I feel like that saying "misery loves company" hits it right on the spot. Why is when you are not miserable you don't want to be miserable but when you are miserable you not only want to stay miserable but have anyone and everyone around you be miserable. Not that I am miserable at all, do not misinterpret me but I have seen so many attempts of miserable people try to bring me and others into their miserable circle. The sad part is that these miserable people call themselves Christians. Christian is a hard term to define and a hard life to live. I love Jesus and truly believe in Him but I also believe I am a sucky follower. One of the main reasons that many people turn to God is to leave their miserable lives and live a happy and joyfully blessed life. As nice as that sounds, not even the Christian life is all flowers and perfume, but the Christian afterlife is.
I guess the main reason I am writing this blog is because I'm being real and I'm upset. Never do I stay upset, I always find a positive side and never are my thoughts this absolutely random but I just write them as they come. I guess I can say I'm fed up with the world (but who isn't?). I'm fed up with negative people throwing grenades. I'm fed up with everyone thinking they figured out life and how to live it accordingly to the way they lived it. I'm fed up with miserable people thinking they are miserable or everything is miserable. If I honestly wanted to, I could list reason after reason of why I should be miserable but I don't because that is stupid and untrue. I believe that Jesus knows the way and even though sometimes I'm running off His path getting caught up with life I believe He stills keeps His eyes on me and His arms around me unlike the world thinks. I believe He does this with everyone, even the miserable people.
I guarantee you no human will tell you better than Jesus does. Not your best friend, co-worker, boss, brother, sister or even your parents. I figured out not to live life according to how people tell you to live it because Jesus wants you to live life the way HE wants you to live it. You will never please everyone and it's a fault to try to. If you please your brother maybe your sister will get upset you didn't do it her way. If you do it the way your father says then mother is upset at both of you for choosing this way. I'm not bound to this world and basically I'm only her on a temporary visa. My home is with God. I pray to Him for all things and you are in no position to judge or explain to step by step life.
Let the Lord guide you and I together but in whatever ways He wants.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Run Soul Run
"And the Lord said to Satan, From where did you come? Then Satan answered the Lord, From going to and fro on the earth and from walking up and down on it." - Job 1:7
As I lay in my bed surrounded by only pitch black, the only glare of light is the beaming white from my phone where I read the text of Job 1:7. It was late and inconvenient but I was told to re-read the story of Job. It was in my gut. It's been a while since I read Job. I came across Job 1:7 and I stopped right there. Not because I was sick of reading but because I needed to stop and ponder. Right before whipping out my phone in the pitch black of my room to read some scripture I had spent a good 3 hours recording a song I had recently written about fleeing from the devil. Why would I write a song about fleeing from the devil instead of writing a song about taking him on head to head? Wouldn't that be more awesome!? In a song, yes. In real life, no.
As life becomes more and more clear to me I start to understand what it means to flee from the devil. It means getting to live a life with God, not just saying you do. It means I don't have to be a footstool for the Devil and his sinful ways anymore. It means I can stop being on the losing side and being on the winning side.
Many of us have dropped the question "How borderline can we be with God to be saved but still live the life we want?"
Does that make any sense?! Maybe a few years ago but not anymore. I got to thinking, if I am not running away from the devil then I'm running away from God. In life you are not still. You are constantly moving, progressing, stepping forward, taking on new challenges, but in which direction? Are you taking on challenges running with God or running away from God? Running with the devil or running away from the devil?
In Job 1:7, the devil said he walked up and down the earth, all around it and I honestly believe he is still walking up and down the earth every single day. Tempting us with his sin that appeals as eye candy but is rotting our soul. I can't stand the devil! Why? Because sometimes he actually gets me. Is it the devil I can't stand or is it myself I can't stand for falling for his sly tricks? Probably both. All I know is I can't do it by myself. I'm trying to run a marathon with the devil when the audience keeps handing me living water.
