Trust

I haven't posted in a while because I have been getting ready for school! And now that I'm back, I have something very important to write about.


After what happened last night at 3:30am in the Eastman dorms when a student passed away, many people are affected by it, including myself. Knowing that this happened in the same dorm that I'm living in, it's truly shocking.

Today I want to put in a passage from the Bible that talks trusting in God always. That God has a plan for each one of us, and as long as we trust in Him, everything will be ok. I will leave the rest for you to interpret.

Matthew 14: 22-33 Jesus Walks on the Water

     "Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

     During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.

     But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

     "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."

     "Come," he said.

     Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

     Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

     And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

Reading the Bible

Hello!




I have decided to do something different in my post today. I have been talking a lot about God's love and His promise for us. So, I am just going to put down some verses that have helped me.


Genesis 8: 22 "As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease."           --This is referring to Noah's ark and the flood


Genesis 23: 17-18 "I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the starts in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me."
           --This is God's first and initial promise to Abraham


Exodus 33: 19 "And the Lord said, 'I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the Lord, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.'"    --God assuring Moses that He will lead His people


Deuteronomy 4: 31 "For the Lord your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath"     --Referring to the promise God made with Abraham


Romans 5: 1-5 "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.          --This one is my favorite


Romans 8: 26 "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express."


1 Corinthians 10: 13 "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."


Philippians  4: 4-7 "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Jesus Christ."


These are the books in the Bible that truly spoke to me:
Esther- a woman who was chosen to be queen, her king's assistant told the king that the Jews should be killed, Esther asks her king to not hurt her people (the Jews)


Job- Satan asks God to take away everything of Job's, and God only asked satan to not kill Job


Daniel- a man chosen to be in the king's service, gained the king's attention by interpreting his dreams that God helped with, then lost it when he did not worship the king (who still favored him) and was saved in the den of lions by God


These are a few of MANY examples of God's Word that assures us that He is always there.

Hope

It is amazing how God answers prayers. All you need is hope.

One of my family members has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. After researching and asking some people who knew more about cancer, I discovered that this is one of the worst cancer's anyone can have. I was devastated. Still am. Knowing that I have less than a year to spend with him hurts me.

I knew the only thing that I could do was pray about it. I prayed to God that He would get rid of the cancer my family member has. I prayed that He would find him good doctors. I prayed that God would help my family member to get treatment (because he's stubborn...) and to give me good news.

About a week later, my family came out of "denial" and we called my family member to know what is going on. It is amazing how God answers prayers because we received good news. The doctor that my family member is seeing said that his cancer is cureable. WOW! And his cancer is not at its worst.

This is amazing. I was devastated, thinking that my family member was going to be gone within five months. But now there is hope because God is listening to my prayers, and He is protecting him!

So, when you think it is the end, think again! For God will always listen and answer your prayers, as long as you love Him and believe in Him.

What is a Christian? Part 2

In my last post, I vaguely went over Christianity...

I feel like my last post was not sufficient enough. There are so many other things to talk about, and I cannot seem to grasp all of it (still...) so bare with me!

Alright, so, I think it's important I talk about this specific topic because I know I used to feel the same way. I was with a friend the other day and she mentioned to me that "If you sin, God will hate you." Before I became a Christian I believed the same thing so I want to go over that.

First off, God does not hate you. He does not want to hate you, either! He wants to love you. This is extremely relevent in the Old Testament. Many times (and I mean many) the people of Israel have gone against God's promise and worshiped other gods, or idols. Because of this, God states that He will bring diseases upon His people. But, God does not want to hurt his people because of His promise that He has given us. He promised to Abraham (found in the book of Genesis, Chapter 22, verses 17-18) that his descendents, a.k.a. us, will be "as numerous as in the stars in the sky," and "all nations on earth will be blessed, because [Abraham has] obeyed [God]."

