Time to Surrender!

As I was doing my devotional recently, there was a sentence that hit me so hard that I have thought about it ever since. In the devotional, it's God talking to me, and the sentence simply said this: "You will find that you can accomplish more in less time after you have given yourself to Me in rich communion." I started thinking about how I always say there is not enough time in the day to do all the things I need (and want) to do. I make excuses for not spending time with God and say that I'm "just too busy". God revealed to me how much this excuse doesn't make sense. He created time. He set the sun and stars in a cycle and set up days and nights. It's not a surprise to Him that I have a limited number of hours each day. He has given me an exact amount of time that He has perfectly planned out and the time He has given is sufficient for what He wants me to do every day. He knows that I have limited hours and He knows what He wants me to do for each and every one of them. The next key thing to this is that I have to give Him complete control of my day. I know He has a plan, but if I direct my focus onto things other than Him, I will lose the opportunities He wants to give me. His plan is so much more perfect than anything I could ever imagine, yet I still hesitate to give up control. I worry that if I give it up, He will ask me to do things that will mess up my routine or my schedule. But then I just have to remember that not only does He have a plan, but He is all-knowing and is aware of everything going on in my life. He sees the big picture and can determine way better than me what is the best way to spend my time. Maybe He will mess with my schedule. So what? If that is what is required in order for His kingdom to grow and if it is His will, then it doesn't matter what it messes up. When I surrender my day to Him, I better be ready for a ride because there's no telling what He will have in store. I don't want to miss the opportunities He gives me each day. I want to totally trust Him and give him complete control. Even if I only see one step at a time, I can know that He sees every future step and He won't lead me astray.

What Biblical Principles does Divergent Illustrate?

      Divergent is a book that focuses on subject of fear.  Tris chooses to go to the Dauntless faction and is faced with things over and over again that trigger fear in her.  Going through initiation teaches her that she can control and overcome her fears.  At the end of initiation, Tris hads to go through her own fear landscape and face all of her fears. Going in, she doesn't know for sure what all her fears are.  I think part of conquering fear is to identify what is at the root of that fear.  Tris discovers the true identity of all her fears and defeats them.
      This doesn't mean she's suddenly not afraid of them anymore.  Every time she encounters her fears, she must conquer them again. The Bible talks so much about being courageous and not having any fear. Deuteronomy 31:16 says: "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you or forsake you."  The Hebrew word for "courageous in this verse is "amets" and it means: "To be stout, strong, bold, alert".  That definition perfectly describes Dauntless.  In 1 Corinthians 16:13, Paul tells the people to "be men of courage; be strong." Over and over again, the Bible says to be courageous.
      The Dauntless are also known for standing firm for what they believe is right.  What ideas are deemed right by the Dauntless? They believe in justice.  They believe in ordinary acts of bravery.  They believe in standing up for those who can't defend themselves.  They believe fear should not have the power to influence decisions. 
      Many times in the Bible, God tells us as Christians to stand firm in what we believe.  In Mark 13:13, Jesus says: "All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved."  2 Thessalonians 2:15 says: "So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth, or by letter."  James 5:8 says: "You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near."  1 Corinthians 15:58 says: Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."  We are to stand firm, just like the Dauntless.
      

      The definition of Abnegation is: "To refuse or deny oneself (some rights, conveniences, etc.)".  This is exactly what Jesus is saying to do in Luke 9:23. He says we must deny ourselves. Jesus was extremely selfless and humble.  Philippians 2:3-4 perfectly sums up the life of the Abnegation: "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.  Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."
      





*Spoiler warning. Don't continue reading if you haven't read the last book.*
 

At the very end of the last book, Tris gives up her life in place of her brother, Caleb.  This act of love and selflessness is considerably Christ-like, especially since Caleb betrays her and she still dies for him.  Everyone involved believes Caleb should be the one to give up his life, but Tris still loved him and took his place.  In the same way, Jesus gave up his life to save us from what we rightfully deserved.  Romans 5:8 says: "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."  We deserved to die, just like Caleb, but Jesus stepped in and took it for us, just like Tris. We betrayed him by sinning and yet he loves us so much that he bravely and selflessly died for us.
      At one point in the series, it's stated that those who transfer into Dauntless from other factions end up different from each other based on which faction they came from. Those who transfer from Abnegation tend to become revolutionary. Combining bravery with selflessness can be a radical thing.