Are you running with the devil too? it's okay, everybody has. I'm going to flee. Call me wuss, panzy(which is actually a delightful flower) or just plain scared but honestly I'm not scared at all, because I know I'm not alone this time and never again will I be alone.
Satan is like my room, pitch black surrounding all areas. Jesus is like the white beam coming from my phone. Dim at first but more than enough to take away all fear.
Bring it on satan, cause I'm running this time.
"So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." - James 4:7
As I lay in my bed surrounded by only pitch black, the only glare of light is the beaming white from my phone where I read the text of Job 1:7. It was late and inconvenient but I was told to re-read the story of Job. It was in my gut. It's been a while since I read Job. I came across Job 1:7 and I stopped right there. Not because I was sick of reading but because I needed to stop and ponder. Right before whipping out my phone in the pitch black of my room to read some scripture I had spent a good 3 hours recording a song I had recently written about fleeing from the devil. Why would I write a song about fleeing from the devil instead of writing a song about taking him on head to head? Wouldn't that be more awesome!? In a song, yes. In real life, no.
As life becomes more and more clear to me I start to understand what it means to flee from the devil. It means getting to live a life with God, not just saying you do. It means I don't have to be a footstool for the Devil and his sinful ways anymore. It means I can stop being on the losing side and being on the winning side.
Many of us have dropped the question "How borderline can we be with God to be saved but still live the life we want?"
Does that make any sense?! Maybe a few years ago but not anymore. I got to thinking, if I am not running away from the devil then I'm running away from God. In life you are not still. You are constantly moving, progressing, stepping forward, taking on new challenges, but in which direction? Are you taking on challenges running with God or running away from God? Running with the devil or running away from the devil?
In Job 1:7, the devil said he walked up and down the earth, all around it and I honestly believe he is still walking up and down the earth every single day. Tempting us with his sin that appeals as eye candy but is rotting our soul. I can't stand the devil! Why? Because sometimes he actually gets me. Is it the devil I can't stand or is it myself I can't stand for falling for his sly tricks? Probably both. All I know is I can't do it by myself. I'm trying to run a marathon with the devil when the audience keeps handing me living water.
Are you running with the devil too? it's okay, everybody has. I'm going to flee. Call me wuss, panzy(which is actually a delightful flower) or just plain scared but honestly I'm not scared at all, because I know I'm not alone this time and never again will I be alone.
Satan is like my room, pitch black surrounding all areas. Jesus is like the white beam coming from my phone. Dim at first but more than enough to take away all fear.
Bring it on satan, cause I'm running this time.
"So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." - James 4:7
Sunday, July 24, 2011
A Sprinkle of Salt
"You are the salt and light of the earth.." - Matthew 5:13
Just a couple days ago we were having an ordinary day at the car wash. When you see a hundred different people every day you really experience some real "characters". About mid-day, an elder man came in to the wash happier than ever. He introduced himself as David with a big smile on his face and an arm reached out to shake mine. He politely asked for my name and made it very noticeable that he is having a magnificent day. Out of all the hundreds of people that I have seen come in and out of that wash, I never saw anyone any more happy than I saw Mr. David that day. He got his wash, smiled and waved at us and said "God is good" to us.
What Mr. David just did right there was sprinkle a little salt in all of our lives. Salt makes you thirsty right? Mr. David came in with such joy that it left most of us curious why this man is so happy. The only clue he left us to his happiness is that God is good. That is all he needed to say. He didn't come in and try to preach the Gospel to everyone he saw and He didn't try to explain the amazing works God is doing in his life. Granted, neither of those are bad things at all but in a situation like that all he really needed to do is exactly what he did. Mr. David didn't come in and dump salt on us, all he did was sprinkle just a little bit leaving us thirsty for what he had.
When I go out into the world I want to stand out like Mr. David. I want to sprinkle salt all around so thirsty people will come and drink of water that forever quenches. It is hard to be different from the world when your flesh desires the pleasures of the world but it is worth it to take the step towards light, sprinkle some salt and forever be thirsty no more.
