Carry each others burdens
Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. Galations 6:2
This is interesting. (Referring to the page I read) We are reminded to live among and surround ourselves with people who suffer. People who remind us that the world is not perfect, not "paradise". We all strive to look out for the best situation for ourselves. To be happy, satisfied, fulfilled. These "other" people may include people who do us wrong. We should show THEM love. God has called us to live a life of love that may rescue, bring hope, love, faith to someone who knows no other way to attain it. Do not live solely among believers, socially acceptable, proper, HAPPY, people.. only those who make US feel good and life US up. They will not fully graspt the love we have to offer. Show love.
Love as a choice. Choose it.
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A few of my favorite lines from the page:
Everywhere love turns, it finds burdens to carry...
What if there were no one who made a mistake? What if no one fell? What if no one needed help? To whom would you show love?
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
i.l.f.m #3
God is real. I feel it in my heart. We have been in a battle together for quite some time now. I battle the poisonous darts of insecurity. When hit, the poison spreads to nearly every aspect of my life. I watch God care for me through this. I continue to pray for a pure heart and clear vision for recognize his care.
*I am thankful for a loving supportive husband.
*I am thankful for my long distance friends, however often or not often I can actually connect with them. They still mean the world to me.
* I am thankful for the friends I have made here, whatever level of friendship we've reached, at this point.
* I am thankful for guidance to a church, where further opportunities for us lie ahead.
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To admit your sin is righteous.
Humbling yourself is to acknowledge and admit weakness
Sometimes we become oblivious to ways we are sinning -> unknowingly growing in a false confidence.
We need to be willing to open our eyes (AND heart) to our weaknesses, to recognize them and grow beyond them.
----------------------------
*I am thankful for a loving supportive husband.
*I am thankful for my long distance friends, however often or not often I can actually connect with them. They still mean the world to me.
* I am thankful for the friends I have made here, whatever level of friendship we've reached, at this point.
* I am thankful for guidance to a church, where further opportunities for us lie ahead.
-----------------------------
To admit your sin is righteous.
Humbling yourself is to acknowledge and admit weakness
Sometimes we become oblivious to ways we are sinning -> unknowingly growing in a false confidence.
We need to be willing to open our eyes (AND heart) to our weaknesses, to recognize them and grow beyond them.
----------------------------
Sunday, April 8, 2012
i.l.f.m. #2
This is my second posting of some personal "ah-ha" moments that I recently discovered, as mentioned in the previous posting. (A better description for why this is posted.) I was thinking about my last post and thought that my responses may not make sense entirely, since I chose not to post what I was responding to. If it becomes a problem, I can post those at a later date, if there is a need. I have no specific order for what I am choosing to post, just what I like at the moment :).
Here goes #2!
The verse the book focused on was:
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Galations 5:24
Be Aware of Sinful Tendencies
I believe sinful tendencies can also be described as "weaknesses". I believe people naturally related the thought of Sinful Tendencies to outward, visible actions: cheating, lying, violence, ect. Reflecting personally, my Sinful Tendencies, or weaknesses as I'll now refer, can be hidden behind a social curtain, such as doubt, lacking in trust, and confidence. The visible sins seem to have effects, also visible, on relationships, social freedom, imprisonment. Buried weaknesses can also have serious consequences. Although they may also indirectly affect others, the effect lies mainly with the accused. It destroys from the inside out. Burning away natural gifts and abilities given to us from God, possibly preventing future opportunities and growth.
Awareness in this matter is crucial. Knowing your weaknesses makes it possible to acknowledge when they emerge and possibly why. It can be extremely difficult to know what you are weak in. It can also create other weaknesses, allowing those reminders to surface too often. We must keep God on call, to keep a healthy balance.
After all of this, I thank God for keeping me humble through my weaknesses. Please help me utilize them to benefit my growth and positively affect those I come into contact with.
---------
I can already feel myself being stretched by posting these. I feel my insecurities surfacing... "What if people this what I have to write is stupid, or trivial, or poorly written." Then I remind myself how I've already felt that putting myself "out there" has been a wonderful, uncomfortable feeling and that it can at least provide for an enjoyable read for someone else.. or maybe just a read, if anything else! :)
This is simply my way of doing something I find "uncomfortable" in order to open my introverted self to allow God to do more with me in the future. Baby Steps! You have to start somewhere.... Where is your first step directed?
Here goes #2!
The verse the book focused on was:
Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Galations 5:24
Be Aware of Sinful Tendencies
I believe sinful tendencies can also be described as "weaknesses". I believe people naturally related the thought of Sinful Tendencies to outward, visible actions: cheating, lying, violence, ect. Reflecting personally, my Sinful Tendencies, or weaknesses as I'll now refer, can be hidden behind a social curtain, such as doubt, lacking in trust, and confidence. The visible sins seem to have effects, also visible, on relationships, social freedom, imprisonment. Buried weaknesses can also have serious consequences. Although they may also indirectly affect others, the effect lies mainly with the accused. It destroys from the inside out. Burning away natural gifts and abilities given to us from God, possibly preventing future opportunities and growth.
Awareness in this matter is crucial. Knowing your weaknesses makes it possible to acknowledge when they emerge and possibly why. It can be extremely difficult to know what you are weak in. It can also create other weaknesses, allowing those reminders to surface too often. We must keep God on call, to keep a healthy balance.
After all of this, I thank God for keeping me humble through my weaknesses. Please help me utilize them to benefit my growth and positively affect those I come into contact with.
