.
Another thing is the fact that I'm almost done with my second year of high school, which means I've only got two years to go. I really don't mind that my sophomore year is ending, because I'm pretty sure the only things I'll remember about it a few years from now is that it was a stressful year and that I was sick a bunch that year. I mean I'll also remember some good memories, but all in all this just hasn't been a very good school year. Next year will probably be worse as far as the stress goes, but at least I'll be able to drive. And as for my Senior year.. Well I just don't even want to think about that yet. All I know is that I better be ready to grow up, because it's just around the corner.
Kind of going more in to detail about something I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I've been sick a lot this year. I usually am a pretty well person, I have been my whole life, until the past few months. Some say I'm a hypocondriact, and maybe their right. All I know is it seems that ever since Christmas, there hasn't been a week that I felt good. Specifically in the last week my stomach and chest have been hurting. Last night it was so bad that I was crying because I was convinced I was going to die. Which sounds insane and stupid and of course I didn't die. But I've been afraid of dying for as long as I can remember so I guess that hasn't changed. I'm pretty much crazy I guess. Don't judge me. I'll probably go to the doctor this week, but they probably think that I'm crazy too. But I'm scared that something is terribly wrong, even though that's very unlikely. Why must I always think negatively?
I thought that blogging would make me feel better, but seeing my thoughts just made me feel more overwhelmed. Ha. Oh well. If you actually read this, I hope you aren't feeling anything like I am right now.
First of all, it seems lately God has really been speaking to me through other people, and He's telling me that I need to be sharing him with others more. And that is the one thing I struggle most with in my walk with God, is sharing my faith. I don't really know why either, it's not that I'm ashamed, afraid, or shy. I just don't really feel comfortable going up to someone I barely know or don't really know and talking to them about God. So I know why God is trying to tell me to do this, because He knows that's something I really need to work on. It bothers me that I don't share the good new about God like I should, but I just don't know how to go about changing that. I guess I'll just do my best and keep praying about it.
Another thing is the fact that I'm almost done with my second year of high school, which means I've only got two years to go. I really don't mind that my sophomore year is ending, because I'm pretty sure the only things I'll remember about it a few years from now is that it was a stressful year and that I was sick a bunch that year. I mean I'll also remember some good memories, but all in all this just hasn't been a very good school year. Next year will probably be worse as far as the stress goes, but at least I'll be able to drive. And as for my Senior year.. Well I just don't even want to think about that yet. All I know is that I better be ready to grow up, because it's just around the corner.
Kind of going more in to detail about something I mentioned in the previous paragraph, I've been sick a lot this year. I usually am a pretty well person, I have been my whole life, until the past few months. Some say I'm a hypocondriact, and maybe their right. All I know is it seems that ever since Christmas, there hasn't been a week that I felt good. Specifically in the last week my stomach and chest have been hurting. Last night it was so bad that I was crying because I was convinced I was going to die. Which sounds insane and stupid and of course I didn't die. But I've been afraid of dying for as long as I can remember so I guess that hasn't changed. I'm pretty much crazy I guess. Don't judge me. I'll probably go to the doctor this week, but they probably think that I'm crazy too. But I'm scared that something is terribly wrong, even though that's very unlikely. Why must I always think negatively?
I thought that blogging would make me feel better, but seeing my thoughts just made me feel more overwhelmed. Ha. Oh well. If you actually read this, I hope you aren't feeling anything like I am right now.
Monday, March 28, 2011
People: Respect them
I've said this before, but I wish I could change people. I wish I could change the world.. But I can't. So hear it goes, another rant about how I wish I could alter people's actions toward others.
Everyday no matter where I go, I am witnessing more and more people treating others with such a lack of respect that I really just want to scream out, "Um, could you be a little less rude?!" It seems to me that people just don't even care about others feelings anymore.
I know that nobody is perfect, including myself. But one thing I try really hard to do is be polite to people and show them respect. Because when people are rude to me, it just feels like a hit to the face. I don't want others to feel like that, especially people like me who take everything straight to the heart.
I also know that everyone has bad days, days when the last thing you feel like doing is going out of your way to be nice to someone. But that's not exactly what I'm asking. I just don't see how it is that difficult to use simple words such as "Please", "Thank you", "I'm sorry", and "Excuse me". Or doing simple things such as picking up something that someone dropped or not giving someone a nasty look when someone accidentally runs into you. [I know I am guilty of this.]
I'm pretty sure there is no one out there that enjoys being disrepsected, so why would you treat others in a way that you don't want to be? Why not just show a little kindness and try to make this corrupted world just a little be happier?
I'll never understand people or why they do what they do. I don't really have anything left to say except this: Respect others; It's not that hard and you will find yourself to be a much more content person.
:)
Saturday, March 26, 2011
I've had the time of my life
Tonight is our last performance, and I'm kind of sad about it. Despite all the stress and busyness of preparing for this show, the past week has been extremely fun.
