When God's Plan conflicts with mine

Hello,

The past couple of weeks have been a tough one for the world. We lost someone who made us smile and laugh for so many years. It's been difficult for people to understand how someone who brought us all so much joy could live in such a dark world.

Robin Williams was one of a kind. It's as if the lights went out for us all, but hopefully something good will come out of this. Hopefully it will shed light on Depression and Suicide. Hopefully many others will be able to be helped from this.

It's very hard when something like this happens to understand God's plan. It doesn't make sense to us. We all loved him. It makes it harder when more and more stories come out about what an amazing human being he was. It's heartbreaking to think about the circumstances that would lead someone to take their own life.

Very often I struggle with what I want my plan to be and what God's plans for me are. I moved from Charlotte back to Philadelphia in 2007. I was heartbroken when I left and within a year I wanted to move back. It was difficult. I ached to move back, but I could not find a job. I was in a constant state of longing. I did not want to be where I was.

Little did I know that God wanted me where I was. I am a helper and some of my friends and family were going through really tough times. Some I would not have met had I not moved back. I did everything I could to be there for them. I did a lot of counseling for them. There was a lot of listening and some advice.

There were some scary times. I felt helpless. I worried a lot about their safety. A lot. And it turns out that I had reason to. There were suicidal thoughts on their part. In one case they were expressed to me and then they disappeared for 48 hours. Those were terrifying hours. I couldn't breathe.

I know that every case is different. Not everyone can be reached. I am so very grateful that God had this plan for me. I don't know what I would do without either of these people.  One of them periodically thanks me and lets me know that they would not be alive today if it weren't for me.

I was miserable because I wasn't living my plan, but God's plan for me was way more powerful than I could have imagined. I am so blessed to have these people in my life. It's worth putting my plans on hold.

I am moving back to Charlotte this week. It's what I want. Yet, there's a hesitation. What if I'm still needed here?

*****

 ^"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

My Amish Follow-up

Hello,

In my last post I referenced sometimes wishing I was Amish. At the time I was writing I was a little sad about the Tony Stewart incident. I should have elaborated on the Amish bit.

I am a reader. I love to read. I will read just about anything you put in front of me. I have recently started reading Beverly Lewis novels. She grew up in Lancaster County, PA and her father was a Pastor. She writes many novels based around the Amish life. I grew up a couple of hours from Lancaster and was familiar with the Amish. But, I spent almost the last two years much closer to them. I lived within a couple of miles. I became fascinated.

So it was only natural that in due time I would start reading her novels. How can you not be fascinated by people that don't use modern technology in today's world? We take it for granted. There are so many advancements in technology that we benefit from, but there are also many that harm us in the long run. If I had to I could live without a lot of it. I do remember life before cell phones and the internet. I managed to graduate college without either. I remember life before cable TV. We lived. Now I would not really like to give up air conditioning and treadmills, but if I had to I could. Modern refrigeration might be tough.

There's so much more to the Amish community that fascinates us than technology. The practice of Shunning and Excommunication is hard for most of us to understand. It's not an option for most of us. But, that's also how it is with understanding different cultures. It's difficult when it's not something you practice.

The idea of shunning is completely strange to me, but then again to be so set in beliefs and have such a strong sense of faith is nice to me. We live in a country where people profess to believe in God, but they don't always live like they do. We live in a country of freedom. We have the freedom to do almost anything we want. We are encouraged to embrace our individualism ad nurture our talents and desires. There is nothing wrong with that. It is wonderful. So to see a culture of people who have such a strict way of living is hard to understand. Everything from their clothing to their gender specific roles to their simpler life is hard for so many to grasp. I struggle with the gender roles, but I also understand that it is their culture.

Theirs is a community of faith, love, and help. They are peace loving. They come together to take care of each other in a time of need. Regardless of how they feel about each other. They are taught to forgive. They forgive even the most unspeakable acts. After the Amish Schoolhouse Massacre the world saw first hand the act of forgiveness. It's powerful.

