So..what's been going on recently?

     Spring weather has finally arrived here in New York, which is such a blessing! The sun, the birds, and all the lovely spring flowers are peeping out from the dirt...it makes me so happy!
     I have lately been studying for my nursing licensure exam which takes up a lot of time in my day-to-day schedule. But, have no fear, it hasn't stopped me from growing closer to my savior over the past few months. I have no fear of the future, and the Lord has supplied me with peace about this exam and how the results will play out.
     I have recently started going through the book of Isaiah and have learned a lot about God's power, coming judgement, and mercy. The first few chapters talk a lot about the day of judgement and it is summed up well in Isaiah 2:11:

"The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day."

So, be prepared for that day. Follow in Jesus' steps, in humility, as you walk on this earth.

May the Lord bless you in these coming weeks...may he shower you with blessings! Amen.

Humility of Total Devotion

      This past Christmas season passed so quickly because of all the joy I experienced with the family, but I'm still quite determined to write a post for the month of December before time runs out.  I know there were some cousins and aunts/uncles wondering about me updating my blog, so here goes nothing!
      I was especially blessed this past Christmas by Mary's humility and grace in which she took the news that she, a virgin, would bear a son, quite unexpectedly and miraculously.  I was especially curious of how she viewed herself compared to God.  First, lets look at a part the conversation that the angel had with her...(Luke 1:34-38)

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?

And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.

And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.

For with God nothing shall be impossible. 

And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.

      Two miracles were occurring at the same time which must have filled Mary with awe and wonder at the same time.  That last phrase that the angel said to her "For with God nothing shall be impossible" must have quieted all her fears and doubt.  Then in her humility she surrendered to God's will completely.  She referred to herself as his handmaiden.

(this is where the fun begins)

      I was curious as to what she meant when she called herself that, so I looked it up in the Interlinear which shows the original Greek translation.  The Greek word for Handmaid is DOULE. Doule is a femine noun which translates to (1) a female slave or (2) bondmaid.  The male noun, which is from the same root noun, means (1) a slave, and (2) devoted to another to the disregard of one's own interests.  I love that last definition; it sums up Mary's intent so fully. She was devoting herself completely to God and (with God's help) disregarding the human nature to be terrified.  She called herself his slave/servant as a way of showing her complete devotion and surrender.  That was her humility in it's full and most precious form.  And because of her unwavering devotion she gave birth to God's own son, Jesus.

God Bless you all in the New Year and may we come before God with Humility of Total Devotion!

     

A musing for a rainy day...

My most recent iPod lock screen background.
I can take a breath and repeat the beautiful words to myself.
To be still..to take it all in in those few seconds.
The JOY and PEACE.
And to know that without a doubt: He Is God.
The only God in my short life.
How amazing to know and believe.
It's pure love and devotion; to "Be still and know that He is God"
And that is what I want my life to be..Love for Him.

From David Wilkerson, to you.

I don't think this needs any explaining. 

David Wilkerson says it as it needs to be heard.

Ever Ready...like a Captive Lion.

Last weekend I had a block of free time on Saturday afternoon on the way home from some October farm-stand-shopping.  I decided to plug in my headphones and listen to a sermon by Eric Ludy (of course).  It was called Captive Lions: a study in Cheerful Giving, a bit of a peculiar sermon title (don't ya think?).  But maybe it was that title that drew me to listen to it.  I'm not going to write everything that was said, just some of the points that I took from it.  

1.  A captive lion is never content to stay in the cage that its captives have put it in.  The lion will try with all its might to get out (restless, eager, persistent).  When that cage is opened the lion will spring from the cage (hastening, happily, confidently).  We are to be as this lion when we give,  When God tells us to give we are to be obedient and do it without complaint, right away, as ready as the lion is to spring out of the cage, with smiling eagerness (2 Corinthian 9:6-8)

2. Then Eric went on to talk about how some people would worry about giving so much as to have only a little for themselves left.  God is our provider, NOT this worlds economy.  Our confidence does not lay in this world, but in Jesus who gives us EVERYTHING that we have.  He gave an example which he calls The Aquifer Principle.  There is a small puddle that you see and when you have emptied that puddle, more water bubbles up from underneath the ground to refill that puddle (the aquifer underneath has a never ending supply of water).  So, we do not have an reason to doubt God's provision because there is no end to God or his faithfulness.  We can count on him 100% of the time.

