"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for wholeness and not for evil, to give you a hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11
For as long as I can remember, this verse has been one of my favorites. I wish I could remember the first time I heard it, but I can't. All I know though is that this verse probably has had the most impact on me. I have it in my room multiple times to always remind me and its also hanging next to a picture of me in our family kitchen. Every time I read it or hear it read, I have this overwhelming peace upon. God has a plan for me. Me, one of many many children of God. He has my next minute, my next hour, my next year, and my next ten years already set in stone. He knows what good will happen and what bad will happen or even if they will happen at all. Wow. He's amazing.
I was reminded of how powerful this verse is this week at practice one day. Coach always has a thought of the day where he uses a quote or a verse to start off pratice on a good note. On this praticular day, he pulled Jeremiah 29:11 out to use. I was so happy he did because I love hearing different people's perspecive on this verse. I obvioulsy loved what he talked about or else I would not be using it as a blog entry. (It's hard to put his words into my own words so I'll try my best.) He just talked about how some of us may not know what the future holds for us. We just know right now we were placed on this (Bethel's) basketball team for a reason. The reason may not be obvious quite yet, but one day we will look back and be thankful we were part of it. For some of us, we may only be part of the team for a short while, while others may be part of it all four years of college. Others may be faced with an injury right now and wonder why they have to overcome this injury right now in their life. He drew this all back to say that God has a plan for each and everyone of us and no two people's are the same. He challenged us that day to instead of thinking why does this have to happen to me, but rather thinking why not? Why not me? I should be happy whenever I am faced with a challenge because He knows we will make it through it as long as we look to Him for help. The challenge will be no challenge with Him as our side kick. I know that part of my plan is to be part of the basketball team at Bethel especially for that day so that I could hear Coach speak and to hear his challenge of asking why not instead of why. If that is one part of His plan, what else does it hold?
Sometimes I will be thinking and I will think, "Am I doing the right thing? Am I doing what God has called me to do?" Lately I have really been wondering, am I suppose to be a teacher. And truly I don't know. Every time I think along these lines, Jeremiah 29:11 instantly pops in my head. "For I know the plans I have for you, delcares the Lord..." He knows the plan even when I do not. He is the one in control. I am not. His plans are better. Mine are not. He is greater. I am not. All I need to do is follow Jeremiah 29:12,13. They say, "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me. When you seek me with all your heart." If I seek Him with every ounce of my heart, His plans will become eveident. If I pray and ask Him what He wants me to do, His plans will become evident.
As much as I and many others want to know what tommorow holds, only One person does. One day everything will make sense, but until then all we can do is seek after God and follow the plan He sets in front of us. Just know that no matter how lost in life you may seem, God has a plan for you. It will be unexpected and He will ask you to do crazy things, but if you want to glorify Him, you'll be happy to do them.
"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord.."
Part of your plan was to read this. Part of my plan was to write this.
He has a plan. Remember that.
:)
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
Love.
My mom loves me. My dad loves me. My brother loves me. My grandma loves me. My grandpa loves me. My friends love me. And I love them all back. Some I love more because I have known them longer, but I still love them. But not one of those people loves me as much as one person. And His name is Jesus Christ. His love surpasses any of them. What person dies on the cross, scarficing the rest of His life for me? Me, a young girl who has no idea what the future holds.
I have sinned. We all have sinned. He still loves me. I ask for forgiveness and then sin again. Yet, He still loves me. How does He do that, I will never know.
Something that I have been thinking about so much lately is there is nothing, nothing at all that I could do that would make Him love me less than what He already does. It is hard for us as humans to love people after they betray us or treat us unkindly. I struggle with that all the time. Someone may hurt me or treat me unfairly and I wish they were out of my life. God is the total opposite. Someone may hurt Him or treat Him unfairly, yet He is still going to love them just as much as He did before they hurt Him. I wish it was humanly possible to do that. As hard as I may try to love every single person I come upon, it will never be possible or close enough to God's standards.
As I am writing this one verse keeps popping up in my head because I think it is a message from Him to share it with you. "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, or heights nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to sperate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:37-39 N.O.T.H.I.N.G nothing, nothing, nothing! can ever pull us away from God's love. How awesome is that? So awesome is my response. I get so excited every time I read this verse. My God is so great, He is going to love me through all the faults I have. Somedays when I feel like no one is there, I know God is and He is loving me every single moment.
I am sure many of you have heard the song "How He Loves Us". My favorite version is by the David Crowder Band. Just how they sing it, just shows how much they really believe in His love for us. I love how it just repeats so much "oh how He loves us, oh how He loves us". Thats all you really need to here, just to know He loves you and me oh soo much. Also in the song it says "loves like a hurricane" refering to how big the love is. And"great your affections are for me". Amzaing words, but it only gets better from there. Probably one of my favorite parts is when it says "i relize just how beautiful you are". So many times I have come to realize just how beautiful He is through the things He teaches me or the "rewards" He provides me with. He is so beautiful and I can't wait to see the beauty in person. The best part of this song is probably when it says, "I don't have time to maintain these regreats when I think about the way He love us". The regrets I make in life that disobey Him, I have to learn to forget about them because Jesus still loves me despite them. How stinkin' awesome?!?
