Filled with Excitement

Well, here I am! I have successfully completed my first week of college classes! ...all three days. My summer was filled with the excitement and anticipation of college life. I knew that entering into this life filled with the education that would assist me in reaching my future goals would be a transition. I would be surrounded by new faces, met with educational challenges, and left to make my own decisions about the kind of person that I wanted to become. It is definite that all of these components were proven true over the course of this last week. However, there are some things that I had not intended...


Before I arrived at this university, I thought about how my faith life would grow and mature over the course of the next four years. But as I look back, I am realizing that I placed God in the position that I had anticipated Him to be in. I had already thought about what role God was going to play in my life. Do you know the amazing thing about our Lord and Savior? He is not about to let us decide where and how He will work in us. His entire Being is filled with the excitement and anticipation for each and every one of us because He knows the plans for our lives - He writes them!


"However, as it is written: 'No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him.' " ~ 1 Corinthians 2:9

"Do not conform to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing, and perfect will." ~ Romans 12:2


He has a "perfect will" for every single being that He has created. What an extraordinary thought! Already in my first week, I can see that God is planning to work in unpredictable and exciting ways. At first, this realization of unpredictability gave me some timidity and fear. But as I look to Him at all times, I can see that I wouldn't want it any other way. God isn't someone who follows a pattern or acts in the ways we might think. For me, this year is a time for me to step out of the "planning position" and let God take the reins. My role is to work hard, filled with determination, and give all the honor and glory to the One who made it all possible by His exciting, unpredictable plans!

The Imprint of God

In the last month or two, I have been spending quite a bit of time thinking about the people that God places in our lives. The coworkers, fellow students, family members, or perhaps simply acquaintances. I have noticed how God has interwoven many different people to make life interesting. In examining those people whom I have become close too in my life, I feel truly blessed by God for his gift of friendship.

"Every single act of love bears the Imprint of God." 

Without friendships in our lives, there wouldn't be the support system that many of us have grown accustomed to and taken for granted. Whether it be a lifelong best friend that always gives you a hug when it's most needed or a parent taking a moment to listen, these relationships help to make us who we are as people.

"Some blessings - like rainbows after rain or a friend's listening year - are extraordinary gifts waiting to be discovered in an ordinary day." 

Two weeks ago, I returned home from a three-week choir tour around Minnesota with thirty other
individuals. Despite the fact that we are only together for twenty days, this unique choir has the amazing ability to build friendships that are stronger than any others I have ever known. We support each other not only vocally and spiritually as we come together to sing praises to God, but also in every other aspect. There is always someone there to listen, to speak, to laugh, to cry. This was my third year participating in the choir and it was by far the best. Now, all of the singers have parted ways, gone back to their families and friends, but there still remains an incredible bond of friendship and love between us. I doubt if that will change.

"God gives us friends as a sign of His hope for a common bond for all humanity." 

I graduated this past spring. Looking back upon the last four years of high school, I can definitely see the hand of God placing people in my life that have helped me in various ways. Many of these individuals taught me valuable lessons that I will take with me as I continue to journey in life. Some were there to laugh with me at my stupid diabetes jokes and to give a smile when we passed in the hallways. I believe God uses those people just as much as anyone else. Through these people, I have learned not to take friendships for granted. They are extremely precious and unique.

"Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another...If we love one another, God abides in us and His love is perfected in us." ~ 1 John 4:11-12

First Diaversary!

Today marks my 1^st Diaversary! One year ago today, I was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.  And what a year it has been. There have been ups and downs, highs and lows … literally … but it has been an amazing year.

I would like to say thank you to my friends. When I was diagnosed with diabetes, immediately I had friends encouraging me and supporting me. There were calls, notes, and visits to let me know that they were thinking of me. But this support wasn’t only at the beginning. It has only grown over the course of this year. On one occasion, I was with some friends late at night and I was acting pretty crazy. This is not unusual for me at all, but this time, it was due to my blood sugar being in the 20’s. I didn’t think I was low, but my friends forced me to check my blood sugar and eat some food. If they weren’t there, I’m not sure what would have happened. They sometimes know me better than I know myself. They are always there to laugh at my diabetes jokes with me and make up some of their own. I feel truly blessed to have such supportive and loving friends as I do. Thanks, guys!

Also, I pass the biggest thank you onto my family. I would not be where I am today without your constant support. From counting carbs in the meals that are cooked to sitting with me in the middle of the night when my blood sugar is low, my family is always there. I really do not know what I would do if I was not surrounded by so much love. Sometimes my family laughs with me when I’m crazy and low and sometimes they cry with me when I’m getting sick of the rollercoaster. But through everything, they are there and always will be. I love you and thank you!   