I Want to be Unique!

 

 

The contest:

Five minutes.

Most unique rock.

 

Within the five minutes I spotted several that I thought looked interesting, and I even picked up three or four others. But at the end of the five minutes I decided this one was the most unique. What made me pick this one up? What about it drew my eyes? As the waves of Lake Michigan kept rolling over all the rocks, my eyes were constantly scanning for something different. Color was the thing that caught my eye most of the time. This one had a yellow tone to it. Looking at it even from a distance, I noticed the beautiful black stripe on it. None of the other rocks I saw had that definite of a stripe or that boldness of contrasting colors. So I chose this one.

 

My desire is to be like this rock. I want to be unique. I want to stand out. I want my love for Jesus and people to be as bold as that black stripe.

 

 I noticed that this rock was that it was more colorful when it was wet than when it was dry. If it had been dry when I first saw it, I don't think I would've even given it a second thought. The water made it shiny and beautifully bold.

 

If I'm dry, I'll just blend in with the world. In order to be unique and stand out, I must be constantly submerging myself in the Living Water, who is Jesus. The more time I spend with Him and the more I get to know Him, the more I will shine and uniquely stand out!

 

 

 

 

 

Texing While Driving

      Mark Hanna is an insurance expert who has voiced his support for a ban on texting when driving in Texas. He believes that drivers who are texting are more dangerous than drivers who are drunk. I think it is true that it can be dangerous to text and drive. When someone is texting while driving, they have to take their eyes off the road for at least a little bit, and that can always end in an accident. Also, when texting, a driver can be very distracted and unable to focus on driving.
       On the other hand, people are constantly taking their eyes off the road or not focusing on driving. Parents look back at their kids, people listen to music, talk to the person in the passenger seat, do makeup, eat, and many other things that are potential distractions.
       Much of it depends on the person driving. For instance, a young teenage girl who just got her lisence and is texting her boyfriend would most likely be more dangerous than a middle aged woman who is texing one of her friends.
       But experience isn't the only factor. When someone is driving, they aren't the only car on the road. Someone could be the safest driver there ever was and still end up in an accident because of another person's mistake. That is one of the reasons that it's so important to be alert and aware of what's going on. If someone is texting, it is more difficult to anticipate and avoid other's mistakes
       When someone is drunk, they are totally unable to think straight and they are often unable to control their actions. Putting that and driving together can result in an unfortunate event. Although when someone is texting their brain isn't focusing on driving, the brain is still in correct working order and they are able to make decisions. The brain's reaction time may be a bit slower when someone is texing, but not as slow as when they're drunk. So even though texing while driving is dangerous, It's not as dangerous as drinking and driving.

Stand up! Stand up!

       Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stood up for what they believed in, despite severe consequenses. They were threatened with being thrown in a blazing furnace if they didn't bow down to a golden statue and they simply said, "Oh Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter.  If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."  (Daniel 3:16-18)  This made the king furious and he ordered the furnace to to be made 7 times more hot than usual and ordered them thrown in.  It was so hot that the men who threw them in died, but Shadrach, Mesach and Abednego were protected by God and they were not at all hurt by the fire. They are a wonderful example to us to always stand up for our beliefs, even if it means possible death.  Trusting in God, they refused to worship the gold statue.  They knew it was a possibility that they wouldn't survive the furnace, but they were willing to die for what they believed in.
       Christian business owners are facing a challenge that goes against what they believe in and many of them are standing up, even if it means consequences. The Department of Health and Human Services issued a mandate last year as a part of the heatlth care bill that President Obama signed in 2010 that employers with more than 50 full-time workers have to provide "preventative services" in their insurance plans.  The "preventative services" include birth control pills, sterilization, and "emergency contraception" that may be considered abortions.  Any company that doesn't offer the drugs faces fines of $100 a day per employee.  For the craft store, Hobby Lobby, that has 13,000 employees, the fines would be up to $1.3 million. On their website they say that the company is comitted to "honoring the Lord in all we do by operating the company in a manner consistent with Biblical principles." The owner and CEO, David Green,  says that it would go against his religious beliefs to pay for "emergency contraception."  Hobby Lobby is just one of 14 for-profit oraganizations that have filed suits against HHS. They all say the mandate violates their Christian beliefs.  But the government says that Christian business owners don't have religious freedom when it comes to managing their companies.  The fourteen companies may only be a small number in the business world, but they are standing up for what they believe in, just like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
       We should follow the example from the men of long ago, and the men of today, and always stand up for what we know is right, even if there is a consequence.