I can honestly say when I'm up on stage with the lights beaming down me and 45 other amazingly talented people, I'm having the time of my life performing, dancing and singing.
Some great memories have been made and there have been some pretty hilarious moments.
I'm going to miss it a lot, but I still have 2 years left of show choir so no need to be too sad. I can't imagine what the seniors feel like though, what if tonight was my last show EVER?
Anyways, I've had a great time with Flashback to the 70s and 80s, but I'm ready to have my real life back. I am going to actually have free time on my hands now!
I like lists, so here's a list of things I'm hoping to accomplish starting tomorrow:
- Play a whole lot of golf.
- Attend several baseball games.
- Learn my end of the year piano recital piece and be able to play it perfect.
- Start doing ab workouts again.
- Catch up and hang out with my friends.
- Clean my room.
- Bring my grades up.
- Get more tan.
- Go back to reading my bible more.
- Get some new pictures developed more my room.
- Download new music.
- Finish the book I'm reading.
Well according to this I will have no trouble filling my time once show choir is over tonight.. It's a great life and I'm so blessed. That is all I have to say.
:)
Saturday, March 19, 2011
The Little Things
There are plenty of things I could write about right now. But no one needs to hear any of it nor does anyone probably want to hear about it, cause it would just be me rambling. But I am very happy. So I am going to make a list of all the little things in life that bring me joy. Just so when I'm feeling down, I can look back at this and remember I have plenty of things to smile about. And yes, a lot of these things are going to be food.. Don't judge me;)
- Jesus. [Not a small thing, but I felt as if He needed to be put first.]
- Walks on the beach, laying out on the beach, the sound of the waves crashing against the shore.
- My awesome family and friends.
- Japanese peanuts.
- Releasing my anger and sadness by playing piano.
- Big, long hugs:)
- Getting cute new clothes, shoes, and jewelry.
- That perfect weather when it's warm with a slight breeze.
- Playing golf, especially in that type of weather.
- Swedish fish.
- FCA.
- Traveling.
- Cruises!!
- Laughing so hard that I can't talk or hardly breathe.
- Smelling good.
- Candy stores.
- Taking picture with my friends.
- Getting a text or phone call that makes my day.
- Afternoon naps.
- Hot fries.
- Just laying or sitting there, thinking.
- Tiny Wings!
- MUSIC<3 [I must specifically mention Taylor Swift]
- Christmas time.
- Sledding and almost getting hurt but then not getting hurt so it's funny.. :P
- Fruit dipped in a large pile of sugar.
- Tanning.
- Summer time!
- Blue raspberry lemonade.
- Math. [Don't make fun]
- Days when my hair cooperates well.
- High School basketball games.
- Anything with cheese!
- Driving my little blue versa:)
- Roller coasters and other such thrill rides.
- Nicholas Sparks' books.
- Just Dance!
- The amazing feeling when someone plays with my hair.
- Trying food from foreign countries.
- Chrysalis:)
- Zebra print.
- My pillow pet that needs a better name.
- Getting my toenails done.
- Having days where I just feel accomplished.
- Blogging of course.
I will more than likely add to this list because there's so many things I'm sure I forgot..
- Jesus. [Not a small thing, but I felt as if He needed to be put first.]
- Walks on the beach, laying out on the beach, the sound of the waves crashing against the shore.
- My awesome family and friends.
- Japanese peanuts.
- Releasing my anger and sadness by playing piano.
- Big, long hugs:)
- Getting cute new clothes, shoes, and jewelry.
- That perfect weather when it's warm with a slight breeze.
- Playing golf, especially in that type of weather.
- Swedish fish.
- FCA.
- Traveling.
- Cruises!!
- Laughing so hard that I can't talk or hardly breathe.
- Smelling good.
- Candy stores.
- Taking picture with my friends.
- Getting a text or phone call that makes my day.
- Afternoon naps.
- Hot fries.
- Just laying or sitting there, thinking.
- Tiny Wings!
- MUSIC<3 [I must specifically mention Taylor Swift]
- Christmas time.
- Sledding and almost getting hurt but then not getting hurt so it's funny.. :P
- Fruit dipped in a large pile of sugar.
- Tanning.
- Summer time!
- Blue raspberry lemonade.
- Math. [Don't make fun]
- Days when my hair cooperates well.
- High School basketball games.
- Anything with cheese!
- Driving my little blue versa:)
- Roller coasters and other such thrill rides.
- Nicholas Sparks' books.
- Just Dance!
- The amazing feeling when someone plays with my hair.
- Trying food from foreign countries.
- Chrysalis:)
- Zebra print.
- My pillow pet that needs a better name.
- Getting my toenails done.
- Having days where I just feel accomplished.
- Blogging of course.
I will more than likely add to this list because there's so many things I'm sure I forgot..
