Friday, September 30, 2011
"180" -the movie
I heard about this from a friend's blog (thanks Crystal!). For anyone who hasn't watched it yet, it's only 33 minutes of your time, and may change your thinking on a very controversial issue in North America today.
Sunday, September 25, 2011
A jumbled mess of thoughts
So, as usual my thoughts are all over the place, so this might not make complete sense. :)
I think that Canada and America are some of the most difficult places to be a Christian. (Actually, you can include many more countries in the list but I'm not sure which ones would fit in this category.) The reason for this is that the majority of people who call themselves Christians are either nominal Christians, or lukewarm. Nominal Christians may believe in God but they have never surrendered their life to Christ. Lukewarm Christians may be growing, but ever so slowly. They have surrendered part of their life to Christ but not everything, and are "on the fence" between God and the World.
I believe that it is actually easier to be a Christian in places like Afghanistan or China because Christians are forced to make a stand for Christ. If they are a true Christian, they are going to get persecution. What we as Christians in North America sometimes call persecution is not persecution. It may be uncomfortable to be made fun of by a professor at school or to be thought of as backwards and stupid, but we are not even close to going through what many brothers and sisters across the world are going through. What is sad is that those who are made fun of are a select few. Because most Christians have not even made it known to others that they are saved.
Therefore, in countries hostile to Christianity there is practically no struggle against "comfortable" Christianity. It's either all or nothing. In North America we can settle into our homes and jobs, save money for retirement, and forget about the world dying in their sins around us. It is more of a struggle to be on fire for God than to sit back and watch our lives go by.
What a waste! So many of us (myself included) are wasting the lives given to us! We go to church on Sunday and may even help out in our churches but we are not doing anything to tell others about Christ! Maybe that's what this is about. Maybe my frustration is really about the lack of evangelism in my own life, and in the lives of most church-going people.
But wait! Why do so many "Christians" seem unworried about the lack of conviction; the lack of growth; the lack of love for the lost? Why are we not so full of overflowing love and gratitude for our Saviour that we can't wait to tell others about Him? Should evangelism really be a chore?
Maybe it is that we don't realize the full extent of out own sin. We don't realize what we have been saved from. We are full of pride and don't think that we really are "all that bad". So we don't love Christ like we should.
Wow. I've gone really off-topic. But this is all really bothering me right now. I'd like to be on-fire for God but am uncertain as to how to get there. I want an overflowing love for Christ, but do not know how to cultivate it in my life. I don't want to be governed by other people's thoughts; caring so much of what they may think of me if I do, or don't do something.
I think maybe that the answer may be found in burrowing myself in the Word of God. So maybe I will try to spend more time in His Word.
I think that Canada and America are some of the most difficult places to be a Christian. (Actually, you can include many more countries in the list but I'm not sure which ones would fit in this category.) The reason for this is that the majority of people who call themselves Christians are either nominal Christians, or lukewarm. Nominal Christians may believe in God but they have never surrendered their life to Christ. Lukewarm Christians may be growing, but ever so slowly. They have surrendered part of their life to Christ but not everything, and are "on the fence" between God and the World.
I believe that it is actually easier to be a Christian in places like Afghanistan or China because Christians are forced to make a stand for Christ. If they are a true Christian, they are going to get persecution. What we as Christians in North America sometimes call persecution is not persecution. It may be uncomfortable to be made fun of by a professor at school or to be thought of as backwards and stupid, but we are not even close to going through what many brothers and sisters across the world are going through. What is sad is that those who are made fun of are a select few. Because most Christians have not even made it known to others that they are saved.
Therefore, in countries hostile to Christianity there is practically no struggle against "comfortable" Christianity. It's either all or nothing. In North America we can settle into our homes and jobs, save money for retirement, and forget about the world dying in their sins around us. It is more of a struggle to be on fire for God than to sit back and watch our lives go by.
What a waste! So many of us (myself included) are wasting the lives given to us! We go to church on Sunday and may even help out in our churches but we are not doing anything to tell others about Christ! Maybe that's what this is about. Maybe my frustration is really about the lack of evangelism in my own life, and in the lives of most church-going people.
