This past weekend I went on a retreat with the leadership team from my bible study to South Carolina. We stayed in a condo (I thought it was going to be a cabin, but it wasn't) on the lake. I guess it's called a condo. It's like an apartment, but fancier. It was 3 floors, with three balconies facing the lake. We had 11 people - 5 girls and 6 guys.
During the weekend we played games (I played cards), went to the pool, some swam in the lake and some went fishing, just hung out and talked, and had meetings. Some of the meetings were logistical things like planning events. But some were about making sure everybody in the group feels connected and who was reaching out to who and discipling people. We talked about our purpose for the group, ideas to make small groups better, and more. There were beautiful sunsets, a double rainbow, good food, and lots of laughing. I was tired some because I didn't get enough sleep, and cups of coffee don't give me as much energy as 3 shots of espresso in my iced peppermint white mocha. But despite being a little sleep deprived, it was such a great weekend.
One thing that was done throughout the whole weekend was that we prayed for each other, encouraged each other, and gave each other advice / suggestions not just for things related to bible study, but in life too. It was so encouraging to hear people say nice things about me and pray specifically for me. The whole weekend, from relaxing and from the encouraging words, really filled me up. Sometimes the negative words people say at work or the high tensions or high stress at work slowly...or quickly... pull me down until I almost forget the kind words that other people have said. But the love from this weekend was so great and much needed.
I went back to work yesterday and prayed that God would give me the awareness to speak kind and encouraging words to people, to point out where others have done good things or had good ideas, and to build them up. Not just yesterday, but always. I want that to be the main thing that comes out of my mouth - positive things. Nothing good comes from speaking negative things. While I have been blessed with friends and family to pour love and kind words into me, maybe some of them don't have that. Maybe the only words they hear are from people at work. So of course if they aren't the best, or if they're just neutral, then they will be sad and hurting and empty. They might realize why, or they might not. Not only do I want them to feel the love and fullness that I do, but I also want them to know Jesus, and He is what fills us up more than anything else...so even if they feel love coming from me, I hope they one day realize it comes from Jesus.
Of course words are powerful - God SPOKE and the world came to be!! It doesn't say he pointed or that he did some hocus pocus hand motion, or nodded and blinked like on "I love Genie." James is a great book about how powerful words are, that they can be used to do great things or terrible things.
"So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing." - 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Another thing that was a great thing to see on the trip was the different personalities and strengths coming together. Some people are louder or talk more. They are not worse or better than anyone else. Some people are quieter and talk less. They are neither worse nor better. Some people are better at making food and cleaning up and that's the way they serve and that it their strength which is great because that's not the way I like to serve as much! Some people have a lot of bible knowledge and study the depths of all things it seems like, and it's great that they can discuss and dissect things. Some people are very detail oriented, get tasks done, and keep things on schedule. We could all look at each other and think, "I wish I was more detail oriented and smarter about the bible and...." But we can't be everything. I'm thankful that we can all work together to use our strengths, gifts, talents, and personalities to not only balance each other out, but also work and live together!
"If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad. All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.... Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles? Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not!" - 1 Corinthians 12:26-27, 29-30
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Sunday, June 8, 2014
The rainbows and the storms
Tuesday night I went to my friend Christina's house because a few people who are going to Slovakia on a mission trip next month were getting together to hang out and she invited me because I had been to Slovakia before. There were only 6 of us, but that was still good. We ate hot dogs, sat by the fire, talked a lot, and then I stayed after everyone else left and talked to Christina for two hours. The sky was beautiful as the sun set. It was good catching up with Christina after almost a year of not being able to.
Next weekend I'm going on a retreat to a cabin on the lake with the leadership team from my bible study. I'm SO excited about it!! I used to go with my young adults group at my other church to a cabin every year and loved it, but since I left that church I haven't been on one. Cabins are awesome, whether they are fancy or totally normal. I just like being away, and being with friends.
I'm going to Tacoma, Washington in September for my cousin Emily's wedding! I can't wait to see her, my other cousin Carly, and my aunt and uncle. My mom is going with me this time and she has only been out there when my aunt and uncle got married some 25 years ago! I am incredibly lucky to have beautiful, godly, amazing cousins and wish that we all lived closer.
Doesn't it seem like life is a mix of beautiful and terrible?
Thursday night there was a bad storm. The storm clouds were actually beautiful in itself and people took pictures of it. It rained, it thundered, and lighteninged is not a word. So what is the past tense of lightning? Huh. Anyways, afterwards there was a beautiful orange, pink sky, and I didn't see it but I saw pictures later, that there was a big rainbow in the pink sky!! I have never seen such a thing! Although I like storms like that, I do not like it when they bring down trees, take out power, or hurt things/people.
That's pretty much how life is. Work will be terrible. Then it's ok. I'll love the time with my friends. Then I'll miss some friends with so much of me that I just don't know how to function. I'll buy a new book, a new dress, or good food and it makes me happy. I look at how much money I just spent and it makes me sad. I read something great in the bible, and I see how God has answered prayer. I turn to Him and cry and pray for the 1000th time for something on my heart and wonder why He won't just take the desire away. I build people up, and then tear people down. It's like a freaking pinball machine.
