Trials

Wow. Trials come, and trials go, but with every trial that comes my way, they get bigger than the last. I grow stronger in each situation, but there comes a point when I tire of being in a pit. It's the kind of feeling that tells me that I have been so deeply involved in turmoil for a seemingly long time, but I am riding the line of freedom. I smell freedom. I can sort of feel it in a wierd, agitating way.
This was revealed when I looked through my journal from last year. I went through so many major conflicts. Well, they seemed major at the time, but now when I look back at them, they were petty issues. Even so, I know that they meant something. Others don't understand how these "baby" problems can affect me so much. I desire with all of my being to make God happy and approving of my life. That often leads me to trouble.
I am so sick of letting this rediculous situation control my life. It controls how I act, how I pray, what I say to others, my mood... God has not given His Son's life so that we may have a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind. (2 Timothy 1:7)
This too shall pass. I can only pray that it will pass with me being whole rather than broken-hearted. The faults that could be are obviously clear. Lord, please help me to stay right in the way You have for me. Help me not to fall to the ways of the world or of others around me, but sustain me in Your Love. For You alone are the way to peace and understanding. I trust You with my life. Here is my life, my problems, my emotions, my moods, my actions, my tears, my smiles, my everything. Thank you for the mercies I recieve every morning. Lord, You are amazing. I love You so much. Thank You for everything.

Without

Hola amigos!
I am taking Spanish II with hopes of becoming fluent by the end of my 11th grade year. While studying last year, I realized for the first time that sin (Pronounced: seen) means without. WOW! How relavent! That's a simple reminder to me everytime that I use the word "sin" that God cannot be in our sin. He is perfect and holy. Sin is blemished and ugly and unable to withstand the majestic power of God's precious name. If I want to draw nearer to the heart of God, I must hand over my sin. I must ask for forgiveness, and I must forgive myself...
That's the hard part for me. I become so guilty that it is hard for me to have compassion on myself for what I have done. I can accept that Jesus loves me enough to die for me, but I cannot accept my sinful behaviour. That's where I think perception comes in.
Have you ever heard that "Perception is reality" ? Well, to an extent, that is true. In our minds, what we percieve becomes our reality. I do this a lot: I will look at a person and automatically have a judgment about them. Most of the time, these judgments prove untrue, but I live my life based on my perceptions of these people. This gets me into trouble. Even though I usually do not personally know these people, my judgments are still dangerous. They cause coldness towards others, and they allow my imagination to run WILD! If I stay in God without the judgments, I am more likely to act like our Perfect, Holy God acts. That's what I want. I could care less about my mistakes. All I want is Jesus.
~Amy

Why read my blog?

Well, I don't really want to brag about my blog. I guess you should all read it because it's realistic. I go through the same things that others go through, and I learn from it. If you want to learn what I learn, read my blog. It's as simple as that. =] Of course, I learn these things from God. Let's not forget Him. (He is the most important.)


Special thanks to Purell Hand Sanitizer for sponsoring this blog hop.

Time to laugh!

I'm trying out this new blog hop. I'm supposed to write a joke, cartoon, or something funny. This is it. =]

Amiss

James 4:3
You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures.

When we ask for something, are we really asking for a good reason, or are we being selfish? We have all taken advantage of prayer by asking for material things, and although this is not necessarily a bad thing, there are times to ask God for materials, and there times when we should not. If you are praying for a Bible or financial aid, that's not what this verse is referencing. (Unless you plan on spending the money on yourself...) The keyword to whether or not you are praying selfishly is "amiss".
According to blueletterbible.com, the Greek root word of amiss is kakos. One of the three meanings of this root is "miserable, to be ill."*
What does that show you? God doesn't give us the things we ask for because we are asking to be miserable. Of course we don't say "Lord, give me this so that I can be miserable," but He knows what will happen when we get all that we want. God wants to prevent any changes in our attitude and lifestyle that may occur because of material items.

1 John 3:17
If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?

If we have so many material possessions, we may no longer see a need for God. We get so caught up in what we still need, that God is totally out of the picture. No longer do we need Jehovah Jireh, our Provider. We can provide for ourselves. But no matter how many things you have, if you forget about your Creator, then you can't feel your purpose in life. You'll wander aimlessly. Have you ever noticed that the poor are often happier than millionaires and movie stars?

James 2:5
Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world [to be] rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?

See? God doesn't care if you have nothing, he has chosen these people to be heirs of his kingdom. I don't know about you, but I would rather be an heir of heaven than pray to be miserable.

*-http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/lexicon/lexicon.cfm?Strongs=G2560&t=NKJV

Faith, Hope, Love

Have you guys ever thought about Ephesians 3:14-21? I love these verses.

Eph 3:14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 20 Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Vs.17- What is faith?

Hebrews 11:1 says: Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.

Because we know God is there, even though we can't see Him, we have faith. It's just like my testimony. I was hoping for God to do a miracle- I wasn't wishing... There's a difference. When you hope, you know there's a way. When you wish, you know there's not. Through me hoping, not wishing, God was able to provide that "evidence of things not seen" and give me (vs.20) "immeasurable more than all I ask or imagine according to His power that is at work within us." Also, have you ever realized that our Christianity is based on relationships and love?

1Cr 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of
these is love.

Even though what I mentioned before is important, love takes a higher ranking. If we don't love God in the first place, we won't have the hope and faith that He will pull through when we need Him. Other religions are self-based. ex- Buddhism where you are nice to others only so you can experience that enlightenment or self peace. When Muslims kill and hurt people, so that they may have a higher place in after they die, are they focused on loving their neighbor? But even though they may not focus on love, we still need to love them back. That's what we're all about. Love your neighbor as yourself. Treat them the way you want to be treated. Don't take to heart bitterness because they are different.
Where the whole love concept is brought back in is at the end of that verse. (vs. 17) "being rooted and established in love" Established in love. Rooted in love. Can a tree survive without its roots? Of course not. It will die. If we don't have the right focus... love.... then we can't thrive spiritually. It's not possible to grow a tree if it doesn't have roots. vs. 19 "and to know this love that surpasses knowledge-that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." Even though we don't know how to explain God's love with our knowledge, it's there.
What they're trying to say is that they were praying that the people would know this Love, even though we don't understand It with our human minds. They were praying that the people would be filled with everything that God is. God is love.

1 John 4:8- Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

He's waiting for us to acknowledge the love He has for us, so that we may give Him the glory that He deserves.
Thanks for listening (or reading ),
Amy ♥

Patriotism

We are so fortunate. The sad thing is that people don't realize how fortunate we are. We have a military of dedicated soldiers willing to risk their lives for the freedom of our country and others. I can't believe that people would under-appreciate our country and the effect it has on our lives. Wow... All I know is that I am truly thankful for the lives that have been taken for my sake. And I am truly sympathetic for the grieving families of lost soldiers. It would break my heart to know that the people my relative/friend died for don't appreciate the life that he gave. I hope some of you realize how important it is to support our country and troops- even if you don't agree with them. Our country needs to have the support of every citizen.
May God bless America,
Amy