25 - wordpress

As I've said before, I don't really use this blog anymore... Please check out my wordpress blog. http://onlyavapor.wordpress.com/ Thanks!

Reflections on 2011

It’s that time year again. The time of year when we reflect on the past year and some make resolutions for the coming one. I’m not big on resolutions, so don’t be disappointed when you get to the end of this and wonder where they are. Ha. But I would like to share some thoughts on this past year and what’s been going on, along with some thoughts for this new year that we have just begun. In 2011 I went through what was probably the hardest year of my life, but I think I could also say that I’ve seen God to some big things. So here’s a few things I have taken away from 2011. ~I’ve learned that in the hardest times, the friends who are praying for you are the dearest ones and that I want to be a praying friend ~I have learned that His mercies are new each morning ~I have learned that God and I rarely have the same plans, but that His are more impressive and far better ~I have experienced the biggest earthquake of my life… in Oklahoma ~I have learned that Five Guys is my enemy ~I have learned (it’s been a two year process) that I might not be ready to get married, but to keep trusting Him in it ~I have learned that sometimes holidays (aka days off) are necessary ~I have learned that God can take away desires for the wrong things, such as cookies (shocking, right?) ~I have learned that I can have peace even when my heart is broken ~I’ve learned that I love traveling and I love the beach

Last year at this time I was hoping for my dreams to become reality, but this year, I'd like to think I've wised up a little. So this year I want to learn to trust Him and watch His dreams unfold in my life. I want to remember that each day is a new chance for me to live for His kingdom, because I want to live ready for His return. Maranatha! O Lord, Come!

A Lesson from the Hand

This afternoon, after hanging out with friends I came home to find something missing and knew my parents had been involved. And I became quite upset about it, because it wasn't the first time and I was getting annoyed. Basically I felt that they were taking advantage of me and my resources and it was not ok with me. So the "upset"-ness kept building... And then I thought of the saying about when you're pointing at someone else and blaming them, there is four fingers pointing back at you. That's when it occured to me that when you point blame at others there will always be at least one finger pointing back at you, unless you open your hand in surrender to God. Others may wrong you or I, but are we faultless? Maybe we need to be opening our hands in surrender to God and letting him judge. That is for him to do, not us.

Connecting

Hey friends who check out my blog, I wanted to inform you that my latest blog has been put up on my wordpress account. So please check it out! http://onlyavapor.wordpress.com/

I don't know if you're going through a difficult time right now or your life feels perfect, but I came across this post by Paul Tripp this evening. I wanted to share it because it was such an encouragement to me and exactly what I needed. Hope it encourages you!

REST IS HARD WORK by Paul Tripp

I did it again and again when our children resisted our instruction and correction. I did it again and again when they debated a command or questioned our plans. I did it again and again when they opposed our authority and quested for self-rule. I did it again and again for two good reasons. To begin with, my wife and I had brought children into this world who thought they didn’t need us! Each of them at some point fell into believing they were far more knowledgeable and capable than they really were. They all assumed that their intentions were noble and their plans were sound. They all thought they were capable of determining what was best, even when they lacked important information and experience. They simply felt they were in possession of a better way. But there was a second reason I did it again and again. Our children were too young to grasp the abstract, strategic, and often theological purposes underlying my instruction. Even if I explained everything in as age-appropriate a way as I could, they would still have no actual understanding. They just didn’t yet have the categories or the capacity to grasp the parental logic behind the plan or command. So I did the same thing again and again. I would kneel down in front of them at eye level and say, “Please look at Daddy’s face. Do you know how much I love you? Do you know that your Daddy isn’t a mean, bad man? Do you know that I would never ask you to do anything that would hurt you or make you sick? I’m sorry that you can’t understand why Daddy is asking ou to do this. I wish I could explain it to you, but you are too young to understand. So I’m going to ask you to do something—trust Daddy. When you walk down the hallway to do what Daddy has asked you to do, say to yourself, ‘My Daddy loves me. My Daddy would never ask me to do something bad. I’m going to trust my Daddy and stop trying to be the Daddy of my Daddy.’” God does the same thing with you, over and over again. He meets you in one of the difficult hallways of your life, kneels down before you in condescending love, and asks you to trust his loving and wise rule, even though you don’t have a clue what he’s doing. He knows there are many times when your life doesn’t look as if there’s anyone ruling it, let alone someone wise and good. He knows there will be times when you’ll wish you could write your own story. He knows that at times you'll be overwhelmed by what’s on your plate. He knows that his plan will confuse and confound you. And he knows that real rest can’t be found in understanding. Real rest is found in trust. He knows that real rest is hard work. So he’s willing to have the conversation with you again and again, and he’s made sure that his Word assures you of his rule again and again. (For just a few examples, see 1 Chronicles 29:11–12, Psalm 103:19, Psalm 115:3, Proverbs 21:1, Isaiah 46:9–10, Daniel 4:35, and Ephesians 1:11).

Salvation Through Jesus Alone

I realize I haven't done the best job at blogging this summer - I apologize. I've had a topic on my heart to blog about for a while, but I just haven't been able to do it. It has been heavy on my heart for a while, but I'm dragging my feet.

Let me leave you with my journal entry from over a year ago, while I was in India and hopefully I will be able to get more in depth with it soon.

"The crazy thing is that we can hear the same thing over and over and then one day we see more clearly. He (a team member) pointed out that our salvation can't come from a lover or any other person. Only Jesus saves." 6/26/2010

Updates!

For updates on what God has been doing in my life, please check out my wordpress blog at http://onlyavapor.wordpress.com Thanks!!