Yep...here we go!
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
{Well Hey There, Finals!}
So this week starts all of my dance finals, and next week I have all of my academic finals. This semester has been a tough one, but eleven more days and I'll have defeated it! Here's how I'm feeling right about now though...
Friday, November 9, 2012
{Tis the Season of Thanksgiving}
Looking around, I see Christmas trees up in the Student Center, Christmas items for sale at retail stores all around, and even people already listening to Christmas music. However, I think people so often forget about the holiday that comes merely a month before Christmas-- Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for, and yet, people zoom ahead to Christmas where all the want is the stuff. So I'm going to take each day in November, until Thanksgiving, and reflect upon something I'm thankful for. Since it's already the 9th, I'll do 9 things today and catch up on the days I miss along the way.
Day #1: Thankful for life. John 10:10 says that Jesus came to give us abundant life. Through the salvation of Christ I have life and I have joy.
Day #2: Thankful for my family. I'm at the point in the semester that i really miss them. I haven't seen any of my family since August. Next weekend, my parents and my sister are coming to Mississippi to come see my dance concert and then three-ish days later I get to go home for the week of Thanksgiving and spend time with them.
Day #3: Thankful for Andrew. He's such a sweet boyfriend. He's been such a blessing for these last 14 months we've been dating. God uses him every single day to teach me more about love, and myself, and Christ. I look forward to the months and years to come with him.
Day # 4: Thankful for strength. But not my own strength, my own strength is nothing, it's weakness. God's strength is the strength I'm so thankful for, because it's what gets me through the day, and it's what will get me through the week. I'm thankful that I don't have to rely on my own puny strength, because that would surely lead to failure.
Day #5: Thankful for coffee. These concert weeks are ridiculously hectic and my body is struggling from exhaustion. Coffee is what wakes me up in the morning and keeps me (barely) awake through the afternoon. It's also what provides for some good conversation between me and my roommate late at night :)
Day #6: Thankful for my friends. The people here at school that God has blessed me with are just simply incredible. I have a fantastic RA that is always there for me to talk to, or to llama face, or to fall asleep on her lap. My roommate is wonderful, and it's been such a blessing to have her this year. My other friends too, are just simply wonderful and so encouraging all the time...and they also have really cute clothes to steal :)
Day #7: Thankful for the dance department. The Belhaven dance department is wonderful. Not only in their dance training, although that is great too, but in the people and the way they operate. I'm also thankful for the two casts that I've been able to be a part of this semester. Mitchell's cast is so much like a family, and I've loved getting to know so many people on new levels. Getting to work so hard through that piece has been a challenge, but an exciting one and the people have been so encouraging and supportive to one another throughout the entire process, I wouldn't want to be out on stage with anyone else doing that piece. Also, the beautiful Serenade girls. This piece has had so many difficulties to get to this point, but they've helped each of us grow and find out that we are each individually beautiful, women of God, and that together we can create beauty.
Day #8: Thankful for sleep. I have really learned to appreciate sleeping this semester. I have 8am classes everyday, so Saturdays are literally the best thing ever. I'm thankful for rest and the times that I don't have enough are the times that make me appreciate it even more when I do get it.
Day #9: Today, I am thankful for the ability to dance. Tonight is the opening night of my school's fall dance concert, and I'm so thankful for the pieces I'm in this semester and the affects they have had on me and my growth as a dancer, as a person, and as a child of God.
Day #1: Thankful for life. John 10:10 says that Jesus came to give us abundant life. Through the salvation of Christ I have life and I have joy.
Day #2: Thankful for my family. I'm at the point in the semester that i really miss them. I haven't seen any of my family since August. Next weekend, my parents and my sister are coming to Mississippi to come see my dance concert and then three-ish days later I get to go home for the week of Thanksgiving and spend time with them.
Day #3: Thankful for Andrew. He's such a sweet boyfriend. He's been such a blessing for these last 14 months we've been dating. God uses him every single day to teach me more about love, and myself, and Christ. I look forward to the months and years to come with him.
Day # 4: Thankful for strength. But not my own strength, my own strength is nothing, it's weakness. God's strength is the strength I'm so thankful for, because it's what gets me through the day, and it's what will get me through the week. I'm thankful that I don't have to rely on my own puny strength, because that would surely lead to failure.
Day #5: Thankful for coffee. These concert weeks are ridiculously hectic and my body is struggling from exhaustion. Coffee is what wakes me up in the morning and keeps me (barely) awake through the afternoon. It's also what provides for some good conversation between me and my roommate late at night :)
Day #6: Thankful for my friends. The people here at school that God has blessed me with are just simply incredible. I have a fantastic RA that is always there for me to talk to, or to llama face, or to fall asleep on her lap. My roommate is wonderful, and it's been such a blessing to have her this year. My other friends too, are just simply wonderful and so encouraging all the time...and they also have really cute clothes to steal :)
Day #7: Thankful for the dance department. The Belhaven dance department is wonderful. Not only in their dance training, although that is great too, but in the people and the way they operate. I'm also thankful for the two casts that I've been able to be a part of this semester. Mitchell's cast is so much like a family, and I've loved getting to know so many people on new levels. Getting to work so hard through that piece has been a challenge, but an exciting one and the people have been so encouraging and supportive to one another throughout the entire process, I wouldn't want to be out on stage with anyone else doing that piece. Also, the beautiful Serenade girls. This piece has had so many difficulties to get to this point, but they've helped each of us grow and find out that we are each individually beautiful, women of God, and that together we can create beauty.
Day #8: Thankful for sleep. I have really learned to appreciate sleeping this semester. I have 8am classes everyday, so Saturdays are literally the best thing ever. I'm thankful for rest and the times that I don't have enough are the times that make me appreciate it even more when I do get it.
Day #9: Today, I am thankful for the ability to dance. Tonight is the opening night of my school's fall dance concert, and I'm so thankful for the pieces I'm in this semester and the affects they have had on me and my growth as a dancer, as a person, and as a child of God.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
{The Mishap of Marriage}
Tonight I went with a friend to go see the new movie Hope Springs. It's about an older couple who has been married for thirty-one years and their marriage has slowly lost its spark. They go to a couples' therapist in Maine to try and regain the marriage they once had. Sounds like a good story, right? However, I am filled with disappointment and anger after wasting nearly $10 to see it (plus being the only people under the age of 65 in the movie theater was a little embarrassing as well, haha).
It made me so angry to see how some people simply put their marriage on the back burner and let the love that brought them together die away in a slow, painful death. It also angered me to realize what the world believes a good marriage to be.
