Temple Tuesday

Psalm 4:1 says, "Answer me when I call to you, O God who declares me innocent. Free me from my troubles. Have mercy on me and hear my prayer."
When was the last time you prayed a prayer like that? David wrote this verse to God, asking God to speak to him, to rescue him, to listen to him.

I especially love the second half of the first sentence: "...O God who declares me innocent." Have you ever thought about that? God declares you innocent! When I first read that, I asked God how he could possibly find me innocent. I don't deserve that! But then it hit me, I'm right. I don't deserve to be called innocent. But Christ Jesus died for me - and he gave me innocence and righteous I did not deserve so I could accepted by his Father God. And the same is true for you!

A Call to Patience... Again

Yesterday, I wrote about waiting for marriage. But I feel like I aimed it specifically at those people who were and are dating. However, there is a different kind of patience (or, more accurately, a different place where patience is needed): that window of time between wanting to date and actually going on a date.

For those of you, like me, who are on the latter list (having never had a date), I have three words for you: Do not despair. On the very serious side of things, you have the rest of your life to find a true, honest, and Christlike guy or girl to marry - you don't need to obsess over it now. This came to mind as I was writing yesterday's post and I said that most people date between the ages of 15 and 25. It's funny, because I was so concerned about dating years ago, yet I'm only three years into this supposedly "taboo" margin. So stop worrying!

"Yeah," you say, "It sounds easy enough. But I feel like everyone else is dating. All the popular girls at school have boyfriends, my roommate's got a great girlfriend..."

The truth is that you are you for a purpose. Your future significant other, whether you've already met each other, whether you'll date a ton of other people before him/her, is who they are for a purpose. And your meeting and dating and marriage is, guess what, for a purpose. So don't underestimate or belittle God. He knows what he's doing with your life. He understands how you feel - but he has an all-encompassing, world-wide plan! He's never late, he's never preoccupied, he's the creator and commander of the universe - so he can handle your love life.

Why don't you let him? And be patient! You'll be glad you did.

If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently, for it will surely take place. It will not be delayed.

- Habakkuk 2:3

A Call to Patience

Your rich uncle who lives in another country sends you a letter on your 15th birthday. He writes that he knows you have recently begun working a part-time job and that you're saving up for a car and college tuition.
He says that he would like to offer his financial blessing to you as you're reaching adulthood - only if you continue to further your education by receiving a college degree. His letter clearly states that you can ask him for his blessing between now and ten years from now, and the blessing will total $100. However, if you wait ten years (your 25th birthday), the blessing will total $10 Million.
Did you get that? You can get $100 now or $10,000,000 in ten years. Who wouldn't wait?
I mean, $100 could help. You could buy a nice pair of jeans or a few dress shirts. Or you could buy a new textbook for college. But, seriously... New clothes can wait until you get that 10 Mil. You can get a loan for college until your uncle sends his blessing. You can make do for ten years.

It's a lot like waiting for marriage or sleeping with your boyfriend/girlfriend. Typically, people will date between 15 and 25 years old, and marry in their mid to late twenties. Nothing's wrong with dating, but when you throw in a sexual experience, you lose something that should have been saved for the wedding night. You may experience something fairly good now, but it won't last. It won't be the fantastic experience of marriage - first of all, knowing that your spouse is committed to you and to God for a lifetime, trusting in the sanctity and safety of your marriage.
Okay, so all of that may sound like a bunch of mumbo jumbo to your teenage brain. So here it is in simple terms: "Don't sacrifice what you want the most for what you want in the moment." (Quote by my history teacher)
What do you want the most? The majority of us would say a stable marriage and family, a good job, a healthy, God-filled life... But you can sacrifice all of that in a split-second decision that would take from your future spouse what belongs to them and possibly cause a life-threatening STD or a life-changing unplanned pregnancy.