3.  He then talked about the 10 virgins (Matthew 25) and how we should always be ready to give cheerfully.  When God commands us we should be ever ready, like the five wise virgins.  To make the point more memorable (or more important?) he added a Greek word to this point (he does that a lot in his sermons and I happen to enjoy learning them, so you'll have to deal with it for now).  The word was Prosdechomai (the definition to the right) which summed it all up in one word.

These were the main points that I took from it, and I'm sure you all want to listen, right? 

Well, here is the link if you'd like to: http://ellerslie.com/sermons/eric-ludy/2-10-13/captive-lions

May God bless you all, till I post again...

A last-minute Christmas post..

      This past Christmas I found myself thinking a lot about Mary.  She was younger than me when she had a firstborn child. Just thinking about that makes me wonder what it must have been like to the young teenager. She was given a task that surpassed any burden we would want to carry.  It was almost impossible to comprehend and scary to face.  She was a virgin, and a poor one at that.  What would people say?  What would they think?  She could be labeled insane or even stoned to death for adultery.

      The angel explained that nothing was impossible with God (the birth had to happen, so she had to be living).  So I wonder, did she know that she would not be accused of adultery and be stoned?  Did she have courage that someone would believe her?  When the angel left and she had traveled to her cousin Elizabeth's house she was filled with JOY and PRAISE. She was glad for this opportunity.

May we be humbled this Christmas season at the incredible humility and joy of Mary's response.  The calling of God is a gift and we see a meaningful example of that in the story of Mary. Merry Christmas to all (and sorry for posting this so late).

Then Mary said, "I am the Lords servant. Let it be to me just as you have said." 

Then the angel left her. (Luke 1:38 CEB) 

Thankfulness from Hosea?!

This coming week is Thanksgiving and I thought I'd post something a bit early...

This morning I read Hosea 11 (one of my favorite chapters, from my favorite book of the bible). God has raised and taken care of Israel, yet they do not turn back to him. His holiness compels him to stay far from sin, but his compassion compels him to show love and mercy. He calls the Israelite's back to him and again shows them forgiveness. Love and Mercy win! 

God does the same for us. He forgives and forgets, throws our sins into the Sea of Forgetfulness. He doesn't hold grudges, like us. He controls his anger, his anger doesn't control him. We truly do have a wonderful God. It's beyond my understanding sometimes how he can forgive us, time after time. But, that is the power of UNFAILING LOVE being shown by our heavenly father. 

This year I'm thankful for Gods love toward me. 

I'm thankful that he forgives me and then forgets my past sins. 

Any "Amen's"?

Some Striking Songs...

1. Worn by Tenth Avenue North (lyrics)
This song has been such a blessing to me. When I first heard it I was driving in my car and I started to tear up. I know that everyone, at one point in their life, feels worn and tired. This "worn" they talk about in the song is more than just physical weariness though. It takes on a spiritual meaning. Our souls get crushed under the influence of the world's' temptations. sometimes it feels like you won't be able to get past this temptation, but God can help you. He is always there to help us rebuild our relationship with him. He alone, can lift us up to create a song of redemption. He is our rest and redemption, no matter how torn and tattered we are.

2. Hello My Name Is and Forgiveness by Matthew West (lyrics for Hello.. and Lyrics for Forgiveness)

Just look at that smile..

Hello My Name Is is a great song. It reminds us whose child we are. Regret and defeat are very real things that can consume us and block out Jesus from our hearts. But, they are lies that we believe. With a strong chorus, we become God's child. A child of the ONE true king.
Forgiveness is a song with a most stirring message. This excerpt is taken from something written by a mother who was involved in the sad, but touching story: "May 11, 2002, 24-year-old drunk driver, Eric, killed one of my twins, Meagan, and one of her friends, Lisa, both girls 20 years old. This was devastating for all three families involved, and countless friends that mourned the loss of these precious girls. But this is also a story of forgiveness and healing. My family and Lisa’s family chose to forgive Eric. We even appealed to have his 22 year prison sentence reduced to 11 years."
A little side note: During the Klove Fan Awards I heard Matthew West host, sing, and talk live a few times. He is by far the funniest artist that I know and was always making me laugh and smile. He could be a stand up comedian, I think. 

