Words of Encouragement

            So, summer just started and we have already caught a glimpse of the torturous heat it is bringing! I thought we could all use some words of encouragement. I wrote this as a response to an email from a friend a while back. (For those of you involved, don't worry, I edited out certain details and names)

Question( reworded): Do you ever feel like life is passing you by? Like everyone else is living while you are at a standstill?

It was funny that she would ask a question like that, because I was struggling with that very thing and I shared what God was trying to teach me at the time. Here was my response:

In times like this it's very hard to press on, I'm still working on it myself. My pastor has preached on Philippians 4, in verses 11-13 it says: "I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or in want. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." In the KJV, verse 11 says: "in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." I think that our problem is that we're always comparing ourselves with others. We look with longing at what we want and wonder how others can have it when we don't. But even the people who seem to have perfect lives have their own struggles, some are just less visible than others. Everyone has moments when they desire a better life, but the difference is that those who are most fulfilled in life are the ones who take everything to God. Romans 12:12 says: "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." This may not be the case for you, but I know that my problem is a problem with joy. I allow depression and negative thoughts to take me down. It gives me this self-pitying, sour attitude and people notice. I have been told multiple times to "smile, life's not that bad." I may not be able to control my circumstances, but I can control my attitude. It's much better to remember that God is always in control, in the good times and the bad, and He knows what you're going through. He uses the tough times to bring you closer to Him. So look at the positive things even if they seem few and far between.

            I've noticed that the subject of encouragement and positive thinking seems to keep coming back to me. I guess I still have a lot to learn and I'm glad to be able to share these things that God is working on in my life. I hope it's not too repetitive :) If you would like more on this subject, look back at these posts:

*Whispers in the Night

*Finding Peace in the Chaos

Entanglement

           A few weeks ago, I was helping my brother remove some vines that had overtaken the bushes outside our driveway.  Those things were tough!  Vines have a way of wrapping themselves around and around bushes, fences, trees, or almost any other standing object.  They grow at a very rapid pace and will eventually choke out the trees or bushes they have entangled.  Pulling out those vines made me think about life.  If we don't catch potentially harmful actions, thoughts, or habits at the beginning (when they first sprout), they can eventually grow into big problems in our lives.  Take television for example: you might let a cuss word slip by once in a while without turning it off, then you allow more and more in until you become calloused to it, and the next thing you know, a word slips out of your mouth and you wonder why you would say such a thing.  Imagine how other sins and addictions start entwining themselves into your life and steadily choke out those moral standards you once held dear.  I think of the parable of the sower in Matthew 13.  The sower had some seeds that he was spreading.  "Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants" (Matt. 13:7).  "The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful" (verse 22).  Concerning ourselves with the things of this world can easily keep us away from the things God wants us to do.  When we allow habits, addictions, worries, or worldly values to control us, we will not be able to pray, witness to others, or worship God as He has called us to do. 

            Jesus said, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful...no branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."  (John 15:1-2,4-5)  So, there is a vine we should allow to flourish.  God uses challenging situations in our lives to help us grow in Him.  Instead of allowing circumstances or sins to overtake us, we should turn back to the One we take root in and allow Him to help us bear fruit in those situations.  Here are a few examples of how people take root in God:

            *"His delight is in the law of the Lord; and on His law he meditates day and night." (Ps. 1:2)

            *"The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life, and he who wins souls is wise." (Prov. 11:30)

            *"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ  Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires." (Gal. 5:22-24)

Of course, there are plenty of other examples, but part of taking root in God involves studying these topics on your own.  "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer," study God's Word, and don't allow yourself to become entangled in the vines of this world!

Identity Crisis (Part 2)

          So, I started my so-called "series" and I thought I was going somewhere with it, and then I made the mistake of not taking down my thoughts for a follow-up. (Life Lesson #5893: Always write down your ideas before they escape)

          I was mostly just thinking along the lines that maybe, at least for me personally, it would have been better to take a break after high school. Take a sort of non-paid sabbatical to pray, think, plan, explore, travel, etc. But, the problem for those who went to public school is the push to go straight to college, and I allowed myself to be pushed. My thoughts at the time were: "Most of my friends are going to college, I don't want to be behind," and "What if I can't get any scholarships if I wait." In hindsight, my worries were simple-minded, but I was only 18, clueless and unsure. Of course, now I'm 27 and still feel clueless and unsure. At the time, I thought that college was a safety net. It kept me in the school calendar (with holidays!) and supposedly guaranteed a career, right? We were fed the idea that all you need is a degree and you can do anything! No one told me what the real world was like:

Every month, a pile of bills shows up; in order to get that "dream job" you have to go through job listings, applications, cover letters, phone calls, interviews, background checks, health insurance policies, taxes...; all that free time that used to cause boredom is gone; some of those who get married have to suddenly perform an amazing balancing act with family time, classes, housecleaning, hobbies, etc.; and those who are single realize that social opportunities seem to diminish almost entirely after leaving the school system, and even when those opportunities present themselves, they always seem to conflict with a full-time work schedule!

