Stop Signs

We all know that when we pray, God has the option of saying "No," but that doesn't make it any easier. Today I got my no. One of the most stressful parts of my past month has been setting up my internship. I am finally on the verge of graduating, and setting up and completing my internship is a huge hurtle I have to overcome. The application process has been long and time-consuming, and has involved a lot of waiting. What I thought was an awesome internship opportunity that could help grow my career turned out to be not what the internship department had in mind.

There are two parts of my "no" that stink. One is that I spent an hour and a half this morning taking an extremely challenging psychology test that is required to take the class. Never before have I wanted to cry halfway through a test. I just wish I could have spared myself the stress.

The second part that stinks is that this could set my graduation date back. Those of you who spend a lot of time with me know how badly I want to graduate. College has been a struggle for me, not because of the challenge, but because I have a different balance in my life than most college students. I am already in my sixth year of college and I am definitely ready to be done.

I think a natural response that we as humans have when we hear "No" is "Why not?" We start reviewing our logic and decide that our plan was clearly well thought out and made perfect sense. Why would God not allow this to happen?

I'm trying not to be disappointed, but I am. However, as I was driving home from work today thinking about it, I had this really awesome, comforting thought. God said no because there is a bigger, better opportunity to glorify Him. When I think about it, everything in life ultimately comes down to glorifying God. We have opportunity in everything we do. I've heard several saying before about the dreaded no. Some people say, "When God closes one door He always leaves another door open," or "He obviously has something better in mind." I think those statements are a little too general. Sometimes God saying no can seem like a bad thing. I think about prayers about medical tests or layoffs. Sometimes when you pray for God to save you, He has something different in mind. I think in those circumstances we can bring more glory to God when we're sick or unemployed than if things had gone the way we wanted. God knows our hearts, He knows what it takes to make us more like Him. Sometimes He has to take away what we want most so that we begin to want Him more.

I'm trying to think about my no as a Stop sign. When you're driving and you come to a Stop sign, you have a couple of options. You can ignore the sign. You can continue driving straight, you can turn left, or you can turn right. You can even annoy the other drivers and attempt a u-turn right there. You can make a dangerous choice and pull out into traffic, or take the safe route and wait a while. You can do a rolling stop, hoping there are no cops nearby, or you can do the three-second stop that you're supposed to do. The one thing that nobody does, however, is stop the car, put it in park, turn off the car, get out and walk away. Stop signs are not to be taken completely literally. You don't stop driving indefinitely.

My no is a Stop sign. Is it annoying? Absolutely. I want that degree! But will it stop me? No way. Having an internship this Spring is completely out of the picture. I still have to research to see what my graduation timeline looks like now. I have to find a new internship that is more what the internship department would like. I have to figure out a way that will glorify God even more than my other internship would have. I'm not giving up, backing down, or getting out of this car. I'm keeping my eyes on Christ, thankful that my stress level this Spring will be a lot lower than it could have been. Whatever internship He has in mind, I'm going to do it with everything I have.

"So whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31

An Attempt at Washing Feet

Bailey woke me up this morning way too early. I've been exhausted for days and I needed a break, but she wasn't about to give me one. I took her downstairs so she could play while I took a nap on the couch, but she wanted out. I let her and Misty out and 15 minutes later went to let them in. I had a lovely surprise waiting. Both dogs' feet were caked in mud. So muddy it was almost funny. So I started getting a bowl of water and an old towel. I was trying not to be mad. I was telling myself, Jesus washed feet, too. Before I went outside I tried to prepare my heart to be like Jesus. I even got my phone out to do a cute photo of the dogs sitting next to one another, hilariously muddy, and I was going to write about how even dog ownership can make me more like Jesus. It went south pretty much the moment I stepped foot outside.

Of course, Bailey wanted to jump up on me because she was excited that I was outside. I was carrying a bowl of water and trying to avoid getting muddy, so I didn't exactly find it amusing. I tried to get the dogs to sit next to one another to take a picture, but in all of her excitement, Bailey couldn't sit still. "Sit, darn it! All I want to do is write a blog about washing feet!" This is the best picture I got:

At this point, I should have stopped, taken a moment to breathe, and remembered that I was trying to be like Jesus. Obviously, this is not what I did. I put the bowl of water of the ground and picked up Bailey's muddy foot to put in the water. She freaked. Once she figured out what the water was for, she squirmed and kicked so that she could get as far away from the water as possible. I didn't stop to breathe at this point either, but I should have. Instead I picked Bailey up and started putting her feet in the water. She squirmed, which made me even more angry, so I made her splash herself with the water. As if the experience wasn't scarring enough, right? Then I wiped a soaked and cowering Bailey's feet off and let her go inside. Surely at this point I should have taken a moment to breathe. But I didn't.

I went to Misty, who wanted nothing to do with the bowl of water after seeing Bailey's experience. So, being the mature adult that I am, I threw the remaining water at her and stormed inside to get a cup of water instead. When I came back outside with my Newk's cup full of water, Misty was in the same mud-filled corner of the yard, trying to stay as far away from me as possible. I yelled at her until she came over, and I cleaned one foot at a time, refilling the cup in between each foot. Misty was at least smart enough to stay still and let me do what I needed to do. This was the towel at the end of both cleanings (Notice the muddy footprints next to it):

I came back inside, ate a piece of chocolate, and just started crying. God that wasn't what I meant to do at all. That didn't glorify you at all! I felt a little like Paul when he was writing Romans 7. I knew what I wanted to do, and I knew what I didn't want to do. I did the thing I didn't want to do instead of doing the thing I did want to do. Now, I'm sitting here doing my blog post because I know that somehow I must still try to glorify God through washing those feet.

The beautiful thing about being a Christian is that we're not called to be perfect. God understands our sinful nature and sent us a savior so that we would no longer be ensnared by our sin. Jesus died knowing I would make one dog splash water on herself and then throw water at the other dog. After Paul wrote his wordy passage about doing things we don't want to do, he wrote something awesome.

"Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1

Even though I'm a sinner, even though I totally messed up an opportunity to be more like Jesus, there is no condemnation. Sure, if my sheriff neighbors had seen me yelling and forcing feet into water, they probably would have been concerned. And, if Michael had walked in upon the scene I definitely would have been embarrassed. But, despite my temper, despite my desire to control animals who had no idea why I was angry, I am still forgiven. My sin doesn't change anything. It's already been accounted for, already been written off. This morning I am so thankful for a God who graciously forgives, time and time again. I'm thankful for a savior who died knowing all about my temper. And, honestly, I'm really thankful that no one else saw me overreact towards my dogs this morning. Now it's time for cuddles and treats.

7 Aspects of a Thankful Heart

This morning I am starting to get super excited about Thanksgiving. I love Thanksgiving. I love spending time with family, love cooking, and I certainly don't mind eating. But it's more than that. I love the idea of celebrating Thankfulness. I love the idea of throwing a party to celebrate all that we have to be thankful for. So I was contemplating over my cup of coffee (with white chocolate mocha creamer, which is to die for) about what a thankful heart looks like. A thankful heart doesn't just post something they're thankful for every day (though I definitely think it's a cool idea and I'm not bashing it at all). A thankful heart lives every moment being thankful. When you really think about it, how thankful are you? How much time to you spend enjoying the things you have, appreciating the people around you, and how much time do you spend wanting things or wanting to be somewhere else? We're all guilty of losing sight of all that we have to be thankful for but I thought, you know, in the spirit of Thanksgiving and all, that I would write a list of what a thankful heart looks like. So, blare the trumpets because here it is!

