Son of God, Lunatic, or the Devil

For my Theology class, there is a lot of articles I have to read.... One I was reading on bring up arguments on if the Bible is the word of God, the author had a quote from C.S. Lewis that I loved.
Lewis said,
"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claims to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg - or he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse..... You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He was not left open to us. He did not intend to."
What is your choice?

"Through My Eyes"

For Christmas, my grandmother, GG, gave me Tim Tebow's book Through My Eyes. What an amazing book! It's so encouraging that through all his hard life, he never lost faith in what God was doing with his life. As I was reading the chapter on his college decision, one paragraph really stuck with me. He says;

"People often seem to think that when you're following the Lord and trying to do His will, your path will always be clear, the decisions smooth and easy, and life will be lived happily ever after and all that. Sometimes that may be true, but I've found that more often, it's not. The muddled decisions still seem muddled, bad things still happen to believers, and great things can happen to nonbelievers. When it comes to making our decisions, the key that God is concerned with is that we are trusting and seeking Him. God's desire is for us to align our lives with His Word and His will." 

How true this is! So many Christians believe that the Christian faith is a fair tale, that God is going to bless you with goodness. Yes, that is true... but that's not what the Christian faith is all about. I know this from my own life, God brings us through trials to bring us closer to Him. Money would be nice, I'm not gonna lie, or a brand new car, but what is even sweeter is to have a relationship with Christ! He wants us to wait on Him, to follow Him, and to live our lives to glorify Him. Something I hope to grow in in the future.

Spurgeon says, "It does not matter how heavy troubles are if you can cast them on the Lord." What a comfort to know He is in the driver seat, and not me!

(And no I did not name by blog after his book. My name I came up with in Florida way before his book was published!)

Can't "Wait For Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiit"!

This never gets old! It's been an awesome season so far.... looking forward to what they do next. But really can't wait to see what they do with Shawn as Indy. Whaaaaaaat!

Psalm 103

I have been going through Psalms for well over a year now. I haven't been reading it once a day like I planned... but as I have gone through it, God has shown me He had a plan for me going through the Psalms. Every time I sit down to have quite time.... sometimes I read the Psalm where I left off, or another passage God has lead me to. But it never fails. The passage I read was what God wanted me to read for that day! Don't you love it when He does that? I feel as if He is speaking to me right there in person. When He does that, through out my day I am reminded that He cares for me. I know I need to feel that everyday... but I don't.

This morning, as I sat down for my quite time, I read Psalm 103 (ESV). And again, God clearly wanted me to read it for this day! Also, the Morning and Evening I read for today, was right on the same line! God's steadfast love.

"Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
The Lord works righteousness
and justice for all who are oppressed.
He made known his ways to Moses,
his acts to the people of Israel.
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.
He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever.
He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities.
For as high as the heaves are about the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
As a father shows compassion to his children,
so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.
For he knows our frame;
he remembers that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass;
he flourishes like a flower of the field;
for the wind passes over it, and it is gone,
and its place knows it no more.
But the steadfast love of the Lord is from
everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him,
and his righteousness to children's children,
to those who keep his covenant
and remember to do his commandments.
The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,
and his kingdom rules over all.
Bless the Lord, O you his angels,
you mighty ones who do his word,
obeying the voice of his word!
Bless the Lord, all his hosts,
his ministers, who do his will!
Bless the Lord, all his works,
in all places of his dominion.
Bless the Lord, O my soul!"

Ways You Don't Expect

I love it when God shows you things when it couldn't have been more perfect. What an awesome way He shows us He cares for us! 

Monday was my first day back to school. And rather than starting my day in the books, I started it with Spurgeon's Morning and Evening. The devotion for January 16 was titled I Am the One Who Helps You, Declares the Lord. I couldn't help but smile! This was the devotion for the day I start school? It felt as if God was speaking the words right to me! 

Spurgeon says, "This morning let us hear the Lord Jesus speak to each one of us: "I will help you.""It is but a small thing for Me, your God, to help you. Consider what I have done already. What! Not help you? Why, I bought you with My blood. What! Not help you? It is the least thing I will do for you; I have done more, and will do more. Before the world began I chose you. I made the covenant for you. I laid aside My glory and became a man for you; I gave up My life for you; and if I did all this, I will surely help you now. In helping you, I am giving you what I have bought for you already. If you had need of a thousand times as much help, I would give it to you; you require little compared with what I am ready to give. It is much for you to need, but it is nothing for me to bestow. Help you? Fear not! If there were an ant at the door of your granary asking for help, it would not ruin you to give him a handful of your wheat; and you are nothing but a tiny insect at the door of My all-sufficiency. I will help you."

