The other day I was praying for a friend who is going through a tough time right now, and it reminded me of the hard time I recently came out of. Like literally just a few months ago. It has been the hardest thing I've ever gone through so far in my life, and it took a year to recover. For a year I was insecure, sad, and confused as to why God would let this happen to me. Why me?
A year.
But now? I'm grateful. I'm grateful for this experience because I learned so much. I learned a lot about relationships, I learned a lot about myself, I learned a lot about relating to others, but most of all, I learned that God is WAY bigger than all my problems.
And then I remembered this post I read from The Christian Wife Life a few months ago. If you've never checked out this blog before, do it now. Read every post. Ashley is an inspiring, Christian woman growing closer to God every day.
I strongly urge you to read her original post -- linked above -- but here is basically a summary of what she said.
Have you ever heard the saying "God will never give you more than you can handle"?
Ashley says that statement is misleading, and I completely agree. Personally, I think God has given me many things I can't handle. But despite that, I have always come out stronger on the other side. Not because I'm way tougher than I think, but because I have God on my side.
I think God gives us hard situations to remind us that we need to relinquish total control to Him. To remind us that nothing is too big for our God. To remind us that without Him, we are nothing, but with Him, we can do anything.
Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." It doesn't say, "I can do all things because I believe I can," which I think is the message that society often tries to send us.
I know for a fact I would not have been able to handle my year-long situation on my own. Heck, I wouldn't have been able to handle junior high on my own. But thankfully, I didn't have to do it alone.
Sometimes, life is going to go downhill. And then it's going to get better, and then it's going to get worse again. That's just how it works. But God is there for us no matter what we're going through, and we need to remember that. God helps us through the hard times and rejoices with us through the good. Our God is greater, stronger, and higher than any other and nothing can stop us for He is on our side.
"What then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?" Romans 8:31.
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label God. Show all posts
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Sunday, August 25, 2013
You Alone Can Rescue.
I know I exaggerate a lot, and so what I'm about to say will probably not mean much to you, but it's for real this time, y'all.
I almost died today.
It was a normal Sunday morning. I got up, got ready for church, and was in my car by 9:30 to arrive 15 minutes early for the 10:00 elementary girls' class that I help with.
I turned to the country music station because they do a top 40 countdown on Sundays. I backed out of my driveway, pulled out of my neighborhood, and got on the ramp to I-35.
I drove up the ramp, rocking out to Two Black Cadillacs by Carrie Underwood, I turned the corner -- freeway in sight -- and I felt my car start to drift to the right.
That's weird, I thought. I was driving straight and I knew my alignment wasn't off, so I wasn't sure why my car was veering to the right. So I lightly turned the wheel to the left to compensate.
But it went too far to the left. Which didn't make sense, because I had barely turned the wheel. I turned the wheel to the right -- again, lightly -- because I was in the far left lane and was getting closer and closer to the side of the ramp (which, by the way, was about 20 feet above the ground).
My car went even farther this time, taking me from the left shoulder to the far right lane (it was a two-lane ramp). As I veered closer to the far right side of the ramp (again, about 20 feet off the ground), I decided I was about to die. But I wasn't going to give up just yet.
I made one last left turn of the wheel to get away from the edge of the ramp and then slammed on my brakes. My car momentarily spun out of control before coming to a complete stop right in the middle of the two lanes.
My heart was racing and I couldn't really breathe, but I needed to get out of the middle of everything, so I very, very carefully pulled into the shoulder, turned on my flashers, and called for help (because I was NOT about to try driving again).
Thankfully, my mom was just about to leave for church, so she was able to come pick me up. My dad came by a little later to look at my car and move it into a parking lot where it would be safer.
I was late to church but I don't think anyone really cared about that when I had just narrowly escaped death.
The crazy part is this: when I turned the corner on the ramp, just seconds before my car TRIED TO KILL ME, there were cars all around me. When my car suddenly lost control, all the cars that had been near me had gotten ahead of me, and no one was behind me. The area was completely empty until I had made it safely to the shoulder. Once I was in the shoulder, there was pretty much a steady flow of traffic. I was all over the road; had there been anyone there, I would have absolutely hit them.
Had I hit the side of the ramp, there's a good chance I would have gone over the edge at the speed I was going at. I was incredibly close to hitting both sides, but in both cases was able to swerve back to the other side.
As I was sitting in our church service later, we sang the song You Alone Can Rescue. These are the words:
I almost died today.
It was a normal Sunday morning. I got up, got ready for church, and was in my car by 9:30 to arrive 15 minutes early for the 10:00 elementary girls' class that I help with.
I turned to the country music station because they do a top 40 countdown on Sundays. I backed out of my driveway, pulled out of my neighborhood, and got on the ramp to I-35.
I drove up the ramp, rocking out to Two Black Cadillacs by Carrie Underwood, I turned the corner -- freeway in sight -- and I felt my car start to drift to the right.
That's weird, I thought. I was driving straight and I knew my alignment wasn't off, so I wasn't sure why my car was veering to the right. So I lightly turned the wheel to the left to compensate.
But it went too far to the left. Which didn't make sense, because I had barely turned the wheel. I turned the wheel to the right -- again, lightly -- because I was in the far left lane and was getting closer and closer to the side of the ramp (which, by the way, was about 20 feet above the ground).
My car went even farther this time, taking me from the left shoulder to the far right lane (it was a two-lane ramp). As I veered closer to the far right side of the ramp (again, about 20 feet off the ground), I decided I was about to die. But I wasn't going to give up just yet.
I made one last left turn of the wheel to get away from the edge of the ramp and then slammed on my brakes. My car momentarily spun out of control before coming to a complete stop right in the middle of the two lanes.
My heart was racing and I couldn't really breathe, but I needed to get out of the middle of everything, so I very, very carefully pulled into the shoulder, turned on my flashers, and called for help (because I was NOT about to try driving again).
This was almost me.
Thankfully, my mom was just about to leave for church, so she was able to come pick me up. My dad came by a little later to look at my car and move it into a parking lot where it would be safer.
I was late to church but I don't think anyone really cared about that when I had just narrowly escaped death.
The crazy part is this: when I turned the corner on the ramp, just seconds before my car TRIED TO KILL ME, there were cars all around me. When my car suddenly lost control, all the cars that had been near me had gotten ahead of me, and no one was behind me. The area was completely empty until I had made it safely to the shoulder. Once I was in the shoulder, there was pretty much a steady flow of traffic. I was all over the road; had there been anyone there, I would have absolutely hit them.
Had I hit the side of the ramp, there's a good chance I would have gone over the edge at the speed I was going at. I was incredibly close to hitting both sides, but in both cases was able to swerve back to the other side.
As I was sitting in our church service later, we sang the song You Alone Can Rescue. These are the words:
"You alone can rescue, You alone can save
You alone can lift us from the grave
You came down to find us, led us out of death
To You alone belongs the highest praise."
