A Gift for Jesus

This Christmas, my mom has been talking to us about what gifts we can give to Jesus. Not physical gifts like toys or clothes... but instead, something that we give up to Him. For me, the gift has been giving up my worries and stress to Him. I'm giving Him the gift of my trust, believing that He will help me when I feel overwhelmed. And it's brought me so much peace. Giving a gift has actually helped me :) Jesus wants a gift from each one of us. It could be money, it could be spending time with Him, it could be giving up fear, or pride... anything. So, my question is... what is your gift to Jesus this Christmas?

A Time for Everything

Hey all you blog readers. I've got some poetry to share with you today. Some of you may recognize it, and others won't. But I personally think it's a beautiful piece and quite intriguing.
Here it is:

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens:

A time to be born and a time to die,
A time to plant and a time to uproot,
A time to kill and a time to heal,
A time to tear down and a time to build,
A time to weep and a time to laugh,
A time to mourn and a time to dance,
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
A time to search and a time to give up,
A time to keep and a time to throw away,
A time to tear and a time to mend,
A time to be silent and a time to speak,
A time to love and a time to hate,
A time for war and a time for peace.

Isn't that great? It really gets you thinking... Well, do you know who wrote it? Do you know where it's from? Probably one of the famous poets like Shakespeare or Oscar Wilde, right? Hate to break it to you, but that's not right. Not right at all.

This poem is assumed to be written by King Solomon in the book of Ecclesiastes. And who said the Bible wasn't interesting? :)

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8... This passage has so much to think about, process, study... it says that there is a time for everything in life. But know when the time is right, that's easier said than done. I have to ask God all the time to show me what I should do, who I should talk to, what I should say. God's the best advice and wisdom-giver you can get! There is a time for everything, but only God knows when the time for each thing is. (I hope that makes sense... it made sense to me!)

Anyways, I guess this post is saying two things (because I got a bit sidetracked :) )...

1) The Bible has some really cool stuff in it and is still relevant in today's society

and 2) God knows when the time is right for every activity under the sun, so why not ask Him to show you that?

There is a time for everything...

Every Tear

The other day I was listening to the song "The Christmas Shoes" by NewSong, and I just started crying because the story was so touching and sad. Then today, as I was reading in Revelation, God showed me an amazing verse. I had heard it before, but never found it for myself:
"For the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd;
He will lead them to springs of living water.
And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

- Revelation 7:17

I had been crying because, in the song, a little boy's mother is on the verge of death, and the little boy wants to buy her some nice shoes so she'll look beautiful when she meets Jesus. I felt this aching loss for the little boy and how much hurt he would have once his mom was gone. But this verse reminds me that Heaven is the best place to be. There is no crying, no worry, no stress, no anger... just peace and eternity with our Maker. Life on earth will have troubles and hard times, but we have Heaven to look forward to. It is our final destination, and Jesus is waiting with open arms. I can't wait to one day walk with Him along the streets of Heaven. So let that be an encouragement for you today. Our destination is a heavenly one. Don't forget it.

No Make-up Week

At school this week the leadership team put up posters advertising "No Make-up Week" for girls. One of the catch phrases was, "If guys can go without it, so can we!" There were signs saying things like, "You're beautiful" and "Living with joy is a woman's best cosmetic". I thought that was a really neat idea, to help girls feel beautiful without the need to hide their faces under foundation, lipstick, mascara... It reminded me that God made us in His image, and that we don't need to change anything about ourselves. We were made the way we are on purpose... God doesn't make mistakes. Now, I'm not saying makeup is bad... it's nice to put it on and feel extra pretty. I think the key is using make-up to enhance our features, not cover them up. We are beautiful just the way we are. And remember, true beauty comes from the heart and how we live our lives, not from our cosmetics. God thinks we're gorgeous even when we're sick, exhausted, or just rolled out of bed! Just a thought for today :)

For I know the plans...

