Everyone who truly knows me knows that I absolutely love giving and receiving gifts. I love giving people gifts whether they be small or extravagant. My primary love language is gifts. (According to The 5 Love Languages by Gary D. Chapman, the 5 love languages are Words of Affirmation, Acts of Service, Receiving Gifts, Quality Time, and Physical Touch). I feel so loved whenever someone buys me or makes me something, even if it is small. It means they were thinking about me. I suppose that is why I also love giving gifts. Since I feel so incredibly loved whenever I receive gifts, I want to do the same to others. Giving, in whatever capacity, brings me so much joy.
I was thinking about where this love for gifts came from, and I realized it comes from my Father. My Eternal Father. I am created in God's image, and God is love. God shows his children love in many ways, and I believe that includes gifts. Matthew 7:11 says, "If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!" I am sinful and yet I know how to give good gifts, but don't you think God is the ultimate gift giver?
The thing about gifts is that it is all about the perfect time. Every time I buy or make something for someone, I long to give it to them right away. I want to see their reaction, but I know that waiting for the perfect time is so much sweeter, so I try to hold out for that time in hopes that it will make the gift that much better. I think God is much the same. He longs to give us good gifts, but He also longs to give it to us in His perfect timing! His timing is better than our own.
I also believe that God wants to give us the best. Matthew 7:9-10 says, "Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?" I almost always get the gift I really want (if it is possible) because my family/friends know that I am longing for it and it has been all I have been talking about and asking for, they do whatever they can to make my wish into a reality. God is like that too. He isn't going to hear our request and give us something that we don't need. If anything, He longs to give us more and better than we have requested, but sometimes, He will also say no. This no comes through love, and He has something better planned.
Knowing that God created me with a love for gifts, reminds me that we share that love and that He already gave me the best gift He could ever give, His perfect Son!! Why would I want or need anything more than Jesus' amazing gift of dying on the cross for me?! The truth is that I don't need anything else and God doesn't need to give me anything else. He gave the gift of all gifts, the PERFECT GIFT, through His Son. I am completely undeserving of any gift from the Creator of the Universe, but that is why God loves to give gifts because it shows His love and gives Himself glory!
Today I am remembering that I have the best gift in the world through salvation in Christ, but I also am reminded that God shares my love language and longs to continue showing me He loves me through the way I feel most loved.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Blind Faith
This week I was reading in the gospel of Mark, and God really spoke to me through the Mark 10:46-52:
"And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind begirt, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!' And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, 'take heart. Get up; he is calling you.' And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him. 'What do you want me to do for you?; And the blind man said to him, 'Rabbi, let me recover my sight.' And Jesus said to him, 'Go your way; your faith has made you well.' And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way."
This blind man had such incredible faith! He called out to Jesus, knowing that Jesus had the power to take away his affliction. In fact, this type of faith is seen repeatedly throughout the New Testament. People flocked to Jesus to ask him to heal themselves or their loved ones, fully believing that He would, and He did again and again!! In Luke 8:43-48, a woman had so much faith that Jesus could heal her that she thought if she just touched the fringe of Jesus' garment that she would be healed, and SHE WAS!! She had incredible faith!
In Mark 11:22-24, Jesus talks about the type of faith that can move mountains:
"And Jesus answered them, 'Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, "Be taken up and thrown into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.'"
After reading the story of the blind man and being reminded of what incredible faith looks like and then reading this passage, I was so convicted about my lack of faith. For over a week, God has been asking me how much I trust Him, because honestly, I have been doubting Him.
As many of you know, I am currently raising all of my finances in order to do full time ministry with Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ) at the University of Southern Californa (USC). I know this is where God is calling me, and I have no doubts that He will provide, but I have been praying for God to raise 100% of my funding in 100 days, and I have been doubting whether or not He will do this. I don't want to be disappointed, but that shows my lack of faith! God is asking for more from me. He is asking for me to fully believe that if it is His will, He will provide my support in 100 days and to believe it wholeheartedly. When you have faith like that, it is powerful!!
It seems to me that these days we are too scared to pray expectingly. We are scared that God will say no. Instead, we pray timidly and don't ask Him expectingly to do BIG things. Sure we hope but we don't pray expectingly because what if we are wrong? or what if God has different plans? or what if I get hurt because God doesn't answer in the way I asked Him to answer?
Here is the truth: God answers every single prayer! He will get the glory, and His plans are better than ours! God can do the impossible! We need to be confident in His power but also submissive to His will.
Mark 14:36
"Father, all things are possible for you…yet not what I will, but what you will."
