Monday, December 16, 2013

Merry Christmas!

Hi guys,

I just want to let you know I've been running ragged trying to do everything, and so I've decided to take a break from the blog till New Year.

I'll still be busy them, but I won't be busy preparing to move overseas AND have Christmas stuff to do, so I'll be less busy.

I also want to ask: What types of blog posts do you guys want for next year?? Let me know!!

I'm praying for you guys!!

Merry Christmas xoxo

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Your Lips Reveal Your Heart

Verse of the day:
Perceptive words spread knowledge; fools are hollow - there's nothing to them. Proverbs 15:7

We are put on this earth to share God's truth - to tell other people about God.

We need to heed this command (and I am really bad at this!! It's not that I hate doing it, it's just that I'm always afraid someone will shut me down!).

And I never know how to go about it.

Anyway, the point is, we should talk about God. I used to talk about God -  and how he was working in my life - constantly. This was because at that time my heart was truly in love with God - so much that I couldn't stop talking about him, in the same way a girl can't help but talk about her new boyfriend or child.

What you talk about reveals where your heart lies. Don't get me wrong, if you don't talk about Gd much (or at all), it doesn't mean you don't have a relationship with him, but if you truly love him, it will show up in your speech and your conversations.

I wanted to post a clip of Gilmore Girls that illustrates this point, but I couldn't find it on Youtube. Sorry.

Does anyone have any creative ways to share the gospel?


Saturday, December 14, 2013

Impossible debt

Verse of the day:
Therefore the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his servants. Matthew 18:23

At first glance, the verse of the day may seem bad. The fact that servants can not pay their master any debts, therefore probably angering the master and getting punished.

But it serves to remind us of the opposite. God is a master, yes, and we re like his servants, yes, who cannot pay back our debt of sin to him.

But he grants us mercy and grace and he paid the debt back for us.

I am thinking about this today, and this makes me joyful. I so often sin or make a mess of my life, but I always know he will grant me grace and mercy.

Praying for you guys!

Friday, December 13, 2013

Respecting Authority

Verse of the day:
He who scorns instruction will pay for it, but he who respects a command is rewarded. Psalm 13:13

I have noticed that lots of adults scorn authority - particularly the parental kind.

I'm guilty of this too. Even though I'm almost 27 and I'm temporarily living with my parents, I hate them telling me what to do - because I'm adult. I can make my own decisions. I don't need anyone telling me what to do.

Sure, we all respect our boss at work, but even as adults, we need to respect every kind of authority that God puts in front of us - whether it be your boss at work, your parents, your grandparents, or even the policeman on a power trip.

God puts these people in our life for a reason, and we should listen to what they say. They may not always be right, but they have earned the right to be listened to.

I'm praying for you!!

Thursday, December 12, 2013

News!!

Verse of the day:
For you will spread abroad to the rights and to the left, and your offspring will possess the nations and will people the desolate cities. Isaiah 54:3

If you were to ask me what bible character I identify with the most, my answer has always been Abraham.

People who know me are often surprised by this - they think it might be Hannah or Sarah, considering I've always wanted kids - all I've ever wanted is to settle down - and, at 26, it hasn't happened yet.

But no, it's Abraham. When I was very young (I think around 13 or 14), the Lord told me basically the same thing as he did Abraham. He told me that there was another nation that he would give, where I would settle down and have kids and descendants. And that land was America, the land of opportunity.
I have never, ever been able to imagine living here in Australia with my husband and children.

Anyway, on to my news. I have gotten a job as a nanny in Wisconsin!!

I'm not sure of anything else yet - I'm hoping to go for at least a year - so I won't say anything else - but I just wanted to share my news.

P.S. If anyone knows anything about visas, please email me, or comment.

Praying for you guys!!

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Sorry

Sorry guys, I don't have time to post something meaningful today (I'm running around doing stuff, and my head's all full), but I'll post tomorrow!!

But here's something for you to think on:

Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. Romans 12:12

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

In One Another's Shoes

Verse of the day:
Listen now while I make my case, consider my side of things for a change. Job 13:6

I am a big believer in putting yourself in one another's shoes. You don't know how hard their life is or what they are dealing with unless you're them.

I'm also justify behaviour for anyone, saying "she may have thought this," or "he could have had this going on that made him act like that."

