Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Rome

I've been reading a book series called "Mark of the Lion" by Francine Rivers. It's a Christian fiction series set in Rome during 1st Centruy A.D. Super good, highly recommend!

In the book though, it describes Rome at its peak, before it fell. It reminds me a lot of America today. The people were consumed with self-indulgence. Their focus was on "me". Just as my generation has been labeled the "me generation".

In that time, promiscuity was commonplace. Abortion was not frowned upon. Homosexuality was rampant. People spent their money on pleasures of the flesh. They held parties and drank themselves happy.

Sounds all too familiar if you ask me. When Rome became so proud, they thought they couldn’t be defeated, that’s when they fell. And we are headed for the same fate.

As a nation, America has turned her back on God. We are pursuing pleasures of the flesh. Money, cars, houses, position, careers, possessions, physical pleasures. We look down on those less fortunate than us, thinking it’s their own fault they didn’t do more with themselves. We choose convenience over right and wrong.

And if we don’t do something to change that, we are headed for the same fate. Rome isn’t the only nation this has happened to. Just look throughout history. Nations rise, they become proud, they fall. Look through the Old Testament. It is the same story over and over. God’s people follow Him until He gives them prosperity. Then they turn their back on Him and pursue their own desires. They are taken captive by another nation, and punished until they turn back to God again and start the cycle over.

Have we learned nothing from thousands of years of history repeating itself? When will we ever learn? We continue to pursue the pleasures of this world trying to fill a hole that was meant for Christ. If we would just turn to Him, go against what society says is right, we will find the fulfillment we are looking for.

It comes from emptying ourselves, not filling up with worthless things. It comes from giving of ourselves to others, not from taking everywhere we can. It comes from surrendering our lives to Christ and doing His will, not trying to find purpose on our own.

Our purpose is to serve and share the Gospel. Until we realize that, until we turn from the ways of the world, we are headed for the same fate as every other nation in history. You may not be able to change the world, or even the nation, but you can surrender to God and watch Him work miracles.

I'm by no means perfect, but I recognize that I am sinful and in need of a Savior. I am saved by grace. Out of gratitude for that saving grace, I surrender my life to Christ and allow Him to change me. Because I recognize that I can do nothing to earn or deserve my salvation, I strive to live my life for Christ. I do this not because it makes me any better or more deserving, but because I am so overwhelmed with God's love for me, that I want to love Him back. And the way He tells us to show Him love is by loving others, not ourselves.

It's time for a change, so what are you going to do about it?

www.howisurvivedmyhusbandsbraininjury.com

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Success!

I started to train for my first half marathon over 3 years ago. I got about halfway through my training program and realized that I hate running, so I gave up.

Last year, some friends in my church group were adopting a baby and participated in the Chosen Marathon to help them raise money. It was for a good cause, and several of my friends were doing it, so I figured I would try again and do the half marathon with them. This time we trained to walk it, which was much more pleasurable than running.

We walked 10 miles the weekend before the race and were ready to go. Then 2 days before the half marathon, I had to have my gall bladder removed. I was still in the hopsital the day of, so needless to say, I didn't get to finish.

I vowed that I would run it next year though. I started training again in January (race was in October), but new that if I didn't have a sooner goal, I would give up again. So I decided to train for one in July. (I live in Texas where it usually hits over 100 most days in July, not one of my brighter ideas)

I researched running, and how to avoid injuries. I decided that I could do run/walk intervals. That sounded great to me. I could avoid injuries, finish faster than walking, and it wasn't as tiresome as running the whole thing.

This Saturday, despite the heat and humidity, I finally finished my 1st half marathon in 2 hours and 29 minutes!

Now to start training for the Chosen in October...

www.howisurvivedmyhusbandsbraininjury.com

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Perfect Timing

When you look around at the world, it's really a sad site. If you watch the news, it relays very little positive. Instead, it's a parade of shootings, natural disasters, crime, and destruction. I'm on a prayer team at my church, and there is so much pain and suffering that I pray for. Cancer, death, divorce, drug and alcohol addiction, illness...everywhere I look, there is pain and suffering.

Instead of praying for healing, sometimes I just want to pray for Christ to return.

The Bible says that the end times will come like labor pains. As it gets closer to His return, disaster gets worse and closer together. When I look around I see earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, school shootings, murders of innocent children. I can't help but think that it has to be coming soon.

I remember the words of Solomon in Ecclesiastes "meaningless, meaningless, everything is meaningless." "There is nothing new under the sun." We go to school and work our whole lives so that we can retire and have time off, but by then we're too tired to do anything about it. After 12 chapters of describing life and everything in it as utterly meaningless, Solomon concludes that the purpose to life is to "follow God and keep His commands."