I know that this song is technically talking about salvation and Jesus dying on the cross for us, but today I felt it had another meaning, because God literally rescued, saved, and led me out of death (or at least some severe injuries) this morning. And He definitely deserves the highest praise.
I wish I could credit my awesome driving/remaining-calm-in-a-crisis skills, but I can't. All glory goes to God on this one.
There is simply no other explanation.
Saturday, June 29, 2013
A Realization.
I recently came across this quote from a man named Gordon B. Hinckley. While I do not condone everything that this man believed, I find a lot of truth in this statement:
It started out with me thinking about all the times I've been unhappy with my life versus all the times I have been content. It was completely true: those times when I was feeling discouraged, sad, or unloved were times when I was focusing only on my own life and my problems. The times when I have been most happy have been times when I have focused on pouring into other people's lives.
I realized that, at least for me, I don't need to have everything I want in order to be happy. If I put my energy into thinking of other people, helping them however I can, and being happy for them, I forget to set aside time for worrying about my problems. I realized that I can be fully content by simply making a difference in someone else's life.
And that is why I want to be a teacher.
I could never really explain why I wanted to teach. I would always say it's because I love little kids, but I always knew there was something more than that. Now I understand: I want to get to know these future students of mine. I want to help them learn. I want to show them that they can be successful. I want to make a difference in their lives.
Everyone remembers their teachers. In my opinion, a teacher is probably one of the most influential professions there is. I'd even argue that they are more influential than motivational speakers.
When I was in junior high and even parts of high school, I thought I hated people. I honestly don't know why I thought that, but clearly I did not know myself. Because the truth is, I love people.
I have a love for people (specifically, children) and I want to use that love to help, to mentor, and to inspire. I want to pour all my time and energy into the lives of children so that they may see that they can accomplish something great. I want to teach. Because I know that even when times get stressful and hard and I just want to quit, one child's success will be enough to keep me going.
It may not pay a lot, but what is money compared to the genuine happiness that comes from serving others?
And that is why I want to be a teacher.
“Generally speaking, the most miserable people I know are those who are obsessed with themselves; the happiest people I know are those who lose themselves in the service of others…By and large, I have come to see that if we complain about life, it is because we are thinking only of ourselves.”I was thinking about this quote earlier, when it hit me: this is why I want to be a teacher.
It started out with me thinking about all the times I've been unhappy with my life versus all the times I have been content. It was completely true: those times when I was feeling discouraged, sad, or unloved were times when I was focusing only on my own life and my problems. The times when I have been most happy have been times when I have focused on pouring into other people's lives.
I realized that, at least for me, I don't need to have everything I want in order to be happy. If I put my energy into thinking of other people, helping them however I can, and being happy for them, I forget to set aside time for worrying about my problems. I realized that I can be fully content by simply making a difference in someone else's life.
And that is why I want to be a teacher.
This will be me, only with brown hair and probably not as nice of a classroom.
I could never really explain why I wanted to teach. I would always say it's because I love little kids, but I always knew there was something more than that. Now I understand: I want to get to know these future students of mine. I want to help them learn. I want to show them that they can be successful. I want to make a difference in their lives.
Everyone remembers their teachers. In my opinion, a teacher is probably one of the most influential professions there is. I'd even argue that they are more influential than motivational speakers.
When I was in junior high and even parts of high school, I thought I hated people. I honestly don't know why I thought that, but clearly I did not know myself. Because the truth is, I love people.
I have a love for people (specifically, children) and I want to use that love to help, to mentor, and to inspire. I want to pour all my time and energy into the lives of children so that they may see that they can accomplish something great. I want to teach. Because I know that even when times get stressful and hard and I just want to quit, one child's success will be enough to keep me going.
It may not pay a lot, but what is money compared to the genuine happiness that comes from serving others?
"No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." Matthew 6:24I don't need to worry about my problems because I know the Lord will take care of them. Happiness does not come from material possessions, but from the Lord and doing His work.
And that is why I want to be a teacher.
Thursday, February 14, 2013
True Love.
Happy Valentine's Day!
I know a lot of people hate this day, but I always get free chocolate and flowers on Valentine's Day, so I'm happy.
I saw someone posted this on Facebook today and I wanted to share it:
This Valentine's Day, whether you're spending it with someone you love or with a box of chocolates and Netflix (like me), let us not forget where true love really comes from: God.
God loved us so much that He sent His perfect and only son to come down from the Golden Streets of Heaven to the dirty roads of Earth, to die for the sinful hearts of man, so that man might live and spend eternity worshiping Him in Heaven.
If that's not love, then I don't know what is.
I know a lot of people hate this day, but I always get free chocolate and flowers on Valentine's Day, so I'm happy.
I saw someone posted this on Facebook today and I wanted to share it:
This Valentine's Day, whether you're spending it with someone you love or with a box of chocolates and Netflix (like me), let us not forget where true love really comes from: God.
God loved us so much that He sent His perfect and only son to come down from the Golden Streets of Heaven to the dirty roads of Earth, to die for the sinful hearts of man, so that man might live and spend eternity worshiping Him in Heaven.
If that's not love, then I don't know what is.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
30 Days of Thankfulness.
Lately my Facebook and Instagram feeds have been filled with posts detailing things that various people are thankful for. One thing that you're thankful for, once a day, for the entire month of November. Not sure where it started, but I kind of think it might be the female alternative to Movember/No Shave November.
November: The month of thankfulness and beards.*
*Important note: not to be confused with thankfulness FOR beards. No woman I know enjoys the barbaric appearance of the male gender during the month of November. Or any month. Keep that in mind, guys.
Anyway, I wanted to be thankful, too. But instead of posting one thing every day and adding yet another thing to read on your Facebook feed, I'm going to post all 30 at one time. Right here, where you can choose to read it now or later or not at all. And so, without further ado, 30 things I am thankful for.
1. The Lord Jesus Christ and everything that comes with believing in Him. I am a sinner. I deserve nothing more than death. Yet my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ decided that I (and everyone else on Earth) was worth a second chance. He came down here and died so I could live. He saved my life, and He saved yours too. As if that isn't great enough, all He asked in return is that I live my life for Him. And though sometimes I fail, he continues to be merciful and forgiving. I am so not worthy, yet He loves me anyway. And for that, I am eternally thankful.
2. My family. No matter how loud, crazy, weird, annoying, imperfect, and embarrassing they might be sometimes, I wouldn't trade them for anything.
3. My friends. I'm an only child. Because of this, my friends have always meant so much to me. My friends have acted as siblings to me my whole life, and I'm thankful that they love me and don't mind being in public with me even though they know how weird and crazy I am.
4. My church. My church is awesome, y'all. The sermons are always applicable and they're like, super good stuff. Everyone is welcoming and they make serving fun. I have created so many healthy relationships and am consistently furthering my walk with God through my church. I'm also grateful that I have a church to go to, because so many people in other countries don't. 'Merica.
5. America. Even though the president that I believe would have been best for this country lost the election, I am still grateful, because it could be a lot worse. The fact that there's really no country that would be better to go to says a lot. I'm proud to be an American.