I have learned to let God have complete control over my life. As much as a might try, there are simply some aspects of diabetes that I am unable to control. But I am able to live peacefully, knowing that God holds me and cares about me. There have been countless times when I have been in a dangerous situation (diabetically) and God has provided His protection. God has taught me so much through having diabetes! I look back upon this last year, only to see diabetes as a blessing in my life. 

He is Risen!

Happy Easter! This is one of my, if not my favorite days of the entire year. I think it's so incredibly special that we have a day to devote to remembering Jesus Christ's sacrifice for each and every one of us and give Him glory. It's also a day to be refreshed by this reminder - refreshed and renewed to glorify Jesus in everything we do.


I love this quote by Max Lucado that I read in my devotions yesterday:
"Take a stroll ... out to the cross where, with the blood, the hand that placed you on the planet wrote the promise, 'God would give up His only Son before He'd give up on you.'"

Just think about this. Every morning when you wake up, God has another day prepared. He knows what  adventures will take place, what struggles you will face, and how you feel through the midst of them. And at the end of the day, no matter how many mistakes you make, He is waiting to remind you that He gave everything for you.

That's Easter! That's the amazing Savior we worship! I cannot help but be overwhelmed with His grace - it surpasses my comprehension. What can I do when He has done it all? God has answered our questions of humility: Take up your cross and follow me. Is that a challenging answer? Yes. But we serve and love a Leader so kind that He has gone ahead of us with His cross and proved that there is  no battle He is unable to win. As we follow Him, He invites us to share in the victory that has already occurred.

My prayer for all of you is that as you worship Jesus Christ on this Easter Sunday, you will hear with excitement the invitation He gives. Let us now go out in the world and share the unbelievable Truth of the gospel with others!

Using Everything

"When I stand before God at the end of my life, I hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, 'I used everything you gave me.'"   ~ Erma Bombeck

Last fall, I was in the musical, You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown, and I played the role of Snoopy. I distinctly remember the last performance we had. All those participating in this show were tired and burnt out by the time Sunday came around. Our voices were getting shot and the energy and emotions were all over the place. It was exciting because it was the last performance, but also sad in a way too. Snoopy's big musical number comes at the end of the show when he (or in my case, she) sings about Suppertime. I recall the moments leading up to this song. I had decided to give it my all. This was the last show, the last time to perform a song I had grown to love, the last time to be Snoopy. I was going to go for it and leave it all on the stage. Looking back, I can see that I did just that. I believe it was the best performance I had ever given and I felt proud of myself. Sure, my throat was a little sore after that, but it didn't matter because I gave it my best and didn't hold back.


A week ago, I attended the Suzuki Association of Minnesota Graduation in the Twin Cities. This graduation is held every year to commend violin students for their achievements during the previous year. As this was my last year a part of this association and I had reached the required levels, I was honored by being chosen  to play a solo along with five others. I was very excited and also nervous. The past weeks have been filled with tedious practice, going over difficult passages time and time again. But when it came time to perform my solo, there was no holding back. To me, this wasn't simply an honor. It was a reflection of twelve years playing my favorite instrument; twelve years with a violin teacher who has supported me, challenged me, and taught me; times of struggle and even physical pain, but, by God's grace, persevering onward. All of these things I thought about as I walked on the stage that day. And I gave it all! At my following lesson, my teacher told me that it was the best I had even played the piece.

This quote by Erma Bombeck really spoke to me. If I was so intent on giving my all for these performances, why am I not even considering the energy I give out to others in the name of Jesus Christ? God is constantly giving us gifts that we can use to bless and encourage others. Are we conserving them for ourselves? Are we holding back and letting pride get in the way of using them? Or perhaps we are simply not listening to how God wants us to use them. Whatever the reason might be, God gives us these things for a purpose. I only had one last musical performance and one chance to play that violin solo. Similarly, we only have one life to live - make the most of it! We need to take advantage of the time we have and the gifts we are given so that when we see God face to face, we can be confident in the knowledge that we didn't hold back. We left it all on the stage called life! That's what we are challenged to do, as Christians. Let's accept that challenge and use everything we have and give God all the glory!

