Plans

I love planning. I like having an idea of what is going to happen. I plan in my day to day life, and I especially try to plan ahead for the future. And I had a plan. When that plan backfired, I re-grouped and adjusted my plan. And you can guess what happened...

Dang, have my plans for my future crashed and crumbled around me. And went up in a big pile of smoke, leaving me feeling a little crispy. (IDK why I just had a cartoon scene just flash through my mind, but okay lol)

The places I thought I would be... the things I thought I would be doing... now I have realized that those things won't be. At least not in the time-table I had set.

See this verse Jeremiah 29:11 started taking over my thinking. "For I know the plans I have for you... plans for good and not for evil... to give you a future and a hope."

I've been trying to live by that verse. But it is NOT easy.

Lately, I've been slipping back into my desire to plan and *ahem* control my life.

HA. HA. (That's what God says.)

He knows just how well this has worked for me before.

Today, after a weekend of some major pouting, He threw a couple verses at me.

"Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you your heart's desires. Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust Him, and He will help you." - Psalm 37:4-5

As if that wasn't enough...

"The Lord says, 'I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.'" -Psalm 32:8

Ok… think I got the point.

• Gotta delight in the Lord
• Gotta commit it all to Him
• Gotta trust Him
• Gotta let Him guide and advise

Okay, those are easy to say, hard to do. But why on earth should I do them?

See, God knows my desires better than I do. He knows how I long to feel appreciated and loved. He knows how I long to someday have a family (ain't ready for kiddos yet LOL, I like my sleep), how I long to have a good job, how I long to do what's right, ETC. He knows it better than I do.

So why the heck is it so hard to trust Him with it?

Probably pride. I want to plan it. I want to do it. I don't want to lean on anyone else to figure it out for me. I don't want to give up control.

>>>>CONTROL<<<<

Ugh. I have to give up control?!? SERIOUSLY!?!?!?

Take it from me... giving up control is hard. It might suck at first and feel like nothing is going right. But God's got a plan.

I've experienced it before. When I give up control and I trust, great things happen.

Have I done it all the time?

Heck no.

Have I done it well?

Hahahhahahah NOPE.

But in the end, if I finally give something up, God will work it all out for the best.

Got something you need to give up control over and trust God with? A situation at school? At work? Some type of relationship? Money? Good news is whatever it is, if you pray and ask God to help you, He will. But you have to be sincere. Don't forget that part. ;)

Here's a little prayer that might help get you started:

God, thank you that you love me and care about all the details of my life. Thank you that you are always there and know things I could never know. Thank you for having everything under control so I don't have to worry about ___________________ anymore. Help me to trust you with it, and let it go. I know You'll work it out better than I could anyways. Thanks Lord. In Jesus' Name, Amen

I hope this helped and encouraged someone.

Remember:

• Give up control.
• Give your desires to the Lord.
• Commit your life to Him and all you do in it.
• Trust that He will guide and watch over you and advise you in the way you need to go.

New Beginnings

Sometimes God needs to bring us to our knees in order for us to get the point.

He had to do that to me yesterday.

In a ball on the floor, crying, asking God for help.

That’s what happened to me.

See, I thought I would do things my way. (It’s totally worked in the past right???? NOT.)

I made stupid decisions that hurt people around me. Hurt myself. Hurt my relationship with
God.

And at first, I justified it. I didn’t feel bad. But then, I realised it was wrong, at least in my head. My heart took longer.

But then yesterday, it hit.

I thought I would kneel and pray, but it wound up being a ball leaning on my bed, crying, completely broken.

I realised what I had done. I realised the chaos around me. I realised the danger I was in.

I decided I didn’t want that for me anymore. I didn’t want to be doing things on my own.

I once again realised I can’t do things on my own. (Shocker, I know. Not like I’ve written about it 1,000 times... *insert eye roll*)

And you know what?

God helped me.

He didn’t have to.

He didn’t have any reason to.

I had turned against Him.

He owed me nothing.

He never owes me anything.

But still He helps.

I’m thankful that God is faithful, even when my heart is unfaithful to Him.

