Tuesday, August 17, 2010

God Ordained Collisions!

Hey everyone!! Hope everyone is enjoying getting back into the school routine! Sometimes I wish I was back in school because I now realize that things were definitely not as stressful as I thought they were! : ) Oh, and I would LOVE to have a summer break!!! Today I am thankful that God hears us and answers us on his time. It’s such as hard concept to grasp, and it’s a lesson I have learned (and will continue to learn) time and time again, but one you can only appreciate when you look back over your life. I am so thankful that things aren’t dependent on me, because I have no idea where I would be now!!!

I recently told you about a bible study I was doing over Ruth (by Kelly Minter). It was a great bible study and had so many topics that I would love to discuss but one keeps resonating in my mind. I can’t remember what week but the homework talked about “God ordained collisions” and it has got me thinking (which could be scary…). I have had so many collisions in my life that I know could only be God ordained. I wish I could easily sum them all up and let you see how good God can be, but we definitely don’t have time for that and I know I couldn’t remember them all. (I also wish that I would’ve had a journal or something to document all the small things that I know God did for me, that would be really neat.) So I will just pick a couple to share and hope that you can see that they are definitely God Ordained Collisions…

A few months ago, I participated in the So Long Insecurity blog on Beth Moore’s website. Women from all over the world were participating as well, but I was drawn to two women who I had no idea would become really great friends. (Yo April & Beth!!) We started commenting on each others’ blogs and then emailing which lead to us doing the summer bible study online together. It was really interesting doing the study online since I have never done one before, but even though we were many miles apart, we still provided encouragement and insight on some problems that we had in common. While trying to become more secure, I found two friends who I know God brought to me.

Another collision happened recently, but I will give you a little back story. I attended a women’s bible study last summer while I was unemployed. There was an older lady there who lost her husband a few months before and my heart just went out to her. She was obviously having a hard time dealing with it. Being the emotional-phobe that I am, I sent her a card telling her that God has a plan for her and he is definitely watching over her (since I was too scared to do it in person!!). The next time I saw her, she thanked me because that week she really needed the encouragement. So every now and then I would call or send her a card, just to let her know I cared. Well, last month I lost most of my contacts in my phone, including hers. I tried contacting someone who would know her information, but couldn’t find anyone. A week later, (in an old notepad I randomly found in my car) I found her address. I don’t know how she has been doing, but I just feel like God wanted me to send her an encouraging note. We all need those every now and then. And he brought me the means to be able to do it again.

I think I have said it before, but I truly feel like God uses us as angels on earth. It doesn’t have to be anything huge, but just letting someone know we care can mean the world to them. It also shows them God’s love, and isn’t that the most important thing?? I’m not telling you this to get credit or a pat on the back, I just want to maybe encourage you to listen for the opportunities to bless someone. It really does make a difference. Hope you have a great week.

“For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and encouragement of the scriptures, we might have hope.” Rom 15:4

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

He can use me!!!

Hey everyone!! I’m in a really somber mood right now and am just thankful for God’s peace. It’s so hard to stay peaceful in times of trials, but anytime your mind starts with the “what-if’s” you can definitely call on God to calm you through the storm. He is there and he is waiting on you. I am SOOOO thankful for that!

I just recently finished my bible study over Ruth (by Kelly Minter) and it was really great!! There was so much I related to, from both Ruth and Naomi’s stand point. It was really neat during the last week to see the genealogy that God crafted using the most unlikely characters. It’s amazing that He uses anyone, and that gives me hope!! Haha. It also talked about leaving legacy, which is something that is important to me. You never know how God is going to use you. I mean, take Ruth for example. If you would’ve told her that she was going to be the great-great-great-great-whatever grandmother of our savior as she traveled with Naomi back to Bethlehem, she probably would’ve scoffed at you. I know I would have! But look how God provided for her in her time of trials. So much more than she could’ve hoped for!! (Read the book of Ruth, it's only 4 chapters, but it's a great and inspiring story!!) And that is God’s plan for us too. To provide more than we could ever hope for, we just have to trust in Him that He knows what He’s doing. It’s so hard in the midst of it all, but it is well worth it. Hope you have a great week!!

“However it is written: no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has done for those who love him.” 1 Corin 2:9