Hello hello hello!
So lately, I have been falling deeper and deeper in love with my beautiful saviour and wonderful creator. It's so nice to be able to spend time with him daily, rejoicing and thanking him for how he has blessed me! When I was still in Sunday School, I can remember thinking "how is it possible that people talk about God all the time? Aren't we going to run out of things to talk about? We talk about him every week... I DON'T UNDERSTAND."
What a silly little girl I was! As I dive into the word, I'm not only discovering more about God, but also discovering how little I know about God. It's a chain reaction. When one question is answered, two more pop up! As I've been seeking him more, one of God's many characteristics has been sticking out to me and challenging me in new ways.
Psalm 16:8
I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Matthew 28:20
...And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
Deuteronomy 31:8
The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.
These verses are only the tiniest examples of God's persistence and consistence in our lives! I'm sure all of you have experienced similar ups and downs in your faith and lives to my own. We have our good days and our bad days, we have our struggles and our joys, our trials and tribulations. But we have a God who always remains the same! There's no such thing as a bad day for him. He doesn't go through the same roller coaster rides that we go through - he is constant in our lives and persistently showing us his beauty and love no matter how hard we try to push it away.
This brings me great comfort knowing how reliable, dependable and consistent our father is! When everything in this world falls away, we will still have our father - he does not change like shifting shadows (James 1:17)
When I see verses that say "surely I am with you always" and "he will never leave you or forsake you" it reminds me of multiple choice questions on exam. Before you get super confused, question how God reminds me of a multiple choice question and then call me crazy, hear me out.
In the beginning of first year, I went to the Academic Success Center to get some advice because I was absolutely terrible at multiple choice questions (I mean seriously, who tells you to pick the better answer of two right answers?!) Anyways, one piece of advice they gave me was to try avoiding answers that contain the words "always" or "never" because nothing is consistent enough to be always or never.
What great advice! It's so very true! Things in this world will not go on forever and ever. Things on this earth are simply temporary and will one day cease to exist, but God is the one constant in all of our lives! Always loving and guiding us as we journey through this world. This love and persistence he has shown us has brought up a desire in my heart to be just like him in this way! Persistently loving my fellow brothers and sisters in all situations and at all times! I know there will always be people in this world we struggle with - people who manage to push all the right buttons at all the right times. I have people in my life who seem to just cause so much trouble for themselves and then complain about it endlessly - asking me for love and attention that I eventually become reluctant to give. It's easy to stop paying attention to these people and spending the time we used to because we don't want to hear about how they made the exact same mistake as the last ten mistakes.
Yet this is one of the many ways our father loves us. We are constantly making the exact same mistakes over and over again! We try to learn from our mistakes but we so often end up making the same ones. But thankfully, God is persistent and patient with us. He loves us and is there for us despite the situation and I hope to love my fellow brothers and sisters just as he loves me. How eternally grateful I am to my saviour! I am grateful for him loving me despite all of my silly mistakes and mountains of complaints! I hope to imitate my wonderful maker and learn to love even those who push those buttons! Join me in this journey of learning to love as God first loved us :)
"Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
- Ephesians 5:1
- kjoosaurus out!
Showing posts with label Challenges. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Challenges. Show all posts
Friday, May 24, 2013
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Where are we going now? [04/06/13]
Hello brothers and sisters!
My, oh my it has been a long time, hasn't it? It's been about a couple of months since the last time I was able to write anything, but I can assure you that the time was well spent doing things of worth rather than spending my time being unproductive.
Quick summary of our time apart:
- I actually a lot study now (I know, I'm surprised too)
- God has been working on my character! In ways I see, yet still do not fully understand.
- I am temporarily employed! (Temporary because I'm still looking for a job with better hours)
This summary doesn't really cover all the bases of what has been going on in the past while - I've been meaning to blog as I was always inspired by the works of God seen in my life, but for some reason, the opportunity was never taken.
I wish I could tell you about everything that has been happening in my life, but I would be writing forever and ever. I'll try my best to organize my thoughts in a way that is clear, concise and understandable. Okay, here we go!
The past 60 days were filled with disappointment, struggles, joy, love and a lot of eye opening. I've never been a deep thinker. Life to me is black and white. It's filled with lines where the in-between is illegible to me. When I'm forced to think too deeply and it gets hard, I easily give up. But God has been changing this in my once simple life.
Simply put, I have learned a bit more of three things:
1. Satan's lies
2. My true character
3. God's character
Satan's lies... They surround us in this world as it is a world where Satan is deemed as King: he promises comfort, satisfaction and pleasure. If we are to succumb to the pressures of this world, then we will be forever happy as we drown in endless amounts of money, food, gadgets and fun. He plays with the fleshly desires that we as humans are faulted with. He lies to us and tells us one of two things: God is bad or sin is better.
His lies, they are so simple - why do we fall for them over and over again?
We are sheep. We are lost without our shepherd who will love us and find us when we are lost, but praise the Lord for we are able to recognize his voice and learn to stop being deceived by the multitude of voices that claim to lead the way for us. In John 10, Christ explains so well how his sheep will recognize his voice and follow him through the gate. He paints an image of protection as he describes to what extent he will go just to protect his sheep. I want to be the sheep that is able to recognize the voice of the shepherd - the sheep who will diligently be lead by the shepherd.
As I became more aware of the lies Satan has been deceiving me with, God also guided me in becoming more aware of my true character. As I learn more about the different lies I have believed, I've realized how much the Lord has done in my life and also how much further I have to go!
I've been cowardly in my way of living. All my life, I have never been able to hold my ground when it came to any opinions I held. In arguments, I would always give in. Even in essays I wrote, I would always receive the same comments: Your arguments are valid, but you need to stick firmly to your opinion.
I was recently listening to a sermon when I came across this phrase: Nail one's colors to the mast.
I didn't understand at all what this meant, so I looked it up on the ever so useful Google and found a definition that convicted me of how I have lived my life so far.
In the 17th century, flags were lowered as a mark of submission. It is believed the phrase "nail one's colors to the mast" came from a battle where the English fleet was at the point where the main ship had been brought down and to the rest of the fleet, it may have appeared to be defeat, but the admiral climbed to what was left of the mast and nailed the flag at the top where it was visible to the rest of the fleet. This act of perseverance resulted in the English fleet being victorious.
To be able to stand so firmly in a seemingly lost battle. That is what it means to nail one's colors to the mast.
I am not a persistent person by nature, but with God, all things are possible. He gives us the strength to persist in battles that are lost. When people aren't responding to the gospel that is preached, when trials and tribulations are the persistent ones in the picture, when it seems as if you are alone in a dark world. That is when it is crucial to nail your colors to the mast. For God will be VICTORIOUS.
This finally leads us to God's character. He's such a mysterious God who works in such mysterious ways. The God of all gods, King of all kings, Lord of all lords. We so often hear people preach about the beautiful and wonderful things he has done in our lives. "God loves you so much. God wants you so much. God is love." These things are so true! The bible even says that "God is love." (1 John 4:8) I was raised on this teaching. I was raised to believe that God is a warm, loving, fuzzy wuzzy God who just wants me to lean on him when I'm having a hard time. But, I never took the time to think about the full character of God.
Yes, he is a God who loves us oh so dearly, and a God we must love! But, he is also a God we must fear. This is what I have only recently been applying to my life. A God whom I must fear. How often do I think about how powerful God is? The answer is, rarely. I often forget that this is the God who simply spoke the universe into existence. SPOKE. THE WORLD. INTO EXISTENCE. Astronomers estimate the universe to consist of over 100 billion galaxies and our God spoke it into existence. I can't even think of anything or anybody to compare that to. That is how powerful our God is.
My life was spent believing in a God of love, but this was not truly God I was believing in. Our God is a God we must love, and fear. In a sermon, I heard somebody talking about how we are not truly believing in God if we live a life thinking God is just a God of love, or if God is just a God we fear. He is both things. An all-powerful, all-knowledgeable, loving, caring God. Capable of all things - creating the universe, speaking every detail of our lives into existence. Now that, is my God.
I'm still in a learning process. This is just the beginning, but praise God for bringing me to where I am now. Praise God for revealing himself in our lives.
As I see my brothers and sisters in Christ growing together, I am challenged and convicted. I thank God so much for bringing them into my life as they help me become more thirsty for God. At times, I am tempted to run away from this life. I've been tempted to throw it all down and make a run for it because in a worldly sense, being a Christian really isn't easy, but Christ has shown me how worth it all is. He understands me and allows me to rejoice in these struggles. He lets me follow him, he feeds me when I'm hungry and gives me water when I'm thirsty.
I hope I can spend more time sharing with you the mysterious workings of God in my life, and I hope we can grow together as we learn to love, rejoice and serve.
Rabbi yhebbik. (God loves you)
- kjoosaurus out!
My, oh my it has been a long time, hasn't it? It's been about a couple of months since the last time I was able to write anything, but I can assure you that the time was well spent doing things of worth rather than spending my time being unproductive.
Quick summary of our time apart:
- I actually a lot study now (I know, I'm surprised too)
- God has been working on my character! In ways I see, yet still do not fully understand.
- I am temporarily employed! (Temporary because I'm still looking for a job with better hours)
This summary doesn't really cover all the bases of what has been going on in the past while - I've been meaning to blog as I was always inspired by the works of God seen in my life, but for some reason, the opportunity was never taken.