The world always sees divorce as a backup option. Divorce should never be an option. 1 Corinthians 7:11 says, "...and the husband should not divorce his wife." Always seeing divorce as a means of escaping means that going into it, the couple isn't 100% fully committed from the very start. Now, I know that I'm not married, although I hope to be someday, so don't assume that I think I know it all by stating my opinions on these things, I know there are many things about marriage that I'll only learn once I'm immersed in my own. But, marriage is a HUGE commitment, and it should be viewed as such. The world today doesn't view marriage as the sacred covenant that it was created to be. God created marriage first between Adam and Eve when he first created them. He also gave them each special, specific roles to play within the relationship.
Let's talk about these roles for a moment. Going through the Scriptures, there are things God commands a husband to be for his wife, as well as a wife to be for her husband.
Husband:
Another thing that I realized from this movie was that of the topic of sex. The world today makes it seem as though sex is the most important thing in a relationship, and the problem is they take that same outlook into marriage. First off, sex shouldn't even be a part of the relationship UNTIL you get married, in that case, THEN once you're married, you approach the subject of sex together. However, with the world bringing sex into the relationship so prematurely, it brings more problems into the marriage. Yes, sex is a major part of being married, but there's so much more to marriage than just sex. There's love. There's support. There's encouragement. There's the fact that no matter what you encounter in life, no matter what God brings you to, that you're not alone in anything, not anymore. You have someone there by your side every step of the way, someone to talk and pray through major decisions with, someone to enjoy the simple little moments with, someone to have beautiful children who are all your own with, someone to raise those children to be the godly children of God that they can be, and someone to go through the ups and downs of life with. That's what being married is all about, and yes, of course there is sex. But more importantly, marriage is an earthly picture of the selfless love that Christ has for us. It's also about learning how to love another person like that, which is not easy, but consists of constant work. But it's work that's worth it, no matter what you have to deal with. This is what the world is missing out on because they're too busy trying to please themselves, trying to satisfy an insatiable desire to make yourself happy with whatever the heart desires. But that will never satisfy, and its why so many marriages end in divorce.
The last thing that so many marriages lack today is Christ. Now, you may think that by me saying that means that I believe the only marriages that work are the ones between two Christians. Well, forgive me if I step on any toes here, but yes. I believe that the only marriage that works as it was intended to is that between two Christians. That doesn't mean that every marriage that has a non-believer in it is destined to fail and end in divorce, but that does mean that those marriages aren't working as marriage was created to work. The marriage that works is that where the couple prays together, goes to church together, worships together, talks about God and spiritual matters together. The couple that raises their children in the ways of Christ. The couple that is going to strive to love one another as Christ loves each of them, and is also going to forgive each other frequently, knowing that they and their spouse are both sinners, saved only by the grace of God. The couple whose marriage is going to work as it was intended is the couple who realizes that nothing good is in them on their own, but that their only ability to love one another comes solely from Christ and what He did for each of them on the cross.
It made me so angry to see how some people simply put their marriage on the back burner and let the love that brought them together die away in a slow, painful death. It also angered me to realize what the world believes a good marriage to be.
The world always sees divorce as a backup option. Divorce should never be an option. 1 Corinthians 7:11 says, "...and the husband should not divorce his wife." Always seeing divorce as a means of escaping means that going into it, the couple isn't 100% fully committed from the very start. Now, I know that I'm not married, although I hope to be someday, so don't assume that I think I know it all by stating my opinions on these things, I know there are many things about marriage that I'll only learn once I'm immersed in my own. But, marriage is a HUGE commitment, and it should be viewed as such. The world today doesn't view marriage as the sacred covenant that it was created to be. God created marriage first between Adam and Eve when he first created them. He also gave them each special, specific roles to play within the relationship.
Let's talk about these roles for a moment. Going through the Scriptures, there are things God commands a husband to be for his wife, as well as a wife to be for her husband.
Husband:
- Understanding of his wife(1 Peter 3:7)
- Honoring to his wife (1 Peter 3:7)
- Loving, not harsh toward his wife(Colossians 3:19)
- Love his wife as he loves himself (Ephesians 5:33)
- Spiritual head of the wife and family (Ephesians 5:23)
- Held responsible to God, or God is the head of the husband (1 Corinthians 11:3)
- Praising of his wife (Proverbs 31:28)
- Trust his wife (Proverbs 31:11)
- Respects her husband (Ephesians 5:33)
- Should not separate from her husband (1 Corinthians 7:10)
- Does her husband good, not harm (Proverbs 31:12)
- Strong (Proverbs 31:17)
- Speaks with wisdom (Proverbs 31:26)
- Kind (Proverbs 31:26)
- Fears the Lord (Proverbs 31:30)
- Gentle and quiet spirit (1 Peter 3:4)
- Submissive to her husband (Ephesians 5:22)
Another thing that I realized from this movie was that of the topic of sex. The world today makes it seem as though sex is the most important thing in a relationship, and the problem is they take that same outlook into marriage. First off, sex shouldn't even be a part of the relationship UNTIL you get married, in that case, THEN once you're married, you approach the subject of sex together. However, with the world bringing sex into the relationship so prematurely, it brings more problems into the marriage. Yes, sex is a major part of being married, but there's so much more to marriage than just sex. There's love. There's support. There's encouragement. There's the fact that no matter what you encounter in life, no matter what God brings you to, that you're not alone in anything, not anymore. You have someone there by your side every step of the way, someone to talk and pray through major decisions with, someone to enjoy the simple little moments with, someone to have beautiful children who are all your own with, someone to raise those children to be the godly children of God that they can be, and someone to go through the ups and downs of life with. That's what being married is all about, and yes, of course there is sex. But more importantly, marriage is an earthly picture of the selfless love that Christ has for us. It's also about learning how to love another person like that, which is not easy, but consists of constant work. But it's work that's worth it, no matter what you have to deal with. This is what the world is missing out on because they're too busy trying to please themselves, trying to satisfy an insatiable desire to make yourself happy with whatever the heart desires. But that will never satisfy, and its why so many marriages end in divorce.
The last thing that so many marriages lack today is Christ. Now, you may think that by me saying that means that I believe the only marriages that work are the ones between two Christians. Well, forgive me if I step on any toes here, but yes. I believe that the only marriage that works as it was intended to is that between two Christians. That doesn't mean that every marriage that has a non-believer in it is destined to fail and end in divorce, but that does mean that those marriages aren't working as marriage was created to work. The marriage that works is that where the couple prays together, goes to church together, worships together, talks about God and spiritual matters together. The couple that raises their children in the ways of Christ. The couple that is going to strive to love one another as Christ loves each of them, and is also going to forgive each other frequently, knowing that they and their spouse are both sinners, saved only by the grace of God. The couple whose marriage is going to work as it was intended is the couple who realizes that nothing good is in them on their own, but that their only ability to love one another comes solely from Christ and what He did for each of them on the cross.
Friday, August 10, 2012
{The Body}
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near."
[Hebrews 10:24-25]
I love my friends. A lot of times I think to myself secretly, that I have THE best friends in the whole wide world. Today, I got to spend time with two of my closest friends that I've known basically since I was born. Sitting at Starbucks for three and a half hours hearing about their summers and the ways the God has been working in them really filled me up where I had been lacking all summer.
