The Lord is my shepherd [05/22/13]

Hello to my wonderful friends :)

I've received many encouraging words about this blog, and I want to thank you for the kind words you've spoken! I've found that I'm rather unskilled at expressing my gratitude to people, but in reality, I am actually extremely grateful! I really do thank God for using you to encourage and challenge me. I'm better at expressing myself through writing so FEEL MY LOVE AND THANKS! :D

I love the way God works. He is so detail-oriented, meticulous, mysterious and exciting! The way he plans things in his perfect timing is amazing and mind-blowing every time he reveals part of his plan to me.

Yesterday, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed... The very wrong side. You know those mornings when you just feel groggy and disoriented? That was my Tuesday morning. When I wake up like that, I dread the day ahead because I'm grumpy and lazy and sensitive and just a bunch of not so very good things. So there went wrong side of the bed Kristen, walking very slowly to meet her friend at Starbucks and secretly, but not so secretly, wishing she could stay in bed forever.

As I waited, I said to God, "Please give me the energy to get through the day. Please give me the motivation to stay out and not cancel all of my plans and go home to my really warm and cozy bed."

You know what's cool? When you can SEE God answering your prayers! God is very true to his words.

1 John 5:14
And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us.

Once I met up with my friend, we started talking about our faith. She's a brand new Christian friend I met in my Spanish class. She told me her testimony, about her life in Rwanda, about her many struggles with her family, about betrayals from the past and she just listed so many things she had gone through that I could never even imagine going through. Then, as she began to tell me about how Christ had saved her, I saw such pure and genuine love for God in her expressions and I could hear the thankfulness in her voice. I was so encouraged by her! Her ability to remain optimistic and hopeful in Christ when everybody else had hurt her and deserted her.

My day didn't end there either! Later on, I was walking along Mackenzie King bridge, and I made eye contact with the most beautiful pair of blue eyes I have seen. I've seen many beautiful blue eyes, but this pair was especially captivating. These eyes belonged to a homeless man sitting on the side, asking for spare change. Normally, I just say "sorry, I don't have any change" (which I don't) and then proceed with my day, but I just had to stop and talk to him. He told me about his day, about the "newbie" panhandlers, about how this was his spot and how he had to kick people out of his spot sometimes. It was a simple conversation, but he was just filled with so much joy and happiness! I had to run to catch my bus, but as I was leaving, he gave me an excellent handshake accompanied with an enormous smile and said, "My name is Frankie. It was really nice to meet you."

God really provides us with everything we need. Sometimes, I laugh at myself because I worry about the silliest things like having to deal with people in my disoriented state of mind. I laugh because I know I have an all-powerful God who is constantly providing for me and loving me, yet I still worry.

In John 14:27, Jesus says:
"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid."

What Jesus has to offer us is beyond anything the world tries to offer us. Thanks to Jesus, we can live every single day with joy and peace in our hearts. What the world hands us is temporary and short-lived, but what Christ has offered to us is beyond all else and I'm grateful for this truth in my life! I'm grateful for the way God leads me to people who will encourage me and brighten up my day - constantly showing me his goodness and captivating love.

This is not at all what I was planning on writing about, but that's okay because I was still able to share God's goodness in my life! :)

I want to end this post with Psalm 23.

This was my grandmother's favourite Psalm. It has always meant a lot to me, but as I saw her rejoice in the truth of these words in her passing days, it has found an extra special place in my heart. I'm working on memorizing it and I encourage you to join me! It will probably take me a while since my memory isn't my forte, so don't worry if your memory is bad too! :)

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. 

He makes me lie down in green 

pastures.

He leads me beside still waters. 

He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley

of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil, 

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff, 

they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies; 

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows. 

Surely goodness and mercy shall

follow me

all the days of my life

and I shall dwell in the house of the 

Lord 

forever." 

We are family! [05/19/13]

Hi there!

God is great! Amen? AMEN.

