Be ready always…

I looked out the living room window this afternoon and saw a couple standing at the end of our driveway. The woman was wearing a skirt and the man was dressed in a suit and was carrying a baby. The woman had with her a purse and a small, black, leather book…I assumed a Bible. It humored me momentarily because I, too, have been a “door-to-door”er. They pair walked up the driveway and approached the front door…which I eagerly opened to see what it was they had to say. The woman was the talker…she told me her name and started talking about a Watchtower magazine (that meant nothing to me) and the end times. She opened her “Bible” (in quotes because it was not the Holy Bible) to II Timothy and read to me verses about the end times and signs of the end times and told me the booklets she had would explain more about the end times. I asked her where she went to church and she told me she goes to a Jehovah’s Witness church in town. I replied, “Oh, really? I go to a Baptist church in town…East Park Baptist. I also go to a Bible college up in WI.” She was a bit shocked and from that information decided I must know my stuff (she actually made a comment to that effect) and she apparently did not want to hang around any longer. I wanted to talk to her, but I didn’t…my reason…I had no idea what to say…I chickened out…I needed verses to share and I didn’t have them. It was a good eye-opener for me and my need to work on my apologetics…As believers, we are to be ready always to give a reason for the hope in us. Are you ready?

So true…

You know how people always say that you never know how much a person means to you until they’re not with you anymore? That is so true! I knew Jared was a big deal to me, he’s my boyfriend! BUT…being away from him is making me realize even more just how special he is. I am so thankful for him It’s been good for me…being separated from him for a while. I’m being almost forced to learn complete trust, one thing that is ESPECIALLY important in a relationship. I struggle with trusting people…people betray you. I can honestly say that I completely trust Jared, though. I’m one of those “never had a boyfriend before” people simply because…well, obviously God didn’t think I was ready until now. I never imagined it would be this way though…Most couples fight a lot and have fun making up. Jared and I don’t fight…not saying we’re perfect by any means ’cause we have disagreements, but we talk through them and pray about whatever the situation may be. We always turn the situation toward God and see what He would want because that is what we want for our lives. So yeah…summer is forever and I want to see Jared, but the time away from him is making me stronger…making us stronger

Sigh…

I MISS JARED!!! OK, I just had to get that out of my system. Being away from him for an entire summer is SO hard!!! I know that God is in control and is helping us through and knows what is going on and will go on and all of that, but it’s still hard! I want to be with him and see him and spend time with him and talk to him as much as I can, but I can’t do all of that. I cannot wait until I get to see him again (which is still for a little while). This Sunday will be our “anniversary” Jared is such an incredible blessing to me. He has been so good to me and is just…he’s amazing! I cannot even believe that God put someone as amazing as Jared into my life.

Enough of that ranting and raving

I’ve been learning a lot lately…more through life than anything else: patience, perseverance, love, kindness, etc. One thing that I’m really working on is having a gentle and quiet spirit. I’m a major girly girl compared to anybody I’m around here at home, but sometimes I have my slightly less feminine moments and I really need to work on that. Something else I’m working on is patience…NOT easy. I am probably the most impatient person around…especially when it comes to missing people.

I’ve been struggling a lot lately with spending time in my Bible. I LOVE reading my Bible, but work has been crazy and it completely wears me out and I’ve been falling asleep before I get my Bible read. I was really encouraged the other day at work when I saw a man reading his Bible on his lunch break. I would do that, but my sister goes to lunch with me now and I don’t want to just ignore her. I need to make time for God in my day (or night).

My mom had a surgery today and is doing well. She is in pain and feels kinda sick, but she’s fine other than that, so that is a big answer to prayers. Along with this comes more responsibilities for me, which I’m actually a little excited about, but I know I’m going to be completely warn out. I also have a ton of lines to memorize for a drama we’re doing for VBS in like a week or two.

Praise the Lord that He promises us rest…”Come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.” Jared also recently reminded me not to become weary in well-doing. God is good all the time, even when life is hectic or not exactly as I would prefer it to be.

