Sometimes, I wish I could just save the whole world.
I wish I could solve everybody's problems and make everyone's life simple, happy, and
successful.
I wish things didn't have to be complicated.
I wish I could take everyone under my wing and help them.
I wish I could erase people's struggles from their lives.
I wish I could comfort everyone.
I wish, I wish, I wish...
What if there was no pain?
What if there were no struggles in this world?
What if there was no worry?
What if people couldn't make mistakes?
What if people didn't need saving?
It would be heaven on earth.
As much as I wish and wonder what if? I know that if all that was true, we wouldn't need Christ.
Whether we know it or not, we all need saving.
We all need someone to do the saving.
No one is strong enough, great enough, perfect enough to save us from our greatest enemy.
No one except Christ.
I obviously can't save the world, but I can point to the One who can...
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
Diamond in the Roots (vision)
I see you walking through a grassy field- you are picking flowers as you walk. One flower is stubborn as you pull on it. Once you pull it from the ground you notice a diamond knotted in the roots. As you try to disentangle the diamond, you notice it was not caught in the roots- the roots are growing from the diamonds.
The bouquet of flowers you were collecting is for someone who is sick, someone you are taking care of in real life. The diamond in the roots symbolizes a hidden blessing you will receive because of your kindness. In the vision, you weren't searching and digging for a treasure. The flower growing from the diamond was a way for you to find a blessing because of your caring nature.
I had this vision last night at church, but I wasn't sure who it was for at first. As I was praying, I felt like God was telling me that it would be for the person who was standing behind me after service. After closing in prayer, I turned around and saw a woman standing there. I leaned over, introduced myself, and told her the vision I had for her. She said that she has been praying for and taking care of many sick people in her life lately, and that this vision totally matched up with her life.
We continued to speak for a while, somehow approaching the subject of names' meanings. She said that recently she found out her name--Tracey--meant "harvester." We started laughing because we realized that the speaker that night had been talking about harvesting blessings. God has a funny way of speaking to us, doesn't He?
The bouquet of flowers you were collecting is for someone who is sick, someone you are taking care of in real life. The diamond in the roots symbolizes a hidden blessing you will receive because of your kindness. In the vision, you weren't searching and digging for a treasure. The flower growing from the diamond was a way for you to find a blessing because of your caring nature.
---------------------
We continued to speak for a while, somehow approaching the subject of names' meanings. She said that recently she found out her name--Tracey--meant "harvester." We started laughing because we realized that the speaker that night had been talking about harvesting blessings. God has a funny way of speaking to us, doesn't He?
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Instruments (Vision)
I had this vision tonight at church at the end of worship and wound up speaking this to my whole youth group. (Thank You, Lord, for giving me the boldness!) I think this applies to pretty much everyone...
I see musical instruments sitting on all the chairs in this room. They aren't being played and not making any sound.
In church, we are told that we are instruments for God to use, that God wants to use us to make a difference.
In a lot of ways, we are like the musical instruments I saw... An instrument on its own does nothing, makes no sound. To be heard, it must be played.
I feel like God is saying that we have not been active in our faith. He wants to use you for mighty things, but maybe you've been just sitting around waiting for mighty things to happen to you.
When we start living our faith out, it is as if God is playing your instrument. You don't have to worry about how you will sound because He will be doing everything for you-- you just have to be willing for Him to use you. Acts 1:8* and Luke 12:11-12** assure us of this.
And the beautiful thing is that once God is using all of us, it will work together like a symphony.
*Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
**Luke 12:11-12
When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.
-------------------------------------------------------
I see musical instruments sitting on all the chairs in this room. They aren't being played and not making any sound.
In church, we are told that we are instruments for God to use, that God wants to use us to make a difference.
In a lot of ways, we are like the musical instruments I saw... An instrument on its own does nothing, makes no sound. To be heard, it must be played.
I feel like God is saying that we have not been active in our faith. He wants to use you for mighty things, but maybe you've been just sitting around waiting for mighty things to happen to you.
When we start living our faith out, it is as if God is playing your instrument. You don't have to worry about how you will sound because He will be doing everything for you-- you just have to be willing for Him to use you. Acts 1:8* and Luke 12:11-12** assure us of this.
And the beautiful thing is that once God is using all of us, it will work together like a symphony.