In recent days, God's glory has been revealing itself more and more in my life. The more I search for him, desire him, and seek him, the more I find him in all of the different areas of my life. What I'm about to say is a little bit cheesy, but I don't care so I'm going to say it anyways. :)

Lately, God has been showing me to appreciate the tiniest of things. He's been opening my eyes to the beauty of his creations as I walk around the city I live in. He's been showing me the simple beauty of the flowers, the way the clouds drift across the blue sky, the way the rain feels as it hits my skin. The fact that I can MOVE. That I have two legs to walk on. Two hands. Yeah, it's kind of cheesy, but I'm so grateful to be able to appreciate every bit of what my heavenly father has created for me to enjoy. I take many things in life for granted and rarely spend time to just stop and thank God for the breath I am breathing.

Why am I sharing this simple detail of my life with you? I'm sharing it because I have recently come to realize a desire that has been stirring in my heart. A desire to share the blessings from God with my brothers and sisters in Christ! Of course, I already do share a bit of my life with certain people, but God is doing so much more in my life than I share with others.

The bible talks a lot about sharing with others and encouraging one another.

1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

I believe that through our daily testimonies, we are called to encourage one another and build each other up! God is constantly moving in our lives and wouldn't it be wonderful if we were constantly sharing his workings with each other? When we go to hang out with our friends, it's always a good time. We laugh, we talk about funny things, we tell stories and talk about current events, but I also think it would be wonderful to spend more time talking about our creator and how he is moving in our lives!

I was talking to a beloved friend the other day, and she said, "I don't think my testimony is one that is very encouraging."

The more I thought about it, the more I wondered about people who think their testimony isn't spectacular. Maybe it isn't the kind of testimony where the dead come back to life, and all the sick are healed, but it's still God moving, shaping and leading a person into a beautiful relationship with Christ! It's still a person coming to believe that Christ is their Lord and saviour - king of all kings. And that, is what I think is wonderful about every testimony.

I know there are people who think they don't have too much to say, and what Christ is doing in their life isn't really worth sharing about all the time, but I have to disagree with this way of thinking. I want to encourage more people to share with one another. I realized this is why God brought me to start writing this blog! (Yes, it took me over a year to discover the true purpose - I'm a little slower than average.) There are days when I would write, and I thought I was writing about silly things that nobody cared about but every word reflected on the different effects God has had in my daily life and although they may be small and simple, they are worth sharing with the world because everything God does is part of a greater purpose.

In today's sermon, PG talked about how we should be open about the love we have for our saviour! Why do we allow ourselves to be ashamed or quiet about our love? Shouldn't we be intentional in the ways we express our love for Christ? When I really love a person, I really can't stop talking about them. I can go on and on and on about a person that I really love, because I feel so close and comfortable with them. This should transfer to my relationship with Christ! And it's what I now aim to do! He is always up to something! God doesn't just sit there and twiddle his thumbs around waiting for something to happen. He is working and moving and watching us! In every moment! So yes, maybe there are days when it feels like not much has happened, but the more we look, the more we will find!

So, let's share with one another! Share with your brothers and sisters. When you find joy in a situation, tell somebody! It's wonderful to share our burdens, but let's also share our joy and rejoice in the joyful moments we all experience! Let us build each other up and encourage each other on a daily basis :)

Anyways, that is all for today! I hope to share my daily joys and struggles with you!

-kjoosaurus out! 

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! 

Fruit of the Spirit [2/2/13]

Hello~

Finally, a week of madness is over! No more exams and tests... Until next week! haha. I finally have the chance to share a little bit with you all again :)

This morning as I was doing QT, I read Galatians 5:22-26.

It says:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other." 

As I was reading this, I realized how important the fruit of Spirit must be because God specifically listed out each characteristic that qualifies as the fruit of the Spirit. It's also important to realize that the fruit is coming from the Holy Spirit and not from our own selves. Although we don't give ourselves these qualities, we still have to allow the Holy Spirit to work through and in us. God is so willing to change and mould us, but he can't do this if we are unwilling to be changed.

In John 15:5 Jesus says:

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." 

Just as the branches draw life from the vine, we as well draw our lives from Jesus. If the branch is separate from the vine, it can do nothing just as if we are separate from Jesus, we can do nothing.

I'm always amazed at how we always try to work and grow and live on our own when we're always reminded of how little we are able to do without Jesus! I'm sure we all know that we, on our own, have no strength, but we often forget to ask God for his guidance and his strength. 