So, when the people of Israel disobeyed Him, God remembered the promise He gave to Abraham. 2 Peter 9 "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

We were born sinners because of the fall when Eve ate the fruit from the Garden of Eden. The devil said that if Eve ate the fruit, she would be like God. She ate the fruit, and also provided it to Adam. (Get the full story in the book of Genesis, Chapter 2-4)

So, when we sin, God wants His people to be able to repent, or feel bad for our actions, and to fix them. This is why God gave us His one and only Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus died for us on the cross for our sins. He is our Savior because without Jesus Christ, it would be impossible to receive the love of God, since we are born sinners. But, because of Jesus Christ, when we ask for forgiveness, God forgives us through His Son. Isn't that amazing??

It is important that God wants to love us. All we have to do is follow His rules and love Him, and we will receive eternal life.

What is a Christian?

I have realized that although I am blogging about how great our God is, I have not explained what it means to be a Christian! Plus, since Christians have been getting bad reviews lately, I think it would be great to clear some things up.

In my words, a Christian is "Christ-like." We live according to Jesus Christ's teachings. Now, you may ask, who is Jesus Christ? Jesus is the Son of God who was born from the virgin Mary. Most Christians believe that Jesus is God, but in human form. When He started His ministry around the age of 30, He went to the needy first. He helped the sick, the poor, the evil ones... etc. This is important because Jesus sat upon "the sinners" of the world. I say it like that because it is written many times in the gospels that Jesus sat upon sinners.

Here is one example:
Mark 2: 15-17 "While Jesus was having dinner at Levi's house, many tax collectors and "sinners" were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the "sinners" and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: "Why does he eat with the tax collectors and 'sinners'?" On hearing this, Jesus said to them, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."

Jesus died for our sins on the cross so we can have eternal life. When Jesus defeated death, he rose three days later. Because of this, death will never be the end of us, as long as we believe in Him. As long as we believe in the birth and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we will be given eternal life.

But, that is not all of being a Christian is about. Being a Christian is like following in Christ's footsteps. We are given a love that truly cannot be described in words. This is why we witness to others. And that is what I am doing now! I have been from the low of low's. Once I upload my testimony sometime in September, you will understand. But, there is hope! Why not love Your Creator so you can achieve eternal life? Why not receive the love that no one else can provide on earth? If you are seeking for something that does not exist on earth, why not look to Christ? God wants us to love him. And He so dearly loves us. Do you not see the path? It's easy. All you have to do is ask God to reveal Himself to you, and He will.

God Listens, God Answers

I believe that God is really testing us and our faith when He gives us a challenge that we know we cannot bare on our own.

I was diagnosed with Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (TMJD) in April of 2011. This disorder has to do with the joint in your jaw. The side affects are popping, cracking, shooting pain, ear ringing, discomfort and pain in the jaw. It can also affect the muscles surrounding your jaw, eyes, cheeks, neck, shoulders, and the upper back.

Being an instrumentalist, this is not exactly ideal. Now a music performance major, this disorder is going to affect the rest of my life. When I was first diagnosed, I could not play my horn for one second without being in a lot of pain.

After months of seeing doctors, getting physical therapy, and praying a lot, I can at least function. I am able to have conversations with my friends, play my horn at least an hour a day, and eat foods that can potentially cause pain to my jaw, which I could not do before praying to God.

When I received Christ as My Savior, I asked God to give me patience. Is this a coincidence that I got TMJD a few weeks after praying hard for this? You be the judge..

This can be relateable to anything else. Whether you are a teacher who has ADD, (I've had a few of those..) a businessmen who has trouble communicating because of a disability, or just simply depressed about life, God gives us these sufferings so we can grow as a person, and learn how to cope with them. He also gives us these sufferings so we can depend on Him more, and His glory will shine once we ask Him for help.

I am writing this today because God has restricted my playing again. Although playing horn is my life, ultimately, God should be my life. And He is showing me that right now.

So, here is what I will conclude: think about the sufferings in your life, and how it affects your overall daily life. How do you usually cope with suffering? Yes, it's okay to cry a little. But, there is hope! God says in the Book of Matthew, Chapter 21 verse 22: If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.