I wish I could tell you about everything that has been happening in my life, but I would be writing forever and ever. I'll try my best to organize my thoughts in a way that is clear, concise and understandable. Okay, here we go!
The past 60 days were filled with disappointment, struggles, joy, love and a lot of eye opening. I've never been a deep thinker. Life to me is black and white. It's filled with lines where the in-between is illegible to me. When I'm forced to think too deeply and it gets hard, I easily give up. But God has been changing this in my once simple life.
Simply put, I have learned a bit more of three things:
1. Satan's lies
2. My true character
3. God's character
Satan's lies... They surround us in this world as it is a world where Satan is deemed as King: he promises comfort, satisfaction and pleasure. If we are to succumb to the pressures of this world, then we will be forever happy as we drown in endless amounts of money, food, gadgets and fun. He plays with the fleshly desires that we as humans are faulted with. He lies to us and tells us one of two things: God is bad or sin is better.
His lies, they are so simple - why do we fall for them over and over again?
We are sheep. We are lost without our shepherd who will love us and find us when we are lost, but praise the Lord for we are able to recognize his voice and learn to stop being deceived by the multitude of voices that claim to lead the way for us. In John 10, Christ explains so well how his sheep will recognize his voice and follow him through the gate. He paints an image of protection as he describes to what extent he will go just to protect his sheep. I want to be the sheep that is able to recognize the voice of the shepherd - the sheep who will diligently be lead by the shepherd.
As I became more aware of the lies Satan has been deceiving me with, God also guided me in becoming more aware of my true character. As I learn more about the different lies I have believed, I've realized how much the Lord has done in my life and also how much further I have to go!
I've been cowardly in my way of living. All my life, I have never been able to hold my ground when it came to any opinions I held. In arguments, I would always give in. Even in essays I wrote, I would always receive the same comments: Your arguments are valid, but you need to stick firmly to your opinion.
I was recently listening to a sermon when I came across this phrase: Nail one's colors to the mast.
I didn't understand at all what this meant, so I looked it up on the ever so useful Google and found a definition that convicted me of how I have lived my life so far.
In the 17th century, flags were lowered as a mark of submission. It is believed the phrase "nail one's colors to the mast" came from a battle where the English fleet was at the point where the main ship had been brought down and to the rest of the fleet, it may have appeared to be defeat, but the admiral climbed to what was left of the mast and nailed the flag at the top where it was visible to the rest of the fleet. This act of perseverance resulted in the English fleet being victorious.
To be able to stand so firmly in a seemingly lost battle. That is what it means to nail one's colors to the mast.
I am not a persistent person by nature, but with God, all things are possible. He gives us the strength to persist in battles that are lost. When people aren't responding to the gospel that is preached, when trials and tribulations are the persistent ones in the picture, when it seems as if you are alone in a dark world. That is when it is crucial to nail your colors to the mast. For God will be VICTORIOUS.
This finally leads us to God's character. He's such a mysterious God who works in such mysterious ways. The God of all gods, King of all kings, Lord of all lords. We so often hear people preach about the beautiful and wonderful things he has done in our lives. "God loves you so much. God wants you so much. God is love." These things are so true! The bible even says that "God is love." (1 John 4:8) I was raised on this teaching. I was raised to believe that God is a warm, loving, fuzzy wuzzy God who just wants me to lean on him when I'm having a hard time. But, I never took the time to think about the full character of God.
Yes, he is a God who loves us oh so dearly, and a God we must love! But, he is also a God we must fear. This is what I have only recently been applying to my life. A God whom I must fear. How often do I think about how powerful God is? The answer is, rarely. I often forget that this is the God who simply spoke the universe into existence. SPOKE. THE WORLD. INTO EXISTENCE. Astronomers estimate the universe to consist of over 100 billion galaxies and our God spoke it into existence. I can't even think of anything or anybody to compare that to. That is how powerful our God is.
My life was spent believing in a God of love, but this was not truly God I was believing in. Our God is a God we must love, and fear. In a sermon, I heard somebody talking about how we are not truly believing in God if we live a life thinking God is just a God of love, or if God is just a God we fear. He is both things. An all-powerful, all-knowledgeable, loving, caring God. Capable of all things - creating the universe, speaking every detail of our lives into existence. Now that, is my God.
I'm still in a learning process. This is just the beginning, but praise God for bringing me to where I am now. Praise God for revealing himself in our lives.
As I see my brothers and sisters in Christ growing together, I am challenged and convicted. I thank God so much for bringing them into my life as they help me become more thirsty for God. At times, I am tempted to run away from this life. I've been tempted to throw it all down and make a run for it because in a worldly sense, being a Christian really isn't easy, but Christ has shown me how worth it all is. He understands me and allows me to rejoice in these struggles. He lets me follow him, he feeds me when I'm hungry and gives me water when I'm thirsty.
I hope I can spend more time sharing with you the mysterious workings of God in my life, and I hope we can grow together as we learn to love, rejoice and serve.
Rabbi yhebbik. (God loves you)
- kjoosaurus out!
Friday, May 4, 2012
Living Sacrifice [5/4/12]
If God asked you this question: "Will you sacrifice all you have for me?" How would you react?
If God asked you to give up your career for Him, if God asked you to give up all of your worldly possessions for Him, if God asked you to give up everything for Him. Would you do it without hesitation?
You know, one day, God might ask us this exact question. He might ask you to give up the job you worked so hard to get. He might ask you to let go of every single penny you have. We hold on so tightly to these worldly things, but what good is it doing for us? Why am I holding on to the things the world is giving me, when God is promising so much more?
Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
A true and proper worship? God wants me to offer Him everything I have, and this will please Him. Everything I now hold in my hands, I should give to God. My whole life should be offered to Him. It's hard, isn't it? As soon as we were brought into this world, we were sinners. Our desires were of the flesh, and we craved and desired the things of this world. Oh, how unrighteous we are!
As we look at the people around us, what do you think they are all looking for? These goals we set for ourselves, what is the final purpose? The final purpose is happiness and fulfillment. People want to believe they have done something with their lives; they believe they will be happy. They think they will be happy once they have all of the money in the world. But, they're always wanting more. Humans are always craving more and more and more to fill the emptiness inside. We try to fill this emptiness with worldly things. Money, clothes, sex, food, idols, music, movies, etc. But, there is only one thing to fill this emptiness. It's our Lord and Savior!
Thinking about how He is the only one who can save us, and the only one who can fill this emptiness inside... It makes it a bit easier for me to sacrifice everything I am to Him. We don't need anything from this world, because He is providing for us. All we need is Him, so why do we allow ourselves to be distracted by the things of this world?
Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.
If we give up everything to Him, He will change us. He will fill us with His desires, and He will turn us into His image! The closer we get to Him, the more righteous we become! What He hates, we will hate. What He loves, we will love. He is going to mold us until we are no longer an image of the world, but an image of Him. All we have to do is let Him!
If God ever asks us to give up all we have for Him, I hope we will be eager to do it! The things of this world are worth nothing compared to what God has in store for us. :)
Thank you for reading this post! Here is the song I listened today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNjKLz380j8
- kjoosaurus out!
If God asked you to give up your career for Him, if God asked you to give up all of your worldly possessions for Him, if God asked you to give up everything for Him. Would you do it without hesitation?
You know, one day, God might ask us this exact question. He might ask you to give up the job you worked so hard to get. He might ask you to let go of every single penny you have. We hold on so tightly to these worldly things, but what good is it doing for us? Why am I holding on to the things the world is giving me, when God is promising so much more?
Romans 12:1
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
A true and proper worship? God wants me to offer Him everything I have, and this will please Him. Everything I now hold in my hands, I should give to God. My whole life should be offered to Him. It's hard, isn't it? As soon as we were brought into this world, we were sinners. Our desires were of the flesh, and we craved and desired the things of this world. Oh, how unrighteous we are!
As we look at the people around us, what do you think they are all looking for? These goals we set for ourselves, what is the final purpose? The final purpose is happiness and fulfillment. People want to believe they have done something with their lives; they believe they will be happy. They think they will be happy once they have all of the money in the world. But, they're always wanting more. Humans are always craving more and more and more to fill the emptiness inside. We try to fill this emptiness with worldly things. Money, clothes, sex, food, idols, music, movies, etc. But, there is only one thing to fill this emptiness. It's our Lord and Savior!
Thinking about how He is the only one who can save us, and the only one who can fill this emptiness inside... It makes it a bit easier for me to sacrifice everything I am to Him. We don't need anything from this world, because He is providing for us. All we need is Him, so why do we allow ourselves to be distracted by the things of this world?
Romans 12:2
Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.
If we give up everything to Him, He will change us. He will fill us with His desires, and He will turn us into His image! The closer we get to Him, the more righteous we become! What He hates, we will hate. What He loves, we will love. He is going to mold us until we are no longer an image of the world, but an image of Him. All we have to do is let Him!
If God ever asks us to give up all we have for Him, I hope we will be eager to do it! The things of this world are worth nothing compared to what God has in store for us. :)
Thank you for reading this post! Here is the song I listened today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNjKLz380j8
- kjoosaurus out!