The Big Picture

Last week, my blood sugar numbers were crazy! Most of the time, they were in the 200s and 300s and I couldn't seem to get them down. I was giving myself extra insulin, exercising more, and even eating a little less at mealtimes. But nothing seemed to be working. Fortunately, I didn't have ketone issues with all those high numbers. Even so, I was getting pretty frustrated with what my body was doing.

On top of my diabetes going out of control, I was stressed out with school, violin, and work. Semester finals were coming up and I was getting towards the end of my strength rope. This is usually the point when God does something drastic to regain my attention on what's truly important: Him. Last week was no different. Here's how it went:

Last Wednesday, my supper blood sugar was 300. My nine o' clock reading was 225. I was going to bed and I set my alarm for 3:00 am because every Wednesday I have to get up in the middle of the night to check my number. At around 1:00 am, I woke up to a horrible feeling. I was extremely hot. My body was physically going crazy! An anxious feeling swept over me. Right away, I knew that something was wrong. I checked my blood sugar and it was 43. Quickly, I ate probably about 40 carbs worth of food, trying to get my blood sugar up and calm myself down. Eventually, I fell back asleep and things started to get back to normal.

The next day I thought about the previous night. What if I hadn't woken up? I was really tired; what if I had simply slept through my feelings of low blood sugar? Obviously, if that was the case, I would never have woken up. My family would have had no reason to check on me at one in the morning. I would have died. As scary as this was for me to think about, I learned two very important lessons from this experience:

1. God is always in control. He was the reason I woke up. I can't control everything in my life...I can barely control anything in my life! He has my life and can do with it as He chooses. I know that He will always take care of me and He knows what's best for me.


2. You just never know about life. What if I had died last week. Would these finals have mattered? Would stressing about getting things done have mattered? No. I'm not saying that I'm never going to study again because I might kick the bucket in the middle of the night. I'm saying that this experience taught me to have a new perspective on life. Spend time with family and friends. Enjoy their company. Appreciate every moment. Don't waste time arguing about stupid little things. When I thought about

the conversations I had on Tuesday, there were so many things I regretted. Tell others that you love them and care about them. I look at life and I realize that I'm so blessed to be living in such a beautiful world. Every day I wake up is a new day that God has plans for. It doesn't matter how many days are left, but what we do with them.

Keeping the Focus

This is a song that I have listened to almost every day since Thanksgiving. It sums up very well the theme of Thanksgiving and Christmas: Concentrate on what we have to be thankful for and look outside of our own interests. I will share the lyrics with you. They are so inspiring. :)

"Thankful" By Josh Groban

Somedays we forget to look around us.

Somedays we can't see the joy that surrounds us.

So caught up inside ourselves we take when we should give.

So for tonight we pray for what we know can be.

And on this day we hope for what we still can't see.

It's up to us to be the change.

And even though we all can still do more

There's so much to be thankful for.

Look beyond ourselves there's so much sorrow.

It's way too late to say I'll cry tomorrow.

Each of us must find our truth.

It's so long overdue.

Even with our differences, there is a place we're all connected.

Each of us can find each other's light.

So for tonight we pray for what we know can be.

And on this day we hope for what we still can't see.

It's up to us to be the change.

And even though we all can still do more

There's so much to be thankful for.

A Diabetic Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving! I hope you all had a wonderful day! This was my first Thanksgiving since I've had diabetes, so obviously a few changes were made from the usual "eat-til-you-drop" attitude that I have had in the past. My family always eats the "Big Dinner" at around three in the afternoon. Fortunately for me, this meal fell over my fifteen carb three o'clock snack. WIN! So there I found my challenge: Thanksgiving dinner in 15 carbohydrates. It followed as such:

~ A huge helping of sugar-free strawberry Jello (FREE)
~ A serving of turkey (FREE)
~ A lot of green beans (FREE)
~ A small portion of mashed potatoes (8-10 carbs)
~ 1/2 piece of lefse, sweetened with Splenda instead of sugar (12-15 carbs)


So I overdid my carbs a little bit, but it was worth it! It was an amazing day to celebrate all of the things we have to be thankful for. Especially this year, I was so thankful for God's provision over my life the last six months that I have had diabetes. There have been many ups and downs,  but I am grateful that through it all, my Heavenly Father continues to show me his paths and get me through tough times.