How is it possible for one person to love me so much more than I deserve. It must be because it is only possible for one person, God.
I like to leave you with one last thought.
Love isn't just what God does, it is who God is.
He is love.
Thank goodness.
<3
I have sinned. We all have sinned. He still loves me. I ask for forgiveness and then sin again. Yet, He still loves me. How does He do that, I will never know.
Something that I have been thinking about so much lately is there is nothing, nothing at all that I could do that would make Him love me less than what He already does. It is hard for us as humans to love people after they betray us or treat us unkindly. I struggle with that all the time. Someone may hurt me or treat me unfairly and I wish they were out of my life. God is the total opposite. Someone may hurt Him or treat Him unfairly, yet He is still going to love them just as much as He did before they hurt Him. I wish it was humanly possible to do that. As hard as I may try to love every single person I come upon, it will never be possible or close enough to God's standards.
As I am writing this one verse keeps popping up in my head because I think it is a message from Him to share it with you. "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, or heights nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to sperate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 8:37-39 N.O.T.H.I.N.G nothing, nothing, nothing! can ever pull us away from God's love. How awesome is that? So awesome is my response. I get so excited every time I read this verse. My God is so great, He is going to love me through all the faults I have. Somedays when I feel like no one is there, I know God is and He is loving me every single moment.
I am sure many of you have heard the song "How He Loves Us". My favorite version is by the David Crowder Band. Just how they sing it, just shows how much they really believe in His love for us. I love how it just repeats so much "oh how He loves us, oh how He loves us". Thats all you really need to here, just to know He loves you and me oh soo much. Also in the song it says "loves like a hurricane" refering to how big the love is. And"great your affections are for me". Amzaing words, but it only gets better from there. Probably one of my favorite parts is when it says "i relize just how beautiful you are". So many times I have come to realize just how beautiful He is through the things He teaches me or the "rewards" He provides me with. He is so beautiful and I can't wait to see the beauty in person. The best part of this song is probably when it says, "I don't have time to maintain these regreats when I think about the way He love us". The regrets I make in life that disobey Him, I have to learn to forget about them because Jesus still loves me despite them. How stinkin' awesome?!?
How is it possible for one person to love me so much more than I deserve. It must be because it is only possible for one person, God.
I like to leave you with one last thought.
Love isn't just what God does, it is who God is.
He is love.
Thank goodness.
<3
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Life. Is. Crazy.
Let's just say sometimes life is crazy. And right now, my life is crazy. It's a new semester, which includes new classes, a new schedule, and new people. Now you will come to find out I am not good with change and many times get very stressed. The first few days of classes where we go over what will be covered and what will be expected, those are nothing, but after that the real class starts.
I was super excited about my new classes this semester. There were more that had to do with my major, elementary education, which would maybe add some fun to my schedule. But then I also had a science class and me and science, well we just don't mix. Luckily, though my roommate was in that class, so we could suffer through it together. I was ready. I was thinking, "Bring it on".
Now here is where life gets crazy.
Over break my roommate had informed me that she wasn't going to be in one of my classes this semester (not the science one) that we were suppose to be in. She told me she would explain why after break. Well the end of break came and we had just completed our first class, and finally had a chance to sit down and talk. She then started to explain why she would not be in my class anymore.
Many of you may or may not have heard of the high schooler who while after shooting the game winning shot, instantly died. The cause of death was some kind of heart disease, where no physical activity can take place; it's very dangerous. Well come to find out my roommate's dad has this disease, and being that it is hereditary, means that there is a 50/50 chance my roommate has it. With this being the case, if she did have it she would not be able to play softball and would probably not be able to attend Bethel any more. Her life would totally change if she has this condition. Being the happy go lucky person she is, she had a back up plan in motion. If she left Bethel she would go to a school many of her friends from high school attend and look into becoming a massage therapist. She has this deep down feeling that she does have this condition and in just a few short months will be heading down the new path God has sent into motion for her. I am excited for her because I know she wants to do what God wants her to do and follow Him with all her heart.
You are probably wondering how this applies to my own life. In my personal beliefs, I think God uses people in our life to teach us things about His greatness and His love. My roommate has become one of my closest friends here at Bethel and I tell her everything from things about the cutest boy on campus to the most embarrassing thing that happened to me that day. I can share my heart with her and trust her in every situation. I got one good random roommate, lets just put it that way.