He helped us in the most desperate time in our lives, why would He not help us now? Why would He leave us to fend for ourselves? He wouldn't! He isn't! One of my all-time favorite verses says, "For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who says to you. "Fear not, I am the one who helps you." (Isaiah 41:13). He's right here with us, He is helping us run this race.

It's only by His grace, but I have a totally different perspective going into this new semester. I can't explain it, but I have this peace I haven't had yet with school. I'm not overwhelmed, I'm not questioning if this is what I'm suppose to be doing. I got home late today from work... did I finish all that was on my schedule for school today? Nope. And I'm ok with that. Because I know His grace is sufficient! He is going to help us!!!! What a great God He is!!!!

Fanhood

This may sound slightly funny, but it's true. I really have to watch myself when I come across a bandwagoner. No lie! Every team I have ever liked, was not due to them winning. And I'm the type it kinda drives me crazy...

With the Colts, the start of season 2006 (Yes the year they won the Super Bowl) I became a fan. When I started watching football, I was already a Gator fan (since I'm from FL), but when it came to NFL, I had no clue who was who. I then asked my dad, "who does Peyton Manning play for?" Since I had heard his name from time to time, with no idea who he was, I started following his team. And the color blue might have had a factor in it as well.... This began my Colts fanhood. 

L.A Lakers and Miami Heat was also more on the line of not knowing anything about the league. Early 2001, my family moved from our farm to the middle of Midlo. My neighbor Anthony and I would play street ball most days of the week, and he was a big Laker fan. He was my influence to begin watching the NBA. The following year, since I'm from FL, I started following Miami Heat as well. One year later, D. Wade joined the team.

Gators, like I said, was due to being from FL, Tebow's freshmen year (which they won the BCS that year). And in the spring of 2010, I had a friend convert me to Auburn. The following season, they won the BCS. Still devoted to both teams, Auburn more so than the Gators.

The only banwagons I have ever jumped on would be Lebron James and Blake Griffin. And since being a fan of James since 2006, I was beyond thrilled when he came down to Miami in 2010. I began to follow Griffin his rookie year, and enjoy watching him play his amazing game.

Now the only team I have dropped would be the Lakers. For nine years, I didn't have one favorite NBA team... but two. Till in 2011 I decided to only have one, and it made since. This team had my favorite coach as their owner (who coached this team before retiring), my top two favorite players, and in the state from which I was born. During this time, I began to see that I didn't care so much for LA's additude. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I didn't care for it. Then on top of Bryant leaving during the lockout (to me this showed poor team-mate-ness), and Gasol wanting to leave after the lockout... I lost interest. 

So here are the stories to my fanhood. Tebow fits right in the the Gators.... Won't find a bandwagoner in this chick. 

Go Colts! Go Heat! Go Gators! And War Eagle!!!

Morning & Evening

One of my wonderful gifts this Christmas from my parents was Charles Spurgeon's book Morning and Evening. As I was reading it tonight, one part stood out, which I would love to share with you.

January 6 - Evening
"That glorious right hand that molded the world can renew my mind; the unwearied hand that bears the earth's huge pillars can sustain my spirit; the loving hand that encloses all the saints can cherish me; and the mighty hand that breaks in pieces the enemy can subdue my sins. Why should I not feel that hand touching me this evening? Come, my soul, address God with the potent plea that Jesus' hands were pierced for your redemption, and you shall surely feel that same hand upon you that once touched Daniel and set him upon his knees that he might see visions of God."

Isn't that a crazy thought? Just think about that. The same God who created the heavens and the earth cares for me! He cares for you! The very God that walked with Adam and Eve in the garden, cares for you! The very God that flooded the whole earth, cares for you! The very God that holds the universe in His hands cares for you! What an amazing thought!
"Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? And not one of them is forgotten before God. Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows." (Luke 12:6-7)
If He cares for the sparrows of the sky, why should He not care for you? Like one of my favorite Sovereign Grace songs says, "Yesterday, today and forever, You are the same, You never change." And how true that is!!! And even though you may feel beat down, and that no one cares for you, I've been there too... and the truth is, someone does care for you. And even though it doesn't look like good to you, most of the time He's trying to teach us something. Scratch that... He is always teaching us something. Persevere! You are doing better than you deserve!