Standing Strong [5/3/12]
Hello~
You know, everyday, I'm amazed at how much God has a hand in every aspect of my life. He is all over the place! He is a part of every conversation I have, a part of every action I take, and a part of every move I make. It is beautiful to see Him everywhere I go. Lately, I've been much more open about my faith. I've had many friends ask me about my faith, and I was very cautious at first... I didn't want them to judge me or think differently about me, so I would often sugar coat things.
I used to tell people, "Yeah, I'm a Christian, but I'm not one of those hard-core Christians." Well, guess what? I have now become what I used to define as a "hard-core" Christian. Yes, some of my relationships with non-believers have changed... People begin to treat me differently and think of me differently, but this is expected.
Matthew 10:22
"All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved."
We should expect for people to treat us differently, and even to hate us. I've seen this happen quite a bit to my sisters and brothers in Christ and even myself, but it is not something that should be stopping us from announcing our faith to the world! We should continue to preach the gospel. Having the world hate us should not stop us from loving Christ to the best of our ability.
There are also many times when people will question us about our faith... They will ask us WHY.
1 Peter 3:15
"15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect"
The other day, I met up with a friend I haven't talked to in a very, very long time. I think it's been about three years? Anyways, he actually asked me this exact question. He asked me, "Kristen, why are you a Christian?"
There were many thoughts that entered my head at this moment... I had several options. I could kind of ignore it, and say "Why not?" Or, I could keep myself from being judged and say some very vague and foolish question... But God doesn't want me to hide any part of my faith. He wants us to tell people exactly why we believe! This doesn't mean he wants us to start an argument with every non-believer, and force them to believe in God! He wants us to be honest with them. I told my friend about what Jesus Christ had done for me... How my sins were forgiven... How God is waiting for me in Heaven so we may be together for all of eternity.
I wasn't trying to convince my friend of anything, I was just telling him exactly what I believed. I think, if we're honest with people, there will always be people that hate us for what we believe, but there will also be the people who become intrigued by the way we live our lives, and our actions. People become interested, and they begin to ask more and more questions. I know this is one way that people come to know Christ. I personally want to open all doors for people to get to know Christ, so if God chooses to use me in this way to bring others to Him, then I will continue to stand strong in my faith! I will not hesitate when people ask me why I believe in Him.
It's a scary thought... Thinking of how people will hate you for what you believe in. But, it's something I'm willing to sacrifice to have at least a few people get to know Him. I pray that he will give me strength... I pray that He will take away all of our fears of being judged and hated.
Thank you for reading this post :) Here's the song I listened to today! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ohvhmGSfxI&ob=av2e
-kjoosaurus out!
You know, everyday, I'm amazed at how much God has a hand in every aspect of my life. He is all over the place! He is a part of every conversation I have, a part of every action I take, and a part of every move I make. It is beautiful to see Him everywhere I go. Lately, I've been much more open about my faith. I've had many friends ask me about my faith, and I was very cautious at first... I didn't want them to judge me or think differently about me, so I would often sugar coat things.
I used to tell people, "Yeah, I'm a Christian, but I'm not one of those hard-core Christians." Well, guess what? I have now become what I used to define as a "hard-core" Christian. Yes, some of my relationships with non-believers have changed... People begin to treat me differently and think of me differently, but this is expected.
Matthew 10:22
"All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved."
We should expect for people to treat us differently, and even to hate us. I've seen this happen quite a bit to my sisters and brothers in Christ and even myself, but it is not something that should be stopping us from announcing our faith to the world! We should continue to preach the gospel. Having the world hate us should not stop us from loving Christ to the best of our ability.
There are also many times when people will question us about our faith... They will ask us WHY.
1 Peter 3:15
"15 But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect"
The other day, I met up with a friend I haven't talked to in a very, very long time. I think it's been about three years? Anyways, he actually asked me this exact question. He asked me, "Kristen, why are you a Christian?"
There were many thoughts that entered my head at this moment... I had several options. I could kind of ignore it, and say "Why not?" Or, I could keep myself from being judged and say some very vague and foolish question... But God doesn't want me to hide any part of my faith. He wants us to tell people exactly why we believe! This doesn't mean he wants us to start an argument with every non-believer, and force them to believe in God! He wants us to be honest with them. I told my friend about what Jesus Christ had done for me... How my sins were forgiven... How God is waiting for me in Heaven so we may be together for all of eternity.
I wasn't trying to convince my friend of anything, I was just telling him exactly what I believed. I think, if we're honest with people, there will always be people that hate us for what we believe, but there will also be the people who become intrigued by the way we live our lives, and our actions. People become interested, and they begin to ask more and more questions. I know this is one way that people come to know Christ. I personally want to open all doors for people to get to know Christ, so if God chooses to use me in this way to bring others to Him, then I will continue to stand strong in my faith! I will not hesitate when people ask me why I believe in Him.
It's a scary thought... Thinking of how people will hate you for what you believe in. But, it's something I'm willing to sacrifice to have at least a few people get to know Him. I pray that he will give me strength... I pray that He will take away all of our fears of being judged and hated.
Thank you for reading this post :) Here's the song I listened to today! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ohvhmGSfxI&ob=av2e
-kjoosaurus out!
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Endurable [5/2/12]
Hello~ kjoosaurus is back!
I hope everybody enjoyed yesterday's post as much as I did... There was a lot of meaning in the post, and I am so grateful for the honesty that came from the author! It was refreshingly beautiful, and it really meant a lot to me. So, thank you!
As some may know, yesterday was a day filled with traveling! I went from Ottawa to Vancouver, and my room is now a disaster. It was so great to see my family; I didn't realize how much I missed them until I saw them again. It is such a blessing to be part of such a loving and caring family. For many years, I have taken them for granted, and I wish I had known better! But I am now going to try my very best to appreciate and love them as much as I can! It's never too late to start :)
God has provided me with various topics to write about, but He has mostly been pushing me towards the topic of temptation. Hmmm.. Temptation. It existed since the beginning; Satan tempted Eve into taking a bite of the fruit. From then on, temptation has occurred over, and over, and over again throughout the bible. The temptation to sin surrounds us; it comes in all shapes and forms, and they can appear to be so humanly impossible to resist.
Ottawa. It was a place where temptations had a harder time getting to me. I struggled a bit with temptations, but they were easier for me to deal with. Was it because I had such a strong support from my brothers and sisters in Christ? Was it because I had grown so much closer to God?
Vancouver. Oh, Vancouver. Just hours after landing in Vancouver, I was tempted to go back to my old ways. My days of laziness, my days of anger and impatience, my days of selfish desires. I haven't been in Vancouver long, but my initial feeling was a loss of passion; I felt like I had lost my desire to worship and love the Lord. I didn't feel like reading the Bible, and I had no desire to pray. I was tempted to sit in my bed all day and all night, and just waste my time watching dramas, listening to worldly music, and just do nothing.
I was at a vulnerable state. I didn't have the support I was used to, and temptations have been coming at me from left and right. To be brutally honest, and I want to be completely honest with you all, I have been hit by many sexual temptations, and temptations for recognition/attention. These temptations have been VERY obvious since I got home.. Since I have arrived home, I have been receiving quite a bit of attention. All of it from males. These certain people have been saying things to me that perplex and distract me... They give me attention I used to crave so much, but now, I'm just sitting here wondering why God is allowing them to distract me from Him.
At first, I was really torn. This attention I was receiving was attention I had craved for so long. I never ever received this kind of attention, and I had been seeking and searching it for 90% of my life! I was tempted to go back to my old ways, and bask in this attention. I was so close to moving away from God again, and accepting this new attention, but as I've been thinking about it, God has showed me that these are just false rewards. This is not the attention and "love" I am craving. What I truly desire is God's love.
I was telling a brother in Christ about these troubling temptations I've been facing, and he told me to look up this verse.
1 Corinthians 10:13
"The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."
Our God is faithful! The temptations we face... They are nothing we can't handle. It becomes troubling to be facing a temptation. In that very moment when we are living through the temptation, it can feel impossible. At times, we may feel like there is no other choice but to succumb to this temptation, but trust in the Lord, for He is mightier than any trial or temptation we face. He will always provide us with a way out, and we must look to Him!
I think God really wants us to trust Him and lean on Him. As mere humans, we seem to think our own power is good enough to rely on, but we are so weak. Without God, we are vulnerable to anything and everything, and with God, we are able to get through anything. The situation may seem difficult at the moment, but we must remember we are not alone. Not only do we have God, but He has provided us with people on this earth who are there to support us and pray for us.
James 5:16
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
Don't be afraid to share your sins with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ... We aren't meant to keep everything inside, and handle everything on our own. God wants us to pray for each other; I believe this is a part of loving each other... Prayer is a powerful thing and we must use it to help each other as well! Many times, it is so difficult for us to confess our sins to people on this earth. There is so much stopping us; I personally struggle with being judged, and I'm sure there are many other reasons why people struggle with confessing to each other.
I'm not suggesting you tell every single person about your every sin... That's not at all what I mean. We should take note of how the verse says the "earnest prayer of a righteous person..." Those who are true brothers and sisters of Christ are the ones who will have effective prayers. They are the ones who God is able to use to guide you and help you through any difficult situation! It is a great thing to be able to pray for your sisters and brothers in Christ! There's a reason why we have one another. We are here to support, love and pray for each other. We should share our struggles with one another, and whole-heartedly pray for each other! Relationships are beautiful in this way. God uses relationships to guide every single one of us!
