Hello Readers!
It sure has been a while since I've been in the blogging world! That, my friends, is the joy of the end of the semester and the negative aspect of actually getting ahead on homework!
I can't decide on a common theme for tonight's post, so it is going to be tidbits of my life to catch you up on all the amazing things Jesus is doing in my life!
Tidbit #1...For once in my life, I feel like I have conquered procrastination! I can only thank Jesus for the discipline he has provided in the past few weeks. I surely could not have done it alone. Homework done not just hours, but DAYS in advance??? Unheard of in my life, until now! It sure is a good feeling, too!
Tidbit #2...It's funny how life seems to take a turn for the worse, but really it is for the better. The end of this semester has been filled with marvelous, genuine, and Christ-loving people and I am truly blessed to have spent the past few months getting to know them. Crazy to think that if some unhappy times hadn't occurred, I would not have crossed paths with these people. Christ sure does have plans bigger than anything we could have ever made ourselves.
Tidbit #3...My career plans are going through a phase of uncertainty, but that isn't all that unusual! I'm just going to trust God to take me wherever He wants, whether it matches my degree or not. It is surely going to be an adventure no matter which direction I go.
Tidbit #4...I missed blogging! There have been days where I second guess it and wonder if it is even worth the time, but then I realize how much relaxation and peace it brings me. As if that isn't enough, I have also received messages of how much some posts have meant to people. I am humbled to think God could use an amateur writer like me to make someone's day! Let's hope from here forward, I can make some more time to embrace the blogging world again and maybe make a few more days brighter for people. We're all in life together, so I might as well share my successes and failures if it can help others!
Take care and have a great end of the semester, fellow college students!
Hello Readers!
It's been a while since I've blogged, so I figured it is about time I get you all caught up on the happenings of the past few days! Here are the Fab 5 moments from this past weekend:
1-Sibs-n-Kids Weekend
I had the opportunity to spend some time with family with a visit from my sister, neighbor, and parents. My college was hosting Sibs-n-Kids Weekend, which meant a bunch of fun activities: exotic animal petting, photo booths, inflatables, and more!
2- Best Friend Photos
I received the photos from when Caitlyn visited! The "Best Friend Photo Shoot" was really enjoyable and Melissa did a great job. Here are a few favorites!
3- Productivity
I buckled down on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon and managed to complete two projects! I'm praying my motivation levels stay this high as the semester draws to a close.
4- Baby Time
This morning, I had the opportunity to watch some of the babies at church. Spending time with these little blessings was so enjoyable!
5- Palm Sunday Service
Today was Palm Sunday, which meant the children at church had a blast running around with palm leaves and making paper donkey crafts. Seeing the joy on their faces reminded me of how much of a blessing it is to have Jesus as our Lord and Savior! Palm Sunday is a great time to reflect on where you are in your walk with God and I recommend reading this story in your Bible in preparation for Easter. One aspect in particular that stuck out to me was that Jesus cried after people praised Him by yelling "Hosanna!" and waving the palm branches (Luke 19:41). From the church service, I now realize Jesus was crying due to the lack of genuine commitment from the people praising Him. Christ wants our full commitment to doing His will, on more than just a special occasion like the situation of the crowd in the story of Palm Sunday.
Hope your weekend was filled with joyful moments and some reflection in preparation for Easter!
A few days ago, I was reading Romans 6 and verses 10-14 really stuck out to me. They are:
"The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life, and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace." -Romans 6:10-14
That's a hefty set of scripture! I highly recommend reading the entire chapter for more insight, but these verses in particular are a good reference for today's scripture study and for throughout your day-to-day life. Here are the main points I pulled from the passage:
a) The big idea- Jesus died for us! We no longer have to live under the weight of our sins because Christ carries that burden for us. His grace is forgiving of all sin and He wants us to use our freedom from sin to be instruments of His goodness.
b) A thought to take with you- College can be an especially tempting time to use our bodies for wickedness. There are so many opportunities to fall into the trap of saying things, doing things, and thinking things that are sinful. We need to remember that Christ can free us from the guilt and pressure these sins can place upon us and that He gives us grace and power to use our lives for His purposes, starting from the moment we ask forgiveness.
c) A question for you to consider- Have you accepted Christ's grace for freedom from your sins so that you can use your body as an instrument of righteousness?
I pray that this scripture provides some food for thought. Thanks for sharing a few minutes with me in studying God's word!
One of my latest favorite things to use while doing Bible studies and taking notes at church are felt tip pens. I have quite a collection built up and decided to do a quick and easy craft to conveniently display them on my desk. Check out the before and after!
To make your own, simply wrap an old plastic cup with Duck Brand Fabric Tape. Tie a ribbon around the top and secure it with double-sided clear tape so it does not slide down the cup.
Happy Crafting!
This is the first of many scripture study posts! Grab your Bible and get pumped! Scripture studies will be short blurbs focused around a snippet of the Bible. I'm a huge fan of devotionals, so I hope for these to turn out to be similar in the fact that they are short, digestible, and applicable pieces of scripture that can be referenced throughout your day-to-day life. I pray the verses selected encourage readers to take a deeper look at the Bible on their own time and to see what lessons they can learn through scripture study.
I was flipping through my Bible and found an old piece of paper wedged between some pages. When I checked out Matthew 16:24-26, I decided that scrap of paper was worthy of some discussion!
Then Jesus said to the disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it. What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can man give in exchange for his soul?"
-Matthew 16:24-26
My interpretation of this piece of scripture comes down to a few main points:
a) The big idea- Following Jesus means giving up the ways of this world. Life isn't going to be the same, but that's okay because Christ will help us to find a new life in Him.
b) A thought to take with you- Decisions we make on a day-to-day basis should be able to say "no" to the question, "Am I forfeiting my soul?" Our souls are incredibly valuable. The ways of this world are not worth the cost of exchanging the eternity Christ offers to us.
c) A question for you to consider- Are you willing to take up your cross by doing what Christ desires and asks you to do?
I pray that this scripture provides some food for thought. Thanks for sharing a few minutes with me in studying God's word!