And that’s what I’m working on in this New Year. Being more faithful to the One Who is Most Faithful. Being more faithful in all areas of my life.

Not letting sin, not letting my desires, come between me and God, or between me and others.

Trusting that God has the plan, and that He’s got control, even when it feels everything is spiralling out of control.

What are you going to do?

Why not join me?

We’re all in this together. It’s kinda like High School Musical. :P

Making the Most of EVERY Opportunity

Ephesians 5:16 "Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days." (NLT)

Ephesians is an awesome book of the Bible. I have to say, most anything Paul writes in the Bible is super powerful. But that is because it was inspired by our Almighty, Great and Powerful God. However, I am getting off track.

This verse tells us to make the most of EVERY opportunity. Not just some opportunities. EVERY opportunity.

What on earth does that even mean?

Looking at the context of the chapter, Paul is addressing how a Christian is to live in this world that is overcome by darkness, sin, and just plain ol' evil. Paul is warning Christians to not participate in evil deeds, but expose them. (vs 11) He warns Christians to be careful in how they are living. (vs 15) In verse 17, we are also told to not act thoughtlessly, but know what the Lord wants us to do.

There is always a way to make the most of every opportunity. When we are faced with temptation of doing some evil deed (let's say party or drink) we can take that opportunity to reach out to Jesus, and maybe even teach those who are around us about Jesus, and not give in to the temptation to sin. We can learn to say no to the temptation, and do the right thing; aka, make the most of the opportunity.

When we are tempted to live and act in a thoughtless way, (talking behind people's backs, being mean to others, etc.) we can think, "Is this something the Lord would want me to do, or approve of me doing?" Answering this question honestly can give you an opportunity to really decide whether you are going to make the most of the opportunity before you, or if you are going to make a poor choice, and live in a thoughtless and careless manner.

Let's bring this closer to home now. You are at work, and everything seems to be going wrong. Nothing is working out the way it should, and everyone is grumpy. YOU have a choice. YOU can decide whether you are going to fall into this grumpy and negative state of mind, or you can do what you can to make things better. Keep a positive attitude. Encourage others. Be kind and helpful. Don't let the grumpiness spread, but try to bring smiles and laughter back.

Maybe this was something only I needed to realize. Maybe this post was just for me. But, I think it is a valuable lesson for all of us to learn...

GO OUT AND MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY! :)

Worldly Expectations vs God's Love

     What does the world tell you everyday? I don't know about you, but in my experience, love, sex, power, money, fitness, and material things are important. The world sees these things as things we need-- or we aren't good enough and don't fit in. Everyone seems to be so obsessed with fitting in and conforming to the worlds' standards that we lose our own. Even Christians have this happen to them-- they become so obsessed with the world that they lose sight of God and what He wants for them. I know that I have done it. Many times over.
     The world tells us we don't need God. You know what? God loves us so much that He created this world-- however, Adam and Eve's sin is what made it what it is today. The world was a perfect place-- but they fell into Satan's trap telling them there was something better than what God had given them. Check out Genesis. The whole story is in there.
     But even in that, God made a way for us to get back to Him. He sent His Only Son, Jesus, to live here, teach us about Him, and die a brutal death for our sins. His story is in any of the gospels-- Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John. (Check it out! It's awesome!:)
     The world is always telling us we need to change, eat this, have a hot boyfriend/girlfriend, own anything/everything we want. But you know what God tells us?
                                               
             HE LOVES US (see John 13:34)

             HE WANTS US TO COME TO HIM WITH EVERYTHING (Matthew 11:28-30) 

             HE FORGIVES US OF OUR SINS (Luke 7:48)

             HE IS ENOUGH FOR US (Matthew 11:30)

     God loves us in a way the world never can. We, as Christians, need to learn to listen to God, not the world. Remember, God is the Only One who can love you unconditionally. He loves you in a way no person ever can. Don't hang on to the things of this world. They won't last. Hang on to God-- HE WILL LAST--FOREVER! And so will His love.
    