3. Words by Hawk Nelson (lyrics)
The words we say can have different effects and this song goes through them. They can bring us or others down and they can bring us back up, higher than we've ever been. So, in the chorus, we ask God to help us have words that heal and are always truthful. We should only want to say words that bring the world back to God. We should always speak words of love and life, bringing light to a dark world. 

4. Strangely Dim by Francesca Battistelli (lyrics)

The first time I heard this song I didn't really like it, but boy has that changed. I absolutely love it and I know all the lyrics by heart. It talks about how we, as humans, have our life planned out. We are gonna get married, have kids, graduate college, have a great career. But, God has the reins, not us. He may change our plans in a few seconds and make us wait for our purpose to be fulfilled. When we fix our eyes on Jesus alone, everything grows dim: our plans, our worries, our doubts.

5. Every Good Thing by The Afters (lyrics)
I was listening to the radio and when this song came on, the young lady broadcasting said "Want might to watch your speed on the road..this song may cause you to go faster." I laughed as I looked self consciously at my speedometer. I don't think it made me go any faster, but I did roll down the windows and turn up the volume. God is the reason for everything good. The lyrics are pretty much self explanatory. The second verse talks about how God is in control of the bad times, and will always be there to make them better and comfort us. The family we have is a gift from God, and so are the troubles, because he is always there to turn trials into gold.

6. We Won't Be Shaken by Building 429 (lyrics)
This song was written right after the school shooting in Newtown, CT last December 14th. I remember hearing about it all over the news, such a devastating piece of news. Surrounded by tragedy, the town pulled together and just a few days later Building 429 wrote this song. This song will always remind me of that tragic event, but it's for every day. This song is a call out to all christians that we should not be shaken by the devil's schemes or the worlds prejudices. We should stand strong in Christ, and not be shaken. 

7, Me Without You by TobyMac (lyrics)

Always wearing an awesome hat!

I thought this song was a bit too upbeat for me, but it wasn't. I learned the lyrics and now I sing it all the time as I listen on the radio. The strong and fast beat, well..that explains the jumping sometimes upstairs..LOL. Where would we be without God in our lives? We would just aimlessly be walking around without any purpose. All our dreams would fade, and we would be chasing anything that looked appealing. As TobyMac states it "You rescued me/ You are mine, I am yours/ You rescued me/ And I am yours forever /You saved me, remade me/ And where would I be/ Without You."

8. All This Time by Britt Nicole (lyrics)
God's been with us every day of our lives and sometimes its just amazing to stop and think about that. This is a true song of thankfulness and worship. It talks about the day when Britt gave herself to the Lord, how she felt love and peace. He's been there through every heartache and every dream come true.  I will never leave us, nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). 

There is always a new hope to be found..

     I never thought that you could get so many messages from one movie. I just didn't think it could happen. But, it actually can happen. And it did. For me, at least. The movies name is "New Hope." It was made last year, in 2012. Now, without further adieu  I'd like to tell you about the lessons I found in the movie. 

~WARNING: If you haven't seen the movie I'd recommend watching it before you read anything below, because I'll be talking about some of the plot and I don't want to ruin it for you!~ 

     

     God DOES Care

After losing her boyfriend Chase to suicide, Jasmine starts to believe that God doesn't care about "some troubled high school kid." Michael, the preacher's kid, who is also new in town, reassures her that God does care. He tells her "We all have struggles, but God hasn't given up on you." God doesn't give up on anyone, especially those that are going through struggles.

1 Corinthians 10:13 says; "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."

God also tells us; “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you (Heb.13:5).” 

     There will be PEACE

After losing a son, things will never go back to the way they were, but Chase's parents want it to. They go to counseling with the new pastor (Michael's father). Sometimes we don't think we will ever get past the current struggle, but God promises us peace, and his unfailing love. 

Isaiah 54:10 says: "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you." 

     Love those that  DON'T love you back

Michael's father explains this one pretty well in the movie. He says "Loving the ones that love us, that's easy, anybody can do that. It's loving the ones that hate us..well, that's the real challenge." It can be a challenge, physically and emotionally, and Michael takes the challenge. Sometimes, a friendship can be born out of the greatest challenges of our life. 