Anything is possible with God.
He has provided our every need, and there is a reason for everything that happens in our lives. Whether it be temptations that seem so difficult to endure, or blessings that God has given us. He has designed our lives with such detail and precision; everything was planned out perfectly before we were even born! Let us not forget how truly magnificent and mighty our Lord is! :) Praise Him!
Thank you for reading this post! It's much appreciated :) Here's the song I listened to today - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7QQGPv1Ikc
-kjoosaurus out!
I hope everybody enjoyed yesterday's post as much as I did... There was a lot of meaning in the post, and I am so grateful for the honesty that came from the author! It was refreshingly beautiful, and it really meant a lot to me. So, thank you!
As some may know, yesterday was a day filled with traveling! I went from Ottawa to Vancouver, and my room is now a disaster. It was so great to see my family; I didn't realize how much I missed them until I saw them again. It is such a blessing to be part of such a loving and caring family. For many years, I have taken them for granted, and I wish I had known better! But I am now going to try my very best to appreciate and love them as much as I can! It's never too late to start :)
God has provided me with various topics to write about, but He has mostly been pushing me towards the topic of temptation. Hmmm.. Temptation. It existed since the beginning; Satan tempted Eve into taking a bite of the fruit. From then on, temptation has occurred over, and over, and over again throughout the bible. The temptation to sin surrounds us; it comes in all shapes and forms, and they can appear to be so humanly impossible to resist.
Ottawa. It was a place where temptations had a harder time getting to me. I struggled a bit with temptations, but they were easier for me to deal with. Was it because I had such a strong support from my brothers and sisters in Christ? Was it because I had grown so much closer to God?
Vancouver. Oh, Vancouver. Just hours after landing in Vancouver, I was tempted to go back to my old ways. My days of laziness, my days of anger and impatience, my days of selfish desires. I haven't been in Vancouver long, but my initial feeling was a loss of passion; I felt like I had lost my desire to worship and love the Lord. I didn't feel like reading the Bible, and I had no desire to pray. I was tempted to sit in my bed all day and all night, and just waste my time watching dramas, listening to worldly music, and just do nothing.
I was at a vulnerable state. I didn't have the support I was used to, and temptations have been coming at me from left and right. To be brutally honest, and I want to be completely honest with you all, I have been hit by many sexual temptations, and temptations for recognition/attention. These temptations have been VERY obvious since I got home.. Since I have arrived home, I have been receiving quite a bit of attention. All of it from males. These certain people have been saying things to me that perplex and distract me... They give me attention I used to crave so much, but now, I'm just sitting here wondering why God is allowing them to distract me from Him.
At first, I was really torn. This attention I was receiving was attention I had craved for so long. I never ever received this kind of attention, and I had been seeking and searching it for 90% of my life! I was tempted to go back to my old ways, and bask in this attention. I was so close to moving away from God again, and accepting this new attention, but as I've been thinking about it, God has showed me that these are just false rewards. This is not the attention and "love" I am craving. What I truly desire is God's love.
I was telling a brother in Christ about these troubling temptations I've been facing, and he told me to look up this verse.
1 Corinthians 10:13
"The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure."
Our God is faithful! The temptations we face... They are nothing we can't handle. It becomes troubling to be facing a temptation. In that very moment when we are living through the temptation, it can feel impossible. At times, we may feel like there is no other choice but to succumb to this temptation, but trust in the Lord, for He is mightier than any trial or temptation we face. He will always provide us with a way out, and we must look to Him!
I think God really wants us to trust Him and lean on Him. As mere humans, we seem to think our own power is good enough to rely on, but we are so weak. Without God, we are vulnerable to anything and everything, and with God, we are able to get through anything. The situation may seem difficult at the moment, but we must remember we are not alone. Not only do we have God, but He has provided us with people on this earth who are there to support us and pray for us.
James 5:16
Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results.
Don't be afraid to share your sins with your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ... We aren't meant to keep everything inside, and handle everything on our own. God wants us to pray for each other; I believe this is a part of loving each other... Prayer is a powerful thing and we must use it to help each other as well! Many times, it is so difficult for us to confess our sins to people on this earth. There is so much stopping us; I personally struggle with being judged, and I'm sure there are many other reasons why people struggle with confessing to each other.
I'm not suggesting you tell every single person about your every sin... That's not at all what I mean. We should take note of how the verse says the "earnest prayer of a righteous person..." Those who are true brothers and sisters of Christ are the ones who will have effective prayers. They are the ones who God is able to use to guide you and help you through any difficult situation! It is a great thing to be able to pray for your sisters and brothers in Christ! There's a reason why we have one another. We are here to support, love and pray for each other. We should share our struggles with one another, and whole-heartedly pray for each other! Relationships are beautiful in this way. God uses relationships to guide every single one of us!
Anything is possible with God.
He has provided our every need, and there is a reason for everything that happens in our lives. Whether it be temptations that seem so difficult to endure, or blessings that God has given us. He has designed our lives with such detail and precision; everything was planned out perfectly before we were even born! Let us not forget how truly magnificent and mighty our Lord is! :) Praise Him!
Thank you for reading this post! It's much appreciated :) Here's the song I listened to today - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7QQGPv1Ikc
-kjoosaurus out!
Monday, April 30, 2012
Stripping Away Our Pride [4/30/12]
Hello hello!
I hope everybody is doing well; I am writing this blog early today because I have a busy day ahead of me! There are a lot of things that must be done before I go home, and I wanted to make sure I wasn't too tired to write this. Actually, I should probably make it a habit to write this blog earlier in the day... :)
Anyways! Today, God provided me with the topic of pride. He has truly been changing me, and very slowly taking away my pride. Pride is something I have struggled with for many, many years. I honestly don't have any idea where my pride came from, but it was, and still is, a very big challenge in my life. Since I was younger, I was extremely prideful. I always wanted to be the one people looked at, I wanted people to continuously compliment me, and I wanted people to look up to me. I relied on nobody but myself, because I believed I myself could do everything best. I only ever relied on my own knowledge, and my own wisdom. I would try to give people my own advice because I wanted people to rely on me and look up to me, and tell me how wise I was.
Whenever anybody ever criticized me, I would snap back. My parents often tried to talk to me about my pride, my greed and my selfish actions, but it never ever worked. My friends would talk with me about these problems, but when they brought them up, I became extremely angry. I would explode and talk about how they were full of faults too. I told them they were in no place to judge me and try to change me! I always did my own thing, and I did not let anybody put me down.
This pride is still a part of my life... I know I am not a truly humble servant of God yet. Even now, when people try to help me, I find myself tuning out. I find that I stop listening to them, and I don't remember the words they say to me. I don't ever want to be told that I am wrong, but little by little, God has been reminding me of how many faults I have, and how it is only Him that can change me and mold me. Over the past few months, he has taught me so much about how pride can hinder our relationship with Him.
I hope everybody is doing well; I am writing this blog early today because I have a busy day ahead of me! There are a lot of things that must be done before I go home, and I wanted to make sure I wasn't too tired to write this. Actually, I should probably make it a habit to write this blog earlier in the day... :)
Anyways! Today, God provided me with the topic of pride. He has truly been changing me, and very slowly taking away my pride. Pride is something I have struggled with for many, many years. I honestly don't have any idea where my pride came from, but it was, and still is, a very big challenge in my life. Since I was younger, I was extremely prideful. I always wanted to be the one people looked at, I wanted people to continuously compliment me, and I wanted people to look up to me. I relied on nobody but myself, because I believed I myself could do everything best. I only ever relied on my own knowledge, and my own wisdom. I would try to give people my own advice because I wanted people to rely on me and look up to me, and tell me how wise I was.
Whenever anybody ever criticized me, I would snap back. My parents often tried to talk to me about my pride, my greed and my selfish actions, but it never ever worked. My friends would talk with me about these problems, but when they brought them up, I became extremely angry. I would explode and talk about how they were full of faults too. I told them they were in no place to judge me and try to change me! I always did my own thing, and I did not let anybody put me down.
This pride is still a part of my life... I know I am not a truly humble servant of God yet. Even now, when people try to help me, I find myself tuning out. I find that I stop listening to them, and I don't remember the words they say to me. I don't ever want to be told that I am wrong, but little by little, God has been reminding me of how many faults I have, and how it is only Him that can change me and mold me. Over the past few months, he has taught me so much about how pride can hinder our relationship with Him.
Psalms 25:9
He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way.
What God has been teaching me about pride is that He cannot use me if I hold on to my pride. If I hold on to my pride, I will begin to glorify myself, and do things in MY own way, not HIS. God's way is the only way, and I must become humble for Him to teach me His way. I pray, and pray, and pray that He would bring me down to the lowest of the lows, and humble me. I pray that He would strip away all of my pride, and use me to do His will! God has been humbling me through people, the Bible, and events that occur in my life. I pray that He would change my heart and my mind so that I may rely on Him only; not myself or anybody else.
I praise God because I know he has been changing my way into his way. I pray that you will all seek His face and His will, and ask Him to humble you!
Thank you for reading my blog! The next time I blog, it will be from Vancouver! How exciting :)
-kjoosaurus out!
Doubting Thomas [4/29/12]
John 20:24
One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with
the others when Jesus came. They told him, "We have seen the Lord!"
