July Wrap Up 2017

My reading this month wasn't too shabby, considering I was travelling for 16 out of 31 days this month. I went on my Chrysallis Flight, went to Washington (the State), and worked as a camp counselor. Throughout all of that, I was able to read 3 (and a half) books this month, so I am pretty happy!

The first book I read was An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir. I loved this book so much! It is for sure going to be on my top picks for this year! I have a full, in depth review of this book on my old blog, so click the link here to go check that out! I gave this one 5/5 stars! I adored it! The half book I mentioned above is A Torch Against the Night, which is the second book in this series. I had to put it on hold, though, to finish my books for class. :(
Then, I read On Writing: A Memoir by Stephen King for class. I did not enjoy this book at all due to Stephen King's writing and sense of humor rubbing me the wrong way. I wanted to learn about the craft of writing, not his dark childhood. If you like Stephen King and want to know more about his life, check it out. As for me, I gave it 3/5 stars.
The last book I read this month was A History of the World in 6 Glasses by Tom Standage. This book was horrible. I was expecting some deep connection that wove all times, places, and peoples together through drinks, but that was not what was delivered. He gave a bland, base history that only covered a few eras and countries. I gave this book 1.5/5 stars. It is not worth the time.
What books did you read in July? Comment down below because I would love to hear from you!

Only a Taste

Only a Taste

There is a feast. A grand feast, full of the most decadent, delicious foods. All of your favorite foods are here. If this were my feast, there would be Mac and Cheese, jambalaya, pizza, chick-fil-a grilled chicken sandwiches, watermelon, the list goes on and on. So, can you imagine walking into this grand room full of your favorite foods and only eating one noodle of Mac and Cheese? Then you walk out. All of that food is set out just for you. Someone lovingly prepared all of your favorite foods, only for you, and you don’t eat any of it. Who would do that?

Well, we do it everyday. God sets out platter upon platter of spiritual food and we don’t partake in the feast. He gives us the Bible, grace, worship, fellowship, prayer, love, peace, service, patience, and oh so much more. He gives us opportunities to grow and to take in his spirit, but we deny him. We don’t eat. Matthew 4:4 says, “Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word of God.” Not some of the words of God, not a few, not one. Every word of God. We cannot stop after one bite. We can’t stop after two or three or four. We must take in his spirit daily, so we can grow and live and love.

What holds us back? What keeps us from coming to the table? Are we too busy? Do we not care enough about our spiritual health? Maybe it’s that we doubt the Lord, we don’t really believe in him with our whole hearts. If you truly have encountered the Lord, you would not quit, you would chase after him with everything that you have.

And some of us, we are at the table. We are eating. Some of us have met Jesus. Some of us know that God is good and abounding in love, overflowing with grace. But, our knowledge is only a taste of the biggest buffet in the entire universe. We know it exists, but we have no idea how vast that love and grace is for us. So, even if you are at the table, there is always space to grow more and know more.

There is one thing to remember in all of this. We cannot simply be spiritual consumers. We don’t want to be spiritually obese. Just as being physically obese is unhealthy, being spiritually obese is just as unhealthy. When you are trying to lose weight, you do two things, you eat well and exercise. Eating well spiritually means that we are only feasting on God, not on lies, not on sin, not on self-righteousness. Then, there is spiritual exercise. This is the hard part. Part of being a christian is building the kingdom. How can we build the kingdom? We make disciples, we love people, we serve them. “For the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26. Don’t just consume, serve. Build his kingdom. Share his love.

There is a feast. A grand feast, a never ending feast. And everyone is invited. Everyone is welcome. There are no outcasts, no loners, no mean girls. There is only God. There is only love. Come to the table and feast. But, do not stop there. What good does eating do if you don’t use the energy you have been given? Go, invite God to do his will in your life. Open yourself up. Build his kingdom.

Suggested listening: Come to the Table by Sidewalk Prophets

Suggested blog posts: Why do Serve Others?

The Problem of Spiritually Fat Christians

Suggested reading: Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:16-17, James 1:22, Matthew 7:24

Inspiration: July 20th- Morning Reading

The Hands and Feet of Jesus

The Hands and Feet of Jesus

“Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.” 1 Corinthians 12:27

I am sure we have all heard that we are called to be the hands and feet of Jesus. But, what does that mean? How can I apply that to my life? It is a calling to be a part of the body of Christ. It is a calling to serve God’s children. It is a calling to live and love in the spirit of Jesus.

