strong//weak

 

I received a comment recently, about me being a strong Christian. I felt like laughing and crying; laughing, because I'm really not strong; crying, because something made that person believe I am strong.

 Confession: I'm not strong. I'm poor, bitter, tired and very, very weak. I disgust myself with the way I treat others and what my thoughts are about. I buckle under pressure, and I give in to things, even when I know I shouldn't. I am weak. 

To the world, weakness is a horrible thing. We are taught to hold back our tears, hide our pain, and not let anyone in. We put on masks that say, "Everything's roses and sun beams, and I'm the strongest person in the world!"

But behind every smile, even the most sincere, there's a weak person. It's human nature---God created us to need Him. And when one tries to find strength in other things, one slowly loses any chance of being strong. 

In his {second} letter to the Corinthians, Paul writes about false strength and being humbled by weaknesses: "To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me /// 2 Corinthians 12:7-9

There are days when the Holy Spirit fills me, and I feel strong for a while. But if I get too full of myself, God gently reminds me how weak I am....and how I depend wholly on Him. 

If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness /// 2 Corinthians 11:30

I feel weak when I think of my academic future.

I feel weak when I compare myself to other girls.

I feel weak when I think about my sinfulness.

I feel weak when I pay attention to world news.

I feel weak when I go without reading the Word.
I feel weak when I think about Satan.
I feel weak when change happens in my life.
I constantly feel weak. But now I boast in it, for He has made me strong through my weaknesses.

-L

'cause when a heart breaks, no it don't break even

These lyrics are so, so true. This past year brought me a lot of heartbreak. People I had once trusted turning on me. Old friends forgetting about me. People I cared about changing, 'till I didn't even know who they were. The fancies of 'first love' fading away.

And as every hit came, I thought to myself, "Surely, this will be the last one. Surely my heart cannot take any more pain!"

But of course, it all kept coming. Little things, big things, things that hardly even matter---they all hurt.

With God's neverending love and grace, I got through the hardest times. With special Bible verses, He calmed my soul. By giving me true friends, He healed the cracks in my heart. And by playings the right songs at the right times, my Father soothed the pain I'd been holding inside. He showed me true love, of all kinds, that will never leave me.

For the king trusts in the Lord; through the unfailing love of the Most High, he will not be shaken.

--Psalm 21:7

And for a while, I was okay. I began to move on from my past and live in the present. But by various means, the moments of heartbreak started coming back. A picture from last year, an old blog post, and a chance meeting kept on reminding me of the hurt I'd been through. So, being the stupid human I am, I let the wounds that were finally healing began to reopen.

Yet even while I was torturing myself with old pains, Jesus opened His arms and engulfed me. I realized things that hurt me hurt Him too--- and that's just not cool. Jesus already endured the pain of the cross to save me; I shouldn't give Him more oppurtunities to hurt. Dwelling on past things is sinful, and I really need to stop.

I decided this not too long ago, so I'm still struggling to forget what I've been through. I'm still trying to get past my hurt feelings and mentally forgive what former friends did to me. God still has to remind me that my heart has been made new by His healing, and that it will be made perfect once again.

It's a learning process....but with soul-sisters, poncho pals, and amazing song lyrics, I'm getting there. (:

love always,

~Lily

it's a teenage girl thing

As I am getting older, I'm realizing why it is that teenage girls want boyfriends so bad.

Every girl wants to be loved. Every girl wants to be held, kissed, and told she is beautiful. Every girl wants a knight in shining armor, a prince on a white horse, a former thief who's changed his ways {Flynn.....ahh}.

And, for some girls, that need is found in a guy who's just temporary. Both girl and boy know this relationship isn't going to last, but they go with it anyway. They both get what they want out of the relationship.....or so they think.

But, at the same time, I know that waiting for one's Beloved is an important thing. I don't want to waste love for some boy I'm never going to marry----I want to save my love for My Guy. I don't know him yet, but I've already given him my love and my heart.

Trust me----I of all people know how hard it is to not have a guy right now. And I have those fears same as any other girl, that I'll never find him. So that's why I was so thankful when I found this following passage from Song of Songs.

All night long on my bed

I looked for the one my heart loves;

I looked for him but did not find him.

The watchmen found me

as they made their rounds in the city.

"Have you seen the one my heart loves?"

Scarcely had I passed them 

when I found the one my heart loves.

I held him and would not let him go

till I had brought him to my mother's house,

to the room of the one who conceived me.
 

Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you

by the gazelles and by the does of the field:

Do not arouse or awaken love

until it so desires.

--Song of Songs 3:1-5

I had just finished writing a letter to my future husband {yes, I'm cheesy like that ;)} and was feeling rather restless about finding him. I remembered what my small group leader at WorldViews talked about, that God has stuff in the Bible that would give me peace. So, I started reading the above passage.....and it all clicked.

We girls are like Solomon's beloved. We long for the one we love, the one we haven't met yet. We look all over for him, but we can't find him. We ask around, to see if anyone would know where he is to be found. And just when it all seems hopeless----there he is. We've found him, our Prince Charming, the one who has always belonged in our hearts. We hold him and never let him go, ever again.

not my image

I wrote this post to encourage my fellow Christian girls. I know it's hard at times, and it feels like we're never going to find our husband. But God gave me hope through Song of Solomon that everything is going to be okay. God is writing our love stories, and they're going to be beautiful tales.

'M' for Monday......and Miscellany.



1. I stumbled across this verse this morning:

2. I am so pumped for Thanksgiving......TURKEY TIME!!!!

3. Another verse from Proverbs:

Better is open rebuke

thank hidden love.

Proverbs 27:5

Interesting verse, is it not?

4. How to Train Your Dragon is a totally awesome movie!!!!!!!! If you have not seen it yet, you definitely should! I was very surprised to find that I liked it......I'm not the biggest fan of DreamWorks movies.

5. Speaking of DreamWorks: Megamind is also a very good movie. What is up with DreamWorks making all these good movies?!? It's sweet. (:

6. I am dying for a really nice camera......*sighs*

Sheep and doves among wolves and snakes

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
                Matthew 10:16

Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But however diowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.
                                                                                                                                     Matthew 10:32-33

Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
                                                                                                                                    Matthew 10:39


These are just some verses that jumped out to me this morning. I'm not sure why the Holy Spirt caused me to be touched by them.........maybe I'll find out today. (:

ttyl,

Are Christians allowed to have fun?

Should Christians have fun? Are Christians allowed to have fun? Does God want Christians to have fun?

This is a question that many Christians ask themselves every day. Does God want me to go see that movie, listen to that song, or go to that dance? Does He actually care?

2 Samuel 6:14-15 says, "David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might, while he and the entire house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets."

Well, if David was allowed to dance, are modern day Christians allowed too? What about laughing? Shouldn’t Christians be solemn and stern, all the time?

The book of Ecclesiastes says, ‘There is a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.'


Okay, so God gives us times to laugh and dance, as well as weep and mourn. That sounds pretty fair!

But are Christians allowed to sing? Surely the sound of our high-pitched caterwauling doesn’t glorify God!

Isaiah 35:10 says, “And the ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.”

Job 38:7 “while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?”

Okay, so maybe singing isn’t all that bad. But what kind of songs should we sing?


Psalm 126 “When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were lime men who dreamed. Our moths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.” The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy. Restore our fortunes, O Lord, like streams in the Negev. Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him.

God glorifies in songs of joy and praise. He wants us, his children, to be glad and joyful.

Then, there is the matter of instruments. Is it sinful to play instruments?

1 Samuel 18:6 When the men were returning home after David had killed the Philistine, the women came out from all the towns of Israel to meet King Saul with singing and dancing, with joyful songs and with tambourines and lutes.”

If the women of Israel were allowed to serenade David with tambourines and lutes, surely we can accompany our hymns with pianos, flutes, violins, and the like (also, the beautiful music could mask our otherwise not so lovely singing).

And then there is the matter of drinking. Is it lawful for obedient Christians to enjoy a glass of alcohol?

Ecclesiastes 9:7-10 “Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for it is now what God favors you do. Always be clothed in white, and always anoint your head with oil. Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun-----all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun.”


Right here, in the Bible, it tells Christians to drink their wine with a joyful heart! Keep in mind, also, that Jesus Himself drank wine on numerous occasions. His first miracle, in fact, was turning water in to wine!!!!
Our Communion, in fact, includes the drinking of wine. Surely Jesus would not have said of wine, ‘This is my blood, drink it’ if he thought wine was sinful!

Now, of course, everything is good in moderation. Excessive drinking can lead to drunkenness, which leads to many other insightful sins.

Proverbs 23:20-21: Do not join those who drink too much wine or gorge themselves on meat, for drunkards and gluttons become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags.
Ephesians 5:18 says, Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

God does not want the enjoyment of wine, food, and sleep to cloud our minds. He wants us to focus on Him, while still enjoying the bounty He has given us. He wants us to glorify Him in everything we do, see, hear, or say.