Just a couple days ago we were having an ordinary day at the car wash. When you see a hundred different people every day you really experience some real "characters". About mid-day, an elder man came in to the wash happier than ever. He introduced himself as David with a big smile on his face and an arm reached out to shake mine. He politely asked for my name and made it very noticeable that he is having a magnificent day. Out of all the hundreds of people that I have seen come in and out of that wash, I never saw anyone any more happy than I saw Mr. David that day. He got his wash, smiled and waved at us and said "God is good" to us.
What Mr. David just did right there was sprinkle a little salt in all of our lives. Salt makes you thirsty right? Mr. David came in with such joy that it left most of us curious why this man is so happy. The only clue he left us to his happiness is that God is good. That is all he needed to say. He didn't come in and try to preach the Gospel to everyone he saw and He didn't try to explain the amazing works God is doing in his life. Granted, neither of those are bad things at all but in a situation like that all he really needed to do is exactly what he did. Mr. David didn't come in and dump salt on us, all he did was sprinkle just a little bit leaving us thirsty for what he had.
When I go out into the world I want to stand out like Mr. David. I want to sprinkle salt all around so thirsty people will come and drink of water that forever quenches. It is hard to be different from the world when your flesh desires the pleasures of the world but it is worth it to take the step towards light, sprinkle some salt and forever be thirsty no more.
Sunday, July 17, 2011
The Time We Spend
"To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to reap that which is planted.
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.
A time to get and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."
-Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8
Time is something we will never understand but something we should strive to manage. I'm writing this blog because I suck at time management and I know it. You always hear people say "I wish I had all the time in the world". We all want enough time to work, read, go to the movies, play music, be with our significant other, relax, etc. We can only wish. Since we don't have all the time in the world, how you spend your time really shows your priorities. It is easier to come home after working all day to sit down and watch hours of The Office and eating hot cheetos, believe me I know. But how far will that get me?
I know God wants me to use more of my time wisely for Him and spend it with Him. I can't tell God that I love Him and then never want to spend time in His word and singing worship. No one just automatically loves God because He is God. You have to spend time and develop a relationship with God just like you have to do with everyone else. I don't think I am the only person that God wants more of my time. I am sure there are others that God is itching to spend time with. The thing with God is though it is not that He feels obligated to spend time with you and He would feel bad if He didn't. It is that he genuinely loves you and wants to build a relationship with you. Some people will read this and feel guilty about not spending enough time then they will read some Bible chapters, say a prayer and get on with your day. That is not what I am talking about. I don't want you to feel guilty and make you spend time with God. I want you to WANT to spend time with God. I want to want to spend time with God.
It is easy to say but harder to do. We can spend all day planning on how to make our days earthly productive by going to the pool, watching the latest movies and jamming to the latest tunes. I am not saying that any of these are bad in any such way, I am just saying don't let the time fly and forget to spend time with who should really be your best friend. I am going to try to take some time today and really strive for more. I hope you do the same.
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to reap that which is planted.
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to to mourn, and a time to dance.
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing.
A time to get and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace."
-Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8
Time is something we will never understand but something we should strive to manage. I'm writing this blog because I suck at time management and I know it. You always hear people say "I wish I had all the time in the world". We all want enough time to work, read, go to the movies, play music, be with our significant other, relax, etc. We can only wish. Since we don't have all the time in the world, how you spend your time really shows your priorities. It is easier to come home after working all day to sit down and watch hours of The Office and eating hot cheetos, believe me I know. But how far will that get me?
I know God wants me to use more of my time wisely for Him and spend it with Him. I can't tell God that I love Him and then never want to spend time in His word and singing worship. No one just automatically loves God because He is God. You have to spend time and develop a relationship with God just like you have to do with everyone else. I don't think I am the only person that God wants more of my time. I am sure there are others that God is itching to spend time with. The thing with God is though it is not that He feels obligated to spend time with you and He would feel bad if He didn't. It is that he genuinely loves you and wants to build a relationship with you. Some people will read this and feel guilty about not spending enough time then they will read some Bible chapters, say a prayer and get on with your day. That is not what I am talking about. I don't want you to feel guilty and make you spend time with God. I want you to WANT to spend time with God. I want to want to spend time with God.