That concludes the serious/main/long items. The next 25 will be much shorter and random.
6. This weather. High is 82 today. Right now it's 68. I'm currently (I probably won't be when I actually post this) sitting outside on my college campus because I had a bunch of time to kill after taking a test. The grass is green, the trees are changing color, the sky is clear, and the breeze is just right. I could stay here all day, but I have to go to work in about 45 minutes...
7. Work. My job. I have an awesome job at a fantastic company with great people. I love it. And though it's not what I ultimately want to end up doing with my life, having a job -- especially one that you love -- is such a great privilege these days and I'm going to hold on to it as long as I can.
8. The guy who is currently studying in the next tree over from me, because he provided me great entertainment for me as I watched him greatly struggle to climb the tree. I actually think he got stuck. Poor guy, but it did brighten my day.
9. The bee that has been buzzing around me for the past 20 minutes. He hasn't stung me yet. Thanks, little guy.
10. Ice cream. And sweets in general. My sweet tooth would seriously suffer if these things had never been invented.
11. My bed. If you have never laid on my bed...you're missing out. Everyone who has agrees that it is the most comfortable thing since yoga pants.
12. Yoga pants. Who invented these?! I must meet this genius.
13. The inventors of CLEP, DSSTs, and online college courses who are helping me obtain my college degree in just one year.
14. Thomas Edison State College, who accepts unlimited transfers and allows you to take online courses. Without TESC, I wouldn't be able to graduate this summer and/or have to move to New Jersey for a semester.
15. Sunsets and sunrises. Not only are they fun to watch, they're a great reminder of the Supreme Artist. God is so creative.
16. Summer. A break from school is always much needed after a long semester. And I do love warm weather.
17. Fall. Usually by the end of summer I'm ready for slightly cooler weather and fall clothes. And of course, Starbucks' salted caramel hot chocolate.
18. Music. Without music...I think I might die. I'm always listening to it. ALWAYS. I'm listening to it right now. I don't really know why I like music so much...I just do. It's a huge part of my life. And I'm thankful for it.
19. Children. Little kids have a tendency to make my day, no matter how bad it's been. I think they're cute and hilarious and I just love them.
20. My car. I would have problems getting places without it because my school is 30 minutes away from my house, and I go straight from work to school...and both my parents work, and there's really no one else who could take me. Also, I got a really nice car for a very affordable price. Also something to be thankful for.
21. Food. Mainly because I'm hungry right now.
22. Graphing calculators. Because as confusing as they are to me...I would not have passed calculus without one. (Though I might have done better if I knew what all the buttons did...)
23. Animals. I just love animals. Big, small, cute, ugly, indoor, outdoor, red fish, blue fish...you get the point. I would be lost without my pets. They mean the world to me.
24. Flexible professors, church leaders, and bosses who are willing to work with my busy schedule.
25. Laughter. I love laughing. I think it's the greatest thing since milkshakes. (Though I think laughing came first, so never mind). Imagine how much more boring the world would be without laughter.
26. Writing. Writing is my outlet. I turn to writing when I'm happy, sad, angry, embarrassed, nervous, scared, or excited. Imagine all that emotion bottled up inside me if I couldn't write...I would explode.
27. A house. This is in no particular order by the way. Because I'm definitely more grateful for a house than graphing calculators. But yeah. Really thankful I'm not living in a box on the street.
28. Crossword puzzles. A much more productive way to kill time than watching TV or staring at Facebook, because you learn things, too. It's a mini brain workout, and it's fun! Win-win.
29. Pop Tarts. One of the only ways I will eat breakfast, is if we have Pop Tarts. And my stomach greatly appreciates when we do.
30. Life. You know...I couldn't experience any of this if I didn't have life. If Jesus hadn't died for me, if my parents hadn't wanted me, if I was in a country where Christians are persecuted...yet here I am, alive. So many of us take it for granted when really it's probably the greatest privilege we're given. Go life.
And thus concludes my one day of 30 days of thankfulness.
What are you thankful for?
November: The month of thankfulness and beards.*
*Important note: not to be confused with thankfulness FOR beards. No woman I know enjoys the barbaric appearance of the male gender during the month of November. Or any month. Keep that in mind, guys.
Anyway, I wanted to be thankful, too. But instead of posting one thing every day and adding yet another thing to read on your Facebook feed, I'm going to post all 30 at one time. Right here, where you can choose to read it now or later or not at all. And so, without further ado, 30 things I am thankful for.
1. The Lord Jesus Christ and everything that comes with believing in Him. I am a sinner. I deserve nothing more than death. Yet my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ decided that I (and everyone else on Earth) was worth a second chance. He came down here and died so I could live. He saved my life, and He saved yours too. As if that isn't great enough, all He asked in return is that I live my life for Him. And though sometimes I fail, he continues to be merciful and forgiving. I am so not worthy, yet He loves me anyway. And for that, I am eternally thankful.
2. My family. No matter how loud, crazy, weird, annoying, imperfect, and embarrassing they might be sometimes, I wouldn't trade them for anything.
3. My friends. I'm an only child. Because of this, my friends have always meant so much to me. My friends have acted as siblings to me my whole life, and I'm thankful that they love me and don't mind being in public with me even though they know how weird and crazy I am.
4. My church. My church is awesome, y'all. The sermons are always applicable and they're like, super good stuff. Everyone is welcoming and they make serving fun. I have created so many healthy relationships and am consistently furthering my walk with God through my church. I'm also grateful that I have a church to go to, because so many people in other countries don't. 'Merica.
5. America. Even though the president that I believe would have been best for this country lost the election, I am still grateful, because it could be a lot worse. The fact that there's really no country that would be better to go to says a lot. I'm proud to be an American.
That concludes the serious/main/long items. The next 25 will be much shorter and random.
6. This weather. High is 82 today. Right now it's 68. I'm currently (I probably won't be when I actually post this) sitting outside on my college campus because I had a bunch of time to kill after taking a test. The grass is green, the trees are changing color, the sky is clear, and the breeze is just right. I could stay here all day, but I have to go to work in about 45 minutes...
Imagine sitting in the shade of a tree, in 70 degree weather, and this bliss surrounding you.
7. Work. My job. I have an awesome job at a fantastic company with great people. I love it. And though it's not what I ultimately want to end up doing with my life, having a job -- especially one that you love -- is such a great privilege these days and I'm going to hold on to it as long as I can.
8. The guy who is currently studying in the next tree over from me, because he provided me great entertainment for me as I watched him greatly struggle to climb the tree. I actually think he got stuck. Poor guy, but it did brighten my day.
9. The bee that has been buzzing around me for the past 20 minutes. He hasn't stung me yet. Thanks, little guy.
10. Ice cream. And sweets in general. My sweet tooth would seriously suffer if these things had never been invented.
11. My bed. If you have never laid on my bed...you're missing out. Everyone who has agrees that it is the most comfortable thing since yoga pants.