I admit, this can be a virtue or a flaw, depending on how much I do it (have you ever heard someone  say that Hitler must've had an awful childhood to make him that heartless? I've said it, and my background is German).

One of my guilty pleasures is 16 & Pregnant, and lots of people think you'd have to be pretty stupid these days to get pregnant in high school. But you know what? At least half of those pregnant girls had horrible parents - no wonder they were looking for love in the wrong places. See? We should hold off on judging unless we know the full story (which is rarely

I think I sometimes justify people's behavior (or a lot of the time), for 2 reasons:

1) I always to see the best in people, so I give them the benefit of the doubt. This intertwines with my gift of encouragement - I'm always encouraging people. I hope this is a part of my character that never goes away.

and

2) I try to understand people and justify their behaviour because I'm not understood very well - at least not by my family. I'll do something or say something, and they won't understand, and no matter how much I try to explain, they just don't get it, so I give up. My brain works differently from my family.

This is not a criticism of my family, it's just the way things are, and I've come to just accept that they'll never understand me. I know my family loves me, and I love them just as much. But sometimes I get lonely, and there are certainly days when I wish someone would understand me.

I'm praying for you guys. I'm praying that you have someone that understands you, and I'm also praying that before judging someone, you at least think about what it must be like to be them and what challenges they may have to face,

Monday, December 9, 2013

Telling The Whole World

Verse of the day:
She has sent out her servants, and she calls from the highest point of the city Proverbs 9:3

If I have specific news that I'm happy about, I want to tell everybody. I'm usually simply busting to tell somebody my good news,

But I am a blabbermouth. I can't keep secrets (just to clarify, I am really good at keeping other people's secrets - I will never breathe a word - I'm just terrible at keeping my own secrets).

But this blabbermouth syndrome is not just about my mouth - it involves the online world, too. Very often I want to tell everyone what's happened, and it's too soon. I have posted things I shouldn't have on Facebook.

I am trying to keep things more to myself, and, day by day, I am. I'm learning it's just as exciting telling someone in person at the right time.

I've also been on the other end: other people have posted stuff that had me wondered why they didn't tell me, or why I wasn't invited. This can be hurtful.

So when you are reading you bible and it's talking about watching your mouth, remember: this also translates to your fingers.

Praying for you guys!

Sunday, December 8, 2013

How Our Superhero Came To Be

Verse of the day:
This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Matthew 1:18


I was watching Man Of Steel for the first time today. It's not my kind of movie - I'm not into superhero movies - but I love Amy Adams, so it was worth it.

Anyway, as I was watching, I was fascinated with how Clark Kent got his powers. I won't spoil it for those who haven't seen the movie, but it was really cool, and it being Christmas and all, it made me think about how Jesus came to be.

Mary must have been really brave to even mention that it was done any other way than the usual way to conceive. I strive to be as obedient to what God is telling me as her.

But that's what God does a lot of the time. He pushes us so far out of our comfort zone we can't do anything but rely on him.

We also have to mention Joseph. You know Joseph loved God when he obeyed and stuck with Mary instead of getting divorce - that would have been a hard thing to do too.

The gossips in the town must have had a field day.

I can just hear them "Did you see how big Mary is? She's obviously in the family way. And apparently the child isn't even Joseph's!"

Certainly makes me think twice about judging anyone.

I'm praying for you guys!!

Saturday, December 7, 2013

When Life Changes In A Second

Verse of the day:
It's true that no one knows what's going to happen, and when. Who's around to tell us? Ecclesiastes 8:7

Life is different today.

For the first time in my life, I know how it feels to have someone close to you die - and the way you miss them the next day, and the day after that, and so on and so forth.

Yesterday I blogged about how my Grandma had died last night, and she's the first person who has died that I have been close to. I know I've had the blessing of being sheltered in that respect.

So today is the first day of our lives without her.

Which brings me to my point. You can try and live your life how you want, and ask God for direction or to tell you what he wants you to do, but life will always have what I like to call the 'random factor.'

Things that you can't change because no one except God knows they will happen until they do, and they change your whole life in a moment. And when they do, there's nothing we can do except try to deal with whatever it is.