Convictions vs Friends

     Conviction. Such a small, simple word with such an important meaning. Dictionary.com says it is a "fixed or firm belief." Everyone has convictions of some sort or another. It can be as simple as believing that cats are better than dogs, or can be as big as believing whether dating is right or wrong. A conviction is a conviction.
     Are some convictions (such as dating is not right for me to do) easy to stick to? No, of course not! There will always be someone who will try to belittle your convictions, and maybe even make a big deal of it to embarrass you. Are they your real friends? Are they the people that you really trust to respect and help you through life?
     Some people say it is too hard to have convictions because of some of the reasons above. But God promises us, as Christians, that we "can do all things through Christ..." (Philippians 4:13 NKJV)
     In 1 Samuel 18, David (who would one day be King David) and Jonathan (King Saul's son) became really good friends. The story tells us in verse 1 that "the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David." In other words, they became very close friends very quickly.
     Friends like David and Jonathan support each other. If you read through the story, you will see what these friends faced together. They both had convictions, and each respected the other. This is real friendship. They stuck together through the good and bad, and respected each other.
     These are the kinds of friends we should seek out. They may not agree with you on everything, but they should respect you and what you believe. Aren't those the kinds of friends you want?

Suggested reading-- 1 Samuel 18-20

God bless!:D

Where Is God?

     Elijah was depressed. Jezebel was threatening to kill him because he had killed the prophets of Baal, the false god she worshipped. Elijah's complaint to God was this; "I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they seek to take my life." (1 Kings 19:10 NKJV)
     God answered Elijah's complaint. He told him in verse 11 to go out and stand on the mountain before Him. What happened next is amazing. A strong, powerful wind came by that tore the mountains and broke rocks; but God was not in the wind. Then came an earthquake. But, God wasn't in the earthquake either. Finally came a fire. God wasn't in that either.
     There was one more thing that happened however; God spoke in a still small voice; and He was really there!
     God doesn't always reveal Himself by awesome works; sometimes it is by the voice like a child. Still-- small-- quiet. One really has to listen to Him to hear it. Ecclesiastes 4:6 says this; "Better a handful with quietness than both hands full together with toil and grasping for the wind." Sometimes trying to listen for something loud and powerful is like grasping for the wind. We have to listen for quietness and a still, small voice.
     I think something we need to remember to do is to take time especially to listen for God's voice. No, it is not always easy. We are all busy. But even one minute could help you to have a special revelation; try it some time. And don't give up just because it didn't work the first time. Keep at it. God will reveal something to you; it may be through the Bible, music; it could be anything. Remember, keep your eyes, ears, and mind open; and mouth closed.
SUGGESTED READING-- 1 KINGS 19 (especially 11-13)

A Time for Everything

     Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 tells us there is a specific time for everything to occur. For example, there is a time for people to be born and a time for them to die. There is a time to plant and a time to reap (verse 2). There are times to kill, and times to heal. There are times to break down walls (spiritual, physical, or emotional), and times we need to build them up (verse 3).
     Verse 4 tells us there are times to weep and times to laugh; times to mourn and times to dance. The next verse tells us there are times to cast away stones and times to gather stones. {In today's terms, that would mean to prepare things for use and then to use them and let them go.} There are also times to embrace and times to refrain from embracing. The next verse, 6, says that there are times that we will gain and times we will lose. There are times to keep things and times to throw them away.
      We have times to tear and times to mend, and times to be silent and times to speak out (verse 7). There are times for love and times for hate. There are times of war and then come times of peace.
      This last one makes me think of the time we have on earth and the thing we look forward to; our heavenly home. We have to face the war - life; to gain peace - eternal life.
       We don't always like the things we have to face in life; especially mourning and times of breaking down walls. But God is with us even in the darkest moments. He will provide opportunities for us to grow and learn more about Him and the world He has placed us in, even in the darkest times of our lives. Ultimately, He has a plan for each one of us. No matter where you are, no matter what you are facing, He has a plan for you. He will reveal it to you; just listen to His voice! It may not be revealed right away, and it may not be beyond today, but it will be just enough at the time. Keep up the faith, and listen to Him; He loves you and longs for you to love Him too. He wants to be part of your life, and to direct it for you, so you will never have to worry!