But he replied, "I won't believe it unless I see the
nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place
my hand into the wound in his side."
Eight days later, the disciples were together again, and this time
Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as
before, Jesus was standing among them.
"Peace be with you," he said. Then he said
to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and look at my hands.
Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don't be faithless any longer.
But he replied, "I won't believe it unless I see the
nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place
my hand into the wound in his side."
Eight days later, the disciples were together again, and this time
Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as
before, Jesus was standing among them.
"Peace be with you," he said. Then he said
to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and look at my hands.
Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don't be faithless any longer.
Believe!"
"My Lord and my God!" Thomas exclaimed.
Then Jesus told him, "You believe because you have seen me.
Blessed are those who believe without seeing me."
Then Jesus told him, "You believe because you have seen me.
Blessed are those who believe without seeing me."
This past weekend was full of interesting events. God continuously revealed things to me, and he told me something I hadn't even realized. On Friday, a friend of mine made a brief reference to Thomas in the bible. She was calling somebody "Doubting Thomas," and I didn't understand her reference. I had never heard of "Doubting Thomas" before, and I didn't think much of it at the time. So, I brushed it off, and I continued on with my life. The day after, Thomas was mentioned two more times. Then again, Thomas was referred to on the next day! It was on the fourth time that Thomas was mentioned that I realized something... God was telling me to search up the bible verse on "Doubting Thomas!"
As I was reading the verse on Thomas, I immediately understood the message God was conveying to me. I hadn't realized (or maybe I just didn't take note of it) that there were many doubts that continued to creep into my head while I was praising God, or praying to Him. At times, I realized I would doubt how mighty He was, or the things He had done. I didn't take note of these doubts right away, until I realized they were very persistent, and they only came when I was getting closer to God. When this was revealed to me, I was scared. I didn't want to doubt God; I wasn't trying to. I probably wouldn't have taken note of this if God had not revealed it to me!
God doesn't want me to doubt Him in any way, and I'm sure it saddens Him when I do. He brought this to my attention, so that I may cast all of my doubts away. They have still been crawling into my mind at times when I grow closer to Him, but God is working in me as I pray to Him every time this happens. I realized there are times when we don't even notice we are struggling; we don't see what we are struggling with, but God revealed my struggles to me so that I would pray to Him and ask Him for His guidance! I pray that I may have 100% faith in Him without having to have "proof." I pray that I do not need to be doubting like Thomas was; I pray that I would be able to believe without seeing! He is a wonderful God who continuously works inside of us! He is always molding us, and changing us! What a beautiful, and mighty God!
Thank you very much for reading my blog! One of these days, when I'm not too tired, I will write two blogs so that I can catch up for the Friday that I missed! May God bless your day!
- kjoosaurus out!
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Holy Spirit [4/28/12]
Hello!
So, I have a lot to talk about today. I'm going to do this blog in two separate posts. This first one is going to talk about a prayer that was answered, and how the Holy Spirit guided me through a very new experience. These past couple of days, I have been traveling in Toronto/Mississauga/Oakville. The reason for me being in that area was because I was attending a Vision Camp that my friend was speaking at; the experience was amazing and God spoke to me in amazing ways, but I would like to save that story for another day! The story I would like to share with you happened on the greyhound on the way to the Vision Camp. It was an event that I have never been able to experience before, and it was truly through God's grace that it could happen!
I was heading to Toronto with a friend of mine, and when we got on the bus, there wasn't enough space for the two of us to sit together. Because of this, I ended up sitting beside a young-looking girl. As I sat down beside her, I began to pray. I asked God to give me an opportunity to start a conversation with her. I also requested that I would be able to give her something to think about; I prayed that he would use the Holy Spirit to guide me, and use my mouth to utter wise words. For the first hour of the bus ride, I didn't say a single word to her. I forgot about my prayer, when all of a sudden she began fiddling with the air conditioning. She asked me if I was feeling cold, and from there, a conversation started.
The first hour of conversation is a blur to me. It went by extremely fast, and I got to know so much about her in such a short amount of time! We talked about our lives, what we were doing, what we were interested in, etc. Then, she asked me what I was going to Toronto for. I told her I was going to a church event, and from there, we began to speak about Christianity. I discovered that she is Catholic, and I began to ask her about her faith. I was genuinely curious, because I don't know much about that religion. I always knew it was similar to Christianity, but I wasn't sure how it was different. One difference we found was that Catholics believe there is another way to Heaven other than Jesus. This girl believed she would be able to get into Heaven if she were able to do many good deeds. When I heard this, I asked her if she believed she was a sinner. She said no, and then proceeded to ask me if I believed I was a sinner.
I told her: Yes, I believe I am a sinner. I believe there is no way I could ever possibly follow all of the ten commandments. I told her about a couple of them, and how impossible they are to follow! Then, I proceeded to tell her that although I am a sinner, it is because I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour that I am able to accepted by God, and taken to Heaven to be with Him.
The reaction I got to this was unexpected. She stared at me, and told me she had never heard of this before. She sat there, and thought and thought and thought. She told me it was very interesting, and she really seemed to be in shock about this. As the conversation moved on, we continued to talk about more and more. She told me she had not talked about religion in a long time, and I would like to think she had more to think about. I pray that the Holy Spirit is working in her at this very moment!
So, I have a lot to talk about today. I'm going to do this blog in two separate posts. This first one is going to talk about a prayer that was answered, and how the Holy Spirit guided me through a very new experience. These past couple of days, I have been traveling in Toronto/Mississauga/Oakville. The reason for me being in that area was because I was attending a Vision Camp that my friend was speaking at; the experience was amazing and God spoke to me in amazing ways, but I would like to save that story for another day! The story I would like to share with you happened on the greyhound on the way to the Vision Camp. It was an event that I have never been able to experience before, and it was truly through God's grace that it could happen!
I was heading to Toronto with a friend of mine, and when we got on the bus, there wasn't enough space for the two of us to sit together. Because of this, I ended up sitting beside a young-looking girl. As I sat down beside her, I began to pray. I asked God to give me an opportunity to start a conversation with her. I also requested that I would be able to give her something to think about; I prayed that he would use the Holy Spirit to guide me, and use my mouth to utter wise words. For the first hour of the bus ride, I didn't say a single word to her. I forgot about my prayer, when all of a sudden she began fiddling with the air conditioning. She asked me if I was feeling cold, and from there, a conversation started.
The first hour of conversation is a blur to me. It went by extremely fast, and I got to know so much about her in such a short amount of time! We talked about our lives, what we were doing, what we were interested in, etc. Then, she asked me what I was going to Toronto for. I told her I was going to a church event, and from there, we began to speak about Christianity. I discovered that she is Catholic, and I began to ask her about her faith. I was genuinely curious, because I don't know much about that religion. I always knew it was similar to Christianity, but I wasn't sure how it was different. One difference we found was that Catholics believe there is another way to Heaven other than Jesus. This girl believed she would be able to get into Heaven if she were able to do many good deeds. When I heard this, I asked her if she believed she was a sinner. She said no, and then proceeded to ask me if I believed I was a sinner.
I told her: Yes, I believe I am a sinner. I believe there is no way I could ever possibly follow all of the ten commandments. I told her about a couple of them, and how impossible they are to follow! Then, I proceeded to tell her that although I am a sinner, it is because I have accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour that I am able to accepted by God, and taken to Heaven to be with Him.
The reaction I got to this was unexpected. She stared at me, and told me she had never heard of this before. She sat there, and thought and thought and thought. She told me it was very interesting, and she really seemed to be in shock about this. As the conversation moved on, we continued to talk about more and more. She told me she had not talked about religion in a long time, and I would like to think she had more to think about. I pray that the Holy Spirit is working in her at this very moment!
Luke 12:12, "for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."
The Holy Spirit took control of my body; I was used to tell this girl about the grace of God! The words that came out of my mouth were not my own, but the words of the Spirit. I feel so blessed to be able to be used in this way! I pray that the Holy Spirit will work the same way in each and every one of you. Trust in God, and let the Holy Spirit take control! God provides us with so many opportunities; we must grasp these opportunities, and let him work through us!
Thank you for reading this post! Instead of posting another one tonight, I will post two tomorrow because I'm exhausted right now! I have so much more to share with you all, and I have a feeling that I will be having a lot to say in the next couple of days, so keep on reading! :)
-kjoosaurus out!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Loving the World [4/26/12]
Hello!
I've been distracted by clothes, television, media, money, music, and so much more. I tell people "I love my iPod." Or, "I love this shirt." I could go on, and on, and on about how much I love these worldly things, but this must sound so sad to God! When I see other people with expensive and fancy things, I find myself wanting them. I catch myself thinking about how much I want these items. I want the latest gadget, and I want the newest style of clothes. Yes, these things seem cool, and they can be of use, but why do I obsess over them? How could I ever claim to "love" these things?
Lately, I've been wondering a lot about how attached I am to this world, and how much effort I put into worldly things. I've been asking myself questions like "Would I want to win the lottery?" or "Why do I claim to love materialistic things?" I know it sounds like a silly question to be asking, but I continue to ask myself these questions because I have come to realize how easily I fall for materialistic and worldly things. They are so distracting, and they are EVERYWHERE. They are tempting, and they are tricky. I used to often find myself being taken away from God because of the worldly things that surrounded me.