Jesus did not just speak. He healed. He held. He threw his arms wide and said, “Come to me.” He has called us to build his kingdom here on Earth, not just with our words, but with our hands. Hands to hold, to heal, to help, and to hope. Jesus used his hands.

He didn’t sit at a distance and judge. He got up and went out into the crowds. He came to us, now we are called to do the same. He told us to go out into the nations. To be his feet, to travel in his name. Jesus used his feet.

Much like Jesus used his hands and his feet, we must also do so. He did not sit idle, he did things for people. We must use our hands and feet to love people and show them who Jesus is. Paul talks about the many parts of the body in 1 Corinthians 12. There aren’t just hands and feet in the body of Christ. There are eyes, ears, heads, legs, and arms. So, when we say to be the hands and feet of Jesus, it means that through the Spirit working through us, we use our bodies to do the work set out for us and to glorify the Lord.

How can we be the hands and feet of Christ? What can we do? It is so easy to say “Just love people, be positive, share the love of Christ, build a school in a foreign country.” But, for most of us, myself included, it is really not that easy. As much as I would love to, I don’t have the money to go on a mission trip. But, I do have a food bank near my house. There’s an animal shelter and an elderly home. How about we start there? Why don’t we begin with changing lives in our home towns? You don’t have to go overseas to be the hands and feet of Christ. You can show Jesus right where you are.

P.S. (a little bit of shameless self promo) You can find more art like the cover picture on my instagram, undeniable.joy.

How I Study the Bible

How I Study the Bible

We all go through dry periods where we struggle getting into God’s word. I recently got out of one and wanted to share with y’all how I study in the hopes that it will help you get into the word. I try to set aside 20 minutes a day for personal study, and that small amount of time has totally changed my relationship with the Lord. I hope that this helps you! :)

The first thing I do is decide where I want to study. Right now, I am working my way through Romans, but earlier this year I went through Genesis. I personally like to jump around, but you can go through chronologically or study sections, like Paul's letters or the books of prophecy.

Once I know where I want to study, I break it up into sections. Depending on the chapter length, I may study a chapter a day or I might break it up into even smaller sections than that. I then read the section I selected for that day at least twice, sometimes three times. I always read it aloud once because it helps me to understand it better.

As I am reading, I will mark any words that I do not know. I then go in and write the definitions in next to that word. I typically do this after the second reading and then reread it a third time, replacing the words I did not know with their definitions.

Then, I look up the Blue Letter Bible commentary on the section I am reading. I read the commentary and write down any notes that stand out to me. I might write down definitions, historical context, or a statement that explains what is going on. For example, Romans 1:1-7 was hard for me to understand, but the Blue Letter Bible compared it to a 60 second gospel, which is something I do understand. I wrote that down in the margins and reread those verses in that context and it made so much more sense.

From each section, I pick out two verses to highlight. The first is the “main verse”, the thesis if you will. This is the verse that encompasses the idea of the section. The second verse I will highlight is my favorite verse from the section. For example, in Romans 2, the “thesis” is Romans 2:13  and my favorite verse is Romans 2:29.

The last thing I do is write down my “what now?”. I just read this whole thing, but what is the point? How am I going to change how I live based on this? What have I learned that will change how I see things? You will never read the word of God and leave unchanged. The point of this step is to what inside of you is changed.

What is your favorite book of the bible to study? Mine is Romans! This is my fourth time reading it and I am still discovering so many layers within each verse! Please comment down below, I would love to hear from you!

Finding Your Way Back to God

 

Finding Your Way Back to God

We all go through dry seasons. Seasons when we are exhausted, burnt out, and it seems like God has all but left us. Recently, I went through one of these seasons and it is a lonely and lost place to be. So what can we do when we go through one of these seasons?

First, do not abandon all of your christian activities. Don’t stop going to church, small group, bible studies, service projects, and the like just because you are feeling distant from God. If anything, you should go and participate in these things with more fervor because these are the places where people will understand what you are going through. They can pour into you and give you love. These are the places that christians meet and have fellowship and the holy spirit is there when people gather in his name. It one of the best places to encounter the Lord, whether it be in someone’s testimony, a sermon, or a worship song.

On the note of worship songs, listen to christian music. This is an easy way to integrate more of the Lord into your daily life. Listening to secular music is fine (blog post on is secular music bad), but sometimes it can feed into the lies that you are hearing. In the dry seasons, even if you never pray or go to church, if you are hearing the truth in your music it can make a huge difference.

