Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Prayer

So I wrote a blog last week about prayer. Right when I submitted it, it disappeared. Let me be the first to tell you, I was so discouraged. I literally started crying (I may just be a little dramatic) But I couldn’t help it. Here I spent this time writing an awesome blog about prayer and then it was gone. So instead of getting all mad, I did exactly what my post was talking about and went straight into prayer. The more I thought about it, maybe there is a reason my post disappeared. Maybe God knew what He was doing and knew that the second time I wrote it, that it might just be that much better. I don’t know. All I know is that it happened for a reason and whatever that reason is, I know it was for the best. 
How many times have you said, “Ill pray for you” to someone? And let’s be honest, how many times do you actually pray for them? You say you will pray for them usually because they are going through troubles and they really need the prayer. I don’t know how many times in my past I’ve said, “Ill pray for you” but then never do. Most of the time, it just slips my mind completely. What if something really important slipped my mind and that one prayer that I forgot to pray, could have made a difference? I know I am not the only one that has done this before. My fellow Christians need prayer and when I tell them I will pray for them, I want to make sure I do it. I’ve decided that every time someone asks for prayer or I tell them I will pray for them, Im going to start putting it in my phone. Every night before I go to bed, I am going to check my phone and pray over the requests I have. I won’t let my brothers and sisters in Christ down. This is just one area of prayer that I think everyone needs to work on...
Why is prayer so important? Why is it that sometimes we can go days without talking to God? Would you go days without talking to your boyfriend or girlfriend? No, of course you wouldn’t. So why do we do it with God? The most important person in our life. We should be ashamed of ourselves. The one that cares so much for us, that He sent His son to die for us. How does God feel when we put Him off and ignore Him? We should be talking to our God as much as possible. Recently I’ve found myself talking to Him for no reason, and let me tell you....sometimes that's the best. I found that the more time I spend in prayer, the happier I am. I love knowing that wherever I am, I can always just start praying to God. In my dorm, in my car, walking to class, in Mcconn....anywhere. I don’t think some people realize how important prayer actually is....how are we suppose to have a strong, faithful relationship with God if we don’t pray and communicate with him.....we can’t....
“Those persons who know the deep peace of God, the unfathomable peace that passeth all understanding, are always men and women of much prayer.”~ R. A. Torrey
James 5:16
 “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”
Colossians 1:3 
“We always thank GOd, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you”
1 Corinthians 14:15
 “So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind...” 
1 Thessalonians 5:17
 “Pray continually.”

Friday, October 14, 2011

Do Not Conform to the World

I used to wonder why God never helped me out with anything in my life. Everyone always told me, "God has a plan for you." But at the time, God wasn't showing that plan to me and I was lost and alone. Now I know why, God wasn't showing me the plan or will he had for me because I wasn't living the way He wanted me to. I wasn't following Him. 

Romans 12:1-2
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer 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.

I was living the life the world wants me to live. I was doing exactly what God had said not to do, "Do NOT conform to the pattern of this world".

One way I was conforming to the world was listening to secular music ALL the time. I never listened to Christian music. I have deleted probably over 200 secular songs on my iPod and Im still in the process of deleting more. I never realized the effect it has on your mind and attitude. All I listen to now is Christian music and my mind is so much more cleaner and Im always happy for the most part. The world makes secular music so evil and filthy. The world also makes Christian music out to be boring, well I disagree with that completely. Listening to this Christian music was one way I renewed my mind. 

....so many people ask why God doesn't help them or why they feel like God isn't present in their lives. I was there, I know what it feels like. Give your whole life over to God completely. Don't hold back. Don't live for the world. Live strictly for God and give Him your everything. 

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Yesterday was my 20th Birthday...

And let me just say, it was amazing! Grandma came to school and went to chapel with me and also took me out to eat! I love when she comes here! I've been getting a lot closer to her recently. I think it's because I finally share a spiritual bond with her. God has brought me closer to her. She doesn't realize how important she is to me and how much I need her in my life.

My birthday day didn't end there though....Kevin decided to plan a little birthday date and he did a very good job! I was completely lost the whole night because he wanted to surprise me with everything. We started off going to Olive Garden ( one of my fav restaurants) and it was absolutely amazing! Then I asked him what we were doing next and he said he couldn't tell me because "I would get mad". Well this kind of scared me. Next thing I know he is pulling into a bowling alley. And he was right, I was mad! If you know me at all, I HAVE to have my bowling ball and shoes otherwise I can't bowl. So I started freaking out. When he got out of the car he opened the trunk, and there was my bowling bag with my shoes and ball! Little trickster ;)
I opened my bag and there was a box in it....in the box was a beautiful bracelet! I can't believe that after dinner, and bowling, he also got me jewelry! He is so sweet!
Oh and we also went to Ju Ju Berries and ate some delicious frozen yogurt! :)

Birthday = Awesome!
By the way, I CANNOT believe Im 20 and no longer a teenager...it's weird!

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Lukewarm

It's sad to say, but most "christians" are lukewarm...I've been there. I am not proud of it. I don't even know if I would have considered myself lukewarm then...I was more cold.