12. Yoga pants. Who invented these?! I must meet this genius.
13. The inventors of CLEP, DSSTs, and online college courses who are helping me obtain my college degree in just one year.
14. Thomas Edison State College, who accepts unlimited transfers and allows you to take online courses. Without TESC, I wouldn't be able to graduate this summer and/or have to move to New Jersey for a semester.
15. Sunsets and sunrises. Not only are they fun to watch, they're a great reminder of the Supreme Artist. God is so creative.
16. Summer. A break from school is always much needed after a long semester. And I do love warm weather.
17. Fall. Usually by the end of summer I'm ready for slightly cooler weather and fall clothes. And of course, Starbucks' salted caramel hot chocolate.
18. Music. Without music...I think I might die. I'm always listening to it. ALWAYS. I'm listening to it right now. I don't really know why I like music so much...I just do. It's a huge part of my life. And I'm thankful for it.
19. Children. Little kids have a tendency to make my day, no matter how bad it's been. I think they're cute and hilarious and I just love them.
20. My car. I would have problems getting places without it because my school is 30 minutes away from my house, and I go straight from work to school...and both my parents work, and there's really no one else who could take me. Also, I got a really nice car for a very affordable price. Also something to be thankful for.
21. Food. Mainly because I'm hungry right now.
22. Graphing calculators. Because as confusing as they are to me...I would not have passed calculus without one. (Though I might have done better if I knew what all the buttons did...)
23. Animals. I just love animals. Big, small, cute, ugly, indoor, outdoor, red fish, blue fish...you get the point. I would be lost without my pets. They mean the world to me.
24. Flexible professors, church leaders, and bosses who are willing to work with my busy schedule.
25. Laughter. I love laughing. I think it's the greatest thing since milkshakes. (Though I think laughing came first, so never mind). Imagine how much more boring the world would be without laughter.
26. Writing. Writing is my outlet. I turn to writing when I'm happy, sad, angry, embarrassed, nervous, scared, or excited. Imagine all that emotion bottled up inside me if I couldn't write...I would explode.
27. A house. This is in no particular order by the way. Because I'm definitely more grateful for a house than graphing calculators. But yeah. Really thankful I'm not living in a box on the street.
28. Crossword puzzles. A much more productive way to kill time than watching TV or staring at Facebook, because you learn things, too. It's a mini brain workout, and it's fun! Win-win.
29. Pop Tarts. One of the only ways I will eat breakfast, is if we have Pop Tarts. And my stomach greatly appreciates when we do.
30. Life. You know...I couldn't experience any of this if I didn't have life. If Jesus hadn't died for me, if my parents hadn't wanted me, if I was in a country where Christians are persecuted...yet here I am, alive. So many of us take it for granted when really it's probably the greatest privilege we're given. Go life.
And thus concludes my one day of 30 days of thankfulness.
What are you thankful for?
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
This is Not the Post You've Been Waiting For.
This is not a post about the training I went to last month.
I actually have that one written, but have not posted it yet because I was trying to obtain a video and have not yet been successful in that venture.
But honestly, a big part of that is because it hasn't been on my mind the past several days. I will preface with an analogy that I made up all by myself (please hold the applause):
For the past, oh...yearish, I've been on a crazy roller coaster. A crazy roller coaster with sky-scraping highs and rock bottom lows. I was on the highest peak of that roller coaster when the car came off the track, and fell to the lowest low that there ever was. And let me tell y'all, I hit the bottom HARD.
It was like the car, everyone in the car, and the entire structure of this year-long roller coaster came crashing down on top of me.
Y'all. I just came out of what was probably the hardest weekend of my life.
The hardest thing I've ever gone through.
And it's going to take awhile to recover.
I'm doing better. And I will continue to do better. And eventually it'll be like nothing was ever wrong. Time heals all wounds, but this wound's gonna need a lot of time.
I don't know what God has in store for me now. I thought I did but now I'm back to square one and I know nothing. And that's hard, because I like to know things.
I don't like surprises. I don't like change. This happens to be a surprise AND a change. Oh yay.
But regardless, I'm going to press on. I'm going to keep on living my life. No matter what happens, I'm going to keep trusting God. That He has a plan. That His plan is better than my plan.
Clearly, because God just basically took the schematics for my roller coaster and threw them in the trash. He showed me why my roller coaster would never work, and He had to tear it down so we could build a new one. A better one. Together.
These verses have kept me going the past couple days. If you're going through anything difficult right now--or even if you're not--I would encourage you to read them. They're good reminders for us all.
I put these verses up on my desk at work to keep me going. Cuz honestly, guys, work is hard right now. I can't focus because I have so much on my mind. I don't want to be there. But I'm trying. I'm really trying.
I long for normalcy. I long for simplicity. But my life isn't normal or simple. There's a good chance it will never be. But Jesus's life wasn't normal or simple either. I mean, His life was WAY less normal than mine...he was immortal for crying out loud. If that doesn't scream complicated I don't know what does.
He was crucified.
And then He came back to life.
Y'all. It doesn't get weirder than that.
Of course, that was Jesus and He can handle WAY more than a helpless human like myself can. But, I'm also dealing with way less than Him, AND I have Him to help me.
There's no reason I can't do this. None at all.
That's not to say I couldn't use prayer. If you think about it, include me. Include my family and my friends, too. And if you have anything you need prayer for right now, please let me know so I can return the favor.
At the beginning of the year, my best friend and I made a deal to make this year better than last year. Last year is gonna be really hard to top...but I'm still gonna try, despite all this.
I will have the summer training post up at some point. I'm not going to say when because I know it will probably happen sooner if I don't. :)
Oh, and as a random post script, one of the keys just fell off my keyboard. Awesome. I need a new laptop.
I actually have that one written, but have not posted it yet because I was trying to obtain a video and have not yet been successful in that venture.
But honestly, a big part of that is because it hasn't been on my mind the past several days. I will preface with an analogy that I made up all by myself (please hold the applause):
For the past, oh...yearish, I've been on a crazy roller coaster. A crazy roller coaster with sky-scraping highs and rock bottom lows. I was on the highest peak of that roller coaster when the car came off the track, and fell to the lowest low that there ever was. And let me tell y'all, I hit the bottom HARD.
It was like the car, everyone in the car, and the entire structure of this year-long roller coaster came crashing down on top of me.
Y'all. I just came out of what was probably the hardest weekend of my life.
The hardest thing I've ever gone through.
And it's going to take awhile to recover.
I'm doing better. And I will continue to do better. And eventually it'll be like nothing was ever wrong. Time heals all wounds, but this wound's gonna need a lot of time.
I don't know what God has in store for me now. I thought I did but now I'm back to square one and I know nothing. And that's hard, because I like to know things.
I don't like surprises. I don't like change. This happens to be a surprise AND a change. Oh yay.
But regardless, I'm going to press on. I'm going to keep on living my life. No matter what happens, I'm going to keep trusting God. That He has a plan. That His plan is better than my plan.
