In just over 30 days I'm going to be heading to my church here in VA and I'm going to be...GETTING MARRIED! That's right folks, I've finally found that man that God has for me. It is very exciting, wonderful, marvelous, scary, weird and sweet. In life we make decisions every single day. Some of them are minor, and a few are life altering.
In the past few months I've had to make a lot of minor decisions and a few major ones. The biggest decision a person can make is about salvation. Your decision to either follow Christ or to go it alone will affect you for all eternity. Choose today to serve Christ, and you will forever look on that as the best decision you ever made.
The second most important decision is your decision on whom to marry. Marriage is a vow that we make before Holy God and it is NOT to be undone. We promise to live with, stand by and love the other person for the rest of our lives. That's it. We don't promise "I will love you till it becomes inconvient or I change my mind." If you want to understand how holy and unbreakable God views vows (of any kind) just turn to the Old Testament (the first part of the Bible).
There are minor decisions, that seem major when we have to make them. For example, our careers. It seems like a major decision because we spend so much time at work, and what we decide to do will affect how much $ we make. But in the scheme of things, it is minor. What I mean is, if we choose to change it is not a sin. We can change all we want and still be in the "Will of God".
OF course there are the really minor decisions: what to eat, what to wear, what to watch on tv, what hobbies to take up, where to live. All these are decisions to make, and as long as we are following "Whatsover is true, whatsover is right, whatsoever is pure..." that God is proud of our decisions. More than likely what I choose to eat for breakfast will not affect my life 12 years from now. It is a minor decision.
What decisions have you made lately, and what verses do you use to guide your decisions?
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Heaven
One of my favorite things to do when I'm not feeling good (and when I am) is to think about heaven. I think maybe I like to dream of my future home because this earth isn't so great.
Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of joy to be found here. I have a family that loves and supports me, I have a wonderful man that loves me, I have friends that are a joy, I have 2 pets that are highly entertaining, I have so many blessings in my life. The best blessing is a God that adores me, that paints me a new picture every morning and throughout the day He is busy changing it (just a little bit).
Yet, there are also so many struggles. I fight my sin nature (and lose) all the time, I deal with repercussions of the rape, with R.A., with trying to find a job, having to bid a final adieu to people that I love. I have to go to court (BAH...long story...no I'm not a harden criminal, I just like to drive quickly and it turns out that if you drive TOO fast you get in trouble!).
Heaven is going to be a place that is rid of all the results of sin. I'll never get sick or hurt, I won't have to constantly battle my sin nature, and I'll be done saying good-bye.
To make matters even better, I'll get to worship at the feet of JESUS. I'll enter through the gate made of the finest pearl, walk on golden streets, past the most beautiful crystal sea (where I might pause to just soak in the beauty) and finally I'll enter the throne room and FINALLY bow at the feet of Christ where my voice will be beautiful in its praise and worship of my beloved and deserving savior!!!
Heaven will be so wonderful, I can't even imagine! The battle will be finished, and victory will be for all those that have trusted Christ, and the victor will be Christ himself, God Almighty. Heaven will be filled with His presence.
The food will be more magnificent than mere words can capture, the beauty of the landscape will be indescribable, and God will be beyond all that! Pops was right when he said "Glory!" that is what we will all be muttering, "Glory, Hallelujah, Praise be to the Lamb!"
Heaven, such a fun dream, and a dream that will one day be my reality! For now, I must come down from the dreams of golden streets and worshipful choirs and I must do the work that I am created to do, and that is to love and serve Christ by loving and serving others in all the opportunities I am given. Heaven is the prize, but earth is the race, and I must continue mine.
Don't get me wrong, there is a lot of joy to be found here. I have a family that loves and supports me, I have a wonderful man that loves me, I have friends that are a joy, I have 2 pets that are highly entertaining, I have so many blessings in my life. The best blessing is a God that adores me, that paints me a new picture every morning and throughout the day He is busy changing it (just a little bit).
Yet, there are also so many struggles. I fight my sin nature (and lose) all the time, I deal with repercussions of the rape, with R.A., with trying to find a job, having to bid a final adieu to people that I love. I have to go to court (BAH...long story...no I'm not a harden criminal, I just like to drive quickly and it turns out that if you drive TOO fast you get in trouble!).