I'm sure this is one of those verses that almost everyone has heard at least once... It's one that's used for encouragement, a promise that brings hope:
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." - Jeremiah 29:11
Sound familiar? Well, I've been reading through Jeremiah recently, and to be honest, a lot of it I found quite depressing. God uses Jeremiah to warn Israel and Judah that if they don't turn from their sins of idolatry and adultery, they will be severely punished. God sends destruction and captivity to teach His people that what they are doing is wrong. And then, I stumble across Jeremiah 29:11. God has disciplined and corrected His people quite harshly, but He still shows that He loves them and He gives them hope. He tells them that even though they have been punished and sent into captivity, He will renew them and give them fresh start.

God doesn't punish us because He hates us or because He wants to see us suffer. He wants to teach us that His way is best, and sometimes the only way to grab our attention is to discipline us and move us away from the wide, easy path. But He promises to give us a hope and a future in the end, to prosper us and not harm us. I just thought it was cool to find that verse in its context and get the full meaning behind it. I'm not saying that my interpretation of the verse is the final say on what it means... but I just wanted to share what I see in it and use it to encourage you.

The House Echoes

For those of you who don't know, my family has had five foster kids living in our house for almost the past year. It's been a crazy ride with a lot of highs and lows. There's definitely been some challenges and times when I've seen my ugly side, but also some really fun moments. Just this Thursday, the kids left to live with their half-brother who moved from across the country. It's been an interesting change. I've gotten so used to noise, clutter, banging, loud singing, spills, and messes that now the house seems almost deserted. It's so quiet, and so much has already been cleaned up or organized. When I say something loud, it almost echoes. But I'm kind of enjoying it. It's nice to have some space and be able to be in my room past 8pm without waking sleeping children :)

(Empty bunks)

But something my parents said the other day made me think.
They said, "Just because we're getting our house back to ourselves, doesn't mean we can go back to living selfishly."

Bam. Oh boy. When I thought about them leaving, all I'd think about was how much I'd like having MY room, and MY space, and MY life back. But it's not about me. It's about God's glory.
And I forget that a lot of the time. I want to make an effort to live sacrificially, and not always think about myself.

Body Image

Yesterday some friends and I had a get-together, Bible study type thing, and my one friend shared with us about body image. Everyone is affected by the media in one way or another... thinking they're too fat, or should be taller, shorter, curvier, more tan... whatever, it happens. I don't think I know of anyone who can say they've never wished to look a bit differently. But here's the thing: God made us the way we are on purpose. There's this song that I really like called "More Beautiful You" by Jonny Diaz that goes:

You were made to fill a purpose that only you can do,
So there could never be a more beautiful you.


Who even decided what 'beautiful' looks like anyway? God thinks each and every one of us is beautiful. EACH and EVERY one. No matter if you have too many wrinkles, or a long nose, or big thighs, or pale skin... God still looks at you and says, "It is good." We are made in His image, so we are beautiful. And the more we strive to live like Jesus, the more beautiful we become.

So don't forget that the King of the universe thinks you're absolutely gorgeous. And that's all that matters.

Ringing

I found this verse while doing devotions the other day, and I liked it so much that I copied it out onto a sticky note and put it on my dresser. I've decided that I want it to be my goal as far as spreading the Gospel...

"And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere... for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God."
- 1 Thessalonians 1:8

I don't know about you, but I put a lot of value into what other people think of me. This means that I often am too scared to share my faith with others because I'm afraid they'll make fun of me or think of me differently. I know that's the devil trying to stop me from spreading God's love, but sometimes I give in to his lies. Anyways, this verse was really cool to read because it showed me that it IS possible to have God's word 'ringing' from you, just like the Thessalonians. It makes me think of the song by Casting Crowns, "Until the Whole World Hears":

Ready yourselves
Ready yourselves
Let us shine the light of Jesus in the darkest night
Ready yourselves
Ready yourselves
May the powers of darkness tremble as our praises rise

Until the whole world hears Lord we are calling out
Lifting up Your name for all to hear the sound
Like voices in the wilderness we're crying out
As the day draws near
We'll sing until the whole world hears

I want to have people talking about MY faith in God. But that means I actually have to step up to the plate and put actions to my words. And that's a hard thing to do. I have to ask God every day for the courage to share and talk about Him and His love. It's not easy, but God is strong in our weakness, so I can trust that He'll help me.