Called to Suffer

I had been praying that I would know God more…”and the fellowship of His suffering”. He is answering my prayers and it is NOT fun. Life hasn’t exactly been fun lately. A number of things have been going on that are a little less than desirable, but today topped it all. Today at work I had to deal with WAY grouch people being all grumpy and THEN I was told that I had to leave a half hour early and that I had to come in three hours late tomorrow because…because I worked my butt off and got everything done to the best of my ability the way they wanted and now they have no work for me. I am “a poor college student” and I need the money that I make at my job in order to get back to school. Missing three hours is actually a BIG DEAL and what’s more…my sister and I carpool to work and she still has to be at work at 8:00 so I’m going to sit in the cafeteria for three hours before I can go up to work…I…cried. I went back and talked to the “big boss” on my floor and reminded him that he had promised me 40 hours a week and didn’t really get anywhere with him. The flesh of me is upset because I’ve been working and have been at this place since ‘04 and am doing all of the right things and getting…punished almost. Other people do nothing and thrive…NOT FAIR, huh?! Then I remember that life isn’t fair and that I just have to get up and keep going and TRUST GOD no matter what ’cause He’ll provide for me even if I lose hours at work…easy to say, hard to live. And I have to thank God for answering my prayers because I am growing closer to God and experiencing a slight degree of suffering…God is good. He loves me and will (and does) provide for my every need. I should be thankful for the “hard times” that come into my life…they draw me closer to Him.

It’s Not His Fault

I’ve been learning a lot lately…that I need to be content, that I need to rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS, that I need to learn to love…everybody, not just people who are easy to love, that God is in control and He knows what is going on, that you never realize exactly HOW MUCH a person means to you until you are separated from them, that I don’t HAVE to sin because God promises to never give me anything that He and I can’t handle together and if I do sin (and believe me I do and will) it is my own fault. The most vivid and recent thing that God has taught me is that if I do not truly know God it is not His fault, but mine. We are told in the book of James that if we draw near to God He will draw near to us…WE HAVE TO DRAW NEAR TO HIM! I long so much to know God…I realize that that entails a lot more than mere knowledge, but a true, deep love relationship…”That I may know Him and the fellowship of His suffering…” I struggle, daily…we all do, but I want to know God more and I want to please Him in all I do. God has really been growing me through many different circumstances and the time that I spend in His word and prayer. I’m excited about what He is teaching me and what He has in store for me.

…

So I completely deleted my old blog because I wanted this one and not that one

I copied and pasted a bunch of the posts from my old blog so they’re not gone, but this is the new me

I did want to let whoever may come across this know about my boyfriend’s blog. He is pursuing a career in graphic design/photography and recently started his own website here at wordpress…his is

jaredcline.wordpress.com

Check it out and let him know what you think about his work!

I will post more thoroughly on what’s been going on in my life when I have a bit more time.

Long Time… June 11, 2008

Filed under: What’s New? — Heather @ 12:52 am Edit This

So I basically haven’t posted anything on here in FOREVER! It’s so hard to keep up with this during school and almost harder when I’m home because the internet connection is so slow and it costs every time I dial up…

Anyway, God has blessed me so much! I now have a b/f…which is a blessing. Jared is such an encouragement to me…constantly pointing me toward God! This summer we don’t get to see each other like at all so it’s not exactly easy, but God is helping us and when we get to see each other again…BIG hugs!!

I came home unsure of the amount of hours I would have at work and was praying about it forever…I ended up getting 40 a week like I’ve always had a needed and was given an extra blessing of a 50 cent an hour raise!! God takes care of us!

I recently turned 21 and was given the opportunity to stand up for my beliefs quite a bit that day on the whole drinking issue. I bought myself a new Bible with birthday money from my

My huge prayer right now is for Jared. He needs money to get back to school this fall and it’s not looking too hot right now…I’m praying about that like crazy!! We know God is in control and everything will work out the way He wants, but we would like him back at school…

Well, I better wrap it up…Just wanted to update on what has been happening lately.

Random Learnings… March 8, 2008

Filed under: Everyday Life Learnings — Heather @ 10:06 pm Edit This
Tags: religion

Wow! So I’ve been incredibly busy at school and finally have an opportunity to post something! Spring break officially started Thursday after classes (a day early!), so Friday (yesterday) was my day of “chill” and today, so far, has been my day of sleep…and a little reading to come!

Just wanted to update on what God has been doing in my life.

I’ve been learning a lot about walking in Christ…it’s so exciting to see all the things that God teaches us through mundane, everyday happenings, through His Word (the Bible), and through prayer. Here are a few of the things I’ve been learning:

In Phil. 2:5 we are told, “Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” “When we only look at life from our limited perspective, I believe we are in great danger of being deceived by half-truths…God’s perspective IS truth. Chase the perspective of Christ with great passion.” –Gwen Smith

Ps. 84:10a says, “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere.” “Where is the house you could bild for me?-where is the place that I may rest?” (Is. 66:1-2) He is the God of the Universe, yet asking, “Can I abide with you today?” Unimaginable. Uncontainable. Unfathomable. Yet completely true.

In John 14:1 we are told, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in me.” Troubles come when I give emotions free reign in my heart and mind…That’s when I lose sight of God.