What a thankful heart looks like:

1. A thankful heart is kind. To loved ones. To people they don't like. To strangers (like Chick-fil-A employees, for example). A thankful heart is a happy heart, and that joy spills over onto others. 

2. A thankful heart doesn't complain. Boom. I said it. When you're thankful for something, you're appreciating the value in something. The opposite of being thankful is complaining. When you complain, you're stating the negatives, ignoring the positives. You're dragging everyone around you into a pit of thanklessness. 

3. A thankful heart doesn't waste. Doesn't waste things, doesn't waste time, doesn't waste relationships. So often people throw away what they care about because they're not using it like they could. How often do we spend time with loved arguing over menial things? Thankfulness means making the most of what you have and enjoying it. 

4. A thankful heart tells others. Seems kind of obvious, right? That's what the Facebook Thankfulness Challenge is for, right? But how often in life are your motives misinterpreted or questioned, when you thought the reason was obvious? Sometimes assuming others know how much you care about them is just not enough. Say thank you for the small things, yes, but also for the big things. Pull someone aside and tell them how thankful you are for everything you do. It feels awesome to be thanked, and usually it makes you want to do even more! Share the love!

5. A thankful person is patient. When you see the value in a moment, you don't sit waiting for it to go by. Similarly, when you see the value in something that you really want, you're willing to wait for it. To all of my friends with ring fever, a thankful girlfriend enjoys dating, and sees the value in dating. Impatience is a sign of thanklessness.

6. A thankful person shares. Cookies, money, time. A thankful person appreciates everything they have and understands how valuable it is - they see the value that others could see in it. When you're thankful for your jacket and you see someone without a jacket, you want to help.

And finally,

7. A thankful person gives the glory to God. A thankful person recognizes that nothing they have is of their own accord. They recognize that without the strength and resources that have been provided for them, they wouldn't have anything. And, most importantly, when you fully understand and are thankful for the salvation and redemption that we have received in Christ, you will give all glory to God.

Now, in all honesty, this list is more for me than for you. I might do just one of the things on this list on a good day. We all like to think that we're thankful, but when we look at our actions, we learn otherwise. I challenge you (and myself) to live a life of thankfulness. Don't just post about something you're thankful for once a day. Don't just spend one day celebrating food. Try to incorporate thankfulness into an everyday part of your life, and your life might just change forever.

The Desert

We've all been there. That place of spiritual dryness. Where reading the Bible is like rubbing your eyes with sandpaper. Where we forget what we're saying in the middle of prayers. I have gone a year and a half rarely skipping quiet time, and the last week and a half I have tried, and failed, to have quiet time. Some days I flat out skipped, some days I tried to read and couldn't take anything in.

The truth is, we all get to this place. Some people call it "The Desert." It's a place we're not proud of, a place that feels wrong. We feel like we're not supposed to be there. We're not supposed to skip time with God. We're not supposed to give up on something that should be so easy. So many people are ashamed to admit that they haven't sat down and read their Bible in ____ number of years, but the truth is, it's normal!

I'm in the desert and I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm not ashamed to admit that I sometimes struggle with connecting with God. I'm not ashamed to admit that I can't always focus during my prayers. I get lost when reading Scripture. Sleeping in sounds more appealing than opening up a book that just a few weeks ago I was in love with.

Guys, I've got a news flash for you. Nowhere in Scripture does it say, "To be a good Christian you must read the Bible every day," or "To be a good Christian you must spend ____ amount of time in prayer." Jesus died so we can live free. Jesus died so we don't have to get trapped in the lie that by spiritual disciplines we can earn our way to Heaven. My wonderful, Godly, Christian friends, I have to tell you that we don't get kicked out of Heaven for skipping quiet time or church, for closing our Bibles because we can't understand what we're reading. Don't be ashamed to admit that you struggle with these things.

It's important that I now make a very necessary point. Spiritual disciplines are important to the Christian walk. They're not vital, but they're important. Reading God's Word and praying daily build a personal relationship with God that cannot be replicated. Jesus speaks of the Church as the Bride of Christ and it's important that we fellowship with one another weekly, but skipping a week here or there won't negate your salvation.

Think of your spirituality as muscles. The more time you spend exercising your muscles, the stronger they will become. The larger your variety of exercises, the wider your range of strengths. Skipping a workout here or there doesn't negate a workout. Taking a week off to give your body a break doesn't even negate everything you've done. However, the more time you spend away from that workout, the weaker you will become. Eventually if you become lazy enough to stop working out all together, easy things may be difficult. Your muscles never completely go away, but they're not as strong as they could be.

There are many reasons why reading the Scripture is important. John 8:32 says that the truth sets us free. I would like to suggest that, while reading Scripture is important, there are other ways we can glorify God. When we're experiencing spiritual dryness, we can change up our workout routine and strengthen a muscle we normally ignore. It's okay to be in a place where Scripture isn't appealing, but it's not okay to sit back and do nothing. If you're experiencing spiritual dryness, try focusing on something else that glorifies God instead. It may provide you with exactly what you need to get back on track.

Ways to Glorify God:
- Through your marriage (Eph. 5:21-33)
- Parenting (3 John verse 4)
- Generosity (Acts 20:35)
- Serving (1 Peter 4:10)
- Praise (Ephesians 5:20)

Why I Can't Get Rid of the Worse Dog Ever

I am currently sitting in a house that reeks of dog poop, urine, and mange, wondering how much longer I can take living with the worst dog on the planet. She is now almost 10 months old and still having accidents in the dining room every time I turn  my back. They're actually not accidents anymore, they're on purposes, because she doesn't want to get her delicate little feet wet in the morning dew. Every time I think I've cleaned up the last of the poop I find some hidden in the corner. Or under a chair. Or in the middle of the room. On top of that, she pees in her crate every single time she's left alone for longer than an hour. AND, (this one's not her fault) she has one of the smelliest skin disorders ever.

When Michael and I thought about getting a puppy, our goal was to find a friend for Misty, and to get a dog that would attach itself to Michael, not me. We certainly got a friend for Misty. There are few dogs that Misty gets along with 100%, but Bailey has been one of those dogs since day one. (Well, 99% actually.) But I now have another shadow, and this one is worse than I could have ever imagined. Bailey is exactly the opposite of what we wanted in a dog. She's hyper, annoying, stupid, stubborn, loud, clingy, needy, and, as I mentioned before, smelly. She wasn't like this when we picked her out. She was so sweet and fun, and definitely not out of control like she is now.

But I can't get rid of Bailey. There are a lot of reasons I can't get rid of Bailey, but my main reason is that I feel like God has put it on my heart to keep her. Actually, it's more like God has tattooed it on my heart. When I look at Bailey, I am reminded of the sinful nature that we're all born with.

"As a dog returns to its vomit, so fools repeat their folly." Proverbs 26:11

I can tell you from experience, dogs return to their vomit every single time, and right after they did it. They don't give their stomachs a second to settle, don't run away in shame, don't drink water. No, they go straight for it. Every time.