Clearly, because God just basically took the schematics for my roller coaster and threw them in the trash. He showed me why my roller coaster would never work, and He had to tear it down so we could build a new one. A better one. Together.
These verses have kept me going the past couple days. If you're going through anything difficult right now--or even if you're not--I would encourage you to read them. They're good reminders for us all.
"And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, who have been called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28
"Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." Proverbs 19:21
"Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed." 1 Peter 4:12-13
I put these verses up on my desk at work to keep me going. Cuz honestly, guys, work is hard right now. I can't focus because I have so much on my mind. I don't want to be there. But I'm trying. I'm really trying.
I long for normalcy. I long for simplicity. But my life isn't normal or simple. There's a good chance it will never be. But Jesus's life wasn't normal or simple either. I mean, His life was WAY less normal than mine...he was immortal for crying out loud. If that doesn't scream complicated I don't know what does.
He was crucified.
And then He came back to life.
Y'all. It doesn't get weirder than that.
Of course, that was Jesus and He can handle WAY more than a helpless human like myself can. But, I'm also dealing with way less than Him, AND I have Him to help me.
There's no reason I can't do this. None at all.
That's not to say I couldn't use prayer. If you think about it, include me. Include my family and my friends, too. And if you have anything you need prayer for right now, please let me know so I can return the favor.
At the beginning of the year, my best friend and I made a deal to make this year better than last year. Last year is gonna be really hard to top...but I'm still gonna try, despite all this.
I will have the summer training post up at some point. I'm not going to say when because I know it will probably happen sooner if I don't. :)
Oh, and as a random post script, one of the keys just fell off my keyboard. Awesome. I need a new laptop.
Friday, March 2, 2012
THE COOLEST THING EVER JUST HAPPENED.
So, this evening I was chilling with Jesus, you know, cuz He's my best friend, when the coolest thing ever happened.
I was doing a devotional, and the topic was about how God is always with us and with Him, we're never alone in anything that we do.
So I'm like halfway through this devotional when I realize what song I'm listening to.
Side note: Yes, I listen to music during my quiet times. Some people might find that distracting. I've actually found that music helps me focus better. Well, sometimes. But it doesn't hurt. And don't worry, I listen to worship music during quiet times. It seemed more appropriate than like, Eminem or something. ;)
Okay, so back to the song that I was listening to....
Wait for it...
Never Once by Matt Redman.
Which, if you don't know the song, the lyrics are:
"Never once did we ever walk alone. Never once did you leave us on our own. You are faithful, God, You are faithful."
:O
My mouth literally made an O. It's exactly what I was reading. And then BAM. There it was in song form. It was great.
I love moments like that. Those are the moments that remind me how awesome God really is.
I was doing a devotional, and the topic was about how God is always with us and with Him, we're never alone in anything that we do.
So I'm like halfway through this devotional when I realize what song I'm listening to.
Side note: Yes, I listen to music during my quiet times. Some people might find that distracting. I've actually found that music helps me focus better. Well, sometimes. But it doesn't hurt. And don't worry, I listen to worship music during quiet times. It seemed more appropriate than like, Eminem or something. ;)
Okay, so back to the song that I was listening to....
Wait for it...
Never Once by Matt Redman.
Which, if you don't know the song, the lyrics are:
"Never once did we ever walk alone. Never once did you leave us on our own. You are faithful, God, You are faithful."
:O
My mouth literally made an O. It's exactly what I was reading. And then BAM. There it was in song form. It was great.
I love moments like that. Those are the moments that remind me how awesome God really is.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
God is Good.
Great, actually.
Tuesday, I received some good news that my department at work (which consists of three people...haha) was going to be sent out to lunch at a nice restaurant today (Thursday) to celebrate the recent success of all our hard work. (It's been really paying off lately.)
We had several options of restaurants. All of them were really fancy and pretty expensive, but we ended up going to a place called Bailey's Prime Plus. Nicest restaurant I've ever been to. Not that I go to fancy restaurants all the time, but still.
It was so fancy, that the three of us felt like everything we did was wrong. The way we ate our food, the way we fawned over the chandeliers, the way we all one at a time went to go check out the bathroom, even the way we said "thank you" every time the waiter refilled our fancy stem glasses with ice-cold water. I'm sure he could tell we were new at this fancy dining thing. And I'm sure he laughed at us every time he went back into the kitchen. But who cares? We don't go to many restaurants like this. We were just basking in the bliss while we could.
Anyway, the food was amazing and the bathrooms had mouthwash. You know a restaurant is pretty classy when they have mouthwash in a soap dispenser and little cups in the bathroom for your breath-freshening pleasure.
And THEN, as if that all wasn't great enough, my supervisor pulls out two cards with our names on them. Inside was an encouraging card from three of our bosses (I guess that's the correct term...) telling us how awesome we are. And if you know me, you know how much I love stuff like that. I've saved like every card anyone's ever given me since like, 5th grade.
Oh, and did I mention there was a check inside? Yep, we got a bonus too. A pretty nice one. I'm about to make a run to the bank. ;)
I texted my mom to tell her about it, and guess what she texted me back?
Wow.
Just...wow.
That rocked my world. (Do people still use that phrase? Because I don't want to sound out of touch with my own generation...)
Thanks God (and Mom!). You never fail to come through for me when I need it most.
Tuesday, I received some good news that my department at work (which consists of three people...haha) was going to be sent out to lunch at a nice restaurant today (Thursday) to celebrate the recent success of all our hard work. (It's been really paying off lately.)
We had several options of restaurants. All of them were really fancy and pretty expensive, but we ended up going to a place called Bailey's Prime Plus. Nicest restaurant I've ever been to. Not that I go to fancy restaurants all the time, but still.
It was so fancy, that the three of us felt like everything we did was wrong. The way we ate our food, the way we fawned over the chandeliers, the way we all one at a time went to go check out the bathroom, even the way we said "thank you" every time the waiter refilled our fancy stem glasses with ice-cold water. I'm sure he could tell we were new at this fancy dining thing. And I'm sure he laughed at us every time he went back into the kitchen. But who cares? We don't go to many restaurants like this. We were just basking in the bliss while we could.
Anyway, the food was amazing and the bathrooms had mouthwash. You know a restaurant is pretty classy when they have mouthwash in a soap dispenser and little cups in the bathroom for your breath-freshening pleasure.
And THEN, as if that all wasn't great enough, my supervisor pulls out two cards with our names on them. Inside was an encouraging card from three of our bosses (I guess that's the correct term...) telling us how awesome we are. And if you know me, you know how much I love stuff like that. I've saved like every card anyone's ever given me since like, 5th grade.
Oh, and did I mention there was a check inside? Yep, we got a bonus too. A pretty nice one. I'm about to make a run to the bank. ;)
I texted my mom to tell her about it, and guess what she texted me back?
"I prayed that God would encourage you today. Guess He answered!"
Wow.
Just...wow.