This made me realize again just how important it is to have fellowship within the body of Christ. There is something so comforting in hearing about each others' struggles, talking about the things of life, discussing topics you may be confused about, or simply praying for one another.
1. Talking about your struggles. We have deal with our own struggles at our own time. Whether it be struggling with a particular sin or just chaos going on in your life, talking about it with fellow believers gives us comfort in knowing they're there for us. They may not be going through the same things you are, but perhaps they have before, or they might in the future. It helps you know you're not dealing with things alone...ever.
2. Talking about the things of life. Simply taking part in active friendship. Friendship is one of the most beautiful relationships that God created for us as human beings. The ability to know things about other people and accepting them as they come, it gives us opportunities to love others like Christ has loved us.
3. Discussing topics you may be confused or concerned about. The gospel is simple, but the spiritual details located in the Bible are hard. They can sometimes be difficult to understand or comprehend on a full level of being able to apply them to your life. Having discussions or talking about what you're reading or things that are found in God's Word is a good way to find answers. To see how others take it, but don't forget to still compare that to what God says to beware of "false prophets."
4. This, I feel like, is one of the most important things about fellowship within the Body. Praying for one another- WITH one another. I can't tell you how encouraging it is when someone prays with me. One things I love about the people at my school is that if you're having a bad day and it's clear you're having a bad day, there's usually someone who will pray with you simply because they love you with the love of Christ. Bringing God into your friendship, it increases the strength and also the vulnerability within that relationship. It's how a friendship was meant to be.
"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
[Galatians 6:2]
"There should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."
[1 Corinthians 12:25-27]
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
[James 5:16]
"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."
[1 Thessalonians 5:11]
"But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."
[Hebrews 3:13]
[Hebrews 10:24-25]
I love my friends. A lot of times I think to myself secretly, that I have THE best friends in the whole wide world. Today, I got to spend time with two of my closest friends that I've known basically since I was born. Sitting at Starbucks for three and a half hours hearing about their summers and the ways the God has been working in them really filled me up where I had been lacking all summer.
This made me realize again just how important it is to have fellowship within the body of Christ. There is something so comforting in hearing about each others' struggles, talking about the things of life, discussing topics you may be confused about, or simply praying for one another.
1. Talking about your struggles. We have deal with our own struggles at our own time. Whether it be struggling with a particular sin or just chaos going on in your life, talking about it with fellow believers gives us comfort in knowing they're there for us. They may not be going through the same things you are, but perhaps they have before, or they might in the future. It helps you know you're not dealing with things alone...ever.
2. Talking about the things of life. Simply taking part in active friendship. Friendship is one of the most beautiful relationships that God created for us as human beings. The ability to know things about other people and accepting them as they come, it gives us opportunities to love others like Christ has loved us.
3. Discussing topics you may be confused or concerned about. The gospel is simple, but the spiritual details located in the Bible are hard. They can sometimes be difficult to understand or comprehend on a full level of being able to apply them to your life. Having discussions or talking about what you're reading or things that are found in God's Word is a good way to find answers. To see how others take it, but don't forget to still compare that to what God says to beware of "false prophets."
4. This, I feel like, is one of the most important things about fellowship within the Body. Praying for one another- WITH one another. I can't tell you how encouraging it is when someone prays with me. One things I love about the people at my school is that if you're having a bad day and it's clear you're having a bad day, there's usually someone who will pray with you simply because they love you with the love of Christ. Bringing God into your friendship, it increases the strength and also the vulnerability within that relationship. It's how a friendship was meant to be.
"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ."
[Galatians 6:2]
"There should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it."
[1 Corinthians 12:25-27]
"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
[James 5:16]
"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."
[1 Thessalonians 5:11]
"But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness."
[Hebrews 3:13]
Saturday, August 4, 2012
{Yes's and No's}
"As Christians, we are not here for our own purpose at all-- we are here for the purpose of God, and the two are not the same. We do not know what God's compelling purpose is, but whatever happens, we must maintain our relationship with Him." {Oswald Chambers, My Utmost for His Highest}
This is my first post of the summer, and yet, summer is almost at an end. Two weeks from today I'll be back in Mississippi getting ready to start my SOPHOMORE year of college. My, how time flies. But that's not what I'm here to talk about tonight. Tonight I want to talk about the number one thing I have learned this summer.
The number one thing I have taken away spiritually from this summer is the importance of God's will. No, importance isn't quite the word I'm looking for, perhaps the sovereignty or inevitability of God's will. Ultimately, His will is going to happen, whether we say yes or no, whatever we do, it happens. It's nearly impossible to wrap my tiny little mind around it if I think about it too long. This summer has faced me with decisions. Well really just one major decision. My answer would either change my life completely, or keep it remotely the same. The thing about being a Christian though, is that when faced with life-changing decisions, you must consider two things: what do I want? And what is God's will? Ultimately, the whole God's will thing is going to win out, sometimes it's in agreement with what you want and sometimes it's not. I chose to say no in my decision, keeping my life remotely the same. Though people, and even myself, may wonder why I would choose to say no to such an opportunity, the answer was quite clear for me when making it. I didn't say no out of fear of change, nor due to difficulties that would surely arise if I had said yes, nor out of intimidation by my life-long dream right in front of my face. My answer was clear because I knew what God's will was for me in this moment. It was like a soft, resounding "wait." That was all, but it was enough to be confident as I turned down my dream...for now. Sometimes saying yes to God's will means saying no to what you want. But it doesn't always mean saying never to your dreams. Sometimes it just means not right now--not yet. Saying yes to God's will means having faith enough to trust Him completely with your whole life, including your hopes, dreams and desires.
"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."
{Psalm 37:4}
"Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him..."
{Psalm 37:7}
"Your eyes saw my unformed substance, in Your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them."
{Psalm 139:16}
"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."
{Proverbs 19:21}
"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."
{Jeremiah 29:11}
God's will is ALWAYS the plan that is going to be best for you, it may not always be the easiest, but it is always backed up with the Lord's faithfulness and security.
This is my first post of the summer, and yet, summer is almost at an end. Two weeks from today I'll be back in Mississippi getting ready to start my SOPHOMORE year of college. My, how time flies. But that's not what I'm here to talk about tonight. Tonight I want to talk about the number one thing I have learned this summer.