"I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So because you are lukewarm-neighter hot nor cold- I am about to spit you out of my mouth."
Revelation 3:15-16

That verse right there sends chills down my spine. I would hate to be turned away because I was lukewarm. Not many christians realize the importance of this verse. Many people think that if they go to church and are a good person, that gets them in. You have to live your life for God, follow His Word, and be on fire for Him. Be scorching hot for God. He gave His only son to die for you, so why can't you at least do as he says? It took me awhile to realize this myself. Luckily, my God is a forgiving God and he has forgiven me for being a lukewarm Christian in my past.

Monday, October 10, 2011

Weekend Report

Friday: Grandma came to visit e for grandparent's day. She sat  in my class. She met Kevin. We went home. I got a new car! A cute little yellow colbalt. Went to Lafayette with the sister and had a sister night!

Saturday: Went around and saw all my co-workers. Went to pick out my ring with grandpa. I didn't get the one that I posted on here, but this one is even more pretty and it's special because grandpa picked it out. It has to be sized and I will get it when I go home for fall break. Went to eat with the family at Red Lobster....got fat. Then went to a corn maze with some old friends. Got lost all by myself and started to cry. Shawn found me finally.

Sunday: Went to church with Karen and had a nice service. Did some homework, took a nap, came back to school and then watched Over The Hedge with Kevin.

That is an overview of my awesome weekend! I loved being home! Usually I don't like to go home, but for some reason I really wanted to go home and didn't want to come back to school. Maybe it's because this week will be awful for me. I have a TON of things to do this week! I have some papers due, and some tests that Im stressing out about! The only thing I can do is take it one day at a time and trust God to help me out this week.
On top of all that, I am getting sick....great!
In other words, I NEED PRAYER THIS WEEK! It would be much appreciated! :)

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Do Not Worry...

So easy to say, so hard to do. Especially for me. I am a HUGE worry ward and it's a difficult thing for me not to do...
A good friend told me to read Matthew chapter 6, well today, I did just that.

6:25
"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life..."
6:27
"Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"
6:33-34
"But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I worry about every little thing in my life. Things I shouldn't even worry about yet, but I do...
I worry about tomorrow, next year, graduation, my future husband, kids, house, jobs, my family passing away...a lot of that stuff, I shouldn't even be worry about because that's so far in the future.
God obviously tells us not to worry. We need to seek Him and He will take care of our worries. The day is already hard enough with troubles, so why make it worse with worrying about everything? It's not worth it.
I've decided that every time I start to worry, Im just going to stop myself completely, and pray to my awesome God and He will help me. I am trusting Him.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Clumsy

I just fell going up the stairs in front of wildcat. Completely ATE the stairs...awesome! I really hope no one saw me! My leg is now bruised and has a bump on it....dumb stairs...

Suffering

Today I had the urge to do long devotions before class. I think God was trying to tell me to spend more time with Him today than I usually do. Usually I am dead when my alarm goes off, but today I had a lot of energy. Yup, definitely God!
So I went to McConn and just opened my Bible in a random spot. I was trusting God to give me something great...and He did just that. My Bible opened up to 1 Peter. I read chapters 2-4 and I needed to hear those words. It talks about living for God and suffering for being a Christian. Lately I've been worrying what my "friends" from home will think about my faith and chapter 4 touched my soul. After reading it, I don't worry about what my friends will think.

1 Peter 4: 14-16
If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and God rests on you. If you suffer, if should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.

I made sure to highlight this. I am going to start reading it every week to remind me that it doesn't matter what other people think about my faith because Im not ashamed of it. I want people to know about my faith and share it with others. And if people do make fun or me for it, it doesn't matter because God will bless me that I stand for Him.

After I read 1 Peter, I wanted more and didn't want to stop reading God's word. So I turned to my favorite book of the Bible...Psalm. Before I knew it, I had read almost 10 chapters. By this time, I had been sitting in McConn for almost an hour.  I had gotten lost in God's word and didn't want to stop. It was amazing! God is so good!

Monday, October 3, 2011

Pointless

This post is pointless....I kinda like it though.
Here I am sitting in McConn with Kevin and his friend Joe (my new friend)
I just bought a vanilla pumpkin pie chai and it was the best drink EVER!
But now I want a cold drink, Osaka Sunrise? Yes please!
I only have 129 points left...I might be in trouble. That means I've already spent 147 points in like 3 weeks...I might just be addicted to McConn.
I was having a weird day but now I am fine and happy! Hmmmm wonder why? ;)
It's only been 5 min, and my Osaka Sunrise is gone....dang
Only 9 days till my birthday..say whattt?!?!? CAN'T WAIT!

Sunday, October 2, 2011

I Know What I Want...

...and what I want is a purity ring. My birthday is in ten days and I asked for a purity ring from my grandpa. I already have it picked out. It has three bands that come to the center. I want them to stand for God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. It also stands for a promise to God, a promise to myself, and a promise to my future husband.

I never thought that I would want one, but God has worked on me a lot recently. And I absolutely love it. Looking back now, I wish I would have done this a long time ago. I am not the same girl I was in high school, or even this past year....who am I trying to fool? Im not even the same girl I was this past summer. I am a new girl living for God and giving my life to Him completely.

Psalm 51:1-2
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.