Comforter

   This past weekend I attended Set Apart, a women's conference that is held once a year. I went with my mom, sister, and nana. It was a very eye-opening experience for me. There were women of all ages there. It was a blessing to be able to learn more about God and grow in my relationship with Him in the presence of so many of my sisters in Christ. Although we were all from different places and came under different circumstances, our faith in Jesus Christ bonded us together. 
   I attended different workshops and listened to multiple different speakers while I was there. Ann Voskamp, the author of One Thousand Gifts, was one of the main speakers at the conference. She talked about letting go of anxiety and trusting in our Heavenly Father. She discussed the issue of how it is easy to say you believe in God, for even the demons believe in Him and know He is real. However, it is much different to out your trust in God. You can say you believe in Him, but completely surrendering your life, trusting Him and experiencing His love and faithfulness because of this trust is something completely different. 
  Along with this, she talked about our Lord as our comforter. One thing she said has stuck in my head and I won't ever forget it, "You have to step out of your comfort zone to experience the comfort of your comforter." This really made me think. God has a calling on each of our lives. He doesn't want us to settle and He doesn't call us to live a comfortable life. He has a purpose for us and asks us to go beyond what we consider comfortable because there we will be challenged. We will be stretched and grow in ways we didn't know were possible. At times it will be tough and at times it will be scary, but that is why God asks us to trust Him. He has a plan and He knows the result; trust Him and take that step. Our faith will grow deeper and our hearts will be changed.

   God is faithful to us. As He calls us to unknown situations and into unstable circumstances, He promises to be right there with us. He promises to comfort us through it all and will not leave our side. He doesn't expect us to take this leap of faith on our own. He will be there to catch us and guide us as we live out His purpose for our lives. We will become more willing to go out of our comfort zones as our trust in God grows. It is much easier said than done. When we say we fully trust in God, we don't know what He is going to ask us to do or what situations He is going to bring us to, but we can be assured that He is our comforter and we have no reason to fear. God has a purpose for all of us and asks us to begin by taking that first step. He will be there with us as we do and will comfort us during every step we take for the rest of our lives. 

Believe

   Today I am leaving to go to the cities with my mom, sister, and nana. We have tickets to a women's conference, which was part of my mom's birthday present. I am looking forward to spending time with these lovely ladies in my life and being in the presence of other women, as we grow in our relationships with Christ. The past few days I have really been wrestling with what God is calling me to do. I have always had a heart for people in need or who have been through a hard experience, especially women. I can't help but want to help them and do something to ease their pain. I have heard so many tragic stories and I want to bring God's love and comfort to these hurting lives. 
   Since the beginning of the year, my proclaimed major has been women's ministry. I want to work with women who are struggling and I want to encourage them in the hope that they have. The past couple days, this desire has only been reassured in me. This past Tuesday night, there was a showing of the movie, Trade of Innocence, at my school. I attended it and was overwhelmed by what I saw. The movie is about the issue of sex-trafficking. During the whole movie, my heart was racing and my mind was filled with a million thoughts and ideas. When the movie came to the end, there was time for reflection and prayer. I was overwhelmed by the calling God was putting on my life. I knew God had had me watch this film to open my eyes to the desperate need these women have.
   I had always had this passion, but didn't know what I was going to do with it. I have had doubts if it is really what God wants me to do. I have had fears of the uncertainty of the situation and worries about what the future holds. It seems heavy and unpredictable, but after that night, God made it so clear to me. He is in control and will show me what I need to do. All I need to do is believe in Him, trust Him, and take each day one at a time. He will direct my path and put me exactly where He needs me to be. I sometimes fall into believing the lie that I could never make a difference or impact and why would God choose me? When I have these thoughts, I become doubtful of God and the power He has. Then He reminds me, with Him, anything is possible.

   We each have a calling on our lives. Sometimes we can feel very intimidated and overwhelmed by what God is asking us to do. We may feel too small or too weak, but God is bigger and stronger than any circumstance we will ever encounter. Instead of being fearful, we can trust that God will lead us on the mission He has for us. He has a purpose for putting certain passions in our hearts. He has a reason for calling us to certain situations. He wants to use us to impact and change lives. God desires to work through us and asks us to believe in Him as He shows us what we need to do.

