Focusing on Faith

 

Following the events that were from my Rejuvinated and Rejoicing post, there were more ups and downs, but God was always speaking through the situations.  I write these things down, so that I can have them to remember His works and all the things I'm learning along the way.  It's great to look back and be able to see His faithfulness.

 

The next race was a Saturday meet, but it was different because I only went for one race, the 3200.  the first 6 laps were a tight race with the top 3, but I fell behind a bit in the last 2 and finished 4th.  I literally fell across the finish line from sprinting as hard as my legs could go at that point.  The temperature was a bit too cool for me to go faster than I could push that day, as I knew my teammate--who I must say has an amazing kick--was coming hot on my tail!  This was painful for us, but I'm thankful that I have such fast teammates; we all push each other to get better!  I was pretty devastated and disappointed in myself.  It was a rough evening, if you can imagine.

 

Although bad times are, well, bad, they often bring about good things if you just take the chance to look for it.  Struggles often make us stop and think about the things we need to change in learning from our mistakes! This was the start of spring break, and my best friend and I joked the week before (yet meant it seriuosly):  "I'm gonna get my life together this week!"

 

Sunday mornings always give me tons of things to dwell on; Pastor Dean's sermon, the songs we sing, our small group lessons and talks, then the little things God just sends straight to my heart.

My favorite verse from that morning was "Not as I will, but as You will."  Luke 22:42  As Jesus prayed honestly to His Father, He expressed that the situation was not pleasant, asking to take it from Him if at all possible, yet he was still totally committed to whatever it takes.  This is also how we should pray.  Honestly pouring our hearts out to God our Father who cares and wants to hear, but also totally willing to accept the answer even if it is painful to deal with.

 

It's crazy how God sends us signs of what to do sometimes!  Patty always makes up hypothetical situations along with our lessons so that we can really apply what we're learning, and this day, she said one that had just happened to me the day before at the race!  My mouth just fell open.  Then we really could apply some things to our personal lives!

This was the day that I chose a verse to get me motivated and going again!  The cross country team has always used Hebrews 12:1-2 as a "theme" verse for the team, but this track season, it has come to mean a lot more to me personally.  It's hard to do anything the best we can when we aren't focused.  When we let our minds wander or get consumed with stress, confusion, anger, anxiety, dread, comparision to others, business, pain, disappointment, ourselves, or anything else, we inevitably spend less time with God.  Then things just spiral from there.  It can really make you weary when this life gets a hold of you.  It's not hard to get distracted.  That's why it says "so easily entagles."  I made a point to myself that my goal was to throw off all this junk that fills my mind and holds me back from being all that I can be for the Lord and fully focus on delighting in the Lord!  No matter what may come, it's just stuff.  God is the focus.  Keep going with eyes on Jesus!

I was also super thankful to my friend and cousin, Julia, who sent me a link to a perfect song for these feelings!  Through All of It by Colton Dixon

 

Expiration Dates Approaching....Approached?

Shew! This pudding's got a funky whang to it. Yeah it smells.  Down the garbage disposal it goes.

As I threw out the last few spoonfuls of butterscotch pudding earlier this week, I thought to go look at the milk, too. That explained it. The milk that I had used to make the pudding had expired, too. Already?  I had just looked and it said April 22nd...oh my gosh it's already April 24th!?  Oh crap, the Tribune dinner is already next Thursday! The conference meet is next Saturday?! That's only a week away!  Only three full class periods until the AP History Test!  And the Chemistry EOC is that same day..how is that supposed to work? AP English test the next week! Only one more assignment to turn into my online class...at least that's one relief..

AAAHHHHH!!!!

Where has the year gone?

Things are winding down, but it does not exactly feel like it.  We have almost reached the climax of junior year.  Things are all exploding at once.  But then it will be all downhill!  My brain daily feels like exploding, but I gotta mellow out.  I can't do it all, and that's just something that I have to accept.  As the Newsboys's song says, "There's gotta be so much more to life than this, a higher calling that I've missed.  I want my life to count, every breath!  I wanna live with abandon, give You all that I am!  Every part of my life, Jesus, I place in Your hands."

As all these things have been coming and going faster than I've been able to fathom, I tried to snap some picture and take notes on things to be able to remember things along the way.  My mind is full of aspirations and projects to do sometime or another, but I am trying now more than ever to not try so much.  Sounds contradictory?  James 4:13-15 makes it make more sense.  "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow...Instead you ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that,'..."  Two verses from Proverbs convey the same message:  we try to plan, but God will always win. (19:21 and 16:9) Life is totally out of our control--but that's okay.

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23)  We are not wise people.  "God alone is good." (Mark 10:18)  Something that stuck with me from last Sunday's lesson on the above James passage was what our desire to plan and be in control really is--self-centeredness.  By being glued to our own plans, we can overlook what God has placed right in our path!  Some "inconvieniet mishap" could be one of the best opportunites to share the gospel.  If it's God's will, you can be positive that what you do is the best.  That is not so with our own plans.  They can be easily shaken.  We can rest assured that when we open up our future to the will of God, that we will be satisfied, protected, and above all, accepted as a child of God in heaven in the end. 
Peace comes with giving up control.

There are so many things we can spend our time on, and I am guilty of not doing so well with time management!  It is a daily battle that I am working to improve on.  Like right now.  I was going to study.  For some reason, though, I felt like I should share this.  Sometimes our minds need a break.  Taking time to sit back can benefit you more than frantically pressing on and on sometimes.  God even tells us in Psalm 46:10 to "Be still and know that I am God."

Take a deep breath.  (I'm talking to myself, too.)  Stop and think about what you're doing.  Maybe there is something else you could be doing.

#FoodForThought

Got Life?

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This is my newest scripture picture.  I had the plan for it a long time ago, started it on the last day of school (which was mid-May), and finally got around to doing something with it last night and finishing it this morning!  Like I said, I need to "Do it Now."

I also think this should go on a tshirt!

This verse is simple:  either you do, or you don't.

Either you are changed by Christ, or you are not.

Jesus said in John 10:10, "I have come that they may have life and have it to the full."

Living life without Christ may seem all great because you can "do what you want," but are you truly happy?  Are you striving each day to fulfill a purpose?

Back in "the day" when I thought I was all cool, popular, pretty, and everybody wanted to be me, I usually thought life was pretty fun.   Then things would happen, I would get upset and not know what to do with myself because Christ wasn't who I turned to first.  Looking back now, it's easy to see with that 20-20 hindsight many things I could've done to make my life better.  One of those things:  not live for my own pleasure.  When you live serving others, you will find a pure joy that fills your heart that you won't feel by looking for ways to please yourself and "fix" your own life.

No matter what circumstances may come your way, God can make anything happen, give you unimaginable perseverance and strength and just what you need.

When you have Christ, you have life.  The rest is just details.