---------
I can already feel myself being stretched by posting these. I feel my insecurities surfacing... "What if people this what I have to write is stupid, or trivial, or poorly written." Then I remind myself how I've already felt that putting myself "out there" has been a wonderful, uncomfortable feeling and that it can at least provide for an enjoyable read for someone else.. or maybe just a read, if anything else! :)
This is simply my way of doing something I find "uncomfortable" in order to open my introverted self to allow God to do more with me in the future. Baby Steps! You have to start somewhere.... Where is your first step directed?
Friday, April 6, 2012
I learn from myself?
I realized something today, after reviewing some old reflective journals. This is quite an obvious statement, but it IS so obvious, it is often easily dismissed. I learn from my life. Obvious, yes. I go through the same feelings, the same valleys, and the same mountains, but from different perspectives. Every new moment feels like it is a new experience, that feelings are 100% different and just as confusing.
I have reoccurring feelings of inadequacy, brought on by allowing several other insecurities to get to me too often. This is nothing new, but through time, I never felt my responses to be similar. Today, I was very comforted by my own words written several months ago, in response to a daily devotion from a wonderful book called "Faith Alone" originally written by Martin Luther, but edited for today's readers by James C. Galvin. Every page I had read was so incredibly encouraging to me. Not only to re-read my "feel-good" words, but to acknowledge that, although they were written from a different perspective, were very applicably similar.
Faith Alone is my go-to book. I LOVE it. I have had this book for several years, but ironically, have yet to read it completely. I simply love my previously underlined pages so much that I find my progress to be slow. But I am okay with that.
I made a decision to share a few my responses through the span of a couple days, or weeks.. or longer. We'll see what plan ends up developing! I consider myself to be a fairly private person. I keep a lot to myself, which can be both beneficial and detrimental. I have a desire to stretch myself and grow as a person, but I don't always like to take the first few steps. Sharing my personal thoughts are a big step for me, but I think it will be a good move. I take this from my journal, so many of is posted may not entirely make sense, but maybe it will.
-----------------------
August 2011
Topic: God Will Take Care Of You
He humbled you, causing you to hunger and the feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD
Deut. 8:3
Although this passage speaks directly of food and hunger. I interpret the message to be about "lacking" in general. When we are hungry, it means we are lacking energy, which comes from consuming food. We cannot maintain our energy by our own efforts. We cannot will it to return. We must rely on something outside of ourselves, food. Without it, we will fade and ultimately di. This resource is readily available to us at any time. All we must do is accept.
In the same way, our spiritual lives must be maintained by putting aside our own will to remain full. Our weaknesses may be recognized as our own personal demons appear. Feelings of inadequacy, lack of trust, motivation, ect. When our "energy" is running low, we must remember to sustain ourselves by allowing God to "feed" us. God will meet you where you ask him to, with so much more than you know. All you have to do is let him.
Just as our bodies physically need food, and on a regular basis, our soul, our spirit, needs renewal. It's a daily struggle to fight of those demons that wear you down and drain you, but God is there, always, to feed, to energize, to sustain.
I find myself thanking God of my abilities when I lose sight of them.
----------------
p.s. Our lives will be soon updated to friends and family who are interested in reading about us. Explanations and a plea for forgiveness for this time gap are on their way, as well. :)
I have reoccurring feelings of inadequacy, brought on by allowing several other insecurities to get to me too often. This is nothing new, but through time, I never felt my responses to be similar. Today, I was very comforted by my own words written several months ago, in response to a daily devotion from a wonderful book called "Faith Alone" originally written by Martin Luther, but edited for today's readers by James C. Galvin. Every page I had read was so incredibly encouraging to me. Not only to re-read my "feel-good" words, but to acknowledge that, although they were written from a different perspective, were very applicably similar.
Faith Alone is my go-to book. I LOVE it. I have had this book for several years, but ironically, have yet to read it completely. I simply love my previously underlined pages so much that I find my progress to be slow. But I am okay with that.
I made a decision to share a few my responses through the span of a couple days, or weeks.. or longer. We'll see what plan ends up developing! I consider myself to be a fairly private person. I keep a lot to myself, which can be both beneficial and detrimental. I have a desire to stretch myself and grow as a person, but I don't always like to take the first few steps. Sharing my personal thoughts are a big step for me, but I think it will be a good move. I take this from my journal, so many of is posted may not entirely make sense, but maybe it will.
-----------------------
August 2011
Topic: God Will Take Care Of You
He humbled you, causing you to hunger and the feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD
Deut. 8:3
Although this passage speaks directly of food and hunger. I interpret the message to be about "lacking" in general. When we are hungry, it means we are lacking energy, which comes from consuming food. We cannot maintain our energy by our own efforts. We cannot will it to return. We must rely on something outside of ourselves, food. Without it, we will fade and ultimately di. This resource is readily available to us at any time. All we must do is accept.
In the same way, our spiritual lives must be maintained by putting aside our own will to remain full. Our weaknesses may be recognized as our own personal demons appear. Feelings of inadequacy, lack of trust, motivation, ect. When our "energy" is running low, we must remember to sustain ourselves by allowing God to "feed" us. God will meet you where you ask him to, with so much more than you know. All you have to do is let him.
Just as our bodies physically need food, and on a regular basis, our soul, our spirit, needs renewal. It's a daily struggle to fight of those demons that wear you down and drain you, but God is there, always, to feed, to energize, to sustain.
I find myself thanking God of my abilities when I lose sight of them.
----------------
p.s. Our lives will be soon updated to friends and family who are interested in reading about us. Explanations and a plea for forgiveness for this time gap are on their way, as well. :)
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