But wait! Why do so many "Christians" seem unworried about the lack of conviction; the lack of growth; the lack of love for the lost? Why are we not so full of overflowing love and gratitude for our Saviour that we can't wait to tell others about Him? Should evangelism really be a chore?
Maybe it is that we don't realize the full extent of out own sin. We don't realize what we have been saved from. We are full of pride and don't think that we really are "all that bad". So we don't love Christ like we should.
Wow. I've gone really off-topic. But this is all really bothering me right now. I'd like to be on-fire for God but am uncertain as to how to get there. I want an overflowing love for Christ, but do not know how to cultivate it in my life. I don't want to be governed by other people's thoughts; caring so much of what they may think of me if I do, or don't do something.
I think maybe that the answer may be found in burrowing myself in the Word of God. So maybe I will try to spend more time in His Word.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
21 Reasons I Love Winter
Most people say I'm crazy to like winter better than summer. But for the most part, I love winter. The rain can get a little tired at times, but then again, I like umbrellas and gum boots! But that's not part of the list. These are not listed in any particular order:
1. You don't have to work hard to still smell good at the end of the day. :)
2. Modesty is easy because everybody has the same amount of clothes on to stay warm.
3. There's many more style options because you're wearing more. (ex. layering)
4. Scarves
5. Toques
6. Boots
7. Skating/hockey
8. Snow
9. Smoke in the air. ("Smells like winter!")
10. Fog
11. Seeing my breath in the air
12. Christmas and New Years
13. My birthday
14. Frost
15. Yew Year's resolutions
16. Looking forward to spring flowers
17. Snowboarding!!!
18. Sitting on the heating vent
19. Snuggling under blankets
20. Hot chocolate
21. Pink cheeks from the cold
1. You don't have to work hard to still smell good at the end of the day. :)
2. Modesty is easy because everybody has the same amount of clothes on to stay warm.
3. There's many more style options because you're wearing more. (ex. layering)
4. Scarves
5. Toques
6. Boots
7. Skating/hockey
8. Snow
9. Smoke in the air. ("Smells like winter!")
10. Fog
11. Seeing my breath in the air
12. Christmas and New Years
13. My birthday
14. Frost
15. Yew Year's resolutions
16. Looking forward to spring flowers
17. Snowboarding!!!
18. Sitting on the heating vent
19. Snuggling under blankets
20. Hot chocolate
21. Pink cheeks from the cold
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
In Mexico... Learning About Judging
So, as the title says, I'm in Mexico at a YWAM base visiting my sister who is a missionary here. I came here knowing that I was going to learn something, but definitely not expecting to learn about judging others. In fact, I thought I did pretty well in that area. It turns out that I was completely wrong.
Part of the reason (besides visiting my sister who I hadn't seen in 8 months) for coming to Mexico was to meet my sister's boyfriend, who she's planning on marrying. (And vice-versa) ;) I thought it was perfectly natural that I come and meet him, since I don't chat often on facebook, and it gave me another reason to come on down. He's an awesome guy by the way, but he was pretty scared of my coming to "report" on him back to the family. That's totally natural, only, I didn't think of how he must be feeling before. Either way, he was really hurt by my family's judging him and placing him in a box before we even met him personally.
That was one apology. The other one was to a woman speaker at the base, named Mary Jean. (She's an awesome lady by the way.) :) I've been brought up in a church and family which believe that women should remain silent in the church. So her being a woman was already an obstacle. When I sat down to listen to her, I determined that I would try to overlook her being a woman and would listen anyways. She is a very good speaker and I learned a lot from her.
A few days later, I got into a conversation with her. She told me that from the moment I sat down, she felt a really heavy air of judgement coming from me. I was shocked. Firstly, I had no idea that I was even judging her, and secondly, the fact that she could tell was really surprising to me. I think judgement must be a huge blind spot in my life, obviously stemming from pride (which I really struggle with). It is so hard to put ourselves lower than we think we deserve. Especially when we deserve nothing.
I deserve nothing. Yet, my Saviour somehow sees through the filth of my sin and loves anyways. Amazing? I think so.