Last summer, I started writing in a Thankful Journal at the end of every day, expressing gratitude for things in the day that I usually take so for granted. This has really opened my eyes to be aware of how many blessings God puts in our lives. This poses the perfect Thanksgiving question: How often do we take a moment in our busy days to just be still and think about all the gifts God has blessed us with? I certainly don't do it enough. But I can tell you that spending five minutes every night to write what I am thankful for in my day is sometimes the best five minutes of my whole day. When I am upset, crabby, or self-pitying myself, I usually don't want to write down what I'm thankful for. But I will sit down and do it anyway. When I do, my mood is entirely changed. How can it not be? God our Creator is so amazing that I cannot remain upset when I am focusing on His wondrous deeds in my life.

 
On this Thanksgiving weekend, I am looking at my Thankful Journal over the past six months. I will never be able to express how much I love God and am thankful for Him in my life!

International Diabetes Day

Happy International Diabetes Day! Many people wore blue today to show their support for diabetes. I was decked out in about seven different shades of the color, which, despite portraying an epic fashion faux pas, was surprisingly encouraging. In fact, this entire day seemed to brighten my spirits in regard to this disease that I live with every day. Somehow, I felt proud to be a diabetic today. This day was a reminder to me that diabetes isn't a set-back in life. It is a part of my life.

We all have struggles in life, whether it be a disease or a difficult situation that we are being faced with. But I think we could all use a day like International Diabetes Day. A day, not to celebrate the problem, but to celebrate how far we have come. We can look back and appreciate the people that have supported us in our times of hardship. We can be proud of ourselves for continuing on, despite frustrating circumstances.

Today, my family wore blue for me. My teacher wore blue for his diabetic students. My diabetic friends and I made jokes about our mutual disease. It was a day that reminded me that I am proud of my diabetes and that I am so thankful for the countless people around me who help to uphold me during the hard times.

I am also so grateful to my Heavenly Father for His grace. There are so many situations where I do not make the best choices in regard to diabetes and I prefer to put my own selfish desires over the care of my body, His temple. But He is so forgiving and is always willing to give me another chance.


For all of you who are going through a difficult time right now, I encourage you to make your own "Day." A day where you can look at the positives in life; look for the celebrations. I know that sometimes it can be hard to find, but God will always place His blessings in our lives. We might just need to take a day to look a little harder!

Turning Colors

Fall has to be one of my four favorite seasons! I love the crispness of the cool air and hearing the leaves crunch when I go for a walk. I get excited every time I look at the big tree down the street and notice that it is bright orange. I love getting out my favorite sweatshirts and wearing socks 24/7. The hot soup and tea is a special favorite that comes with this season. But, I could go on this rant forever. There just seems to be an endless list for all of the reasons that I love autumn.


In my devotions, I have been focusing on the book of Ecclesiastes. There have been many verses that have reminded me that I really need to enjoy this time of year. This is a very busy time for most people, but this book  has encouraged me to look beyond the every day "things" and appreciate the blessings. Once I start to do that, I begin to realize how abundantly caring God is for us. He simply wants us to enjoy his creation. I hope these verses will encourage you as they did me. :)



 "Everything on earth has its own time and its own season." (3:1)

"God makes everything happen at the right time." (3:11)    

"I know that the best thing we can do is to always enjoy life,  because God's gift to us is the happiness we get from our food and drink and from the work we do." (3:12-13)

"It's better to enjoy what we have than to always want something else, because that makes no more sense then chasing the wind." (6:9)

"When times are good, you should be cheerful; when times are bad, think what it means. God makes them both to keep us from knowing what will happen next." (7:14)

Extending Our Arms

As promised, I am sharing with you some ways to help those who are suffering throughout the world today. This is something that I am very passionate about (as you can probably tell). I believe that God places the responsibility of caring for others upon us and there are two reasons for this. One: These are God's children that He loves deeply. Two: It will teach us to be appreciative and content with what we have, knowing that others are forced to endure much more.

One way that I love to help others is through child sponsorship. There are many different organizations that work with families across the globe, offering support in a variety of ways. I have chosen to go through World Vision. I pay thirty-five dollars a month to provide clean water, nutritious food, health care, education, spiritual nurture, and the building of communities. It seems unbelievable that this amount of money could supply all of these things. However, there are a few sponsors per child, so together a bigger difference is made. This is why it is so important that more people take prayerful consideration of supporting a child.

My sponsor child is a nine-year-old girl who lives in Malawi. We have sent each other letters and she is such a delightful, spirited young lady. She has a father and mother, two sisters, and a brother. She tells me about her school and about her faith. It feels so good to receive letters so that I know that she and her family are well. Simply from the letters I have gotten, I can tell that she is so unique and loves life! It's such a blessing  to offer such a small gift to do so much for someone else.

"Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow." Isaiah 1:17 

"If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." 1 John 3:17-18 

"A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor." Proverbs 22:9 

"Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." Proverbs 31:9 

"He defends the cause of the fatherless and the widow, and loves the alien, giving him food and clothing." Deuteronomy 10:18 

Again, I hope that you will consider through thought and prayer how God intends for you to help others. If child sponsorship interests you, here is a link to World Vision:  

http://donate.worldvision.org/OA_HTML/xxwv2DoChildSearch_B.jsp? 

With Even These Things

Starvation, disease, conflict, pain, sorrow. The list goes on an on. Around the world, millions of people are faced with problems so severe that there appears to be no hope of a better tomorrow. I won't list the countless statistics to show my point; we've already heard them. We know that there are people homeless, children hungry, and families torn apart by cruel conflicts. But what are we going to do about it? The staggering numbers of the amount of people going through these trials scare us. It paralyzes us and gives us a sense that there is no hope.

But, as always, God takes the moments that seem pure chaos, confusion and destruction and turns it into something with beauty, hope, and wonder! Allow me to share a story with you that I love and that encourages me.


     "Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

 
     Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother,spoke up, “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

     Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks,and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

     When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten." ~John 6: 1-13


I think so many of us are like Philip. We come at an issue that appears to be horrendous with a negative outlook on it because we face it only with what we can comprehend in our minds. Certainly Philip did not imagine how Jesus would change this situation - he underestimated the power of his Teacher.

This boy (we don't even know his name) plays such an important role in this story. His contribution to the endeavor of feeding five thousand people didn't seem like much at all. Five loaves. Two fish. It would have been so easy for the boy to look at the situation and say, "You guys are crazy. You'll never get enough food to feed this many people!" and walk home with his dinner. But his willingness is what inspires me. He was willing to give what he had to help others, and consequently, give honor to God. 

So what's our excuse? Not enough money. Not enough time. It won't make a difference anyway. Life is too busy. 

The answer is: We have no excuse! Even if we have nothing, we have our faith in God. And with this, we can fight the problems people are facing with prayer. Don't underestimate that power! Even with these things, we can make a difference. 

But if you want to help in more ways than prayer, there are countless things to do. I will talk more about those in the future. :) 

The Man With the Cherry Pie

Yesterday was the day - the day that I went to the Mayo Clinic for my first diabetes consultation appointments since I have had diabetes. It was a rather long day for me. As much as I wanted to listen and take in all of the interesting information they had for me concerning my diabetic health, I found myself just smiling and nodding, but not really paying attention. Oh well. That had been my morning.



Lunch Time: My parents and I decided to eat at the Mayo cafeteria since I had an appointment right after lunch. We got our food (including the biggest portion of tater-tot hotdish I have ever eaten...and consequently, my number was 228 later) and looked for a place to sit. There was a middle aged lady sitting at the end of a table and across from her sat her father, as I later discovered. She quickly invited us to sit with them and we gladly accepted. Her father, an elderly gentleman, sat in a wheelchair and was wearing a plaid, collared shirt with suspenders. I sat next to him. He was intently eating his soup and I noticed that he had a piece of cherry pie on his tray as well. Of course, the sugar-lover that I am, I commented to him that his cherry pie looked tasty. He commented that he wanted chocolate ice cream on it - NOT vanilla...he got chocolate. :)

This man's voice was soft and seemed worn through years of use. His face sported quite a few wrinkles. And I'm sure his hands didn't move as smoothly or effectively as they had in years past. But one thing remained: his faith.

With him and his daughter, my parents and I had some interesting conversations. The daughter asked what my dad did for a living. He responded that he was a pastor. Instantly, the man seemed to light up. He told my dad that that was the most important job in the world. I was surprised by his passion in that statement. But what he said afterward I hope I never forget. He said, "Everyone has a gift to give - it doesn't matter what it is. It's a part of how we were made." He went on talking about this for a minute or two and I was so amazed by what he was saying. His body was failing in different areas, but is his spirit shone through.

After some more conversations and the completion of our meal, it was time to go to the appointment. We bid our farewells and expressed that it was nice to meet them. I spent some time thinking about this short meeting. And as I looked back upon it, I didn't remember the worn, hoarse voice or the wrinkles. I remembered the words and the passion. I remembered the encouragement to my dad that his job was important. And I remembered the encouragement to everyone that no matter who they are, God has given them an incredible gift; a gift that can be used to bring others closer to God. Gifts, as this man put it, are different for every person and we were made for them to be different.


