Thursday, December 31, 2009

101 Update.

This update is looooooong overdue.

I checked some things off of my 101 list, but I kept forgetting to blog about it!

#39 -- Update my address book. This one took awhile, but I got it updated! There are a few missing spots, but it's a LOT better than it was before!

#46 -- Delete my Myspace. YES. Hahah. Okay, so... I tried to delete it. But, like forever a century ago, I forgot my e-mail password - and that e-mail was linked to m account. I could still log in, just didn't get the e-mails from them. I could never change it since I couldn't get into my old e-mail. But I deleted this at the beginning of the semester, "delete" meaning take everything off, delete friends and send an e-mail to Myspace saying, delete my account! Haven't checked it.... since I don't know when. Good enough.

#63 -- Buy three tops that are not t-shirts or graphic tees. Believe it or not, I actually accomplished this! :) Three casual long-sleeve tops from Target. Fabbbbulous.

#75 -- Join a Bible study and only miss once. Hehe... I guess I might've cheated on this one? I don't know... does leading a Bible study count for this? I'm going to let it. One of my favorite things from this semester, by far.

# 77 -- Buy a new hamper. Even better, my momma bought one for me! I'll add pictures sometime soon. (haha, pictures of a hamper....)

#79 -- Go to a recital. Went and saw "City Below" dance recital.... so good!

#86 -- Purchase a TWLOHA shirt. I ordered one, and it was the wrong size. Return, refund, get another one. Finallyyyy it came in! :)

#100 -- Figure out how to back up my computer. Well, I haven't done the time machine thing that Mac's have...? I need to do some research on that. BUT, I have a huge flash drive that I'm going to store all pictures, music, and documents on. :)

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Less is More.

Where do I start?

Today, I was listening to a Matt Chandler podcast (an old one, I believe) and he started talking about how Christians so often get caught up in the idea of Christianity being all about you, and how you're saved, so all is well. When really, we're supposed to help others... reach out to others. Christians also get wrapped up in this idea of all these behavior modifications, "okay, God. I did this. Now you owe me."

In another sermon, he was talking about being restored, about being made in His image, and what that looks like. When he talked about the fact that his barista at Starbucks has a soul, that the catty waitress at the restaurant has a soul and how we should still let God shine through us and influence our actions. Meaning, even when they're rude (or slow)... us being restored by God, should show grace and patience.

I realized today, that I don't always do that. I haven't done that, when I should the most. It's not that I was embarrassed, or... anything else like that. My flesh got in the way.

That is my first New Year's Resolution.... I guess, I don't know if I really want to call it a resolution. a goal, maybe? whatever... something along that line.

Less of my flesh, more of His Spirit.

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Monday, December 14, 2009

God is Love.

God has a way of sometimes slapping (...with love, of course) me in the face with something.
And I love it.

I feel like if I don't get that "slap" ....then I won't learn or grow.

I was doing a devotional out of a book I got this summer, and it gave me a verse (1 John 4:13-15). Read it, continued on. Then I decided to re-read that verse, and then, actually just decided to read all of 1 John 4.

Wow.

I guess it wasn't really me deciding to read it, but more God telling me I needed too.

The passage, in short, talks about being of the Spirit, what that looks like and loving one another through the spirit. The passage and footnotes covered different aspects of love; loving your neighbor, your enemies, your family, and showing God's love.

Something I've always heard, but have never really grasped until this year... was that Christians are hated a lot. Sometimes by people we don't even know, sometimes by our classmates, and sometimes by people close to us who don't know God. But, something I read that really stuck out to me, and kind of hurt, was that those who claim to know God, but don't acknowledge what His word says -- don't know God, they aren't of His Spirit. John warns that Christians who teach God's word won't win popularity contests in the world. <--- definitely true in my life. But those who do know God, will listen to us and love us. And then I thought of all the people that I let "get" to me, and how many of them aren't Christian....