          I'm sure I've left out a lot, but that is only an example of the things that bombard young adults as we enter the adult life. I'm sure there are many older adults who still feel overwhelmed by life and what the future may hold, generally and personally. I don't really have a conclusion to this because life is hard and none of know where we will end up down the road. But, don't lose heart. I'm not going to sit here and give a motivational speech about following your dreams, but there is always hope. I think of two of my favorite Bible verses: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths." (Prov. 3:5-6) and "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." (Jer. 29:11) I know I've used those verses before, but that's why they are some of my favorites. I wish I would have been more driven to seek God's will and godly counsel back when I was making decisions as a teenager. I don't know if I would have done things differently with college and choosing a major, but I think I would feel more confident now if I would have sought out what God wanted instead of what I thought I wanted. I remember going on a mission trip between my junior and senior year of college. I realized that I had not allowed God to make a calling in my life. I was about to finish off my last semester of classes and a semester of student teaching, and I had not given much thought to whether this was where God wanted me. Did He want me to teach or should I have considered missions? At that point, it was too late, I was locked into that major, there was nothing I could change to and still finish in a year. I couldn't stay longer because I had student loans I would have to start paying off. I realized that not only had I not explored more options, but I had not acknowledged God's plan for me; I felt stuck.

          As I stated earlier, there is always hope. Things may have gone more smoothly if I would have recognized God's will for my life sooner, but it is never too late to turn back to Him. He can still use these milestones and past choices to bring my life into His plan. Life is still hard and adulthood still comes before we are ready for it, but if we allow God to take control, our lives will produce fruit.

"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him..." (Phil. 3:7-9)

Identity Crisis

            If you think about it, adulthood kind of shows up so abruptly, how is anyone supposed to really know what to do?  Up through high school we were treated as kids. Many were spoiled, especially in this age of technology. We had clothes, electricity, food, transportation, and many other things provided for us and we rarely gave it a second thought. I know that some people had a rougher childhood than others, but, speaking for myself, even though I knew my family didn't have much money, I still took things for granted. When we came close to graduation, many of us were preparing for college or a career and some were even planning weddings. Maybe taking care of pets, babysitting, chores, and part-time jobs helped us develop some sense of responsibility, but were we really ready?  The decisions we made as teenagers could impact the rest of our lives. 

            Those of us who went to college may have extended this charade. Staying in dorms, eating at the cafeteria, and following the class syllabus kept us on a schedule that pretty much set itself.  At some point before entering college or after finishing the basic classes, we must decide on a major. "What do you want to spend the rest of your life doing?" is a pretty tough question for an 18-20 year old. I think of James Marcia's identity statuses (see chart) that I studied in one of my classes.  I sometimes feel as though I fit into "identity foreclosure" because I made a commitment without exploring other options. I went straight to college and majored in education because I thought I was pretty good with little kids. I have a friend who was in a state of "moratorium" until her fourth year of college! Many of us choose our career paths before we face the "real world."

            And now I'll go back to my original point: at a young age we are thrust out into the world. We are independent young adults with plans and dreams, only we soon discover that life isn't as easy as we thought it was...

To be continued...

Spoiler Alert

            Sometimes, when I read, I try to rush past the details or the "boring parts" to find out what happens next. I constantly try to get to the climax and closing as quickly as possible. I forget that those details are an important part of the story and it would do me some good to take the time to read them. The details make up the story and you can enjoy the outcome a lot more by focusing more on those details. There's a saying that has to do with that, it goes kind of like this: No matter where you're going or how it all ends, it's the journey that matters the most.

            That was part of one of my diary entries from a couple years ago. I kept flipping ahead in this book I was reading at the time because I just knew something interesting was coming. I forgot the fact that authors intentionally include most of those details to build up the storyline and develop the characters. I ended up spoiling most of the story because I kept skipping sections. You know, life is like that sometimes. You come to a point where you feel like nothing interesting is happening, and you would prefer to skip ahead to the next chapter. Philippians 4:11 states, "For I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." My pastor likes to bring up that verse a lot in his preaching, probably because we live in a fast-paced society. We want things instantly with a gotta-have-it now mindset. Contentment with what you have and where you are is a foreign concept to most. Some people end up compromising their beliefs, some complain, some want to start all over again, and some just give up. But God probably has something different in mind when He puts us all in different chapters and stages of life. Yes, some are more remarkable than others, but those uninteresting stages can be a time of learning. When life seems to be stuck, maybe it's your attitude that needs to be unstuck. You should look at the hard times or dull moments as a time of character development. You never know what's going to happen next or what your learning experiences might be training you for. That in itself is pretty thrilling if you think about it. We can't see what's beyond the fog, but God can and He knows what He's doing in our lives. I've used this verse before, and it's one of my favorites because of the promise it brings: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11) So, instead of focusing on our  negative or tedious circumstances, we should look for the opportunities to learn and grow through those circumstances. "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade!"