I've been distracted by clothes, television, media, money, music, and so much more. I tell people "I love my iPod." Or, "I love this shirt." I could go on, and on, and on about how much I love these worldly things, but this must sound so sad to God! When I see other people with expensive and fancy things, I find myself wanting them. I catch myself thinking about how much I want these items. I want the latest gadget, and I want the newest style of clothes. Yes, these things seem cool, and they can be of use, but why do I obsess over them? How could I ever claim to "love" these things?
1 John 3:15
"Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you."
"Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you."
I'm sure I'm not the only one who has caught myself loving things from this world. I'm sure we have all caught ourselves obsessing over material things. If you've ever lost a great deal of money, or broken something valuable, I'm sure you've felt sadness and sometimes anger. But, this love we have for material things shouldn't be there. It distracts us from loving our God, and it prevents us from loving him to the fullest we could! Why do we love these things that are worth nothing...? They are temporary things. When we are finally with our Father, they will mean absolutely nothing to us! So, why do they mean so much now?
Let's fill ourselves with love for God; let there be no room for us to love worldly things. This is extremely hard, but day by day, the amount of love we have for God will grow. We must pray that he fills us with his love! We will be with Him for all of eternity!
Thank you for reading my blog tonight!
-kjoosaurus out!
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Peace and Comfort [4/24/12]
Hellooo there!
Exams are finally done! I'm pretty sure I passed all of my exams - yay! I hope everybody has been doing well; I hope all the students who are done exams are now filled with a sense of relief. I know I am! Yet, I still manage to procrastinate... I'm currently procrastinating packing. It's weird how I started packing at 2pm, and I still haven't finished. Oh well! I'll finish packing eventually!
Like I continue to repeat, over and over again, the relationships I've built in Ottawa have been beautiful, precious, and blessed! The majority of my relationships have been based on Christ, and this makes them so much deeper and much more meaningful. I have grown to love so many people; God used so many people to guide me and encourage me! The times spent together have been so memorable, fun and enjoyable! Honestly, I love spending time with all of these people so much; I always enjoy myself when I'm around my friends, and I cherish these moments together.
God has blessed me with such amazing people; He has put them in my life, and He has used every single one of them to guide, mold and encourage me! They have become such an important part of my life, but I am being separated with some for an indefinite amount of time... This means, I will no longer see them every day or every week, and I will no longer be able to have the same amount of face-to-face interaction that we have now. There are others that I will not be seeing for four months; although the time is short, it still makes me really sad... I think one of the hardest parts is knowing that I am really bad at keeping in touch with people through technology. I'm scared that relationships will be different when I come back to Ottawa in September; I'm scared that things will change.
Although I held these feelings of fear and sadness inside of my heart, I turned to God, and told him of these emotions I was experiencing. Through Him, I found peace and comforting. If we turn to Him when we are experiencing troubles or sorrows, he will never disappoint! He will bring peace to our hearts, and we have no need to be afraid! I'm sure there are times when you struggle, and when you feel as if you are in the worst situation possible, but stop worrying! Stop letting things bring you down! Bring all of your troubles, sorrows, and problems to God. He is waiting for you to turn to Him!
God loves us. He is never ever going to abandon us. I am going to repeat this over, and over, and over again until each and every person on this earth understands and remembers this! Jesus died on the cross for us, our sins have been forgiven. We have been blessed, and we are loved! We have been put on this earth to serve Him! So when you are feeling down, discouraged or afraid, don't be scared to pour your heart out to Him. He is waiting for you. Let Him know your sorrows, and He will take these troubles off of your heart! He will give you peace. He will comfort you!
Our God is an awesome God! He loves us so, so much. Let's praise Him and continue to do His will, and His will only!
Thank you very much for reading my blog! :) Here's the song I listened to today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx2-Inc8TkA
- kjoosaurus out!
Exams are finally done! I'm pretty sure I passed all of my exams - yay! I hope everybody has been doing well; I hope all the students who are done exams are now filled with a sense of relief. I know I am! Yet, I still manage to procrastinate... I'm currently procrastinating packing. It's weird how I started packing at 2pm, and I still haven't finished. Oh well! I'll finish packing eventually!
Like I continue to repeat, over and over again, the relationships I've built in Ottawa have been beautiful, precious, and blessed! The majority of my relationships have been based on Christ, and this makes them so much deeper and much more meaningful. I have grown to love so many people; God used so many people to guide me and encourage me! The times spent together have been so memorable, fun and enjoyable! Honestly, I love spending time with all of these people so much; I always enjoy myself when I'm around my friends, and I cherish these moments together.
God has blessed me with such amazing people; He has put them in my life, and He has used every single one of them to guide, mold and encourage me! They have become such an important part of my life, but I am being separated with some for an indefinite amount of time... This means, I will no longer see them every day or every week, and I will no longer be able to have the same amount of face-to-face interaction that we have now. There are others that I will not be seeing for four months; although the time is short, it still makes me really sad... I think one of the hardest parts is knowing that I am really bad at keeping in touch with people through technology. I'm scared that relationships will be different when I come back to Ottawa in September; I'm scared that things will change.
John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not
as the world gives do I give to you.
Let not your hearts be troubled,
neither let them be afraid.
Although I held these feelings of fear and sadness inside of my heart, I turned to God, and told him of these emotions I was experiencing. Through Him, I found peace and comforting. If we turn to Him when we are experiencing troubles or sorrows, he will never disappoint! He will bring peace to our hearts, and we have no need to be afraid! I'm sure there are times when you struggle, and when you feel as if you are in the worst situation possible, but stop worrying! Stop letting things bring you down! Bring all of your troubles, sorrows, and problems to God. He is waiting for you to turn to Him!
God loves us. He is never ever going to abandon us. I am going to repeat this over, and over, and over again until each and every person on this earth understands and remembers this! Jesus died on the cross for us, our sins have been forgiven. We have been blessed, and we are loved! We have been put on this earth to serve Him! So when you are feeling down, discouraged or afraid, don't be scared to pour your heart out to Him. He is waiting for you. Let Him know your sorrows, and He will take these troubles off of your heart! He will give you peace. He will comfort you!
Our God is an awesome God! He loves us so, so much. Let's praise Him and continue to do His will, and His will only!
Thank you very much for reading my blog! :) Here's the song I listened to today: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx2-Inc8TkA
- kjoosaurus out!
Monday, April 23, 2012
God's Chisel [4/22/12]
Aloha~
I hope everybody was able to spend time worshiping and praising God today! I hope even more that you would be spending quiet time with him as much as possible. Your day should never be too busy to spend some time with God. I know I get distracted very easily by things that have no meaning, but I'm striving to find time for God in every single day of my life.
Today, I wanted to talk about a video and a personal experience I've had with it. Here's a video that really touched my heart in the beginning of the year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhfUzodLRvk
This video talks about how God molds us. He carries us through trials and struggles to shape us into the beautiful masterpiece he wants us to be! We go through things that seem so tough, but with God, we always learn through these difficult experiences, and we grow into something beautiful. God really helped me through trials in my life...
My teenage years were filled with self-hate. My body was filled with jealousy from head to toe. I was jealous of other people because they were all better looking than me, they were funnier, they were more artistic, they were smarter, they were more passionate, they were more social. I wanted so badly to be like them. I wanted to be that girl who people looked up to; I wanted to be a person that people thought highly of. But, there was nothing about me that made me stick out a lot. I struggled to appreciate myself, and I became very angry at God; I became very angry in general.
I went through a lot of pain because of how inferior I felt when I was with other people. My friends always seemed to be so much better than me. They would have what I wanted, and they would be who I wished I could be. I became sad when I would see them, and I would often distance myself from people who had qualities I wished I could have. I was angry at God for making me into what I thought was such a useless and talentless person. It was when I came to know Christ, that I began to look towards him when I struggled with these insecurities instead of being angry at him.
As I continued to look towards Him, He taught me so much in such a short time. He taught me how I am HIS creation. This makes me beautiful already! I am now so appreciative of the gifts he has given me. I am able to walk; this makes me able to travel to different places to bring the good news. I am able to communicate; this allows me to speak with others about God. I am able to use my voice; this makes me capable of yelling his name out loud!! These basic gifts he has given me are still beautiful blessings... They are not even the beginning of the gifts he has given me, but I have learned to appreciate the basic things.
God molded me into somebody who would be willing to serve him. He showed me the different gifts he had given me to do his will! Yes, I went through struggles and difficult times. I failed to appreciate the amazing gifts he had given me! I had hated the beautiful body he had provided me to do his will, but I have learned to appreciate it because I am able to do his work!
These dark, angry, and jealous times I went through were a way for God to teach me about the blessings he has given me, and what these blessings are meant to be used for! My faith was tested. I let myself become extremely furious at God and I strayed far from God, but God pulled through as always and showed me the light! He was there for me since the beginning, and he used his chisel to make me more like the masterpiece I will become!
I will continue to accept the struggles I am given, because I know God is working in me. He is always molding us, and always working with us!
Thank you for reading my post today! :) Here is the song I listened to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iCoV6rDDjs&feature=fvwrel
-kjoosaurus out!
I hope everybody was able to spend time worshiping and praising God today! I hope even more that you would be spending quiet time with him as much as possible. Your day should never be too busy to spend some time with God. I know I get distracted very easily by things that have no meaning, but I'm striving to find time for God in every single day of my life.