Just like Bailey keeps going to the dining room to poop, I keep going to my sin. I let my short fuse control my conversations. I attack and defend like it's World War 3 before analyzing a situation. Then I feel embarrassed and stupid for jumping to conclusions, and in my embarrassment I lash out again.

I wonder if God has the same feeling I have when I discover another pile of poop in the dining room. And not only does He have to deal with my own sin - He has to deal with everyone! Every time He looks at the world He sees our little piles of sin. We face our consequences and then create another pile of sin. No wonder sin is described as disgusting in the sight of God.

I can't get rid of Bailey because God doesn't get rid of me when I do the same thing. Even though I sin over and over again, His love never fails. He never casts me out of His sight. He never gives up. I can't get rid of Bailey because I want to honor what God does for me. The truth is, Bailey will never be perfect; and neither will I! Unconditional love means loving despite poop on the carpet. It means accepting the fact that you'll probably have to replace the carpets before ever selling the house. It means investing in someone's junk because you believe in their potential. (Speaking of investing: if you're looking for any stock advice, I recommend Febreze! They should stay in business for a while!)

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8

Why I Work at Chick-fil-A

I would like to suggest something absurd. I like love my job.

I am the training director at Chick-fil-A Indian Trail. According to today's culture, there are lots of reason why I should not like my job. People pay thousands upon thousands of dollars on education to avoid doing things like my job, right? Fast food, customer service, inconsistent hours, always on your feet. Most people gag at the idea of making a job like this your primary source of income on purpose. But the truth is, I choose to work at Chick-fil-A.

I am 24 years old and have been working in the food industry for 7 years. Chick-fil-A is not my first job and I can say that I have seen the good and the bad of my industry. Yes, I've been cursed out my a customer who was angry about something I had no control over. Yes, I have been yelled at by bad management for knit-picky things. Yes, I have been subjected to follow rules that had no purpose beyond being a rule. I have gotten home from work at 3am, exhausted. I have worked 14-16 hour days. My feet, legs, back, arms, and head have all hurt from working.

But. Chick-fil-A is the most amazing company to work for. It's unlike any other job I've had. Chick-fil-A wants you to have fun at work. CFA wants you to be generous. CFA wants to make an impact on customers' and team members' lives.

The Bible talks a lot about work. In fact, in Genesis 2, God gave Adam work before sin was introduced into the world. That means that God created man to work. Let that sink in. Work is good.

Stewardship
To be a good steward is to not be wasteful. Part of Chick-fil-A's corporate statement is to be a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us.

"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much." Luke 16:10

Being a good steward at CFA means being responsible for inventory and labor, yes, but more importantly it means being responsible with lives. We are given the responsibility to provide the love of Jesus to thousands of strangers every day, and we want to use every single chance we can to love on them. We also are responsible for the lives of the team members that we work with. This may be most of their first job, but it's our responsibility to prepare them for work later on in life. It's our responsibility to teach them how to love others. It's our responsibility to make work fun so that they come in excited to work and ready to impact the lives of others.

Generosity
Chick-fil-A is the epitome of generosity. The organization as a whole is so generous that I can't keep up with all of it. The two things that I am most familiar with are Winshape (a leadership program at Berry College) and the $1000 scholarship that every team member is eligible for.

Dean Sandbo, my operator/boss/mentor/friend, strives to live generously and incorporates that into our operations. He has the phrase "air on the side of generosity" which means that it's more important to bless others than to worry about numbers. It doesn't matter if a guest's complaint doesn't quite line up. It doesn't matter it you accidentally ordered the wrong thing or dropped your ice cream the second you walked away from the counter. Our goal is to bless the community.

Sure, occasionally we have people who try to take advantage of our generosity, and we have to handle those situations as necessary. But how many people can say that their boss trusts them to bless people as they see fit? How many people can say that their boss cares more about impacting others than about the cost involved with that impact?

"One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed." Proverbs 11:24-25

Leadership Development
One interesting concept at both the Wesley Chapel and Indian Trail Chick-fil-A's (those operated by Dean) is the concept of leadership over management. A manager organizes things and enforces rules. A leader empowers others and leads by example.

"Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking for your own interest but each of you to the interests of the others." Philippians 2:3-4

The character piece that Dean expects out of his leaders is huge. We are constantly looking inwardly at ourselves, examining if we're serving others as often as we should. We're encouraged to love others, to speak gently and have any necessary disciplinary discussions in private. We build others up as much as possible so that they may build up the community that they serve daily. The development that we get from Dean and one another allows us to better spouses, friends, and members of the community.

Servanthood
"Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be salve of all. For even the son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Mark 10:43-45

We incorporate the word serve into the Chick-fil-A "lingo" as much as possible. We talk about serving others all day long. We serve our guests, we serve one another. We don't "help", because helping implies emotional resistance. Serving requires humility.

Why do I work at Chick-fil-A?
I work at CFA because it glorifies God. Not only are many of the concepts based on biblical principles, but the principles empower me to glorify God. I am constantly put in situations where I can glorify Him through stewardship or servanthood. I am constantly loving Him by loving others. This is what God created man to do. This is what work is supposed to be about. And this is why I love working at CFA.

The truth is, I am on schedule to graduate with a degree in Psychology in May. My goal has been to find a job at a church, hopefully as an assistant youth minister. But, as that day grows steadily nearer, I've made a choice. I'm going to stay at CFA. I'm staying because I can glorify God through everything I do. I'm staying because the relationships that I've built mean the world to me. I'm staying because I love what I do.

And no, I'm not writing this as advertisement for Chick-fil-A. I'm not getting paid to brag about how awesome it is to work for them. I'm writing this because I'm tired of people feeling sorry for me that I work in the food industry as an adult. I'm tired of people assuming I hate my job and would take another if it was available. I'm tired of people looking down on what I do because it doesn't require higher education. I'm tired of the negative stereotype that goes along with fast food employees. I love serving people. I'm not looking for opportunities to mess with your food, and I won't even if you yell at me in front of the entire store. When I smile, I mean it. When I talk to you, it's because I want to get to know you. When I tell you I love my job, I mean it.

And yes, it really is my pleasure.

Quiet Time Element Three: Journaling

There are a lot of illusions about quiet time. We are pressured to spend hours with God, saying long, elaborate prayers and reading chapters upon chapters of Scripture without fatiguing. There can also be a lot of illusions about journaling. Some people write pages of beautiful prayers, some people refuse to journal at all. Some use their journals as prayer lists, others use them more as diaries. The truth is, the Bible doesn't say anything about journaling. But it does tell us...

1. "Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart." Proverbs 3:3

2. "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." 1 Corinthians 10:31

3. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that all god's people may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16

Here's my take on journaling. Journaling is a tool. It helps up remember Scripture, helps guides our prayers, helps us see God working in our lives. If you regularly journal, ask yourself these questions:

1. When I journal, is it to write beautiful words or is it to glorify God?

2. When I journal, do I ever refer to previous entries?

3. When I journal, do I spend more time thinking about what to write than on praying the words that I write?

It is easy to get caught up in the fun on writing. I know the feeling - believe me! I spent years journaling what I thought were beautiful prayers that reflected the closeness that I experienced with God. In reality, I was writing what I thought a "Good Christian" would think and feel. I wrote to impress God, not to honor Him. 