That rocked my world. (Do people still use that phrase? Because I don't want to sound out of touch with my own generation...)
Thanks God (and Mom!). You never fail to come through for me when I need it most.
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Goodbye 2011. Hello 2012.
It's a new year. I hate that 2011 had to end, because I enjoyed it. A lot. It's gonna be hard to top. But I know God has some pretty spectacular things in store for 2012, and I can't wait to see what they are.
Please enjoy my top 5 moments of 2011. (Click on the photos to read the story behind them...I got all techy and figured out that you can put links into photos. I found this exciting.)
5. My mission trip to Canada.
As far as new year's resolutions go, my resolution is not to have any. And that's not because there's nothing I can change about myself or whatever. It's because every year I write them down somewhere, forget about them until New Year's Eve, then I go to look at them to see if I happened to accomplish any of them, and I can't find them anywhere. Sooo obviously that method doesn't work for me. haha
Hope everyone had a fabulous new year, as I did. Drop me a comment and tell me your favorite memory from 2011, what you're looking forward to in 2012, or your new year's resolutions. I'd love to hear it!
Here's to 2012, and may God bring you the best in this new year!
Please enjoy my top 5 moments of 2011. (Click on the photos to read the story behind them...I got all techy and figured out that you can put links into photos. I found this exciting.)
5. My mission trip to Canada.
Note: I never wrote an official blog post on this, but the link that's there will have to suffice.
4. Buying a car.
Another note: I also never wrote an official blog post on this, so the link for this one will show up again.
3. Seeing my childhood best friend for the first time in 5 years.
2. My 18th birthday party.
1. Christmas.
Another thing that I didn't have a blog post or really a picture for, but was definitely a highlight, was all the new friendships I made. Not new friends. New friendships. I didn't really make any new friends this year, but I did get a lot closer to several existing friends. That was definitely a highlight of the past year, because having friends who I trust and who I know will always be there for me is priceless. I thank God for putting these amazing people in my life. :-)
Okay, now on to 2012!
Here are some things I am looking forward to this year:
- GRADUATION.
- LOTS of 18th birthdays.
- (Hopefully) Making it through half of my college sophomore year.
- Senior trip!
- Summer. I have no plans yet, I just love summer. :-)
- Getting to vote!!
- Buying a new laptop. Hopefully a Mac.
- The end of the world.
- Okay, not really. I just had to put that one in there.
- GRADUATION.
- Anything else that God has in store for me this coming year.
- Oh, and graduation.
As far as new year's resolutions go, my resolution is not to have any. And that's not because there's nothing I can change about myself or whatever. It's because every year I write them down somewhere, forget about them until New Year's Eve, then I go to look at them to see if I happened to accomplish any of them, and I can't find them anywhere. Sooo obviously that method doesn't work for me. haha
Hope everyone had a fabulous new year, as I did. Drop me a comment and tell me your favorite memory from 2011, what you're looking forward to in 2012, or your new year's resolutions. I'd love to hear it!
Here's to 2012, and may God bring you the best in this new year!
Monday, October 17, 2011
It's Just Like Christmas.
I'm waiting.
I'm trying to be patient, but sometimes it's just really hard.
In fact, it's hard just about all the time.
Not just hard. Difficult.
It doesn't seem fair. I didn't do anything wrong. Why do I have to wait? This feels like punishment.
Sometimes, I want to give in. Stop waiting around. Move on with my life, and not have to constantly be dwelling on the pain caused by the lingering pace at which the thing I want comes to me.
But then I remember...it's worth waiting for.
I remember...God has a plan.
I remember...there's a reason I have to wait.
It must not be ready for me yet.
Who wants to eat a half-cooked meal? Who wants to live in a half-built house? All the same, who wants to open a gift that's only half-ready?
Not me.
I feel like the gift is perfect as it is. Yet it hasn't been given to me. I am not the giver; therefore, I cannot know when the gift is ready.
I hate waiting.
But I know there's a reason I must.
Trusting in You, Lord.
I'm trying to be patient, but sometimes it's just really hard.
In fact, it's hard just about all the time.
Not just hard. Difficult.
It doesn't seem fair. I didn't do anything wrong. Why do I have to wait? This feels like punishment.
Sometimes, I want to give in. Stop waiting around. Move on with my life, and not have to constantly be dwelling on the pain caused by the lingering pace at which the thing I want comes to me.
But then I remember...it's worth waiting for.
I remember...God has a plan.
I remember...there's a reason I have to wait.
It must not be ready for me yet.
Who wants to eat a half-cooked meal? Who wants to live in a half-built house? All the same, who wants to open a gift that's only half-ready?
Not me.
I feel like the gift is perfect as it is. Yet it hasn't been given to me. I am not the giver; therefore, I cannot know when the gift is ready.
I hate waiting.
But I know there's a reason I must.
Trusting in You, Lord.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
A Once Beating Heart.
(This is a poem I wrote today. I'm not the best poet, but I wanted to share it anyway.)
-----
There's a hole in my heart needs mending
It longs for a love unending
But a wound this deep is hard to heal
For it bears all the weight of its rending
The incomparable pain my heart feels
The sensation is so surreal
My heart carries the burden which
My outward disguise won't reveal
There's only one remedy for heartache like this
Only One with love deep enough for the stitch
His love is enough for my poor, broken heart
Lord, my heart is now yours to fix
He fills what was empty, a Master of art
He pieces together what was torn apart
When He is finished, the beat does impart
At last, I'm refreshed, ready for a new start
-----
There's a hole in my heart needs mending
It longs for a love unending
But a wound this deep is hard to heal
For it bears all the weight of its rending
The incomparable pain my heart feels
The sensation is so surreal
My heart carries the burden which
My outward disguise won't reveal
There's only one remedy for heartache like this
Only One with love deep enough for the stitch
His love is enough for my poor, broken heart
Lord, my heart is now yours to fix
He fills what was empty, a Master of art
He pieces together what was torn apart
When He is finished, the beat does impart
At last, I'm refreshed, ready for a new start
Thursday, September 29, 2011
This Is My Prayer.
Dear Lord,
Give me strength. Give me hope. Give me peace. Give me an understanding of why things must be this way, or at least give me faith in You and Your plan.
Help me be happier. Help me not feel so helpless, so empty. Help me trust you.
Fill me with Your spirit, Lord. Fill me with Your light. Let me shine for you. Let me believe in you. Let me know that everything will work out, that everything happens for a reason.
There is so much going on now, Lord, that might seem small to others, but is extremely hard for me. I hate feeling like this. I miss the way things used to be. I miss the innocence and ignorance I had when I was a child. I miss how simple things used to be. I don't understand now, but I pray that You'll make it clear to me when the time is right.
Teach me, Lord. Teach me to be humble. Teach me to be grateful. Teach me to be appreciative. Teach me to give to others that which I do not have. Teach me whatever lesson You are trying to teach me. I am eager and ready to learn.
Give me courage. Give me wisdom. Give me a desire to honor You.
