i know...i'm one of those sentimental people who have to remember every anniversary for everything. jk. i'd say not for EVERYTHING. but today is the day, a year ago, where i first started writing in this blog. i made this blog exactly a year ago.
crazyness!! :O) i can't believe it's been a year already. it's cool to look back on my posts and see what God has and is continuing to do. the purpose of this blog was to be able to express myself in a way that is easiest for me and to encourage others with my posts. i didn't want to just get everything out or complain but i wanted to be able to record how God has been working in my life exactly- through the good times and bad.
God is continuing to mold me in so many ways. i learn new lessons everyday. things start to change once i apply them :O)
seeing God in action is an amazing thing and really eye opening.
may this blog bring God glory through what He is doing in my life!! i am encouraged by the comments or verbal opinions my readers respond to my posts :O] thanks for your dedication in reading this. or if no one is reading this, i am still blessed to be able to get everything out and look back on God's wonderfulness.
cheers to 1 year anniversary of blogging on blogger :O) !!!!
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
the Lord reigns
God really knows best. not just knows best, but REALLY does.
this weekend i went to FECG's 2011 summer all-church retreat. it was SUCH a blessing. it was fulfilling, restoring, and delighting.
i have grown to appreciate and love my church so much over the years. i thank God so much for taking us out of EFC and challenging us by placing us into FEC. the small acronym name change compares not to the changes it has made in our lives.
this weekend, i saw our church move forward in unity. we were able to overcome intergenerational differences and to support one another in humbleness and love. people who never acknowledged me or talked to me before were suddenly conversating with me!
we were really moved by Chris Rattay's life example of following Jesus. this guy is one amazing speaker. the Lord has really given him a crazy story [or several stories within his major one] to share with many people to encourage and build them up to KEEP STRIVING for Jesus.
i've taken countless lessons out of this retreat. i have so many hopes and my passion has been refueled. i thoroughly enjoyed spending time with all of those i was able to talk to, play with, eat with, and learn with.
i have walked away with a new outlook on my life. God has restored my identity and brought me back to Him. a burden has been released. a new hope and perspective has been set into my life.
even though the weather was meltingly hot, i was happy to have my church experience what i go through and they asked me for food recommendations later which made me feel so happy to be able to help and share what i've experienced here in Riverside :O)
i love every one of my church members/attendees. from the babies to the elderly, they are ALL so precious. there are still some people that i need to work on loving but overall, i am blessed to have interaction with them.
there are 2 main points i have taken away that i really want to build into my actions and in how i respond to people.
1-Genesis 1:27 reminds us of how we are created in God's image. this means i need to start treating people as the precious beings God has made them into. i joke and tease a lot because it's something i've known for way too long. i've experienced the negative and positive effects of teasing. and lately, i've been experiencing so much of the negative effects and i'm tired of it. it's time for it to stop. this doesn't mean i'm going to be entirely serious but i want to stop joking so much. it's become a bad habit where i am hurting people unintentionally with my words because it is really true that every joke has a little truth to it. i want to break the pattern of teasing just because i ran out of other things to say or because they are teasing me. it's time to respond in love and respect. i want to be respected as well and that is the only way i can see myself working towards that goal.
2-Chris Rattay shared a story of Desmond Tutu and how he did not allow the urgent and chaos drive his agenda. He allowed God to lead him and never let anything interrupt his prayer time with the Lord. i am so inspired by that and it spoke straight to me. i am a very crazy person where i allow things i think that are important overcome my spiritual walk without realizing in the long run, it is very damaging. Chris helped me to understand by putting it into perspective of how it takes trust to rely on God and not worry about making the wrong decision. One must allow God to work through them and in order to do that, one has to set aside time to spend with the ultimate creator in silence and solitude. urgent matters can wait. if it really is an emergency, God will lead. He will speak.
praise God once again for all He has done in our hearts this weekend. it was discovered that there was a lot of spiritual warfare before the retreat began and it makes sense now because the enemy saw how God wanted to do this great thing and he tried to stop it but FAILED. God is triumphant, He is our protector.
the Lord knows best. :O] there is so much more to be said but i need to go back to studying. i just had to write this little bit out to share a glimpse of how God has been working in me.
PRAISE YOU JESUS, HALLELUJAH!!!
this weekend i went to FECG's 2011 summer all-church retreat. it was SUCH a blessing. it was fulfilling, restoring, and delighting.
i have grown to appreciate and love my church so much over the years. i thank God so much for taking us out of EFC and challenging us by placing us into FEC. the small acronym name change compares not to the changes it has made in our lives.
this weekend, i saw our church move forward in unity. we were able to overcome intergenerational differences and to support one another in humbleness and love. people who never acknowledged me or talked to me before were suddenly conversating with me!
we were really moved by Chris Rattay's life example of following Jesus. this guy is one amazing speaker. the Lord has really given him a crazy story [or several stories within his major one] to share with many people to encourage and build them up to KEEP STRIVING for Jesus.
i've taken countless lessons out of this retreat. i have so many hopes and my passion has been refueled. i thoroughly enjoyed spending time with all of those i was able to talk to, play with, eat with, and learn with.
i have walked away with a new outlook on my life. God has restored my identity and brought me back to Him. a burden has been released. a new hope and perspective has been set into my life.
even though the weather was meltingly hot, i was happy to have my church experience what i go through and they asked me for food recommendations later which made me feel so happy to be able to help and share what i've experienced here in Riverside :O)
i love every one of my church members/attendees. from the babies to the elderly, they are ALL so precious. there are still some people that i need to work on loving but overall, i am blessed to have interaction with them.
there are 2 main points i have taken away that i really want to build into my actions and in how i respond to people.
1-Genesis 1:27 reminds us of how we are created in God's image. this means i need to start treating people as the precious beings God has made them into. i joke and tease a lot because it's something i've known for way too long. i've experienced the negative and positive effects of teasing. and lately, i've been experiencing so much of the negative effects and i'm tired of it. it's time for it to stop. this doesn't mean i'm going to be entirely serious but i want to stop joking so much. it's become a bad habit where i am hurting people unintentionally with my words because it is really true that every joke has a little truth to it. i want to break the pattern of teasing just because i ran out of other things to say or because they are teasing me. it's time to respond in love and respect. i want to be respected as well and that is the only way i can see myself working towards that goal.
2-Chris Rattay shared a story of Desmond Tutu and how he did not allow the urgent and chaos drive his agenda. He allowed God to lead him and never let anything interrupt his prayer time with the Lord. i am so inspired by that and it spoke straight to me. i am a very crazy person where i allow things i think that are important overcome my spiritual walk without realizing in the long run, it is very damaging. Chris helped me to understand by putting it into perspective of how it takes trust to rely on God and not worry about making the wrong decision. One must allow God to work through them and in order to do that, one has to set aside time to spend with the ultimate creator in silence and solitude. urgent matters can wait. if it really is an emergency, God will lead. He will speak.
praise God once again for all He has done in our hearts this weekend. it was discovered that there was a lot of spiritual warfare before the retreat began and it makes sense now because the enemy saw how God wanted to do this great thing and he tried to stop it but FAILED. God is triumphant, He is our protector.
the Lord knows best. :O] there is so much more to be said but i need to go back to studying. i just had to write this little bit out to share a glimpse of how God has been working in me.
PRAISE YOU JESUS, HALLELUJAH!!!
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