I'm not saying these things to condemn journaling, because I do journal, but I want to say these things because there is a danger in journaling. There is a danger in getting so caught up in the fun on writing, in the placement of the perfect word in the perfect place, that we forget what it's really about. If you spend more time journaling during your quiet time than praying or reading Scripture, your journaling might be more about yourself than it is about God.

Effective journaling often isn't nearly as pretty. It might involve lists or scratchy handwriting. It might be simple, only take a few minutes, or might be only a few words a day. The form of journaling you choose is completely up to you and your relationship with God, but I'd like to take some time to share the form of journaling that works for me. (If you're a person that struggles with the balance of writing for yourself and God, it might work for you too.)

My journaling serves two functions, as a prayer tool and as a reference. 

Prayer tool

My prayer tool helps guide me as I'm praying to keep me focused and to remind me of things to pray for that I might normally forget. It looks a little like this:

First, I write a list of 5 things that I'm thankful for that day. I noticed during my prayers that I was thanking God for the same things every day, but forgetting the little things. My goal is to thank God for something different every day. Occasionally I thank God for the same things, (like I probably write down coffee more than I'd like to admit) but I also remember to thank Him for things I might never thank Him for, like pillows or socks or toilet paper. The comforts of living in a rich society take on a whole new meaning when you remember to thank God for them daily.

In the next part, I write down Scripture that stood out to me during my reading. I usually write down 3-5 verses. I strongly believe in praying through Scripture. Here's why: I'm a counseling student and one thing I've learned about in class is active listening. An aspect of active listening is repeating what you've heard to make sure you understand it correctly. It helps eliminate miscommunications in relationships. I try to bring this concept into my prayers. I tell God what I noticed about Scripture. I read the verse to Him and then tell him what I understood from it. There have been times where, as I'm praying, I realize something about the Scripture that I'd never realized before. There have been other times when I read a Scripture to God that I realized I only chose it because it was "pretty", and it didn't have the meaning that I originally thought. Reflecting over the Scripture you read is an awesome opportunity for God to show you something you've never seen before; it's a chance to re-align your walk with His will. 

Thirdly, I write Special Requests. I write down people who have shared personal struggles with me, write down the names of people I know who are sick or hurt, or names of people who are lost. When people think of prayer, they often automatically go to this section. It's the requests. Often our prayer is solely about requests, though it should be about glorifying God. Sometimes I skip this section all-together and completely focus on my own heart, other times I pray for several people. It's important to not let this part of your prayers define your prayer life. If it does become all about requests, you might find your heart longing for more. You might feel like you're missing a part of God, though you can't figure out what it is. You might feel spiritually "empty" or drained. Make a relationship with God the priority in your prayers.

Reference

Using journaling as a reference might be different than you'd expect. I don't usually look back at my previous journal entries to see how God changed my heart (because my journal entries are too simple to see that much into them). Occasionally I look back and see that prayers that God has answered, but my journal entries are more prayer guides than anything else.

However, the reference part of journaling that I'm talking about is extremely important and often forgotten. It looks like this:

How often, when reading your Bible, do you underline a verse and never write it down? You're understanding that a verse is important and you want it to stand out to you when you need it, but you have no way to return to that verse without stumbling upon it. When I was a teen I used to underline verses and then, when I was feeling like I needed Scripture, I flipped through my Bible and read only the underlined verses. Either I never found what I needed or it took me forever to find it.

When I find a verse that stands out to me, I write the verse and a general topic down. Then, I put my verses into a database. Whenever I need a verse about a certain topic, I have my very own concordance to reference.  I have over 1,000 verses (and still working on it!) that I can sort through within a couple of seconds. Need some marriage encouragement? Got it. Need some parenting advice? Got it. Having a bad day? Got it. I've been working on it consistently for about 8 months and this is my favorite project ever. I highly recommend it to my friends who want more out of their Bible reading. Doing this small task takes your Bible reading to the next level.

When you journal, you get as much out of it as you put into it. If you're intentional about glorifying God, everything else will fall into place. Remember that journaling isn't necessary and should only be a tool to help your relationship with God grow. If you're not growing, try something else. If you're making an effort to have a relationship with God, Scripture promises that He won't let you down. 

"Come near to God and He will come near to you." James 4:8

Quiet Time Element Two: The Word

Reading the Bible can be both encouraging and frustrating, uplifting and depressing. Christians talk about reading the Bible all the time. As a kid I felt like every time I went to church the topic of reading the Bible came up. It was practically bashed into my head. Yet out of the probably thousands of times I heard others mention reading the Bible, I wasn't every really taught how to read the Bible. I wasn't really taught where to start, wasn't taught what to look for, wasn't taught what to do with what I read. I read over the words because I was supposed to. I didn't understand what I was reading, didn't care about what I was reading, and certainly didn't take away anything from what I was reading.

Reading the Bible is an important part of quiet time, but it's useless if you're not getting anything out of what you're reading. When you don't understand the context, the writer, the time, the location, etc., it's difficult to appreciate what you're reading. Instead, it starts to look like a bunch of crazy stories linked together with rules. Yuck.

Why you should read the Bible regularly
I've heard the argument that the Bible is an awesome reference tool, and a lot of people use it only as that. Having a bad day? Google verses about encouragement. Or better yet, look some up on Pinterest. (I'm guilty of pinning more than one of those links.) But using the Bible as a reference and using the Bible as a foundation are two totally different things.

2 Timothy 3:16 says that God's word is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training. It is an awesome reference to how we should live according to God's purpose. But 2 Timothy 3:16 also says that God's word is God breathed. It is inspired by Him. It is what He wants us to know.

Hebrews 4:12 says that God's word is alive and active. For years I thought this verse was personification. I thought it was a metaphor for what it can do in our lives. But I now believe that God's word is actually alive. Now everyone thinks I'm weird, but stay with me. Have you ever read a passage in the Bible and gotten nothing out of it, only to come back to the same passage later and feel like God is talking directly to you? Has a passage in Scripture ever brought you to tears? Or opened your eyes to something you needed to see? God's Word is alive because it knows our heart. God's Word can feel constantly new because our hearts are constantly changing.

If the Bible is both God breathed and alive and active, constantly fitting what your heart desires, why would you only use that as a reference? If God wants to constantly pour His love into you, why would you listen only when you feel like it?

What the Bible has to offer you
The Bible has so much more than rules to offer. In fact, there are many verses explaining that the rules of Judaism and Christianity weren't meant to define those religions (Gal. 3:11, Gal. 5:4, Hebrews 10:1). Here's just a taste of what God's word can offer:

The Truth - John 8:32
Parenting Instruction - Proverbs 13:24
Eternal Life - John 5:24-25
Endurance - Romans 5:3-4
Encouragement - 1 Corinthians 15:58
Marriage Advice - Malachi 2:15-16
Guidance - Isaiah 55:8-11
Forgiveness - 2 Corinthians 2:10-11

Where to start
The entire Christian faith is built upon the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because of this, I always recommend reading the New Testament before reading the Old Testament. Specifically, I recommend starting with the Gospels. The Gospels have the direct words and actions of Jesus. They may repeat one another, but they are overflowing with God's love for us. Nothing is more applicable to us than the Gospels. If we cannot fully grasp the sacrifice of forgiveness that was given for us, we cannot fully grasp anything else that we read.