The number one thing I have taken away spiritually from this summer is the importance of God's will. No, importance isn't quite the word I'm looking for, perhaps the sovereignty or inevitability of God's will. Ultimately, His will is going to happen, whether we say yes or no, whatever we do, it happens. It's nearly impossible to wrap my tiny little mind around it if I think about it too long. This summer has faced me with decisions. Well really just one major decision. My answer would either change my life completely, or keep it remotely the same. The thing about being a Christian though, is that when faced with life-changing decisions, you must consider two things: what do I want? And what is God's will? Ultimately, the whole God's will thing is going to win out, sometimes it's in agreement with what you want and sometimes it's not. I chose to say no in my decision, keeping my life remotely the same. Though people, and even myself, may wonder why I would choose to say no to such an opportunity, the answer was quite clear for me when making it. I didn't say no out of fear of change, nor due to difficulties that would surely arise if I had said yes, nor out of intimidation by my life-long dream right in front of my face. My answer was clear because I knew what God's will was for me in this moment. It was like a soft, resounding "wait." That was all, but it was enough to be confident as I turned down my dream...for now. Sometimes saying yes to God's will means saying no to what you want. But it doesn't always mean saying never to your dreams. Sometimes it just means not right now--not yet. Saying yes to God's will means having faith enough to trust Him completely with your whole life, including your hopes, dreams and desires.
"Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart."
{Psalm 37:4}
"Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him..."
{Psalm 37:7}
"Your eyes saw my unformed substance, in Your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there were none of them."
{Psalm 139:16}
"Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand."
{Proverbs 19:21}
"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."
{Jeremiah 29:11}
God's will is ALWAYS the plan that is going to be best for you, it may not always be the easiest, but it is always backed up with the Lord's faithfulness and security.
Monday, June 11, 2012
{Let Me Be A Woman}
There is so much I can say on this subject, I hardly even know where to begin. For the past year or so, on and off, I have been making my way through a book by the amazing Elisabeth Elliot called Let Me Be A Woman. In it, Elisabeth Elliot writes letters to her engaged daughter giving her bits of advice and encouragement about what it means to be a godly wife, and more importantly a godly woman, as she approaches marriage. The thought of being a woman makes me think about divine design. Clearly God created men and women differently, and in a different order. Man came first that he might lead and initiate; woman came second that she might help and submit. But what does being a woman really mean?
1. Tenderness.
There is something so tender, soft, and fragile about femininity that is a large part of what makes a woman such a beautiful creature. There is a quote by Zooey Deschanel:
An excellent wife who can find?
1. Tenderness.
There is something so tender, soft, and fragile about femininity that is a large part of what makes a woman such a beautiful creature. There is a quote by Zooey Deschanel:
Being tender and open is beautiful. As a woman, I feel continually "shhhh-ed".
Too sensitive; too mushy; too wishy-washy. Blah, blah. Don't let someone steal
your tenderness. Don't allow the coldness and fear of others to tarnish your perfectly
vulnerable beating heart. Nothing is more powerful than allowing yourself to be
truly affected by things. Whether it's a song, a stranger, a mountain, a raindrop, a tea
kettle, an article, a sentence, a footstep, feel it all-- look around you. All of this is for you.
Take it and have gratitude, feel it and give love.
I believe the softness and tenderness can be wrapped up in a word I used a moment ago: femininity.
What does that mean, exactly? Femininity is being feminine; it is the essence of what a woman is: her spirit, her personality, her fire, her mystique, the beauty which only a woman can possess. This femininity, I believe, is what Peter is talking about in 1 Peter when he refers to a "gentle and quiet spirit..."
"Do not let your adorning be external-- the braiding of hair and putting on
of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear-- but let your adorning be the hidden
person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which
in God's sight is very precious."
[1 Peter 3:3-4, ESV]
I used to have an issue with this passage before I really understood what it meant. I can sometimes have a loud personality and be very opinionated, but in moderation, those qualities are what make me me. But what I really see that it means is to simply be a woman. Not the kind of woman that society says is feminine, but the kind of woman that is precious in God's sight. Speak when you need to speak, hold your tongue when necessary, be tender, be delighted in little things like tea kettles and flowers, for that is what you were created to do. There's a quote I've seen floating around pinterest lately, yet I have no idea who originally said it:
If more females would sit down and be ladies, then maybe more males would
stand up and be gentlemen.
Women today are viewed as a commodity (something that is used as much as possible, tossed out, and replaced). Yet, in Ephesians 5, God commands husbands to cherish their wives as their own bodies. The night before I left school to come home for the summer, I went to the movies on a Friday night, which I don't ever suggest because the theater is packed with middle-schoolers on "dates" their parents drop them off for. I saw so many girls- probably in their early teenage years, dressed like they thought they were twenty-one years old in a bar or something. Men treat women like they're something to be used and discarded, because women have bought into the lie that they are.
Lastly, some verses that have really encouraged me lately have been those that my boyfriend has sent me from Proverbs 31...we all know it, the "Proverbs 31 Woman" that we as godly women should be striving to duplicate in our personal lives:
An excellent wife who can find?
She is far more precious than jewels.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
15 She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She dresses herself[e] with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.[f]
22 She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
11 The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will have no lack of gain.
12 She does him good, and not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She seeks wool and flax,
and works with willing hands.
14 She is like the ships of the merchant;
she brings her food from afar.
15 She rises while it is yet night
and provides food for her household
and portions for her maidens.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
17 She dresses herself[e] with strength
and makes her arms strong.
18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable.
Her lamp does not go out at night.
19 She puts her hands to the distaff,
and her hands hold the spindle.
20 She opens her hand to the poor
and reaches out her hands to the needy.
21 She is not afraid of snow for her household,
for all her household are clothed in scarlet.[f]
22 She makes bed coverings for herself;
her clothing is fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is known in the gates
when he sits among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them;
she delivers sashes to the merchant.
25 Strength and dignity are her clothing,
and she laughs at the time to come.
26 She opens her mouth with wisdom,
and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
27 She looks well to the ways of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children rise up and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women have done excellently,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain,
but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
and let her works praise her in the gates.
[Proverbs 31:10-31, ESV]
I really want to emphasize verse 12. "All the days of her life" means before she knew him, while they are dating, when they're engaged, and when they get married. No matter which stage of that you're currently in, make sure that you're living like a lady of God, and that you are doing your husband good, and not harm, whether you know who he is or not. Go forth in your femininity and act with a gentle and quiet spirit.
Friday, June 8, 2012
{Blessings}
Today is one of those days that has its own simple beauty to it. The sun is shining, I'm already on my second cup of coffee, and there is so much to simply be thankful for. Today has gotten me thinking of how blessed I truly am. It also has made me think of the blessings I am most thankful for, so I thought I'd make a list:
{Sunshine}
I think about the day that God created the sun. What a beautiful, magnificent burst of light and joy it must have been to have the very first sunshine ever created. I think of the mornings when the sunrise was all I needed to see to be happy, the mornings that the sunrise added to my pre-existing joy. I also think of the sunsets that have painted the sky as a reminder of God's beauty.
{Coffee}
Whoever discovered the coffee bean, I love you. I'm so thankful that God decided to create a bean full of so much potential and deliciousness.