Isn't that incredible?! I know God has answered my prayers by giving me wonderful doctors and physical therapists to relieve my pain. Don't you want someone out there to heal your suffering? As long as you pray and believe, God will hear you and answer you.

Praying for others

Have you ever been in a situation where someone you know is really upset or is depressed? And no matter how much you say or do, you wish you can do more?

I feel like this a lot. I wish I could do more for my friends, but, man cannot control the earth. God can. This is why God asks us to pray for those in need.

Jeremiah 29: 12-14 "Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,' declares the Lord...

I think the best thing to do in any situation is to pray for someone. What is even better is to pray with them, but, make sure you ask first. If they say no, do not feel discouraged, you can still pray for them on your own.

I have been praying for someone for about a year now. I hurt his feelings really badly about 8 months ago, and I really wanted him to be happy. So, I prayed for him. It is amazing how God listens to prayer because I know that God has been keeping him safe and happy, just as I prayed about. I heard about his happiness through a mutual friend and I cried because God does listen to prayer.

So what is about two minutes out of your life to pray for someone in need? Whether you believe in God or not, how much time will two minutes waste? I encourage you to give it a try. Trust me, the result will surprise you.

Beauty

I know I mentioned in the last post that I would talk about prayer, but, I experienced something last night that I feel is worth while.


Ever since becoming a Christian, I am starting to see the true beauty in the most simple of things. Whether it is a sunset, the formation of clouds, or anything found in nature, seeing God's Creation is an amazing experience.


Well, last night, I went to the state fair with my family. Of course we had to go see the animals. Now, I was confronted with a fear that I have had since I was a younger child; big animals. I know it may seem a little silly, but, I have always been afraid of horses. When we were in a building with the horse stalls, I was really scared. My parents thought it was funny that I was so scared, so my mom went up with me to pet one of them. I looked into the horses' eyes, and I realized, this is God's Creation. God created this beautiful animal. I took a long look at the horse, and I could not turn away. He looked humble, loving, peaceful, and shy. When I looked at the horse, I think I saw God. I was no longer scared. It amazes me that God created such a beautiful animal, and I could not help but fall more in love with God.


I want you to think about the beautiful things in your life, and how they affect you. Whether you are in awe, or scared, remember that God created these things because of the love He wants to share with us. And that is amazing.

Prayer

For the next few posts, I want to talk about prayer. Prayer is very powerful, and I have found that even when I was not a Christian less than a year ago, I would talk out loud about the pain I was feeling at the time. God heard my prayer, and He answered. I want to show you how God has answered my most previous prayers, in hopes that it will encourage you, and to show you that God is loving and wants you to be in happy through Him.

For the past few months, I have been praying for someone who has lost their faith in Christ. I understand, life is hard, and when your problems are not solved right away, it is easy to lose faith and move on. But, since I knew she used to love Christ, I knew somehow and someway that Christ would bring her back.


I know Christ is working through her right now because of my prayers. I have been praying that she and I would be able to talk about Christ, and how He has made our lives better, happier. I prayed that I would find a church for us to both attend, and for her to fall in love with attending church all over again.


After six months of praying this, it was answered. Last Sunday I went to church with one of my good friends, and the one I have been praying for went also. She loved it so much because it reminded her of the church she grew up in. Now wait a second, she loved it?! God answered my prayer beyond what I expected. Not only did she love the church, but it reminded her of the church she grew up in where she first fell for Christ, and she wants to attend again next week!


When it seems that you have no where to turn, I have found that turning to Christ in prayer has brought me so much comfort and joy. I encourage you, if you are suffering or struggling with something, pray. If you are not sure what to pray or how to pray, here is a start:


Jesus gives us a prayer in the Bible in the book of Matthew, Chapter 6, Verses 9-13
"Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen."

First blog!

Hello everyone!



I have decided to start a blog because I really want to share my story about God with others and how He has granted me so many wonderful things because of His grace. My goals with this are to reach out to others and to try to encourage others to pray in their time of need, and to show how wonderful our God truly is! With this in mind, I will continue to post about God's love in depth once I get the hang of this :)



God Bless,
Em