In Hebrews 2:3, children of God are reminded that we could drift away. Don’t neglect and drift–TAKE HEED! Constantly flee to Christ and the Word of His grace…Constantly meaning, don’t stop! This is a lifetime of fleeing to Christ!

The question can be raised, “When God has made us holy, what do we look like?” Answer: We love God! But what does loving God look like?

1) If we’re going to love God, we must love God for Himself, not His gifts.

2) If we’re going to love God, we must love Him exclusively. God alone deserves to be valued as an end, not a means. When we value God like this, that is delighting in Him. We learn that a thing is a god to us by how we respond when God takes it away from us. It’s not enough for God that we love Him among other things…there are different kinds of love.

3) If we’re going to love God, we will love others for the sake of God.

We’re told in I Thess. 5:18 to “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” I realize that because of each struggle He revealed His Glory. When I think “because of” instead of “in spite of” I can truly thank God for the trial itself…and that’s just what the Scriptures teach us to do.

So, sorry this is so random and scattered about, but this is just a little bit of what God has been teaching me through His Word.

If I were to give you a box of crayons… January 22, 2008

Filed under: Everyday Life Learnings — Heather @ 9:29 pm Edit This
Tags: religion

Last night we had our opening service at school to get things going for the semester. It was really convicting and uplifting and refreshing! I’m just gonna give you a short summary of what it was about:

Dr. Olson opened by asking us all a question: “If I were to give you a box of crayons and ask you to draw a picture of your life, what would you draw?”

Wow. Where would you start?! I guess I’d have to draw myself as a baby and then an elementary student and then of course I’d have to show that I played Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz in high school, and…How are you going to fit all of that onto one picture?! That was my thought process.

Hello!! That was all about me! Has a spiritual passion been ignited in you? The chief end of man is to glorify God.

In verse 14 of Galations 6, Paul confesses, “I glory in the cross.” How does one view “the cross”? Death on a cross was the absolute worst way to die at the time of Paul. Many Christians today see the cross as a charm on a gold chain.

Paul identifies the cross as the place where salvation takes place. It should be your identity. Draw a picture of your life? (A cross should say it all.)

The cross is a place of suffering. How does one glory in a picture of suffering? Why did Christ come to earth? 1) To go to the cross 2) Ultimately, to bring glory to God.

The pattern of walking with Christ is not easy – it doesn’t “make life better.” Often Christianity is viewed as being “popular” – it leads to blessing!

Christ was despised and rejected. If we follow Him should not we experience the same? If you live to God’s glory, you’re going to suffer. You’re “not of this world.” All oppose you. Don’t go looking to suffer, but expect to. How can we know Christ unless we know Him in the fellowship of His sufferings?

Christ’s scars tell a story – Not a story of defeat, but of great victory

Are you more concerned about worldly marks (hair, fashion, etc.) than about the mark of Jesus Christ on your life? In verse 17 of Galations 6, Paul claims to “bear on his body the marks of Jesus.” Can you claim this? Can I? Dr. Olson encouraged us to live simply wherever God sends us. When you go out and buy lots of things you don’t own them, they own you!

Am I thankful for lack of finances, for my mom’s health problems? Do I give God glory for such trials?

“When I consider the cross of Christ, how can anything I do be called sacrifice?” –Amy Carmichael

Suffering? — Glory

Death? — Glory

The Resurrected Life? — Glory

So, if I were to give you a box of crayons…

Mashed Potatoes December 6, 2007

Filed under: Everyday Life Learnings — Heather @ 5:19 pm Edit This
Tags: religion

I haven’t been able to post anything recently because we’re nearing the end of the semester and I’ve been crazy-busy. I’m so excited about what God has been showing me, that I just have to take a minute to share this!

The other day Ben and I were talking about what is and is not OK to pray for. Benny told me that we can pray for any thing…God promises to give us the desires of our heart. I said that we shouldn’t “use” God as though He is a genie in a bottle. (I love mashed potatoes, but it would be stupid for me to pray for mashed potatoes!) Ben told me that God delights in making us happy, so I concluded that as long as you pray in the fear of the Lord, you can pray for whatever you feel like praying for!

I LOVE mashed potatoes (we’ve already estalbished that). I found myself with a few free minutes the other day before I went to work (I wash dishes in the dining hall). I went to God and said something to the effect of, “God, it would be really nice if we had mashed potatoes tonight, but if we don’t that’s OK.”

I walked into the dining hall to eat dinner before I started working. On the food line there were MASHED POTATOES! I was so excited! Mashed potatoes were such a good reminder of how much God loves us…He delights in making us happy!