I know that I personally rely on my own strength and knowledge to get through things... If I realize I can't do it on my own, I turn to other people, but why is it that I so often turn to God last? He has taught me this lesson over and over and over again, yet I am always making the same mistake! But God is so patient, loving and merciful... Even when we make the same mistakes over and over again, he so patiently teaches us the same lesson until we finally have it imprinted in our minds!

I pray that we will allow the Holy Spirit to work in us! I pray that we will let go of everything we don't need and allow God to be our everything as he is all we truly need.

Jesus, we thank you for your goodness, your glory, your patience and mercy.

Thanks for reading~

-kjoosaurus out!

His Perfect Timing [01/24/13]

Hello all! 

It's another freezing cold day here in Ottawa and according to the Ottawa Citizen, "Ottawa was colder than Iqaluit on Wednesday, as the windchill-adjusted temperature hit a low of -40." Being from Vancouver where the climate is generally warmer, this cold weather has the tendency to bring my mood lower and lower and lower... Just like the temperature! I then tend to become very impatient with people and react unreasonably, but today as I was going about with a frown on my face, God was gently reminding me to be patient and loving to everybody rather than rash and impatient. 

In this modern society, we are always so busy with the distractions of life. We have to go to work, school, some have kids to take care of, others have extra-curricular activities to attend, and the list is just never-ending! Also, there's the topic of technology. Everything is instant. We have high-speed internet, we can text people, and we get frustrated when things begin to lag and slow down. We begin to grow accustomed to this speedy life and we become impatient with anything that doesn't move at the same pace as the rest of our life.

Do you find yourself getting upset when somebody is taking their precious, sweet time to make your coffee in the morning? Do you find yourself getting frustrated when the line at the grocery store is so long and you've already been standing there for five minutes?

Just like the way I expect everything in my life to be instant, I also expect everything from God to be instant. I often find myself expecting him to answer my many prayers right away. I want him to tell me exactly what to do as SOON as I pray, and when he tells me to wait, I get impatient and frustrated! 

But, although it may be difficult to remember, God's timing is always the best timing possible! 

Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.

God already has a time set out for everything and we have to wait for his answer before taking action. If you're like me, this doesn't happen very often. There are times when we can become extremely impulsive. We rely on our own knowledge and strength and we take matters into our own hands. 

Just as we act impulsively, there are many figures in the bible that acted impulsively as well. An extreme example might be Moses.

Exodus 2:11-12¹¹ One day, after Moses had grown up, he went out to where his own people were and watched them at their hard labor. He saw an Egyptian beating a Hebrew, one of his own people. ¹² Looking this way and that and seeing no one, he killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. 

Like Moses, we become blinded by our emotions. We react impulsively and we do it without consulting God. Even though our heart may be in the right place, the actions we perform might not be suitable for the situation! We're so used to acting in the present. When we see something we don't like, we want to change it right away but that isn't always what God has planned for us. Sometimes God might want us to act right away, but his method may be different from our own. We should always be looking up towards him instead of around us! 

God has perfect timing for everything, and all we have to do is ask him when to do what and how. He will tell us! He might not always answer our prayers right away, but he will never leave a prayer unanswered. :) 

Thanks for reading~

-kjoosaurus out!

You've got a friend in me [01/23/13]

Hello!

I just came home from a lovely night at youth hangout and although it consisted of two youth and around five c&c members, it was still a great night! While we were spending time together, PG asked us what we valued and wanted in a friend. I've been asked this question before and I had a list of things that I value in a friend (such as honesty, loyalty, acceptance, the ability to be comfortable around them, etc.) but then he asked us if we believe we are being that kind of friend to others and it really made me think. I began to wonder what kind of friend I'm really being and if I'm being the kind of friend that I am called to be to others!

I believe that as Christians, we should do our best to be a certain kind of friend to others! To be encouraging, to always be building each other up, and to be constantly praying for one another. That's the kind of friend I would hope to be to others and I would hope to have!

