Be Ready

Well, I’m sure everyone’s wondering where the next blog post is; so I thought I’d better get going on it tonight. Instead of the regular blog post that I tend to write, I thought that I might take this time to let you all know what I’ve been up to lately and what God’s been doing in my life. Well, here it goes.

First of all, I have news that is even shocking myself at the moment.  I am selling my truck.  Why is that?  Well, I need something a bit more “heavy duty”.  I found exactly what I need: a dual exhaust Chevy Silverado.  Only problem is is that I need to sell my current vehicle in order to pay for this one. With this, one lesson that I’m trying to put into practice is: patience.  I tend to get “ahead of God” and “leave Him in the dust” with the decisions I make.  “I have to make it now”.  Well, this time, I wanted things to be different.  I’m completely leaving the details in His hands and forgetting that “this is exactly what I need!”.  I’m definitely trying to put Philippians 3:14 to good use here: “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength”.  Even patience.

Work has been less of a burden lately and I’m understanding some of the guidelines better.  I’ve had some issues that I won’t go into here, but God has been faithful and again-been patient with me.  What a patient God! And though I may have my “up and down”, merry-go-round days, He’s there to take me by the hand and simply tells me to just “chill”.  Through my job with QualityTrack, I’ve been learning that whatever I do-whether I want to or not-I need to do it for Him and forget about how miserable I am.  It’s the right thing to do and in the end, it was the only way I could go.  Does that mean that I have learned my lesson well and am not in need of practice anymore? Certainly not.  I’m here as a prime example of how great God’s patience is.  But if I can overcome my feelings of despair and get over those “mole hills” that I’ve made into mountains, I finally can do my work with a cheerful heart and do it all for His glory, and not my own.

School has been going fairly well.  As this was the second part as to why I went on my social networking break, I’ve been trying to concentrate heavily upon it.  Problems have arisen with a few of the sites that I have been working on, but both my coach and I are happy to see that I’m making steady progress.  At the moment, I’m working on the section in the LearningNetwork that I consider to be “repulsive”; but it’s a part of Psychology that will be on the actual test, so I must endure the terms and ideology of those early, secular theorists from the past.  As I continue, I would just like to ask for prayer that I will not sink into these thoughts and ponder on them.  God has blessed us Christians with a conscience and we are to use it.  And studying those sections puts nothing positive in our minds.  This is why we learn from our parents at an early age to guard our hearts, our minds, and our ears as to what the world has to say about such things.  We must use discretion and compare what we cannot avoid hearing or watching with what God says in His Word.  

Last week, a friend of mine wrote me an e-mail to tell me that I had been elected as a Board of Directors (BOD) member of the River Valley Welsh Pony Association (RVWPA).  There are only three seats available, so I felt honored to have been chosen to fill one.  With this honor though, there comes more responsibility with decision making, financial advising, and so on.  I was also volunteered to help co-write a monthly newsletter for the group and to help start a webpage.  This is a totally exciting new step for me and will also be an excellent addition to my resume. :)  I have committed myself and will do my best to represent the club well.  As ideas rush through my head and the thought of extra work does flip flops inside my brain, I realize that God has a plan through all of this and will help me make the right decisions.

Just like He does with my future.  I have no idea what lies ahead, except my dreams and a plethora of anticipations.  But only God determines what happens a couple miles down the road.  I can’t see that far.  Just like I can’t see over that next hill.  I have two choices as to what I can do about it; which makes it easier to decide. I can either A. run and hide; or B. continue to pursue God’s will for my life and better myself, so that I can be ready for hard times and trials.  I hate to say it, but there will be those times ahead.  And not just for certain people.  But for all of us.  Whether we have faced many in our past, are facing them in the present, or haven’t faced them yet but will in the future,  we need to be prepared to take on the challenge.  To put on the full armor of God.  Not just the helmet.  Not just the breastplate.  Not just the boots.  For if we are without one, the enemy will point his arrows there and wound us, as we were not prepared.

As a closing thought, I’d like to challenge you today.  But not just today, but instead, for your entire lifetime.  Be ready.  Be on guard.  Never let it down; no matter if it’s only for a minute.  For Satan doesn’t need an hour to wound you.  He only needs a second.

God bless you as you continue to walk with Him.

Blessings,
Anna

Give Thanks!

Last Monday was Thanksgiving Day for Canadians. Many people envision turkey, pumpkin pie and whipped cream, family and friends, a table loaded with food, or maybe certain colors and smells. Regardless of what traditions or practices people hold during that holiday, thanksgiving is a Biblical command. It is a command Jesus, Paul, David, Daniel, and so many others have modeled for us.

Matthew 15:36
And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks...