{Family}
I don't know what I would do without my family. I love them so much. I know that they are always there for me if I do ever decide to talk about anything (which is rare, I'm more of a listener). I know they will always support me in the good times and encourage me in the difficult ones. My dad has worked so hard for years to provide financially for my family, and I know that he loves me more than anything, and that I can always ask him for help no matter the situation. My mom loves me more than I will ever know, although, I seem to forget that so often. She provides so much for that I don't even realize. My sister is always up for a good time. She makes me laugh and she's always good for a sleepover, or a back massage (which means me giving her a back massage). My brother has taught me so much, not always in the most convenient way, but I have learned a lot of what to do and what not to do through him. But mostly I know that despite everything, he loves me, and he really cares for me a lot. I'm so thankful for the crazy memories they've given, especially at holidays, but more than anything I'll love them forever.
{Friends}
I'm so thankful for my best friends. I'm thankful for the old and new memories with my three best friends from birth, but also for my two closest girl friends at school. For the ridiculous sleepovers, late night deep discussions about boys, and coffee dates complete with strange coffee shop music. I know that I can trust these girls with my whole heart if I need to, and they are always good for a laugh, of course. But most of all they've been an encouragement to me in my struggles, and supports for me in my joys. "A friend loves at all times" (Proverbs 17:17)
{My Best-est Friend}
Perhaps what I'm most thankful for at the moment is the boy who has been such a huge blessing since I met him 10 months ago on that first day at college. God has used him in so many ways, it's really hard to think about all the things I've learned through my relationship with him. The main thing perhaps, is learning what it really means to love another person, to put yourself aside, and think about someone else's happiness before your own. To have someone you always need to be there for and to encourage, but also to always have that other person to be there for you and to encourage you. To have someone to spend your free time with and who will always be praying for you, even when you don't ask them to. But I've also learned just how hard it is to do all of those things. But I've been so blessed by the huge amount of joy it gives in the times when you both succeed at being there for the other.
{Sunshine}
I think about the day that God created the sun. What a beautiful, magnificent burst of light and joy it must have been to have the very first sunshine ever created. I think of the mornings when the sunrise was all I needed to see to be happy, the mornings that the sunrise added to my pre-existing joy. I also think of the sunsets that have painted the sky as a reminder of God's beauty.
{Coffee}
Whoever discovered the coffee bean, I love you. I'm so thankful that God decided to create a bean full of so much potential and deliciousness.
{Family}
I don't know what I would do without my family. I love them so much. I know that they are always there for me if I do ever decide to talk about anything (which is rare, I'm more of a listener). I know they will always support me in the good times and encourage me in the difficult ones. My dad has worked so hard for years to provide financially for my family, and I know that he loves me more than anything, and that I can always ask him for help no matter the situation. My mom loves me more than I will ever know, although, I seem to forget that so often. She provides so much for that I don't even realize. My sister is always up for a good time. She makes me laugh and she's always good for a sleepover, or a back massage (which means me giving her a back massage). My brother has taught me so much, not always in the most convenient way, but I have learned a lot of what to do and what not to do through him. But mostly I know that despite everything, he loves me, and he really cares for me a lot. I'm so thankful for the crazy memories they've given, especially at holidays, but more than anything I'll love them forever.
I'm so thankful for my best friends. I'm thankful for the old and new memories with my three best friends from birth, but also for my two closest girl friends at school. For the ridiculous sleepovers, late night deep discussions about boys, and coffee dates complete with strange coffee shop music. I know that I can trust these girls with my whole heart if I need to, and they are always good for a laugh, of course. But most of all they've been an encouragement to me in my struggles, and supports for me in my joys. "A friend loves at all times" (Proverbs 17:17)
Haley, Grace, and Ashlee, whom I've known since I was born, basically.
Julianna and Sarah, my two closest girl friends at school.
Perhaps what I'm most thankful for at the moment is the boy who has been such a huge blessing since I met him 10 months ago on that first day at college. God has used him in so many ways, it's really hard to think about all the things I've learned through my relationship with him. The main thing perhaps, is learning what it really means to love another person, to put yourself aside, and think about someone else's happiness before your own. To have someone you always need to be there for and to encourage, but also to always have that other person to be there for you and to encourage you. To have someone to spend your free time with and who will always be praying for you, even when you don't ask them to. But I've also learned just how hard it is to do all of those things. But I've been so blessed by the huge amount of joy it gives in the times when you both succeed at being there for the other.
"From the fullness of His grace we have all received one blessing after another."
[John 1:16, NIV]
Monday, June 4, 2012
{Help My Unbelief!}
"14 And when they came to the disciples, they saw a great crowd around them, and scribes arguing with them. 15 And immediately all the crowd, when they saw Him, were greatly amazed and ran up to Him and greeted Him. 16 And He asked them, 'What are you arguing about with them?' 17 And someone from the crowd answered Him, 'Teacher, I brought my son to You, for he has a spirit that makes him mute. 18 And whenever it seizes him, it throws him down, and he foams and grinds his teeth and becomes rigid. So I asked Your disciples to cast it out, and they were not able.' 19 And He answered them, 'O faithless generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him to me.' 20 And they brought the boy to Him. And when the spirit saw Him, immediately it convulsed the boy, and he fell on the ground and rolled about, foaming at the mouth. 21 And Jesus asked his father, 'How long has this been happening to him?' And he said, 'From childhood. 22 And it has often cast him into fire and into water, to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.' 23 And Jesus said to him, '‘If you can’! All things are possible for one who believes.' 24 Immediately the father of the child cried out[d] and said, 'I believe; help my unbelief!' 25 And when Jesus saw that a crowd came running together, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, 'You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.' 26 And after crying out and convulsing him terribly, it came out, and the boy was like a corpse, so that most of them said, 'He is dead.' 27 But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him up, and he arose. 28 And when He had entered the house, His disciples asked Him privately, 'Why could we not cast it out?' 29 And He said to them, 'This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.'”