True Identity

"Put aside the ranger.  Become who you were born to be."  These are the words Lord Elrond says to Aragorn when he gives him Anduril, the sword forged from the broken sword Narsil.  Aragorn is the heir of King Isildur of Gondor, the man who cut the Ring of Power from Sauron's hand but was not strong enough to destroy it.  Fearing that he will fall to the same weakness, Aragorn has many doubts about claiming his throne in Gondor.  For a long time his true identity was hidden and he was simply Strider, a mysterious ranger from the North.  But Elrond knows he has the strength to unite the people of Middle Earth and he believes in him.  Aragorn listens to Elrond and takes the sword and eventually becomes the King of Gondor.  He overcomes his fears and his past and he truly does become who he was born to be.  

      This is such a beautiful picture of me and God. He can see my full potential and he knows who I am born to be.  He has given me his word as my sword and he's saying to me, "Put aside all the sin and fear!  Your identity is not in the past, it is in Jesus.  Take my word and go fight for me.  Become who I created you to be!"  It doesn't matter what I have done because Jesus died for me and God loves me and He wants to see me become who He knows I can be.
      
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come."
2 Corinthians 5:17

The Second Law of Thermodynamics vs. Evolution

      The second law of thermodynamics is that everything is wearing out.  For example, candles burn out, rooms get easily messy but not easily clean, and living things grow older and eventually die.  The only way for life to still happen is that there has to be an outside energy source and something inside to absorb the energy.  The outside source is the sun and the absorbers are green plants.  Without both of these the earth wouldn't be able to go on for long. 
      Evolutionists believe that everything is evolving into something better and that the world is progressing.  Being able to believe in Evolution and accept the second law of thermodynamics doesn't seem possible.  For evolution to be true, the world had and has to be constantly in progress and getting better.  This theory simply cannot go hand-in-hand with the second law of thermodynamics.  So if someone says they believe in both, they are either not thinking correctly, they don't fully understand one or the other, or they are being deceived. 

God's Glory Through my Weakness

      It is so easy to get discouraged in my walk with the Lord.  I set goals for myself and when I fail to achieve them I feel like a loser.  I go to bed some nights and set my alarm early enough that I can get a lot of time for my quiet time in befors I start my day.  But when it goes off in the mornings I hit the snooze until the last minute.  Then the next night I think, "Tomorrow morning I WILL get up the first time the alarm goes off."  Morning rolls around, and the snooze button is overused yet again.  Every day I regret not getting up the first time I hear my alarm.  Sometimes I try putting the alarm on the other side of my room, forcing me to get out of bed to turn it off.  Still, I find myself back in bed.  It is an ongoing cycle that I am convinced I can't change on my own.  John 15:5 says: "I am the vine; you are the branches.  If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."  Without Jesus I can do absolutely nothing.  How, then can I expect to be able to do something if I'm trying to do it by myself?  Matthew 19:26 says: "Jesus looked at them and said, 'With man this is impossble, but with God all things are possible."'  I can have hope because of this verse.  I know that I can't do anything without God, but with him, that is another story altogether.  Nothing is impossible with God!  He can do anything!  2 Corinthians 12:9 says: "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficiant for you, for my power is made perfect in your weakness.'  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me."  So when I feel like I'm failing, I need to remember that I can't do it by myself and I need to ask God for help, and when he helps me, I can boast in it and give him all the glory.
     