Friday, March 11, 2011
Sacrifice
Lent. The 40 days before Easter where you're supposed to sacrifice something in order to remember the sacrifice that God gave for us, His Son. For some reason until this year, I never really thought about giving up something for lent. Honestly, until a couple years ago, I thought only Catholics partook in it. But then I learned a few Protestant denominations do it as well.
I attend a Baptist church and they do not really put an emphasis on Lent. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever even heard it mentioned at my church.
However, my personal opinion is that giving up something for Lent should not be something you're forced to do because of what kind of church you attend. It should be your own decision to sacrifice something in order to build on your relationship with the Lord.
So I have decided myself that I will do Lent in my own unique way. I'm not giving something up completely. Instead, I have chose to not listen to any music but Christian music until Easter. [With the exception of my Show Choir music which I have to listen to.]
Several people have questioned my motives on this. The point is for me to give up the music I listen to on an everyday basis that I thoroughly enjoy. No Taylor Swift. No Justin Bieber. No listening to Rise Against's new album when it comes out. I don't think that giving up food or soft drinks is going to help me remember what God did for me, but I know listening to music everyday that glorifies his name will.
So far it has been a refreshing experience and I don't mind it at all. I know this is supposed to be challenging, and I know it will be as time passes though.
In my opinion, everyone who partakes in giving up something for Lent should do something they know is going to help them. If they just complain the whole time or if they don't really care, then they are missing the whole point.
We serve an amazing God that deserves way more than we can ever give. But we can at least make a little more space in our lives for Him. Lent isn't for everyone, but I hope that those who choose to give something up will do it for the right reasons and have a meaningful experience. Happy Lent:)
I attend a Baptist church and they do not really put an emphasis on Lent. In fact, I'm not sure I've ever even heard it mentioned at my church.
However, my personal opinion is that giving up something for Lent should not be something you're forced to do because of what kind of church you attend. It should be your own decision to sacrifice something in order to build on your relationship with the Lord.
So I have decided myself that I will do Lent in my own unique way. I'm not giving something up completely. Instead, I have chose to not listen to any music but Christian music until Easter. [With the exception of my Show Choir music which I have to listen to.]
Several people have questioned my motives on this. The point is for me to give up the music I listen to on an everyday basis that I thoroughly enjoy. No Taylor Swift. No Justin Bieber. No listening to Rise Against's new album when it comes out. I don't think that giving up food or soft drinks is going to help me remember what God did for me, but I know listening to music everyday that glorifies his name will.
So far it has been a refreshing experience and I don't mind it at all. I know this is supposed to be challenging, and I know it will be as time passes though.
In my opinion, everyone who partakes in giving up something for Lent should do something they know is going to help them. If they just complain the whole time or if they don't really care, then they are missing the whole point.
We serve an amazing God that deserves way more than we can ever give. But we can at least make a little more space in our lives for Him. Lent isn't for everyone, but I hope that those who choose to give something up will do it for the right reasons and have a meaningful experience. Happy Lent:)
Monday, March 7, 2011
I can only imagine
Death. It's one of those things that almost everyone fears, because no one on this earth knows what it feels like to die. Just the concept freaks me out. Do you feel your internal organs shutting down? Are you thinking, and then all of the sudden you're not? Death seems rather mysterious if you ask me. When I was younger, one of my biggest fears was dying. Now I just kind of push the thought away, yet knowing that someday, it's going to happen.
I had never passed out before until a couple days ago. I was in my parents' bathroom, and all of the sudden my stomach and head were killing me. I began to not be able to see and I heard myself hit the floor. I got back up a few seconds later, sweating and scared out of my mind. I couldn't walk, so as I crawled around I asked, "Dad, am I going to die?"
Of course I'm fine now and very much alive. But passing out is kind of like how I imagine death. It was very frightening. However this past Sunday at church, I was reminded that death is nothing to be afraid of.
Our church choir presented different songs about heaven, and the first song they sang was "I Can Only Imagine". It had a video to accompany it, and let's just say that I was fighting the tears during the whole song. I looked for it on youtube but couldn't find it. But just listening to the song itself will make you realize that once you reach heaven after death, it will be so much better than life on earth.
It's amazing how God works. Just a couple days after I caught a glimpse of what death might be like, God used that choir performance to show me that I have much to look forward to when I die, and nothing to dread.
Now don't mistake me for saying that everyone is going to heaven and therefore should't fear death. Many are not, which saddens me greatly. You know in your heart where your destination is after your life in this world is over, and if you don't then I would love to talk to you about it. As those who are joining me in heaven, don't forget it is our job to save those who aren't.
Heaven is going to be a beautiful place and I can't wait. I hope that you too can start looking at death in a more positive way, and will see me and many others someday inside those golden gates.
:)
I had never passed out before until a couple days ago. I was in my parents' bathroom, and all of the sudden my stomach and head were killing me. I began to not be able to see and I heard myself hit the floor. I got back up a few seconds later, sweating and scared out of my mind. I couldn't walk, so as I crawled around I asked, "Dad, am I going to die?"