[Mark 9:14-29, ESV]
Have you ever been in that place where you desperately want to believe that what you know to be true is really true? It's like you know in your head that it's true, but you're having a hard time knowing it to be true in your heart and soul? That's where I have been so often lately. When I have a lot of time on my hands, I tend to think...a lot. In fact, this almost always leads to over-thinking everything in my life. Yet it's happening again. Being home for the whole month of June with not a whole lot to do, I think... all the time, about EVERYTHING. This time, I've been thinking a lot about the future. I am now considered a sophomore in college, and I've begun to dream about what life will be like fast forwarded three years from now. I will have graduated college with a BFA in dance. I will have the rest of my life in front of me with nothing to do but...life. Real life. I saw a quote once by someone unknown that explained my feelings about the future perfectly: "The idea of the future both fascinates and frightens me at the same time." This thought is so true, especially for me. I always love to think into the future and dream about, well, things I've wanted since I was a little girl: being a ballerina, getting married, little children all my own, puppies, cooking in my own little kitchen, my own apartment and eventually my own house with my own little family living happily ever after. (Don't think I've forgotten that life comes with struggles galore, but just go with me there for a minute). The dreaming part is all fine and dandy, it's when I start trying to figure out HOW all of that is going to come about in my real life is when I start freaking out a little. Somehow, in that moment when I start trying to figure everything out, my solid faith goes running off into the sunset without me. When I start trying to figure things out that aren't really mine to figure out to the tee is when I lose faith. I start stressing out over how I'm going to graduate in just four years when I think about all the classes I still have to take. When I think of how much money it really takes to get married, rent an apartment or buy a house, have kids, and still have money to buy coffee, I start losing faith that I'll ever have any money to do any of those things, or either I imagine being poor for the rest of my life. It's right about now that I start losing my mind again and wishing so desperately that Peter Pan was real and could just sweep me off away to Neverland to never have to worry about grownup things again. This lack of faith is just another fault of mine I've come to know well in the past year or so. Yet, there is hope! There is hope in the assurance that "If we are faithless, He remains faithful..." [2 Timothy 2:13, ESV] Praise the Lord that He does not abandon us as often as we abandon our faith in Him. He still provides, cares, loves, protects, and holds us even we when are in our moments of unbelief.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
{God's Resting Place}
I just got back from one of my absolute favorite places in the world: Camp Marannook. It's a little Christian summer camp in the middle of nowhere Lafayette, Alabama. From the outside, it looks like your typical Christian camp- activities, cabins, trails, bible time, and campfires, but if you look a little closer, or if you've ever been, you'll see that Marannook is so much more than just another Christian summer camp, it truly is what its name means: God's resting place. God literally has His hands surrounding Marannook, the buildings, and people there. I have so many friendships that have lasted for years because they were based on a mutual belief and love for the God who created the entire earth and things living on it. So I just want to jot down some of what God has taught me over the past two weeks of me being there.
1. Refreshment.
College has been great. Classes have gone well, I love my major, and I have good grades. But as a dance major, I have to take at least 18-20 hours per semester to fit everything in within 4 years. Last semester (the semester of 20 hours), I confess to not having made enough time to spend with God, resulting in my relationship with Him suffering. Last semester you could say, I went through a "dry period" in my relationship with God. Being at Marannook for two weeks, separating myself from the rest of the world, and taking many distractions away for a while really helped me to see the reality of where my relationship with Him was and where it should be. He refreshed my spirit and renewed my desire for Him.
2. Reminders.
The Lord gave me gentle reminders of areas of my life that I had been lacking lately. Godly relationships was one of them. When I left school at the end of April (one month ago) I was so ready for some alone time, that I almost became a hermit once I got home. Don't misunderstand me, alone time is a good and very necessary thing, but so are godly relationships. God created us to be relational beings, to interact with other people just like us and to be "mutually encouraged by each other's faith," as it says in Romans 1:12. I had forgotten how important that really is, especially for my personality. I thrive off of relationships with others and it's super important for my growth in the Lord to be in contact and conversation with other Christians who will encourage me with their own faith.
Another aspect of my life that I had been lacking in lately was that of studying scripture. I so often forget that it's not enough to simply read God's word, but to also study it and make a effort to apply it to my daily life, actions, and thoughts. Having Bible Study with Mr. Charles (the owner of the camp) really reminded me of how important it is to really be IN the Word of God.
3. Rebuke.
Oh goodness, how the Lord rebuked and convicted me in so many ways. The main way is just showing me how terrible of a sinner I am. I am not as good as so often like to think that I am, and I am definitely no where near as good as I would need to be if salvation were not by faith and grace, but by works instead. I am a wretched sinner who desperately needs the forgiveness of God, yet does not deserve a moment of His time, much less the love of He who created me. Another aspect if that of judgment. I don't think I have ever admitted this to anyone, but I am a huge judger (although, I'm not sure that "judger" is even a word, I'm pretty sure it would just be judge). I do it unintentionally when I meet, or even see someone. I judge them. I could blame it on the human nature within me, but that's just an excuse to not live as God has called me to live, and He has called me to not judge others, especially His children. I'm not saying you have to become every person's best friend, but if you take the time and effort to get to know a person without judgment, you can really see them for who God created them to be, and you can see their struggles to see how you're not alone in anything.
I'm looking forward to the rest of my summer full of working, dancing, and visiting friends to see what else God has in store to teach and show me about Himself.
"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called." [Ephesians 4:1, ESV]
1. Refreshment.
College has been great. Classes have gone well, I love my major, and I have good grades. But as a dance major, I have to take at least 18-20 hours per semester to fit everything in within 4 years. Last semester (the semester of 20 hours), I confess to not having made enough time to spend with God, resulting in my relationship with Him suffering. Last semester you could say, I went through a "dry period" in my relationship with God. Being at Marannook for two weeks, separating myself from the rest of the world, and taking many distractions away for a while really helped me to see the reality of where my relationship with Him was and where it should be. He refreshed my spirit and renewed my desire for Him.
2. Reminders.
The Lord gave me gentle reminders of areas of my life that I had been lacking lately. Godly relationships was one of them. When I left school at the end of April (one month ago) I was so ready for some alone time, that I almost became a hermit once I got home. Don't misunderstand me, alone time is a good and very necessary thing, but so are godly relationships. God created us to be relational beings, to interact with other people just like us and to be "mutually encouraged by each other's faith," as it says in Romans 1:12. I had forgotten how important that really is, especially for my personality. I thrive off of relationships with others and it's super important for my growth in the Lord to be in contact and conversation with other Christians who will encourage me with their own faith.
Another aspect of my life that I had been lacking in lately was that of studying scripture. I so often forget that it's not enough to simply read God's word, but to also study it and make a effort to apply it to my daily life, actions, and thoughts. Having Bible Study with Mr. Charles (the owner of the camp) really reminded me of how important it is to really be IN the Word of God.
3. Rebuke.
Oh goodness, how the Lord rebuked and convicted me in so many ways. The main way is just showing me how terrible of a sinner I am. I am not as good as so often like to think that I am, and I am definitely no where near as good as I would need to be if salvation were not by faith and grace, but by works instead. I am a wretched sinner who desperately needs the forgiveness of God, yet does not deserve a moment of His time, much less the love of He who created me. Another aspect if that of judgment. I don't think I have ever admitted this to anyone, but I am a huge judger (although, I'm not sure that "judger" is even a word, I'm pretty sure it would just be judge). I do it unintentionally when I meet, or even see someone. I judge them. I could blame it on the human nature within me, but that's just an excuse to not live as God has called me to live, and He has called me to not judge others, especially His children. I'm not saying you have to become every person's best friend, but if you take the time and effort to get to know a person without judgment, you can really see them for who God created them to be, and you can see their struggles to see how you're not alone in anything.
