Hello all,
I know it feels like forever since I last posted here -- probably since it has been -- and I'd like to give you all a short summery on what has been going on over the last few months.
In April, there was the Student Leadership Conference I talked a lot about last year, but this year it was around the topic of us being "Torchbearers." We learned about how we need to absorb the light that God has provided, as stated in John 8:12 ~ "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'" Then we need to understand God's light, so we need to understand what He is saying to us through his Word in the Bible, then we need to be torchbearers and shine God's light throughout the world, as stated in Matthew 5:14-16 ~ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
The next thing I'd like to touch on is Sandblast 2014, the retreat for the high school ministry at my church. Again, I discussed what it is and the general idea of it last year, so feel free to check that out to learn some context. This year, we talked a lot about the difference between serving God, but trying too hard and trying to do everything we can, and serving God by listening and doing what He wants us to do and where He wants us to go to do His work through us.
That's the general gist of the spiritual highlights of the last few months. Now on to what I'd like to cover in this post.
Recently, I've been feeling like God's been putting a lot on my plate and it's become more than I can handle. When I talk to my spiritual mentors about it, they all tell me something along the lines of "Don't worry, God will only give you as much as you can handle." I believe this to be incorrect. I saw a video by a somewhat well-known author, Jefferson Bethke, where he confirmed my thoughts of how God gives us more than we can handle so that we must rely on Him to get through it. If He gave us as much as we can handle, we wouldn't need to rely on God for anything.
So the next time you feel like you're being weighed down by the world and think that God is giving you more than you can handle, that's probably because He is. However, instead of wanting you to struggle, He wants you to ask Him to help you through it instead of relying on your own strength, which is obviously failing if you're at the point where you think it's too much.
I know the "lesson" part was a bit short, and I apologize for that, but I promise I'll try to post more often as opportunities arise.
Thanks everyone for checking back, even though I have been gone for a while (sorry again!). God bless you and the rest of your week!
Verse of the Day: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." ~Philippians 4:6-7
Prayer request: My relationship with God has been a bit rocky lately, and that's in part because I'm trying to build up my faith on my own, which has been difficult because of various personal problems, so please pray that I rely on God more through these problems and that I pursue Him more and center my life more around Him than myself and my own interests.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Monday, March 24, 2014
3-24-14: Ask God For Help
Hello everyone!
I'm aware I haven't posted anything in a while, and I apologize. It's just really hard to post anything worthy of being read in the short time blocks I have available.
Christ has been really showing up in my life and many other's as well in the past few months. I took a trip to see my girlfriend in Pennsylvania for New Year's, and I got caught up in delays and cancellations both on the way there and the way back. When it looked like I wouldn't make it there in time for midnight, after praying for transport to figure itself out and that God would help me be with her, less than a half-hour later, my parents were calling me saying they had a way for me to get there on time. God really showed up!
On the way back, I took one bus from a small town near her to Pittsburgh and I was supposed to take another to Cleveland, but the weather caused all buses to be cancelled. Prayed again for God to protect me, help me to stay calm, and to show me or give me a way to get home. An hour later, my dad called me saying he'd booked a ticket online for a train for Amtrak (cross-country train company) that left in 2 hours, and the station was right across the street! Again, God showing His ability to make everything work out if you ask Him to.
Right now, I'm at her place again, and once again, God came through when I had trouble on my trip this time as well. I needed to change trains in Pittsburgh, and there was only one train to the smaller town I needed to get to to be with her. The train I was taking from Chicago to Pittsburgh left a half hour late, and just kept getting later and later. After praying for God to help, when we arrived, I heard that we were 2 hours late. That was a half hour before my second train left.
Later that day, I found out that the train to Pittsburgh was actually supposed to be around 3 hours late, but one of the cargo trains which shares the railway broke down, allowing my train to get to Pittsburgh faster. If it weren't for that train breaking down, I wouldn't have made it! God is incredible.
What I've learned through all of this is that no matter how small the prayer, whether to be safe or to get to a station on time, God will provide if you have faith. God is incredible!
God bless you all!
Prayer request: This isn't for me, but more for my friend. She was a small group leader for the junior girls in my youth group until a few months ago when she left to be a foster mother for some girls in India. I don't recall exactly how long she'll be there, but it is for an extended period of time, so could you all please pray for safety and that she's able to shine God's light and share His glory with the community and the girls she'll be taking care of? Thank you!
Verse of the day: Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. ~1 Peter 5:7
I'm aware I haven't posted anything in a while, and I apologize. It's just really hard to post anything worthy of being read in the short time blocks I have available.
Christ has been really showing up in my life and many other's as well in the past few months. I took a trip to see my girlfriend in Pennsylvania for New Year's, and I got caught up in delays and cancellations both on the way there and the way back. When it looked like I wouldn't make it there in time for midnight, after praying for transport to figure itself out and that God would help me be with her, less than a half-hour later, my parents were calling me saying they had a way for me to get there on time. God really showed up!
On the way back, I took one bus from a small town near her to Pittsburgh and I was supposed to take another to Cleveland, but the weather caused all buses to be cancelled. Prayed again for God to protect me, help me to stay calm, and to show me or give me a way to get home. An hour later, my dad called me saying he'd booked a ticket online for a train for Amtrak (cross-country train company) that left in 2 hours, and the station was right across the street! Again, God showing His ability to make everything work out if you ask Him to.
Right now, I'm at her place again, and once again, God came through when I had trouble on my trip this time as well. I needed to change trains in Pittsburgh, and there was only one train to the smaller town I needed to get to to be with her. The train I was taking from Chicago to Pittsburgh left a half hour late, and just kept getting later and later. After praying for God to help, when we arrived, I heard that we were 2 hours late. That was a half hour before my second train left.
Later that day, I found out that the train to Pittsburgh was actually supposed to be around 3 hours late, but one of the cargo trains which shares the railway broke down, allowing my train to get to Pittsburgh faster. If it weren't for that train breaking down, I wouldn't have made it! God is incredible.
What I've learned through all of this is that no matter how small the prayer, whether to be safe or to get to a station on time, God will provide if you have faith. God is incredible!
God bless you all!
Prayer request: This isn't for me, but more for my friend. She was a small group leader for the junior girls in my youth group until a few months ago when she left to be a foster mother for some girls in India. I don't recall exactly how long she'll be there, but it is for an extended period of time, so could you all please pray for safety and that she's able to shine God's light and share His glory with the community and the girls she'll be taking care of? Thank you!
Verse of the day: Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. ~1 Peter 5:7
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