Heaven is going to be a place that is rid of all the results of sin. I'll never get sick or hurt, I won't have to constantly battle my sin nature, and I'll be done saying good-bye.
To make matters even better, I'll get to worship at the feet of JESUS. I'll enter through the gate made of the finest pearl, walk on golden streets, past the most beautiful crystal sea (where I might pause to just soak in the beauty) and finally I'll enter the throne room and FINALLY bow at the feet of Christ where my voice will be beautiful in its praise and worship of my beloved and deserving savior!!!
Heaven will be so wonderful, I can't even imagine! The battle will be finished, and victory will be for all those that have trusted Christ, and the victor will be Christ himself, God Almighty. Heaven will be filled with His presence.
The food will be more magnificent than mere words can capture, the beauty of the landscape will be indescribable, and God will be beyond all that! Pops was right when he said "Glory!" that is what we will all be muttering, "Glory, Hallelujah, Praise be to the Lamb!"
Heaven, such a fun dream, and a dream that will one day be my reality! For now, I must come down from the dreams of golden streets and worshipful choirs and I must do the work that I am created to do, and that is to love and serve Christ by loving and serving others in all the opportunities I am given. Heaven is the prize, but earth is the race, and I must continue mine.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Rape: Where the Past is still Present
I've been applying and interviewing for jobs all over the area and I lost out on a job that I really wanted because my psych eval. showed that I have a history of panic attacks. So once again the rape is affecting my life in a very real way.
I hate that. I hate that no matter how hard I try the rape is not just an event in my past that helped shaped me (not all for the better, but it did mold me). The rape is an event in my past that still continues to reach into my present and screw with my future. Life just isn't easy and the past can't always be left in the past.
Dear Lord,
You know well that I'm frustrated, that I still get angry at how my past is affecting my present. I know that You love me. Please be near me as I look for jobs. Point me in the right direction and help me to quickly find the job that You have for me. Encourage the employers to look my way. I want to contribute to our family. In order to be a steward of my finances, I need a job to earn those finances. You know I'm willing to work hard, I just need the chance. HELP me! I want a job.
Lord, cover me in Your love. Thank for always being there for me, and for all of us that call to You. I know we come to You more in times of need than times of joy. I apologize for not giving You the attention You deserve. I apologize that You have not always been first place in my life. You are the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, You are the magnificent creator, Jehovah, Judge, Friend, Father, Life giver, You are our wonderful counselor, our great physician, you are our EVERYTHING.
Unto You be all the glory, the praise and the worship, for You alone are worthy of adoration. Help me to remember that, to remember my first love and to show that through my actions, my mind, my heart attitude. Even if things don't go my way, help me to remain joyful, because no matter what the struggles I face may be, You are still You and you just love to help us see beyond the present, see past the past and into the future, a future that is forever filled with YOU.
Through Your Son's blood, sacrifice and resurrection I pray. AMEN.
I hate that. I hate that no matter how hard I try the rape is not just an event in my past that helped shaped me (not all for the better, but it did mold me). The rape is an event in my past that still continues to reach into my present and screw with my future. Life just isn't easy and the past can't always be left in the past.
Dear Lord,
You know well that I'm frustrated, that I still get angry at how my past is affecting my present. I know that You love me. Please be near me as I look for jobs. Point me in the right direction and help me to quickly find the job that You have for me. Encourage the employers to look my way. I want to contribute to our family. In order to be a steward of my finances, I need a job to earn those finances. You know I'm willing to work hard, I just need the chance. HELP me! I want a job.
Lord, cover me in Your love. Thank for always being there for me, and for all of us that call to You. I know we come to You more in times of need than times of joy. I apologize for not giving You the attention You deserve. I apologize that You have not always been first place in my life. You are the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, You are the magnificent creator, Jehovah, Judge, Friend, Father, Life giver, You are our wonderful counselor, our great physician, you are our EVERYTHING.
Unto You be all the glory, the praise and the worship, for You alone are worthy of adoration. Help me to remember that, to remember my first love and to show that through my actions, my mind, my heart attitude. Even if things don't go my way, help me to remain joyful, because no matter what the struggles I face may be, You are still You and you just love to help us see beyond the present, see past the past and into the future, a future that is forever filled with YOU.
Through Your Son's blood, sacrifice and resurrection I pray. AMEN.
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