God tells us; "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; (Matthew 5:44)."

     Losing someone you loved, is NEVER easy

Lucas Green is eighteen and just went through the tragic loss of his brother. They must have been close in age because they played high school basketball together. I could never image losing my twin sister or brother at this age, but it could happen..today, tomorrow, or fifty years from now (or if I'm lucky I could die before they do..LOL). Lucas takes his anger out at Michael the most because Michael plays Chase's position on the basketball team and starts dating Chase's girlfriend. At the end, Michael tells Lucas that he'll never give up on him..and that proves true. The movie ends and then their are pictures that tell of a wonderful friendship between the two. 

I ABSOLUTELY recommend watching this film. I have never felt so touched by a movie even though I didn't shed any tears. I think it reminded me of some great lessons, that I'll never forget. It's an unforgettable and powerful film!

Have a very Merry Christmas!

The hustle and bustle throughout the streets..the candles shinning in windows..the music flowing through the house...the smell of christmas dinner being cooked on the stove..the warm fire to lay/sit near..the laughter and smiles being passed around the room..the glittering snow that covers the trees outside..

All those things are nice and probably light up the whole house with a warm, homey glow. It makes everyone feel right at home. But, that is not the reason why we celebrate christmas every single year with all our families. JESUS is the true reason we celebrate Christmas. It's his birth into a lowly manger so that he could die for our sins; that's the real reason. Sometimes with all the things going on we forget that...and I don't want that happeneing this year. And I'm pretty sure you wouldn't want to forget that either. May God bless you and your families this year! 

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

~ Isaiah 9:6

A little thought and inspiration for my followers...

      This quote talks about what a young man should look at in a girl, but I also think it says something about how a young woman should act and portray herself. I think every girl is beautiful, in her own way, it's the way God made her...and God always makes things beautiful. It shouldn't be a question of how she looks, but how she acts and makes others feel. 

I esteem to be a girl who can make a young man love by how I live, not by how I look. 

"Delight yourselves in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart." - Psalm 37:4

A Woman of Character...

Ever since I was a little girl, I've dreamed of being a woman of grace, like the "Proverbs 31 woman." It's almost as if it's been instilled into me, because it's become a greater desire. I try my best, and sometimes I get dissapointed because I know that I did something wrong.  
Somethings, like honoring my husband, isn't completed yet, but even though he doesn't exist as my husband yet I still pray daily for him. I pray that he grows deeper with God everyday and that his heart is prepared to help me stand stronger with the Lord. 
I know the Lord is with me and that I will become the woman he wants me to be, even if it's not a perfect Proverbs 31 example; I'll still be a woman of character, molded by Gods characteristics! 

God is with you ALWAYS.

I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while. I've been busy with college classes. I just finished the first tests in almost all of my classes. Since its the first semester of my second year I started hospital clinicals. The first two classes we had a partner with us while we took care of our patient. This coming Wednesday we take care of our patient all by ourselves, which will make me a little nervous. 
Pray for me in this coming week and during the rest of the semester!
A new thing that I've started this year is that I put a bible verse on every notebook/binder for my classes. If i get nervous or intimidated with the amount of work (believe me its a a lot), I can always refer to those verses and then I never have to be afraid. 
In the bible God wrote "Do not fear.." 365  times, once for every day. I find that very encouraging and comforting. I'm so thankful that God is with us all the time and is mindful enough to tell us not to fear anything. God Bless all of you.

For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. (Isaiah 41:13)

A Sophomore..once again.

This is the second time in my life that I'm a sophomore. I'm excited to learn new things as I jump into nursing head on. I start this year of college with three hard classes - Patho, Pharm, and the first off-campus clinical. I have lots of studying and memorizing to do, but with God's help I'll get through it. On all of my notebooks I've pasted a verse to remind me of God's constant presence during troubled times. I would appreciate if you would pray for me during this semester. Thank you!

A trip to "Lies Young Women Believe"...

   The recent topic on L.Y.W.B. has been very interesting. And I don't just mean the actual post, but the comments too.  I am going to put three links below, for the latest three posts. You may have a look and feel free to comment! May the Lord bless you..
    ~ http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=1834 
    ~ http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=1835
    ~ http://www.liesyoungwomenbelieve.com/index.php?id=1836

"Be still And Know"

This is a great video that I got from a friend...you should all watch it...the pictures are great as well! 