Of course I'm fine now and very much alive. But passing out is kind of like how I imagine death. It was very frightening. However this past Sunday at church, I was reminded that death is nothing to be afraid of.
Our church choir presented different songs about heaven, and the first song they sang was "I Can Only Imagine". It had a video to accompany it, and let's just say that I was fighting the tears during the whole song. I looked for it on youtube but couldn't find it. But just listening to the song itself will make you realize that once you reach heaven after death, it will be so much better than life on earth.
It's amazing how God works. Just a couple days after I caught a glimpse of what death might be like, God used that choir performance to show me that I have much to look forward to when I die, and nothing to dread.
Now don't mistake me for saying that everyone is going to heaven and therefore should't fear death. Many are not, which saddens me greatly. You know in your heart where your destination is after your life in this world is over, and if you don't then I would love to talk to you about it. As those who are joining me in heaven, don't forget it is our job to save those who aren't.
Heaven is going to be a beautiful place and I can't wait. I hope that you too can start looking at death in a more positive way, and will see me and many others someday inside those golden gates.
:)
Sunday, February 27, 2011
God gives me what I don't deserve
God has made me realize something today, and for you to truly understand it I'm going to create a scenario for you.
Imagine that you and one of your very best friends have recently grown apart from each other. They are too busy for you. They have better, more important things to do than hang out with you. The two of you still talk occasionally, but it's always about them, their problems, their life.
They ask you to do a big favor for them, something that will relieve them and take a lot of weight off of their shoulders. You, being the good friend you are, do the favor for them anyway even though you all aren't as close.
You do the favor and they feel a lot better. You were glad to help them out. However, they still rarely communicate with you. In fact, they don't even thank you for doing the favor. How do you feel about this? Disappointed.
I'm positive God has felt this toward me the past couple weeks. If you didn't catch along, God is the good friend in this story, and I'm the friend who asks for the favor. And does nothing in return.
During the past month or so, I have experienced mass amounts of stress. I have been crazy busy. And somewhere along the way, I started pushing God to the side. I wasn't spending time with Him, and when I prayed, it was usually begging for help. Crying out to relieve my stress. Asking for some peace in my life.
Of course God, being the awesome god He is, answered my prayer. I'm sure he wasn't happy that I was putting other things in my busy life above Him, yet He loves me so much He still gave me what I needed.
Today, after being stress free for a few days, I just realized it was God that brought me through that struggling time. I was nearly overwhelmed to the point of tears on a daily basis. Every day I would wake up in a bad mood. I didn't want to feel like that. It was too much to handle. So God pulled me out of that.
I haven't been giving God the attention and time He deserves. I haven't been thanking Him enough for everything He's done for me. Now that I've come to my senses, I'm going to change that. For real this time.
I serve an amazing God that will help me through any storm that may come up in my life. Therefore, I'm going to do my best to make Him the center of my life, and my first priority.
Thank you God, for loving me and protecting me even when I am straying away from you and don't deserve everything you give me. Thank you for pulling me aside and letting me know I need to get some things straight. Thank you for being my best friend.
<3
Imagine that you and one of your very best friends have recently grown apart from each other. They are too busy for you. They have better, more important things to do than hang out with you. The two of you still talk occasionally, but it's always about them, their problems, their life.
They ask you to do a big favor for them, something that will relieve them and take a lot of weight off of their shoulders. You, being the good friend you are, do the favor for them anyway even though you all aren't as close.
You do the favor and they feel a lot better. You were glad to help them out. However, they still rarely communicate with you. In fact, they don't even thank you for doing the favor. How do you feel about this? Disappointed.
I'm positive God has felt this toward me the past couple weeks. If you didn't catch along, God is the good friend in this story, and I'm the friend who asks for the favor. And does nothing in return.
During the past month or so, I have experienced mass amounts of stress. I have been crazy busy. And somewhere along the way, I started pushing God to the side. I wasn't spending time with Him, and when I prayed, it was usually begging for help. Crying out to relieve my stress. Asking for some peace in my life.
Of course God, being the awesome god He is, answered my prayer. I'm sure he wasn't happy that I was putting other things in my busy life above Him, yet He loves me so much He still gave me what I needed.
Today, after being stress free for a few days, I just realized it was God that brought me through that struggling time. I was nearly overwhelmed to the point of tears on a daily basis. Every day I would wake up in a bad mood. I didn't want to feel like that. It was too much to handle. So God pulled me out of that.
I haven't been giving God the attention and time He deserves. I haven't been thanking Him enough for everything He's done for me. Now that I've come to my senses, I'm going to change that. For real this time.
I serve an amazing God that will help me through any storm that may come up in my life. Therefore, I'm going to do my best to make Him the center of my life, and my first priority.
