"If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday."
As I was doing my FUEL for tonight (a guided bible study our youth group is doing together) this scripture was part of what we were supposed to read. It seemed to jump off the page at me and get me really thinking. There are so many of us who claim to be Christians and do God's work, yet seem to only stay within the confines of the four walls of the church. Now, I know God calls each of us to be used for Him in different ways, but do we sometimes hide behind that when we encounter the people that God is talking about in this passage? Do we hide behind our deeds towards the "perfect church service" when we come across someone in need right in front of us on the street corner?
It seems that throughout scripture God tells us, either through prophets in the OT or from Jesus' own lips in the NT, to reach out a hand to those in need. I think many have heard this call and have embraced it fully, but I also think a lot of us miss it- especially those of us who have been churched our whole lives. I know that I have become quite content with my pew-sitting self in the past and have often turned a deaf ear to the cry of those in need because I'm a good, tithe-paying, song-singing, Bible-quizzing Nazarene girl.
Its not enough to simply live a life of a good church-goer. I've felt God's tug on my heart to do more than simply be a good Christian girl who stays within those four walls of the sanctuary. While the church community is vital to our walk with God because of its fellowship and accountability, I think that what is beyond the front doors is something we can't forget about. God is calling us to step out of our comfort zone and listen to the voice of the oppressed.
Listen and act and your days will be filled with a wonderful light that can only come from God. :)
Friday, March 21, 2008
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Catching up,
Well, the past two weeks have been one of the most eventful weeks of my life! I had two major things going on: Lip Sync and Exec. Elections for SGA.
I will spare you all the boring details about no sleep, skipping a few classes at the end, and having my every second pretty much planned out and cut to the chase. I won for my position of Office Administrator for SGA, and Lip Sync is done! I can't really comment on the success of the event, mainly because I'm my own worst critic, but besides that, I heard it was received well.
The most exciting thing about it all is how I handled everything. I was... to my surprise, really calm all week. That's not common in my life when I have a lot going on. I tend to be SUPER stressed about even the littlest of things! All I can say is that God was with me in a very REAL way this week, and He gave me a sense of calm and joy that can only come from Him!
Man, life is good, and I am so very thankful for all the Lord has done in my life. He has given me so many blessings, and one of them is a loving circle of family and friends who have encouraged and embraced me when I need it the most.
I'm just so thankful...
I will spare you all the boring details about no sleep, skipping a few classes at the end, and having my every second pretty much planned out and cut to the chase. I won for my position of Office Administrator for SGA, and Lip Sync is done! I can't really comment on the success of the event, mainly because I'm my own worst critic, but besides that, I heard it was received well.
The most exciting thing about it all is how I handled everything. I was... to my surprise, really calm all week. That's not common in my life when I have a lot going on. I tend to be SUPER stressed about even the littlest of things! All I can say is that God was with me in a very REAL way this week, and He gave me a sense of calm and joy that can only come from Him!
Man, life is good, and I am so very thankful for all the Lord has done in my life. He has given me so many blessings, and one of them is a loving circle of family and friends who have encouraged and embraced me when I need it the most.
I'm just so thankful...
Sunday, February 24, 2008
No Explanation needed...
Said the little boy, "Sometimes I drop my spoon."
Said the old man, "I do that too."
The little boy whispered, "I wet my pants."
"I do that too," laughed the little old man.
Said the little boy, "I often cry."
The old man nodded, "So do I."
"But worst of all," said the boy, "it seems
Grown-ups don't pay attention to me."
And he felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand.
"I know what you mean," said the little old man.
-Shel Silverstein
Said the old man, "I do that too."
The little boy whispered, "I wet my pants."
"I do that too," laughed the little old man.
Said the little boy, "I often cry."
The old man nodded, "So do I."
"But worst of all," said the boy, "it seems
Grown-ups don't pay attention to me."
And he felt the warmth of a wrinkled old hand.
"I know what you mean," said the little old man.
-Shel Silverstein
Friday, February 8, 2008
Blemishes
Let's face it. We all have things in our lives that we would rather not talk about. We mess up, we say things we don't mean, we become selfish in our relationships, we pick our nose, we sing too loud, we purposefully avoid others in order to show our anger... WE ALL DO IT...