If you'd like to start reading the Bible but have no idea where to start, start with the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John). I then suggest reading straight through the New Testament, since it all directly relates to the Gospels. After that, read the Old Testament. Personally, I recommend starting with Genesis and Exodus, then Psalms and Proverbs.

Understand the context
I eluded to this earlier, but understanding the history of the book is super important. When you understand who the writer is, you might understand his point of view better. (For example, when Paul talks about being a sinner, you know he's really being honest.) When you understand who a prophet is talking to or why the Israelites are begging for a king, you might understand the bigger picture better. Some Bibles provide this information before each chapter. Personally, I use an old textbook of mine. I wouldn't recommend it though, because there's a ton of information and it's a lot to sort through. The easiest way I know to find out the context of a book in the Bible is to simply Google it.

What to look for
In my last post I wrote about the importance of an open heart. If you come to God's Word with an open heart, you are prepared for what He wants you to know, not just what you think will make you feel better. Pray ahead of time, asking God to reveal what is important for you to read. Keep an eye out for God's promises, anything in red letters (Jesus's words), and anything that speaks of forgiveness and freedom. Also, keep in mind what your identity is in Christ. Don't let weird names (like Nebuchadnezzar) or places mix you up. Think big picture.

Take Notes
Finally, taking notes might be one of the most important parts of reading the Bible. When you take notes, underline or highlight, you are helping yourself when you read that passage later. I'll focus on taking notes and journaling in my next blog post.

Quiet Time Element: The Heart

One thing that has repeatedly been on my heart is quiet time. So many Christians want to incorporate quiet time into their schedules, but don't know how. Or, many have tried quiet time but it feels awkward or forced. I'm going to be writing about different elements that make my quiet time work.

When most people think about quiet time, they think of reading the Bible and praying. Yes, these are parts of quiet time, but there is something bigger and more important going on. The heart. Coming to quiet time with an open heart is the most important part of quiet time. Without an open heart, you can read 30 chapters in the Bible and not take a single word in. Without an open heart, you can pray for three hours and not feel a connection with God. The open heart is the most important part of quiet time.

Matthew 11:28-30 is really great Scripture to look at when you're thinking about the heart. First off, it says that we are to come to God for rest. Folks, God never leaves us. When we can't feel His presence, it's not because He isn't there - it's because our tiny human brains can't comprehend the enormity of Him. We continually have to leave His presence because our sinful nature drags us away. We have to return to Him over and over again. Intentionally. Humbly. Ready for change. It is in these moments that we get the true rest that our hearts long for. Rest from responsibilities. Rest from our mistakes. Rest from the complications of human life. You can only receive this rest if you choose to come back to Him.

Second, Matthew 11:29 says that when we take God's yoke upon ourselves, we will learn from Him. We're not talking about the middle of an egg, but about the piece used to hook up oxen for work. It looks like this:

God's yoke is His will. When we define our boundaries by the ones that God sets for us, our lives are actually easier. It's life without dodging around lies that we tell. It's life without hangovers, without STD's and unwanted pregnancies, without addiction. That's why verse 30 says that His yoke is easy and His burden is light. When we choose to obey the boundaries that God puts in our lives, we are making life easier for ourselves.

Here's an example. Once I was taking Misty to my parent's house and I had to stop by the grocery store to pick something up. I was going to leave Misty in the car (It was winter, I promise it wasn't hot outside.), but the second I opened the door she bolted. She was running freely in a parking lot next to a busy intersection. Anybody who knows Misty knows that she's not an easy dog to catch once she gets loose. She's part Border Collie and she's fast. Plus, she's scared of everything. A stranger was trying to help me catch Misty, but of course that made it worse because Misty was scared of the stranger. I was worried about her getting hit by a car in the parking lot or running into the intersection and getting hit there. I was worried about her running in the woods next to the parking lot and never being found. 

Misty thought her way was better than mine. She thought that by escaping the car (and escaping waiting for me by herself) that her life would be better. But I knew that escaping the car but her in danger - the exact danger that I was trying to avoid. Eventually I caught Misty (by pretending to leave her there) and my heart rate slowly went back down.

When we come to quiet time, we need to be open to the possibility that we're not going to like what God puts on our hearts. We need to be willing to listen to His will and realize that He's looking at a bigger picture that we could never understand. Sometimes during quiet time, God provides just the rest I need. He provides beautiful verses that remind me that He is there for me and that He is ultimately in control of all circumstances. But sometimes I read verses and I feel this pang in my heart and I know God wanted me to notice that verse. Even though I might want to read on or ignore it, I can't get it out of my mind. 

Heart surgery isn't fun. It doesn't feel good. It takes a while to recover. But it's necessary. God molds and changes our hearts because we need it. Isn't that what quiet time is all about? Going to God to get what we need? 

Have you been avoiding quiet time because you are avoiding this truth? Do you try to have quiet time but don't feel the same as you used to? Have you been avoiding quiet time because you don't want to go through the pain of change? Let me tell you, it's worth it. Waking up and spending time with God is worth every second. Knowing His love, His grace, His sufficiency, is worth it. Being His is worth it. 

"Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts..." Hebrews 3:7b-8a.

If this is something you struggle with, pray daily that God will open your heart to His will.

Why Celebration Should be Considered a Spiritual Discipline

Today Michael and I are celebrating our two year anniversary! If I'd realized the fairy tale that I was walking into as I walked down the aisle, I wouldn't have been nervous at all! It has been a year of blessings! We have both been successful at work, we have bought a house, and I am in my last year of college! (Oh, and we also have a new dog that we love sometimes like.) What a wonderful two years it has been!

The act of celebration is something that God created for mankind to enjoy. Is there a better way to thank God for the blessings He has given us than by throwing a party to show everyone our joy? I believe that God enjoys our celebration just as much as we do. I also believe that celebration is just as important as other Christian disciplines like prayer and reading Scripture. Here's why:

- God created celebration for the Jews. Multiple times a year Jews gathered together to celebrate The Passover, Pentecost, and the festival of Tabernacles. God asked His people to celebrate these holidays, plus the Sabbath once a year. There were also four other holidays that God created for the Israelites as an opportunity to celebrate.

- We all know that offerings were used for atonement for sin, but there were different kinds of offerings as well. Sin offerings were called expiatory offerings, but there were also consecratory offerings and communal offerings. Consecratory offerings dedicated a person or thing to God (like a baby dedication ceremony) and communal offerings often were given in thanksgiving. My favorite type of offering that I've read about is called a votive offering. These offerings were made after a person endured a trial. At the end of their trial, they would invite all of their friends over to have a giant party to celebrate God's faithfulness through the trial.

I'm not suggesting that we should follow Jewish customs, because we are in fact not Jewish. One of the reasons the world needed Christ to save us was because Jewish leaders had become so obsessed with the law that they forgot about the heart of the Creator behind it. However, I am suggesting that we are intentional about celebration. Anniversaries are a prime example of a need to celebrate. We are celebrating the fact that God gave us our "special someone" while others are still waiting. (This is something I personally celebrate regularly because there aren't many people today who marry at 21 and stay married.) We are celebrating our promise to one another and to God. We are celebrating the provisions that God has given us, plus all of the extras. We are celebrating another year of happiness.