They believe that the modern world is full of distractions. It's hard to argue that. I am a Christian. And yet how many times have I lost hours or days playing on the computer or watching marathons of pointless television shows? We are constantly bombarded with Fame and Fortune. It changes people's priorities. I could go the rest of my life without watching another Reality show and be a better person. Our society glorifies fame and money. It's easy to forget what's really important. People tend to worship money and things instead of God. I guess things would be different if God had his own Reality show.

It's hard to say which is the better way of life. I think I am a little too headstrong and individualistic to be defined by my gender, but I wouldn't mind a more simpler life to focus on what really matters. All that matters is honoring God.  It's refreshing to read about people who prioritize their life around God. I am not sure that I could adjust to that way of life full time, but I wouldn't mind an Amish vacation.

*****

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.
-Proverbs 1:7

Sometimes I wish I was Amish, but I love Twitter too much

Hello,

I have a confession to make. I Love Social Media. I really do. I especially love Twitter. I could Tweet all day long.  I love the world that I live in with all of the freedoms that I have, but sometimes I fantasize about being Amish.

They are very forgiving and kind.

This weekend a very bad thing happened involving my favorite Nascar Driver, Tony Stewart. There was an incident on the track and another driver was killed. It's heart wrenching. One of the reasons I love racing is because of the thrill. You secretly want a crash, but you don't want anyone to be hurt. It's a weird thing.

Now, you either Love or Hate Tony Stewart. He's had a reputation over the years. Sometimes he's a little aggressive and that rubs people the wrong way. I love it. It's what makes him a great driver.

I tried to read a couple of the articles today because I wanted to know what happened. And then I saw some of the comments on Social Media. For the most part people were supportive and sad. And then there were some people that just wrote hateful comments. They were spiteful and downright wished him harm.  

I just don't understand this. I am a Christian. I may not agree with other people and I may be upset by a situation, but I would never ever spew hate at anyone. What good does that do? Does it make you feel better? Probably not.

The day that Tony Stewart started his Twitter account was one of the best days ever. Not only is he an amazing driver, but he is funny.  He is also a very good guy. He may lose his temper on the track sometimes, but he is a very generous man. He is very charitable.

I saw some nasty comments on Facebook today. I'm guessing that Tony is not reading these comments. I hope he isn't. He has a lot to deal with. He doesn't need to see these hate fueled comments. There is no reason for them. This is a horrible situation, it needs healing not hate.

I have seen nasty comments when celebrities post pictures of their children. There is no filter. So many times I have tried to walk away. It just gets so ugly. That's not why I use social media. For all of the bad there is just as much good if not more. And so I try to use my platforms to help build people up or bring them a little joy. There is no room for Nastiness and Hate in my life.

The Amish may not have electricity and modern conveniences, but they most certainly have the right ideas.

Sending prayers to everyone involved in last night's tragedy.  And sending prayers for all of those who are writing these hateful things. Clearly they need God in their life.

*****

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
-Ephesians 4:32

I Am

Hello,

I am very excited that we have been singing a new song in church. It's new for this church, but not new to me. I mentioned this song in a previous post, but I do love it so much.

'I Am' by David Crowder.

There's no space that His love can't reach
There's no place where we can't find peace
There's no end to Amazing Grace
Take me in with your arms spread wide
Take me in like an orphan child
Never let go, never leave my side.

I am,
Holding on to You.
I am,
Holding on to You.
In the middle of the storm,
I am Holding on,
I am

I am,
Holding on to You.
I am,
Holding on to you.
In the middle of the storm,
I am holding on,
I am

Love like this, Oh my God to find!
I am overwhelmed what a joy divine!
Love like this sets our hearts on fire!