Because of Jesus

   I am home now, for a week and a half. It is so nice to be in my own house sitting by my fireplace as I write this. The sun is shining through the windows and my dog is curled up by my feet. My mom brought me home warm soup and bread from Panera too. I feel so blessed to have a home and family like I do. As I sit here, thinking about the different blessings in my life, I am overwhelmed by how many different qualities I possess because of Jesus. 
   We all have different gifts, talents, and abilities. God has given each of us these qualities for a unique purpose. Because of Jesus, we are all individuals. We are created in God's image. We can use the gifts God has given us to glorify Him and spread His good news to this hurting world. We have different passions and things God puts on each of our hearts. We have dreams, hopes, and desires because God gave them to us to hold. Because of Jesus' guidance and wisdom, we can achieve them.
   We all go through different hardships and trials. Because of Jesus' love, we are comforted during these situations. We have no reason to be afraid or to worry because Jesus has a plan and is walking with us through every circumstance we will come across. When doubts fill our minds and we begin to feel helpless, God restores us with hope and a new perspective. We can live in peace because our Savior reigns and has overcome this world.
  Many times in life we deal with different feelings such as confusion, anger, bitterness, and worry. When we find ourselves struggling with these strong emotions, God asks us to come to Him. He will soften and heal our hearts. Because of Jesus' forgiveness, we now have the ability to forgive and to let go of past regrets, mistakes, and discouragements. We are able to surrender our lives and all that we feel because we know that our God is greater than all of it.

   Because of Jesus Christ, we are a new creation. Our past mistakes are forgiven and forgotten. We have hope in the plans God has for us in the future. We are redeemed. We are restored and renewed. We have no reason to live in shame or guilt because our Savior reigns. We no longer have to feel weighed down by the burdens of this world, but instead walk with our heads held high because of our identity as God's children. 

   Life is difficult at times, but God is above it all. We are free because of Jesus. He has unlocked the chains that used to have the power to hold us down. We have the opportunity to share this good news with others. It is only because of Jesus that we have the strength and hope that we do. Because of Jesus, we have a purpose in this world and a call on our hearts to fulfill it. 

Psalm 138:8

   Today I go home for spring break! I am very excited to spend some time resting and being with my family and friends. I was having my time with God this morning and I came across Psalm 138:8. It was very assuring to me. We often stumble along and forget that God has made us for a reason. He has a specific purpose for each of us that no one else can fulfill. How awesome is that? God created us with a purpose, a purpose no one else on this earth has. We are all individually and uniquely made in His image. He has plans for each of us. My desire to seek out this purpose for myself has increased as God has reminded me that He is in control. 
   God desires that we remember this promise He makes to us: He will fulfill His purpose in us. He asks us to trust Him. There are many doubts and fears that distract us from concentrating on this solid truth. We get weighed down, tired and weary, but God is always right there beside us. He is a faithful God and has promised to never let us go. God's promises are true and will never be broken. We can fully trust Him and His plans for our life. 
  God's plans for us are far more than anything we could do on our own. It scares us sometimes because the future is unknown and we have certain expectations for it, but instead of controlling our future, God asks us to surrender it to Him. He treasures our hopes and dreams and will make them come alive in a beautiful way that is glorifying to Him. We have no need to worry or be anxious because we know God is doing a good work in us. We are a new creation because our Savior took the punishment for our sin and He reigns forever.

   May you rest in God's promises and the plan that He has for your life. Be reassured that every circumstance and situation you face is part of God's plan. Know peace while abiding in your Heavenly Father. God will fulfill His purpose in all of us as we continue to seek Him and His plans for our lives.

Restoration

   Today I am a bit tired. The stresses of the week seem a little overwhelming with mid-term exams and essays to complete. However, spring break starts tomorrow for me so that is exciting. I am really looking forward to some quality time with my family and friends. As I have mentioned before, I am realizing the importance of having strong relationships with the people in my life. God has been showing me that these relationships are gifts from Him and that I can learn a lot from the people that He has placed in my life.
   God is constantly reminding me that He is my Restorer. He knew that we would become tired and weary easily under life's circumstances. This life presents a lot of different situations and decisions to us, but God asks us to look to Him in the midst of all these different distractions calling our names. He will give us direction. He will restore our strength and motivation. There are many times that I desire to do so many different things, but physically and emotionally do not have the strength. I rest in God's promise that He will give me the energy and perseverance that I need for each day. 
   Another struggle I have is worrying about the future. Instead of taking each day one at a time, I find myself being distracted and worried about days to come. I worry about different outcomes of situations. I want to know results and I get nervous waiting. God has shown me the importance of patience as I have faced this struggle. He has restored this quality in me. He has shown me the importance of waiting for His timing in every situation. Each day has enough for me to focus on and God reminds me that He wants me to approach each day fully. He promises each of us the strength and courage for this day and all that it holds.