Celebration is important because it stems out of a heart of thankfulness. We celebrate Easter, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years all because we are thankful for something. The holidays exist so that we never forget something important to us. Celebration is the ultimate praise to God!

Psalm 150:6 reads "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord." Romans 14:6 reads "Those who regard one day as special do so to the Lord." After the prodigal son returned home, his father threw a feast. Luke 15:7 speaks of the rejoicing in Heaven that occurs when a sinner repents. Jesus' first miracle occurred at a wedding. The fact is, celebration is embraced throughout Scripture. God wants us to celebrate! He wants us to throw a big party to tell everyone about the blessings we have experienced! The more you celebrate, the more you thankful you will become. Celebration is basically public praise to God. Celebrate openly! Celebrate small things and big things! Celebrate medical tests coming back negative, celebrate the end of the school year, celebrate your dog's birthday! I guarantee you that if you celebrate more, you will find a renewed joy in your life.

Sometimes You Gotta Take 15

I got a chance to go on a high ropes course for the first time ever a couple of weeks ago. We were at the U.S. Whitewater Center on a whitewater rafting trip with work. We had a few minutes to kill before our day was over so Michael and I headed over to the high ropes course. I'd never been on a high ropes course before, so I really didn't know what to expect. At first I was terrified. Everything about high ropes courses is against human nature. You're up high, balancing on a rope with barely anything to hold on to. You know your harness should hold you if you fall, but you don't exactly want to test it.

The first obstacle was only 2 ropes. You walked on one and had one to hold on to. After about 3 step-shuffle things I was convinced I wanted to turn around and get down. I had basically no fear during the Whitewater rafting, but this was too much. But I couldn't turn around because there was a 10-year-old boy behind me. He couldn't exactly go around me, but he was on my tail. When I finally got across the obstacle, I wanted to stop on the platform and take a few minutes to get my head together, but my shadow was relentless. He was practically running through the course. By the time I got through the last obstacle (a rope bridge with nothing to hold on to) he was actually running through the course.

If that boy hadn't been so fearless, I would have spend a lot more time on the platforms between the obstacles. I would have taken my time, going through the obstacle by myself without worrying about holding anyone up. Sometimes after clearing an obstacle, you just need to rest. It's part of being human.

This morning I was thinking about where I am in my walk, and I thought about this high ropes course. At one time I was that little boy, running through life and tackling obstacles like it was nothing. I never needed a break. I could never get enough of Jesus. There was no spiritual exhaustion. But I'm not like that anymore. I need rest. I need breaks. It's not that I occasionally give up on my faith because it's hard, but sometimes I need a moment to rest on the platform before continuing.

Spiritual development is hard. Facing your shortcomings is hard. Constantly comparing your life to the life of Christ is hard. It hurts. It's tiring. It's normal to need a break - to need to stand on the platform and catch your breath. It's normal to want to sleep in and skip quiet time sometimes. Confession: I've skipped quiet time about half of the time in the last two weeks. There were times when I opened the Bible and I started reading and about 10 verses in I put the Bible down because I couldn't do it. I didn't want to read without taking in what I was reading, and I just couldn't force myself to take anything else in at the time.

It's okay to take a spiritual break. I'm NOT saying it's okay to ignore your faith or to live like the world because the Christian life is too hard. I'm saying it's okay to take a break from spiritual development sometimes and just be. We are called to a higher purpose and it's important to never forget that, but sometimes we need to refuel before we keep going. Standing on the platform doesn't mean giving up on the high ropes course. Coming up for air doesn't mean you're done swimming. 

My friends, it's okay to take a break. God created us to need breaks. Just make sure you're honoring Him during your break. 

The Importance of Quiet Time

In today's society, quiet time is an essential part of the human relationship with God - specifically in the United States. We live in a culture centered around speed and convenience. We have to-do lists, appointments, and even apps on our "smart"phones that help us keep track of our lives. We live in a blender. We let life chaotically swirl around ourselves and grasp tightly onto whatever we feel is important to us. I'm not writing to argue against this - though I'm slightly tempted to. The truth is, no matter how much we all agree that a hectic lifestyle isn't ideal, we all continue to live it. Instead, I'd like to write about the importance of quiet time.

Quiet time can mean a lot of things to a lot of different people. To a young mom it means that tiny gap of peace in the day when the youngster is down for a nap. For that youngster it means a forced nap when they'd rather run screaming and throwing toys. For a Christian, it means deliberate time with God. This is the quiet time I'm talking about.

The thing about quiet time is that a lot of people have absolutely no idea what to do with it when they sit down with their Bible. In the past couple of weeks I've been asked several questions about quiet time. "What should I read in my Bible?" "Where do I start?" "What do I journal?" "How do I have a meaningful prayer?" "How do I stay focused?"

Quiet time can sometimes feel so deliberate that we forget its purpose. We desperately want connection with God so badly that we try to force it. We want to please Him by journaling a beautiful prayer. We want to impress Him with our insight about His word. We worry that our prayers aren't long enough or meaningful enough. We worry when we don't "feel" God's presence.

The truth about quiet time is that it's different for everybody. For some people it's an hour of studying God's word and praying to Him. For other's it's a 5 minute plea for strength and energy. I've heard of some people intentionally driving in the car in silence (AKA no radio). Sometimes it's a hike through the mountains celebrating God's creation.

The beautiful thing about quiet time is that we don't have to have it all together. We don't have to say something beautiful to God. We don't have to read 10 chapters of the Bible. Quiet time is about your personal relationship with God. It cannot be replicated.

If you're floundering with the concept of quiet time, give yourself a break. God knows your heart. The fact that you want to spend time with Him is enough. You are enough. You can bring your brokenness, your hurt, your exhaustion. You can come to Him having no idea how to create a connection. You are only one-half of the relationship! He can create a connection too. He can work on your heart and allow you to know Him in ways you could never do alone. It's not up to you. God can change your life without beautiful prayers and eloquent words. God is not limited to your intelligence. All He needs is a willing heart.

I plan on making my next couple of blogs about different elements of the heart that God requires for a successful quiet time. If you're struggling to connect with Him, stay posted!

The Importance of Praying Before

Lately God has had this idea on my heart to pray about things before they occur. If you regularly read my blog, you might have noticed this reoccurring theme. I strongly believe that praying about things before they happen has a strong impact on the situation. In times of weakness it is so easy to overlook prayer, especially if exhaustion is paired with your weakness. It's easy to go to bed early or sleep in late without taking the time to ask God for strength. It is so easy to focus so much on a problem that we forget about the God in control of our problem, or that our problem is often inconsequential to the Kingdom of God.

When we pray about things ahead of time, we are praying that God will prepare and strengthen our heart for different situations. We are continually reminding ourselves that God is in control over all situations, even ones we aren't in yet. We remember that God has a bigger picture; that there is a plan beyond the problem. And I still haven't found a single negative to praying about things before they occur.

One thing that I regularly pray for is my marriage. Yes, my marriage has already occurred, but I pray for times of trouble when we're in a time of peace. There is a blog that I found on Pinterest that changed my marriage. It's about 10 Scriptures to Pray Over Your Marriage (link at the bottom of the page). I have these Scriptures written in my prayer journal and every day I pray for just one. For instance, today I prayed that we would run to God in times of need (Psalm 91:1-2). Even though Michael and I are blessed beyond our wildest dreams right now, that doesn't mean we'll never be without need. Praying that we will run to God in times of need reminds me that we depend on God and that we eventually will be in need but He is our provider. I am preparing my heart ahead of time so that I know how to react when the situation occurs.

