Forgiveness...

I was going to post about this past Sunday's sermon, but as I sat and listened to the sermon, I wondered what the topic was. This preacher was definitely all over the place, not quite as organized as the other preacher I have heard when I've gone to the Beachy church. So new topic :) Forgiveness.

This is a common theme in the Bible, knowing we must forgive those who have tresspassed against us in order to be forgiven by our heavenly Father is something most Christians are taught from a very young age. Forgiveness is a hard thing though, especially as we grow older. Remember when as young children if someone would do something to wrong us a minute later all was forgotten and we were friends again? God wants us to be like little children all the time, to be forgiving without a doubt, to be teachable and to follow what He says. How many times are we to forgive a fellow brother or sister in Christ? The Lord says "not seven times" but "seven times seventy" (Matthew 18:22). Now I don't believe God means that after we reach that number of times that we stop forgiving, I believe the point is that we never stop forgiving someone. As many times as they ask for forgiveness is how many times we should give it. As many times as someone wrongs us, whether or not they ask for forgiveness, is how many times we give it. There are no strings attached to the forgiveness which we receive from our Father, therefore, there should be no strings attached to the forgiveness that we give to another person.

What happens when we hold onto our feelings and do not forgive? The feeling of resentment eats away at our soul, nothing good will come of it. Yes, we may feel powerful over the other person being able to hold their mistake or wrong doing over their head, but that is not what we should do as Christians. We should immediately forgive the person and as many times as their actions come into our heads or hearts we need to forgive again. Forgiveness may not be a one time deal especially if the action really hurt us.

If you are feeling like you are not able to forgive at that moment, what must we do? We must pray and ask God for the strength to forgive the person and for our hearts to be directed to the right place for forgiveness to truly be issued to the person. Only God can give us the strength to forgive those actions which really truly hurt us. God knows our hearts. He knows if we refuse to forgive or if we are unable to at the moment. There is a difference. Unable means that you want to forgive but you do not have the strength to do it on your own. Refuse means that you are digging your heels in the sand and saying you will not forgive the person because of what they did to you. If your heart is not in the right place then there is no sense in saying that you forgive someone because God knows that you simply said the words rather than really truly forgiving the person.

Forgiveness is ordered by our Father, but our hearts must be right in order to truly forgive those who have wronged us.

Blessings in Christ,

Life Updates

I know I have been rather quiet once again. This time it is because I have been busy packing and getting ready to move. I have half my trunk packed and I'm not making my next trip until Wednesday. I am so used to going away to college where I am able to leave almost half my things behind at home, but I am not sure if I am able to do that this time, guess I should ask. My parents are not in agreement with my decision to move and my mom just told me that my room will be changing when I leave. Meaning...it's actually going to be clean! Lol. I have some OCD tendancies (as do most people) and the one that annoys my mom the most is my inability to stack things high. I make little piles, about a foot high, all around the walls in a room. I cannot stand anything being stacked higher than that, I work myself into a frenzy.

My goal for this trip is to get as much of the stuff that I know I want to take packed and fit into my car. My roommate's grandparents are also making a trip to bring us some furniture, so very nice of them. We got a brand new twin size at auction last week - oh my, auction was so much fun! It certainly got my adreneline pumping :) I don't think we'll be needing anything in the near future, but I might go to a local auction again just for the fun of it!

I have signed up for substitute teaching in the area and will be eligible after this Thursday when I have my orientation. I also need to decide by the end of the week if I want to go for my EMT-B license right now because the place I would take it at is ordering books next Monday. I am continuing to pray on it and am waiting to see what the Lord opens up for me.

Right now I am also going through a phase where I have an urge to "do" my hair instead of pulling it back into a bun like I have been. I don't cover at home out of respect for my parents - I believe this fuels my urge when I am at home. Plus when I am not home then I am around other sisters in Christ who cover and their hair is pulled back so it makes it less tempting to want to style my hair.

Anyway, I just wanted to give a short update. When I move I will not have internet in the apartment, but I do still plan to keep my blog and post when I go up to the library or the subway that has wi-fi.

Blessings in Christ,

Making Excuses...