Today, I wanted to talk about a video and a personal experience I've had with it. Here's a video that really touched my heart in the beginning of the year: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhfUzodLRvk
This video talks about how God molds us. He carries us through trials and struggles to shape us into the beautiful masterpiece he wants us to be! We go through things that seem so tough, but with God, we always learn through these difficult experiences, and we grow into something beautiful. God really helped me through trials in my life...
My teenage years were filled with self-hate. My body was filled with jealousy from head to toe. I was jealous of other people because they were all better looking than me, they were funnier, they were more artistic, they were smarter, they were more passionate, they were more social. I wanted so badly to be like them. I wanted to be that girl who people looked up to; I wanted to be a person that people thought highly of. But, there was nothing about me that made me stick out a lot. I struggled to appreciate myself, and I became very angry at God; I became very angry in general.
I went through a lot of pain because of how inferior I felt when I was with other people. My friends always seemed to be so much better than me. They would have what I wanted, and they would be who I wished I could be. I became sad when I would see them, and I would often distance myself from people who had qualities I wished I could have. I was angry at God for making me into what I thought was such a useless and talentless person. It was when I came to know Christ, that I began to look towards him when I struggled with these insecurities instead of being angry at him.
As I continued to look towards Him, He taught me so much in such a short time. He taught me how I am HIS creation. This makes me beautiful already! I am now so appreciative of the gifts he has given me. I am able to walk; this makes me able to travel to different places to bring the good news. I am able to communicate; this allows me to speak with others about God. I am able to use my voice; this makes me capable of yelling his name out loud!! These basic gifts he has given me are still beautiful blessings... They are not even the beginning of the gifts he has given me, but I have learned to appreciate the basic things.
God molded me into somebody who would be willing to serve him. He showed me the different gifts he had given me to do his will! Yes, I went through struggles and difficult times. I failed to appreciate the amazing gifts he had given me! I had hated the beautiful body he had provided me to do his will, but I have learned to appreciate it because I am able to do his work!
James 1:2-4 says, "Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, you endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing."
These dark, angry, and jealous times I went through were a way for God to teach me about the blessings he has given me, and what these blessings are meant to be used for! My faith was tested. I let myself become extremely furious at God and I strayed far from God, but God pulled through as always and showed me the light! He was there for me since the beginning, and he used his chisel to make me more like the masterpiece I will become!
I will continue to accept the struggles I am given, because I know God is working in me. He is always molding us, and always working with us!
Thank you for reading my post today! :) Here is the song I listened to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2iCoV6rDDjs&feature=fvwrel
-kjoosaurus out!
Friday, April 20, 2012
Sins Forgiven [4/19/12]
Hello hello!
So lately, I've been having a hard time thinking about what to write about, but at the last minute, God has always provided me with the right words. It might be that I have been thinking too hard about what to write, because when I think I've chosen something to write about, it always changes! It's great to know that God has his own plan for us!
I've finally finished reading the book of Matthew, and it's absolutely incredible. Jesus Christ was betrayed, he was tortured, and he was killed. He knew and predicted what was coming, yet he endured it because of his mighty love for us! When he died on the cross, we were forgiven for all of our sins... It is because of him that we are able to be with God in heaven!
As I was reading about how Jesus died on the cross, I was reminded of a Life Group session from last semester. We were talking about the ten commandments, and what exactly they were. It was an eye-opening experience for me because it made me realize how much of a sinner I am. I always knew I was a sinner, but by going over all ten commandments and explaining them made me realize so much. I realized how impossible it is to be perfect in God's eyes without Jesus...
One commandment that really stuck out to me is shown in Exodus 21:13. All it says is "you shall not murder." For the majority of my life, I found this to be an easy commandment! I always thought "Well, that's easy enough! I wasn't planning on murdering anybody anyways!" But, when I went to life group that night, I learned a whole lot more on this simple commandment. I learned that the equivalent to murdering somebody, is hating somebody. My. Mind. Was. Blown. I never knew this! I spent 18 years full of intense hatred towards certain people, and this whole time, I was sinning!
Hatred is such a strong emotion, and it is everywhere in this world. I was so caught up in hatred, and I didn't even know what I was doing. Now I realize how much of a sinner I am, and I admit it everyday. I am a sinner. I sin in every way, and without Jesus Christ, I am nothing! The book of Matthew is so beautiful; it is filled with so many miracles, and it is full of Christ's love for us. He loves us, and although we are sinners, he paid the price on the cross and all of our sins have been forgiven! How fortunate are we? We have a God who blesses us, and loves us. A love so powerful, precious and beautiful. Let's continue to remember this love he has for us, and what he has done for us!
Thank you very much for reading this post! I hope you realize and admit we are all sinners, but also understand that Jesus has forgiven our sins! Praise him for what he has done for us! :)
Here's the song I listened to while writing this blog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr9Wz3F9JPs
-kjoosaurus out!
So lately, I've been having a hard time thinking about what to write about, but at the last minute, God has always provided me with the right words. It might be that I have been thinking too hard about what to write, because when I think I've chosen something to write about, it always changes! It's great to know that God has his own plan for us!
I've finally finished reading the book of Matthew, and it's absolutely incredible. Jesus Christ was betrayed, he was tortured, and he was killed. He knew and predicted what was coming, yet he endured it because of his mighty love for us! When he died on the cross, we were forgiven for all of our sins... It is because of him that we are able to be with God in heaven!
As I was reading about how Jesus died on the cross, I was reminded of a Life Group session from last semester. We were talking about the ten commandments, and what exactly they were. It was an eye-opening experience for me because it made me realize how much of a sinner I am. I always knew I was a sinner, but by going over all ten commandments and explaining them made me realize so much. I realized how impossible it is to be perfect in God's eyes without Jesus...
One commandment that really stuck out to me is shown in Exodus 21:13. All it says is "you shall not murder." For the majority of my life, I found this to be an easy commandment! I always thought "Well, that's easy enough! I wasn't planning on murdering anybody anyways!" But, when I went to life group that night, I learned a whole lot more on this simple commandment. I learned that the equivalent to murdering somebody, is hating somebody. My. Mind. Was. Blown. I never knew this! I spent 18 years full of intense hatred towards certain people, and this whole time, I was sinning!
Hatred is such a strong emotion, and it is everywhere in this world. I was so caught up in hatred, and I didn't even know what I was doing. Now I realize how much of a sinner I am, and I admit it everyday. I am a sinner. I sin in every way, and without Jesus Christ, I am nothing! The book of Matthew is so beautiful; it is filled with so many miracles, and it is full of Christ's love for us. He loves us, and although we are sinners, he paid the price on the cross and all of our sins have been forgiven! How fortunate are we? We have a God who blesses us, and loves us. A love so powerful, precious and beautiful. Let's continue to remember this love he has for us, and what he has done for us!
Thank you very much for reading this post! I hope you realize and admit we are all sinners, but also understand that Jesus has forgiven our sins! Praise him for what he has done for us! :)
Here's the song I listened to while writing this blog: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr9Wz3F9JPs
-kjoosaurus out!
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Purpose [4/18/12]
Hello to all you beautiful people!
Isn't it crazy how quickly time flies? I can so clearly remember my first day in Ottawa... I can remember how my hair became a huge frizz ball because of the difference in the weather from Vancouver, I remember moving into my room and waiting in anticipation of seeing my roommate for the first time, I remember waiting in line to figure out which room I would be in. But, that was eight months ago! Eight whole months have gone by since I moved to Ottawa, and in that time, I've changed so much as a person. I've learned so much, and my eyes have been opened to so many new things.
One thing that has changed in my life, is the purpose of my life. Before I came to know Christ, I don't think I had much of a purpose... My goals were steered towards education, a successful career, and a comfortable lifestyle. This was everything I was striving for; I wanted to be well-off, but then as I came to know Christ, I began to question this. What would happen if I DID become well-off and fulfill all of my "goals"? I would just breathe, work, live, and then what? Once I completed everything I wanted, what would be the purpose? Well, now that I think of it, there would be none. Those were such shallow, worldly, and selfish goals. All I wanted was for ME to live comfortably, or for ME to be happy... But I didn't think beyond that.
When I came to know Christ, I became passionate about so much more. I now want to serve him! I want to get to know him! I want to be with him! Things have drastically changed; my life is full of meaning because of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Although I have discovered these things, there are still certain aspects I struggle with.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
Like I was talking about yesterday, God has plans for us, and we don't know what they are. We know they are for good, but we still don't know what they are. The part I struggle with, is when I can't see God using me. I so badly want to serve him, and have him use me to do his work, but there are times when I feel so USELESS. Even recently, I've been in situations where I just wish God would put the right words in my mouth, I pray that he would fill me with wisdom and knowledge to be able to reach out to other people, but I don't see it happening.
The most recent situation was where a friend of mine was feeling down. I wanted to help so badly, but I just didn't know what to say. I was praying that the Holy Spirit would work through me to reach out to this friend. I wanted to be the person God used to guide them, but this didn't happen. I went home feeling sad, and useless. I kept thinking and thinking. I wondered to myself, "When is God ever going to use me?" I was sitting there, and I was ready. I was ready for him to take control and use me to do his work. But, I wasn't seeing anything.