I've only had this a couple of times by the 'random factor.' True, my life has changed in different moments a few times in the last 18 months (this is actually the second time my life has changed in a week), but it's always because God had made something clear to me that changed my life, like me moving interstate or overseas.


What are some moments like these in your lives?

Friday, December 6, 2013

Storing Up Treasures

Verse of the day:
All summer it stores up food; at harvest it stockpiles provisions. Proverbs 6:9

Today my grandmother died. And although she had been sick and it had kind of been expected, her health had been better the last couple of weeks. But I am grateful she just died without any pain or suffering - she was there one minute and gone the next.

Although it's a good idea to put some things aside for a rainy day (especially money), you shouldn't put aside too much. We should not store up possessions and money here on earth. We should store up our treasures in heaven, because that's what will last forever.

I am more aware than ever of this today, because (like anyone else who has died), my grandma left a lot of stuff. I don't see the point in having too much stuff just to leave it here for your family to deal with when you die.

I'm praying for you guys!!

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Your Desires

Verse of the day:
Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

I'm so happy!! This opportunity I got a couple days ago - I've decided I'm going to say yes to it. It was a big decision, and I prayed constantly, but I knew it was a clincher when I stumbled on the above verse, as well as this quote:

Love God, and do what you like. - St Augustine

I know I've always wanted to do this. I know God has put this dream inside me for a reason. And his timing is perfect. I've also felt God's pressing to look for an opportunity like this recently, like he was telling me that now's the right time. And if it's not what God wants, he will find a way to stop it from happening or steer me in a different direction.

But God wants us to be happy. But if we are truly delighting in the Lord, our hearts will be tuned to him so much that our desires will be his desires. So he is happy for you to do what you want - because he wants that too.

Are you happy? If not, what can you do to be happy with your life?

Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Four Ways To Becoming Wise

Verse of the day:
Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. Proverbs 4:7

As I said in my last post, I want to be wise. I want to be a wise old woman one day.

But it's not just me, we should want to be, and try to be wise.

There are four ways which help me to be wise:

1. Pray for wisdom. God promises to give us wisdom if we ask (James 1:5).

2. Read the bible. You can't be wise if you don't know what the bible says about a subject.

3. Read books by christian authors. Christian fiction is good; christian non-fiction is better. Some of my favorite non-fiction authors are Candace Cameron, Lysa Terkuerst, Courtney Joseph, Robin Jones Gunn, Elizabeth George and Shannon Kubiak Primicerio.

4. Listen to the opinions of the people you respect. So much of my knowledge has come from things people whom I trust say to me. Also, for me, this has also come from watching media, like movies, the news, reading magazines etc, although I would be cautious about this. But, for example, I watch lots of TV and movies (which I really shouldn't do so much), and through all of the watching, I have grown wise enough to realise I don't want a boyfriend. I just want Mr Right. I want the first guy I date to be the man I marry. A lot of people date just to have fun, but I don't see the point. I've never been in a relationship, but I don't want one unless it's the right one.

Anyway, enough of my rambling. I'm praying for wisdom for all of my readers today!!!

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Look Before You Leap

Verse of the day:
Watching the mindless crowds stroll by, I spotted a young man without any sense. Proverbs 7:7

I received some good news today!!!

And while I am jumping for joy inside, thrilled beyond belief, I still have to hesitate and be very careful, because this situation could turn around quickly.

I am praying for wisdom and for confirmation that this is the right move so I can move forward, knowing that this opportunity is the Lord at work and not something he doesn't want me to do.

I am praying hard, and I don't think I'll be able to sleep tonight at all.

I want to be wise.

Hope everyone has as good a day as me!! xoxo

Monday, December 2, 2013

Freedom

Verse of the day:
Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. Psalm 25:18

No wisdom today guys!!! Today's been a slow day, and I've basically been reading Christian books and absorbing wisdom from other Christian authors.

But remember guys, you are free because God has forgiven your sins!!

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Advent And A Song

Verse of the day:
Who is the King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory! Psalm 24:10

Sorry, I don't have much time to blog today. But I have to say...

I'm so glad it's Advent!! Yay for the Christmas season!!

This is my favorite time of year.

I'm posting a video of the song The Heart Of Christmas by Matthew West, one of my favorites!!


Enjoy!