Thank you God, for loving me and protecting me even when I am straying away from you and don't deserve everything you give me. Thank you for pulling me aside and letting me know I need to get some things straight. Thank you for being my best friend.
<3
Friday, February 25, 2011
Day by day
Turning 16 isn't as great as people make it out to be, but it definitely has been one of my favorite birthdays.
I got a lovely car, [well I got it a couple weeks before but it was still a huge gift!] and now I can drive it because somehow I actually passed my permit test! And I love driving, just saying:)
Several of my friends surprised with some neat stuff including breakfast, giant cards, brownies, cupcakes, etc.
Our boys basketball team had a big game that night and won, a great ending to a great birthday.
But now it's all over, and I'm trying to figure out what I have to look forward to. Spring break? Summer? Vacations? Getting my license? Golf season?
And.. What is coming up that I'm dreading?
Honestly though, I should probably look at it this way. Each day is special. I can make it anything I want it to be. Just because it's not a holiday or something exciting isn't going on that day, doesn't mean it can't be a super awesome day!
Besides, if I keep anticipating what will happen in the future, I may miss what could be some of the best days of my life.
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself." Matthew 6:34
Each day is a gift. Embrace it first, and worry about tomorrow when it arrives.
:)
Friday, February 18, 2011
Never Say Never
Conformity. It's something many of us are afraid of. We don't desire to be like everyone else. We strive to be different. Unique. Original. We wish to stand out, and not to be just another person in the crowd.
As you read the title of this post, you may have inferred what I'm going to write about. Or, maybe not. But if you did, you might just be one of the many who obsesses over Justin Bieber, a person I swore I'd never be.
"All girls are in love with him; I'm not gonna be like every other girl." Those were my thoughts.
But I began to listen to his music, and I just returned home from watching his movie.. And look where we are now. I'm a belieber.
Am I going to scream and cry over Justin Bieber? Heck to the no. But do I think he is beautiful and has an amazing voice? Most definitely. He worked really hard to get where he is today, and I think he truly appreciates the support he gets from his friends, fans, family, and crew. His story is inspiring; I feel that it has shown many people that dreams really can come true, if you put lots of effort toward your goal.
Whether you like him or not, at least respect him and what he does. You never know, that could be you one day. Never Say Never.
:)
As you read the title of this post, you may have inferred what I'm going to write about. Or, maybe not. But if you did, you might just be one of the many who obsesses over Justin Bieber, a person I swore I'd never be.
"All girls are in love with him; I'm not gonna be like every other girl." Those were my thoughts.
But I began to listen to his music, and I just returned home from watching his movie.. And look where we are now. I'm a belieber.
Am I going to scream and cry over Justin Bieber? Heck to the no. But do I think he is beautiful and has an amazing voice? Most definitely. He worked really hard to get where he is today, and I think he truly appreciates the support he gets from his friends, fans, family, and crew. His story is inspiring; I feel that it has shown many people that dreams really can come true, if you put lots of effort toward your goal.
Whether you like him or not, at least respect him and what he does. You never know, that could be you one day. Never Say Never.
:)
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
What my life has come to
Dear Teachers,
I have a life.
I do not wish to spend it doing your pointless projects, homework assignments, and essays.
Dear fellow students,
I have a life.
I do not wish to spend it corrupted by your foul actions and language.
Dear friends,
I have a life.
I do not wish to spend it worrying that I may not be able to trust you.
Dear God,
I have a life.
Please, take control of it, I can't handle it on my own.
I don't want it to be consumed by other things.
I need you.
I have a life.
I do not wish to spend it doing your pointless projects, homework assignments, and essays.
Dear fellow students,
I have a life.
I do not wish to spend it corrupted by your foul actions and language.
Dear friends,
I have a life.
I do not wish to spend it worrying that I may not be able to trust you.
Dear God,
I have a life.
Please, take control of it, I can't handle it on my own.
I don't want it to be consumed by other things.
I need you.
Friday, February 11, 2011
Count your blessings
It's late. And this is going to be really short. But I wanted to blog while I am in this super good mood.
I just want to share how God has blessed me here lately. It seems as if I have been very overwhelmed and maybe just a little drepressed about life. But just when I really could use something to lift my spirits, God shows me His great love and allows me to forget about all my worries. And from this point forward, I am choosing to give those over to Him completely for I know he will take care of it. He has put so many amazing people in my life and I am so blessed, so how could I complain?
I just want to remind everyone to cherish those moments where you are so happy you can't describe it, and don't take them for granted. They are precious gifts from God, and you will often find them when you need them the most.
:)
I just want to share how God has blessed me here lately. It seems as if I have been very overwhelmed and maybe just a little drepressed about life. But just when I really could use something to lift my spirits, God shows me His great love and allows me to forget about all my worries. And from this point forward, I am choosing to give those over to Him completely for I know he will take care of it. He has put so many amazing people in my life and I am so blessed, so how could I complain?