I kept wondering about this, and wondering why God wasn't using me. The more I thought about it, the more I didn't understand. But then, He revealed something to me. He showed me how although I was wanting to help a friend, my desires were actually selfish. The reason why is because I was seeking attention. I wanted people to compliment me for being such a good friend; I wanted people to consider me somebody with extremely wise words. I wasn't seeking God's glory, but my own. As God revealed this to me, I became so ashamed and embarrassed. I even hesitated to write about this on my blog, but I wanted to be honest. I have often struggled with my pride. Ever since I was young, I would seek compliments and attention from my peers. I would like to think I have become more humble, but I know I'm still struggling with my pride.
Proverbs 11:2 says, "Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom."
I'm praying and praying that the Lord would help me become humble. Being prideful is such an unattractive quality, and the Lord crowns the humble with salvation! I praise the Lord for bringing me to where I am now! In the short time I have gotten to know him, I realize he has taught me so much... He has guided me through everything and he is moulding me right now! As he moulds me, he is unraveling his plan for me. We all have such amazing purposes! We are all of use to God, but we must be patient. Just because we can't see what he's doing, doesn't mean he isn't doing anything! I praise God for giving me such a phenomenal purpose in my life. He has given my life so much meaning!
Thanks for reading my blog!! Here's the song I listened to while writing this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdq9Q8wJdjc
-kjoosaurus out!
Isn't it crazy how quickly time flies? I can so clearly remember my first day in Ottawa... I can remember how my hair became a huge frizz ball because of the difference in the weather from Vancouver, I remember moving into my room and waiting in anticipation of seeing my roommate for the first time, I remember waiting in line to figure out which room I would be in. But, that was eight months ago! Eight whole months have gone by since I moved to Ottawa, and in that time, I've changed so much as a person. I've learned so much, and my eyes have been opened to so many new things.
One thing that has changed in my life, is the purpose of my life. Before I came to know Christ, I don't think I had much of a purpose... My goals were steered towards education, a successful career, and a comfortable lifestyle. This was everything I was striving for; I wanted to be well-off, but then as I came to know Christ, I began to question this. What would happen if I DID become well-off and fulfill all of my "goals"? I would just breathe, work, live, and then what? Once I completed everything I wanted, what would be the purpose? Well, now that I think of it, there would be none. Those were such shallow, worldly, and selfish goals. All I wanted was for ME to live comfortably, or for ME to be happy... But I didn't think beyond that.
When I came to know Christ, I became passionate about so much more. I now want to serve him! I want to get to know him! I want to be with him! Things have drastically changed; my life is full of meaning because of my Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Although I have discovered these things, there are still certain aspects I struggle with.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
Like I was talking about yesterday, God has plans for us, and we don't know what they are. We know they are for good, but we still don't know what they are. The part I struggle with, is when I can't see God using me. I so badly want to serve him, and have him use me to do his work, but there are times when I feel so USELESS. Even recently, I've been in situations where I just wish God would put the right words in my mouth, I pray that he would fill me with wisdom and knowledge to be able to reach out to other people, but I don't see it happening.
The most recent situation was where a friend of mine was feeling down. I wanted to help so badly, but I just didn't know what to say. I was praying that the Holy Spirit would work through me to reach out to this friend. I wanted to be the person God used to guide them, but this didn't happen. I went home feeling sad, and useless. I kept thinking and thinking. I wondered to myself, "When is God ever going to use me?" I was sitting there, and I was ready. I was ready for him to take control and use me to do his work. But, I wasn't seeing anything.
I kept wondering about this, and wondering why God wasn't using me. The more I thought about it, the more I didn't understand. But then, He revealed something to me. He showed me how although I was wanting to help a friend, my desires were actually selfish. The reason why is because I was seeking attention. I wanted people to compliment me for being such a good friend; I wanted people to consider me somebody with extremely wise words. I wasn't seeking God's glory, but my own. As God revealed this to me, I became so ashamed and embarrassed. I even hesitated to write about this on my blog, but I wanted to be honest. I have often struggled with my pride. Ever since I was young, I would seek compliments and attention from my peers. I would like to think I have become more humble, but I know I'm still struggling with my pride.
Proverbs 11:2 says, "Pride leads to disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom."
I'm praying and praying that the Lord would help me become humble. Being prideful is such an unattractive quality, and the Lord crowns the humble with salvation! I praise the Lord for bringing me to where I am now! In the short time I have gotten to know him, I realize he has taught me so much... He has guided me through everything and he is moulding me right now! As he moulds me, he is unraveling his plan for me. We all have such amazing purposes! We are all of use to God, but we must be patient. Just because we can't see what he's doing, doesn't mean he isn't doing anything! I praise God for giving me such a phenomenal purpose in my life. He has given my life so much meaning!
Thanks for reading my blog!! Here's the song I listened to while writing this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdq9Q8wJdjc
-kjoosaurus out!
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
He is my Strength [4/16/12]
Hihi!
I have an exam tomorrow morning, so I'm going to make this short! (Just watch, I'll probably write for an hour.) It was funny. Today, I was starting to write the blog about a completely different topic, and I just kept getting this feeling that it wasn't right. I think God wanted me to save that topic for later, and share this topic with you now. The topic for today is how God is my strength!
Something to know about me is that I depend very much on other people; I value my relationships so much. I know I could deal with it if God took all of my relationships away from me, but it would be extremely hard for me. They are what I value most in this world. It's interesting, because God seems to be starting to do this to me now.
You see, I have made a few very close friends in Ottawa, and the most amazing thing is that these relationships have been based on Christ. They all mean so much to me, and I could never appreciate them or love them enough. This year, God provided me with the most beautiful blessings I have ever received. Every single day, I thank him for the precious relationships I've made. I thank him for giving me people who will encourage me, care about me, spend time with me and love me. But, I also know that I rely on them a lot. And, if it so happens, God may choose to take them away.
I recently found out that there is a chance that I may lose them for a while. There is a likely chance that I may not be able to see their faces everyday. The second I discovered this, I was blanketed in sadness. My heart fell, and I honestly felt a bit angry. It felt unfair that I would have to let go of these amazing people even though I hadn't been with them for very long. I didn't understand why he would put me through the unbearable pain. I just could not comprehend why he would take away such important people. But, as I thought about it more and more, I came to realize that I had to trust in him. He has a reason to everything, and I just need to trust that he is still guiding me.
Isaiah 41:10 says, "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."
This verse spoke directly to me. I am very afraid of being apart from people who are so valuable to me, but God is still with me. I am afraid of what will change if I am apart from them, but God has a reason for this and he is molding us! Although I am afraid, I have no reason to be. God is my strength. He is my rock, and he never fails! All I ever need is him, and even though he may take everything away, I will always have him.
That's the beauty of it all. The Lord is my strength. The Lord will never leave me. The Lord is always with me. I think I fall more and more in love with him everyday; I continue to learn so much about him, and it baffles me to realize I could love him even more than I already do. But, it keeps happening! I learn more, and I love more. Isn't it wonderful? To worship him through struggles and challenges, to worship him through blessings and miracles. To worship him everyday from the minute I wake up, to the minute I go to bed. To worship him always!
Thanks for reading my blog today :) I actually didn't listen to a song while writing this post... But there will probably be a song tomorrow! Good luck on all of your exams!
-kjoosaurus out!
Something to know about me is that I depend very much on other people; I value my relationships so much. I know I could deal with it if God took all of my relationships away from me, but it would be extremely hard for me. They are what I value most in this world. It's interesting, because God seems to be starting to do this to me now.
You see, I have made a few very close friends in Ottawa, and the most amazing thing is that these relationships have been based on Christ. They all mean so much to me, and I could never appreciate them or love them enough. This year, God provided me with the most beautiful blessings I have ever received. Every single day, I thank him for the precious relationships I've made. I thank him for giving me people who will encourage me, care about me, spend time with me and love me. But, I also know that I rely on them a lot. And, if it so happens, God may choose to take them away.
I recently found out that there is a chance that I may lose them for a while. There is a likely chance that I may not be able to see their faces everyday. The second I discovered this, I was blanketed in sadness. My heart fell, and I honestly felt a bit angry. It felt unfair that I would have to let go of these amazing people even though I hadn't been with them for very long. I didn't understand why he would put me through the unbearable pain. I just could not comprehend why he would take away such important people. But, as I thought about it more and more, I came to realize that I had to trust in him. He has a reason to everything, and I just need to trust that he is still guiding me.
Isaiah 41:10 says, "Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand."
This verse spoke directly to me. I am very afraid of being apart from people who are so valuable to me, but God is still with me. I am afraid of what will change if I am apart from them, but God has a reason for this and he is molding us! Although I am afraid, I have no reason to be. God is my strength. He is my rock, and he never fails! All I ever need is him, and even though he may take everything away, I will always have him.
That's the beauty of it all. The Lord is my strength. The Lord will never leave me. The Lord is always with me. I think I fall more and more in love with him everyday; I continue to learn so much about him, and it baffles me to realize I could love him even more than I already do. But, it keeps happening! I learn more, and I love more. Isn't it wonderful? To worship him through struggles and challenges, to worship him through blessings and miracles. To worship him everyday from the minute I wake up, to the minute I go to bed. To worship him always!
Thanks for reading my blog today :) I actually didn't listen to a song while writing this post... But there will probably be a song tomorrow! Good luck on all of your exams!
-kjoosaurus out!
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