Part of the reason (besides visiting my sister who I hadn't seen in 8 months) for coming to Mexico was to meet my sister's boyfriend, who she's planning on marrying. (And vice-versa) ;) I thought it was perfectly natural that I come and meet him, since I don't chat often on facebook, and it gave me another reason to come on down. He's an awesome guy by the way, but he was pretty scared of my coming to "report" on him back to the family. That's totally natural, only, I didn't think of how he must be feeling before. Either way, he was really hurt by my family's judging him and placing him in a box before we even met him personally.
That was one apology. The other one was to a woman speaker at the base, named Mary Jean. (She's an awesome lady by the way.) :) I've been brought up in a church and family which believe that women should remain silent in the church. So her being a woman was already an obstacle. When I sat down to listen to her, I determined that I would try to overlook her being a woman and would listen anyways. She is a very good speaker and I learned a lot from her.
A few days later, I got into a conversation with her. She told me that from the moment I sat down, she felt a really heavy air of judgement coming from me. I was shocked. Firstly, I had no idea that I was even judging her, and secondly, the fact that she could tell was really surprising to me. I think judgement must be a huge blind spot in my life, obviously stemming from pride (which I really struggle with). It is so hard to put ourselves lower than we think we deserve. Especially when we deserve nothing.
I deserve nothing. Yet, my Saviour somehow sees through the filth of my sin and loves anyways. Amazing? I think so.
Monday, June 6, 2011
Loving God... by obeying Him
So this just clicked.
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
It's so simple! All this time I've been looking for a feeling of loving God, asking Him to help me to love Him... somehow. But all He says is to keep His commandments. It's not always a feeling or an emotion. Sometimes it's just plain work without the frills that we've come to expect.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Others May, You Cannot
I'm pretty sure this has been posted by a ton of people already, but it's always good to read it again. :)
If God has called you to be really like Jesus He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility, and put upon you such demands of obedience, that you will not be able to follow other people, or measure yourself by other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other people do things which He will not let you do.
Other Christians and ministers who seem very religious and useful, may push themselves, pull wires, and work schemes to carry out their plans, but you cannot do it, and if you attempt it, you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.
Others may boast of themselves, of their work, of their successes, of their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.
Others may be allowed to succeed in making money, or may have a legacy left to them, but it is likely God will keep you poor, because He wants you to have something far better than gold, namely, a helpless dependence upon Him, that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day out of an unseen treasury.
The Lord may let others be honored and put forward, and keep you hidden in obscurity, because He wants to produce some choice fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade. He may let others be great, but keep you small. He may let others do a work for Him and get the credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious He may let others get credit for the work which you have done, and thus make your reward ten times greater when Jesus comes.
The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch over you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings or for wasting your time, which other Christians never feel distressed over. So make up your mind that God is an Infinitely Sovereign Being, and has a right to do as He pleases with His own. He may not explain to you a thousand things which puzzle your reason in His dealings with you, but if you absolutely sell yourself to be His love slave, He will wrap you up in Jealous Love, and bestow upon you many blessings which come only to those who are in the inner circle.
Settle it forever, then that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that He does not seem to use with others. Now, when you are so possessed with the living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, then you will have found the vestibule of Heaven.
—G.D. Watson (1845-1924)
If God has called you to be really like Jesus He will draw you into a life of crucifixion and humility, and put upon you such demands of obedience, that you will not be able to follow other people, or measure yourself by other Christians, and in many ways He will seem to let other people do things which He will not let you do.
Other Christians and ministers who seem very religious and useful, may push themselves, pull wires, and work schemes to carry out their plans, but you cannot do it, and if you attempt it, you will meet with such failure and rebuke from the Lord as to make you sorely penitent.
Others may boast of themselves, of their work, of their successes, of their writings, but the Holy Spirit will not allow you to do any such thing, and if you begin it, He will lead you into some deep mortification that will make you despise yourself and all your good works.
Others may be allowed to succeed in making money, or may have a legacy left to them, but it is likely God will keep you poor, because He wants you to have something far better than gold, namely, a helpless dependence upon Him, that He may have the privilege of supplying your needs day by day out of an unseen treasury.
