The End...Or is It??? 12/19/12

Jeremiah 29:11

New International Version (NIV)

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Through these past six weeks, I have been trying to renew  my relationship with Christ.  I have felt closer to Him and have been more open to learning more about Him.  A few weeks ago, I mentioned that for my Sunday School, we were going to try to read at least two verses in the Bible per day.  This only lasted for about a week.  I wish I could have followed through with this more, but reading isn't something I enjoy all that much.  All of the others in my Sunday school forgot or put it off as well.  I really hope that with the new year right around the corner, I can come up with some good New Year's resolutions to follow through with, like reading the Bible more, and thanking God for things rather than asking Him.  

During this past year, my family, well, more like intermediate family, is somewhat splitting apart.  My cousin has been having some issues lately with her mom (my aunt) and has drug the whole rest of the family into it.    I don't really want to talk about it, but I know God has been watching over us through it all.  Sometimes I wonder, why did this have to happen?  But, everything happens for a reason, and it's all part of God's plan. 

Before school started this year, I had been accepted into The Association (AKA Van Buren's show choir).  When we started show choir camp, I literally hated it.  If you haven't seen me dance before, I pretty much fail at it.  It took me about two months to finally get the moves down, and I still don't completely have them down.  But, God has helped me through it and now I love it.  

I have also recently began taking voice lessons.  I had been taking piano lessons for the past eight years (I still am though), but I wanted to try something new.  I absolutely hate singing alone in front of anyone, but God has given me the strength to not be so nervous, and now I actually kind of enjoy singing in front of an audience.  I even had the courage to try out for All County Honors Choir, and I made it!

So far this school year, God has been a big part of my life.  I just started high school, I finally joined a sports type thing (show choir), I have been able to work on my artistic abilities in art class, I have found the courage to do things I thought I could never do without crying or embarrassing myself (singing for an audience mainly), and many more.  God has given me the strength to do all of these things.  Even though I'm still the quiet person in class who barely says a word, I feel like I have more courage than I've had in a while.  I used to be scared of literally EVERYTHING!  I'm so glad our Creator cares and watches over us.  Without Him, no one would have the strength to do anything.  Without Him, we wouldn't even be here.  I have so much to thank God for.  A family, a home, friends, food, water.  We can be so greedy at times, when many people in the rest of the world don't have half as much as we do.  As we start the new year, I hope to remember this, and to not be pulled away from God.  No matter what storm I may be facing, I hope I will always be close to the Lord.

Here's another song by Casting Crowns that I absolutely love :)

Remembering Christmas 12/5/12

Luke 2:9-14
And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. (10) And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. (11) For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. (12) And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. (13) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, (14) “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” 

As the Christmas Season is coming closer, many people have either forgotten or remembered Christ's birth.  Many have always thought of Christmas as just a time to get presents and decorate their homes with tacky blow up Santas and snowmen, while others remember Christmas as a time of giving, and celebrating Christ's birth.  Christmas shouldn't be about receiving presents, it's Jesus's birthday, not ours.  He should be the one getting all the gifts.  I get so excited during Christmas time, wondering what glorious presents I will soon unwrap on that joyful morning, but this year, I haven't really cared about what I get.  I mean, I do have a few things I want, but I definitely don't need them.  I'm hoping that this year, I can put all the presents aside and be great full to God for what I already have.

Moving to the Next Stage of Life : Heaven 11/28/12

This is my grandma holding me when I was about one.

2 Corinthians 5:6-8 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord.

(Right to Left) Grandma, Alex (my brother), Me, and Grandpa
at the Toledo Zoo 

On June 13, 2011, I witnessed my grandmother's passing.  We stayed with her in the ICU for about two hours before she passed.  While we were with her, my dad got out his guitar and began playing some of her favorite hymns for us to sing along with.  She was still conscious, but we could tell she didn't have much longer.  We prayed with her as my grandpa held her hand.  It was a whole other side of my grandpa that I had never seen before.  He used to be more of a grumpy old man, but ever since my grandma's death, he has seemed to have somewhat lost that quality, and is more emotional and kind now.   When my grandma passed, I knew God was with us.  Her passing was so peaceful.  About 20 minutes before she moved on, the nurses turned off the screens that were showing her heart monitor, and everything else that was attached to her so that we wouldn't be freaking out if something happened.  It just looked like she was sleeping.  I remember my grandpa crying and holding her hand as the doctor came in to do the final check to see if she was gone.  She was.

