My passion is to change the world. I want to leave it differently than when I found it. I want people to look at me and see Jesus instead. I don't care to be remembered, but I do care to start a revival. My goal? A life set-apart completely for God, totally and wholly devoted to Him. And Him Alone. My life, and my blog, is about my One Passion in life. Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.
Consume me, Lord. Make Yourself my One Passion.
Let me preface this by saying that I am sick. With a pretty good fever, if I do say so myself. So, I can't promise this will make sense...at all. However, I'm going to try.
Let's see....my life:
~September: My Pa died the first day of September, and it was pretty hard to deal with, even though we knew he wouldn't be with us much longer. However, I know it's so much better for him up in Heaven, and I truly look forward to seeing him again up there.
~October: Basketball season officially began, and while I enjoy playing, we haven't won a game yet. :( Perhaps after the New Year....And....My nephew Aiden was born!!! Aiden is the sweetest baby ever, but of course, I'm not a proud auntie at all...Pff... :D
~November: I turned 16! I also got my license...
~December: Well, not too much yet. Last night we had a Musical Endeavor at our church last night, and I had the opportunity to sing...and it went okay. :) Could've been much worse.
~Now: Well, I'm on the couch....sick. :) It's a lot of fun! Well, not really, but I'm sure you know what I mean. :)
Depending on how I feel and how tomorrow goes, I may post something of substance. We shall see. :)
Live abandoned over average. ~Hannah
Yesterday, my Mom and two little brothers, and I had the privelege of helping my lovely sister-in-law with the house they're working on (by the way, pray, they're moving in on Saturday, and it's not done yet!). Anyway, Lana made the comment to Caleb that, "All it is, is flavored sugar." So, while I scrubbed the kitchen floor, I wondered, "Well, that's all life is, right? Flavored sugar?"
Oh sure, some of it's flavored bad, but some of it's flavored good. Sometimes it makes you laugh, and sometimes it makes you cry. Sometimes it's one color, other times, it's another. Sometimes you don't really like it, other times you can't stop yourself from loving it.
But, see, life is more than flavored sugar. It has more substance to it than that. Life is more than living and breathing here on Earth. What is life? Life is being with Jesus. Life doesn't just exist here on Earth-it's in Heaven too. And, really, life there is much more...real than life here.
So, if that really is the case, what happens when we live with sin in our lives? What happens when we aren't saved? Well, nothing can separate us from God's love, if we are His children. I believe that with all of my heart. But, can we really live apart from God? When we aren't in fellowship with Him? Serving Him, loving Him, fufilling our ultimate purpose on Earth?
I don't think so. The only way to truly live? Be with Jesus. Be in communion with Him. Never be separated from Him. Then, maybe, you'll find what it means to truly live.
Lord, I don't understand today. You said it'd be like this...there would be days that wouldn't be easy. I can't see beyond today right now. But, God, you can. You know all things.
Lord, you know my heart. You know me on the days when I disobey you, and wallow in my sin...and enjoy it. Lord, you know me on the days when I ignore Your Spirit inside of me, prompting me to make the right decision. Lord, I don't understand.
Lord, you've seen me on the days when it's all that I can do to keep breathing. It's all I can do to cry, and not let anyone see. You walked beside me on the days when I thought the darkness would never lift, and when I thought that I was alone, You held me up.
Lord, you were there in the nights that I cried myself to sleep over petty issues. Lord, you were there when I stopped crying, and became filled with fear, and doubt. Lord, you were there when the pain overtook me again and again, and it was all I could do to hold onto the bed.
Lord, you were there when I started telling you how I felt. How I didn't even really feel like praying to You. You were there when I felt so alone, because all my friends went different ways. Lord, You were there when I couldn't look anyone in the eyes, because I was scared that I would break down.
Lord, You were there when I woke up from nightmares, with wide eyes and tears running down my face. Lord, You were there when I was scared to move, scared to do something wrong. Lord, You knew the fear I knew I couldn't overcome.
But, Lord, You were there, at church camp, when all I could do was cry and praise You. Lord, you were there when my sin broke my heart, and I repented. Lord, You were there when words were just too much, and all I could do was sit. Lord, You were there, and You got my attention, because my heart is your's.