Life is like a pinball machine, you never know where you're gonna get hit or if you're going to get rewards or if you're going to lose.
Anyways.
What gets me through the days sometimes is focusing on the things that make me happy, and the things I'm looking forward to.
Next weekend I'm going on a retreat to a cabin on the lake with the leadership team from my bible study. I'm SO excited about it!! I used to go with my young adults group at my other church to a cabin every year and loved it, but since I left that church I haven't been on one. Cabins are awesome, whether they are fancy or totally normal. I just like being away, and being with friends.
I'm going to Tacoma, Washington in September for my cousin Emily's wedding! I can't wait to see her, my other cousin Carly, and my aunt and uncle. My mom is going with me this time and she has only been out there when my aunt and uncle got married some 25 years ago! I am incredibly lucky to have beautiful, godly, amazing cousins and wish that we all lived closer.
Doesn't it seem like life is a mix of beautiful and terrible?
Thursday night there was a bad storm. The storm clouds were actually beautiful in itself and people took pictures of it. It rained, it thundered, and lighteninged is not a word. So what is the past tense of lightning? Huh. Anyways, afterwards there was a beautiful orange, pink sky, and I didn't see it but I saw pictures later, that there was a big rainbow in the pink sky!! I have never seen such a thing! Although I like storms like that, I do not like it when they bring down trees, take out power, or hurt things/people.
That's pretty much how life is. Work will be terrible. Then it's ok. I'll love the time with my friends. Then I'll miss some friends with so much of me that I just don't know how to function. I'll buy a new book, a new dress, or good food and it makes me happy. I look at how much money I just spent and it makes me sad. I read something great in the bible, and I see how God has answered prayer. I turn to Him and cry and pray for the 1000th time for something on my heart and wonder why He won't just take the desire away. I build people up, and then tear people down. It's like a freaking pinball machine.
Life is like a pinball machine, you never know where you're gonna get hit or if you're going to get rewards or if you're going to lose.
Anyways.
What gets me through the days sometimes is focusing on the things that make me happy, and the things I'm looking forward to.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
God is able to do anything
The story of Gideon in the bible is becoming one of my favorite stories in the bible. I have read it several times over the past year, and this past Sunday our pastor did a sermon on it.
I like that God used a guy who was a "nobody" and chose him to lead an army and defeat the bad guys. I like how God sees the army as being "too big" even though it's a third of the size of the army, and says that if they won the battle with that many people, they would claim that they did it on their own so he reduces them from 100,000 men to 300 men, so that the odd seemed impossible, and so that God could show His power through that! I like how Gideon asked for sign and direction from God, and God answered.
Sometimes I feel like the odds are against me in life or in circumstances, big or small. What I need to remember is that God is able to do anything.
Last week I was running some errands before work, and then ate lunch before going to work. I was praying for and about someone, and I prayed, "God, can I see them today? Even if it's just briefly? I just want to see them. Maybe they'll be at Target or Moe's or wherever I'm going." There wasn't a major reason for me asking, it was just in my mind. Well, as I drove to work, thinking, "Well it's too late now, I won't see them today," I saw them getting out of their car in a parking lot on my way as I drove! I laughed out loud because I literally "saw" them, and that was it. But it happened. It's like God had a sense of humor enough to say, "Ok, you can see them now!" Because even though it was a brief moment, it was still the exact moment I drove by. God's timing is perfect, even in silly and little things.
Sometimes I feel like God is silent when I pray for a new job or for other situations I've prayed about for years. But I have to remember that He is still there, ready to set things in motion when it's the right time.
I like that God used a guy who was a "nobody" and chose him to lead an army and defeat the bad guys. I like how God sees the army as being "too big" even though it's a third of the size of the army, and says that if they won the battle with that many people, they would claim that they did it on their own so he reduces them from 100,000 men to 300 men, so that the odd seemed impossible, and so that God could show His power through that! I like how Gideon asked for sign and direction from God, and God answered.
Sometimes I feel like the odds are against me in life or in circumstances, big or small. What I need to remember is that God is able to do anything.
Last week I was running some errands before work, and then ate lunch before going to work. I was praying for and about someone, and I prayed, "God, can I see them today? Even if it's just briefly? I just want to see them. Maybe they'll be at Target or Moe's or wherever I'm going." There wasn't a major reason for me asking, it was just in my mind. Well, as I drove to work, thinking, "Well it's too late now, I won't see them today," I saw them getting out of their car in a parking lot on my way as I drove! I laughed out loud because I literally "saw" them, and that was it. But it happened. It's like God had a sense of humor enough to say, "Ok, you can see them now!" Because even though it was a brief moment, it was still the exact moment I drove by. God's timing is perfect, even in silly and little things.
Sometimes I feel like God is silent when I pray for a new job or for other situations I've prayed about for years. But I have to remember that He is still there, ready to set things in motion when it's the right time.
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