The Lord may let others be honored and put forward, and keep you hidden in obscurity, because He wants to produce some choice fragrant fruit for His coming glory, which can only be produced in the shade. He may let others be great, but keep you small. He may let others do a work for Him and get the credit for it, but He will make you work and toil on without knowing how much you are doing; and then to make your work still more precious He may let others get credit for the work which you have done, and thus make your reward ten times greater when Jesus comes.
The Holy Spirit will put a strict watch over you, with a jealous love, and will rebuke you for little words and feelings or for wasting your time, which other Christians never feel distressed over. So make up your mind that God is an Infinitely Sovereign Being, and has a right to do as He pleases with His own. He may not explain to you a thousand things which puzzle your reason in His dealings with you, but if you absolutely sell yourself to be His love slave, He will wrap you up in Jealous Love, and bestow upon you many blessings which come only to those who are in the inner circle.
Settle it forever, then that you are to deal directly with the Holy Spirit, and that He is to have the privilege of tying your tongue, or chaining your hand, or closing your eyes, in ways that He does not seem to use with others. Now, when you are so possessed with the living God that you are, in your secret heart, pleased and delighted over this peculiar, personal, private, jealous guardianship and management of the Holy Spirit over your life, then you will have found the vestibule of Heaven.
—G.D. Watson (1845-1924)
Thursday, April 7, 2011
In the Hands of the Creator
In the Hands of the Creator
With skilled hands he formed her: lovingly, carefully, and thoughtfully.
Although the materials were not much to work with, -just a glob of clay- he sculpted it. Molding. Patting. Pushing the dirt. Slowly, a figure began to take shape, and curious beings gathered around to watch the transformation.
Although the materials were not much to work with, -just a glob of clay- he sculpted it. Molding. Patting. Pushing the dirt. Slowly, a figure began to take shape, and curious beings gathered around to watch the transformation.
He made this one with long limbs, knowing that the hunt for clothes that fit would teach patience and perseverence. At first her waist was small, but then, as if he had a second thought, he added a bit more clay to it, making it a bit straighter and not so hourglass-shaped. Her head was oval shaped, like an egg. Adding extra clay to her facial bones, he made her cheeks round and dimpled. No chiseled cheekbones on this one. He continued this way for her whole body, taking clay away in some spots and adding more in others until the body was perfectly shaped. Not perfect in the eyes of critics in the world she would be born into, but perfect in the eyes of the Creator.
Now to continue onto her face. With careful attention to detail, He gently pulled and patted her face until it became the desired form. He surveyed His blank canvas and gently pulled the jaw out. During her life on earth, she would have braces to correct the “underbite” He had given her. Next, her ears were pulled out a bit; her earlobes made similar to her father’s. Moving onto her lips, He sculpted them similarly to the way He had made her mother’s. “Fishlips”, her aunt had called her mother. But they were perfectly formed. Her teeth were large and endearingly crooked. Moving onto her nose, He made it small, and round, pressing His thumb onto the end and turning it up a little. Finally He began her eyes. One eyelid closed a little differently than the other. She was unique! He painted the colour grey, and then changed his mind and put blue on top. The result was nice.
At length, everything was ready for the finishing touches. He added a touch of colour to the lips and cheeks. He laughed to himself, recognizing that she would blush easily. Sparse eyelashes, thick brows, a few moles here and there, fingernails, and toenails were all lovingly sculpted. Finally her crowning glory: a mane of fine soft brown hair.
He stepped back, and the watching beings gasped in wonder and amazement. Another work of art. She was beautiful. Just like everything He had created so far. Excitedly, they watched the next segment unfold. The Master Creator breathed gently into her nostrils. Down below, a child – a beautiful baby girl- began to grow in the womb of her mother. The Creator let His adoring gaze linger for a while on the little child, knowing the struggles, joys, pain, and pleasure she would go through in life on earth; emotions which He would also have, with her life being the cause of it as He guided her through life. The realization that she would have to choose to be led by Him was ever present, but if she decided to choose Him instead of the wiles of the world, what joy He would have as He revealed Himself to her! He, the one who had not only created her, but had also given His only Son to die an agonizing death on a cruel cross for her, in order that she might be with Him someday! He loved her. Unconditionally.