Does this mean we are horrible people? Are we just inherently bad? I tend to say no, but maybe that's because I'm Mendy... you know... the overly perky and optimistic individual you just sometimes want to tell to say something completely out of the ordinary and dark.
While I DO tend to look on the bright side of things for pretty much every circumstance I find myself in (an example being when I fractured my nose in high school, I was able to talk to a guy I was afraid to talk to because I liked him. of course, it was about how NASTY my face looked, but hey, I'll take it), I think I'm pretty right on about this one.
What I'm really getting at is this: We tend to believe that love is something that is conditional. "Well, he has to change X and Y before I will ever truly love him, other than that he's great." Is this the right attitude? Sure, there are DEFINITE things that matter to you... but come on... try and meet people where they are. Give them the benefit of the doubt.
I say this while thinking in the back of my mind about all the times I've done that and then as a result, I got taken advantage of, but as with everything... you have to have some common sense on the matter. You can love someone, but not like them. You don't have to invite them over to your house to have a baking party or to watch the big game, but you should treat them with respect.
I tend to think my writings sound like a kindergarten lesson sometimes, but seriously... we obviously missed it the first time. Why else do we go around in our dating relationships and view them as something in which we expect the other person to be perfect and always giving us something without giving back.
Love isn't selfish... its selfLESS.
Nobody is perfect. Love them for who they are- blemishes and all.
Does this mean we are horrible people? Are we just inherently bad? I tend to say no, but maybe that's because I'm Mendy... you know... the overly perky and optimistic individual you just sometimes want to tell to say something completely out of the ordinary and dark.
While I DO tend to look on the bright side of things for pretty much every circumstance I find myself in (an example being when I fractured my nose in high school, I was able to talk to a guy I was afraid to talk to because I liked him. of course, it was about how NASTY my face looked, but hey, I'll take it), I think I'm pretty right on about this one.
What I'm really getting at is this: We tend to believe that love is something that is conditional. "Well, he has to change X and Y before I will ever truly love him, other than that he's great." Is this the right attitude? Sure, there are DEFINITE things that matter to you... but come on... try and meet people where they are. Give them the benefit of the doubt.
I say this while thinking in the back of my mind about all the times I've done that and then as a result, I got taken advantage of, but as with everything... you have to have some common sense on the matter. You can love someone, but not like them. You don't have to invite them over to your house to have a baking party or to watch the big game, but you should treat them with respect.
I tend to think my writings sound like a kindergarten lesson sometimes, but seriously... we obviously missed it the first time. Why else do we go around in our dating relationships and view them as something in which we expect the other person to be perfect and always giving us something without giving back.
Love isn't selfish... its selfLESS.
Nobody is perfect. Love them for who they are- blemishes and all.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Moments
Cherish them.
I hope you never forget to take the time to enjoy life for what it is and be thankful for what you have- life! There are gifts from God all around you... we just don't take the time to sit back and really NOTICE all of them. Here are a few for some examples:
A hug from a dear friend.
Dancing in the car like no one is watching... even if they are... and you're acting like a fool.
Having toilet paper... when you really need it. (trust me... thats a BLESSING)
A simple, yet at the same time, intricate purple daisy sitting on your desk, beaconing you to smell it.
A warm cup of coffee that not only warms your finger tips, but also your inmost parts.
A camera in your hand, the wind in your face, the sun on your back, and a song in you heart.
I could go on, but I think you get the idea.
All I know is that I encountered God this weekend... in a very real and intimate way. I was alone out in His wonderful gift to us, and while I had no one to share it with for a while, I was still amazed by it all. Sometimes it just takes your breath away, but oh, I love it when that happens.
I challenge you: look for God this week, and seek Him in a real and intimate way. There are many times we overlook blessings from God because we get distracted with homework, an attractive member of the opposite sex, or the other million obligations we have in life. Take the time to notice the little things. You will soon find out that the little things... the little moments... well, in fact, they aren't so little after all.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Say what you really wanna say...
And the truest of forms will show
Finally you'll find your soul.
Depending on how you look at this, it can mean a lot...
I could very well be taking these few lines out of context, but hey, I found a truth... and where we find truth, we are supposed to embrace it because its ours, right Rob? :)
Well, I think that these words have a lot to say about ourselves. We often hid our true feelings... sometimes for the better, but I feel like we do it too often. What's wrong with being honest sometimes? I know that things might be hard to say, but I don't think we want to go through life thinking "what if" about every time we wanted to speak up and didn't.
