God Works in Mysterious Ways

   I look back on the past few months and God works in mysterious ways. My dad lost his teaching job due to the cut backs of teachers. He spent all summer looking for another teaching job. God blessed him with a substitution job in Wiley, Texas. I was originally going to go to Southwestern Christian University in Bethany, Ok; but God had a different plan. He wanted me to stay home with my mum and dad. I was extremely upset, because I had everything packed and ready to go. Then my Grandpa told me to Not sweat the small stuff. I first thought, "This is not small, this is big!" Then God through another trial in my way with registering for classes. Then once again I thought that is was "big stuff." God then granted me the classes I needed to take, and just then had problems with financial aid.
   August 19 my mum was calling Collin College and helping me with financial aid, and was being the loving mother she is. She was helping me, and just being my mum. Later I went out to Collin College to explore and figure out where my classes were. I then got a call from my dad saying that my mum was going to the hospital Right at that moment, I reminded myself that I had to stay calm, and start heading to the hospital. My dad called me back five minuets later saying that the paramedics had not left yet and they were stabilizing her. I then started to worry and just broke out into prayer. I asked God to protect my mum and to take care of her in what ever happens. I got to the hospital about 4:00pm, and my aunt came up to me telling me that my beloved mother passed away, and I broke down crying.
    August 19, 2011 at 3:52, my beautiful mother Christine Joyce Franck-Cook passed away. My mother meant and still means the world to me, and I love her with all my heart. God knows the hurt I am in right now, but as I look back He had it all planned out months ago.

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."   -Romans  8:35, 37-39

Trust in Him

        These past few months have been really hard for me. Between graduating High School, going to Kamp and getting everything together for college. It all started with finding out that my dad could not renew his teaching contract because Texas is cutting education. I had no clue it would have an effect on my Financial Aid for college. I have been accepted to Southwestern Christian University in Bethany, Ok. I thought everything was fine and dandy, and all excited to go to college. Then to find out at the and of July, that none of my Financial Aid had come through yet. I kept asking God, "Why has it not come through yet?" along with doubting myself in my future. I had to remember to trust in Him.
Proverbs 3:5-6  "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."  I really started to push on that, and kept reminding myself to trust in the Lord because He got my back.
       Then at the beginning of July I started to really worried, because I knew that everyone else has received information from FASFA, why haven't I. So I decided to call Southwestern and they said they would have it for me in a week. That next week I was at Higher Ground (which is a Servant Leadership Camp that partners with KAA) and I knew I could make it through the week knowing that "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" -Philippians 4:13
       July 18th I came home from HG, all high on Jesus! Excited to see what God has in store for me, to find that He has a way different plan. I came home and my dad still had not heard from Southwestern, which made me start questioning my future. Why am I not getting any money? Why is God doing this to me? All these questions and doubts were going through my head. Then during a quite time I came across Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." Which is saying cry out to Him and He will strengthen you. That I don't need to be so stressed out that God upholds me in His righteous right hand, and he will strengthen and help me.
      A few days ago we called up to Southwestern to talk to someone in Financial Aid. When we were done talking to them I had no hope what so ever. I had found out I would have to pay $5,000 out of pocket, which the family does not have right now. I asked God, " Which way do you want me to go? I am completely lost God, and I'm out of choices. Where do you want me to go?" At this point I has lost all hope in going to Southwestern. I kept praying about the will God has for me. I finally just said, "God I give it all to you! Take my life in your hands, and take controll of it. If your will is not for me to go to Southwestern, then what is it? It is all in you hands Lord. Help me, give me strength." I then texted all my friends asking them how I could get more financial aid. Then Pastor J texted me telling me to call this lady. So I did, and she told me and my dad to meet up with her tonight. We met up with her, and she gave me so many different websites for scholarships, and told my dad he could go reapply for the Pell Grant since the income of the house had change.
      Now, I just found out that I have about $9,000 in Financial Aid/Pell Grant. The Lord sent an angle to help us! Giving your life to God to mold it how He wants it was the best thing that could of happened to me this summer! I encourage everyone to Trust in the Lord no matter what the situation is; rather in my situation, family, school, any situation. God will take control over it if you just tell Him and ask Him for help!

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." -Jeremiah 29:11-13

Living Out In Christ, Not The World

The world has nonstop demands, that can be put on hold. Most people put God on hold, thinking someday they will find time for Him. The longer they push God into the background, the harder it will be to find Him. We all live among people who glorify worldly things, busyness. People have made time a tyrant that controls their lives. Even those who know and say that they have a relationship with Christ as there Savior, tend to follow the tempo of the world, and stray away. People now think more is always better. more activities, more meetings, more media, more programs, more everything.

God has called us to follow Him on a solitary path, making time and spending quite time with God which is the highest priority and the deepest Joy. This is a pathway which is largely unappreciated, avoided and often despised. However, as a Christian and a follower of Christ, we have chosen the better way and thing which can Never be taken away from us. As your walk increases in Chris and as you walk close to Him, He can and will bless others through you.