I hope this isn't asking too much. All I want is to learn, to understand, to trust, and to do what is right. But to do that, I need fearlessness. I need selflessness. I need humility. I need You.
I will never get anywhere without You.
Amen.
Give me strength. Give me hope. Give me peace. Give me an understanding of why things must be this way, or at least give me faith in You and Your plan.
Help me be happier. Help me not feel so helpless, so empty. Help me trust you.
Fill me with Your spirit, Lord. Fill me with Your light. Let me shine for you. Let me believe in you. Let me know that everything will work out, that everything happens for a reason.
There is so much going on now, Lord, that might seem small to others, but is extremely hard for me. I hate feeling like this. I miss the way things used to be. I miss the innocence and ignorance I had when I was a child. I miss how simple things used to be. I don't understand now, but I pray that You'll make it clear to me when the time is right.
Teach me, Lord. Teach me to be humble. Teach me to be grateful. Teach me to be appreciative. Teach me to give to others that which I do not have. Teach me whatever lesson You are trying to teach me. I am eager and ready to learn.
Give me courage. Give me wisdom. Give me a desire to honor You.
I hope this isn't asking too much. All I want is to learn, to understand, to trust, and to do what is right. But to do that, I need fearlessness. I need selflessness. I need humility. I need You.
I will never get anywhere without You.
Amen.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
The Little Things.
Almost two years ago now, I was having one of the worst months of my life. Nothing seemed to be going right. I hated school. I hated volleyball. I didn't even enjoy going to church, and I felt as if none of my friends wanted to be around me anymore. I was seriously considering quitting all of it: volleyball, church, everything. I couldn't take it anymore. The pressure was too much, and I was too depressed to deal with it.
A small box changed all of that.
It was about a week before my 16th birthday, and I received a package in the mail. I opened it up, and inside was a birthday card from an anonymous sender and a bag of my favorite candy.
Instantly, I had hope. Hope for tomorrow. Hope that things would get better. And guess what? They did--all because of an anonymous birthday gift. It brightened not just my day, but my whole life. I was ready to give things a second chance.
I've taken away two things from this experience. One, God put amazing people in my life who truly do love and care about me. Before receiving this package, I felt like I had no friends. After receiving the package, I knew that I did.
The other thing this experience taught me is that my problems are NOT too big for God. This is blatantly proven whenever He sends us happiness in small packages. Two years ago, I felt like no one could understand me and that nothing would solve my problems. I'm pretty sure God just laughed at me, because He turned around and sent me a package of Jolly Ranchers and instantly made me forget everything. Believe me, if something as small and simple as candy can solve my problems, then God definitely can.
I never would have imagined I would learn all that from a bag of candy.
So, I encourage you to never take the little things for granted. Because sometimes, it's the little things in life that teach us our most valuable lessons.
A small box changed all of that.
It was about a week before my 16th birthday, and I received a package in the mail. I opened it up, and inside was a birthday card from an anonymous sender and a bag of my favorite candy.
Instantly, I had hope. Hope for tomorrow. Hope that things would get better. And guess what? They did--all because of an anonymous birthday gift. It brightened not just my day, but my whole life. I was ready to give things a second chance.
I've taken away two things from this experience. One, God put amazing people in my life who truly do love and care about me. Before receiving this package, I felt like I had no friends. After receiving the package, I knew that I did.
The other thing this experience taught me is that my problems are NOT too big for God. This is blatantly proven whenever He sends us happiness in small packages. Two years ago, I felt like no one could understand me and that nothing would solve my problems. I'm pretty sure God just laughed at me, because He turned around and sent me a package of Jolly Ranchers and instantly made me forget everything. Believe me, if something as small and simple as candy can solve my problems, then God definitely can.
I never would have imagined I would learn all that from a bag of candy.
So, I encourage you to never take the little things for granted. Because sometimes, it's the little things in life that teach us our most valuable lessons.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Fact: Life is Unfair.
"But that's not fair."
"Life isn't fair. Get over it."
Sound familiar? Chances are, every time you've complained about something being unfair in your life, someone has responded by saying "life isn't fair."
But I can't get over it that easily.
Sure, life isn't fair. But that doesn't make it okay to treat people unfairly.
One of my top five strengths is consistency, which means I like everyone to be treated equal. Fairness is a huge issue for me. I'm also a high J, meaning I like justice and order. I cannot stand it when things aren't fair.
Some examples of unfairness that everyone faces:
Honestly, there's a lot going on in my life right now that just doesn't seem fair or right to me. And it's not. It's not just me feeling sorry for myself. It's truly wrong.
But, the truth is, it may not be right, but there's really nothing I can do about it. Every single unfair situation that I'm facing at the moment is completely out of my hands. I just have to trust God and my leaders that everything will work out right in the end.
I keep having to tell myself to keep holding on. That I'm not a quitter. Because sometimes, when you're being treated beyond unfairly, you want to do just that: quit. But the important thing is to stick it out and keep a positive attitude. Hope for the best. Support the other people involved. Pray for the strength and courage to move on. Because we're not in control of how we're treated, but we are in control of how we respond.
And if we choose to respond rightly, we will be rewarded in Heaven.
"You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." ~Hebrews 10:36
"Life isn't fair. Get over it."
Sound familiar? Chances are, every time you've complained about something being unfair in your life, someone has responded by saying "life isn't fair."
But I can't get over it that easily.
Sure, life isn't fair. But that doesn't make it okay to treat people unfairly.
One of my top five strengths is consistency, which means I like everyone to be treated equal. Fairness is a huge issue for me. I'm also a high J, meaning I like justice and order. I cannot stand it when things aren't fair.
Some examples of unfairness that everyone faces:
- Working hard for something, then having it taken away from you for no reason.
- Being good at something, and not being recognized for it.
- Having someone not as good as you at something receive more recognition for it (or even the same amount).
- People having things handed to them while you are stuck working for what you want.
- Suffering the consequences of someone else's mistake.
- Having people less deserving than you receive the same privilege as you.
- Listening to people who have it way easier than you complain about how tough their life is.
Honestly, there's a lot going on in my life right now that just doesn't seem fair or right to me. And it's not. It's not just me feeling sorry for myself. It's truly wrong.
But, the truth is, it may not be right, but there's really nothing I can do about it. Every single unfair situation that I'm facing at the moment is completely out of my hands. I just have to trust God and my leaders that everything will work out right in the end.
I keep having to tell myself to keep holding on. That I'm not a quitter. Because sometimes, when you're being treated beyond unfairly, you want to do just that: quit. But the important thing is to stick it out and keep a positive attitude. Hope for the best. Support the other people involved. Pray for the strength and courage to move on. Because we're not in control of how we're treated, but we are in control of how we respond.
And if we choose to respond rightly, we will be rewarded in Heaven.
"You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." ~Hebrews 10:36
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Go Until You Can't. Then Keep Going.
Perseverance.
So many things come to mind when I hear that word.