Our purpose in life is to follow God, to share His Word, His love, with others. That is the only purpose to life. We all have different ways of going about it, but that is what we are here for.

But I can't help but wonder, when will He return? What is taking so long? It's been over 2000 years, isn't it time to come back already?

I prayed hard for this for about a week. Constantly asking, why He hasn't come back yet. I went over every possible answer that I could think of and came up with a solution for it. The only one that held any weight for me was that He was waiting for more people to know Him first. But He's God. Yes we have free will, but He also knows what our choice will eventually be. So if He already knows the choice we're going to make, can't he just speed it up a little? Can't He just take the ones He knows will choose Him and come back now?

After about a week of this, God finally answered. It's the same answer that He gives me for many of the questions I ask. "My timing is perfect, just trust me."

I always try to rush God. I think I have the perfect plan, and if God would just listen to me, then it would make things so much easier. But again, God knows what I can't even comprehend. God sees what I can't. He knows that if He waits another hour, day, week, year, millennium, it will be better (for some reason that I can't understand) than if He came back now.

I just have to be patient.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not depressed, or suicidal. I have joy and peace in my life. I have a great life. I am blessed. But to be in the presence of God? Not just feeling Him near, but actually standing before Him...I can't even imagine how amazing that will be.

I look forward to that day. But in the meantime, I will continue to fulfill my purpose. I will continue to share about how great my God is, how much He has done for me. He has proven time and time again in my life, that His timing is perfect. I just have to keep trusting Him.

www.howisurvivedmyhusbandsbraininjury.com

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Freedom

It was great to have 4 days off from work for the 4th of July weekend! I got to relax, and spend time with family.

Thursday morning Jeff and I went to the 4th of July Parade with his sister, brother-in-law, niece, and nephew. Then we spend the rest of the day relaxing at the house.

We watched the fireworks for about 2 minutes from our backyard, then got bored and went to bed. Lame, I know, but we don't have kids, so we enjoy our sleep while we still can. :)

Jeff's birthday is the 11th, he'll be 34. Happy Birthday Honey!

Yesterday, I was sent the video trailer for my book! You can view it here!

Sunday, I was reminded that we are so blessed to have freedom here in America. Not just our independence, but true freedom. We are free to worship God. I love looking at it that way.

It's not a chore, it's not a duty. Jesus died on a cross in my place and bought my freedom.

I am free from the chains of sin. I am free to go to church on Sunday. I am free to sing praise and worship music. I am free to pray in public. I am free to write this blog and talk about God. I am free to share Christ with others. I am free to read the Bible. I am free to spend time with God. I am free to make good choices. I AM FREE!

www.howisurvivedmyhusbandsbraininjury.com

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Praising Him Now

This weekend, my pastor preached about praising God now. He talked about how people think they can't wait to get to heaven to praise God, but it's something that we can do now. We don't have to wait!

There are so many different ways to praise Him now. It can be through singing songs, saying thanks, telling of His greatness, through actions...

So I want to take a moment to praise my God for the many many things He's done.

The first amazing thing He did was give His life for me. He died on a cross to take my place, so I could spend eternity in heaven with Him, when I did nothing to deserve it.

Then He acts like that act alone isn't enough, He continues to lavish me with blessings on a daily basis. God cares about my every day details. The mundane stuff no one else really cares about.

He knows every worried thought in my mind, every tear I cry (good or bad), every moment of joy in my heart. God cares about it all. He cares enough not only to listen to my prayers, but He wants me to pray, to spend time with Him.

The God of the universe, wants to know me personally, and wants me to know Him.

God has blessed me with a wonderful loving family, and an amazing husband. He has given me great friends to walk through life with. He has fulfilled all my basic needs, and then goes above and beyond to give me nice things.

He has given me a job that I love, and enjoy coming to, but where I still get vacation time to enjoy life outside of work.

He brought me to a wonderful church and small group that is active and alive. A group that cares about each other's needs and puts the caring to action.

He loves me and knows me so well that He knows my desires better than I do. He knows my stubborn mind, and what it takes for me to learn something. Then He takes the time to teach me.

He has allowed difficulties in my life so that I could learn a million new lessons about who God is, and what He expects from me.

I could go on and on all day, but the bottom line is GOD IS GOOD! He is amazing! He is beyond my comprehension! He is soverign! He is God. Praise God!

What has God given you to praise Him for?

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