I'm looking forward to the rest of my summer full of working, dancing, and visiting friends to see what else God has in store to teach and show me about Himself.
"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called." [Ephesians 4:1, ESV]
Sunday, April 29, 2012
{Live Light}
At church this morning, pastor Adam Camp's messgae really spoke to me. I've been home from school for a week now. In a way, I really enjoy it. No school, no studying, no classes. But in another way it's strange. I had forgotten what it was like to be outside the "Belhaven bubble" of Christianity surrounding you at all times. In the classroom, in the studio, in the hallways, and in nearly every person you see. I've found myself getting very easily frustrated with people and society that doesn't point to Christ.
In America we have so much. We have houses that shelter us, and we have money to educate us. Most people in America are literate and have shoes to cover their feet as they walk. We have umbrellas to cover us when it's raining and we have the privilege of knowing the name of Christ. Most people outside of America around the world don't have any of these things. About half of the world has never even HEARD the name Jesus before, and yet if I went to every neighborhood in town and asked if people had at least heard the name Jesus probably everyone would have heard of Him before, even if they didn't believe.
"How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent?"
[Romans 10:14-15a, ESV]
Here are all of these people in the world who have never heard the name of Christ, and here we are in America calling ourselves Christians, yet all we want to do is send a check or pray for those who do go. Why don't we go ourselves? I'm not saying that every Christian has to move to a foreign country and become a missionary for a living. If that happened there would be no Christians left to be light for those in America. However, I feel that it is our part as Christians to make an effort at least once to help our brothers and sisters in other countries and/or to be the light to those in the darkness in other countries. I've never had the opportunity to go on a mission trip to another country. I really hope to soon though, today I'm starting to pray that God provide an opportunity and funds for one maybe next summer.
But we are also called to be witness to those around us all the time here in our own country. Though most people here have at least heard the name of Christ, a majority still don't BELIEVE. It's our job as we have been called by God to live and preach the gospel to these people as well. Many people here have gotten a false impression of Christianity by televangelists and holier-than-thou hypocrites within the church. Let's go out and be a true interpretation of what God says a Christian should live like in His word to the world around us.
"...As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"
[Romans 10:15b, ESV]
In America we have so much. We have houses that shelter us, and we have money to educate us. Most people in America are literate and have shoes to cover their feet as they walk. We have umbrellas to cover us when it's raining and we have the privilege of knowing the name of Christ. Most people outside of America around the world don't have any of these things. About half of the world has never even HEARD the name Jesus before, and yet if I went to every neighborhood in town and asked if people had at least heard the name Jesus probably everyone would have heard of Him before, even if they didn't believe.
"How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in Him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent?"
[Romans 10:14-15a, ESV]
Here are all of these people in the world who have never heard the name of Christ, and here we are in America calling ourselves Christians, yet all we want to do is send a check or pray for those who do go. Why don't we go ourselves? I'm not saying that every Christian has to move to a foreign country and become a missionary for a living. If that happened there would be no Christians left to be light for those in America. However, I feel that it is our part as Christians to make an effort at least once to help our brothers and sisters in other countries and/or to be the light to those in the darkness in other countries. I've never had the opportunity to go on a mission trip to another country. I really hope to soon though, today I'm starting to pray that God provide an opportunity and funds for one maybe next summer.
But we are also called to be witness to those around us all the time here in our own country. Though most people here have at least heard the name of Christ, a majority still don't BELIEVE. It's our job as we have been called by God to live and preach the gospel to these people as well. Many people here have gotten a false impression of Christianity by televangelists and holier-than-thou hypocrites within the church. Let's go out and be a true interpretation of what God says a Christian should live like in His word to the world around us.
"...As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"
[Romans 10:15b, ESV]
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
{Bumfuzzlement}
There are some moments (well, a lot of moments) that I become completely bumfuzzled about something that God shows me. Today was one of those days. I was reading in 1 Peter and I came across verse 8 in chapter 1.
"Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory."
At first, that verse did not really make me think twice. There are similar phrases to that in other passages throughout scripture:
"No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us." [1 John 4:12, ESV]
"...For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen." [1 John 4:20, ESV]
However, I thought about it for a few minutes and my thoughts began to jumble. The majority of the world, myself included, thinks of the physical stuff when they think of love. Yes, they might think of good conversation, plenty of laughter, or someone who thinks similarly, but ultimately the physical crosses the mind. A long hug, holding hands, kissing, and sex. It's natural, and it's part of what earthly love and the relationship of marriage means, but God never mentions the physical in regards to His loving us. In fact there are several verses, as I've pointed out, that remind us that we cannot even see God, much less touch Him. The only physical act of love that Christ did for us what His death on the cross. Yet in regards to the physical between human beings there is a ton in the Bible. Hosea, Song of Solomon, Paul's talk about marriage in 1 Corinthians 7, and there are a number more. Sexual immorality is discussed as a major sin throughout the New Testament, and it is surely a major sin today as well. Why then, if God knew that it was going to be such a temptation and means of sinfulness did He create the physical aspect of love for us as humans? God is perfect love and we do not have that means of physical contact with Him. Why then do we have it in our earthly love relationships? I do not have the answer. That is why my thoughts are so jumbled. It hit me as one of those things I will never truly understand until I see God face to face.
"Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory."
At first, that verse did not really make me think twice. There are similar phrases to that in other passages throughout scripture:
"No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us." [1 John 4:12, ESV]
"...For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen." [1 John 4:20, ESV]
However, I thought about it for a few minutes and my thoughts began to jumble. The majority of the world, myself included, thinks of the physical stuff when they think of love. Yes, they might think of good conversation, plenty of laughter, or someone who thinks similarly, but ultimately the physical crosses the mind. A long hug, holding hands, kissing, and sex. It's natural, and it's part of what earthly love and the relationship of marriage means, but God never mentions the physical in regards to His loving us. In fact there are several verses, as I've pointed out, that remind us that we cannot even see God, much less touch Him. The only physical act of love that Christ did for us what His death on the cross. Yet in regards to the physical between human beings there is a ton in the Bible. Hosea, Song of Solomon, Paul's talk about marriage in 1 Corinthians 7, and there are a number more. Sexual immorality is discussed as a major sin throughout the New Testament, and it is surely a major sin today as well. Why then, if God knew that it was going to be such a temptation and means of sinfulness did He create the physical aspect of love for us as humans? God is perfect love and we do not have that means of physical contact with Him. Why then do we have it in our earthly love relationships? I do not have the answer. That is why my thoughts are so jumbled. It hit me as one of those things I will never truly understand until I see God face to face.
Friday, January 6, 2012
{Alive in Christ}
Exactly one year ago, I attended a Christian conference in Atlanta called Passion. It was an extremely eye-opening experience for me and God showed me a lot in four days that I will never forget. So here I am once again, January, the beginning of the new year of 2012, and I just got home yesterday from this same conference. It was once again life-changing, and I want to tell you all a little bit {but knowing me it will probably turn into a lot} about my experience this year, and what God showed me these past four days in Atlanta at the Georgia Dome with 45,000 other college students.