Pray. Even when you really don’t feel like it. I know it can be hard and it feels like you are talking to yourself, but give God a short prayer. Cry out to him and ask to feel his presence. He will most certainly hear you, even if it feels like he isn’t responding.

Find a bible study. A short one, nothing too in depth. Find one that reminds you that God loves you and he has a plan for you. The one that really helped me recently was “Finding your way back to God’ from Youversion.

Trust God. Don’t listen to the voice in your head that says he left you and does not love you, because that is a lie. God has a plan and he loves you more than anyone ever will. Do not doubt that love just because he is silent.

When we feel ourselves drifting, we need to remind ourselves of the truth. God loves you, he will never leave you, and he has a plan for you. There are times when he is silent, but he is not gone. If you are struggling through a dry season, I am praying for you and I desperately hope that this post has helped you!

Why listen to Christian Music?

  

Why do I listen to Christian Music?

Lately, my tastes in music have been changing. I have been listening to more and more secular music, which isn’t really bad, but it has been causing me problems. I have found myself drifting from God and listening to secular music is not helping. It is not the cause, but it is certainly not making the situation better. I recognized this and for the past week or so, I have began listening to christian music again and I have felt closer to God. It has not cured the drifting feeling, but it has been a step in the right direction.

First, we need to address if secular music is bad. Jefferson Bethke has a great video on this, but these are my thoughts on it. God created music. He created all music. There are some great secular songs, songs that are about uplifting things, but not necessarily about God. Some bands like this are Owl City, NeedtoBreathe, and Mat Kearney, they don’t talk about God, but the songs are good. Then there is music that promotes drugs, sex, idolizing money, and ungodly living. Personally, when I listen to that type of music, it makes me feel bad. I almost feel violated. So, all in all, I would not label secular music as evil, but I would say that we need to guard our hearts against music that endorses things that we are not in favor of.

So why should we listen to christian music? I don’t know about you, but I have music playing 24/7. It helps me to focus and makes work more exciting. When the music I listen to is christian, it helps me to keep my focus on God. I often don’t have time to do a long devotional and meditation session, so listening to christian music helps me to keep God in mind as I go throughout my day.  

When you know God, you desire more and more of him, and that shows in your taste in music. If our one desire is God, then we want him in every aspect of our lives. For me, this means listening to christian music. I love God and I want a constant reminder of that. So, no, you don’t have listen to christian music to be a “good christian”, but for me it is a positive step in the right direction.

What are some of your favorite lesser known christian bands? Mine are About a Mile, I Am They, and Consumed by Fire!

Bible Verses about Stress

Bible Verses about Stress

I don’t know about y’all, but May is the most stressful time of year. There are finals, projects, essays, graduations, visiting family, summer reading lists, course verification, banquets, summer camp planning, garage sales, meetings, travel, and so much more! The other day I sat down and wrote a list of all the events that were coming up this week that were causing me stress. There were 22 items on this list! 22! I was thinking about all the things I could do to relieve this stress and here is what I came up with!

There are physical things we can do, like yoga or running. I find that a combination of eating well and getting enough exercise takes a lot of weight off of my shoulders. Whenever I eat poorly or miss a workout, I start feeling grubby and then that causes me stress! Plus, having a positive physical outlet for pent up emotions is so important.

Another important thing to do is getting enough sleep. It can be so hard to sleep when stressed, but take time to write down all of your thoughts. Get things off of your mind!

On that note, pray! Give God your stress. He takes care of the flowers of the field and the birds of the sky (Matthew 6:25-34), he will surely take care of you. I find that when I give God my heart, I can sleep easier and thus relieve so much stress.

Listen to music that helps you to de-stress. Sometimes that is worship music. Sometimes it is alternative-pop, rock, jazz, heavy metal, or folk. For me, it is country music. When I get really stressed, I like to listen to some good, mindless country music! Having music in the background can make it easier to find peace. Double points if it is christian!

Find some stress relief bible verses. Some of my favorite verses about worry, stress, and fear are listed below! When I read these verses, I feel a rush of comfort wash over me knowing that God is looking out for me!

Exodus 14:14

“The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

Joshua 1:9

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Psalm 53:22

“Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.”

Isaiah 41:10

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

Matthew 6:34

“So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Matthew 11:28-30

“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

John 16:33

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
Romans 5:1

“Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-7

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ. But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort.”
2 Corinthians 4:16

“Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.”

Philippians 4:6-7

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

1 Peter 5:7

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”
1 John 4:18

“There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”

Which of these verses is your favorite? Comment below. I would love to hear from you!