Ephesians 4:29-32
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

God calls us to be supportive and forgiving friends. Wouldn't it be great if being always encouraging, kind and forgiving was possible? But, unfortunately, it is VERY hard to be these things. Often in close relationships, there are conflicts. People and their feelings tend to get hurt and if they don't know how to forgive, then the relationship could possibly be lost. From previous experience, I've noticed that holding in feelings of pain and hurt have been hindering to not only the other person, but to myself as well. We should always be seeking to forgive as we are called to forgive just as God forgave us! 

God also blesses us with one other so that we may grow as brothers and sisters in Christ.

Proverbs 27:17 
Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

At times, it's hard to sharpen your friends. It can be hard to say something constructive and also have it filled with love. I believe that we naturally get defensive of our flaws and prefer not to be reminded of them and because of this, we become offended when our flaws and mistakes are pointed out to us. But I also believe that this is something we should be doing. We should be encouraging one another to become better followers of Christ! Of course we wouldn't be sharpening one another out of pride, but we would be doing it out of love! Sharpening one another is a part of loving one another. We want each other to become better followers of Christ and at times, other people can see things in you that you wouldn't be able to see in yourself. 
After tonight, I think I'll personally be trying to find ways to become the friend I am called to be! My prayer is to become more encouraging, supportive, loving and forgiving! I hope we can all be this friend and have this friend. (:

Thanks for reading~~

- kjoosaurus out!

Faithful to the End [01/22/13]

Hello everybody!

Wow, I can't believe it's almost the end of January and this is only my first post of 2013! The past two months have been incredibly busy but God has definitely been working in my life and in the lives of others around me. He has revealed so much to me and I wanted to share a bit of what has been revealed to me with all of you~

What are some things people of this world highly value? Money? Love? Objects? Food? Those answers are definitely all correct! Personally, I believe one of the things we value the most is comfort. In general, people want to live comfortably. They want to have a stable job that provides them with a stable income which provides them with gadgets, plenty of food, a comfortable home and room for even more spending. In fact, the goals many people set for themselves are often made to lead to a comfortable life! Get into the good school so that I can get that good job that has good pay.

People also seek comfort in other aspects of their lives such as the emotional part of their life. We don't want to live a life where we are constantly stressed out. We don't want to live a life where we are being persecuted, ridiculed and hated. We want to be loved, adored and admired. But is this what being a Christian is about? Is this what we should be seeking and pursuing?

In 2 Corinthians 11 and 12, Paul talks about the sufferings he has gone through. He mentions how he was constantly abused, how he was often hungry and often in danger. He then says at one point, when Satan had put a thorn in his flesh, he pleaded three times with God to take it away from him, but God said, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." (Chap. 12:9) In this verse, Paul is talking about how God is glorified through our own weaknesses and sufferings. He is able to reveal himself to others through our own struggles. Reading this verse made me wonder... When I'm struggling and when I'm weak, will I be glorifying God?

I want to share about a couple of martyrs I learned about recently. Their names are Perpetua and Felicity and their story takes place in Carthage. These two girls became Christians in a time when it was dangerous to become a Christian as Christians were being persecuted. It was more common to see the lower class (slaves) becoming Christians, but it was extremely rare to see anybody who was noble to become a Christian. Perpetua was one of those rare cases. Perpetua had everything she needed to live comfortably. Her father provided her with everything she needed, she was married and pregnant! But through Felicity, her slave, Perpetua became a Christian.

The story of Perpetua and Felicity is complex, but what happens in the end is that the two of them were killed in front of thousands of people. They were killed because they were Christians, but right until the end, they were faithful to God and glorified him even through their sufferings. They gave absolutely everything up to him and they were completely faithful to him from the beginning to the end.

When I learned about their story, I began to question my own faith. Am I faithful enough to God that I would give up everything I have just to glorify him? Do I have so much joy in glorifying him that I would go through a great deal of pain and suffering just for him to be glorified? The answers to those questions were no, but to be a faithful servant to God is what I desire. I want to live a life that glorifies him. I want to persist through my sufferings with joy just by knowing how my weakness is glorifying God! Instead of complaining to God about my struggles, I want to rejoice!

Wouldn't it be great to be as faithful as Paul, Perpetua and Felicity? I'll be praying that every one of us becomes as faithful as they are!

Thanks for reading~~

- kjoosaurus out!