Lord, I don't understand. I don't understand the pain or the joy. I can't understand the grief, or the smiles. Lord, I can't understand the tears, or the laughter.
All I know, Lord, is this: I'm thankful for Your Grace. Given to me, and heaped up around me. Lord, I know now. Lord, Your grace is enough for me.
But, Lord, I have a question that I never can answer. Why me, Lord?
I can never be worthy of Your grace or Your love. I can never see how I ever did anything to merit such favor. From God. I know I can't ever deserve the gift Jesus gave me when He died on the cross, and rose three days later.
For those of you who don't know me very well, my grandpa had a stroke when I was 9 months old. He's gone downhill in the last 6 months, and had to be put into a nursing home. They just called and said he has had another stroke. We don't really know anything yet, but, I'd appreciate your prayers:
1.) My Granny- she needs God's peace and love right now.
2.) My Dad- it's his dad, and so I know it hurts him too.
3.) My two aunts (my Dad's sisters) and their families
4.) That my grandpa wouldn't be in any pain, and that if it is serious, that the doctors would be able to tell quickly.
Fan the Flame, Fan the Flame, and, oh yeah, Fan the Flame
Consume me, Lord. Make Yourself my One Passion.
I've been busy. No, really. Last week, I left on Friday to fly down to Florida for a basketball camp (which was absolutely exhausting) and I didn't get back until LATE last night.
This morning? Oh, well, I've been up to the usual of late. Fan the Flame. Remodeling part of our house. And, oh yeah, more Fan the Flame. And being tired, sore and still slightly injured from basketball camp.
So, life is closing in on me. School is starting back up soon. Fan the Flame is in.....like 28 DAYS!!!!! FOUR WEEKS!!!! Do you know how soon that is? AAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
Well, I need to go plan some stuff for the video and such....so, if you'll excuse me, Fan the Flame is calling my name. Again.
This is what I've been eating....okay, just kidding.
So, lately, God's been hitting me upside the head...over and over. And over. Hard. If you want to know what, well...I won't go into detail. But, God convicted me of being "busy" for Him. But, do I pray constantly? Do I rejoice in all things? Do I not quench the Spirit? Am I thankful in all circumstances?
I'm not condemning serving God. I think that's an important part of your faith, and walk with God. But, there's more to it than that. You have to live like God is all that matters to you too. Otherwise...it's all worthless. Unless it's all His, who cares? Not me, and not Him.
I would really like it if all of you would pray for a friend of mine, Tara. She was riding her horse this afternoon, and it threw her. She's doing okay, but they think that she's broken both her wrists. They also think she may have a dislocated shoulder, and she has a bump on her head they want to check out.
Anyway, please, please pray for her! I'll let you know when I know more.
A Totally Random and Wonderful Tag- Like me, except minus the tag part.
Consume me, Lord. Make Yourself my One Passion.
A - Available
For dinner Saturday? Where?
B - Best Friend
Me mejor amigo es Jesus.
C - Crush
orange soda rocks my face off.
D - Dad's Name
Timothy
E - Easiest Person To Talk To
Uhhhh...myself?
F - Favorite Band
perhaps Decyfer Down, cause their new CD rocks my face off
G - Gummy Bears Or Worms?
Prolly bears, unless they're sour
H - Hometown?
Heaven, cept, I haven't been there yet.
I - Instrument
Mine? violin, or piano. or both. :P
J - Job
job??? what job?
K - Kids
are cool
L - Longest Car Ride
was really long
M - Milk Flavor
Well, milk flavor is definitely the flavor of milk. But, I don't like it, so I put chocolate in it.
N - Number Of Siblings
5....6, if you count my lovely sister in law. Which, I do. So, 6.
O - One Wish
is to have two more wishes.
P - Phobias
as in fears? hmm.
Q - Favorite saying
"The longer the night the more they long for the morning."
R - Reason To Smile
friends...they rock.
S - Song You Last Heard
actually, prolly Beauty and the Beast off my blog
T - Things you did this morning.
uhhh. sleep, then talk on phone, then clean room, then talk on phone again, then eat. Yay, I love eating.
U - Unknown Facts About Me
If I tell you, won't they be known? *sigh* Oh well.
