So I created this blog four years ago in which I wrote one entry and never visited again. I have reently deleted it because it was just some random welcome stuff. I've come back because lately I've been feeling like I have a lot on my mind and not sharing it or letting the thoughts out. Writing in a journal makes my hand cramp. I have no idea how people have done it all these years, but I may just have issues with it because I am so detailed and never wanting to leave anything out!
Writing a blog has come to me a lot and I've avoided it because nobody wants to read about what time I woke up this morning and everything I did each hour! I would probably be my only reader. So last week before I was about to meet with a realtor to start house hunting, I was going through several thoughts in my head and shared them with my boyfriend. I decided if I want to write a blog, why not write one about the only one who deserves all of our attention? I will be sharing with you my thoughts on becoming a stronger Christian and describing stuff I learn in my own words.
Feel free to keep up with my ramblings, or delete them. This is a way I want to share God's love and it's open to everyone! Join with me in this journey of learning what being a Christian is all about!
I have to thank God for being patient, inspirational books (The Hope Series by Donna VanLiere) for helping me learn why God sent Jesus. I plan to continue reading the genre as they use stories to help me understand. Also thankful for those who encouraged me to teach the Sunday school class. My boyfriend because even though I've always thought I was a Christian, I've never allowed myself to love and since knowing him I've wanted to learn more about loving others as they are. I also thank the scene in the movie Fireproof the dad and son are on a walk and the dad explains Christ's love for us with the cross in the background. That's where my curiosity started because I never really got it til then. My praise team at church getting into studying the scripture together for the service and our guitarist and myself sharing our faith. Lastly I must give credit to my 365 daily devotionals app which I've been slacking on lately, but it got me started.
Anyway, as you can see it took a lot for me to get where I am and in just a short amount of time. Couple of years I guess. And here all this time I thought my faith was strong, I found I don't know it all and I want to know more and have answers when questions arise.
3.11.2010
3.08.2010
Safe Addiction
Sometimes I feel like God can be unbelievably addicting! It's so true what people say about thirsting for Him because seriously, since I've gotten into knowing Him, I just want to know more and I want to study. Though before when I knew I should read the Bible and I don't anyway or I know to spend time with Him in some way whether it be through prayer or reading or daily devotions it seemed hard to find the time. I've found I didn't find the time I should have because I did not know Him like I thought I did. I used to wonder how I come to "know" Him and have a relationship. Even though the answers were in front of me and I mentioned them above, it was hard for me to believe it to be true and so I would put it off. Sunday school class has given me the "have to" by planning the lessons and now I totally understand what it's all about. I just needed that push. The cool thing about all this is this is one addiction that is safe and okay to have and spread!
3.07.2010
The joys of teaching and His Word
So I was just thinking about our church service this morning and it started out with the youth group sharing what they enjoyed most about the 30 Hour Famine that they participated in last weekend. 30 hours they went with no food to experience what it's like for all the kids in the world who go through it everyday of their lives. A few of them shared with us that it made them aware of how bad hunger is. Every fifteen minutes, 300 children die from starvation. My pastor then afterwards said that's 1200 children that will have died during our hour of worship this morning and we live in a country that has an obesity problem. I just wanted to share that too.
So in thinking about the kids this morning it brought me to feel such joy this evening as I remembered what a couple of them said from our 6-8 grade Sunday School class that my boyfriend and I teach. I realized what teachers must feel like in all schools, grades and subjects when they see a student progressing or doing well in what they have taught them. I did not teach them of the famine and what they said had nothing to do with my class, but because I have gotten to know them more, and also God at the same time, I was interested in what they had to say and felt such happiness for them.
I will probably speak of my class often. It was a risk I took and was not sure I wanted to take, but the opportunity was there and they needed a teacher, so I went for it. The kids listen very well and they actually learn from me. I have never thought of myself as a teacher and I cannot say I remembered a lot from my Sunday School classes when I was their age. I would get bored quickly. It had nothing to do with my teachers and yeah I believed, but the Bible seemed boring and I never really got more into it until high school. I learn with them in teaching the class and I hope I can continue to make it interesting and continue to relate the scripture to everyday life so it is easy for them to remember.
Through this I have finally started to develop a real relationship with God after all of these years. Proof of that is how he helps me in planning my lessons. Things or conversations that happen in the week usually give me something to go with the background of the lessons and I thank Him for that. Now all I need to do is look forward to doing the lesson which I always dread starting at 10:00 on Saturday night after procrastinating all day. While that may be true, in the end, it always comes together and I cannot explain what I feel in my heart after what I learn just from learning the explanation of a few sentences in the Bible. The Word is no longer boring to me and I will never know it all even if I study it for the rest of my life!