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, (That is, one approved after being tested) a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness."  -2 Timothy 15-16

It’s Hard to Be Still

So I was reading Crosswalk, which is a devo site and I came across this wonderful devo. and it really reminded me to just slow down and think of God. I did copy and paste. This is a wonderful site, and I will start up on here again soon. (: Enjoy!

July 7, 2011

"Be still and know that I am God." - Psalm 46:10, NIV

It’s Hard to Be Still
Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

I’m one of those people who likes going 90 mph—not in my car, of course, but in my day-to-day living. 

I enjoy moving fast, juggling multiple tasks and having a full schedule with lots of things to do, people to see and places to go. Variety is definitely the spice of my life, and without it everything starts feeling a little “vanilla.” 

Thus, I guess you could say I’m having what feels like a bland kind of summer—and definitely not “jamocha almond fudge,” if you will. All of my extracurricular activities that keep me busy during the school year are on break until sometime in August. And so that leaves me with a lot of undefined time each week, and a lot of stillness.

I was complaining about this to my sister the other day and had expressed that I was bored with temporarily not having an “exciting” schedule. But I had also been wondering if the Lord wanted me to use this time to rest or think about things that I don’t usually focus on when I’m so busy in the fall, winter and spring. 

So I had been trying to think about what I was supposed to be thinking about. So I could then write down what I was supposed to be thinking about on my to-do list. So I could then be thinking about what I was supposed to be thinking about. So I could then cross off that I had been thinking about what I was supposed to be thinking about. And be done thinking about it. 

See how that great logic has been working out for me?

My sister first probably had a good chuckle to herself. And then she thoughtfully responded with the lyrics to Watermark’s poignant song, “Still” …

Still, let me be still
Let me be okay
With the quiet in my heart 
Still, I want to be still
I’m so quick to move
Instead of listening to you
Shut my mouth
Crush my pride
Give me the tears 
Of a broken life
Still …

Oh. I get it. When I become still before the Lord, it’s more about God and less about me. Or my “exciting” activities or the control I think I have over my life. When I become still, I can see more clearly what God is trying to show me. And I can either respond or fill up my time with something else while I wait for my “vanilla” summer to end.

By and large, there’s nothing wrong with having a full life. But it is very easy to tip the scale and land on the side of too much, where worship of a heavenly Father gets lost in the wrongful worship of earthly things that a very busy schedule can certainly bring.

That’s what I’ve learned so far about stillness this summer. Perhaps you, too, have a need for speed and are prone to going 90 mph on the freeway of your life. Why not spend some time at a rest stop with me in the coming months, and be still for a little while? The Lord is waiting and ready to meet us both there.

Intersecting Faith & Life:

Some people schedule regular personal retreats with the Lord. Whether you can get away to a cabin in the woods or just set up a hammock between two backyard trees, see how you can schedule some time for stillness with the Lord before summer’s end.

Further Reading:

1 Kings 19:11-12, NIV
Proverbs 20:27, NIV
Isaiah 32:17, NIV

http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/crosswalk-devo/it-s-hard-to-be-still-crosswalk-the-devotional-july-7-2011.html

So many Christians are living a Christ-LESS life!

 "Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, for every good work. equipped"

                                                           --2 Timothy 3:12-17

 
A person sheared this with me, and I feel that I really need to shear this with others too. I hope you enjoy.

The central focus of the Bible is not a set of rules to try to live by. No, the central theme if the Bible is a person, Jesus Christ. If all you and I had needed was a knowledge and understanding of a certain set of sayings of principles for living , then Jesus would not have needed to come and certainly not die a gruesome death on a cross. Too many people are living a Christ-LESS Christian life, just trying to follow Some rules

Worship of Jesus Christ is much, much more than a set of feelings and set of rules. Worship is a lifestyle. It is a way of thinking about and responding to everything in your life. Worship is believing that God exists, and that what he calls you to do is worth doing. If you believe that God is wise and true, then you will take seriously what he says, and you will willingly do the things he says are good and right to do. You will not do them once, but you will do them again and again, day after day, even when no one is looking or asking what you are doing. You do it because you have an ongoing relationship with Jesus Christ who lives within you and He gives you the motivation and the power to please Him. That is worship of Jesus!

How To Save A Life

Tonight I watched the movie To Save A Life. This really got me thinking about school! As I walk down the halls of school, I look at kids and think they are fine. I never really thought about what they might me feeling on the inside. The thing about teens now days, is that you never know when they are truly hurting.My goal is to start looking out for those who are really struggling to be happy, and those who are depressed, or even those who are going through the worst time of there life. I know from experience that just giving someone a friendly smile, sitting down with them at lunch, or even a "I'm here if you need to talk". Even the smallest actions and words can make a difference in someones life! I want to make a difference in the world, and starting with just a smile will get me started!

Cry Out To Him! Don't Pretend! BELIEVE! Open Up! Release The Fear! Accept Yourself! Trust Yourself! Forgive & Forget! You Are Loved! You Are Cherished! You Are A Child Of God! Say Goodbye to the old, and say Hello to the NEW!
     "Therefore, if Anyone is in Christ, the New creation has come: The old has gone, and the New is here!" 
                                                                                           -- 2 Corinthians 5:17

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."   
                                       -- Isaiah 41:10