To finish, here is a verse which I think about sums up this entire presentation on ‘Christian fun’:

Ephesians 5:19-20: Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

AMEN!!!!!!

Tags and awards!

Eldarwen over at The Faithful Elven Princess said anyone could have this award and do the tags....so here I go!

1.What's your favorite book of the Bible? Hebrews and James

2.What's your life verse? The entire chapter of Hebrews 11 and Psalm 86:11-12

3.What's your favorite Bible name? I've always loved Naomi, and Lydia is awesome too.

4.Ruth or Esther? I love both, but Esther's story is my favorite.

5.Abraham or Noah? Abraham.

6. Who's your favorite disciple? James.

7.What's your favorite story in the Bible? The story of Deborah

8.What's your favorite hymn? Be Thou My Vision. But there are plenty of others too.

9.Who's your favorite Christan author? I have no idea.......God? =D

10.What is your favorite miracle that God performed? Jesus healing the man's hand on the Sabbath.

Anyone who wants this award, feel free to take it!

 
 

Here's another thing Eldarwen had:

 

(1) Would you rather have a cat or dog? I can't say----I love them both!

(2) Do you like to cook? Well, I prefer baking.....

(3) What would you do with 1 million dollars? So much! Have my Sweet Sixteen in Disney World, take my family on a tour of Europe, sponsor like 30 World Vision kids......and much, much more. :)

(4) Do you prefer being outside in the sunshine or inside reading? I like sitting inside reading, with the windows open and the sunshine coming in.

(5) Do you read my blog often? (speaking to Eldarwen) Yes!

(6) Do you like big houses or little houses? Hmm.....probably big houses.

(7) Do you like starting your own tags or getting tagged? Getting tagged, totally.

(8) If I dropped $10 by accident would you (a) return it to me? (b) go to a store and by as much stuff as you can get? or (c) donate it to charity? If I knew you had dropped it, I would return it.

(9) Do you like Janette Oke books better or Laura Ingalls Wilder? Janette's books are awesome, but Laura's books have always been my favorites. :)

(10) Brownies or cupcakes? Brownies, without a doubt.

(11) Have you ever had some beverage come out of your nose? Yeah, Sprite and milk. Yuck.

(12) What's one embarrassing thing that has happened to you? Last year, my friend and I were going to Compostition II from Biology. I thought Comp I was still going on, so we stayed in the hallway for like 10 minutes, talking and eating our snacks. Then, I peeked in and realized everyone was staring at me! We went in and our teacher said, "Well, I thought you'd never join us!" That was pretty embarrassing. ;)

Here's my question:

(13) Do you like Star Wars or Lord of the Rings better? Lord of the Rings, all the way.

 
As I said before, feel free to do this tag!!
 
Love,
 

I love this verse I found in Matthew today:

All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. (Matthew 11)

Quite interesting, isn't it? No human truly knows God unless Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to work in our hearts. Another verse goes quite well with this one:

Jesus said--I am the Way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (John 14)

These verses go hand in hand: Both say that the only way to God is through Jesus Christ. If we don't accept him first, we can't get to God.

"So be strong, who yourself a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the Law of Moses, so that you may prosper in all you do and where you go, and that the Lord may keep his promise to me: 'If your descendants watch how they live, and if they walk faithfully before me with all their heart and soul, you will never fail to have a man on the throne of Israel.' "
(1 Kings 2)

This passage is part of David's charge to Solomon on David's deathbed. Even though David said all this thousands of years ago, it still pertains to us as Christians today. Walk in his ways, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and requirements, as written in the law of Moses. David told Solomon to follow the Ten Commandments, as we should also.

Just as Solomon listened to his earthly father's charge, so should we listen to our Heavenly Father's charge.

Bible verse

Whoops, forgot to add my Bible verse for the day:

The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? The Lord is with me; he his my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies.

With God on our side, who can hurt us?

Wisdom

The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good. (Ecclesiastes 9:17-18)

The Bible really puts an emphasis on wisdom. Countless times the power of wisdom is mentioned.

But in this fast-paced, high tech world, it seems to me that wisdom, true wisdom, has sort of drifted to the side. Sure, we have people who know everything about computers or iPods or whatever, but we don't usually see the wisdom heroes from the Bible had.
For people nowadays, brute force is better than wisdom.

Kind of sad, no?