I don't know about you all, but loving my enemies is probably the hardest thing to do. I can honestly say, that I did love on my enemies (or even, just people I don't get along with some of the time... whether we have a close relationship or not) some, this semester... but not as much as I really could have. Not that I was evil towards them, but... I was kind of selfish and didn't try to reach out to them.

Something else that really stuck out to me, was the last part of the passage that talks about hating a Christian brother or sister. WHOA. I don't know if I could honestly say I really hate anyone, but I think even having hate-feelings towards someone, especially a Christian brother or sister, is close enough.

"...if we don't love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?" -- v. 20.

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Possibilities.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." -- Ephesians 3:20-21

God will do the impossible in our lives. In my life. He did it in Mary's life. He will do something I couldn't even imagine. I read a quote, that I thought was so encouraging... "When God intends to make something wonderful he begins with a difficulty. When he intends to make something very wonderful, he begins with an impossibility."

I look back at all the difficulties I've gone through, and see the wonderful result at the end.

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

God's Being Sneaky.

I am amazed. that's all there is to it.

The Lord never ceases to amaze me, in the little things He does. Which of course, is a funny statement.... because He doesn't do just "big" things.

Take for instance... change. Last year, first semester, I was not seeking God. Yes, I "was Christian," (whatever that means) and went to Bible study regularly, and church when I could resist the urge to sleep in. But, over the next 8 months, God transformed my heart and led me to lead a Bible study in Buff Hall. (... I will admit, I was reluctant at first.)

More change. (He has a thing about changing and transforming us, eh?)

The BSM and PBC hosted a "Girls' Retreat" early on in the semester. For about a week I went back and forth between feeling like I should go, I didn't want to go, I did, I didn't... blah blah blah. Finally, I decided to stop making it my decision, and listen to what God wanted me to do. Boy was He right in sending me. One of my favorite experiences from this semester, by far. I met some amazing girls who, some, are now great friends of mine. Fast forward through some falling outs, and soon I'm finding that God wanted me to meet these new girls for a reason. Although He really is all we need - He does want us to have some sisters... no, not sorority sisters, but sisters in Christ. I don't really know where I would be right now or what would've transpired if I hadn't gone that weekend. Crazy to think one weekend could have so much impact. :)

Even smaller things.

Twice, this semester, this has happened. I am not a nap taker. My body doesn't like it, and if I somehow do manage to fall asleep for a short period... when it is actually time for bed, it takes triple the amount of nap-time for me to fall asleep. But, the other day, this weird coincidence happened again. I took a nap. Just a short one... a surge of extreme exhaustion hit me right after supper. Took a nap, studied, blah blah blah. That night, I unexpectedly ended up in the library at a late hour with one of my best friends, trying to deal with one of life's little problems. As we left the library later on, I said, "God must've known this was going to happen... and that I'd come up here to talk. ... I took a nap today."

I know God gives us trials, just to draw us closer to Him. I have to remind myself during those times, that God has a reason and He's going to get us through. One time I had a thought, maybe, God is jealous for us... so He throws a little problem in front of us so we turn back around to Him. Haha... God is jealous for me. Sweet. :)

I can honestly say... this semester has been really rough at times.

But, I wouldn't trade it.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Courtesy of Matt Chandler.

Seven reasons you should pray:


It exemplifies our dependence upon God, it's a simple act of humility.

It gets us into fellowship with God, forms a relationship.

It allows us to be involved with activities that are eternally important.

It changes things - that we can't control, only He can.

It's a means of confession.

It's a means to fighting sin.

It' a spirit-driven activity.

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Profound Thought.

"If God meets you in your failure with grace, then it's a lot easier to extend grace to others in their failure." -- Rob Bell (Mars Hill Bible Church)

Always.

Today's Christmas devotional was about the name Immanuel.

"All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: "The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"—which means, "God with us." -- Matthew 1:22-23

God is with us through the good and the bad. We talked about this during the Bible study this semester: so often we blow God up to be as big as we need him during trouble, but after that.... He goes in our back pocket.

"Surely You have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of Your presence." -- Psalm 21:6

God is always with us... and He wants to share the moments of joy and fun, even laughter.