It is easy to say but harder to do. We can spend all day planning on how to make our days earthly productive by going to the pool, watching the latest movies and jamming to the latest tunes. I am not saying that any of these are bad in any such way, I am just saying don't let the time fly and forget to spend time with who should really be your best friend. I am going to try to take some time today and really strive for more. I hope you do the same.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
There Is Something About Writing
There is something about writing that makes it different. Maybe it is the fact that you can write anything at anytime to anyone. When you are writing you don't have to hold back what you really mean, you can really say it. You can say it in as many sentences as you want with as many exclamation points as you want. Maybe it sticks out because the computer doesn't judge what you type or the paper doesn't laugh at what you write. And probably the best part about writing is that you can check over every word you say before you hit submit. You can act however you want to act, sound how smart you want to sound or talk the way you want to talk.
I started this blog a couple years ago because my head was filled with tons of thoughts and encouragement I wanted/want to spread. Through out these years I have been through my highest ups and my lowest downs. I have climbed to the top of the mountain and crumbled right back down to the bottom but I never stopped writing. I never stopped doing what I thought I should do. This blog never once said "Alin, you sinned way too much today, you are not allowed to write anymore". In no way was my own strength and attitude enough to keep me writing but the strength of God in me that encouraged me to get back up. It was His Word that came into my life that changed everything about it. It was not the fifty hour work weeks that kept me writing. It was not the arguing downstairs that kept me writing. It was not the punches from friends and family that kept me writing. It is mere strength, strength from God.
I honestly don't believe God called me to be a writer but I will take advantage of this nifty thing called the internet. I will not stop writing. I pray that the words of encouragement written on this blog are God's words through me. Amen.
I started this blog a couple years ago because my head was filled with tons of thoughts and encouragement I wanted/want to spread. Through out these years I have been through my highest ups and my lowest downs. I have climbed to the top of the mountain and crumbled right back down to the bottom but I never stopped writing. I never stopped doing what I thought I should do. This blog never once said "Alin, you sinned way too much today, you are not allowed to write anymore". In no way was my own strength and attitude enough to keep me writing but the strength of God in me that encouraged me to get back up. It was His Word that came into my life that changed everything about it. It was not the fifty hour work weeks that kept me writing. It was not the arguing downstairs that kept me writing. It was not the punches from friends and family that kept me writing. It is mere strength, strength from God.
I honestly don't believe God called me to be a writer but I will take advantage of this nifty thing called the internet. I will not stop writing. I pray that the words of encouragement written on this blog are God's words through me. Amen.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Communication
Communication is known as one of the most essential elements to a humans life. Why do you think Facebook is infiltrated with countless numbers of people trying to stay in contact with the world? Nobody wants to fall off the map of communication. We are all talking, texting, messaging, calling people every single day. The words that come out of our mouths affect each and every person around you.
After working at a car wash for a short amount of time, I quickly realized how communication affects everything. When I have a smile on and a hop in my step, people will communicate back with a positive attitude. If I am tired and just have a bad attitude, looks like I'm not going home with much money that day. If communication affects my work life, won't it affect my Christian life? Absolutely!
The way I decide to talk to people and handle the way they talk to me is huge. I recently ventured upon a situation to where somebody was talking to a close friend of mine and about some life decisions and situations, it seemed as though the person meant very well for my friend but from my point of view, this person came off with bad communication. I later talked to my friend about and he explained that the way the person talked to him was a complete turnoff and not helpful at all BECAUSE the communication was bad.
You could be giving advice to Christians, helping non-Christians, texting a friend, selling at work for commission, or just talking to a family member. If your communication is off, then everything else will be off as well. Don't let your conversations go to waste. Just with a simple step up in your attitude you'll go more than miles in life.
