Today was full of responsible, adult-like activities.
I opened a new bank account, bought a mattress, began applying for a job for which I need a Ft. Worth phone number, so I then set up an 817 phone number through Skype and had all calls forwarded to my non-817 cell phone, and I began packing to move in to my first apartment that I personally will pay for, with no help from my mother and no company to pay for it.
Starting last month I began paying for my own car insurance, choosing health insurance, paying my own rent and bills, and generally partaking in responsible, adult-like activities.
It's not that I didn't do any of those things in Spain, but it was so much easier there. I walked into a job situation in which my health insurance, housing, and travel was all provided for me. I had no car, so I didn't have to worry about car insurance, gas, repairs, etc. Now, after a little help from my family who got me set up (thank you!!), I'm a responsible, independent, single adult.
It feels...
exciting.
terrifying.
exhilarating.
overwhelming.
empowering.
This is my first time being an adult, so I'm still trying to figure it all out.
I think I like it. But it scares me. Suddenly there's so much...
responsibility.
That's a big word.
Yet I'm not worried. Scared, yes, but worried, no. :)
Last semester God provided for all of my needs.
Sometimes it was "natural" - through my savings, a little help from my mom, a few babysitting gigs - and sometimes it was "supernatural" - somebody offering a rent-free living situation, a man at church who felt he needed to give me some cash, a fellow student who did the same, $5 in the mail from a friend, an invitation to dinner; God provided through both expected and unexpected means.
I never went hungry - in fact, I ate quite nicely.
When my shoes fell apart (literally), I had money to buy new ones.
I even had the funds for a few clothing splurges (I may be on a budget, but I'm still a girl!).
I have no doubt that God will provide abundantly this Spring as well.
So join me on my blog as I begin this new adventure in life called "adulthood," full of responsibility, adventure and bills.
Monday, January 4, 2010
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Still Single
My six year old nephew just told me, "You need to find someone to get married with."
From the mouths of babes, right?
From the mouths of babes, right?
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Is this you?
Right now I'm reading Crazy Love by Francis Chan. It's all the rage right now in the Christian bookstores, and while I usually don't care about what's "all the rage" anywhere, enough friends have told me how great it is that I figured it might make some good Christmas break reading. After all, it's not a very long book.
I'm in the fourth chapter, People of the Lukewarm, and was struck by this paragraph. Read this, and examine your heart. Could he be talking about you??
"Lukewarm people don't really want to be saved from their sin; they only want to be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don't genuinely hate sin and aren't truly sorry for it; they're merely sorry because God is going to punish them. Lukewarm people don't really believe that this new life Jesus offers is better than the old sinful one."
I confess, that has been me before.
But not anymore.
The more we learn about God - His holiness, righteousness, goodness, mercy, grace, and so much more, the more we will begin to hate what God hates, and love what God loves. And then we see how all our supposed goodness is merely "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6 - literally, those "filthy rags" are used menstrual cloths) in comparison with God's goodness.
That's not pessimistic. It's realistic.
God is good.
We are not.
I am not.
And yet God chooses to love us.
He seeks a relationship with us.
He saves us, not only from the penalty of our sin, but sin itself.
Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10).
And yet so many of us are lukewarm.
We want to be saved from the penalty of our sin, but we don't want to be saved from sin itself.
Sin is fun.
We want to play by our own rules.
Who is God to tell us what we can and can't do??
Therein lies the problem: WHO IS GOD??
We don't understand WHO this great God is.
If we saw him like Isaiah did (Is 6), or as John described in the book of Revelation, we also would fall to our knees and exclaim "Woe is me!" as we recognize our filth in light of His holiness.
And yet,
He loves us, with a love beyond comprehension, a crazy love, you could say.
So I recommend to you Crazy Love. Not even because the book is so spectacular. While it is a great book, it's true value lies in the fact that it directs you the Scriptures. The Bible tells us who God is, and how we should respond to Him. Crazy Love will remind you of what you already know, or maybe what you didn't already know. It will point you to the Scriptures, to the Word direct from God Himself. To the love of God, direct from Himself.
I'm in the fourth chapter, People of the Lukewarm, and was struck by this paragraph. Read this, and examine your heart. Could he be talking about you??
"Lukewarm people don't really want to be saved from their sin; they only want to be saved from the penalty of their sin. They don't genuinely hate sin and aren't truly sorry for it; they're merely sorry because God is going to punish them. Lukewarm people don't really believe that this new life Jesus offers is better than the old sinful one."
I confess, that has been me before.
But not anymore.
The more we learn about God - His holiness, righteousness, goodness, mercy, grace, and so much more, the more we will begin to hate what God hates, and love what God loves. And then we see how all our supposed goodness is merely "filthy rags" (Isaiah 64:6 - literally, those "filthy rags" are used menstrual cloths) in comparison with God's goodness.
