Monday, June 20, 2011
Passion
-Oprah Winfrey
I stumbled across this quote today and it made me think. It made me ask myself: Where do I have the most energy? Where am I the most excited?
When I asked myself this question it didn't take long at all to know the answer. The answer for me is Church. As soon as I get to church on Sunday morning or Wednesday evening I don't wait a minute to get out of the car and into the church. As soon as I walk in I feel at home. My friends and family surround me and I become the happiest girl in the world. I'm surrounded by the family of God. I look at each face and I know that each one is a beloved child of God.
So if this is my passion, what does it mean? I believe that I have a passion for people. Not just certain people. Everyone. Wether you're tall, short, fat, skinny, poor, rich, mean, or nice. My best friend once told me this: "You love pretty much everything and everyone, not matter what they've done or do. This, along with maybe one or two other things is probably my favorite thing about you. Forgiveness is hard for me, and I admire you for it." Where this passion will lead me I have no idea. But I know that God is leading it somewhere, and I trust him with my whole heart.
So, what is your passion?
"The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."
Mark 12:31
Saturday, June 18, 2011
A Test of Love
St. Augustine once preached a sermon in which he proposed a kind of self-test to see if we truly love God:
Suppose God proposed to you a deal and said, "I will give you anything you want. You can possess the whole world. Nothing will be impossible for you.... Nothing will be a sin, nothing forbidden. You will never die, never have pain, never have anything you do not want and always have anything you do want-except just one thing: you will never see my face."
Augustine closed with a question:
Did a chill rise in your hearts, when you heard the words, "you will never see my face"? That chill is the most precious thing in you; that is the pure love of God.
What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forgeit his soul? Mark 8:36
Suppose God proposed to you a deal and said, "I will give you anything you want. You can possess the whole world. Nothing will be impossible for you.... Nothing will be a sin, nothing forbidden. You will never die, never have pain, never have anything you do not want and always have anything you do want-except just one thing: you will never see my face."
Augustine closed with a question:
Did a chill rise in your hearts, when you heard the words, "you will never see my face"? That chill is the most precious thing in you; that is the pure love of God.
What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forgeit his soul? Mark 8:36
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Graduating Class of 2011
Today, the senior class of 2011 graduated. I thought earlier in the year that I would be incredibly sad on this day. However, I am not. As I heard each one of my friends names called to walk across that stage and recieve that much earned diploma, I felt only joy. Joy because this was a day that they have worked towards for 12 years. 12 long but worth it years.
People say that they become sad when they think that they'll probably never see half of those people again. But I don't become sad over that thought. Not because I don't like those people or anything, but because the people who you are close to, and are dear friends, will always be there. 20 years later, your best friend will be there. If I had to choose between seeing my best friend throughout the rest of my life, and seeing all those faces throughout my life, I'd choose my best friend. So, don't be sad because you won't see some of these people again. Be joyful because you are about to enter into the rest of the world with your friends that will be there every step of the way.
Next year will definately be different. I won't see some of my bestest friends faces next year everyday of school. I won't get to let out all my problems on Cheyenne, Kiara, and Colleen. I won't get to get my good advice from Keri. I won't get a much needed hug from Kilby everyday. I won't get to see my bestest friend Carson everyday. I won't get to get a lot of positive energy from Mariah everyday and most certainly every football game. I won't get to act like a "thug" with Ryan. Last but not least, I won't be able to see Rob Lee everyday, a person who has been a big part of my sophmore year as well as everyone else I've mentioned and those that have gone unmentioned.
Even though I won't see these people everyday for the rest of my life, each and everyone has left me with many fond memories and will always have a place in my heart. I pray that God will bless each and everyone of you in your journey throughout the rest of your life. I pray that you will all pursue your dreams wholeheartedly. I pray that each one of you will have love in your life always. This I know, that you will always have love from God, and me. Thank you everyone for all that you have ever given me and all that you will give to me in the future. I love you all.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11
People say that they become sad when they think that they'll probably never see half of those people again. But I don't become sad over that thought. Not because I don't like those people or anything, but because the people who you are close to, and are dear friends, will always be there. 20 years later, your best friend will be there. If I had to choose between seeing my best friend throughout the rest of my life, and seeing all those faces throughout my life, I'd choose my best friend. So, don't be sad because you won't see some of these people again. Be joyful because you are about to enter into the rest of the world with your friends that will be there every step of the way.
Next year will definately be different. I won't see some of my bestest friends faces next year everyday of school. I won't get to let out all my problems on Cheyenne, Kiara, and Colleen. I won't get to get my good advice from Keri. I won't get a much needed hug from Kilby everyday. I won't get to see my bestest friend Carson everyday. I won't get to get a lot of positive energy from Mariah everyday and most certainly every football game. I won't get to act like a "thug" with Ryan. Last but not least, I won't be able to see Rob Lee everyday, a person who has been a big part of my sophmore year as well as everyone else I've mentioned and those that have gone unmentioned.
Even though I won't see these people everyday for the rest of my life, each and everyone has left me with many fond memories and will always have a place in my heart. I pray that God will bless each and everyone of you in your journey throughout the rest of your life. I pray that you will all pursue your dreams wholeheartedly. I pray that each one of you will have love in your life always. This I know, that you will always have love from God, and me. Thank you everyone for all that you have ever given me and all that you will give to me in the future. I love you all.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 29:11
Monday, June 6, 2011
Intimacy With God
Intimacy with God? It's simple really.
It's not the pillar we sit on; it's the house we live in.
It's not a list of dos and dont's; it's a branch staying connected to the Vine.
It's not striving to know God, but realizing that our Father longs to know us.
And it's free for the taking-at least or you and me.
But we must never forget-it cost Jesus his very life.
-From Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver
So I pray to stop putting God on the bookshelf when that's He's the book I need to read the most and He is longing for me to read it.
It's not the pillar we sit on; it's the house we live in.
It's not a list of dos and dont's; it's a branch staying connected to the Vine.
It's not striving to know God, but realizing that our Father longs to know us.
And it's free for the taking-at least or you and me.
But we must never forget-it cost Jesus his very life.
-From Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World by Joanna Weaver
Here recently I completed a Disciple Bible Study course that lasted about 9 months and covered 70% of God's Holy Word. This journey has taken my walk with the Lord to such a closer level. But as I continued throughout the course, sometimes I tended to just put my daily readings on my to-do lists. Once I finished, I checked them off and continued to the next thing. But doing so left me feeling dry. I was thirsty for the Lord and hadn't taken the time to let him fill my dry cup. I know, too, that He wants to fill my cup. He wants to fill my cup probably more than I want Him to fill it.
Robert Boyd Munger says it best in his book My Heart Christ's Home: The Lord told me, "The trouble with you is this: You have been thinking of the quiet time, of the Bible study and prayer time, as a factor in your own spiritual progress, but you have forgotten that this hour means something to Me also."
As I get carried away in my own business of life, my time with the Lord seems to always get to be put on the bookshelf. Then, as I continue living that way, I start to feel like I'm drifting away from God. Whereas once I felt the closeness of Him everywhere I went, I now felt distant. Lost. But really all that it takes to be intimate with God is just prayer, the Word, and time. So I pray to stop putting God on the bookshelf when that's He's the book I need to read the most and He is longing for me to read it.
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