Now, listen here: It's going to be tempting, especially when your wallet is looking a little empty in the middle of the semester, to ask Uncle Moneybags for his $100. But IMAGINE the reward when you wait ten years! You could be set for life!
And imagine the reward of a secure, faithful marriage and a growing family - you'll be set for life, literally.

So, here's my Call to Patience!

One Month

In one month, I'll be starting classes at college. I move in about a week beforehand for Freshman Orientation. I'm so excited! Finally, I get to head off to college and enjoy what I've been waiting for for the past three or so years. I can't believe it's almost here!

In the mean time, however, I'm taking a train with a good friend of mine to visit our mutual friend in another state. We're staying with her for two nights, then taking the train home. Then, I'm boarding a plane to fly to meet my mom, stepdad, brother, and step-brother for a family vacation, where we're staying for almost a week, then driving back home.

It's going to be a lot of travel, but I'm excited for it. What else better to do on your last high school summer?

Wish me well!

P.S. I'll still be posting Temple Tuesdays when I can remember. It's a big deal to keep God first in your life - and I'm striving to do just that.

Set Your Mind

Ever gone through your daily life, all the eating, breathing, talking, playing, preparing, interacting, doing, and sleeping of it - without a distinct focus in life? Trying to survive instead of actually living? Kindof "floating" through life instead of enjoy it? Or maybe always waiting for the next event, the next conversation, the next 'high'?

I know, right? Like, every day?

During the school year, especially, or whenever I'm particularly busy - I tend to zone out from my goal. I forget the constant impact that I have on other people. I forget my goal in life. I become like a zombie - just skating through life instead of living it.

Hey, people, this isn't the purpose in life!! Go live life! Go enjoy it!

And, remember, life is not pointless. Colossians 3:1-2 says, "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."

Focus on God. Live with him in mind.

Church

What is the church, but a community of believers gathered for worship, fellowship, and prayer?

"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

- Hebrews 10:25

My family and I attended a church today in our new area. We had attended the church's more traditional service two weeks ago, so today we went to the more contemporary service. Despite the fact that the people were different, the building was shaped and situated differently, and the styles of preaching and singing were different than my old church - I really began to see a great similarity.

You see, all true Christians worship the same God. As the leader of the band strummed the tune to "Oh Happy Day" on his guitar, the female singer worshipfully sang, "Hosanna, Hosanna" and the drummer went crazy to "Let God Arise", I realized that Christians everywhere, no matter what they wear or sing or where they go or who they're with, praise and honor the same God on Sunday morning. They have something in common - their Savior.

Towards the end of the service, a softer song was played, one I hadn't heard before. It was beautiful, and I realized that I don't always have to sing the same songs to praise my Lord. I can "sing a new song to you, O God" (Psalm 144:9). There are so many beautiful worship songs out there and I don't have to get stuck in a spiritual rut and hear the same messages and sing the same songs every Sunday. God is big and great and multi-faceted and supreme and the supplier of all we need. We need to worship him in many ways with different songs and different words and varied and multiple acts of service and generosity.

My move to this new area and the chance to visit another church has taught me that we all serve the same God. And that there are so many different ways to worship him through song, actions, and more. Don't neglect the beauty of God in your life. Worship him.

Music Speaks

In one of their older songs, the band Switchfoot sings:

I hope to lose myself for good
I want to find it in the end
Not in me
In You
In You, is all I know
Is all I know
In You

The "You" here is referring to God, and is also the title of the song. It echoes Matthew 16:25-26, the message of this blog.
I think that too often people, especially teens and young adults, go out to try to find themselves, when, really, we should lose ourselves for Christ. We should give him everything and be vessels for his use.

So, like Jon Foreman sings and St. Matthew writes, go lose yourself. There's no sense in trying to find yourself when you are who you are in Christ.

Temple Tuesday

"When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. ....God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners."
- Romans 5:6&8

It amazes me to think that God loves me. He loves me just the way I am, without my being perfect or good according to the world's standards. How amazing is that? We should be so thankful that we have a God who loves us like that.