            ***Side note: Happy Leap Day! I know it's almost over now and so is the month, but I still just had to get my February post in. I may go back to further develop this topic again in the future, but for now I hope you all had a wonderful extra day :)

The Greatest Story Ever Told

            About a week ago, I finished reading a book that was set in Biblical times. More specifically, it is a fictional representation of the life of Jacob's daughter, Dinah. Even though it is fiction, that story made me want to compare it to the real story from the Bible. The next thing I knew, I was pouring through the pages of Genesis and looking at the maps in the back of my Bible tracking the locations and directions of the people. Isn't it funny how it takes a work of fiction to peak my interest in reading God's Word? When I read the Bible before, especially the Old Testament, it seemed like just a bunch of names and rules, and it was like a chore to get myself to read through those lists. Then, every once in a while I came across one of those stories that my Sunday school teacher used to put up on a flannel board. But, there is so much more to it than that. It's all a matter of perspective. You can find stories of victories and defeat, love and loss, good and evil. There are songs, poems, letters, and parables. Those study Bibles have a concordance, maps, and notes for a good reason, so maybe we should use them.

            What's interesting (but certainly not coincidental) is that the morning after I finished reading that book, I came across this devotional from Our Daily Bread. Basically, it expanded on what I had just come to realize. Like the writer of that day's devotion, I went through a process from reading out of duty to reading for enjoyment. The Bible isn't just a history book, it is a book about life with God. We can learn lessons from the people in the Bible. They may have looked different and used different customs and protocols, but their thoughts probably weren't so different from ours. They were real people with their own traits, doubts, fears, and struggles. Many of the Old Testament laws are still used to govern us. There are psalms that address joys and sorrows that modern-day Christians can relate to. The New Testament letters address issues among the first believers that churches still deal with today. And those are just a few examples of how relevant and alive God's Word is in our lives.

            So, if your scripture reading feels like more of an obligation than a delight, then maybe it's time to find a way to peak your interest. There are commentaries and dictionaries available that can help with words or concepts that are hard to understand. You can use maps or look up information on the background of those times to get a better perspective of how the people lived and where they were located. Most commentaries tell you who wrote the books and the audience they were addressing at that time. Just remember that the Bible is more than just a good story, it's more than just a record of laws and prophets,  it is God's Living Word to us.

Whispers in the Night

            Well, 2011 has just about come to an end. It's hard to believe how much quicker time goes as you get older. I feel like it was just the other day that I was writing in my diary on January 1 talking about the interesting dates this year (1-1-11, 1-11-11, 9-10-11, 11-1-11, and of course 11-11-11! Yes I am a nerd, I know). Now all those dates have come and gone. Lately I've kept myself so busy that I haven't really stopped to reflect on the year that has gone by. Did I accomplish anything? Is there something worth remembering? I think that the answer would be yes to both of those questions even if nothing big happened. It's the little things that keep us going. In her books, Karen Kingsbury refers to those moments when we find something to laugh about or reflect on as whispers of encouragement. She got the idea from 1 Kings 19:11-12 "And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; [but] the LORD [was] not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; [but] the LORD [was] not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; [but] the LORD [was] not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice." We may think that we'll only see God through major events or miraculous signs, but really where we find Him most often is through a still small voice. A rainbow in the clouds, a butterfly on a blooming flower, a baby's laugh, a cat's meow, a puppy cocking it's head, a fond memory, the fellowship of friends and family...those "little" things add up pretty quick when you change your focal point.

            So, as we enter into the year 2012, whether you have many New Year's resolutions or none at all, look for the whispers of encouragement that brighten your day. When you feel down or discouraged, don't let negative thoughts take over. Something I did a few days last year that I should do more often was keeping a list of positive things. At the end of the day, I wrote down 5 good things that happened throughout the day. Some days it may be harder than others to fish out those moments, but when you look back later on, at the very least they could make you smile.

            To all my faithful readers who have made it this far with my poor, neglected blog, or to anyone who has just recently stumbled upon it, I hope you have a blessed 2012. Happy New Year!