Why do we hold the feelings we have for others inside? We should tell others how we feel when we feel it. We must be true to ourselves and stop trying to hide all the time. I'm not saying that we should explode all the time, no, there are ways that each emotion should be conveyed. There is nothing wrong with being angry, but we must communicate in a real and mature way. The world was never destroyed by controlled discussions of our feelings.
If you love someone, tell them.
If you're angry about something, speak up before things get worse.
Work things out while you still can.
Who knows what tomorrow brings... who knows if you will have a tomorrow.
Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today.
Love here. Love now.
Mend broken hearts today.
Speak up. Please, speak up.
Say what you really wanna say
And the truest of forms will show
Finally you'll find your soul
Finally you'll find your soul.
Depending on how you look at this, it can mean a lot...
I could very well be taking these few lines out of context, but hey, I found a truth... and where we find truth, we are supposed to embrace it because its ours, right Rob? :)
Well, I think that these words have a lot to say about ourselves. We often hid our true feelings... sometimes for the better, but I feel like we do it too often. What's wrong with being honest sometimes? I know that things might be hard to say, but I don't think we want to go through life thinking "what if" about every time we wanted to speak up and didn't.
Why do we hold the feelings we have for others inside? We should tell others how we feel when we feel it. We must be true to ourselves and stop trying to hide all the time. I'm not saying that we should explode all the time, no, there are ways that each emotion should be conveyed. There is nothing wrong with being angry, but we must communicate in a real and mature way. The world was never destroyed by controlled discussions of our feelings.
If you love someone, tell them.
If you're angry about something, speak up before things get worse.
Work things out while you still can.
Who knows what tomorrow brings... who knows if you will have a tomorrow.
Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today.
Love here. Love now.
Mend broken hearts today.
Speak up. Please, speak up.
Say what you really wanna say
And the truest of forms will show
Finally you'll find your soul
Saturday, January 19, 2008
New Year... New Life
While I sit here, I am asking myself why I am not curled up in my bed taking a nap... honestly, I can't find a good answer. I am currently serving as an NSI mentor for the spring session here at SNU, and we have been constantly doing things for the past two days. So now that I have free time, I am taking advantage of it by not sleeping... oh no... I'm doing the good 'ol American thing... I'm spending my time on the Internet and blogging.
I've come to realize that most people who blog talk about politics, social issues, the development of their children, or just about lofty ideas or questions. I on the other hand, because I lack the joy of having children (which is GREAT right now... too early in life for that), I just get kind of frustrated with politics these days, I would rather DO something about social issues than type out and analyze them, and I have come to realize that there isn't a lot of interesting things going on upstairs.... I just kind of vent and say whatever comes to mind.
I don't know if anyone really reads this other than my mom and Poppy, but I'm completely fine with it! To be honest, I really don't think that many people would really want to know about an event that happened to me while waking up this morning, or some other random thing that has happened in my life. Only the significant matters of my life are worth hearing, right? And even those are questionable about their attractiveness to others.
What I'm really driving at right now is what is happening within me. This new year has brought several new experiences into my life. I have spent wonderful days with my parents, grandparents, my best friend, some old friends, and even some new friends! I have spent 16 hours outside of Chick-fil-a.... in the rain, sleet, and snow... so that I might get 52 free meals this year! (I was #24 in line by the way) So as you can see, I have done a lot, but most importantly... I have dedicated my summer to a wonderful opportunity that God has given me. When most people hear that I am going to New Zealand, they get jealous and I even get jealous of myself... and I never knew the latter could happen, but it is.... trust me.
I am ecstatic that I get to go minister to others, but I still have some fears about how it will all work out. I get told that I worry too much, and that would be an understatement, I believe. I'm working on that, and God has allowed me to experience things that have put me to that test. I constantly pray for my heart to be shaped in a way that would allow me to be used by God- even when I feel like I can't go on. What amazes me the most and what gives me hope for my future is hearing about all the times I have been used when I thought I was useless.