Living for Christ

      My mother, Natalie Gidney, preached a sermon last Sunday that really impacted me. Her title was "Pursue the Promised Prize." Philippians 3:12-16 was her main Scripture passage for the sermon. One thing in the passage stuck out to me. It was in verse 16--"let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind."
      Paul is speaking about us, Christians. Yes, I know everyone has opinions. But really, do our opinions matter? Shouldn't we pray and allow God to be the One to decide what is to be done and how it is to be done?
      I'll be honest. We won't always like what God says; at the time. But eventually, everything will be revealed, and we will see (if we follow what He says) that it was the right thing to do. But, if we are too busy being focused upon our opinions, how can we see any of God's plan? I know that I've asked about specific things and God has said no at that time. Do I like it? No, not at the time! But later I see that it was the best thing to be done at that time. I know that God always has a plan that is bigger and better than my own.
      Mum's sermon had three main points; Pass Up (the old self: see Philippians 3:13, 2 Corinthians 5:17) Press On ( 1 Timothy 1:12-15, Philippians 3:12), and finally, Possess the Prize (see 2 Timothy 4:7-8, Revelation 21:1-7).
     Look up these passages and read them. They all have great things in them. Basically, once you read them, you'll see how they relate to the topic they follow.
     In the end, no one is perfect! Like my Mum said in her sermon, "Stop waiting to be perfected, press on for Him!" And, "It's not about comfort; it's about what God is calling us to."
     A song that I really like is "Dangerous" by Group 1 Crew. This song basically explains the whole sermon! Please look it up, listen to it, and apply it. Our world needs us! When would be a better time than now?

NKJV USED

Overcoming Sin

     Romans 6:6 says, "We are no longer slaves of sin." This means that anyone who is a believer is no longer in bondage to sin. It can be totally overcome through Jesus Christ, because He defeated sin on the cross for us. We who are believers in Christ have this power in Christ. In verse 6, we are told that we have crucified our sins on the cross with Him. So, this being said, we have the ability to say no to temptation and overcome anything that the devil may throw our way.
     I just want to point out that teenagers are some of the most likely people to be drawn into temptation. Just think about it for a minute. There are drugs at school, young people having relationships meant for marriage, and so many other hazards that can cause us to stumble. And believe me, these aren't the only things that can cause a teenager to stumble. What happens if you make a bad mark on a test and someone asks how you did? It seems that we try to cover it up with excuses like, "I haven't gotten my mark yet," or "I have to be somewhere right now!" Please realize this is LYING!!!!!
      How do we control these urges and desires to do things that are wrong? Verses 12 and 13 say not to let sin control the way we live... but to give ourselves completely to God, since we have been given a new life. Verse 14 tells us that sin is no longer our master, because we are no longer subject to the law, but we are set free by God's grace. I like the NKJV translation. "For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace." Verses 7-10 explain why we can overcome sin. It is because Jesus died to free us from sin. When we accept Jesus into our lives, we (figuratively) die on the cross with Him. (All this phrase means is that we died to our sins when we accepted Jesus into our lives. We put to death sinful things; with Jesus' help, of course!;)
     Verse 10 explains that our lives should be lived for God after we die to our sin, and verse 11 tells us to remember that we are dead to sin, but we are alive in Jesus.
      In the end, we do have the ability to overcome sin and death through Jesus. Now, knowing this may or may not make it easier to handle sinful desires and temptations. BUT, if you believe it and trust it, through Jesus' power, it will make your life better!

NLT AND NKJV USED THROUGHOUT

Wise Prayers?...