Ephesians 1:15-16
Wherefore I also...Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers. 

1 Chronicles 16:34
O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.

But...

This isn't a conditional command, though. Many people have no problem being grateful when life is great, but this is a command that is to apply to all circumstances. To the good and the bad; the happy and the sad; the easy and the difficult; the simple and confusing.

Ephesians 5:20
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Giving thanks will not be always be an voluntary action for each wonderful occurrence in our lives. Certainly, we will praise God for those joyful times as well (Easy for me to say, right? After passing three tests in two days... :P;), but sometimes thankfulness will be a choice--not just a feeling. It will require an act of your will to give thanks for everything.

Thanksgiving is not an option. God didn't say...
"Give thanks when...
...your bills are all paid."
...you're passing all your tests."
...relationships are perfect."
...the sun is shining."
...friends are all in agreement."

But He did say...
"Giv[e] thanks always for all things."

I think praise and thanksgiving are related in many ways. Yes, we may praise God and not necessarily thank Him, and we can express thanksgiving without praise, but I think when we are truly thankful, our hearts will automatically praise God as well. Praise will naturally flow from a heart that realizes Who God really is and what He has done for us, and when we realize that, why would we not praise Him? 

Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane thanking God for His disciples--some of whom who would shortly betray and deny Him. Paul (and Silas) sang praises to God in the middle of a dungeon--their backs torn from the beatings they received. David continually praised God in the Psalms, even through some of the most difficult circumstances in his life. Daniel--the man committed to prayer even in the face of adversity--praised God when He revealed the king's dream to him. These men chose to praise God through the easy and the hard times.

Think about it: how could we not praise Him? Even in the most hopeless and stressful situations, He was always there: He never left us. Let's praise Him for His faithfulness. In the lonely stages of life, when friends have gone, He always stayed close. Let's praise Him for His love. When uncertainty and worry fills our minds, He is waiting on the other side--watching us walk by faith through the path He has created. Let's praise Him for never-ending care.

Fanny Crosby's second verse of "Praise Him! Praise Him" says it well:

Praise Him! Praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
For our sins He suffered, and bled and died;
He, our Rock, our hope of eternal salvation,
Hail Him! Hail Him! Jesus the Crucified!
Sound His praises! Jesus who bore our sorrows;
Love unbounded, wonderful, deep and strong;
Praise Him! Praise Him! tell of His excellent greatness;
Praise Him! Praise Him ever in joyful song!

How will you show your gratefulness to Him today? What will you praise Him for this week?

Psalm 100:4
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Blessings,
Kaleigh

FROG

Well, as I’m writing this blog post, I’m just starting my third social networking break; only this time, I don’t know when I’ll really come back.  I stayed up the night before and thought of all of the schoolwork that I needed to get in.  I really had no idea just how far I was behind until my 22nd coaching call; then my eyes were opened.  Looking at everything in my schedule, I knew I couldn’t take out work, piano practice, or eating.  I couldn’t even really take off sleep either, though some days it already feels like I’ve taken sleep off my schedule.  In the middle of this mess that was going through my mind, I knew only one thing kept me from accomplishing my goals: and that was social networking.  I hated the thought of it, but I knew I had to find a schedule that I could get both schoolwork and work in.  Skype, Google+, and Gmail was staring me straight in the face; and that's what was hindering my view from my college courses.
In the midst of this though, the Lord touched my heart.  I had to trust in Him to help me make this decision.  It wasn’t one I could make on my own, though I could have tried. I was left with one choice: trust Jesus.  He knew what I wanted. He knew what I needed to do for awhile.  And I felt Him leading me to go on this break.  
As 2 Samuel 22:3 says: “The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, My stronghold and my refuge; My Savior, You save me from violence.”
I was not sure what to do, but He led me.  I may not like what I had to do, but in trusting God, I knew I had made the right decision.
Is it always easy to trust God? No, definitely not.  Like this example, we know what we want, but God knows what’s best for us.  David had to trust God when he confronted both Goliath and Saul. Noah trusted that God would really send the worldwide flood.  Mary trusted God to give her the strength to carry the Son of Man in her womb.  Everyone has to deal with putting trust in someone at some point.  But as Christians, we know better than to put our trust in things or other people to meet all of our needs.  God is our sole Provider, Protector, and Guide.  We aren’t lost like the thousands of others who rely on their money, friends, cars and trucks, or even food and tv to give them everything that they need.  Putting our trust in material things will only give us more grief and will never result in true happiness nor will it result in what God’s perfect plans are for us.
Is it even possible to, as Proverbs 3:5-6 puts it: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” all of the time?  No, as fallible humans, we will always stumble and forget.  But God’s always there to pick up the pieces and put us back on the path that He knows will be the best for us. (Jeremiah 29:11)  
Will God fail us if we put our trust in Him?  Never.  We may feel that way when He prompts us to make a decision that we would rather forget; but in the end, He proves to us that the choice He wanted us to make, was for our own good.  
If you’ve ever heard of F.R.O.G., you’ll know it stands for Fully Rely On God.  An easy reminder of what we should always do: tough or easy.  Food, cars, or computers may seem like great things to lean on for when we are going through difficult times, but God will always be there to see us through and will never let go. (Psalm 118:8-9)
I know this may seem like a simple message, but it really spoke to me this week and my hope is that it’s something that will bless you in the coming weeks as you “Fully Rely On God”.