That's not pessimistic. It's realistic.
God is good.
We are not.
I am not.
And yet God chooses to love us.
He seeks a relationship with us.
He saves us, not only from the penalty of our sin, but sin itself.
Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly" (John 10:10).
And yet so many of us are lukewarm.
We want to be saved from the penalty of our sin, but we don't want to be saved from sin itself.
Sin is fun.
We want to play by our own rules.
Who is God to tell us what we can and can't do??
Therein lies the problem: WHO IS GOD??
We don't understand WHO this great God is.
If we saw him like Isaiah did (Is 6), or as John described in the book of Revelation, we also would fall to our knees and exclaim "Woe is me!" as we recognize our filth in light of His holiness.
And yet,
He loves us, with a love beyond comprehension, a crazy love, you could say.
So I recommend to you Crazy Love. Not even because the book is so spectacular. While it is a great book, it's true value lies in the fact that it directs you the Scriptures. The Bible tells us who God is, and how we should respond to Him. Crazy Love will remind you of what you already know, or maybe what you didn't already know. It will point you to the Scriptures, to the Word direct from God Himself. To the love of God, direct from Himself.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
"Spreading Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!
Remember that quote from Elf?
"Spreading Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!"
Yeah, that one.
Well, maybe you can't sing.
Let me tell you about someone who can!
My brother-in-law, Toby Baxley, is selling his Christmas album, Worship the Newborn King, on his website www.tobybaxley.com for only $10.
And even better, $2 of every album goes to Sweet Sleep. Sweet Sleep is an organization that provides beds for orphanages around the world.
So when you buy my brother-in-law's Christmas album, you're helping little children in Africa, Moldova, and Haiti sleep well on clean beds this Christmas.
So go to www.tobybaxley.com and buy his album ASAP! You have to buy the physical copy of the album on his website in order for the $2 to go to Sweet Sleep, so while iTunes is great for other music, buying this album direct from him will be providing for precious children around the world.
Thanks!
"Spreading Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!"
Yeah, that one.
Well, maybe you can't sing.
Let me tell you about someone who can!
My brother-in-law, Toby Baxley, is selling his Christmas album, Worship the Newborn King, on his website www.tobybaxley.com for only $10.
And even better, $2 of every album goes to Sweet Sleep. Sweet Sleep is an organization that provides beds for orphanages around the world.
So when you buy my brother-in-law's Christmas album, you're helping little children in Africa, Moldova, and Haiti sleep well on clean beds this Christmas.
So go to www.tobybaxley.com and buy his album ASAP! You have to buy the physical copy of the album on his website in order for the $2 to go to Sweet Sleep, so while iTunes is great for other music, buying this album direct from him will be providing for precious children around the world.
Thanks!
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Spiritual Disciplines
I just finished reading this book, Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, by Donald S. Whitney.
I had to read it for one of my classes here in seminary, and to be honest, I wasn't looking forward to it. I had a paper to write, other books to read for other classes, assignments to complete...I was not looking forward to a dry, boring, book about reading the Bible. I'd rather just read the Bible itself.
The book turned out to be wonderful. It was inspiring, encouraging, motivating, convicting...I found it to be so beneficial that not only am I buying a copy for myself (the book I used was borrowed), but I also want to share it with you. Over the next few weeks I'll be doing a series on the disciplines discussed in the book. It won't be exactly a summary of the book (I hope that you'll buy the book for yourself - it is well worth the investment), but my desire is that it may encourage you to exercise some spiritual disciplines in your own life.
You may be asking, "what are these spiritual disciplines to which you refer?"
Well, they are:
Bible intake (which includes reading, memorization, and meditation)
Prayer
Worship
Evangelism
Serving
Stewardship
Fasting
Silence and Solitude
Learning
These are the "Biblical" spiritual disciplines - the ones that are explicitly commanded/expected from us in the Bible. Also recommendable is journaling, in order to keep a record of what God has been teaching you through the other disciplines.
Now you may be thinking, "Isn't that legalism?"
Suppose you want to run a marathon. So you get up every Sunday morning and watch the runners at the park. You read books on marathon training and even jog a mile or two. Maybe you run on Wednesday evenings, too. Though you may read about running, watch runners, and even job twice a week for one, two, or three years, you won't be able to run a marathon. You have to get up and run. Train daily. Eat well. Discipline yourself.
Suppose you want to lose 20 pounds. So every Sunday, you go to a weight-loss support group. Wednesdays you eat salads. But the rest of the week, you eat hamburgers, chips, cookies, etc. Are you going to lose 20 pounds? Not likely. You have to change your eating habits. You have to create new, healthy habits. You have to exercise. You have to discipline yourself.