      What have you prayed for lately? If you're at all like me, most of the prayers are for family, friends, missionaries, sponsored kids, etc. But what does God really want us to pray about?
       Well, there are many ways that we can pray. God sets us a good guideline in Matthew 6: 5-15. That is the Lord's Prayer. But what I want to talk about is the content of our prayers; all that we pray about. What does God want us to pray about?
        Solomon, the son of king David (David killed Goliath, and later on in his life, became king) offered sacrifices to the Lord. The Lord was pleased with Solomon, and asked him, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you" (1 Kings 3:5). Wow! What an amazing opportunity! Anything he asked for, he would be given! What did Solomon do with this opportunity? Ask for death of his enemies? Ask for a bunch of useless stuff? NO!
         He asked for something that really pleased God. He asked God for a "discerning heart." (Aka wisdom.)
          Now, that seems to be a little bit strange-- especially for someone who could have whatever he asked for! I suggest you read the whole story in 1 Kings 3: 1-15. It is truly a good story-- one that is worth reading! And don't just read it; study it and try to apply it to life. Now, this won't be easy, but who says being a Christian is easy? I am realizing now how hard being a Christian is; trying to balance work, school, chores, and reading and studying my Bible is extremely hard! There are days when I want to just give up; but if I would stop feeling sorry for myself and turn to God for help, my life would be so much easier! So, I'm not saying I'm a person who has this all together-- really, I am learning as I go along! But I ask you to join me and learn with me.
         Ultimately, God wants our physical, spiritual and mental lives to line up with His will. And, when you think about it, isn't that the best way to go? After all, He can see the whole picture; we can only see a small part of it! God has an amazing plan for our lives; He wants us to trust that He will see it through! Join me in learning to lean on God. He is the most stable thing in the universe; after all, He created it!;D Come on; what are you waiting for? Pray for wisdom!;D

NIV USED

Really A Christian?

 1 Corinthians 15: 33, 58 (NKJV)
"Do not be deceived: 'Evil company corrupts good habits.' "
"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord."

     So, I'm a Christian. But how does the world see me? Am I really what I say I am in the worlds' eyes? Do I live differently and "set apart" from the world? Do I live in, and not "of" the world? I think-- no, I know-- that I am failing in that category!
     You may ask, "Does this really matter? After all, we are in busy and weird times! No one notices anything I do!" Let me tell you a secret. IT DOES MATTER!!!!! People are always watching Christians, waiting for them to mess up, it seems. But this concept is more important; Jesus and His Father have Their eyes on us at all times. The only difference is that Jesus and His Father's eyes are loving; the world's; not so much!
     Jesus calls us all to be examples to the world; good examples. He doesn't call us to be halfway Christians; Christian on Sunday, while the rest of the week out partying, having fun in sin. Can we, as teenagers, live for Jesus with all of the pressures of the world pressing us on every corner? Not easily. But by the light of God's Word, we can learn how.
     Leviticus 11:44 says, "I am the Lord your God. You must... be holy, because I am holy." Hmm... What else does the Bible say?... Amos 5:24 "I want to see a mighty flood of justice, an endless river of righteous living." God says this! He is speaking these words! I am not making this up!
     One of my favorite Bible verses is 1 Timothy 4:12. It is a long verse, but read it thoroughly, and then read it again. "Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all the believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity." Wow! Apparently, we can do this. No, it is not easy. In fact, it may not even be fun. But Christianity isn't about fun. I could go on a whole rant about this, but I would be getting off track.
      In the end, we need to examine ourselves. Our lives. Our thoughts. Ouch! That hurt me! Thinking about what you need to change is never comfortable and never easy. Whoever tells you it is, is either perfect or completely off their rocker! I see the mark floating somewhere in the distance, and it sometimes seems when I take off to get at it, I fall, or it moves! But, everything is about moving forward. God wants us to always keep moving forward, pushing onward for him. But, it sometimes feels like I'm Captain Hook off of Peter Pan. When the crocodile is seen, he runs the other way. But, really, he should face up to his fears and master them. Will you join me in examining yourself and moving forward and making a difference in this world for God? You know, one random act of kindness can go a long way!
For further study;
Galatians 5:22-23
Romans 12:21
1 Corinthians 6:19-20, 15*
2 Corinthians 5:17
Acts 16:31
Joel 2:32
Psalm 119: 98-99
1 John 4:20
2 John 1:6
Job 17:9

* This chapter may or may not help. Please read it sometime anyway, though!
NLT version used