Coincidence

           Okay, so I have a legitimate reason for not posting the past week.  This past Monday we started classes, one of them being Theology 2.  In this class, one of our assignments for the semester is to read a book on the characteristics of God and keep a journal of it.  I think that this was a coinicidence that I needed that connection because I know I couldn't do this on my own quite yet.  So I have read almost a chapter a day and have been keeping a journal, just not posting it on here.  When I get some free time, I will make sure I post what I am learning.  Starting this week I know I will be scarce on my free time and will have to use it wisely because volleyball games start so I am sorry if I go a couple of days without posting.  The book is called Knowing God by J.I. Packer, if anyone was interested in reading it as well. 

Day 3: Patience

          Today I moved back into my dorm and it feels good to be back.  Now I am just waiting for my roommate and suitemate to come tomorrow sometime.  I am very excited about this upcoming semester and helping out with the volleyball team.  But anyway..back to the point of why I created this blog...
          
          This is definitely not one of my best characteristics.  But I can only imagine how much patience God has to have with us!  I mean one day we want to fully follow Him with all of our hearts and the next we could care less if we skipped our devos for the day.  One of my favorite quotes goes something like this: God doesn’t just give you patience when you ask for it, He gives you “trials” to test your patience and make it stronger.  This is something I have to constantly remind myself.  Whether it’s driving down the turnpike, working at a waterice stand, or something as simple as playing with my 3-year-old niece.   If I want to be more like Christ, than I need to have patience and love for everyone, not just who I want.  God tells us clearly in Colossians 3:12 to “…clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and PATIENCE.” Now just because patience is listed last doesn’t make it any less then the other characteristics.  They all should be used equally. Everyday. 

 

Day Two: Love

               This is probably one of the first things you think of when you think of God, am I right?  And probably the first thing that you think of when you hear “now where can I find love in the Bible?”, you would probably think of 1 Corinthians 13, right?  Well there are many forms of love: philia (brotherly love), eros (romantic love), and agape (unconditional, self-sacrificing love) just to name a couple.  Well, as a lady I know I always need to feel loved from something, whether it was from my parents, dog, or boyfriend.  But there is no love that can be described as the love that comes from God.  His agape love for us was the reason why He was able to send His son for us.  While God loves us, we are also commanded to love others the same way. 

           

            1 John 4:7-10

            “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.  This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

Day One: Attention to Detail

          Have you ever just stopped everything that you were doing, took a step back and looked at everything?  I mean EVERYTHING, in detail.  You see, you don’t have to think about breathing or seeing or need to activate any of our senses to use them.  God created us with those little details.  Now what about everything else that He created?  Have you ever planted something and watched it grow each and every day?  I had that privilege this past summer while working in a greenhouse filled with herbs.  Each Monday we would plant new seeds and every Friday they would be these tiny green plants just sprouting out of the soil.  About three weeks later when it came time for them to be sent out to other companies, I would be like a proud parent sending a child off to school (even though I have no clue what that feels like).  The nourishment and care that I gave to them is exactly the same from my Caretaker.  Even though I don’t realize something is good as soon as it happens, I look back and see the changes. 

            How about have you ever just sat and watched hummingbirds?  I think they are the most fascinating animals that He could have created!  I could watch them for hours on end.  These tiny 3-4 inch birds flap their wings about 55 times per second! The little details that God has put into everything that He has created just amaze me! I could probably write a book on it all!  Now it's you turn to "stop and think".

My Challenge

I have decided to begin a blog so that I can keep myself on track with my personal walk with Christ and to be able to look back and see if and how things are progressing.  I am going to start off with a 30-day challenge: each day I am going to choose an attribute of God and chat about it.  Easy enough...and hopefully I can keep going past the 30 days. Now some days I won't be able to post because I will be away on volleyball trips or will have tons of homework to do that day, but I will do my best to post each day.

Day 1 will be posted later on today so feel free to check back later :)