Sometimes I still can't fully comprehend how I got here. My life has completely changed from what it was this time last year.
This time last year I was fretting, miserable, heartbroken, and desolate thinking that my world had been dismantled by my Baton Rouge plans being thrown out the window. I was angry at my friends. I was anxious over where I would live, how I would make money, where I would work, and just generally freaking out about losing control of my life.
Without being lost - completely lost without any hope - I never would have been found.
I know now that it was all in the plan. I was being led to where I am now. I needed Christ to pick me up and carry me for a little while, until I was strong enough to walk alongside Him.
I'm in the process of building a relationship with a young gent as a Christian for the very first time. I'm trying to make sure that my priorities stay right and that I don't become a stumbling block for him either. I am trying to build a love with him based on the model given by Christ. Patience, kindness, free from anger and jealousy and resentment. I know that the only way a relationship will last and be fulfilling is if it's built with Christ at the foundation. I'm so happy. I've never been happy in a relationship - that's why I've avoided them for the past three years. I had decided that I was happier alone than struggling to try to be happy with someone else. I never could have imagined being this happy with someone else. It's as easy as breathing as long as my priorities stay on track.
I'm realizing as I write this that I should build ALL of my relationships with Christ at the center. *ding* There goes the lightbulb. Even with people who don't believe in God or don't follow Christ, I am the person responsible for growing that relationship in the right way. I should try harder to really make an effort to focus in on those attributes of love with all the folks I'm in contact with. What a difference it would make. Challenge accepted.
<3 Good night
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Wednesday, May 8, 2013
More on the 12
Additionally, I think the reason that Jesus chose the 12 that he did was that he knew he could rely on them to follow through on his commands after he ascended. That's what set them apart. I mean, it wouldn't have mattered what they did while he was with them if they didn't follow up and spread the gospel after Jesus was gone.
I have a lot of respect and admiration for the early church. I'm sure it was terrifying, but you know it had to be exhilarating as well. The disciples could have just gone back to their families and friends; they could have gone back to earning a living; they could have just preached the gospel to their community and left it at that, but they chose to go out into the world. They chose to live a life of outlaws, relying on God to provide for them and keep them safe. Imagine how close they felt to God, knowing that He himself was taking care of them.
If these men had not been zealously sure that Jesus was the risen Christ, they would not have fought so hard to spread Christianity. Others would not have believed them if they had not felt the Spirit move within them. In Acts, during the oppression of the early church, a teacher of the Law named Gamaliel describes a variety of instances of men following false messiahs and how those cases all fizzled out once the "messiah" died. He says of the Christians, "So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!" Acts 5:38
It's good to know 2000 years later, folks are still zealous about Jesus. I think that lends some accreditation to his Savior status, eh? You can't deny the Spirit; it's a powerful thing.
I have a lot of respect and admiration for the early church. I'm sure it was terrifying, but you know it had to be exhilarating as well. The disciples could have just gone back to their families and friends; they could have gone back to earning a living; they could have just preached the gospel to their community and left it at that, but they chose to go out into the world. They chose to live a life of outlaws, relying on God to provide for them and keep them safe. Imagine how close they felt to God, knowing that He himself was taking care of them.
If these men had not been zealously sure that Jesus was the risen Christ, they would not have fought so hard to spread Christianity. Others would not have believed them if they had not felt the Spirit move within them. In Acts, during the oppression of the early church, a teacher of the Law named Gamaliel describes a variety of instances of men following false messiahs and how those cases all fizzled out once the "messiah" died. He says of the Christians, "So in the present case I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone, for if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it of God, you will not be able to overthrow them. You might even be found opposing God!" Acts 5:38
It's good to know 2000 years later, folks are still zealous about Jesus. I think that lends some accreditation to his Savior status, eh? You can't deny the Spirit; it's a powerful thing.
Monday, May 6, 2013
The Cool Thing about Disciples is...
I've been thinking about the disciples today while commuting to and from work.
I can appreciate the disciples because they weren't special. They were simple folks with no great gifts except their enormous faith. I mean, that's doable. I can aspire to that. They left everything they had behind because they knew that Jesus was a big deal. They knew that nothing on earth could compare to what He was offering them.
The disciples still had doubts every now and again; they fell asleep; they were confused sometimes; they never really had everything completely figured out, but they knew nothing mattered except their unrelenting faith that Jesus was the son of God and had come to earth to save us.
I hope to have that unconditional faith throughout my life.
Good night <3
I can appreciate the disciples because they weren't special. They were simple folks with no great gifts except their enormous faith. I mean, that's doable. I can aspire to that. They left everything they had behind because they knew that Jesus was a big deal. They knew that nothing on earth could compare to what He was offering them.
The disciples still had doubts every now and again; they fell asleep; they were confused sometimes; they never really had everything completely figured out, but they knew nothing mattered except their unrelenting faith that Jesus was the son of God and had come to earth to save us.
I hope to have that unconditional faith throughout my life.
Good night <3
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