Remain

I was doing my devotions yesterday, and I wrote a little prayer in my journal asking God to give me motivation to read His word. After being in Mexico, I had been really excited to spend time with Him and pray... but as time went on, I felt my excitement dwindle. So I asked God to show me something in His word that would reinforce that I need to spend time with Him. This is what He gave me:

⁴Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

⁵"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. ⁶If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. ⁷If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. ⁸This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

-John 15:4-8

Without God in my life, I am nothing. And how can I truly know God and have Him in my life if I don't spend time with Him? If His words are in me, I will become more and more like Him.
I was amazed by this little miracle that God gave me: an immediate answer to my prayer. Praise God!

By His Wounds

The passage that we read in church today had a verse that said, "By His wounds you are healed."
It reminded me of the song by Mac Powell:

He was pierced for our transgressions
And crushed for our sins
The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him
And by His wounds, by His wounds we are healed

We are healed by Your sacrifice
And the life that You gave
We are healed for You paid the price
By Your grace we are saved
We are saved

Jesus suffered horribly so we could live and be free from sin. Although sometimes we may make light of this or think it's no big deal, it is. And that verse was just a reminder of the incredible gift our Heavenly Father gave us.

Perfect

I don't know about you, but I'm a performaholic. Let me enlighten you on this subject. Basically, I feel like I have to perform all the time by always being the top at whatever I do. I strive for perfection, and I have this fear of failure that sometimes rears its ugly head. God has taught me how to overcome this fear many times... but it sometimes still shows up.


Day 197 - "Perfect"
(July 3, 2010)

Anyways, I guess this is just a friendly reminder to everyone (including me) that no one's perfect. Only God can claim that title. We can be really good at lots of things, but we're human and it's natural to fail. We can't be afraid of it. We have to take the mistakes we make and learn from them. Easier said than done, that's for sure. It's a challenge that I'm sure I'll battle all my life, but with my heavenly Daddy's help, I know that in the end, I'll conquer it :) And that's true for you too.

All Mixed Up

Sometimes in life it feels like everything is confusing and all jumbled together. It's all a bit messy and hard to control. We try to be in charge of everything, but it's just not possible.

Day 190 - "Jumbled"
(June 26, 2010)

And up in Heaven, God is smiling and shaking His head. "They just don't get it," is probably what He's thinking. "If they would just let Me have control, I would take care of everything. It's just that simple!" You know, we probably look pretty ridiculous trying to manage things by ourselves.

God's ready and willing to take our burdens, but only if we let him. So, right now, at this very moment, give up your need for control... and let God carry you and your jumbled up life.

Precious

In my Social Studies class, we've been learning about Canada's economy... blah blah blah, boring right? Well, we've also been learning about all the natural resources we have here, like oil or diamonds. And how we're pursuing these resources so much that we're even ruining the environment to get them. They are desired by everyone.

Now, that is more of a negative type of desire, but it can sort of be compared to God's desire for us. He loves us so much that He is constantly pursuing us. We are like precious jewels to Him, and He won't ever give us up. Doesn't it make you feel special to be pursued like that? I know it makes me feel that way :)

Day 174 - "Precious Stones"
(June 12, 2010)

Each and every person, no matter how good or bad, is precious like jewels in God's sight... to Him, we are worth pursuing.

Forever Friends?