I have had several conversations with people in my present and past that have allowed me to catch a glimpse of how God has used me even when I didn't know anything was happening. Remembering those conversations give me goosebumps! I could sit here and write about all the things that have been said about this matter, but it would not be the full story, and my lack of eloquence in writing my thoughts would by no means do justice for the praise that should be given to God. I know he looks at our efforts, so my mediocre sentences will have to suffice. I may sound like a broken record, but despite all the trials I have and continue to go through, I have encountered God in a very real way, and I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world.
I know this next semester will bring me more trials and tribulations, but with God by my side- amazing things will happen. My heart is willing. It is because of this that I can say I am thrilled to see what God is going to do this summer in an island off the coast of Australia.
I would like to ask you. If you are reading this and are willing, will you join me in prayer for this trip? I feel like the is not only an opportunity for me, but also for those around me to get involved in something God is going to do. While I will be there physically... you can be there in your heart. Your prayers will help me get through the days that I wake up mentally and physically exhausted. Your prayers to God will be heard. I feel like prayer is overlooked, and for a bad reason. You may not know it, but your prayer might be exactly what is needed in a moment of desperation. I have to fly across an ocean, be in a different country, interact with people I don't know, eat different foods.... the list continues... and with all those things comes risk, a risk that your simple prayer might protect me through.
I feel as though my heart is already there... the hardest part night now is just waiting.
I've come to realize that most people who blog talk about politics, social issues, the development of their children, or just about lofty ideas or questions. I on the other hand, because I lack the joy of having children (which is GREAT right now... too early in life for that), I just get kind of frustrated with politics these days, I would rather DO something about social issues than type out and analyze them, and I have come to realize that there isn't a lot of interesting things going on upstairs.... I just kind of vent and say whatever comes to mind.
I don't know if anyone really reads this other than my mom and Poppy, but I'm completely fine with it! To be honest, I really don't think that many people would really want to know about an event that happened to me while waking up this morning, or some other random thing that has happened in my life. Only the significant matters of my life are worth hearing, right? And even those are questionable about their attractiveness to others.
What I'm really driving at right now is what is happening within me. This new year has brought several new experiences into my life. I have spent wonderful days with my parents, grandparents, my best friend, some old friends, and even some new friends! I have spent 16 hours outside of Chick-fil-a.... in the rain, sleet, and snow... so that I might get 52 free meals this year! (I was #24 in line by the way) So as you can see, I have done a lot, but most importantly... I have dedicated my summer to a wonderful opportunity that God has given me. When most people hear that I am going to New Zealand, they get jealous and I even get jealous of myself... and I never knew the latter could happen, but it is.... trust me.
I am ecstatic that I get to go minister to others, but I still have some fears about how it will all work out. I get told that I worry too much, and that would be an understatement, I believe. I'm working on that, and God has allowed me to experience things that have put me to that test. I constantly pray for my heart to be shaped in a way that would allow me to be used by God- even when I feel like I can't go on. What amazes me the most and what gives me hope for my future is hearing about all the times I have been used when I thought I was useless.
I have had several conversations with people in my present and past that have allowed me to catch a glimpse of how God has used me even when I didn't know anything was happening. Remembering those conversations give me goosebumps! I could sit here and write about all the things that have been said about this matter, but it would not be the full story, and my lack of eloquence in writing my thoughts would by no means do justice for the praise that should be given to God. I know he looks at our efforts, so my mediocre sentences will have to suffice. I may sound like a broken record, but despite all the trials I have and continue to go through, I have encountered God in a very real way, and I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world.
I know this next semester will bring me more trials and tribulations, but with God by my side- amazing things will happen. My heart is willing. It is because of this that I can say I am thrilled to see what God is going to do this summer in an island off the coast of Australia.
I would like to ask you. If you are reading this and are willing, will you join me in prayer for this trip? I feel like the is not only an opportunity for me, but also for those around me to get involved in something God is going to do. While I will be there physically... you can be there in your heart. Your prayers will help me get through the days that I wake up mentally and physically exhausted. Your prayers to God will be heard. I feel like prayer is overlooked, and for a bad reason. You may not know it, but your prayer might be exactly what is needed in a moment of desperation. I have to fly across an ocean, be in a different country, interact with people I don't know, eat different foods.... the list continues... and with all those things comes risk, a risk that your simple prayer might protect me through.
I feel as though my heart is already there... the hardest part night now is just waiting.
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