   With all our worries and distractions, it is sometimes very difficult to hear God's voice. I am going to be learning my whole life how to slow down and be still before God. He promises to be with me every step of this journey and to reveal Himself more and more each day. As we come to Him with our troubles, He will restore our souls. We can rest in peace that our Heavenly Father is looking after us. This is such a simple, but reassuring reminder. We never have any need to be afraid because our God is with us always. We can face each day confident in who God made us to be and in the fact that, in Him, we are restored with a significant purpose in this world.

Guidance

   I've recently noticed that I start out many of my posts talking about the weather...and this one won't be any different I suppose. The weather is just something that always catches my eye I guess, especially since I walk to class every morning. Nature just really reflects God creativity and beauty! This morning I wasn't super excited to wake up and see that it was snowing outside, especially with spring break being in three days. But oh well, God is good and snow isn't too bad. It will be warm soon enough.
  Today is my mom's birthday. I would like to dedicate this post to her and the impact she has had on me. God has used her in such an influential way in my life. Just recently, especially over this past year, I have learned the importance of accepting guidance from the adults in my life. God has really softened my heart and has taught me to be open to the wisdom of the people that He has put in my life to love me and to take care of me. 
   My mom is definitely one of these people. She has loved me through every circumstance. She always has my best interest in mind. She is always encouraging me in my faith and helping me stay strong through difficult times. My mom has been through some very difficult situations throughout her life and knows what it means to experience pain and doubt. Through these situations, God has softened her heart and made her into a strong woman of God. I have been blessed to witness this work in my mom. Through her experiences and the wisdom she has gained, she has been able to raise me into the young woman that I am today. She has guided me, protected me, and encouraged me through so many things and I know that she will continue to.

   There are times in our lives where we don't want to accept the guidance of others. We often don't like admitting that we need help or advice about something. But God has placed significant people in all our lives to give us guidance and build us up in Him. My mom has been one of these people in my life and on her birthday, I'd like to express that. 

   I love her with all of my heart and my faith in Jesus Christ has grown because of her example and direction in my life. My mom is one of my best friends. I love laughing and talking with her. She is there to comfort me when I'm upset. She always has wise and insightful thoughts to share with me, but most of all, my mom has been a tangible example to me of God's love. She is an amazing woman and I am blessed to call her my mom. Through God using my mom in my life, I have realized that I have a purpose in this world and day by day, God is going to reveal it to me. 

I love you mom!

His Glory

   What a beautiful day! Plus, it's Friday so there's a wonderful weekend ahead of us to enjoy. As I'm writing, I'm on the top level of the library, overlooking the frozen lake that surrounds this campus. The sun is shining so brightly on it. It's calming and peaceful to look at it, especially as I look back to the table in front of me, covered with books and assignments that need to be completed. It's like God is reminding me that He is bigger than all of my stresses and anxieties. He is always with me and His creation is a gift for me to enjoy.

   The time in chapel this morning was a very convicting and blessed time of worship for me. It's amazing to me that I have been given the opportunity to be in this place. I have been encouraged so much in my faith through the messages I have heard and the relationships I have made here. This morning was a reminder of this timely gift that God has blessed me with. As I looked at the room around me, filled with other people my age, desiring to live their lives for Christ and worship their King as I do, I was overwhelmed by God's presence. 

   We sang the song "Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus". As I sang these words, I felt that God was reminding me of His glory and power and that I can trust Him with all my troubles. These words are a promise to all of us of God's glory and strength. "Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of this world will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace." As we repeated this over and over again, I realized my desperate need for a Savior; how this world is in desperate need of a Redeemer. 

   When we turn to Jesus and lay our burdens down before Him, He promises that we will have be free and He will bring us peace. The things of this world can seem so intriguing and interesting to us at times, but they fail miserably in comparison to God's holiness and glory. When we keep our focus on Christ alone, the importance we put on the things of this world will lessen in the light of God's glory and presence in our lives. As we stay focused on our Savior, He will reign over our lives and make clear our purpose in this life.