In my devotional book today, it was talking about how we need to make God more important than friendships, and that He needs to be the common denominator in our friendships. This is a tough one for me, because, as a teenager, I spend a lot of time with my friends and value them a lot. It's very easy to put them before my relationship with God.

Day 167 - "Forever Friends"
(June 5, 2010)

An example of a God-centered friendship is Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego... they didn't let their friendship or their desire to live get in the way of what God wanted them to do. Those were some incredible guys.

So, I guess my challenge to everyone is to keep seeking friendships with God in the middle, and to make sure that God is top priority over all relationships. Its a tough one, I know, but with God all things are possible :)

A Gentle and Quiet Spirit

How we decorate ourselves has become very important to society these days. I know at least for my generation, it's all about having the right brand of clothes, the nice jewelry, the cool haircut...
But God tells us something different:

"Inner Beauty"

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight."

- 1 Peter 3:3-4

It's okay to want to look nice on the outside... but God calls us to be beautiful on the inside, with a gentle and quiet spirit. With it, we are beautiful on the inside and out!

Fortress

My family just recently finished a really fun project: our fort. It took about 6 weeks to build, and was built for my brother's birthday. It's a quiet place to go to escape the craziness of our house, and to just be still and admire God's creation around us.

Day 155 - "Fortress"

(May 22, 2010)

It actually made me think of the song by Brian Doerksen that goes with this verse:

The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge.
He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

- Psalm 18:2

When life feels kinda hectic and unstable, it's awesome to know that God will be our secure fortress... protecting us from Satan and keeping us from harm. :)

A Promise

The Bible is full of promises from our Heavenly Father. The one that I'm sure many people know is the story of Noah and the flood, and God sending a rainbow as a sign that He would never again flood the whole earth.



But here's a promise that I found in Psalms that I don't think I'd ever read before (I changed the "he" to "she" so it would fit better):

"Because she loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue her;
I will protect her, for she acknowledges my name.
She will call upon me, and I will answer her;
I will be with her in trouble,
I will deliver her and honor her.
With long life will I satisfy her and show her my salvation."

- Psalms 91: 14-16

Now, take a moment and put your name in every spot that says "she" or "her". Isn't it amazing? God loves us so much that He protects us, delivers us, satisfies our needs, forgives us, answers when we call... He is EVERYTHING to us! What an amazing gift to know that we have the Creator of the universe watching over us. Thank you, Jesus!

What Type of Seed are YOU???

I was reading in Matthew today, and came across the well-known parable of the sower. That's what inspired my picture today:

Day 141 - "The Sower"
(May 8, 2010)

There are four different types of seeds: the ones that fell on the path and were eaten by birds, the ones that fell on rock and withered in the sun, the ones that fell on thorns and were choked out, and the ones that fell on fertile soil and produced a bountiful crop.

Jesus told his disciples that the seeds on the path are like people who don't understand His word, and the devil comes and snatches it away from them. The seeds on the rock are people who gladly accepted His word, but soon fall away when persecutions and trials come. The seeds on the thorns are those who get distracted by the worries of life and are consumed by them. And lastly, the seeds on the good soil are those who hear His word and understand it.

I know I want to be a seed growing in fertile soil. What about you?

Day 122 - "Through the Looking Glass"

When God takes a magnifying glass and examines our hearts, what does He see?
I bet He sees brokenness, dark places where we hide our secrets... but He doesn't leave it that way. He scoops out the sin and cleanses our hearts with His love and grace, leaving us pure and blameless. We just have to let Him do it. 

Rest for Weary Souls

I read this verse the other day, and was struck by how good it sounds.


Day 127 - "Rest"
(Apr. 24, 2010)

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest... For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

-Matthew 11:28, 30

When life gets crazy and I feel like I'm in over my head, I can rest in knowing that God's got my back. I'll take His burden any day :)

It's comforting to know that God is there for us to dump all our baggage at His feet, and take up a light and easy burden, living in His rest.