The first semester of senior year is over. I'll be seventeen in three days. Next year is less than three weeks away. I'll graduate from high school in five months. Summer will either be spent in Ecuador with Rossy, traveling with Mud Ministry, or doing missions with my best friends via the North American Missions Board. From there, I'll be going away for college.
Things are changing fast. The future is right in my face with what seems like endless possibilities. I'm excited and anxious to see how things will unfold. It seems like time is going by faster and faster. Everyone is so hyped up and worried about the future. Don't forget that life is happening HERE & NOW. Until graduation I'm going to enjoy the present and not worry about the future.
I'm going to make my own decisions regarding my future, between myself and God, even if I don't have the approval of others.
"In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." Proverbs 16:9
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Tidal Wave.
Signs of depression include:
you can’t sleep or you sleep too much
you can’t concentrate or find that previously easy tasks are now difficult
you feel hopeless and helpless
you can’t control your negative thoughts, no matter how much you try
you have lost your appetite or you can’t stop eating
you are much more irritable and short-tempered than usual
you have thoughts that life is not worth living
Depression hits you like a tidal wave. You can't see it coming, but you sure feel it once it encompasses you. Lately I've been noticing that a lot of people are secretly depressed over a medley of things. Depression isn't exactly a cheerful topic, so many people evade the subject thinking no one will understand how they feel. Truth is, even someone who is empathetic of your pain won't know exactly how you feel. I can attest that a depressed person has trouble deciphering their own feelings. The feeling is overwhelming, and most likely you feel like you have no where to turn. But there is someone you can turn to who understands EXACTLY how you feel.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
I disagree with the phrase "God won't give you anything you can't handle." Why do I disagree with it? Because sometimes God gives you more than you can handle so you will go to Him. He made us, so He's aware of how obstinate we are. There's a point where you simply have to give up your struggle. At some time in your life you have to throw in the towel and quit relying on your own strength and turn to God instead. He will give you hope if you ask Him.
This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life." Psalm 119:49-50
If you want hope of coming out of depression, QUIT BEING SUCH A WORRY WART! Life is stressful. You let the little things build up until you're feasting on a heaping plate of worry goulash. Learn to take a chill pill or take a deep breath. Not everything you worry about is worth all the fuss. Someone skipped you in the lunch line, stay saved. Got a big test to study for? You will pass if you study adequately. Family or relationship problems? Surrender and cast it all on Jesus. (:
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34
Depression hits you like a tidal wave. You can't see it coming, but you sure feel it once it encompasses you. Lately I've been noticing that a lot of people are secretly depressed over a medley of things. Depression isn't exactly a cheerful topic, so many people evade the subject thinking no one will understand how they feel. Truth is, even someone who is empathetic of your pain won't know exactly how you feel. I can attest that a depressed person has trouble deciphering their own feelings. The feeling is overwhelming, and most likely you feel like you have no where to turn. But there is someone you can turn to who understands EXACTLY how you feel.
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
Suffering we endure on earth is minuscule compared to the joy that will be spent in eternity. Our omniscient God knows the future and we can't see what lies ahead. Things in our life change, and we must learn how to deal with it so we do not become depressed. The first thing is to realize that this life is only temporary, and you can't see the big picture.
"Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment [as seen from God's eternity], is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18
I disagree with the phrase "God won't give you anything you can't handle." Why do I disagree with it? Because sometimes God gives you more than you can handle so you will go to Him. He made us, so He's aware of how obstinate we are. There's a point where you simply have to give up your struggle. At some time in your life you have to throw in the towel and quit relying on your own strength and turn to God instead. He will give you hope if you ask Him.
"Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:25-26
When you're depressed it's hard to see clearly. Almost as if you're seeing life in one big blur. You start not to care about anything. There's a way out of depression, and you can't do it on your own. As humans our strength runs out and we get tired. We like to be independent and tough and try to carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. All this does is break you down until you can't get back up without a helping hand. Eventually you won't have enough strength to keep going and you'll fall flat on your face. Believe it or not, God can provide you with all the strength you need.And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart fail;
But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." Psalm 73:25-26
"The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.
...those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:28-31
Neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength.
...those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:28-31
God can be your one comfort. The one place you can go to without feeling judged. He loves you for who you are, and in His eyes you are a beautiful creation. When God made man, He saw that it was good. There is indeed a point to your life or else He would not have put you on this earth. Every single human being has a purpose. Your life has meaning. In your affliction you will find comfort.
"Remember the word to Your servant, upon which You have caused me to hope.This is my comfort in my affliction, for Your word has given me life." Psalm 119:49-50
If you want hope of coming out of depression, QUIT BEING SUCH A WORRY WART! Life is stressful. You let the little things build up until you're feasting on a heaping plate of worry goulash. Learn to take a chill pill or take a deep breath. Not everything you worry about is worth all the fuss. Someone skipped you in the lunch line, stay saved. Got a big test to study for? You will pass if you study adequately. Family or relationship problems? Surrender and cast it all on Jesus. (:
"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matthew 6:34
Monday, November 15, 2010
Not of This World.
This is my first blog ever. Thanks to Keri Hunnicutt (:
Something I've observed lately: people look for love in all the wrong places.
It breaks my heart to see the things that people resort to. Sex. Drugs. Alcohol. Anything and everything that's secular. People change themselves to fit the standards of the world. As humans we naturally thirst for love and a place to belong. Things on earth only fill this longing temporarily. Face it....... Humans cannot satisfy themselves. There's always something we seek, whether it's the latest gadget, the raise at work, or the tasty dessert. We are never satisfied with what we have. Nothing on earth can quench your thirst.
"My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water." Jeremiah 2:13
The only way to slake your desire for unconditional love is through the living water: God and Jesus. It's the one place where you're accepted for who you are. You aren't judged by the things you've done or where you've been. The love that flows freely and never dries up is yours for the taking.
"but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14
I've seen Christians stray away from God, and it can be hard to find your way back. If all of your friends curse, smoke, and drink then it has the tendency to rub off on you. It doesn't mean you're bound to pick up other peoples bad habits, because it can work in reverse. You might be the one good example and non-hypocritical Christian that someone sees. Your actions speak louder than words. As Christians, we are called to be set a part from others. In other words, don't conform.
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2
Is it really worth losing who you are just to become someone else?
"What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" Mark 8:36
Something I've observed lately: people look for love in all the wrong places.
It breaks my heart to see the things that people resort to. Sex. Drugs. Alcohol. Anything and everything that's secular. People change themselves to fit the standards of the world. As humans we naturally thirst for love and a place to belong. Things on earth only fill this longing temporarily. Face it....... Humans cannot satisfy themselves. There's always something we seek, whether it's the latest gadget, the raise at work, or the tasty dessert. We are never satisfied with what we have. Nothing on earth can quench your thirst.
"My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water." Jeremiah 2:13
The only way to slake your desire for unconditional love is through the living water: God and Jesus. It's the one place where you're accepted for who you are. You aren't judged by the things you've done or where you've been. The love that flows freely and never dries up is yours for the taking.
"but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." John 4:14
I've seen Christians stray away from God, and it can be hard to find your way back. If all of your friends curse, smoke, and drink then it has the tendency to rub off on you. It doesn't mean you're bound to pick up other peoples bad habits, because it can work in reverse. You might be the one good example and non-hypocritical Christian that someone sees. Your actions speak louder than words. As Christians, we are called to be set a part from others. In other words, don't conform.
"Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will." Romans 12:2
Is it really worth losing who you are just to become someone else?
"What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?" Mark 8:36
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