Guys, I'm a psych major, so I'm going to throw a little psychology in here for ya. Ever had a really bad dream? Where someone really close to you dies or a man with a gun breaks into your house or something really, really bad? Wake up sweating and unable to shake that dream off? The mind creates these scenarios to prepare itself in case that even would actually occur.  Your brain is "practicing" so it won't panic. How'd you do? Cry, scream, pee all over the floor?

Our brain naturally wants to prepare itself in advance for difficult times. Why, then, do we not do the same thing for our heart? Ephesians 6:10-17 speaks of putting on the armor of God before going into battle. If you're already in battle without armor, you're at a huge disadvantage because you are more vulnerable than you should be.

My question for you is: Are you ready for battle?Are you ready for difficult times? Does life feel more difficult than it should? Are you struggling to keep your head above water? Would your life look drastically different if you prayed every day?

If you want to check out the marriage blog, click on the link below. Just remember - reading the blog doesn't do much for your marriage if you never visit the topic again. Praying for your marriage should be a daily goal.

http://timewarpwife.com/?p=1751

What is Spiritual Warfare and How Do I Face It?

Do you ever have those days where you're just sour for now reason? Everything can be going great but you're pouting in the corner because you can't seem to shake your funk?

Last week I spent a couple days in this terrible, terrible mood. I was not a fun person to be around. At work I forced myself to remain quiet. I prayed over and over again, God, please just don't let me hurt anyone today.  I didn't want to snap at anyone over something stupid and I knew I wasn't being myself, so I avoided others at all costs. At home I practically locked myself up in my bedroom to avoid taking my anger out on Michael. I yelled at Bailey over stuff I normally would have let go. I couldn't find the energy to do housework or schoolwork. I couldn't focus when I tried to read my Bible or pray. I was in this hazy, ugly fog and I couldn't escape.

It took me 2 days to realize that I was facing some spiritual warfare. Once I realized what was going on, the intensity seemed to vanish. It was still there, but it was much more tolerable. That's the secret to spiritual warfare - once you figure out what's going on, it melts away. Its strength is in its disguise.

The best way I know to describe spiritual warfare is a Satanic attack against the soul in order to prevent furthering the Kingdom of God. I know that sounds pretty intense, but rarely does that attack look like the blockbuster demonic possessions. Instead, spiritual warfare often looks pretty normal. Sometimes it's a simple as everyday distractions. Ever tried to read your Bible but couldn't seem to take in a single word you were reading? Or tried to pray but couldn't think of any of the words you wanted to say? Sometimes spiritual warfare looks like my bad mood last week, or sometimes it's this random urge to avoid a friend that normally points you toward Christ.

Point is, spiritual warfare is discrete. It's easy to overlook. It's easy to place the blame elsewhere. So how do you know it's there? First of all, if you've recently done something to further the Kingdom of God, you can expect some spiritual warfare. Satan will distract and discourage. He'll do whatever it takes to stop you in your tracks. I've even had all of my electronics suddenly stop working when I'm trying to write something that glorifies God.

It's important to remember that our lives are a battlefield. Just as God places opportunities in our lives to accept Him, Satan tries to tear down those opportunities. Your soul is a war zone. It's completely normal to face these constant battles. Christians often encourage one another by saying that Satan wouldn't be interested in you if you weren't a threat. Take that to heart.

1 Peter 5:8 says "Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour."

1 Peter 4:12-13 says "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."

The Bible warns us to be prepared for attack but so often we are caught off guard. Verses promise God's protection, like Psalm 91:4, which states "He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart." So often we misunderstand God's protection. We think He'll prevent us from allowing bad things to happen. But this verse doesn't say anything about God protecting us from bad things. It says that He will be our refuge. It says that He is faithful, and His faithfulness will protect us. To understand His faithfulness, we need to look at His promises. Philippians 4:19 says that God will provide for our needs. John 15:7-8 says that God will answer our prayers. Acts 13:38-39 says that God will forgive our sins. Nowhere does it say He'll keep us from getting hurt.

The Bible doesn't protect against spiritual attack, but it does promise blessing through the endurance of an attack. 1 Peter 4:12-19, Romans 5:3-5, James 1:2-4, and Isaiah 41:10 all promise blessings through trials. There is beauty in spiritual warfare. For one, there is beauty in our dependence on God. 2 Corinthians 12:9 says that God is glorified in our weakness. God created us to depend on Him. Second, we are not called to be perfect. We are called to struggle, to fall, to need. These things create our need for God.

I want to encourage my believing friends 2 things:

1. Pray about spiritual warfare ahead of time. Pray that God will open your eyes to spiritual warfare and that you will be well-equipped to handle it.

2. If you think you are facing spiritual warfare, have hope. Spiritual warfare cements faith. It solidifies our dependence on God. It strengthens our walk.

Even though spiritual warfare is one of the more ugly parts of being a Christian, it is a necessary hurtle to conquer. We cannot enjoy the glory of Christ without our faith being tested first. I guarantee you, your fight will be worth it. Because, after all, peace follows war. (Unless you lose the war, but that's another post.)

Freedom

The Fourth of July is right around the corner. It might be a holiday centered around the gory reality that lives were lost in order to create our country but that doesn't stop us from having our cookouts and watching fireworks. I have to say, I'm jealous of those who got to live during the decades following World War II. Has patriotism ever been higher than after that war? Soldiers returned home and the country was united on the victory of defeating a true enemy. Today we can't even get our citizens to agree on who the enemy is. There's the War on Terrorism, the War on Drugs, and the constant tear between Democrats and Republicans. Should we legalize marijuana? Gay marriage? Polygamy? Stem cell usage?

Politics are complicated. Messy. Personal. I'd like to suggest that our country is so focused on politics that we forget about the bigger picture. The Fourth of July is supposed to reel us back in and clear our heads. It's a day dedicated to remembering the bigger picture. It's a day dedicated to the freedom that we get by living in the United States. The Bill of Rights gives us freedoms that allow us to live lives unheard of in other countries. We fought hard for this. We payed a high price.

Sounding familiar? The church, the Body of Christ, is just like the United States. God payed a high price for us to have salvation. It is through this salvation that we get to live free. We are no longer restricted by our sinful nature. We aren't strapped by our secrets, terrified of consequences. The early church in Acts fought a revolution. Some paid with their lives. Not only was the blood of Christ spilled but the blood of countless Christians was spilled so that we have our church today. How often do we forget about this? How often do we let the legalism and politics of church blind our vision of Christ? How often do we forget the bigger picture? WE ARE FREE.

The freedom that Christ offers is even greater than the freedom that the United States offers. Sure, just like the U.S. we have a law that we need to follow in order to have peace. But does that law actually inhibit our freedom? Both the U.S. and Christianity have laws, yet the U.S. isn't defined by its laws, but rather by its freedom. Christianity, on the other hand, is often paired with its rules. The biggest difference between American freedom and Christian freedom is eternal grace. You can't exactly apologize to an American judge and expect to be let free.