I just want to remind everyone to cherish those moments where you are so happy you can't describe it, and don't take them for granted. They are precious gifts from God, and you will often find them when you need them the most.
:)
Thursday, February 10, 2011
People: Accept them. Tolerate them.
' There are two things I feel like a lot of people lack, including myself sometimes. Acceptance and Tolerance.
Imagine that you're walking down the halls at school, and think about all the people that pass by. How often do you see someone, and the first thought that goes through your head is one of the following: "She's such a slut", "I hate him","That girl is so weird", "He's a jerk".
Everyone does this. And usually you can't control your thoughts. But the thing I don't understand is why people have to be so judgemental and hateful. I don't understand why people can't accept people for who they are, or at least tolerate the people they don't particularly like.
Neither one of these is that hard. Tolerance can be as simple as turning the other way when you see someone that you don't get along with, instead of staring them down and giving them a nasty look. Acceptance can be as simple as showing the new kid where their next class is, even if they seem quite different from you.
I know this sounds cliche and corny, but everyone is beautiful and special in their own unquie way. God made everyone exactly as he planned for them to be. Plus, in the bible it says God created man in the image of Himself. Therefore if you are critizing how another man [or woman] looks or acts, you are critizing God.
Of course, people don't always act as God wants them to, but that would be a whole different blog topic. All I'm trying to say is we should try to accept people despite their flaws, because we all have many and we don't want ot,hers to judge us because of our flaws.
Making fun of people and putting them down because they have a quality about them that you don't like isn't going to make them change. The only thing it's going to do is hurt their feelings and make them hate you. Which brings me to my next point.
I'm not trying to say you have to like everyone and be friends with everyone. That is nearly impossible for most people. But you can at least tolerate people. When you come in contact with someone you can't stand, you don't necessarily have to start going off on them and treating them like garbage. All you have to do is put your hatred aside for a few moments until they are gone.
I have friends that practically hate each other and they show it by treating each other wrongly and it kills me inside. Why can't they just just get along, or at least be semi nice to each other?
I can't solve the world's problems or change the people of this world. But I can ask who ever is reading this to accept and tolerate people that are different from you. Show a little love, and maybe we can slowly turn this world into a better place.. <3
Friday, February 4, 2011
I'll be by your side..
Well, life has thrown a lot of crazy stuff at me lately. "Stressed", "overwhelmed" and "busy" have become very common words in my vocabulary. In fact, I've had so much to do lately, the only time I've found to blog has been right now, in English class at school. I'm supposed to be researching.. Ha yea right. Researching will just be another thing I add to my list of things I've procrastinated on that I will do later.
I have realized I pretty much set myself up for half of the things I'm stressed about. I really need to get my priorities straight. I keep digging myself in a deeper hole and eventually, it's going to get so deep it will take great measures to pull me out. So many problems, weakness, and decisions are taking over my thoughts and I'm not able to focus on the important things. I wish my life wasn't like this, but what's there to do about it?
Luckily, today the biggest decision I've had to make has been whether to have a taco or pizza for lunch. But that's only because I'm putting other more difficult decisions off until later. There's that procrastination again.
I want to get away, I want to move, or take a vacation or something to make me feel carefree. The only time I've have experienced this lately, has been when I'm in the presence of God and worshiping him. Whether it has been Chyrsalis or at FCA, God seems to take me over and I feel surrounded by his love. This is one of the best feelings I have come to know. I don't have to worry about anything because God is there. But the truth is, everywhere I'm at, God is with me. I don't have to be at church to feel the presence of God because His spirit is living inside of me.
I guess what I'm trying to figure out is why I can't get that same feeling of comfort and love when I'm at home, school, or anywhere else that I'm not directly in "God's house". I want to feel like that all the time, and I should. I know I can trust God and he will be by my side every step of the way, no matter where I'm going, no matter what I'm doing, no matter what difficulties I'm having.
I understand this, but I can't seem to apply it to real life. But I'm at least going to try, because I'm in desperate need of some help. I can't do this alone. I've got to let go, and let God.
<3
I have realized I pretty much set myself up for half of the things I'm stressed about. I really need to get my priorities straight. I keep digging myself in a deeper hole and eventually, it's going to get so deep it will take great measures to pull me out. So many problems, weakness, and decisions are taking over my thoughts and I'm not able to focus on the important things. I wish my life wasn't like this, but what's there to do about it?
Luckily, today the biggest decision I've had to make has been whether to have a taco or pizza for lunch. But that's only because I'm putting other more difficult decisions off until later. There's that procrastination again.
I want to get away, I want to move, or take a vacation or something to make me feel carefree. The only time I've have experienced this lately, has been when I'm in the presence of God and worshiping him. Whether it has been Chyrsalis or at FCA, God seems to take me over and I feel surrounded by his love. This is one of the best feelings I have come to know. I don't have to worry about anything because God is there. But the truth is, everywhere I'm at, God is with me. I don't have to be at church to feel the presence of God because His spirit is living inside of me.
