The words I needed to hear

This year is my first year of university. If I look at how coming here has affected my faith, it is interesting. There are both "ups" and "downs" of going away for school. Although, I would have to say that I haven't really felt close to God when I have been here. That is, until recently. I feel like I have been shifting. My heart is being challenged. Many things have sparked the challenge. Even though I have heard many things before, for some reason they feel different this time. Maybe because I feel like they apply more to me now than before. Either way, they were the words that I needed to hear.

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working 
for the Lord rather than for people- Colossians 3:23 

A few weeks ago the Pastor of the Church I attend did a series on Jesus in the Office. He spoke about how we are to work like we are working for the Lord. Currently I do not work at a job anywhere, but I can still relate this to my life. Within my program at school I work on many group projects. Within my work at studio I can take this to heart and act on it. No matter how many headaches the project may be giving me, I need to make sure I am giving it 100%. Not taking shortcuts or the "easy way out". The way that I work should show Jesus through my actions. He should shine through everything that I do, including the work that I do at school. 


In my heart and my soul
I give You control
Consume me from the inside out Lord
Let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love You from the inside out

These words are part of Joel Houston's song called, From the Inside Out. Yesterday in church we sang this song. It is the first time that I have heard these words for a long time. This time when I heard and sang them they meant so much more to me than they have before. They hold so much more meaning. This time singing them I really felt like that is what I wanted to say to God. I wasn't singing the song just because I was in church, but I really want to have God inside and out, and have him shine through my life for others to see his amazing love.


"Blessings on you this week in all your interactions and the lives you touch"

I received these words, along with some verses from the bible, in snail mail a couple days ago from a very wise friend of mine. Even though I had not told her about certain things that were on my mind and heart she couldn't have wrote more perfect words for me to read at that moment. It caught me and made me think about the previous week, let alone the previous 24 hours. What had others thought about the course of my actions? Did they see Jesus through what I said or did? What impact was I giving?  How can I show more of the Love of Jesus through my daily work at school?


It is amazing how God loves us so unconditionally, and He knows everything about us. He gets our attention in many different ways and at the perfect time. Had all this happened the week prior, I don't think I would have been in the same spot. My heart was being challenged but I did not know where it was taking me and God knew, even though I did not. I knew that I was struggling and didn't know much beyond that, but as the week went on God gave me the words I needed to hear.

The plans I have for you...

Life changes, it doesn’t always stay the same, with the same circumstances. I personally have been realizing that times and areas of life come and then pass fairly fast. Example, I am in grade 12 with less than 2 months till the last exams of my high school career. That is freeing and scares me all in one. I can’t wait to move on to bigger and better things, but at the same time there is the knowledge of the unknown that is ahead of me. This idea of the unknown is probably one of the most frightening things that I will ever encounter. I don’t take it very well. If you have been talking to me recently you might know that I have had a couple bad days, I break down to the point that I can’t focus on anything that I am doing, and all I want is to go home and cuddle into my bed for the next morning to start everything fresh. Mostly this is because of amounts of stress that I pile on myself when waiting upon hearing from schools. I could be going in one of few directions, and right now not actually knowing which one. But then to stop and think about it for a few minutes I need to realize a couple things.

1.      God loves me

2.      God will not leave me nor forsake me

3.      God has it all under control

These are things that I might know, and believe, but I haven’t taken the time in my busy life to think about and to remember. Remember. That is a strong word. I can know how to take derivatives in calculus when I am studying, but then going to the midterm remembering that is vital. I also need to remember these things, that God has a plan for me and isn’t going to leave me. Remembering is important, and goes hand in hand with knowing and believing.

At the beginning of this year at youth we were talking about what Ezekiel 36:26-28 means, and then we talked about turning 180, the old into new. We also said that to be truly happy we need to lead our heart to God. Personally, I want to be able to trust in God completely and be able to know, believe and remember that God had it all under control. I know that if I am to be truly happy then it means that God is a part of my life and that I can trust in him.

