God Already Loves You

So many of us who are making new friends, or who are trying to impress the in-laws, or maybe who are looking for a new job, know that when it comes to impressing people that we need to have it all together. We need to look out best and dot our i's and cross our t's. We tend to hide who we really are on the inside so that we can make it look like we have it all together on the outside. The thing that amazes me about God is that we don't need to have life all put together to go to him. He wants you as you are, and in a society where looks and outward appearance matters it is hard to comprehend that God loves us for who we are. He is not going to reject you because he wants you to go and get your life in order and then come back to him. He will accept you as you are. Romans 5:8 says, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 2000 years ago while we were still sinners, God came down to Earth to die for us. He died for us because he wanted to have a relationship with us, and he wanted to show his love for us by being our sacrifice. He did this so that way you didn’t have to be perfect to come to God, but so that you can come broken and bruised, so that way he can be with us as he works in our live to make us more like Him through his love. You don’t need to get you life in order, to go to God. So I encourage you this week to take time to meet with God just as you are so that way He is able to love on you.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for loving us just the way we are. I pray that you will help us understand just how much you love us, and that we don’t need to have it all together to come to you. Thank you for sending your Son as a sacrifice for our lives, so we all may have a chance to have a relationship with you. Amen.

Purpose vs. Calling

I am giving you a warning now, today's post is going to be a English lesson. We were talking one day in our Bible study, and at the end we were given the task of finding the difference between purpose and calling. From what I found, purpose is the reason or motivation of why you are doing something, while calling is a job that you do. They are not interchangeable, and even I have been found guilty of thinking that they are one in the same. If you are Christian then our purpose is to bring glory to God. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says, "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." That sentence describes our motivation behind everything we do, and it is to bring glory to God. Calling is the job that you do, weather it be a teacher, or an engineer, or the CEO of a company. The members of Casting crowns were called to work at their own churches, but they were also called to form a band and write such amazing songs for people. That is their calling. They do everything that they do to glorify God, and that is their purpose. 
I just want to make you more aware of the difference between these two words, because understanding the difference may help develope other understanding of God and yourself.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Help me to understand the difference in these two words. Help me to serve you in all I do, because that is my purpose. Help me understand what your calling is for me, because it is different for everyone. But knowing that I have my own individualized calling is refreshing to know. Thank you Lord for that. Amen.

I Actually Have Friends

Last night was the Dordt Talent Show. It was a blast and me and my friends had a great time together. In comparison to last year, I have came so far with having friends. I remember I didn't even go to the talent show last year, and I often spent my Friday nights alone in my room most likely watching YouTube. Just this semester alone I have seen more movies with my friends than I have my entire freshman year.

It is interesting to look back and see how alone I felt, and how God has put people in my life that I can have fun with and we get along really well. Just at dinner last night we were laughing so hard because we have this warped idea of what is fun is that I don't think I could explain if I had too.

It is amazing how God has engineered each one of to be friends with certain people, and he then places friend sin out life that will help us grow closer to him, and grow as a person. It is amazing how we each have our friend group, even if it takes some time to find. In God's whole scheme of things, he wants what is best for you, and that includes giving you the best possible friends for you. They may not be what you imagine, like being friends with the popular kids, but he will give you friends that you need. It is important to cherish them and enjoy your time you have with them.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the friends you have placed in my life. Help me to be the friend that they need, and thank you for the friend they are to me. Amen.

Not Good Enough

One thing I know I did way to much last semester was compare myself to my other classmates. One in particular who I had in a group project was exceptionally skilled at using a camera. I immediately compared myself to him, and I came to the conclusion that I am never going to be as good as him. That was devastating, especially when I am learning what to do and I go in with a mentality of I can't do this. It was the feeling of I am not good enough.


Now over the course of a year, God really opened my eyes to something new. I admit that I am still not any where as good as him in taking video footage. His shots are always pristine and clear and well frame. They are gorgeous. But I am not called to be a videographer. I really do like editing, and I do it well. So it is not fair to myself to compare myself to a guy who can take good video because we aren't even in the same playing field.


Every time I come to this dilemma, I am reminded of the story in 1 Corinthians 12 about the different parts of the body.

"Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.
The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!” On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it."


This story is so similar to how video production goes. Every one on the team has a special job. You need a good videographer, because no one likes watching bad videos. You need a good editor, because without that, all you have are a bunch of random shots that don't appear like they go together. Both needs a certain set of skills, and comparing the two is unfair to both of them.


So I encourage you to take some time and think about who you are comparing yourself to. Think about how you two might very different jobs, like a foot and a hand or a videographer and an editor. God has a specific plan for all of us one that is unique to each one of us, and we are not to be comparing ourselves to someone who was made for a different purpose. You are made to be who you are and no one else. To God you are enough.


Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for creating me with a specific purpose and that to you, I am enough. Help me to not compare myself to anyone else for you have a different plan for each on of us. Thank you for making me good enough.