I guess what I'm trying to figure out is why I can't get that same feeling of comfort and love when I'm at home, school, or anywhere else that I'm not directly in "God's house". I want to feel like that all the time, and I should. I know I can trust God and he will be by my side every step of the way, no matter where I'm going, no matter what I'm doing, no matter what difficulties I'm having.
I understand this, but I can't seem to apply it to real life. But I'm at least going to try, because I'm in desperate need of some help. I can't do this alone. I've got to let go, and let God.
<3
Monday, January 24, 2011
We were meant to live for so much more
Have we lost ourselves?
The world we live in today upsets me greatly.
God gave each of us life, one that is meant to be lived in a positive way.. And most people just throw that away for something meaningless.
I know that no one is perfect, especially not me.
But why can't people just see how much better their lives could be if they just changed the direction that they are heading?
Why must the majority of today's population be heading down a path that eventually is only lead going to lead them to regret?
I wish people could understand what they are doing to themselves, but most never will.
The choices people make these days are just ignorant.
They way people treat others.. The ones that mean a lot to them, and the ones the despise.. Is hateful and rude.
The mistakes people are making are ones they have made a dozen times before and refuse to learn from them.
The way people act is unpleasing and unjust.
And then, people make excuses, that are honestly just a bunch of BS. [Bologna Sandwich ;) ]
Sure, life throws at us all kinds of problems and situations that we don't want to go through.. But it is our decision how we handle those.
I just wish people could realize that life isn't as hard as we make it out to be, we are the ones who complicate it.
We are the ones that have turned the world into the corrupt place it is today.
We are the ones that can make a change.
The only issue is.. Most people aren't willing to do that.
If I had one wish I would make this world a better place and change almost everything about it.
But only thing I can do is change myself and maybe the small community around me, and probably not even that.
We've all gotta start somewhere though.
The world we live in today upsets me greatly.
God gave each of us life, one that is meant to be lived in a positive way.. And most people just throw that away for something meaningless.
I know that no one is perfect, especially not me.
But why can't people just see how much better their lives could be if they just changed the direction that they are heading?
Why must the majority of today's population be heading down a path that eventually is only lead going to lead them to regret?
I wish people could understand what they are doing to themselves, but most never will.
The choices people make these days are just ignorant.
They way people treat others.. The ones that mean a lot to them, and the ones the despise.. Is hateful and rude.
The mistakes people are making are ones they have made a dozen times before and refuse to learn from them.
The way people act is unpleasing and unjust.
And then, people make excuses, that are honestly just a bunch of BS. [Bologna Sandwich ;) ]
Sure, life throws at us all kinds of problems and situations that we don't want to go through.. But it is our decision how we handle those.
I just wish people could realize that life isn't as hard as we make it out to be, we are the ones who complicate it.
We are the ones that have turned the world into the corrupt place it is today.
We are the ones that can make a change.
The only issue is.. Most people aren't willing to do that.
If I had one wish I would make this world a better place and change almost everything about it.
But only thing I can do is change myself and maybe the small community around me, and probably not even that.
We've all gotta start somewhere though.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Fly with Christ
Well, she doesn't realize it, but, I have been inspired by my friend El to try out some photography and add a little color to my blog. My pictures aren't the best but it was still fun taking them.
Anyways, as I last posted about the experience I was to have last weekend, I promised a follow up blog. Not sure if anyone cares, but here it goes.
Last weekend was amazing. I learned many things:
- God's love is a beautiful thing and is greatly shown through the people who care about you.
- I am blessed beyond what I could ever deserve.
- I have every reason to be content, worry-free and confident.
- There are awesome people in my school that I have never even talked to before.
- If you eat 5 times more in a day than you normally do, you might feel sick and bloated. [Ha]
- It's impossible for me to sleep when I'm cold.
- I would love to be able to play guitar. [And I'm going to one of these days
However I do view life in a different and brighter way after that weekend, I feel as if I'm doing a poor job of showing it. There are things I wanted to change that I haven't yet. It's not too late of course.
But I have so many bad qualities about me that I feel are keeping me from pursuing what the Lord truly wants from me, and I'm not sure how exactly to get rid of those.
Life is complicated, I've figured out that much by now. But until I figured the rest out, I'm going to try my hardest to fly with Christ, and maybe eventually those aspects of my character that are holding me back will fade away.
Friday, January 14, 2011
Experience
15 years, 10 months, 3 weeks, and 1 day of my life has passed by.
Over the course of this time, I guess I could say I've had many different experiences.
A lot of them have been good experiences, such as visiting 13 of the United States for vacations, late nights with my wonderful friends, holidays with my amazing family, and hot summers filled with something new everyday.
I've had my share of bad experiences too.. Ones that I'd rather not mention and ones that I wish I could forget completely.
But this weekend, I'm about to experience something that apparently is going to be amazing and life changing.