So, bringing this all together… trusting in God is something that is important and something that makes life more bearable. I know that the days that I remember and know that God is looking out for me are better days. For example I woke up one morning and listened to worship songs all morning as I was getting ready for school that day was great, and the little things in life were suddenly the things that made me smile all day long. But there are days that I lose track of that, and they are harder for me mentally, emotionally and physically. So I want to end on this verse.

“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 you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you” declares the Lord.  - Jeremiah 29:11-14

Chocolate cake

There has been a lot on my heart about what it means and what it looks like to live fully in God and to let it show that I have been changed by God. I know that there are things that are different about me and that my values have changed, among other things. But then I think about other aspects of my life and how I show my love for Christ. I once listened to a speaker, Swayze Waters, who was talking about showing evidence in your life that you have been changed by God.. He referred to Mark 8:34 which says,...

 "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me for whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the Gospel will save it. "

He talked about two points,

1. Throwing up your hands and Telling God that you want him to take control of your life

2. Dedication and willingness to follow Him and live for Him 

To me, living for God means loving others, loving yourself and showing that God's love is amazing and whole. But if we as Christians aren’t showing others and living out what we believe then how are others to know what is so amazing.

Let's look at this another way... If you had never tried chocolate cake how would you know that it is good? Well you would have to try it right? But how would you know to try it if someone didn't tell you that you should because it is amazing. If you aren't told then how will you know that chocolate cake is so amazing? Or what is your favour activity to do? Think about it, what if the person beside you had never done it or know what it is like. Would you explain it to them and tell them it is great and they should do it too, or let them miss out on an incredible experience?

Here is something… have you ever ran into the ocean on January 1^st? No? Didn’t think so. What is your first reaction to doing that? Freezing cold maybe? Crazy? Well I think that it is amazing and so much fun and it gets your heart pumping and it is just such a great adventure! I have done this, I know what it is like and that I enjoyed it so much that I would tell others that they should as well because it was so great.

 

So the same applies to being a Christian and knowing the love of God,… if people don’t know that God is so loving and true, and when God is present that amazing miracles in your life can come true, and amazing things happen around you then they aren’t going to see why they should or what the reason is that to be Christian. They aren’t going to know that God will protect them and love them, never forsake them or leave them. But you are the one that knows that, you know what God is capable of and how radiant He is. So you are there to show them what they are missing out on.

 

So I challenge you to now think about what evidence you have in your life that shows others that you are totally in love with God. How would they know the love of God by looking at what you do or spending time with you. If you live for God and want to live for him then you realize how incredible He is, and so why not share it with those around you?

I can do all things through Christ

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Pilipians 4:13

There are things in our lives that we know we are good at, we always have been, and people have told you that. There are things that we might try and improve in, like your grades, how well you draw, your singing, your memorization, your drama skills, the list can go on and on. I have so much in my life that I focus on and try to improve in or excel in. Even writing this devotional, I wanted to write a good one, and I wanted it to mean something. But I found I had troubles with this one, I wrote one thing and then focused on it, and then decided no, that really wasn’t working, and tried to fix it. Then I stopped and thought about it. Why is it so hard to write this one? Then I thought about my recent conversation with a great friend earlier that day. She had talked about how it doesn’t matter about what the person beside you is going to come up with. They might have something that is so beautiful, so creative, and amazing. But yours doesn’t have to be huge and elaborate. You just have to remember that whatever you do, to let God show through it. So let Him be the light that is coming from your art, or your grades, singing, and so on. Then I thought about this even more, this devotional is for Him, and his glory, not to show that I know my stuff and to sit me on a pedestal, but instead it is about HIM. Then I thought about other aspects of my life, like my portfolio of University. There is a lot of work that is needed to be done for that, and there are things that just aren’t working the best, and so then when I think of the verse in Philippians 4” I can do everything through him who gives me strength” I realize that I just need to listen to Him and see what His plans are for my portfolio.  I see how I am trying to lift up myself and show how talented I am as a person. But maybe if I can change gears a bit and through my work show how amazing God is. He is the ultimate one who can I am trying to delight in and what to show to others, so God and his Grace is what I want to show through my portfolio, and how act, and who I am.