He broke His gaze finally and once again, turned to a lump of clay beside Him and began to work.
Then the LORD God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.. Gen. 2:7
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139:13
But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8
Verses taken from the English Standard Version
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Super Bowl Sorrows
I get email updates from True Woman, which is a blog associated with Nancy Leigh DeMoss's ministry, Revive Our Hearts. I haven't been reading the blog posts for a while, but the last two titles grabbed my attention: "The Shocking Side of the Super Bowl" (which was actually written by Focus on the Family's Dr. Juli Slattery), and "Trafficking in the Shadow of the Super Bowl". Because the Super Bowl is American, we Canadians hardly know when our American neighbours are watching/celebrating it. But this year is different, and I think for once, it will be on my mind all weekend.
Like the titles probably told you, the blog posts revealed the terrible sex-trafficking which will accompany the Super Bowl in Texas. I won't go into much detail, because you can read the articles yourself, but needless to say, it has shaken me. I wonder how much of this goes on in Vancouver. I heard stuff about it during the Olympics, and I've been wondering about it ever since. What can people do to stop this? And besides prayer, how can a young lady get involved in stopping something which can be so potentially dangerous???
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Beauty, and Following Christ
Well, here's another post. A little hurried because I don't have a whole lot of time, but it's a post. And it hasn't been a year since the last one! :)
Just a quick heads up before you read, that it's long, and it doesn't completely tie together. My thoughts are everywhere and not completely organized.
I have a confession to make of which I've barely told anyone. I've wanted to model for the last 3 or 4 years, and it's a secret obsession and temptation of mine which I desperately struggle against almost every day. See, I believe that God has made my body to glorify Him, but also, for my future husband, if God chooses to bring the right man into my life. Therefore, it goes against all the convictions I've ever had to model. To show off my body in a sensual, or even "artistic" way for millions to see; to be praised for something I have no control over (God made my face and my body); to support the stupid image of beauty this world has and is feeding the women across the globe. It's just so wrong. Not that taking pictures of a beautiful woman is in itself wrong, but the whole.... I don't know... business? is wrong in my eyes.
And then on the other hand I have this extreme desire for real beauty. Real beauty, as in, the beauty which comes from within. The beauty which comes from a "meek and quiet spirit" which is precious in the sight of God. (1 Peter 3:4) I want people, after they've been in my presence, to feel as if they've had a taste of Jesus. To be inspired to seek Him for more. To be turned to Christ because of the beauty which is within. It sounds really weird, even to me actually, but I've met two people like that in my life, and ever since, I've desired the same beauty, but a whole lot more so, the same relationship which they had with Jesus.
Anyways, I turned 19 last month. Legally, I am allowed to do anything (in Canada). I can go out and get drunk, try drugs, do anything my parents tell me not to do because legally I'm not under their authority anymore, and.... model. Scripturally, I'm still under God, and under my parents, but now that one of the obstacles is gone, the temptation is so much stronger. I chose a few weeks ago not to model. That doesn't mean the option is not going to come up again though. Not at all. But if I am focused on Christ, will it be that much less stronger? And that much easier to resist?
I've been reading Leslie Ludy's Authentic Beauty, which my Dad got me for my birthday, and it's (so far) not about beauty at all. It's about the relationship which I've always wanted with Christ. The one which requires a life completely centred around him. Completely. As in, every spare moment spent with Him. He IS the life of the one who wholly follows Him.
As of right now, I'm too afraid. I'm afraid to look like a fool, to be laughed at, to be looked at as weird, to be yelled at because someone doesn't want to hear about my Saviour, to maybe be tortured some day because of Him, to give my prized possessions up in exchange for heavenly treasure, and so much more. But I'm sure that it's worth it.... or do I? The problem is that I'm sure in my mind, but not convinced in my heart. Make sense?
I should go now. I might edit this some more later, but it'll be up till then. :)
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