Random, but Sincere Thoughts

My mind has been overwhelmed with many different thoughts within the last week and I've wanted to blog to let it all out there....but I couldn't find the words until now. I've wanted to talk about forgiveness, being broken, being strong in the faith, the evil one and so much more.

Tonight, I was supposed to go to church with a friend. We had plans on meeting at 6:50 in the church parking lot and going together and getting dinner after. About 10 minutes before, all our plans changed. She got held up at work and wasn't feeling well. Not her fault, but unfortunately life happens sometimes. So, this left me at a cross-road. Do I go without her (into a church I've never been in) or do I go home? Because I am weak, I went home. You see, if I would have been in Ryan and going to my home church alone it wouldn't be a big deal - I know everyone there and it doesn't faze me. But because I'm such an introvert and my anxiety levels shot through the roof when I thought about going in alone, I chose the cowardly way. Needless to say, I am so very frustrated with myself. I know my mom would be the first to argue that I wasn't going alone - I had Jesus by my side and I completely agree with her. However, it's still scary.

Which brings me to my next point - am I really that broken that I can't fully rely on God to be by my side and not rely on others to make it easier? That scares me. I want my God to be my all in all. Don't get my wrong - He is. But I don't want to have to worry about going alone. I should be stronger in my faith than that.

Should I not be remembering, Philippians 4:13? Not that going to church is hard at all - but going alone I should keep in mind Philippians 4:13.

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  -- 2 Cor. 12:9-10

 

We are made strong by God's power. His power is made perfect in our weakness.

 

What do you think? Comments? Questions?

 

Keep the Faith,

Cherish

 

Re-discovering the Word.

Do you ever have that "aha" moment when a scripture finally clicks in your head. Either someone explains it to you very well or you've read it enough times that it's finally had time to reveal itself to you? I did on Sunday. Sunday morning the preacher spoke on 1 Corinthians 9:19-24. It says:


¹⁹ For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. ²⁰ To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; ²¹ to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. ²² To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. ²³ I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. ²⁴ Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.

I highlighted the verses that really get me. 

In this passage, he's saying he made himself a SLAVE to those who didn't know Christ. He did this to show the love of Christ and to lead more people to the gospel. He was with the Jews, so he became a Jew. He made himself weak for the weak. He put himself in someone else's shoes to be like them and "understand their side of things". He did this to lead more to Christ. He didn't frown on these people nor turn away. He took his faith a step further and made himself like those he was trying to save. He became all things to men to save them. What a great example of the love of Christ and how to be a true leader and follower. 

What are your thoughts? 

Keep the faith, 
Cherish

Got Patience?

I am not sure about you, but for me patience is something I struggle with t r e m e n d o u s l y. Friends and family members are always telling me "Be patient Cherish, have faith!" or something to that extent. Sooo, I got to thinking...what does having a lack of patience really mean? Who does that make me as a person? When you lack patience, you start to get doubts in your mind because of over-thinking things. When you start doubting, your trust shrinks in the person you're being patient for (or at least I think so). In many situations, my impatience leads to doubting and not trusting the one "person" who I need to trust the most, God. What kind of Christian does that make me? Yes, I realize I'm human and I'm going to sin -  I can't get away from that no matter how hard I try..but I should NEVER lose trust in God. Typically, when I'm being impatient about something I pray about it almost constantly. Almost to the point where it's obsessive. Usually, it gives me peace of mind knowing God is hearing my prayers and He's working at it -but at HIS speed. Sometimes it takes a little more than prayer - it takes scripture to remind me that God works for the good of those that love Him (Romans 8:28). I went ahead and looked up a few more to remind me tonight and this are a few of my favorites for the particular thing I'm being impatient about right now.

"Be still before God and wait patiently for Him...." Psalm 37:7a
"I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry." Psalm 40:1
"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12

These verses give me comfort in knowing that GOD HAS THIS! He knows what He's doing and He hears my every thought even if it's not a prayer to Him. He knows me BETTER than I know myself so why do I lose that trust sometimes when it comes patience. Silly me.

Availability Check

**DISCLAIMER: This is coming directly out of my devotional Bible. I did not write any of this,but I felt like it was too good not to share!

First: READ Exodus 3:1-22

THE GOOD OFTEN cannibalizes the best. Think about it: How often do schedules, long to-do lists and our immediate line of sight trump the things we claim to love the most? A pile of laundry certainly seems insignificant the day a close friend wrecks her car or a parent falls ill. Certainly, life involves responsibility, but it also involves a need for responsiveness to urgent situations - a child struggling in school or a severely depressed coworker.
Moses was tending sheep - fulfilling a needed task - when God intervened with an urgent call. A bush burned without being consumed. God called Moses' name from within the fiery bush. Moses immediately answered. Moses was available and obedient. But then God told him what he wanted: Moses was to go back to Egypt to lead a rescue mission for the Hebrew people.
In the midst of our ordinary days - tending to our families, our jobs, our friends - how do we respond to the persistent pull of God's call? Regardless of how God makes his wishes known - a burning bush, a burning desire or a burning need - are we willing to have our tidy plans and schedules interrupted to listen to his voice? Or are we too busy or too distracted to answer? Bottom line: Are we willing to be recruited at God's bidding?
Like Moses, we may feel inadequate for the job: "I'm just a student, just a mother, just an hourly employee. I'm not equipped for this mission!" However, when God calls us to do something bigger than we think we can accomplish, He will equip us by working through us. We learn to rely on His strength, not on our own abilities. Simply put, God doesn't look for abilities; He looks for availabilities. That's how we can be confident of success: His great power trumps our lack of talent. We act in the power of the great "I AM" (3:14).
So when you hear the voice of God calling your name, answer without hesitation, "Here I am."
God's call. God's strength. Your availability.