A Series of Adventures

Tomorrow I leave on my a mission trip with my school. Every year we go to St. John's Island, near Charleston, to build houses for Habitat for Humanity. This will be my fourth and last year going on the trip.

It has truly been an adventure each time I go on the trip. After working all day outside in 100 degree weather, going back to our hotel (actually a camp/conference center) for a shower and to play a game of cards, then dinner, incredible worship, and more games and snacks... The trip is so exciting, such a learning experience. Last year, my classmates and I were the oldest kids on the trip (as none of last year's seniors attended). This year, we're going to be the oldest kids again - which is always a plus! Seniority, haha!!

I cannot wait. Drawing this series of adventures to a close makes me sad, but I know that not only will there be more adventures to embark upon, but that these adventures have prepared me for many more. I am indebted to the people who plan these trips and who prepare for us each year.

In a way to keep in touch over my two trips this summer, and all the many adventures I'll be taking in college, I've enabled e-mails as well as texts to post on my blog. Be patient as I try these out! Also, "Temple Tuesdays" are coming soon. They will consist of Bible Verses and/or my meditations - the kinds of things that remind you of a sanctuary or a temple.

Godspeed on my adventure!

Still a Child?

Last night, I was in the bathroom thinking (as I do sometimes), and my eye fell on the brown rectangular bath mat, the one you step on when you step out of the shower. Imprinted onto the thick rug was the perfect shape of a foot. I sat there, marveling at how big and broad that foot impression was. It must have come from a gigantic foot, my older step-brother's most likely.

So I stood and tested the size of my foot against the gigantic imprint. I wanted to see how much bigger it was than my foot.

But sure enough, when I tested the foot, it came back exactly the same size as mine. Suddenly, the childish curiousity I felt was replaced by a calm, adult feeling. It seemed that I was a "big girl" now. My feet were huge! And I patted myself on the back and told myself that I was a lot older than I gave myself credit for.

I'm 18! A college freshman! A legal adult in many cases. I'm old enough to smoke, buy lottery tickets, fight for my country, and buy things online and by phone.

Then I thought about the day's events and didn't feel like an adult anymore. Some accidentally misguided directions left me lost in a new city today. A passive confrontation between two parties left me the unfortunate and reluctant mediator. A friendly, laughable conversation left me wondering if the other person really respected who I am. I felt, suddenly, like a lost child inside the body of an 18-year-old adult.

I think God reminds us that we're young to remind us that we're his. See, the thing about children is that they can't take care of themselves and they need someone to care for them. And the thing about human beings is that we need someone. We need someone (Jesus) to take our place and die for us so we wouldn't have to suffer the consequences of our sins - being forever separated from God and all that is good.

I'm over my emotional rollercoaster middle school days - but I still cry sometimes. I hope it's mostly because of joy, but sometimes I do cry because of sadness, disappointment, fear, and uncertainty. Yes, it hurts to cry. It hurts to feel those deep feelings. But you know what? They remind us that we always need God - he's our rock, our strong tower. And God is always there. Without God, I'd be like an orphaned child. I'd have no hope, no strength, and no small, peaceful voice ringing in my ears songs of joy and verses of guidance.

Purpose

Imagine this: God has you where he wants you. God has placed where you are right now for a purpose. Your existence, and even your very being wherever you are, is God's plan.

I didn't get the summer job I wanted. A part of me is still unhappy about that. But another part of me has realized that because I'm not working full-time, I have time to move in to my new house, time to get adjusted to a step-family, time to plan for college, and time to enjoy my last high school summer. It's actually a blessing not to have to worry about all the transitions that are happening right now and maintain a work schedule of 40 hours a week. And I believe that's because God has me right where he wants me.

The next time you're tempted to get angry or upset because something didn't work out the way you hoped - consider that God has a plan for everything. Closing one door does not mean God hasn't opened another.