God's Light

   Today as I was walking back from class, I realized how fast I was going and wondered to myself "What's the rush?" I am so blessed to be here and I find myself too often just quickly going one place to the next without any purpose. I slowed down and made the decision to enjoy my walk back. As I walked around puddles that the melting snow was making on the sidewalk, I was reminded how spring is on its way. The sun shone brightly above me. The refreshing air reminded me to take a deep breath and remember that God is in control. 

   I was really convicted by the message in chapel today. This week we are going through a series titled History. We've had different people come in and tell us their testimonies. Through these stories, it is evident how God is working through everyone and how all our stories point to Him. Today the woman that spoke talked about how she had been in bondage to her past. She felt chained down by the hurts and darkness of some of her past decisions and situations. She told us about how God has broken those chains and how He has revealed His purpose for her life to her. She also discussed how, for many years, she pushed any anger, grief, or sadness down deeper, not wanting to look at it or deal with it. This only caused bitterness within her and random bursts of emotion, that come along with many unanswered questions and uncertainties attached to it.

   As she spoke, she told us about this dream she had. It was very encouraging to me. She told us how in her dream God was walking with her down a dark hallway and there were dark rooms off of the hallway. As they walked, God turned on the light in each room, exposing what was inside. Each room represented a painful situation or experience she had faced in her past. As God exposed these memories to her, she was able to grieve them in a way that she never had before. She was able to admit to the heartache and hurt that she had experienced, instead of trying to hide it or bury it. The darkness of her life was being overcome by God's light. She was being given purpose to a life that she thought was only good for going through pain and hurt, but now she is sharing her story with others, encouraging them by her testimony. She is now spreading God's light to this fallen and darkened world. God is using her times of trial and pain to show others God's hope and love for them. 

   At the end of her story, she encouraged us to let God shine His light into the dark, painful rooms in our lives. As hard as addressing those hurts is, it will be so freeing. God will heal us and renew us. We no longer need to live in our shame and guilt because we are new in Him. God wants to use us to share His good news with others, to encourage others through our stories and experiences. He calls us to be a light in this fallen world.

   God is with us always, even through the difficult times. He never leaves us, but is right there beside us; brushing away our tears, holding us in His arms, and loving us unconditionally. He wants to shine His light into our lives so we can be a tangible example to others of His faithfulness. Through doing this, we will no longer live lives led by guilt and shame, but rather have lives filled with hope in Jesus Christ and the purpose He gives us.

God's Timing

   It's the week before mid-terms so there are a lot of different things to complete and accomplish before my spring break next week. It'll be nice to have that time at home with my family and friends, but there are so many things that need to be done before that. I have been constantly seeking God for strength and motivation in all aspects of my life. When we become tired or weary, God always provides us with exactly what we need. He takes away the stress, the anxiety, and the worry. He is there to support us and hold us up when we can't stand on our own.
   One thing that I'm learning more and more every day is to trust in God's timing. He has a perfect plan for each of us that is unfolding before us every day. I can too easily fall into believing the lie that I have my life under control and can do what I want when I want to. However, through different experiences, I've learned that this only leads to brokenness and disaster. We are only human beings and can only see a small portion of God's complete plan for us. We don't know what the future holds. We often question why we have to go through painful situations, but we don't know how that experience will impact our futures or other people's lives. We can't see the whole picture; we only see a sliver. We need to acknowledge this and trust that God has each and every situation we are challenged with in His hands. 
   God has a purpose for everything we face, everything we go through. His timing is perfect. He allows things to happen when they do for a reason. He loves us more than we could ever comprehend and cares for us deeply. God is powerful and He is aware of our struggles in this area. He knows we become impatient and we question Him, but He is steadfast and just. He promises us that He is in control and we have no reason to worry. He asks us to loosen our tight grip on our lives and surrender to Him. 

   God's timing is perfect. Every situation, experience, and interaction we have has been planned by Him. There is a reason behind why everything happens when it does. This is difficult because we like immediate results and we want answers right away, but God's timing is not ours. His timing is never late or early, but right on time. Instead of worrying or anticipating a certain outcome, let go of trying to control the results and trust God with the situation or issue. When we give our lives to God, He revives us and reassures us that He is in control.  As we trust in God's perfect timing in our lives, we will be filled with His peace and His purpose for our lives will become more and more evident to us. 

