Dream for You

I was recently reading a devotional about using your imagination for God's purpose, and one of the quotes that the author said stuck out to me; "Let the size of your God determine the size of your imagination."  There reason why I liked this quote is because God is the God of the impossible, and when we start believing that what was once impossible is now possible, dreams start to expand past what anyone was though was possible.

There are also tons of examples in the Bible where God's power was used in ways no one though possible. David defeated Goliath. Moses lead God's people out of Egypt. Abraham had a son long after his wife stop being fertile. and Mary gave birth to Christ. These are all examples where God's plan was bigger than any one expected, and these people had faith to follow God in what he was saying even though it seemed impossible.

This reasoning also goes against what most of us have been taught, that we should live in what is reasonable and not dream or think to big. However, when we let God dream for us, we are able to do more than ever thought was possible, and it is not done by our own will, but by God and his power.

So this week I encourage you to take some time to ask God what his dream is for you, and to let him work in you with what he has planned.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for the power you have and the dreams that you have for each one of us. Please show me the dreams you have for me, and give me the strength to follow them. Amen. 

God's Great Universe

On Father's Day, my dad, brother and I went to the Denver Museum. One exhibit that we visited was the Space exhibit, where they had a simulation where you can try and create your own solar system and watch what happens to it over time. Long story short, the three of us were not very good at building our own solar system. We had planets crash into planets, asteroids were destroying planets and we put everything to close to our sun, so it ended up melting everything we put by it. While it was fun to watch things collide and burn up, it became clear that it was best for everyone if we weren't the designers of the universe.

After our failure, it reminded me of how great and powerful our God is. He created the universe so all the planets will orbit the sun and not crash into each other. He designed each planet with care to make it unique. He created the sun to give off heat and he placed Earth in the perfect spot to reap the benefits of the Sun.

On top of all of this, he created the universe with his command. Hebrews 11:3 says, "By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible." God spoke a word, and he created something out of nothing, and he did so beautifully. It is an awesome reflection on just how great our God truly is.

Dear Heavenly Father, 
Thank you for creating this beautiful universe that we live in. I am in awe and wonder of what you can do and how great your power is Lord. Thanks for this planet that we live on, and the ability to learn about your creation. Amen. 

Memorizing Bible Verses

We all have heard that it is good to memorize Bible verses. Having them memorized helps for when we are in times of need. It is easier to recall them when we have them memorized, then it is to try and find the verse that you are looking for in the Bible. It also comes in handy when  you are in conversation with someone, it is easier to tell them the verse that fits the situation, then try and find it in the Bible, especially since you may not always have your Bible with you.

Now I know not all of us are good at memorizing text so below area few tips you can try when it comes to memorizing some verses.

Continuously Read the Quote:What ever you are trying to memorize, you can not remember it after one pass. You need to read it over and over again over a long period of time. Eventually it will become ingrained into your brain to the point where you remember it.

Write Down the Quote: There are studies that show that when we write things down we remember them more often. So instead of trying to just memorize it out of the Bible, write it down on a note card, or a sticky note. That way it is also more portable to carry so you can read that verse any where.

Break it Down into Chunks: It is extremely difficult to memorize a long phase, so if the passage is long, break it apart to manageable pieces. Then as you memorize those pieces, you can put them back together to get the whole passage.

Memorize Parts that Relate to You: There is a fair amount of text in the Bible to memorize and it can seem overwhelming. So choose something to memorize that applies to you. It could be passages about patience, or purity, or belief, or overcoming a certain sin. This way you will have a stronger desire to memorize them, and you will recall them more which helps you remember them.

I hope some of these suggestions help, and I encourage you to find a few verses to memorize over this next week.

Dear Heavenly Father
Thank you for your word Lord. Help us to memorize what you have told us so we can use it in times of need and distress. Amen. 

Breaking Your Legs

One of the most memorable stories that I remember from high school is the story the leader of the Christian club told of the technique that shepherds did to teach their sheep. If they had an unruly sheep, one that wouldn't listen or follow the shepherd's orders, the shepherd would break the sheep's legs. But they wouldn't just leave the sheep there to die, but he would then carry the sheep with him until the legs healed. Through this process, the sheep would grow in its trust of the shepherd and be able to recognize their voice that much easier. And sure, breaking a sheep's legs sounds difficult, but it is for their good. If they can recognize the shepherd's voice, and follow his commands, it keeps them from walking off cliffs and being eaten by lions.

God is called time and time again that He is our shepherd. And he does the same technique that the shepherds did. There are times where we as his sheep need our legs to be broken so we can turn back to our shepherd and listen to his instructions. He can break our legs with a multitude of different events in our lives, but he doesn't do it to spite us. He is trying to correct us and to bring us back to trusting him and his will for our lives. So, while I know it hurts and can be overwhelming, God is still working for your good.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you for looking out for me and what is in my best interest and taking the time to correct me when needed. Help me to trust you in your working for my life, for you know more than I could ever hope to know. Amen. 

Just Showing Up

One common theme I found found in today's age is that most people just don't show up. I have had countless experiences, whether it be at work or in my friend group, where people said that they would be there and then they don't show up, and they won't even leave a reason why.

Another way this is played out is when people are present, but they are on their electronic devices, not even paying attention to the people around them. Most people walk around on their phones not taking in the scenery as they walk by. We can easily tune people out and not listen to a word that they say and be completely fine with doing so.

Recently at work, I was cleaning theaters with a girl named Hailey. She loved to talk about everything Avengers and she would talk to anyone who listen.  However, most the other ushers were on their phones and wasn't really paying attention to what she was saying. When I showed up to work, I introduced myself, because we hadn't met yet, and she started talking and I listened. I didn't know much about the Avengers as she did and we did have varying opinions on who was the best, but I listened to her. At the end of the night, she came up and gave me a hug and thanked me for listening, and being present while she talked.

It is simple things like being present while someone talks that makes an impact on people's lives. I can name countless times where just the fact that a person showed up and payed attention to what I was saying was more important than anything they could have said. So I encourage you this week to show up and be present in everything that you do.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for always being there to listen to me. Help me to do the same for the people around me and to be present in my life. Amen.