I got back last Wednesday from a long(er) trip than I had expected. Church on Sunday was good. I have been attending a Beachy church on my last few trips and will probably continue to attend after I move. The preacher was talking about making excuses and how we just need to take responsibility for our actions and not make excuses. He said that his son when asked to help with the dishes one night responded "it's too hot"...which got a nice chuckle from the women's side of the church :) He went onto add that he had just placed a fan pointing in the direction of the kitchen sink and it was probably the coolest place in the house at that point. Seems that in the midst of making excuses to get out of something that we don't want to do, we may also be giving up something? There aren't many times in the Bible that excuses are used, but here are the references for the ones that the preacher gave.

- Genesis 3:12-13
- 1 Samuel 15
- Exodus 3:10-11
- Exodus 4:1, 10
- Exodus 32:2, 24
- Acts 24
- Luke 14:16-24
- Ezekiel 18:5-9, 20
- Luke 10:30-36
- Revelations 20:12

Thought I would share with you the message :)

Blessings in Christ,

To Live is Christ!

Today's Bible Verse of the Day is from Philippians 1:21 "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain". I absolutely love this verse and felt it necessary to keep this verse alive for more than one day!!

Blessings in Christ,

Bosom Friends on FF Website!

I was just told that one of my posts was included in a section called "Bosom Friends" on the Feelin' Feminine website. Check it out here along with the other posts from other women!!

Blessings in Christ,

Follow Your Heart...

I was reading an Amish fiction book the other day and the phrase "What does your heart say?" and "Follow your heart" kept jumping off the pages at me. It almost seemed that the book was placed in my hands at the right time. Which I am sure it was, but still, it amazes me that God can even place a fiction book in our hands and use that to aid in His work. I need to remind myself that God will provide for me no matter where I go, especially if it is in His plan for me. Following my heart is the easy part, it is dealing with the thoughts that go through my brain and the thoughts and beliefs of what is best for me from other people in my life that I am having a problem dealing with. On the otherhand, I think most everyone knows that if we don't follow our heart, we will forever regret our decision. Our brains often get in the way of our faith and therefore God's Will - we must do our very best to put those thoughts aside and truly follow our heart. That is where God's wants lie in us.

Blessings in Christ,

Changes...

So many changes are happening right now. The biggest one is that this morning I officially turned down the only full-time job offer I have ever had. Neither of my parents are in agreement, they knew it was going to happen because I told them I was giong to turn it down, they just don't know that it happened already this morning. Why would I do such a thing when I have student loans to pay back? I feel this is what the Lord wanted me to do -- I really feel that He is preparing me to move. In my heart, I know that this was the right thing to do, but in my head I'm calling myself names because I am going to have to work two part-time jobs in order to make enough money for my bills each month. On the otherhand, I will get to do what I want :) Substitute teaching and EMT-B! I have wanted to try my hand at EMT for a few years now but my parents say that it is a job that is beneath me. My view? I know it's going to be tough, demanding work, but I really want to try it. I feel like I will regret it if I do not try it, and so far the Lord has paved the way for both of these jobs for me.

I feel like the Lord is also telling me to move out of the area that I am currently living in. I feel He is pulling me towards a Mennonite community that I have been spending a bit of time in as of late and I am really hoping that it is what He wants. So far it appears it is because the two jobs I want to work at, I am eligible for both of them where I would move to. It is finding a place to stay now that I need to keep looking for and praying on.

Anyway, enough about that kind of stuff. Question: How do you feel about Bible Studies?

I have a friend who is against them because she was raised to not take part in them and the church that she was attending for a while before moving is against them. They have the view that you can alter a person's thinking too much with thoughts that do not directly come from God because the leader may interpret God's Word too much. My thinking? As long as I do not have to lead it or participate I will sit and listen and then make my own decisions. But I can see where the church is coming from that is against them...all too many times we can alter someone's thinking simply by adding our own interpretations to God's Word instead of letting God work in the person.

Today's scripture comes from Proverbs 3:5 (KJV) - "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding" and Psalm 48:14 (KJV) - "For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death."

Blessings in Christ,