So I am going to end on a question.. what is it in your life that you do to Glorify Him?

This time of year

 

It is has come again, this is the time of year full of family, friends, carols, snow, presents, food, and the new year right around the corner. There is so much around us and so much going on that we can get lost in the hustle of everything. I myself find that this time of year is very busy, not only with the family gatherings, outings with friends, and planning around schedules, but also with the sense of another year, and the feeling of time slipping flying by and not seeing how fast life is moving around myself. So I am taking this time to look at the things around me and see that I am so thankful for them. I am grateful for the people that I have to spend my time with. This time of year is also one of which I find so beautiful and amazing, the trees topped with snow, the crunch of snow from your shoes, the amazing way water can form beautiful icicles.

 I look around and see that life is beautiful and amazing, and it is precious. So stop with me for a second from the planning and hustle and look around yourself, look at what you find pretty, or beautiful, and thank God that He has placed that in your life to give you the reminders that He cares about you, and loves you. He has given us so many amazing, precious, gifts to see, enjoy and glorify.

Just the right words...

 

There are so many times that I am in search of just the right words. It doesn't matter what it is for, whether I am explaining something to someone at work, or I am writing an essay, or my blog, or even if I am just looking for an answer to reply or to receive. The right words can sometimes just flow so easily together, but then other times they feel a million miles away.

Just recently I was taking a break, and talking with friends. Then a friend and I were talking about how life is so busy, and how there is so much stress on midterms that were coming up in the next couple of days. Then out of the blue (at least that is how I felt it to be), my friend told me this....

 "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about

 itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

And instantly I recognised it, knowing that it was from the book of Matthew in the Bible.

 I love that verse, and to be honest I had not thought of it in a long time. My friend

had remembered me mentioning it from the previous year and how I liked it and how

 I felt about it, so she reminded me of it. I didn't know at the point in time, but that was

exactly what I needed to hear. Those words were ...

just the right words.

She had given me a gift out of the blue, and it was perfect timing, and it meant so much, even if she did or did not realize it at the moment.

Sometimes we search and search because we think we have to find the right words, or the answers, but really it may be so much closer than we think. We might be the one who contains the answers (or the right words) for someone else, and we might not even know it. But God does know it. He knows the answers,and the right words. We just have to think of him, and remember that he has the control and he loves us... so that we won't worry about finding the right words, or worrying about what tomorrow will bring, because he will come through for us. He is always there.

Realizing Fear

 

I know what fear is. I learned about it as a child growing up, it is a feeling you get when you are scared. It happens almost involuntarily. But I have recently learned more about fear,...

I now know that it (fear) has the ability to hold onto someone and it can be a distinctive game changer in someones life, with or without them realizing it. It is sometimes unrealized and we look right past it. Fear, is what makes us miss out on opportunities that life presents to us.

In my life there has always been a reoccurring feeling of fear. Not just the idea of  "this is spooky, I'm scared" kind of feeling, but the part of fear that comes with the trying of new things, and getting out of your comfort zone. The feeling that holds you back from doing what you want to do.

Just recently I have realised fear is present more often than I think. I was at a youth retreat and the speaker was talking about how we miss out on so many opportunities. He linked it all back to the story of Peter taking his eyes off Jesus while he was walking on water. He said that Peter may have been wrong to stop focusing on Jesus, but at least Peter took the first step. Peter got to experience something that the rest of the disciples in the boat did not get to, because they stayed in the boat.

So naturally I started thinking about this, and how it is with my life. When have I stayed in the boat? When have I missed out on opportunities because I was held back by fear? Well, the answer is, many times, more than I have realized, or can think of.

So I can stay thinking about all that I might have missed out already, but instead I am going to look forward. When I feel/sense that feeling that I am going to just sit back, or that I do not really want to do something, I ask myself, what am I possibly going to miss out on? Do I really want to miss an opportunity that life is handing me? Am I going to stay in the boat, or this time get out?