Suppose you want to play guitar like Jimi Hendrix, or Eric Clapton. So every Sunday morning and Wednesday evening you watch videos of Jimi or Eric playing. You read books about guitar. You even pick it up and play a scale every now and then. Will you ever reach fame as a talented guitarist? Of course not. You should probably take lessons. You definitely need to practice daily. You have to train your fingers to move quickly, to play the right notes. You have to discipline yourself.
So it is in our walk with Christ.
1 Peter 1:15-16 says, "But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'"
Romans 12:1 says, "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship."
Christians also have a goal. Holiness. Godliness. Christ-likeness.
Just as marathon runners must discipline their bodies to run and their minds to persevere when they lack motivation; just as dieters must discipline their minds to resist cravings and train their bodies to crave good food and exercise; just as aspiring guitarists musts train their fingers to respond to the notes on the page, so must Christians discipline their minds, bodies, and spirits to submit to godliness.
Now don't go thinking that I'm talking about salvation by works. The Bible is VERY clear that we are saved by the grace of God alone, through faith alone, by Christ alone, as revealed in Scripture alone, for the glory of God alone.
Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast."
I'm not talking about spiritual disciplines for the sake of salvation. There is no "magic formula" to salvation. Only Jesus Christ can save - the only thing required of us is to respond to him. He has already justified us before the Father through His blood.
Nor am I talking about self-made godliness, aka, legalism. Just as we cannot justify ourselves, nor can we sanctify ourselves. That is the work of the Holy Spirit.
But just as a marathon runner may have a trainer, he still has to get up and run. Just as a dieter may have a nutritionist, he still has to eat well. Just as a guitarist may have a teacher, he still has to practice. Our sanctification is an active process. The Holy Spirit works in us and through us, and we must respond. We must not harden our hearts to the Spirit's workings.
Hebrews 3:16 says, "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Our response is to draw near. And if we draw near, we will "receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
The spiritual disciplines are really just ways of drawing near to the Lord. And that is what I am encouraging you to do - draw near to Him.
I had to read it for one of my classes here in seminary, and to be honest, I wasn't looking forward to it. I had a paper to write, other books to read for other classes, assignments to complete...I was not looking forward to a dry, boring, book about reading the Bible. I'd rather just read the Bible itself.
The book turned out to be wonderful. It was inspiring, encouraging, motivating, convicting...I found it to be so beneficial that not only am I buying a copy for myself (the book I used was borrowed), but I also want to share it with you. Over the next few weeks I'll be doing a series on the disciplines discussed in the book. It won't be exactly a summary of the book (I hope that you'll buy the book for yourself - it is well worth the investment), but my desire is that it may encourage you to exercise some spiritual disciplines in your own life.
You may be asking, "what are these spiritual disciplines to which you refer?"
Well, they are:
Bible intake (which includes reading, memorization, and meditation)
Prayer
Worship
Evangelism
Serving
Stewardship
Fasting
Silence and Solitude
Learning
These are the "Biblical" spiritual disciplines - the ones that are explicitly commanded/expected from us in the Bible. Also recommendable is journaling, in order to keep a record of what God has been teaching you through the other disciplines.
Now you may be thinking, "Isn't that legalism?"
Suppose you want to run a marathon. So you get up every Sunday morning and watch the runners at the park. You read books on marathon training and even jog a mile or two. Maybe you run on Wednesday evenings, too. Though you may read about running, watch runners, and even job twice a week for one, two, or three years, you won't be able to run a marathon. You have to get up and run. Train daily. Eat well. Discipline yourself.
Suppose you want to lose 20 pounds. So every Sunday, you go to a weight-loss support group. Wednesdays you eat salads. But the rest of the week, you eat hamburgers, chips, cookies, etc. Are you going to lose 20 pounds? Not likely. You have to change your eating habits. You have to create new, healthy habits. You have to exercise. You have to discipline yourself.
Suppose you want to play guitar like Jimi Hendrix, or Eric Clapton. So every Sunday morning and Wednesday evening you watch videos of Jimi or Eric playing. You read books about guitar. You even pick it up and play a scale every now and then. Will you ever reach fame as a talented guitarist? Of course not. You should probably take lessons. You definitely need to practice daily. You have to train your fingers to move quickly, to play the right notes. You have to discipline yourself.
So it is in our walk with Christ.
1 Peter 1:15-16 says, "But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'"
Romans 12:1 says, "Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship."
Christians also have a goal. Holiness. Godliness. Christ-likeness.
