Let's Review

     This week I would like to quickly reflect on the good and the bad, and praise God in both. 

Bad:

• I forgot my tithe on Sunday. The tithe that I specifically got out for this week. D:
• I encountered my first child abuse suspicion this week, and found my place of work does not have a set child abuse protocol for their employees. I felt disappointed and anxious over it these past five days.
• My intercultural communications class just added a group presentation onto my list of things to do.
• My special education class has gotten harder for me, as I am the only one in the class who does not teach in a school. 
• There is a severe lack of servanthood from myself within my home and my friendships. 
• I really struggled managing my preschool classroom this morning, and am still failing at finding ways to get my little boy with autism to stop purposefully distracting the other kids. 

Good: 

• I have made the decision to set apart all the money in my wallet for Jesus, and really surrender my bank account to Him. 
• The Lord has let me introduce child abuse safety protocol to my place of employment, and I'm learning how to properly document and spot suspicious findings. I have been assured that my "bosses" will take care of the situation I have already documented. 
• I have an opportunity to shine for Jesus this Friday with my group members from my intercultural communications class. 
• There is a wonderful, wonderful woman in my WBS group who is willing to help me with my upcoming assignment for my special education course. 
• The Lord is merciful and gracious to me and has still given me time on this earth to practice and live servanthood with my family members and my friends. 
• My little boy with autism is still my energetic, fun buddy, and I find blessings in that. I have special education instructors who I know will be willing to help me if I seek it. I also had a great time with the young ladies of my classroom today, as well as a couple boys who joyfully listened to instruction! 

     Despite all my selfishness, the Father continues to bless me. He is good even when life is hard. He is loving towards me even when I do not want to hear from Him. And the Holy Spirit throws a good punch. It's a type of punch that hurts like heck, but is good because it is needed. He steers my thoughts back to where they should be, and I find myself seeking His truths, not because I want to, but because I know I have to to stay alive. Jesus did not die in vain. The power of His resurrection is living in me and I cannot let myself go stagnant. Everyone knows that stagnant water is not to be drinken...the good water is the water that rushes with great force. 

"Create in me a pure heart, O God,
    and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not cast me from your presence
    or take your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation
    and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." 

-Psalm 51:10-12

Maranatha. Come, Oh Lord. 

Always Active, Always Alive.

     Last night was just one of those nights where you feel so stressed out, you just sit there not knowing what to do with yourself. All I knew was that I had to stop and bring it all to the Lord, starting out with all my "concerns" which were more like panicky worries. Of course, I really should be bringing everything to the Lord in general, but that's a side note. ;D Anyways, this is a shout-out to the Holy Spirit and His goodness. I tend to start out praying with a tude. No surprise if you know me, but He always has my tude "softened" by the end of the prayer, and it brings me great gratitude. I don't know how He does it, but I think that's why He's God! He got me reading His word, realizing where I had failed and recognizing where He never fails. I was depending on myself so much, lacking in faith, not seeking His righteousness or His kingdom. I had forgotten how many times in a semester when He has been so faithful to me and has always provided for me. Why do I always forget? Because I'm lame. And He's not. And I'm proud. And He's humble. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit is an active one when I'm a lazy one. He means so much to me, I am having trouble finding the words to describe it. He's alive in me and is chipping away at the stone, creating something for Himself. He is such a merciful and loving Spirit. He gave me a grateful and peaceful heart. He brought me contentment. And I fell asleep happy. :)



 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? 


  And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." 


Matthew 6:25-34

Maranatha. Come, Oh Lord.