If you could be praying for me I'd really appreciate it...
School has gotten very overwhelming within the past week...
I'm trying to not stress out about my pain possibly coming back...
I have to write papers, organize a presentation, and take my Bible test...
I'm also trying to find somewhere to work from May-early August...
Along with just trying to remain somewhat sane and social...
Basically, I'm beginning to fall into a pit of despair...
Things have been really up and down and up and down lately and I cannot wait until I can step back and breathe...!
For right now though, God's put me in this situation and, no matter how stressful it is, I want to do everything I can to glorify Him and enjoy Him through each aspect of it...
SO MUCH EASIER SAID THAN DONE!!!
>.<
In chapel this month, a few Seniors have been presenting a devotional they've prepared to share with everyone. The last chapel we had was presented by Marie B. and how God used her experience of slowly reading through Ezekiel since December to show her something so amazing and necessary not only in her life but also our own.
I believe I can speak for everyone who was in chapel when I say that it was EXACTLY what I needed to hear that Wednesday morning. Her devotional went over how we can go through immensely stressful, difficult, and sometimes unimaginable struggles in our own lives, even to the point of what seems like no return, and how God uses these trials to bring us even closer to Himself than we were...
"So That Ye Shall Know That I Am God."
All of these difficult situations, where Satan is trying to show us how frustrating our lives are and how much we should want to look at God, shake our fists in His face, and say "How could You?", can instead be completely turned around into thankfulness, awe, and praise to God. Rather than continuing to be angry with God, we can see how, even though we go through these trying experiences, He is always with us and will never leave us nor forsake us.
One of my favorite passages in the Bible is found in Philippians.
(I've italicized my "favorite" parts)
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 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. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."
~Philippians 4:4-9
I always try to remember this passage when I begin to give into my depression and stress. I love those promises in both the seventh and the last verse:
(I memorized this passage in a different translation than the ESV, so it might be different from before!)
"...And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
"...And the God of peace will be with you."
If I bring all of my problems and all of my shortcomings to the Lord with prayerful requests and thankfulness, He will hear me and will grant me peace in His timing.
The God and Creator of the entire universe...
HE will hear -me-!
...WOW!
Isn't that...Mind-boggling??
What a great and mighty, merciful and loving God I (we) serve!
Even though I know that I fall so extremely far from perfection, I still desire to reflect Christ in everything I do. Even if He chooses to let me fail in certain areas and aspects of my life. Yet I still maintain this: If God can work a miracle through me in my College Math course, He can do ANYTHING He desires to in my life!
;)
So, with papers to write; a presentation to prepare; a Bible test to study for that I'm taking tomorrow (3pm PST); and an almost 6 hour straight work shift in the library tonight (Covering for two different friends); I bid you all a good evening from Pasadena, California and pray that you too shall know that HE Is God!
^_^
- Courtney
.jpg)
Things have been really up and down and up and down lately and I cannot wait until I can step back and breathe...!
For right now though, God's put me in this situation and, no matter how stressful it is, I want to do everything I can to glorify Him and enjoy Him through each aspect of it...
SO MUCH EASIER SAID THAN DONE!!!
>.<
In chapel this month, a few Seniors have been presenting a devotional they've prepared to share with everyone. The last chapel we had was presented by Marie B. and how God used her experience of slowly reading through Ezekiel since December to show her something so amazing and necessary not only in her life but also our own.
I believe I can speak for everyone who was in chapel when I say that it was EXACTLY what I needed to hear that Wednesday morning. Her devotional went over how we can go through immensely stressful, difficult, and sometimes unimaginable struggles in our own lives, even to the point of what seems like no return, and how God uses these trials to bring us even closer to Himself than we were...
"So That Ye Shall Know That I Am God."
All of these difficult situations, where Satan is trying to show us how frustrating our lives are and how much we should want to look at God, shake our fists in His face, and say "How could You?", can instead be completely turned around into thankfulness, awe, and praise to God. Rather than continuing to be angry with God, we can see how, even though we go through these trying experiences, He is always with us and will never leave us nor forsake us.
One of my favorite passages in the Bible is found in Philippians.
(I've italicized my "favorite" parts)
"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 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. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you."
~Philippians 4:4-9
I always try to remember this passage when I begin to give into my depression and stress. I love those promises in both the seventh and the last verse:
(I memorized this passage in a different translation than the ESV, so it might be different from before!)
"...And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
"...And the God of peace will be with you."
If I bring all of my problems and all of my shortcomings to the Lord with prayerful requests and thankfulness, He will hear me and will grant me peace in His timing.
The God and Creator of the entire universe...
HE will hear -me-!
...WOW!
Isn't that...Mind-boggling??
What a great and mighty, merciful and loving God I (we) serve!
Even though I know that I fall so extremely far from perfection, I still desire to reflect Christ in everything I do. Even if He chooses to let me fail in certain areas and aspects of my life. Yet I still maintain this: If God can work a miracle through me in my College Math course, He can do ANYTHING He desires to in my life!
;)
So, with papers to write; a presentation to prepare; a Bible test to study for that I'm taking tomorrow (3pm PST); and an almost 6 hour straight work shift in the library tonight (Covering for two different friends); I bid you all a good evening from Pasadena, California and pray that you too shall know that HE Is God!
^_^
- Courtney
.jpg)
This was a macro-shot I took of a super-teeny-tiny plant after a rainy Spring morning... I thought it would go really well with this post...
:)
:)
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