Essay: Hebrews 11:1

I am sure that someday, there will be a new Heaven and a new Earth and I can't wait for that day.  I am sure that it will be more glorious than I imagine.  Heaven will be more amazing than I could ever comprehend with my small brain.  But, even though I don't know what to expect, I am hopeful because I know Jesus will be there and it will be beyond what words can describe.  I hope for the unknown of Heaven.

      I am certain that there is wind.  I don't see it as itself, but I do see the effects of it.  There is proof everywhere that wind exists, even though nobody can see it.  When trees wave and my hair whips in my face, I have no doubt that the wind is the cause of that.  

      Similarly, I can't see God face-to-face, but I do see the effects of Him in many ways.  He is evident throughout all creation. I see Him in sunsets and sunrises over the horse pasture.  He is the greatest artists and He paints His masterpieces across the sky all the time.  I see Him at work in mine and other people's lives: answering prayers, being a comforter and friend, and being there when we need Him.  He is always with me and I know I can trust Him.  I can't see Him, but I'm certain He's there.

Essay on U.S. Embassy attacks

      The United States should not send financial aid to anybody who attacked our Embassies.  To attack a U.S. Embassy is to attack U.S. territory and that is an act of war.  It does not make sense to send money to countries that have committed an act of war against us because they can use it to buy more weapons and more supplies for their cause.

      This is especially true because of how much debt we have.  We are sending borrowed money to countries that have attacked us and our national debt is climbing daily.  How can this possibly make sense to anybody?  Since the debt is constantly increasing we should be searching for every possibly way to save money; not sending it to nations who have proved they want to destroy us by attacking our Embassies.

      Perhaps the government thinks that sending financial aid will help keep the peace.  that is not true in many cases.  There is nothing we can do to make some countries not hate us (for example, the nation of Iran).  Things may stay peaceful for a little while, as they play innocent, meanwhile, collecting money from the U.S. but then possibly strike with weapons that we have provided for them.  

      If there is no hope for there to be peace, then it is not logical to send any type of aid to them because they will just us it against us.

Ode to Autumn

You, autumn, are unpredictable.  

In the mornings your air is frigid and crisp

but the temperature often rises as the day unfolds.

You welcome cider and doughnuts and sweatshirts.

You bring beautiful warm colors to all the trees.

You even bring amazing smells.

You are ideal for riding horses in the leaf-covered woods.

I just wish you went right to spring and we didn't have to suffer through the worst 4 months EVER. (aka winter)

An Average Morning

 It's another beautiful morning that God has made

and as I walk toward the fog-covered barn

I am met by the anxiously waiting cats

because they know it is my hand that gives them food

They walk alongside me as I head to the barn

Nicki meets me there and we do our job

We feed the donkey, llama, goats, and bunnies

Then we climb in the trusty old barn truck

and loudly move on to our next task

As we come over the hill I look in the distance

There are 39 majestic animals waiting for us

 They watch expectantly as we pull up and get out

I go to the hay barn and slowly open the huge door

As I step in I see bales stacked so high

and I am engulfed with the sweet smell of hay

Nicki and I load up the tractor with 8 bales

and she starts it up and we head out

As I open the gates many eager faces look our way

I hop on the tractor and start dropping flakes

and watch as the horses eat it all up

We finish and put the tractor back in the barn

then it's back to the trusty old truck

I look out and see many satisfied creatures munching away

 And I think how lucky I am to do this every day

And I thank God for giving me the desire of my heart

Leading Worship

It is the first of many times that I will lead in worship

I feel a mixture of excitement and nervousness

and I am ready to see what God is going to do

I hear the electric guitar begin with the perfect notes

and I hear all the instruments join in at the perfect time

Then I look and see many cheerful faces

and I know they are ready to sing and dance

We play and sing with all our hearts 

until the music comes to an end

I now feel content and overjoyed

because my team has done it's most important job

We have led people to worship the one true God