REFLECTION:
1) In what ways has God indicated He has something for you to do, and how have you responded?
2) Recount a time when you felt inadequate to do something you knew God wanted you to do. How did God equip you to accomplish it?
3) What interferes with your availability to answer God's call?

Additional Readings:
1 Samuel 3:1-10, Isaiah 6:8; 50:2, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

"In a very real sense, not one of us is qualified, but it seems that God continually chooses the most unqualified to do His work, to bear His glory." - Madeleine L'Engle
 __________________________________________
So what do you think?
If I get enough readings of this post, I'll continue to post more devotionals from this Bible. It's seems that I always read the perfect one on the day I really need it!

Keep the faith,
Cherish 

Have You Seen Jesus, my Lord? ::Clarity

There are several places I like to go to get clarity and ponder about faith, God, Jesus, and well, everything. Usually they consist of outside in the country (home), church camp and even church. I think I have a new one to add to my list...the beach.

And really, it's not just anytime at the beach. Today, I was running around in the water, having a good time and not really thinking about anything.. However, we all went crab hunting tonight and we were walking along the beach, and letting the waves hit us. The high tide reminded me of God. This water, this powerful water that could take me under any minute if I lost my balance was God speaking to me. The song "Have You Seen Jesus, my Lord?" popped into my head. These lyrics specifically: "Have you ever stood at the ocean with the white foam at your feet? Felt the endless thundering motion? Then I say you've seen Jesus, my Lord." I'll admit, I've had a lot on my mind this last week. Things like changes I need to make, changes I'm going to make, where God is leading me, what He is asking me to do, why He is asking me, how I'm going to go through with it and so on... Tonight, I just got c l a r i t y from it all. I just don't understand how people can see the ocean, feel the waves and look out into the horizon and not see or feel God or even think He's real. He's everywhere! It's just so amazing to me.

Keep the faith!
~Cherish

Love, Marriage, and a great blog.

As a 21 year old woman..no girl (woman sounds too grown up!), I often think about marriage and I might have even planned a little bit of my wedding day ( a miniscule amount) but what I see when I think about marriage is the outside of it. The exterior, if you will. I don't think about the interior of it. The hardships a married couple will have to go through as well as good times. I've always loved the idea of marriage and falling love but I think I'm just too picky ( my mom would argue and say I'm just to scared to date, hmph.). I was reading a post earlier on a blog I follow by a college minister at a church of Christ in Tulsa. The title had this word "love" in it so I was intrigued instantly. He talked about "synching" up with your spouse when you get married and the patience you have to have with them...
I'm not going to continue to talk about this blog because I don't want to down grade it any so you can read it by clicking HERE.

Let me know what you think. It's pretty good!

Keep the Faith,
Cherish

Listen To: Someone Worth Dying For by Mikeschair
Currently in love with: ....(I'll get back to you on that. Yesterday it was Kevin Durant and watermelon but he failed me last night...)

Losing...

God has seriously been working on my heart lately and it all seems to be about forgiveness. I hope this doesn't sound bad to say, but I don't know of anyone in my life that I need to forgive right now. When I say this, I mean I'm good with everyone I know. I'm not holding a grudge that I can think of so I don't understand why God is still working on this in my heart. Maybe He knows I'll be needing this more than ever later on down the road...

A couple of mornings ago on my way to work, this song came on the radio, I absolutely love it!
Click HERE to listen to it.

The song is Losing by Tenth Avenue North. 
This is my favorite part of the song:

Oh, Father wont You forgive them
They don't know what they've been doin' (oh no)
Oh Father, give me grace to forgive them
Cause I feel like the one losin'

Well it's only the dead that can live
But still I wrestle with this
To lose the pain that's mine
Seventy times seven times
Cause Lord it doesn't feel right
For me to turn a blind eye
Though I guess it's not that much
When I think of what You've done.

This is love or this is hate...
We gotta a choice to make
Credit (Click the credit for the full lyrics).

I seriously am in LOVE with this song right now.

On a different note, I had a friend tell me that I was being too "churchy" and I need to quit being so "churchy". As he told me this, my blood starting boiling. Then I calmed myself down. I was upset that he would say something like that to me, but then after I thought about it, I realized he's probably never felt what I've felt when I've gone to church or camp. He probably doesn't understand what it's like to feel so wrapped up and high on God. I realized I need to pray for that and that it's a good mission opportunity. So, Lord please help me.

Leave me some comments. :P

Keep the Faith,
Cherish

Listen to: Losing by Tenth Avenue North (duh!)
Currently in Love with: Watermelon and Kevin Durant. ;)