So in thinking about the kids this morning it brought me to feel such joy this evening as I remembered what a couple of them said from our 6-8 grade Sunday School class that my boyfriend and I teach. I realized what teachers must feel like in all schools, grades and subjects when they see a student progressing or doing well in what they have taught them. I did not teach them of the famine and what they said had nothing to do with my class, but because I have gotten to know them more, and also God at the same time, I was interested in what they had to say and felt such happiness for them.
I will probably speak of my class often. It was a risk I took and was not sure I wanted to take, but the opportunity was there and they needed a teacher, so I went for it. The kids listen very well and they actually learn from me. I have never thought of myself as a teacher and I cannot say I remembered a lot from my Sunday School classes when I was their age. I would get bored quickly. It had nothing to do with my teachers and yeah I believed, but the Bible seemed boring and I never really got more into it until high school. I learn with them in teaching the class and I hope I can continue to make it interesting and continue to relate the scripture to everyday life so it is easy for them to remember.
Through this I have finally started to develop a real relationship with God after all of these years. Proof of that is how he helps me in planning my lessons. Things or conversations that happen in the week usually give me something to go with the background of the lessons and I thank Him for that. Now all I need to do is look forward to doing the lesson which I always dread starting at 10:00 on Saturday night after procrastinating all day. While that may be true, in the end, it always comes together and I cannot explain what I feel in my heart after what I learn just from learning the explanation of a few sentences in the Bible. The Word is no longer boring to me and I will never know it all even if I study it for the rest of my life!
3.06.2010
Do you ever feel like there is something missing in your life or discover something has been there all along and you were aware, but you never grabbed a good hold of it because you were afraid? Afraid of how it may change you and what people will think of that change even if it is positive?
I've been a Christian all my life, always believed in God and Jesus is God's son and Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Isn't that all we have to believe to go to heaven or call ourselves Christians? Sure, those things are easy to say and believe, or to some it may not be and need answers, but what about it being more than just believing those words because we learned them in Sunday school class or in the sermons given by our pastors on Easter Sunday and Christmas? What about understanding why they happened? Okay, so we think Jesus came to Earth and was born and that is why we celebrate Christmas and Jesus died on the cross and rose again so we may have eternal life in heaven and that is why we celebrate Easter. It is so easy to just say, "Jesus is the reason for the season," and by saying that, everyone assumes you are a Christian, right? Some of us celebrate when those days show up on our calendars and some of us share the spirit all year 'round by following Christ. How do we really follow Christ? He is not physically here to walk behind and we cannot see Him. Why was He here all those years ago and now we cannot see Him? How do we know He is real? We are told, "You just have to believe." At least, that is what I've been telling people for years when they asked me. I found that I didn't know either.
If I am a Christian, how do I not know what to tell people when they ask about God and Jesus? Because I do not have the knowledge I should. The knowledge I gain from reading God's Word which is our Bible. Jesus is not here physically and that is why we have the Bible. When we have questions for Him, our answers are in His Word.
I've been a Christian all my life, always believed in God and Jesus is God's son and Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Isn't that all we have to believe to go to heaven or call ourselves Christians? Sure, those things are easy to say and believe, or to some it may not be and need answers, but what about it being more than just believing those words because we learned them in Sunday school class or in the sermons given by our pastors on Easter Sunday and Christmas? What about understanding why they happened? Okay, so we think Jesus came to Earth and was born and that is why we celebrate Christmas and Jesus died on the cross and rose again so we may have eternal life in heaven and that is why we celebrate Easter. It is so easy to just say, "Jesus is the reason for the season," and by saying that, everyone assumes you are a Christian, right? Some of us celebrate when those days show up on our calendars and some of us share the spirit all year 'round by following Christ. How do we really follow Christ? He is not physically here to walk behind and we cannot see Him. Why was He here all those years ago and now we cannot see Him? How do we know He is real? We are told, "You just have to believe." At least, that is what I've been telling people for years when they asked me. I found that I didn't know either.
If I am a Christian, how do I not know what to tell people when they ask about God and Jesus? Because I do not have the knowledge I should. The knowledge I gain from reading God's Word which is our Bible. Jesus is not here physically and that is why we have the Bible. When we have questions for Him, our answers are in His Word.