"God delights to 'give good things to those who ask him' (Matthew 7:11) and is capable of granting any prayer, though we must ask with godly motives (James 4:3) and according to God's will (1 John 5:14)…Those who trust God for the right things in the right way can have confidence that God will 'supply every need….according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.' (Philippians 4:19), knowing that he will work 'all things together for good' and will 'graciously give us all things' (Romans 8:28,32)" - ESV Study Bible
Why not pray bold and expectingly?! Why not pray big? Why not pray with that kind of faith?! What is holding us back? What is holding me back?
I'm praying for blind faith, and I'm praying for 100% in 100 days! What will you pray for?
"And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind begirt, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, 'Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!' And Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." And they called the blind man, saying to him, 'take heart. Get up; he is calling you.' And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him. 'What do you want me to do for you?; And the blind man said to him, 'Rabbi, let me recover my sight.' And Jesus said to him, 'Go your way; your faith has made you well.' And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way."
This blind man had such incredible faith! He called out to Jesus, knowing that Jesus had the power to take away his affliction. In fact, this type of faith is seen repeatedly throughout the New Testament. People flocked to Jesus to ask him to heal themselves or their loved ones, fully believing that He would, and He did again and again!! In Luke 8:43-48, a woman had so much faith that Jesus could heal her that she thought if she just touched the fringe of Jesus' garment that she would be healed, and SHE WAS!! She had incredible faith!
In Mark 11:22-24, Jesus talks about the type of faith that can move mountains:
"And Jesus answered them, 'Have faith in God. Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, "Be taken up and thrown into the sea," and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.'"
After reading the story of the blind man and being reminded of what incredible faith looks like and then reading this passage, I was so convicted about my lack of faith. For over a week, God has been asking me how much I trust Him, because honestly, I have been doubting Him.
As many of you know, I am currently raising all of my finances in order to do full time ministry with Cru (Campus Crusade for Christ) at the University of Southern Californa (USC). I know this is where God is calling me, and I have no doubts that He will provide, but I have been praying for God to raise 100% of my funding in 100 days, and I have been doubting whether or not He will do this. I don't want to be disappointed, but that shows my lack of faith! God is asking for more from me. He is asking for me to fully believe that if it is His will, He will provide my support in 100 days and to believe it wholeheartedly. When you have faith like that, it is powerful!!
It seems to me that these days we are too scared to pray expectingly. We are scared that God will say no. Instead, we pray timidly and don't ask Him expectingly to do BIG things. Sure we hope but we don't pray expectingly because what if we are wrong? or what if God has different plans? or what if I get hurt because God doesn't answer in the way I asked Him to answer?
Here is the truth: God answers every single prayer! He will get the glory, and His plans are better than ours! God can do the impossible! We need to be confident in His power but also submissive to His will.
Mark 14:36
"Father, all things are possible for you…yet not what I will, but what you will."
"God delights to 'give good things to those who ask him' (Matthew 7:11) and is capable of granting any prayer, though we must ask with godly motives (James 4:3) and according to God's will (1 John 5:14)…Those who trust God for the right things in the right way can have confidence that God will 'supply every need….according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.' (Philippians 4:19), knowing that he will work 'all things together for good' and will 'graciously give us all things' (Romans 8:28,32)" - ESV Study Bible
Why not pray bold and expectingly?! Why not pray big? Why not pray with that kind of faith?! What is holding us back? What is holding me back?
I'm praying for blind faith, and I'm praying for 100% in 100 days! What will you pray for?
Saturday, February 1, 2014
New Adventure
For the past four weeks, I have been at New Staff Training with Cru in Daytona Beach, FL. It has seriously been incredible. I have fallen deeper in love with Jesus because of the knowledge I am learning about who He is. Two of the four weeks, we took two accelerated seminary classes, and as fast paced as they were, I absolutely loved them. It makes me even more curious of if someday God will lead me to get a Masters of Divinity. How cool would that be?! It has definitely been a desire of mine for at least seven years, and I've been praying a lot over the last six months about what it would look like to study Biblical Counseling. One thing I know for sure, God has it all worked out, and I'm excited to follow Him day by day wherever He may lead me. I have ideas of where that me be, but one thing I know about my Father is that He constantly surprises me and takes me places I never could have imagined.
One place He is taking me is to the University of Southern California (USC). When I received this news, I was beyond ecstatic. God had been placing this university on my heart for a while. A few months ago, I started praying about where He would send me. I knew that He was calling me to stay involved in Greek ministry (sororities and fraternities), so I prayed about schools where there was a big Greek presence. I came up with a short list, and USC was dead last. As I prayed about it, every week I felt like God was telling me to move USC up my list. Essentially, He was telling me that USC was where He wanted me. I had reservations about Him sending me there, but I truly am willing to go wherever He sends me, so I listened to Him and kept moving USC up my list. Eventually, it became my first choice.