I'm really excited, I've been looking forward to this and praying about it for almost a month. But I'm also kind of scared because I'm not sure what to expect. I don't know any details about it because what goes on is supposed to be kept a secret. That's part of the experience.
So.. Maybe the greatest experiences in life are the ones that are kind of surprising.. I guess I'll find out! I can't wait to see how God works.. I'm sure to have a follow up post after this experience!
God Bless you all :)
Over the course of this time, I guess I could say I've had many different experiences.
A lot of them have been good experiences, such as visiting 13 of the United States for vacations, late nights with my wonderful friends, holidays with my amazing family, and hot summers filled with something new everyday.
I've had my share of bad experiences too.. Ones that I'd rather not mention and ones that I wish I could forget completely.
But this weekend, I'm about to experience something that apparently is going to be amazing and life changing.
I'm really excited, I've been looking forward to this and praying about it for almost a month. But I'm also kind of scared because I'm not sure what to expect. I don't know any details about it because what goes on is supposed to be kept a secret. That's part of the experience.
So.. Maybe the greatest experiences in life are the ones that are kind of surprising.. I guess I'll find out! I can't wait to see how God works.. I'm sure to have a follow up post after this experience!
God Bless you all :)
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Here's to a new year..
2010 is gone. 2011 is here. Honestly, the change from one year to the next doesn't have much significance to me. But then I started thinking.. It's a new decade. Never again will I write two zeroes in a row to identify the date. Someday when I have kids [hopefully] I will torture them by making them listen to a radio station called "the early 2000s".
With new beginning often comes a sense of fear. To be honest, until today I was kind of afraid of what this year might possibly bring. However our sermon at church this morning opened my eyes to how I should really feel about 2011.
The funny thing is, our preacher used the chapter in the bible where my favorite verse comes from [Proverbs 3:5-6] and he gave us a list of 11 resolutions we should make this year according to that passage. And honestly, out of the 35 verses in that particular chapter, I had only read about 6 of them. Little did I know, that entire chapter is very important. Of course the whole bible is very important, but everyone has those books and chapters that really help them out.
As much as I would like for everyone to know exactly what my preacher said this morning, I'm not going to type a whole sermon on here. Nor will I write all 11 resolutions that he shared. But I encourage you to read Proverbs 3 and see what you can get out of it to better yourself this year.
As for me, there are two particular resolutions mentioned that I am going to focus on this year.
1. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." [Proverbs 3:5] This is part of my all time favorite verse, but often I forget that God can take care of any problems that I encounter. I know from experience that if you put a situation in the hands of God and pray about it, He will take care of it. So everytime I have difficult situation this year, I'm going to stop trying to control my own life by fixing my things myself and let God do his job as my creator.
2. "Have no fear." [Proverbs 3:24-26] Like I said earlier, I was slightly afraid of the events that could occur this year. But then I realized that with God by my side all the time, I should have nothing to fear. He will be with me through the best and worse times that may come in 2011.
And if I really trust God with everything I have, why would I have anything to be afraid of!
It's only been two days and I can already tell God is going to do great things in my life in 2011 and for the rest of my life, how ever long that may be. So here's to a new year, and to an amazing God that has allowed us to make it this far.
:)
With new beginning often comes a sense of fear. To be honest, until today I was kind of afraid of what this year might possibly bring. However our sermon at church this morning opened my eyes to how I should really feel about 2011.
The funny thing is, our preacher used the chapter in the bible where my favorite verse comes from [Proverbs 3:5-6] and he gave us a list of 11 resolutions we should make this year according to that passage. And honestly, out of the 35 verses in that particular chapter, I had only read about 6 of them. Little did I know, that entire chapter is very important. Of course the whole bible is very important, but everyone has those books and chapters that really help them out.
As much as I would like for everyone to know exactly what my preacher said this morning, I'm not going to type a whole sermon on here. Nor will I write all 11 resolutions that he shared. But I encourage you to read Proverbs 3 and see what you can get out of it to better yourself this year.
As for me, there are two particular resolutions mentioned that I am going to focus on this year.
1. "Trust in the Lord with all your heart." [Proverbs 3:5] This is part of my all time favorite verse, but often I forget that God can take care of any problems that I encounter. I know from experience that if you put a situation in the hands of God and pray about it, He will take care of it. So everytime I have difficult situation this year, I'm going to stop trying to control my own life by fixing my things myself and let God do his job as my creator.
2. "Have no fear." [Proverbs 3:24-26] Like I said earlier, I was slightly afraid of the events that could occur this year. But then I realized that with God by my side all the time, I should have nothing to fear. He will be with me through the best and worse times that may come in 2011.
And if I really trust God with everything I have, why would I have anything to be afraid of!
It's only been two days and I can already tell God is going to do great things in my life in 2011 and for the rest of my life, how ever long that may be. So here's to a new year, and to an amazing God that has allowed us to make it this far.
:)
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