Christians around the world are more free than Americans. A persecuted Christian in the Middle East is more free than an unsaved American. Ask yourself: Are you truly free? Is something restraining you? Are you choked by debt? Past mistakes? A lack of education? An illness? Sin? What would life look like for you if you were truly free?

Romans 6:20-23 brings up an important point. When we are free to sin as we please, we bring harm upon ourselves. A damaged liver from alcoholism, STD's, bancruptcy, broken relationships, and eternal separation from God. Is that really freedom? When we live by the law of God we are free from most of those things (I can't guarantee you'll never lose a friend again). Plus, we are free from our past mistakes because God wipes them away (Psalm 103:11-12). There is no more guilt (Romans 8:1). Freedom in Christ is like never having to ever remember an embarrassing or awkward moment for the rest of your life, only better. (If any of you are like me, you have plenty of those memories you'd like to live without.)

I want to end by asking you this one, super important question:

If you weren't American, would you still be free?

6 Things to Pray About The Summer Before Your Freshman Year in College

I remember the summer before I started at UNCC. I couldn’t stop thinking about college. I couldn’t stop thinking about what I still needed, wondering about my roommates, worrying about classes. My biggest worry was about having the perfect bedspread. I wanted it to be cute but not too girly, not too teenagery but still fun. I shopped for hours and hours until I found it. I had all of my stuff for my room in this blue bin and at least once a week I opened up the bin to look over it again. I dreamed about what my room would look like and how I would arrange the furniture.

Out of all of my preparations, I forgot one VERY important thing. It was actually the most important thing. I forgot to pray. I spent more time shopping for my bedspread than I did praying about my future. I was so distracted by what my next year would look like that I forgot to think about what my life would look like. And I paid for it too, let me tell you. My college experience was miserable. I hated my living situation. (That’s why I have Misty, but that’s another story.) I got terrible teachers. I even had one teacher who said she would fail you if you missed more than two classes, excused or unexcused. I have never been more lonely than I was during that year. I spent that entire year wondering if I was the only Christian on the entire campus.

This bad experience helped me realize how INCREDIBLY important it is to pray for your college experience. College is something you live, not just something you do. It takes up a huge chunk of time and determines a lot about the rest of your life. College is simply too important to not pray about.

I work with a lot of high school graduates that are eagerly awaiting August. They can’t wait to get out of their parents’ house, can’t wait to meet their roommate, can’t wait to finally be on their own. No more curfew, no more arguments about how short your skirt is, no more rules! I have gotten to work next to these graduates for a year now and I have built some wonderful friendships with them. I wanted to create a list for them so that they might not make the same mistakes that I did. Class of ’14 (and hopefully ’18), this one’s for you!

1. Pray for your future roommate, teachers, and classes. (Deut. 31:8)

Deuteronomy 31:8 says that God goes before us. That means that right now, while you’re looking around for that perfect bedspread/rug/over-the-door-organizer, God is creating your schedule. He’s choosing your teachers and your classmates. He’s setting up potential friendships for you. He’s preparing the heart of your roommate just as much as He’s preparing your heart. Pray for a roommate that is a good match for you. Whether that means a quiet roommate, a fun roommate, a studious roommate, whatever! You know what you want – pray about it! Also pray that you get teachers who understand and who see you as a human being, not just another body in a seat. Pray that you get the classes that you need for your major. Pray that there are potential friends in your classes and that you sit next to each other from day one.

2. Pray about your major. (Prov. 16:9)

This is a huge decision. For some of you, it’s an easy one. You’ve known forever what you want to do. For some of you, it’s overwhelming. The thought that it’s what you’re going to do for the rest of your life is too much to handle. I was in the latter group, and I changed my major more times than I can even count. Whatever boat you’re in, pray that God guides you in this decision. Proverbs 16:9 states that even though we make our own decisions, God guides the steps in those decisions. Pray that He closes doors when He needs to. Pray that you’re making a decision based off of what He wants you to do, not what you want you to do. Open your heart and you may be surprised by what you find.

3. Pray about your future friends. (Prov. 12:26)

Your friends make or break your college experience. Seriously. And, speaking from experience here, not having friends can really make things difficult too.  Pray that God gives you the courage to talk to people you don’t know. Pray for the wisdom to know when someone isn’t a good person to involve in your life and when to take a chance and emotionally invest yourself in someone. God wants to see you succeed and if you pray that He take away the friends that will be bad influences on you, He will do just that. Just be prepared… sometimes He takes away people we aren’t expecting to lose.

4. Pray for the ability to make wise decisions. (Psalm 111:10)

You’re out on your own and there isn’t anybody to tell you not to eat week-old pizza at 3am while watching that 15^th episode on Netflix instead of studying for the exam tomorrow. There’s not going to be anyone to tell you not to go to the party that everyone’s talking about and there’s not going to be anyone to warn you if someone slips something in your drink. Those “horror” stories you hear about college aren’t as exaggerated as you think. Those things actually happen. Pray that God helps you make wise decisions. Whether that means not walking to your car alone at night or not dropping that class in order to avoid an ex-boyfriend. Like I said earlier, God wants to see you succeed and He’ll be more than willing to help you make wise decisions if you just ask.

5. Pray for the ability to make healthy decisions. (1 Cor. 3:16-17)

Healthy decisions are almost just as important as wise decisions. Sometimes making an unhealthy decision is also an unwise decision. Alcohol. Yes, we’re going there. Alcohol is available in college to whatever excess you allow it to have. Just know that alcohol damages your body in a huge number of ways. And if that doesn’t mean anything to you – it’s impossible to drink a large amount of alcohol without also drinking a large amount of calories. Calories make you fat, therefore alcohol will make you fat. Maybe that will help you say no.

Besides alcohol, there are a million unhealthy opportunities at your fingertips. Like those extremely productive energy drinks they sell at the campus bookstore. And candy bars. And cookies. And chips. And pizza. If your college is like most colleges, there will be plenty of fast-food options dripping with grease. Just remember, Jesus died so that you can enjoy your body.

6. Pray for endurance. (Prov. 3:5-6)

Finally, pray for endurance to finish your degree. New friends and hangovers and attractive singles can be extremely distracting. Seriously, if you had to choose between going on a date with that cute guy from your Biology class or studying for the English exam that you know is going to whip your butt, what choice are you going to make? Bad choices add up. Skipping class and sleeping in adds up. Bad grades add up. Before you know it you’ll be looking at your graduation plan and wondering if it’s worth it. You’ll be wondering if signing up for that 8am will be worth it. You’ll be wondering if choosing a trip to the library over hanging out with your friends is worth it. Pray ahead of time that God gives you the endurance you need to make the right choices. I can promise you you’ll get tired of studying and you’ll want to give up. You won’t want to pray in that moment, so pray ahead of time. You might not remember it but God will.

These are all things your parents want you to know but they don’t bother telling you because they know you won’t listen. Or maybe they do bother telling you but you still don’t listen. So I’m telling you, as a current college student in my sixth year without a degree yet that this will help! Pray for just one of these things every day. If you don’t know what to pray about, just read the Bible verse to God and say, “God I pray about ____ in college.” The beautiful thing about pray is that it doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, pray is all about how much we depend on God. Take 20 seconds every day to pray about one of the things on this list and you will see results when you get there. Promise cross my heart.

One final tip: DON’T change your major in your fourth year of college.