First, before I start telling you what happened the past four days, let me tell you what occured the days preceeding Passion. Lately, I have been asking God a lot to show me what love truly is. Last year at Passion I really felt the complete love of Christ in my heart, but there's a difference between feeling something and knowing it. I wanted to know it. I had also been asking God to do some major work within my heart, I didn't really know what specifically that would intell, but I knew something needed to be done. I feel as though this summer and first semester at school I had lost some of the passion that I had previously in my life. I felt just a little dry, and in need of some major refreshment from Christ in my heart and soul and life.
1. I realized how weak my worship has been. God is powerful, sovereign, almighty, and His strength, compassion, forgiveness and love NEVER run out, and yet I barely give Him the time of day when it comes to worshiping Him for all His goodness and faithfulness and love. Most importantly, He brought me back to life when I was dead in my sin. The most reasonable response to that would be to give Him my life that He raised, and yet I've been doing a lazy job of trying to do what's expected of me as a Christian, not always with the heart that should be its motivation. As I stood there during worship the first night of Passion, I truly began to worship Him with all of my heart, letting go of everything else that existed but Him. It was then that He showed me, "This is what you're missing as My follower, as My daughter. You don't give me your all everyday." That began a grueling, necessary, conviction process for the week.
2. There's a line in the song "How He Loves" that says, "Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss, and my heart beats violently inside of my chest." I've always wanted to be so in love with Jesus that my heartbeat speeds up and I get butterflies when I spend time with Him. It happened. I finally felt what it feels like to be really in love with Jesus. I can't remember what song I was singing, who was speaking, or what day it was, but I fell in love with Jesus this week, and it's never going to fade away. God showed me that love isn't found in a marriage or in a feeling inside of you. Those are simply ways that God expresses His love for us and gives us a picture through those things of what His love looks like. Love is innocence and perfection dying on a cross for my filth. Love is forgetting that the world thinks He's insane in order that He may raise me back to life while I was completely dead in my sin. Love is that even when I fail, and do things that break His heart, He chooses to love me anyway. Love isn't a picture of a heart drawn by a little kid, or a piece on candy someone gives you on February 14th. Love is Christ crucified for the sins of the world and for the glory of God.
3. Actions speak louder than words. I've been using that phrase as an excuse to keep quiet about God my entire life. Using that as an excuse to simply listen to others when the topic of God came up in conversation, even though I had a ton floating around in my mind I could have said. I've used it as an excuse that my "living out the gospel" instead of speaking it would work just as fine to fulfill the Great Commission. God gave me a holy slap in the face this week. The Great Commission is not about going and hoping that your good deeds will shine brightly enough that people will know exactly why you act that way without any words being involved. The Great Commission is about going and making disciples. Romans 10:14 says,
4. As Lecrae was rapping in worship on Wednesday night, he mentioned Romans 1:16,
First, before I start telling you what happened the past four days, let me tell you what occured the days preceeding Passion. Lately, I have been asking God a lot to show me what love truly is. Last year at Passion I really felt the complete love of Christ in my heart, but there's a difference between feeling something and knowing it. I wanted to know it. I had also been asking God to do some major work within my heart, I didn't really know what specifically that would intell, but I knew something needed to be done. I feel as though this summer and first semester at school I had lost some of the passion that I had previously in my life. I felt just a little dry, and in need of some major refreshment from Christ in my heart and soul and life.
1. I realized how weak my worship has been. God is powerful, sovereign, almighty, and His strength, compassion, forgiveness and love NEVER run out, and yet I barely give Him the time of day when it comes to worshiping Him for all His goodness and faithfulness and love. Most importantly, He brought me back to life when I was dead in my sin. The most reasonable response to that would be to give Him my life that He raised, and yet I've been doing a lazy job of trying to do what's expected of me as a Christian, not always with the heart that should be its motivation. As I stood there during worship the first night of Passion, I truly began to worship Him with all of my heart, letting go of everything else that existed but Him. It was then that He showed me, "This is what you're missing as My follower, as My daughter. You don't give me your all everyday." That began a grueling, necessary, conviction process for the week.
2. There's a line in the song "How He Loves" that says, "Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss, and my heart beats violently inside of my chest." I've always wanted to be so in love with Jesus that my heartbeat speeds up and I get butterflies when I spend time with Him. It happened. I finally felt what it feels like to be really in love with Jesus. I can't remember what song I was singing, who was speaking, or what day it was, but I fell in love with Jesus this week, and it's never going to fade away. God showed me that love isn't found in a marriage or in a feeling inside of you. Those are simply ways that God expresses His love for us and gives us a picture through those things of what His love looks like. Love is innocence and perfection dying on a cross for my filth. Love is forgetting that the world thinks He's insane in order that He may raise me back to life while I was completely dead in my sin. Love is that even when I fail, and do things that break His heart, He chooses to love me anyway. Love isn't a picture of a heart drawn by a little kid, or a piece on candy someone gives you on February 14th. Love is Christ crucified for the sins of the world and for the glory of God.
3. Actions speak louder than words. I've been using that phrase as an excuse to keep quiet about God my entire life. Using that as an excuse to simply listen to others when the topic of God came up in conversation, even though I had a ton floating around in my mind I could have said. I've used it as an excuse that my "living out the gospel" instead of speaking it would work just as fine to fulfill the Great Commission. God gave me a holy slap in the face this week. The Great Commission is not about going and hoping that your good deeds will shine brightly enough that people will know exactly why you act that way without any words being involved. The Great Commission is about going and making disciples. Romans 10:14 says,
"...how are the to believe in whom they have not heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?"
The answer is that they can't. God calls us as Christians to PREACH the gospel, not only to live it. The preaching and the living have to go together, and it won't be effective with only one or the other. 4. As Lecrae was rapping in worship on Wednesday night, he mentioned Romans 1:16,
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel..."
With a broken heart I realized that every time "God doesn't call us as Christians to live comfortably, but to step out in faith everyday to do things for HIS KINGDOM and for HIS GOSPEL that are OUT OF OUR COMFORT ZONE. Our lives should be used for HIS GLORY, not our comfort."
I made a list of New Year's resolutions, they're all good and I plan on working on them. But now I have a life resolution: that I will fearlessly proclaim the gospel through my life in EVERYTHING I SAY and DO. That the only life people see when they look at me is Jesus, and that my life will bring glory to the name of Jesus. Elisabeth Elliot summed it up best in this quote: "I have one desire now- to live a life of reckless abandon for the Lord, putting all my energy and strength into it."
"Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for You; Your name and renown
are the desire of our hearts."
are the desire of our hearts."
{Isaiah 26:8}
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