Goodbye 2011

Well, here is my last post for 2011. I'm sure I say this at the end of every year.... but what a year it has been! Moving back to VA, finally starting college, working at KWCC, etc. It's been a good year, but hard at times. Life every year there are those ups and downs, but God continues to be faithful.
Something I have learned this year is that sports is not everything. This sport season has been a hard one for me with the Colts 2-13 and Auburn 7-5, along with the possibility until late of there being no NBA. God has really worked on my pride in this area. It always seemed that I had a team to brag on.... but not this year.

Another thing God has been teaching me lately is patients. I have never paid attention to this before, but most Christmas songs are all about falling in love! Not the best for a single girl like me. Rather than listening to non-stop Christmas music, I focused more on SGM cd Looked Upon. One song in particular, Thy Way, Not Mine.

Thy way, not mine, O Lord
However dark it be
Lead me by Thine own hand
Choose out the path for me, for me

Smooth let it be or rough
It will still be the best
Winding or straight, it leads
Right onward to Thy rest

C: I dare not choose my lot
I would not, if I might
Choose Thou for me, my God
So I can walk aright

Take Thou my cup, and it
With joy or sorrow fill
As best to Thee my seem
Choose Thou my good and ill

Not mine, not mine the choice
In all things great or small
Be Thou my guide, my strength
My wisdom and my all, my wisdom and my all

God has really given me a peace lately with being single, something that can only come from Him! As 2012 approaches, I'm praying that I can lean on Him as I go down the path He has set for me. I know it's gonna be smooth at times, and then rough... but He has made it good!

Happy New Year!

God Rest Ye Merry Gentelmen

Here is my dad, Kelsey and Bryan Holt playing during our Christmas Eve candle light service, performing the song God Rest Ye Merry Gentelmen with our church choir. Enjoy!

No More Bio!!!! Woo hoo!

Sorry I have not been posting this term... Biology was a killer! I knew this going into the class as they tell you on the phone, "You do know this is our hardest course?" I really do now! It was a challenge for sure! One reason was the course... they had you read sections from the material, and then have questions that were not even related on the test. Then my group for our discussion board, did not really act like a team. There were 4 of them that would do the work themselves and post it days before it was even due. Our teacher on numerous times emailed and mentioned on our DB that we need to work together as a team, and that it was not due till Monday. Did they listen? Nope! They posted without the team still. At that point, I gave up working with them, and posted what I needed to post. And my teacher was gracious enough to give me 100% on those!

This was a major struggle for me, as last term I was making all A's, and this time I was failing. My other class, Apologetics, I was pretty much winging, since Bio was taking up most of my time during the week.  Other than my teacher grading poorly for my spelling on most of my papers, I scored almost 100 on everything else. It was perfect that I was taking these two classes together. I felt like I was being tested on my knowledge of the gospel, God, and Christianity, everything I have been taught by my dad and at KingsWay.

I hate to say that during this term, I was not trusting God like I should have been. I was taking things into my own hands. 6 weeks into the 8, that began to change. I didn't care what the outcome was... I left it up to God. I was still failing Bio, and had a B in Apolo, but I left it up to Him! I turned on worship music for everything... studying and tests. This helped me to focus on Him rather than taking things into my own hands.
All the way up to the last day of Bio, I had an F. But by the grace of God, my teacher graded on a curve due to most of the students failing!!! I passed the class!!!! But not only that, I made a C!!! What a gift from God! All I wanted was to pass the class.... He is so kind! My other class I made a B, and that's ok with me!

So what else has been new? Well... I will be playing soccer again in January. Which I am totally thrilled about! Also, this past Sunday, my friend Kristen and I went to get our noses pierced. What an experience that was! Going to a tattoo parlor was an experience alone.... Then there was a chance I could pass out like the last time I got something pierced. I was trying to stay calm. I didn't want to pass out... and Kristen was slightly freaking out. After much waiting, panicking, numbing cream, and anticipation, we finally did it!

Well, I know I say this a lot... But I hope to be blogging again... and a lot more often.
Merry Christmas!!!!