I am,
Holding on to You.
I am,
Holding on to You.
In the middle of the storm,
I am Holding on,
I am

I am,
Holding on to You.
I am,
Holding on to you.
In the middle of the storm,
I am holding on,
I am

This is my Resurrection Song
This is my Hallelujah Come
This is why to You I run
This is my Resurrection Song
This is my Hallelujah Come
This is why to You I run
There's no space that His love can't reach
There's no place that we can't find peace
There's no end to Amazing Grace

I am,
Holding on to You.
I am,
Holding on to You.
In the middle of the storm,
I am Holding on,
I am

I am,
Holding on to You.
I am,
Holding on to you.
In the middle of the storm,
I am holding on,
I am

The lyrics are simple and so powerful. 

 

For so long I would only turn to God and talk to him when I was sad, hurt, or angry. I would ask why. I would express my displeasure when I was in the 'middle of the storm'.

 

Then things changed. When I was in the 'middle of the storm' I started to ask God for his guidance. I know He is with me at all times. I know that He loves me. And so I take a deep breath and hold on. He will get me through the storm.

 

I love the line 'I am overwhelmed what a joy divine!' It is just joy to live with God's love. I talk to Him everyday. I thank him for the love that he shows me. 

 

I think about it like other relationships. I have friends that only dwell in the negative. It's draining. Sometimes you don't want to answer the phone. When they are happy and sharing their happiness it's so enlightening. I feel bad for the time in my life when I didn't share my joy and thank God every day. I am just grateful that He has always Always been there with me in the Storms.

 

*****

 

There will be a shelter to give shade from the heat by day, and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain.

-Isaiah 4:6

There will be a shelter to give shade from the heat by day, and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Storms#sthash.FJUbUH4M.dpuf

 

There will be a shelter to give shade from the heat by day, and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Storms#sthash.FJUbUH4M.dpuf

There will be a shelter to give shade from the heat by day, and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Storms#sthash.FJUbUH4M.dpuf

There will be a shelter to give shade from the heat by day, and refuge and protection from the storm and the rain. - See more at: http://bible.knowing-jesus.com/topics/Storms#sthash.FJUbUH4M.dpuf

 

Treating my Body as a Temple

Hello,

Many of you who know me or follow me know that this is my second blog. My first one is about my journey from a Fat girl to a Fit girl. For the most part the journey was personal. It was to correct years of neglecting my body and my mind. They go hand in hand.

I ate horrible food. I ate mass amounts of it. I ate away my depression. I ate way my sorrow.

The phrase 'body as a temple" always felt weird to me. I never thought of it as a Biblical phrase. It was always used in a non-biblical terms. It sort of turned me off. I wasn't a Biblical Whiz, but I kept thinking of Exodus 20:3 "You shall have no other gods before me." I know it's not the same thing, but to me it was suggesting worshiping your body. Quite frankly the people who were using the phrase seemed to worship themselves above all else. 

And then two things happened at the same time.  The first is that I started to make healthy changes in my lifestyle. The second is that I began to read the Bible every day. I started a schedule to read the whole Bible in a year. I read a passage in 1 Corinthians about our bodies being temples of the Holy Spirit. Things clicked.  

In addition to working out regularly, I began to really focus on what I put into my body. I cut out the fat, grease, and sugar. I still falter, but I am so much healthier today than I was back then. The way I see it, God gave me this body and I abused it for years. I turned my back on the gift that He gave me.

I have a food addiction. I face temptation every day. Sometimes I feel like when I am feeling particularly strong in my relationship with God, those are the days that temptations are the strongest. It may sound small, but it feels like the Devil at work in my life. He is trying to make me weak. 

As diligent as I am with my workouts, I am just as diligent with my Rest Days. My Rest Day is Sunday. That is my day to Worship the Lord. My body needs rest and my faith needs nourishing. It's my day to focus on my relationship with God. 

When I drive to church on Sunday mornings I lose track of the number of runners and walkers I see outside. I have the itch. I want to be there too, but I am out there every other day. As much as it pains me to Rest, I have more important things to do.

So yes, I treat my body as a temple.  God Loves me and I want to show Him how much I appreciate all He has done for me.

*****

Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

-1 Corinthians 6:19-20