Reminders

I was reminded of two amazing facts about life this afternoon.

1. God is in control. No, really. Everything. That being said, why worry? Why are we stressed out about school, relationships, and money? Stop worrying! God has you where you are for a reason, He is putting you in those stressful situations for a reason. Maybe He's trying to show you something, shape you, bless you, change you, tell you something. Relax, God knows what He's doing in your life!

Whenever I'm stressed out and asking myself "what on earth am I doing here?" I have to remember to step back and remind myself that this is part of God's plan. I may not understand why I am going through something at a certain time, but there is a reason for it.

However, I'm not saying that I won't ever get stressed out again. I'll forget and be a mess for days before it hits me again "God is in control."

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.
 Jeremiah 29:11

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.
Matthew 6:34

In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind
Job 12:10

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
Revelation 4:11

2. God answers prayer. Again, this is something I have always known, but have more fully realized in the past year at Providence. Time and time again I am blown away by this realization. Sometimes its in the little things, like a BTS exam or HIS paper, other times its about relationships, health, or church.

I could name several examples about the many times just this semester that I'll pray about something, forget about it, and then remember a week later only to realize that God answered my prayer. Granted, it hasn't always been the answer I wanted, but knowing that God is in control, it must have been the answer I needed.

Go to God in prayer. What a comfort it is to know that you can ask God everything. Bring to God your questions, concerns, thanksgiving and praises. Our God is so good!

And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.
Matthew 21:22


Do not be anxious about anything, 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 



Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Thessalonians 5:16-18

It Is Well With My Soul

Patience

Patience.

 I've been told several times now that I am a very patient person. Maybe that's so, but I sure don't feel patient.

I loose my temper.
I get frustrated easily.
I am often stressed.
I hate waiting.
I am hasty.
I give up.
I am focused on the now.
I am easily annoyed.
I complain.


I am not a patient person.

Not at all. My whole life I have been reminded that "Patience is a virtue" because of the numerous times I haven't been patient.

What exactly is patience? According to the dictionary: The quality of being patient, as the bearing of provocation, annoyance, misfortune, or pain, without complaint, loss of temper, irritation, or the like.”

Bearing annoying, misfortunate, painful, provoking incidents with out complaining, becoming irritated, or loosing your temper?? Yikes. Sounds pretty impossible to me. 

The biggest problem with Patience is that people want things now. After going for a run once, you want to step on that scale and see that you lost all that weight. You order that package and you want it to be shipped to your door now, not in a week. You buy a airplane ticket for May, but you wish it was taking off tomorrow. You put a pizza in the oven and you wish it was done right away. You send someone a text and you want the answer now. I can think of a million more examples but I think you get the idea. 

But it's more then that. It's being understanding of people, being considerate towards others, helping people even if it might be an inconvenience to you.  Patience reveals our faith in God’s timing, omnipotence, and love.

Patience isn't something you just put on in the morning. Which, when you think about it, is really to bad. Think about how much nicer people would be to each other, how understanding, helpful, or kind we'd be to our neighbor.

Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. Behold, the farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand.  James 5:7-8

Pray for patience. 

Needed: Peace

I don't know about you, but I cannot wait for Thanksgiving break. A little relaxing and de-stressing would be amazing right now. My plans for break? Day 1: Sleep. Day 2: Sleep. Day 3: See day 1 and 2.  (repeat until Monday after Thanksgiving)

This week is absolutely nuts. Everything is crammed into the final few days before break, with very little room for sleep. There is so much on my mind, my planner is full for this week, I have "sticky notes" with to-do lists all over my computer, and I'm trying to cram everything into the last three days here. And as I sit here typing I realize I have to pack for the week that I won't be on campus. 

I hate packing.

Although, as of two minutes ago, half of my stress just disappeared  That's right, my humanities paper is done and turned in. Now that's out of the way I can fous on my English paper. Oh joy. It is only Tuesday and all ready I am longing for the homework free weekend. After studying for BTS exam, writing the HUM paper, trying to write the English paper, multiple senior photo shoots, library work, visitor weekend, choir, piano, thinking about next semester, and all the other crazy stuff going on my brain is ready to explode.

And then it hit me. Standing in chapel making a mental list of what I would be doing every hour of the day tomorrow, it hit me.

What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.

It had nothing to do with the actually chapel, but I could feel the stress become less and less. I realize that there is no way on earth I could possibly get through this week without prayer. All these burduns, all this stress, I want to replace it with peace that passes all understanding. Peace from God. 

Shalom

Thankful for: Chapel

It's November. Crazy isn't it? November means Daylight Savings Time, leaves changing colors, sweaters and jeans, boots, pumpkin pie, half-price candy corn, and Thanksgiving. I love the Fall!

This year is different. I'm not in Iowa where there are dead, smelly, wet leaves laying under piles of snow. I'm in California where there are palm trees un-willing to loose their leaves (thankfully!) and no snow. That being said, I want to start this month off being thankful for the main thing in my life right now: Providence.

Every day (depending on homework, obviously.) I want to post about one thing that I am thankful for here at college. Accompanied by a picture. You probably guessed that. I don't think I could do something like that with out some photos tossed in. : )

Today I am thankful for Chapels. Singing praise to our God with the students is amazing. There might not be hundreds of students, but listening to all of the students lifting their voices high unto the heavens is an amazing sound. I especially look forward to Tuesday night chapels every week. There is something about ending the first day of the school week praising God in chapel. It helps me to relax at the end of a normally super stressful day.

What are you thankful for today?