Prayer ~ In troubled times.

This week I officially finished my second semester of college.

Next week I have finals in 4 of my 6 classes, I would be grateful if you would pray for me.

Thank you all for your constant prayers...

Two verses come to my mind, as I looked to the Lord for help: 

Psalm 46:1 = "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble"

Ephesians 6:10 = "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power"

If you have any verses or words of encouragement for me, you may leave me a comment below!

One of Gods creatures - Strength

Have you ever watched a horse run along a sandy beach, it's muscular legs kicking up the loose sand? What about seeing a herd of wild horses gallop through inches of soft snow? Have you ever stood next to a horse to hear it breath and to feel the soft touch of its muzzle on your shoulder?

     I can't say yes to all these questions, sadly. Horses have been my favorite animal since I was a little girl. I remember watching horse movies one after another. There were times when I would gallop around the house like I was riding a wild steed, that I could supposedly train. (what a dream, right?) 
      Then my dream of riding a real horse came true when I entered third grade. We took riding lessons for about a year and a half. They were some of the most memorable and exciting days of my life. I rode a horse named Presley, a handsome chestnut with a black mane. The riding lesson price soon went up so high, that we stopped our lessons. We've ridden horses on vacations too. We went to Chincoteague to see the ponies there, and we also met the grandson of the owner of Misty. 
     I think that the thing that always drew me to horses was the grace and strength they showed. They run so smoothly, and show no fear. God made them to show us that we should be like them. We should never show fear toward Satan and his plans to lure us away from God. All horses know their owners voice, whether man or just God. We should always heed to our masters call no matter how hard it is for us to get to him. 

 “Do you give the horse its strength or clothe its neck with a flowing mane? Do you make it leap like a locust, striking terror with its proud snorting? It paws fiercely, rejoicing in its strength, and charges into the fray. It laughs at fear, afraid of nothing; it does not shy away from the sword. The quiver rattles against its side, along with the flashing spear and lance. In frenzied excitement it eats up the ground; it cannot stand still when the trumpet sounds."  ~ Job 39:19-24 

A Father and His Child..

She liked verses 9-11 the best,
 but knew the whole psalm by heart!

Last Friday I was helping, in the hospital where I volunteer and I saw a welcoming and beautiful thing taking place. A father and his young son were inside a hospital room, sitting next to a bed with a frail woman, probably the wife and mother. They were reading a book, and when I went over to ask if they needed anything, it amazed me to see that they were reading the best book in the world, the bible! I ended up talking to them a little and they told me that the woman was indeed the woman belonged to them. She had been the christian and now both son and father had excepted the Lord, just about three months ago. It made me so happy and I smiled, and it made the woman smile too. The little boy likes the stories of 1 and 2 Kings with all the battles and he even liked the story of Job. He kept asking his dad questions, and sometimes they required a simple answer, but the dad was so patient, and would answer them without being frustrated. It made me think of the love God has for us, even when we don't completely understand the things he tells us. They were reading from Psalm 42, the woman's favorite. She recited it, as they read along and what a beautiful harmony it made! The scene made me remember the times when I had sat on my dad's lap and looked on as he read the bible to us. I probably won't see them ever again (the woman was let out earlier in the week), but they did make an impression on me and I wanted to share that with all of you.  

"The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."

~ Psalm 46: 7 or 11 (they are the same), NIV

Modesty: Not Just Something On The Outside

Likewise, I want women to adorn themselves with proper clothing, modestly and discreetly, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly garments, but rather by means of good works, as is proper for women making a claim to godliness. 1 Timothy 2:9-10

The dictionary defines modesty as the quality of being modest; freedom from vanity, boastfulness, etc. I think that it is a great definition, but it is missing something. Modesty is not just a description for the outside of your body, but also the inside; your heart. Actually, modesty is a matter of the heart completely. Outer modesty comes from what you value and store up in your heart. You reflect God's love and reserve when you dress with modesty. When I get dressed in the morning I look in the mirror and ask myself if God would approve of what I am wearing. We should all be asking that question and we should also be asking if our heart is in the right place, so that we can let God shine through us.