Just some thoughts

I have been struggling some lately and I know why but yet, I'm having a hard time doing anything about it. My quiet time has been suffering ever since school got out. The crazy thing is I have more time than ever and yet, nothing. I am going to have to get myself in a routine and buckle down. I need accountability and I don't really have that. I leave in less than 2 weeks for Romania and I wonder how I am supposed to tell others about Jesus when my relationship with him is dry right now. That's where I know I need to get going. So, my goal for the days ahead will be to read and respond. Read the Word and respond by sharing what has been revealed to me that day. It may be a thought, it may be a quote, it may be the scripture that I have read. Anyone want to join me?

Quote and a verse

"The last thing I want to do is offer easy answers and simple platitudes. If God has allowed suffering in your life, it is for a significant purpose. so rather than just focusing on getting rid of it, seek to discover God's purpose in your pain, to submit to his plan and his purpose, to please him in how you respond to adversity. You have an incredible opportunity to glorify God just by your simple trust in him during those dark days. He will bring you from the darkness into the light, so look for him in the darkness."- Rick Warren

Psalm 143:8
Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.

A Great Quote

For the next few days I'm going to be posting some quotes and Bible verses that mean a lot to me. I am wanting to get rid of some of my paper clutter and unfortunately I have papers everywhere with little anecdotes, quotes, and verses on them. So, in order to do that and have them all in one place I thought this would be a great place to put them all.

"During the times when you and I can't trace God's hand of purpose, we must trust His heart of love. When we don't understand why, we must trust Him because God cares for us more than we can possibly know." - Anne Graham Lotz

Psalm 138:8- The Lord will fulfill his purpose for mr; your love, O Lord, endures forever-do not abandon the works of your hands.

Gratitude

So often I look around and I am in awe of what I see and even more so-what I experience. Life is not easy- it was never promised to be easy. Christ didn't have an easy life so I don't know why my expectations for my own life would be different.

However, I have found in the midst of life I have a choice to grumble and complain or to have an attitude of thankfulness. I wish I could say the majority of time I exhibit thankfulness, but, more often than not it's the former.

The question then becomes- how can I foster an attitude of gratitude?

1.) Dig into the Word- experience the life of Moses, Joshua, David, Jesus, Paul, and all those in between. In the midst of difficulties they still praised God.

2.) Pray- for eyes to see life, to see people, and most importantly- to see God.

3.) Serve- find your passion. Set foot into the midst of where God is working- you will experience God and in the middle of experiencing Him you will experience an attitude adjustment!

4.) WORSHIP- We are created to worship! When we worship- praise will continually flow from our lips and where there is true praise there can be no complaining or arguing!

Philippians 2:14- "Do all things without grumbling or questioning" (ESV)

Words of Encouragement

In the midst of daily lives we often let ourselves get overwhelmed.  I know I often ask myself- "what am I doing here?"  Why have I gone down this path?  Where is God leading me?  Then I feel guilty- as if I am questioning God.  However, as I read the Bible I see that it's okay to ask questions.  When reading 2 Chronicles 15:7- "But you, take courage!  Do not let your hands be weak, for your work will be rewarded." (ESV) I hear God clearly speaking to me.  He is commanding me to be strong!  To hold on- to give it all of our heart- because in the end- when He is looking at the big picture- all those questions- all the struggles-all the daily battles- are going to be worth it.  It will be rewarded, and that's a promise you can count on!

Tragedy/Crisis

How do you deal with a tragedy or a crisis in your life?  So often it's so easy to get caught up in the moment- to get caught up in the details- to get bogged down by emotions and not effectively deal with a situation.  There was a tragedy at the school where I teach- it actually happened after school on Thursday at one of the student's homes.  It got me thinking about how we often run away from security in the face of our emotions.  Instead of running to the one person who can give us the strength to carry on through it we run the opposite way right into the darkness.  When it's dark you can't see- your eyes may adjust to the lack of light but it's a distorted view of reality.  We think that if we go a bit further we just might reach the light but in reality it's behind us- we have turned our back on it.  All we have to do is turn around- we will see the light!  Then, we just have to run toward it.  When we reach that light we see things as they really are.  I don't want to live in darkness- as a teacher I don't want my students to live in darkness.  I want to live in the view of reality- I want to live in the light.  And, then, as we live in the light we become part of the light and we are take our light to the dark places of the world.  To the people who are constantly in darkness.  It could be your neighbor, it could be a stranger on the street, it could be a family member, it could be across the world.  Are you willing to run toward the light????

Quick Quote

I have a women's Bible and it has quotes throughout it.  The following is one that I have really enjoyed reading from time to time and I especially need it now!  My job is a bit stressful and sometimes I have a hard time seeing God in the middle of it (even though I know He is).  I do still have some things to share but I need to do it when I can sit down and think through all that I want to post so definitely look for it in the next week or so (Spring Break).

"We don't know the meaning of worship until we praise God in the middle of a difficult situation, aware that he's still in control of the universe-even though we may not see it." ---Carol Kent