My hair wasn't curly until I turned like...12. Now it's...curly.
I hate the color, and smell of mustard
V - Vegetables
are good for you.
W - Worst Habits
I've got many. :P Prolly procrastinating.
X - X-Rays You've Had
On my lungs, when I had pneumonia, on my arm when I sprained my wrist, on my head when I got braces....
Y - Your Favorite Food
is yummy. :P Okay, my favorite food is mexican stuff, although I also love french fries, pizza, and chicken alfredo. Yeah, really healthy, I know.
Z - Zebras or tigers?
are both vicious animals, right? Okay, so maybe not zebras.
This year I have the privelege of directing the VBS at our church. I'm still amazed that they let a 15 year old girl do it, but, it's a ton of fun, and I'm thoroughly enjoying it! But, yesterday, I was going through a box that came in the mail, sorting out the teacher's books and CDs, and posters, and figuring out what I *still* hadn't gotten.
All in all, I stressed myself out about it. Now, I don't stress out easily. I just don't. I get excited, hyper, or worried....but, I don't stress very often. And, I found myself wondering why I was stressing. I had just, a few days before, sent out an email to the teachers and people helping in VBS, saying that prayer was the only way that this VBS woud be a success. Trust me, I would know.
But, what is stress?
the relative prominence of a syllable or musical note (especially with regard to stress or pitch); "he put the stress on the wrong syllable" tension: (psychology) a state of mental or emotional strain or suspense; "he suffered from fatigue and emotional tension"; "stress is a vasoconstrictor" to stress, single out as important; "Dr. Jones emphasizes exercise in addition to a change in diet" special emphasis attached to something; "the stress was more on accuracy than on speed" put stress on; utter with an accent; "In Farsi, you accent the last syllable of each word" difficulty that causes worry or emotional tension; "she endured the stresses and strains of life"; "he presided over the economy during the period of the greatest stress and danger"- R.J.Samuelson try: test the limits of; "You are trying my patience!" (physics) force that produces strain on a physical body; "the intensity of stress is expressed in units of force divided by units of area" wordnet.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
The ones I put in bold are the definitions commonly thought of as stress. But, think about it from a spiritual perspective: What does God define stress as? I couldn't find a Biblical definition of stress, as such. But, what other words can be used for stress? Anxiety, burden, fear, misgiving, mistrust, nervousness, tension, worry. Does the Bible say anything about those? Yeah.
But, I want to focus on just one of those: mistrust. Ouch. Flinch. I need a Band-Aid over here!
Let me clarify what I just said. To stress out about something is to not trust God about it. What does the Bible say about trusting and not trusting God?
"Offer right sacrifices, and put your trust in the LORD." Psalms 4:5
"Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock." Isaiah 26:4
"Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!" Psalms 40:4
"For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name." Psalm 33:21
And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you." Psalms 9:10
Clearly, those who trust in God are blessed. Clearly, God desires us to trust Him completely.
So, stressing out about VBS isn't trusting God. So, I'm not gonna be blessed while I'm stressing?
I'm going to go one step further than that. Perhaps I'm stepping over the lines. But, I believe that not trusting God is sin. I believe that if we're stressing out, we're sinning.
Okay, so before you call me heretic, and decide that's just a little too close to home, think about it. Do you feel joyful stressing out? Do you feel like you are eminating Christ's love for us? Do you think Jesus would've stressed out?
I want to have a stress-free existence...and no, I'm not planning on moving and living in the middle of nowhere, with nothing to stress me out. Because, I'd find something to stress out about eventually. Don't think that you'll stop stressing out when such-and-such situation ends. Don't assume that eventually, you'll just mellow out, and stress will be a thing of the past.
Satan uses "stress" to attack us left and right, all day long. He beats us over the head with all the things we "have" to get done. I'm not advocating procastinating. I'm advocating trusting God with every ounce of your being....every area of your life.
But, back to that stress-free existence. Sounds pretty nice, huh? Well, it's possible. I'm planning on living stress-free for the rest of my life. I surrendered my life to God. So, really, it's not even mine to worry about. It doesn't make sense to worry about things not in your control, so I'm not going to. I'm going to trust Jesus, and rest in Him. Always.
And VBS? Well, I'll keep praying, and it'll get there.