My grandparents holding my brother and I

My grandma had a very close relationship with God, and I know she is with Him now.  I'm so glad our Lord died for us so that we could live with Him forever.  I know that God and my grandma, along with my two other grandparents who have passed are watching over us.

Breaking Down Walls : 11/21/12

^{1 Corinthians 10:13
13} No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

At first, I knew God was our creator, my friend, and someone to look up to, but He is so much more than that.  God not only made us in His image so we could worship Him, but He made us because everyone has a purpose on this earth.  Many people think Christianity is just a religion, but it's so much more than that. It is the relationship with our Savior that is even deeper than religion.  Some of the barriers I've been hitting through this project are distractions   Over the past week, we, as in my family and I, have been setting up Christmas decorations for when some of our family comes up for Thanksgiving, and I haven't seemed to find much time to focus on this project, and to basically fix my relationship with God.  I've also been on the computer way to much, spending most of my time on Facebook, and listening to One Direction's new album that recently came out last week.  During my Sunday school at church this past Sunday, we discovered some bad habits we have, related to our Spiritual lives.  I thought it was really cool that this was brought up, considering I'm trying to 'fix' my faith in Him.  Anyways, at the end of our conversation, we all made an agreement that we would read at least two verses in the Bible every night for the next two months, so that it becomes a habit.  Since I am wanting to read the Bible more, I think this will really help with my relationship with God.  

Working to Get There : 11/14/12

Colossians 3:23 - Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.

Over the past year, I have felt I need to restore my relationship with God. I've made some mistakes in the past that I'm not proud of, and I know God has forgiven me for them, but I still feel some guilt in the pit of my stomach whenever I think about what I've done.  I want everything I do to glorify the Lord, but sometimes I dishonor him without even thinking about it.  You'd probably think a Pastor's daughter is a perfect angel who doesn't do anything wrong, but everyone makes mistakes.  I REALLY want to improve my relationship with God, but it may be hard to get there. There are so many distractions and temptations in this technological world that makes it hard to honor God.   We were created in God's image to worship Him, not to worship false idols (especially in media) and to not fall into temptation.  It is hard to take myself out of this project and focus on God, simply because I feel like going on and on about how I want my relationship with Him to be improved, instead of actually working to get to get there.  I really hope that by the end of this project, I have a stronger relationship with Him.

Who is He to Me? 11/7/12

1 John 4:7-9  :  Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. {8} Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. {9} This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

To me, God is my Creator, Savior, and friend.  I feel like I can tell Him everything, whether it's something good or bad that I've done.  I know that He will always be there for me, and that he will forgive me when I do something wrong. When I was younger, I had a very close relationship with God, but over the past few years, I have felt that He is slowly lingering away from my life.  God was a part of my everyday life, and He still is, but it seems like I ask Him for more things than what I thank Him for.   I haven't been reading the Bible as often as I should, and when I think about reading, I get lazy and do something else.  I know that God has an unending love for me (and everyone else in the world) and that He died to save us from our sins, so that we may live eternally with Him, but I have recently felt that I don't love Him as much as He loves me, and that I don't have an as close relationship with Him as I used to.  I really want to use this project to change that.  I'm  hoping that by the end of this blog, I will be close to my Lord again. 

Blog One - 10/31/12

John 6:35 — Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst."

For English class, we were told to make a blog about someone we know, but want to get closer to.   I don't exactly know how blogging works, so bear with me.  I chose to do my blog about God, as I feel I don't have  a strong enough relationship with Him as I should.  I'm hoping that this project will help me grow stronger in my faith, and that I become closer to Him.  I think that this project is going to be an interesting one.