Enduring. Sticking with it, even when it's hard. Running until you can no longer walk. Pressing on, no matter how tough the situation. Trusting in God, even when your life is completely and utterly falling apart.
I play volleyball. I love volleyball. I'm not serious about volleyball. I play it for fun. I play it simply to play. I have no intention of being the next Misty May-Treanor. I have no intention of playing in college. Honestly, I don't even care if we lose every game in the season. I love playing, and nothing is going to take that love away from me.
However, the downside to not being competitive with a sport is that it makes quitting that much easier. If you take it seriously, you won't quit for anything. In fact, you might even overwork yourself to get better. When you play for fun, you typically only do the bare minimum of work required, because the sport means nothing to you. As long as you're playing, you're happy. Even if you suck.
So, when someone, such as a coach, pushes you really hard to make you a better player, it's hard to endure. Why should you exert yourself to get better at something you don't even care about? Sometimes, it's easier to just say "I quit."
We are supposed to do everything with excellence. Even if we don't like it. Even if we don't care about it. In everything, we are called to do the best we can. If you hold that as a value in your life, then it is pretty obvious that perseverance is more important than comfort.
This isn't to say you should be perfect every time. Am I a perfect volleyball player? Far from it. The truth is, everyone is going to have their days. All you can do is try your best. Some days, your best may not be as good as other days. That's okay. The most important thing is that you try. You give it your all, no matter what. You work to become a stronger player. You may not invest as much time as others, and that's okay, too. But giving up should never be an option.
I hate quitters. Okay, hate is a strong word. But I can't stand it when people quit. Seriously, get a little perseverance, people! Do you know how many times I've wanted to quit volleyball because it got too hard for uncompetitive me? Like, 132,098,876. At least. Yet I never have. And I've never regretted it. And I continue to play every year. In fact, I'm going into my seventh (and final) year now.
I'm proud of myself for sticking with it. It's been hard. Almost too hard, at some times. (For me at least...I'm pretty weak and don't have a high level of endurance, so things get hard for me pretty quick). But the truth is, I love volleyball. Nothing, not even an hour of those horrifyingly painful ab workouts or having to run for 10 minutes straight with a pulled calf muscle, can change that. Perseverance is part of the sport, and if you can master that part, you won't regret it. You'll have fun and be made a better player. Double win.
But don't get me wrong, that may be a double win, but winning is definitely not the most important thing. It's fun, yes. It's preferable, yes. But losing is not the end of the world. I promise.
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-24
P.S. I use the example of volleyball here, but this post applies to everything in life. School work. Your job. Your chores. Life in general. Everything.
P.P.S. We had our first volleyball game tonight, and won! All the girls did awesome--they definitely played with excellence. I'm looking forward to the rest of the season! :-)
So many things come to mind when I hear that word.
Enduring. Sticking with it, even when it's hard. Running until you can no longer walk. Pressing on, no matter how tough the situation. Trusting in God, even when your life is completely and utterly falling apart.
I play volleyball. I love volleyball. I'm not serious about volleyball. I play it for fun. I play it simply to play. I have no intention of being the next Misty May-Treanor. I have no intention of playing in college. Honestly, I don't even care if we lose every game in the season. I love playing, and nothing is going to take that love away from me.
However, the downside to not being competitive with a sport is that it makes quitting that much easier. If you take it seriously, you won't quit for anything. In fact, you might even overwork yourself to get better. When you play for fun, you typically only do the bare minimum of work required, because the sport means nothing to you. As long as you're playing, you're happy. Even if you suck.
So, when someone, such as a coach, pushes you really hard to make you a better player, it's hard to endure. Why should you exert yourself to get better at something you don't even care about? Sometimes, it's easier to just say "I quit."
We are supposed to do everything with excellence. Even if we don't like it. Even if we don't care about it. In everything, we are called to do the best we can. If you hold that as a value in your life, then it is pretty obvious that perseverance is more important than comfort.
This isn't to say you should be perfect every time. Am I a perfect volleyball player? Far from it. The truth is, everyone is going to have their days. All you can do is try your best. Some days, your best may not be as good as other days. That's okay. The most important thing is that you try. You give it your all, no matter what. You work to become a stronger player. You may not invest as much time as others, and that's okay, too. But giving up should never be an option.
I hate quitters. Okay, hate is a strong word. But I can't stand it when people quit. Seriously, get a little perseverance, people! Do you know how many times I've wanted to quit volleyball because it got too hard for uncompetitive me? Like, 132,098,876. At least. Yet I never have. And I've never regretted it. And I continue to play every year. In fact, I'm going into my seventh (and final) year now.
I'm proud of myself for sticking with it. It's been hard. Almost too hard, at some times. (For me at least...I'm pretty weak and don't have a high level of endurance, so things get hard for me pretty quick). But the truth is, I love volleyball. Nothing, not even an hour of those horrifyingly painful ab workouts or having to run for 10 minutes straight with a pulled calf muscle, can change that. Perseverance is part of the sport, and if you can master that part, you won't regret it. You'll have fun and be made a better player. Double win.
But don't get me wrong, that may be a double win, but winning is definitely not the most important thing. It's fun, yes. It's preferable, yes. But losing is not the end of the world. I promise.
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-24
P.S. I use the example of volleyball here, but this post applies to everything in life. School work. Your job. Your chores. Life in general. Everything.
P.P.S. We had our first volleyball game tonight, and won! All the girls did awesome--they definitely played with excellence. I'm looking forward to the rest of the season! :-)
Friday, July 22, 2011
Welcome Home.
Day after day, time after time
Nothing seemed to be going right
I'd try to be happy but always would fail
The happiness always was just a thin veil
I searched and searched but never could find
The missing piece to my peace of mind
So once again, I'd wear my mask
And lie through my smile if anyone asked
I needed help, so finally, I cried
And when I did, You opened my eyes
You showed me exactly where I went wrong
And where my happiness had gone
So I'm making some long-needed changes, at last
I'm setting a fire to the bridge of my past
And I'm burning the ashes--there's no turning back
To the haunting ghost of the life I now lack
I'm letting You in as I should have before
I never meant to lock the door
And I'm giving You complete control
Over my mind, my heart, and my soul
I'm ready to follow wherever you go
So, come on in, Lord! Welcome home.
Nothing seemed to be going right
I'd try to be happy but always would fail
The happiness always was just a thin veil
I searched and searched but never could find
The missing piece to my peace of mind
So once again, I'd wear my mask
And lie through my smile if anyone asked
I needed help, so finally, I cried
And when I did, You opened my eyes
You showed me exactly where I went wrong
And where my happiness had gone
So I'm making some long-needed changes, at last
I'm setting a fire to the bridge of my past
And I'm burning the ashes--there's no turning back
To the haunting ghost of the life I now lack
I'm letting You in as I should have before
I never meant to lock the door
And I'm giving You complete control
Over my mind, my heart, and my soul
I'm ready to follow wherever you go
So, come on in, Lord! Welcome home.
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