*Acts 1:8
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
**Luke 12:11-12
When you are brought before synagogues, rulers and authorities, do not worry about how you will defend yourselves or what you will say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Letter to Dad
A little background... On December 13, I got a call from my number-one-choice college (George Fox University) saying that I was accepted. As I wrote in my journal that day: No smile is big enough, no words profound enough to express my joy. It may sound exaggerated or dramatic, but that is truly how I felt. My dad has traded off between encouraging me and worrying about it (the tuition is quite out of our range). I wrote the following letter and gave it to him yesterday...
Dear Dad,
I know how hard it must be for you- I'll be going away for college and it will cost a lot of money to do so. I trust God will provide for us. This is the desire of my heart, the desire God placed in my heart, and I know that He will make a way for it to happen.
I've trusted God with my money by being diligent in my tithing, and I'm sure God will pay me back for my faithfulness. Faith is a hard thing, especially for something as big as the tuition we'll be facing. Hebrews 11:1 says faith "is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." As pastors have told me, faith is not a blind leap but a sure step. I don't know how exactly the tuition will be paid, but I know beyond a doubt God will take care of it.
Going to George Fox means the world to me. It feels like sometimes you are encouraging me, but at other times you disapprove. Is it because you are worried about the finances? about me? "Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken." (Psalm 55:22) "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7) I don't want to leave for college without your blessing. Please, Dad, increase your faith and believe with me and Mom for everything to work together.
"Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests." (Proverbs 14:4) It won't be easy, but with the faith strong like an ox, great things are sure to happen.
Love,
me
Proverbs 16:3
Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
Psalm 37:4
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
Proverbs 3:3-10
Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.
Honor the LORD with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.
After reading the letter, my dad came to talk with me. It was closest I've felt to him in ages. For a while we stood in silence, hugging each other. Never before has so much been said in such silence. It seemed to be a moment of him trusting me with my decision for college and trusting God for what will come. Later that night, we stood outside in the dark, watching the sky for the chance of shooting stars. Dad saw some, and I think I saw some (it's hard to say what with the city lights and bright moon). It was a special, bonding moment between us- both of us gazing into heaven, hoping to see a glimpse of glory. You can't look away for a second or you could miss the brilliant one. In the end, Dad decided he would fully support me in my adventure and I can't stop thanking God for this blessing!
Dear Dad,
I know how hard it must be for you- I'll be going away for college and it will cost a lot of money to do so. I trust God will provide for us. This is the desire of my heart, the desire God placed in my heart, and I know that He will make a way for it to happen.
I've trusted God with my money by being diligent in my tithing, and I'm sure God will pay me back for my faithfulness. Faith is a hard thing, especially for something as big as the tuition we'll be facing. Hebrews 11:1 says faith "is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see." As pastors have told me, faith is not a blind leap but a sure step. I don't know how exactly the tuition will be paid, but I know beyond a doubt God will take care of it.
Going to George Fox means the world to me. It feels like sometimes you are encouraging me, but at other times you disapprove. Is it because you are worried about the finances? about me? "Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken." (Psalm 55:22) "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7) I don't want to leave for college without your blessing. Please, Dad, increase your faith and believe with me and Mom for everything to work together.
"Where there are no oxen, the manger is empty, but from the strength of an ox come abundant harvests." (Proverbs 14:4) It won't be easy, but with the faith strong like an ox, great things are sure to happen.
Love,
me
Proverbs 16:3
Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.
Psalm 37:4
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.
Proverbs 3:3-10
Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.
Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the LORD and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.
Honor the LORD with your wealth,
with the firstfruits of all your crops;
then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
and your vats will brim over with new wine.
----------------------------------
After reading the letter, my dad came to talk with me. It was closest I've felt to him in ages. For a while we stood in silence, hugging each other. Never before has so much been said in such silence. It seemed to be a moment of him trusting me with my decision for college and trusting God for what will come. Later that night, we stood outside in the dark, watching the sky for the chance of shooting stars. Dad saw some, and I think I saw some (it's hard to say what with the city lights and bright moon). It was a special, bonding moment between us- both of us gazing into heaven, hoping to see a glimpse of glory. You can't look away for a second or you could miss the brilliant one. In the end, Dad decided he would fully support me in my adventure and I can't stop thanking God for this blessing!
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