Lately I have been learning to pray more and more for the people around me rather than just for myself. I think I have prayed more for her the past week than for anyone else I come in contact with. Today more crazy things happened in her life that she opened to share with me where I could tell she was very stressed and didn't know what to do. Of course I prayed and then after she left the room for a little bit I decided to right her a note. I searched my Bible for a verse that applied best to her situation. The verse I cam upon was Romans 5:3-5, which reads, "More than that we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." As much as we want to say "Why God?", we can not because we would then be taking our trust out of our Savior. We have to rejoice and know that we are only suffering and wondering because He has something bigger and much better ahead for us. Something that may take time to discover. I told her in the note I wrote that God has something better for her besides Bethel and softball, this is just one of the stepping stones in His path for her. I will continue to pray for her in the coming days and weeks as she discovers new things.
As for this in my life, its hard for me to cope with her probably not being at Bethel next year. I wanted to room with her and other friends next year just because I know we would have a blast. But what I want to happen is never guaranteed. The plans God has for me are though. That is all I can rely on; His plans for me. I know its already set in stone and I must put every single ounce of my hope in Him and His plans and be willing to do whatever He asks me to do, whether I want to or not. One day I will look back on this and say thank you because it is making me stronger and bringing me closer to Him. God's will for me is to follow Him and be His disciple. While it may be hard, in the end it will be worth it.
God has a plan for both me and my roommate, even if they are separate from each other. In the coming years, I have this feeling we will stay close friends even if we aren't at the same school. But if that is God's will, then let it be. As for me I want to follow Him and do His will over mine every moment of my life.
:)
I was super excited about my new classes this semester. There were more that had to do with my major, elementary education, which would maybe add some fun to my schedule. But then I also had a science class and me and science, well we just don't mix. Luckily, though my roommate was in that class, so we could suffer through it together. I was ready. I was thinking, "Bring it on".
Now here is where life gets crazy.
Over break my roommate had informed me that she wasn't going to be in one of my classes this semester (not the science one) that we were suppose to be in. She told me she would explain why after break. Well the end of break came and we had just completed our first class, and finally had a chance to sit down and talk. She then started to explain why she would not be in my class anymore.
Many of you may or may not have heard of the high schooler who while after shooting the game winning shot, instantly died. The cause of death was some kind of heart disease, where no physical activity can take place; it's very dangerous. Well come to find out my roommate's dad has this disease, and being that it is hereditary, means that there is a 50/50 chance my roommate has it. With this being the case, if she did have it she would not be able to play softball and would probably not be able to attend Bethel any more. Her life would totally change if she has this condition. Being the happy go lucky person she is, she had a back up plan in motion. If she left Bethel she would go to a school many of her friends from high school attend and look into becoming a massage therapist. She has this deep down feeling that she does have this condition and in just a few short months will be heading down the new path God has sent into motion for her. I am excited for her because I know she wants to do what God wants her to do and follow Him with all her heart.
You are probably wondering how this applies to my own life. In my personal beliefs, I think God uses people in our life to teach us things about His greatness and His love. My roommate has become one of my closest friends here at Bethel and I tell her everything from things about the cutest boy on campus to the most embarrassing thing that happened to me that day. I can share my heart with her and trust her in every situation. I got one good random roommate, lets just put it that way.
Lately I have been learning to pray more and more for the people around me rather than just for myself. I think I have prayed more for her the past week than for anyone else I come in contact with. Today more crazy things happened in her life that she opened to share with me where I could tell she was very stressed and didn't know what to do. Of course I prayed and then after she left the room for a little bit I decided to right her a note. I searched my Bible for a verse that applied best to her situation. The verse I cam upon was Romans 5:3-5, which reads, "More than that we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." As much as we want to say "Why God?", we can not because we would then be taking our trust out of our Savior. We have to rejoice and know that we are only suffering and wondering because He has something bigger and much better ahead for us. Something that may take time to discover. I told her in the note I wrote that God has something better for her besides Bethel and softball, this is just one of the stepping stones in His path for her. I will continue to pray for her in the coming days and weeks as she discovers new things.
As for this in my life, its hard for me to cope with her probably not being at Bethel next year. I wanted to room with her and other friends next year just because I know we would have a blast. But what I want to happen is never guaranteed. The plans God has for me are though. That is all I can rely on; His plans for me. I know its already set in stone and I must put every single ounce of my hope in Him and His plans and be willing to do whatever He asks me to do, whether I want to or not. One day I will look back on this and say thank you because it is making me stronger and bringing me closer to Him. God's will for me is to follow Him and be His disciple. While it may be hard, in the end it will be worth it.
God has a plan for both me and my roommate, even if they are separate from each other. In the coming years, I have this feeling we will stay close friends even if we aren't at the same school. But if that is God's will, then let it be. As for me I want to follow Him and do His will over mine every moment of my life.
:)
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