Just as marathon runners must discipline their bodies to run and their minds to persevere when they lack motivation; just as dieters must discipline their minds to resist cravings and train their bodies to crave good food and exercise; just as aspiring guitarists musts train their fingers to respond to the notes on the page, so must Christians discipline their minds, bodies, and spirits to submit to godliness.
Now don't go thinking that I'm talking about salvation by works. The Bible is VERY clear that we are saved by the grace of God alone, through faith alone, by Christ alone, as revealed in Scripture alone, for the glory of God alone.
Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast."
I'm not talking about spiritual disciplines for the sake of salvation. There is no "magic formula" to salvation. Only Jesus Christ can save - the only thing required of us is to respond to him. He has already justified us before the Father through His blood.
Nor am I talking about self-made godliness, aka, legalism. Just as we cannot justify ourselves, nor can we sanctify ourselves. That is the work of the Holy Spirit.
But just as a marathon runner may have a trainer, he still has to get up and run. Just as a dieter may have a nutritionist, he still has to eat well. Just as a guitarist may have a teacher, he still has to practice. Our sanctification is an active process. The Holy Spirit works in us and through us, and we must respond. We must not harden our hearts to the Spirit's workings.
Hebrews 3:16 says, "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
Our response is to draw near. And if we draw near, we will "receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need."
The spiritual disciplines are really just ways of drawing near to the Lord. And that is what I am encouraging you to do - draw near to Him.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Please Don't...
Right now I'm listening to a lecture on Scripture memorization for my Spiritual Formation class here at seminary. He said something that really struck me:
"When you walk away from God, the first thing you do is walk away from His Word....the next thing you do is walk away from His People."
This is so true.
And so sad.
Please, read the Word.
Please, find a church that teaches the Word. Then go to it.
"When you walk away from God, the first thing you do is walk away from His Word....the next thing you do is walk away from His People."
This is so true.
And so sad.
Please, read the Word.
Please, find a church that teaches the Word. Then go to it.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Also at Starbucks...
The Starbucks I usually go to is connected to a Barnes and Noble. Last night after studying, I decided to take a few minutes to stroll around the store and clear my mind looking at books, such as everybody's childhood favorite (that I somehow missed out on) Where The Wild Things Are.
Upon re-entering Starbucks, a short, round, grey-haired man in a yamaka was teaching the barista Spanish by saying things like "fat" and "ugly", pointing to himself.
He was speaking Spanish! How could I possibly resist the urge to talk to him??
Well I couldn't, so I did talk to him. :)
It turns out he's from Argentina, and a Rabbi. He made me laugh incessantly and asked me, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" ("Que quieres ser cuando seas grande?"), something nobody has asked me since I was a kid.
I told him that I'm a Christian and he said that when he gets back from his trip (he was on his way to the airport at that moment) we should meet for a cup of coffee and talk about spiritual things.
Before leaving we traded phone numbers and he asked what he should save as my last name.
"Gorda? No no no, no puede ser"
"Fat? No no no, that can't be."
"Flaca? No no, eso tampoco esta bien"
"Skinny? No no, that's not right either."
"Te dije que soy bueno? Porque si te lo dije, fue mentira."
"Did I tell you that I'm good? Because if I did, it was a lie."
If he weren't an Argentinian Rabbi, I might have had to slap the man! But Argentines have a way of making you laugh no matter what they say. It's impossible to stay mad an Argentine because he'll make you laugh so much you forgot why you were mad in the first place.
And of course, you can't slap a Rabbi. That would just be wrong.
Upon re-entering Starbucks, a short, round, grey-haired man in a yamaka was teaching the barista Spanish by saying things like "fat" and "ugly", pointing to himself.
He was speaking Spanish! How could I possibly resist the urge to talk to him??
Well I couldn't, so I did talk to him. :)
It turns out he's from Argentina, and a Rabbi. He made me laugh incessantly and asked me, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" ("Que quieres ser cuando seas grande?"), something nobody has asked me since I was a kid.
I told him that I'm a Christian and he said that when he gets back from his trip (he was on his way to the airport at that moment) we should meet for a cup of coffee and talk about spiritual things.
Before leaving we traded phone numbers and he asked what he should save as my last name.
"Gorda? No no no, no puede ser"
"Fat? No no no, that can't be."
"Flaca? No no, eso tampoco esta bien"
"Skinny? No no, that's not right either."
"Te dije que soy bueno? Porque si te lo dije, fue mentira."
"Did I tell you that I'm good? Because if I did, it was a lie."
If he weren't an Argentinian Rabbi, I might have had to slap the man! But Argentines have a way of making you laugh no matter what they say. It's impossible to stay mad an Argentine because he'll make you laugh so much you forgot why you were mad in the first place.
And of course, you can't slap a Rabbi. That would just be wrong.
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