Life Is A Storybook

The other night, I was sitting in the bed with my Dad and Tessa listening to my Dad read Tessa a bedtime story. Then true ending went like this, “They hate to leave the woods. But the beautiful day is over.” My Dad always likes to add his own endings so He said, “As they leave the woods, Mickey hits the accelerator and runs over Morty. Morty is a dead mouse now.” It may seem kind of amusing, but I was thinking, what if that was how God was? What if he said for something to happen, just because it was amusing? We would be in big trouble. Aren’t we so glad we serve a God who knows what is best for us, and hurts for us when we are hurting and rejoices when we rejoice. We often forget that God is in charge of our lives, and we want to make choices that we think are best for our lives.  God is in control of every aspect of our lives. It is something I don’t think I can even fathom, and it is very difficult to let God take control, because we can’t physically see Him. Even though we know He is real, we still have a hard time letting Him guide us. My Jesus Calling devotional book had this sentence in it today: When you let Me direct your steps, you are free to enjoy Me and to find what I have prepared for you this day. Isn’t that so true! If we are trying to make decisions on our own, we can’t enjoy Jesus and His presence. We can’t serve two masters at the same time.

Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.

Psalm 119:35

I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.

Psalm 32:8

Dreams

If you know me well, you probably have heard some of my many crazy dreams. A lot of times I wonder where in the world they come from. Recently, I had a strange dream. I dreamed I was in my Grandpa's shed. If you have ever seen my Grandpa's shed you probably wouldn't think it was a shed. It's more like a junk yard. My Grandpa loves going to auctions and getting good deals on stuff. He will buy anything if it is cheap, even if he doesn't need it. Anyways, back to the dream. I was in the shed looking for things (he does have really cool antique things that I actually do look for). It was dark and dirty in the shed and I was stepping around stuff, but there was a whole bunch of new clothes and other things. They stood out from the darkness, because they were new and clean. My Grandpa had said I could take anything I wanted, so of course I went to take some of the clothes. When I woke up, I realized that is kind of how salvation is. The world is so dark and dirty, but in the midst of it is clean, new, and free salvation. We have a choice of what to choose. God, like my Grandpa gives us a choice. We can either take the dirty, old stuff, or the clean, new stuff. It's our choice. And even though the new stuff looks more appealing, most people still would rather have the old stuff. We must remember where we came from, but focus on where we are going.

God's Will

As I think about the phrase “the will of God”, I often wonder if we misuse it a lot. I have noticed it being used a lot lately, and I wonder if we have forgotten what it means and how powerful of a phrase it is. One way I have being hearing it a lot is which career choice people are taking. What career choice is God’s will for different people. I was talking to my Grandma about this, and she told me something very interesting and true. She said that it doesn’t matter what career path you take as long as it God glorifying and you can be a light and example to others. Our job here on this earth is to bring others to Christ. It doesn’t matter what career you have as long as you are doing that. Sometimes I think we are being very selfish and self-focused when we think we need God to tell us exactly what career we should go into or anything similar to that. Some verses I have thought of that talk about God’s will are 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Romans 12:2, and Ephesians 6:6.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what [is] that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 12:2

Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;

Ephesians 6:6

Notice that nothing in these verses focuses on us. They are all focused on Christ and others. That is what God’s will for our lives is, to be servants for Christ and others.

Changes

As this school year comes to a close, many thoughts have been going through my head. I have a lot of worries about college and how different it will be than high school. I wonder if I will get a job this summer and if I will ever get my college schedule completed. It is hard to see past this mess right now, but I know that if I look up, God is always willing to give me the grace to take one day at a time. Change has always been something hard for me to deal with, because I don't like when my routine is messed up. God's grace is sufficient for me and I must always remember to ask Him for grace and daily thank Him for it.

Love

-A deep and tender feeling of fondness and devotion

-love is an action

-love is self-sacrificial

-love can be painful

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Charity....

• Suffereth long
• Is kind
• Envieth not
• Vaunteth not itself
• Is not puffed up
• Doth not behave itself unseemly
• Seeketh not her own
• Is not easily provoked
• Thinketh no evil
• Rejoiceth not in inquity
• Rejoiceth in the truth
• Beareth all things
• Believeth all things
• Hopeth all things
• Edureth all things

Zion's Harp #37 vs. 2&3

O, thou Spirit which has given to me grace to seek my Lord, teach me strive for love of heaven and to love thy precious word!Love has mercy and is patient; Hasty ways it does not own; Humbleness of mind is present; with true peace it has its home.

Love is of a friendly nature , does no selfish thought possess; Love is not a sin partaker, and is free from bitterness. Love is truthful, not deceitful, does here every burden bear; and, enduring is so fruitful in all trials joy to share.

-Love commits, love is real, love obeys at any cost, love is strong, love is sure, love is Jesus on the cross.

-God teaches us how to love. God sent his only son to die for our sins.

• Proverbs 10:12
• God loved us so much he sent Jesus to die to cover our sins.

-Jesus loved us so much, He was willing to doe for us.

• John 13:35
• Jesus shoes how to truly love others.

-God instructs us many times to love one another. In fact, the word love is used 588 times in the Bible! That means it is an pretty important aspect of our Christian walk. He wants us to love everyone. We should not pick and choose who we want to love. Of course we can't love people by ourselves. We have God to love them through us.

• David and Jonathan II Samuel 1:26
• David and Jonathan's love for each other should be a model for us. jonathan loved David so much, he protected him from his own father, risking his life in the process. His love was painful, and he wanted the best for his friend.

-Love takes a very humble heart. We cannot think we are better than someone else, or we do not love them. We will be able to love others if we have God and His Spirit in us. Others will be able to sense that.

• 1 John 4:7-21
• John 5:42

-Love is defiently self-sacrificing, whether it be pride, safety, money, time, the list goes on. We must always want the best for others. I have learned that when I have a hard time loving someone, I must pray for them. Just praying for someone is a way to love them. God will soften your heart so much if you are willing to let him.

• Jeremiah 3:13
• II Corinthians 13:11

When I Say I Am a Christian-Carol Wimmer

When I say..."I am a Christian"I'm not shouting "I am saved"I'm whispering "I get lost!""That is why I chose this way.
"When I say..."I am a Christian"don't speak of this with pride.I'm confessing that I stumbleand need someone to be my guide.
When I say..."I am a Christian"I'm not trying to be strong.I'm professing that I'm weakand pray for strength to carry on.
When I say..."I am a Christian"I'm not bragging of success.I'm admitting I have failedand cannot ever pay the debt.
When I say..."I am a Christian"I'm not claiming to be perfect,my flaws are too visiblebut God believes I'm worth it.
When I say..."I am a Christian"I still feel the sting of painI have my share of heartacheswhich is why I seek His name.
When I say..."I am a Christian"I do not wish to judge.I have no authority.I only know I'm loved.

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

On Sunday night, Amber and I got in an accident in Monmouth, Illinois. This is what my car looked like after it. We are so blessed to have walked away from the accident with little bodily damage. There is a reason we are both alive, and without any injuries. We serve a great and powerful God who's ways are far above ours!