I don't even know this man's name or his life story. But I do know that he must have been going through some tough times for him to be at Mayo at this particular time. Through this experience, I was able to see firsthand exactly what he was talking about. I could see that he had an incredible gift to share as well. His body seemed frail, but nothing was going to stop his passion for his Savior to shine through.

My day was pretty much the same after that. But the words this gentleman spoke stuck with me throughout the day. It affected my outlook on some things and got me thinking. I am so grateful that I got to meet this incredible man and his daughter. I will never forget that man with the cherry pie.

Peace and Rain

TWO DAYS IN A ROW! Two days in a row it has been cloudy, rainy, and even thundering a little. I love cloudy days...with a passion! These types of days energize and motivate me to get things done. When I wake up in the morning, look out my window, and discover that the sun in nowhere to be seen, it makes me even more excited than usual to face the new day ahead.



Cloudy days are the perfect opportunity to spend the day indoors, unless you like to dance in the rain as I do. :) Probably my favorite part about these dark, exciting days is when I sit in my favorite chair, with my cozy blanket, sipping on my warm, fresh cup of coffee. Usually I have my bible or my current pleasure book (in this situation, The Hobbit) in hand. When small lights and candles are lit all around, it gives me a sense of peace and comfort.


" Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." ~ Philippians 4:6-7

These are one of my favorite verses. What an amazing promise to us! God gives us the freedom to make our "requests made known to Him." No matter what we are facing today, whether it be stress, fear, or uncertainty, He offers us peace to "guard our hearts and minds." To me, cloudy days are a reminder of that promise. God has given me that sense of peace right when I wake up and look out my window. Thanks be to God for the gift of peace and the blessing of rain!

Count It All Joy

The bible tells us again and again to be joyful; joyful in...

~ Our Relationships

   - "For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love, my brother, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you."                                                                             Philemon 1:7

~ Activities We Participate In
   - "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

~ Serving One Another
   - "For seven days you shall keep the feast to the Lord your God at the place that the Lord will choose, because the Lord your God will bless you in all your produce and in all the work of your hands, so that you will be altogether joyful." Deuteronomy 16:15

~ Our Lives
   - "Nehemiah said, 'God and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10

   ~ Our Heavenly Father
   - "Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy!" Psalms 47:1


One of my favorite quotes is as follows:

~ "Joy is that deep settled confidence that God is in control of every area of my life." - Paul Sailhamer

God gives us such an amazing gift: that is that we have the freedom to be joyful in all situations-no matter the circumstance. This doesn't mean that we are laughing and smiling every moment of every day, but it does mean that deep in our hearts we have a contented joy that comes from Jesus Christ alone. This gives us the confidence to face each day with the knowledge, hope, and excitement that comes from following in our loving Father's footsteps along this, our lifelong journey.

Restoration

My topic for today is God's restoration of our lives. Let's start with the dictionary definition of the word, restoration:

- The act of restoring; renewal, revival, or reestablishment.
- The state or fact of being restored.
- A return of something to a former, original, normal, or unimpaired condition.
- Restitution of something taken away or lost.
- Something that is restored, as by renovating.

In our busy lives, we all have times when we wish that the clocks could stop ticking long enough so that we could simply breath. Our lives are not only chaotic and busy, but, in many situations, they are also laced with pain and grief. Every person has a different story, but one thing remains the same: no life is perfect and no life is easy. God didn't create it to be that way. In spite of this, God gives us a promise that in the midst of all of the chaos, we can stop and come to Him.

 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." ~ Matthew 11:28

In this time, He restores our soul. He renews our lives with His amazing love and strength. Psalm 23:3 explains very well what I am talking about. I have three different translations so that we can take a look at this well-known verse from a new angle:

"He restores my soul."

"You refresh my life."

"You let me catch my breath." 

God takes our lives stained with fear, doubt, stress, anger, bitterness, and depression and restores them. He reestablishes us as His children, no matter what our back story is. He returns us to an unimpaired condition. He renovates our lives so that we can be used by Him for His glorious purpose. 

"And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will restore, confirm, strengthen and establish you." ~ 1 Peter 5:10

A Bright Sight

I'm just sharing some pictures today. I love looking at the amazingly beautiful creation that God has made for us to preserve and enjoy. I hope it brightens your day!


"The earth is the Lord's and everything in it." ~ Psalm 24:1






"What great deeds are done by His hands." ~ Mark 6:2



"The earth is filled with the Lord's glory." ~ Habakkuk 2:14






"This is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it!" ~ Psalm 118:24