Simplicity

   Today is Monday...another week is about to unfold, waiting for us to experience and enjoy. I went home this past weekend to work, so my Grandpa drove me back to school this morning. I was blessed by his good company, conversation, and wisdom. I enjoyed listening to his stories and taking in his insight on different things. What a wonderful blessing family is. You can learn so much from each other and can be such an encouragement to one another as you continue on this journey of life. 
   I'm realizing what a blessing simplicity is. I am the type of person who likes to make plans and have different things going on. I feel like I'm wasting time when I'm not doing something or when I have a day go by where I had nothing planned. However, I'm learning that as much of a blessing as being social and having plans is, it is also just as much of a blessing to slow down and enjoy the simplicity of life- the small things that we usually miss because of the busyness of our lives. Sometimes, it's the small things that can make the biggest impact on us and our lives. 
   God is showing me that I can find joy and peace in these simple things, such as a sunrise. It happens every day, but when we take the time to take in the beauty of it and the fact that God created it, it's not just a sunrise anymore but a reminder of God's presence and power. God's creation is so beautiful and it radiates His beauty and majesty. A blanket of freshly fallen snow, the calmness after a violent storm, or a person's smile as you walk by them, all these things happen often but when do we stop to appreciate them as the gifts God intended them to be to us, to remind us that He is the creator of all things?

   The picture above is the background on my computer. I have to use my computer for school work every day and it is a constant reminder to me to seek God's joy in the ordinary circumstances of this life. Whether it's through a conversation you have or a sunset after a long day, remember to slow down and be blessed by these experiences. Not every day here on earth will hold some magnificent event, but every day we have the opportunity to experience God's magnificence. It's being able to be content with the ordinary things in your life and to be able to appreciate the gifts that they are to us. We can learn so much about how to be thankful for what we have by doing this.

  God wants us to experience Him and be in fellowship with Him every day of our lives. One way He is revealing this to me is by teaching me to be thankful in every circumstance of life, in the extraordinary events and in the simplicity of every day moments. Through doing this, I will be filled with His overflowing joy and will be able to live more purposefully as I learn to enjoy the simple gifts that God has blessed me with. 

Each Day

   Another morning, another beginning to another day is before me. It's exciting to wake up and think about all the things that are waiting for me to experience each day. It's reassuring to think that everything that will happen has been planned out by my Father. Each experience, situation, and interaction is all part of His plan and purpose for my life. When I look at each day with this perspective, I find that I realize the significance and the blessing of each day that I'm given. I am reminded that I have a reason for being on this earth and that I'm not guaranteed another day. Each day is a gift from God to us and He asks us to live fully, one day at a time.
   However, some days I wake up and I'm tired or I'm not looking forward to the events that are to take place that day. Even though, I may not see much meaning or purpose behind what I'm doing that day, God has a plan. We can't see the full picture, but God can because He created it. He knows why everything happens and the significance every interaction has to the purpose of our lives. 
   I often find myself looking to the future and thinking that when I am this age or in this situation, then my life will have significance and I will be able to make a difference. But God doesn't want us living in the future or waiting for what we consider perfect circumstances. What if those circumstances we want never come? Or something we never expected comes into our lives and changes the course we thought our life would end up on? All we know is today. We know that we have been given today and we can make a difference right where we are in life, no matter what the circumstances are. 

   Today isn't just another day; it's a gift from God to us. He has a reason that this day is in our lives. He has given us this day with a purpose in mind. He desires for us to share His love with others, to share His good news with people, and to live this day completely in surrender to Him. He has good plans for us and when we put our trust in Him alone, each day will begin to have significance to us because we are living for something greater than ourselves. Today isn't just another day. It's a chance to make a difference and to grow in our love and adoration of our Savior. Today has a purpose. 

Filled With Joy

   Well it's Friday; another weekend is ahead of us to enjoy. I traveled back home this weekend. I'm looking forward to some time with my friends and family. The snow was coming down heavily earlier today, but it was also super peaceful. As I walked to chapel this morning, the snowflakes slowly fell onto my head and filled my hair with sparkling snowflakes. It's so fascinating to me when I can see a single snowflake. They're so beautiful and each one is unique! God is such an awesome creator! 
   Today I am reminded of the joy we have in Jesus and the strength and security it gives us. When I think of being joyful, I always think of being extremely happy or excited. However, the joy that God fills us with is much deeper than just simply feeling happy. It is being content in every circumstance. It is when you are at that point of experiencing His true peace, even among troubles. The joy of the Lord gives us hope and courage in all situations.
   When we completely surrender ourselves to Jesus Christ and submit our lives to Him, He has the power to give us this true joy. The circumstances in our lives are never perfect. There is always something that we would rather not have to be dealing with or a situation that we would rather not be in, but when we are submerged in God's grace and love, we will experience joy even in these times. 
   God is the only way for true joy in our lives. So often we search for this joy in other places, all the wrong places. We look to people to please us or affirm us, to give us security. We look for our talents and abilities to bring us fame or happiness. We expect so much from the world, yet the happiness we experience here is only temporary. The good things we experience here on this earth will come and go. 