This was a hard decision for me because my heart was still at Sac State. Last August, I came back from summer project confident that the Lord was not calling me to Sac State, but after being back on campus, having so many people I love and admire ask me to stay, and my sister and her family (army family) moving back to the Sacramento area (after seven years away), I was slowly starting to wonder if I hadn't actually heard from God. I started trying to convince myself that Sac State is where I was suppose to remain, but something didn't feel right. After a month of trying to convince myself that God wanted me at Sac State, I realized that I was people pleasing and that just because my sister's family was back, didn't mean that I was suppose to stay. GOD'S CALLING ON MY LIFE IS BIGGER THAN MY COMFORT! It was at this time that I started praying about other schools, and God started showing me that He wanted me at USC.
Honestly, when you join staff with Cru, you don't have that much say in where your first assignment is. Because of this, I sent in my preferences but knew that God would direct me exactly where He wanted me. When I got to New Staff Training, I had a really great conversation with the woman that decided my placement. We talked a lot about my preferences and Sac State. After that conversation, I thought for sure I was going to be placed at Sac State, but a few days later, I was surprised and excited to hear that my first placement was going to be USC. I seriously couldn't believe that I had been hearing correctly from the Lord. How amazing is that?! He seriously, constantly brings me to my knees in awe of Him.
I am still so excited to be going to USC, but this means my Sac State chapter is over and that saddens me. I love my community in Sacramento so much. I made amazing friends there, and I truly feel like that is where my family is. I think I expected to be back there, and most of my friends expected it too. I am sad to leave them, but so excited to see how God uses each one of them to expand His kingdom. Sac State will always have a special place in my heart, and I will always look back at my time there as some of the best years of my life (at this point, they actually are the best years of my life).
A verse I have committed to memory and will be praying everyday while I raise my initial support and report to USC is:
Deuteronomy 39:6
"Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you."
Please be praying that God will provide all of my financial support swiftly so I can report to USC by their fall semester, which starts in August. God is faithful, and He has been nothing but faithful to me. I trust Him entirely, and I am so excited to start this amazing new adventure!
John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease."
One place He is taking me is to the University of Southern California (USC). When I received this news, I was beyond ecstatic. God had been placing this university on my heart for a while. A few months ago, I started praying about where He would send me. I knew that He was calling me to stay involved in Greek ministry (sororities and fraternities), so I prayed about schools where there was a big Greek presence. I came up with a short list, and USC was dead last. As I prayed about it, every week I felt like God was telling me to move USC up my list. Essentially, He was telling me that USC was where He wanted me. I had reservations about Him sending me there, but I truly am willing to go wherever He sends me, so I listened to Him and kept moving USC up my list. Eventually, it became my first choice.
This was a hard decision for me because my heart was still at Sac State. Last August, I came back from summer project confident that the Lord was not calling me to Sac State, but after being back on campus, having so many people I love and admire ask me to stay, and my sister and her family (army family) moving back to the Sacramento area (after seven years away), I was slowly starting to wonder if I hadn't actually heard from God. I started trying to convince myself that Sac State is where I was suppose to remain, but something didn't feel right. After a month of trying to convince myself that God wanted me at Sac State, I realized that I was people pleasing and that just because my sister's family was back, didn't mean that I was suppose to stay. GOD'S CALLING ON MY LIFE IS BIGGER THAN MY COMFORT! It was at this time that I started praying about other schools, and God started showing me that He wanted me at USC.
Honestly, when you join staff with Cru, you don't have that much say in where your first assignment is. Because of this, I sent in my preferences but knew that God would direct me exactly where He wanted me. When I got to New Staff Training, I had a really great conversation with the woman that decided my placement. We talked a lot about my preferences and Sac State. After that conversation, I thought for sure I was going to be placed at Sac State, but a few days later, I was surprised and excited to hear that my first placement was going to be USC. I seriously couldn't believe that I had been hearing correctly from the Lord. How amazing is that?! He seriously, constantly brings me to my knees in awe of Him.
I am still so excited to be going to USC, but this means my Sac State chapter is over and that saddens me. I love my community in Sacramento so much. I made amazing friends there, and I truly feel like that is where my family is. I think I expected to be back there, and most of my friends expected it too. I am sad to leave them, but so excited to see how God uses each one of them to expand His kingdom. Sac State will always have a special place in my heart, and I will always look back at my time there as some of the best years of my life (at this point, they actually are the best years of my life).
A verse I have committed to memory and will be praying everyday while I raise my initial support and report to USC is:
Deuteronomy 39:6
"Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you."
Please be praying that God will provide all of my financial support swiftly so I can report to USC by their fall semester, which starts in August. God is faithful, and He has been nothing but faithful to me. I trust Him entirely, and I am so excited to start this amazing new adventure!
John 3:30 "He must increase, but I must decrease."
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