Blessings,
Anna

His Reasons!

Person: I don’t even know why it has to be like this.

Me: It’s for a reason.

Person: Yeah, what reason?

I have a bad habit of replaying my conversations with people. I think through them, analyze thoughts and motives, and realize what could have been said (or added) instead. I do it all the time, and these lines from a conversation these past two weeks are no exception.

I know now how I could have answered that question. I didn’t then. I’m not an “on-the-spot” answer-giver. I like to think through my answers (especially long ones), and sometimes by the time I do that people are onto something else.  I didn’t know what to say in answer to “what reason?”, and they didn’t expect me to. It was more of a rhetorical question.

As I was thinking about how to write this week’s posts, I came across some of my quotes that I have collected over the past couple years from people, blogs, sermons, or anywhere I find them. Many of them speak on this subject, and I will do my best to incorporate them here.

Why are things the way they are? In your home, at work, in society. There are many reasons perhaps, but this one I know: it is for our growth and strengthening of character.  Each circumstance and situation God places in our lives is for our maturing of character. Because His thoughts are not our thoughts, we may not immediately see His plans, but often times later in life we can look back and view the whole story as one who has been carried through it. Our growth is what God desires of us, and like precious metals in the fire, we cannot be purged of impurities until we have passed through the fire. We don’t often understand reasons for each trial, but we can remember the past and see that God did carry us. He never forsook His children, and when they needed Him most He was already there. “The blow at the outward man may be the greatest blessing to the inner man”: the maturing of our character.  God’s reasons always have a purpose; He does not call us to futility.

Sometimes God calls us to a seemingly impossible task. A task we could not accomplish in our own strength. That is when we realize that we need Him most, because “the task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us”. It is through His strength, and only His strength that we accomplish His calling and purpose. His power enables us to live for Him, to complete His tasks, and to shine our light in a dark world in every situation. Sometimes we feel like giving up because it’s so hard. But “when one must be forsaken, let not that one be Christ”; give up yourself, rather than leaving the One who gives you true strength. With Christ, the only way to fail is to quit, so don’t give up, because what God calls us to do, He will give the strength to accomplish. “When we are weakest, He is strongest—and when we step far out of our comfort zones, we step right into the comfort of Christ.” Whatever impossible obstacle God places in our journey, He will also provide a way over it—your good work will be rewarded either here or when you see Jesus face to face. One of God’s reason for each and every situation we face is to show His power—not ours—in our helplessness.

The wise will use the events God gives us as instruments in our life, to advance His character in our lives. Taking advantage of each difficulty and seeing how we can grow from it will mold us constantly to His image. God doesn’t give us impossible tasks, trials, or temptations. In each one, He has provided a way of escape, promised His faithful care, and given us Christ’s strength. And when we come to the end of our weakness, and see that we can do nothing, then we will more fully understand that “in our weakness, He is strong.” “God doesn’t call the qualified: He qualifies the called.” He knows we aren’t perfect, but through His strength He can accomplish anything in us and we can still fulfill His will. His good work in an imperfect people will be perfectly completed when He comes for us. Don’t lose hope when everything seems to stand still, when it seems that God is not listening, when it seems like you’re going backwards and not forward—don’t let those waves wash away your hope. My dad said this to me not that long ago: “Dark clouds aren’t always bad. Sometimes they bring a little rain which is good for growth. It’s when it’s thundering and lightening that it can cause the damage. But usually there is always sunshine after a storm. …always hope for that: the sunshine.”  There is a reason. We cannot often see it, but when we pass through (yes, through; even if we are stuck in it for the present), we will see Christ waiting on the other side where He was all along, guiding us, sustaining us, and carrying us when we needed Him most.

His reasons? To show His strength. To further His purposes. To increase our likeness to Him. To demonstrate His power. To testify of His glory. To give us a hope and a future. It is all His, and no glory belongs to us.

Jude 1:24-25

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power, and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen. 

In Christ,

Kaleigh