   

   When God is our source of joy, we will always be able to experience true joy. The joy of the Lord brings us life, determination, and strength. It is more than just a feeling, but a prospective and a way of living our lives. The joy of the Lord is deep in our hearts and when we have it, it is hard to contain. God wants us to share our joy with others, telling them about His promise and spreading His love. With joy in our hearts, we will have the strength to seek God's purpose for us.

Hope

   "And so, Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in You." - Psalm 39:7

I came across this verse this morning and have been meditating on it a bit today. It brought me great reassurance and peace. Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen. As I was thinking about what this verse means to me, I came to the realization of how often I put my hopes in the things of this world. I somehow expect for this world to meet my desires, but it's the exact opposite. This world will only disappoint and break us when we put all our hope in it. 

   God is the source for the reason we have hope. Without Him and what He did for us, we wouldn't have anything true to put our hope in. The world has a way of distracting us and pulling us towards desiring the things of this world. We so often put our hope into things around us or the people around us, expecting them to be able to satisfy us. A lot of hurt and brokenness are caused and experienced when we do this. We expect so much from this world and then get disappointed when it lets us down. 

   It's at moments like these that I realize how much I am in need of something more, something greater. I realize my need for a Savior. I find that my greatest desire is to be able to put my hope in something that will never fail me or let me down, God. He will give us everything we need and treasure our desires, hopes, and dreams. What a wonderful thought it is to think that we are each made by God's hands and dreamed up in His heart. The world's ways are judgmental, hurtful, and can cause us to doubt ourselves, but God tells us we are cherished and loved.

   Sometimes we can very easily lose hope. We experience a certain situation or circumstance and because of the hurt it causes us, we give up. We wonder where God is in the midst of our pain and heartache. We have questions and uncertainties. The thought of being hopeful seems distant. God knew we would experience many trials in this life, but He has promised us that He is our hope. Despite our circumstances and the changes around us, He is our rock and will stand firm during the storm. 

   God is love. God is truth. God is hope. When we surrender our lives to Him and stop putting our hope into the superficial things of this world, but instead in God and the plans He has for our lives, we will be blessed. God desires our hearts and to give us each the security and hope that we so desperately search for. He will fulfill His plan in our lives and point us to the purpose He has given each of us as we go forward, confident in His hope. 

Author of Peace

   Wednesday, it's the middle of the week. At this point in a week, everything is in full swing and it is easy to become overwhelmed in the midst of all the deadlines and commitments. Sometimes I'm tired after the first couple days of a week, so it's difficult at times to gather motivation and strength to complete the rest of the week strong. However, God has been showing me what a blessing each day is. Instead of thinking about the whole week, He has been reminding me to focus on one day at a time. This way I will be able to enjoy each day and experience the fullness of it.
   One thing I have dealt with at different times in my life is confusion. It's a tough emotion to deal with because there are so many other feelings that come along with it, anger, fear, or sadness. When we are confused, it is easy to get mad at God or blame Him for not giving us the answers. I have learned that it's during these times that God has taught me to trust Him and be patient. Many of the circumstances we live in are confusing and often times we don't know a lot of the answers, but God does.
   God did not promise to give us all the answers, but He does promise us that He has a plan and will guide us through every circumstance that we face. When we become confused because of a situation or outcome, instead of becoming frustrated and worked up, God beckons us to Him. He desires to give us peace and restoration. Many things in this world can cause us to wander away or become distracted from these truths. By falling into the world's patterns, it will only lead us farther and farther from our Lord and the clarity that He brings to our lives. 

   God doesn't desire for us to live a life led by confusion, uncertainty, or doubt. He has given us a purpose to live. We all have been given different abilities, ideas, and gifts that God created specifically for each of us. Instead of allowing our lives to get weighed down by the different pressures and things we face in this world, look to Jesus. He is an author of peace and desires to restore our hearts. When this world seems to be more than we can handle, just remember that God has already overcome it all. When we lose our way, He will direct us back to Him. When we are troubled, He will bring us comfort. When we are broken, He will renew us. He will substitute our pain with healing, our heartache with revival, and our confusion with peace.