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger -Proverbs 15:1
Prayer:
Father, may we look to our words before we use them. May we change our heart, so that our attitudes portrayed may change. Let us be helpful, not hurtful. Let us communicate with purpose.
After working at a car wash for a short amount of time, I quickly realized how communication affects everything. When I have a smile on and a hop in my step, people will communicate back with a positive attitude. If I am tired and just have a bad attitude, looks like I'm not going home with much money that day. If communication affects my work life, won't it affect my Christian life? Absolutely!
The way I decide to talk to people and handle the way they talk to me is huge. I recently ventured upon a situation to where somebody was talking to a close friend of mine and about some life decisions and situations, it seemed as though the person meant very well for my friend but from my point of view, this person came off with bad communication. I later talked to my friend about and he explained that the way the person talked to him was a complete turnoff and not helpful at all BECAUSE the communication was bad.
You could be giving advice to Christians, helping non-Christians, texting a friend, selling at work for commission, or just talking to a family member. If your communication is off, then everything else will be off as well. Don't let your conversations go to waste. Just with a simple step up in your attitude you'll go more than miles in life.
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger -Proverbs 15:1
Prayer:
Father, may we look to our words before we use them. May we change our heart, so that our attitudes portrayed may change. Let us be helpful, not hurtful. Let us communicate with purpose.
Friday, June 17, 2011
Are you content with your life
"Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." - Romans 12:11
I've heard and seen of many people who are perfectly content with their life and what they have. I have also heard and seen of many people who are always wanting more and more. More money, more cars, more electronics, more facebook friends. How about more God? How about more blessings? How about more scripture?
I DON'T want to be content with my life nor do I want to be chasing after items. If I chase after God, the blessings will chase me! I believe God has something big in store for each of us, I honestly do. Because of this, I'm not going to be content with just being a day to day Christian that gets day to day blessings to make it by. I want God to truly bless me! I want Him to lavish things upon me that I would never dream to ask for. And whatever God pours upon me I want to pour it back upon Him. Is it wrong that I want God to bless me in extravagant ways? Absolutely not! God is a God of blessings. He wants to bless in the most amazing way possible but we just make it so incredibly hard for Him to bless us because were too worried trying to get our own worldly blessings. Were to busy saving up for that car or spending time at the movies enjoying our own time that we lost track of where our time and money needs to be. When I start directing every area of my life towards God, He is going to start directing blessings into every area of my life.
Don't be ashamed to ask God to bless you.
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." - Matthew 7:7
For the past couple months I have been asking God to always bless me with the bare minimum to get by. It is time I start asking God for some real blessings. It is time I start praising God in some serious ways. It is time I take my relationship with God to the next level. I no longer want to be content with everything in my life. I want more of God. I guarantee you you want more too! Please don't miss out on amazing extravagant opportunities and blessings from God.
I've heard and seen of many people who are perfectly content with their life and what they have. I have also heard and seen of many people who are always wanting more and more. More money, more cars, more electronics, more facebook friends. How about more God? How about more blessings? How about more scripture?
I DON'T want to be content with my life nor do I want to be chasing after items. If I chase after God, the blessings will chase me! I believe God has something big in store for each of us, I honestly do. Because of this, I'm not going to be content with just being a day to day Christian that gets day to day blessings to make it by. I want God to truly bless me! I want Him to lavish things upon me that I would never dream to ask for. And whatever God pours upon me I want to pour it back upon Him. Is it wrong that I want God to bless me in extravagant ways? Absolutely not! God is a God of blessings. He wants to bless in the most amazing way possible but we just make it so incredibly hard for Him to bless us because were too worried trying to get our own worldly blessings. Were to busy saving up for that car or spending time at the movies enjoying our own time that we lost track of where our time and money needs to be. When I start directing every area of my life towards God, He is going to start directing blessings into every area of my life.
Don't be ashamed to ask God to bless you.
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." - Matthew 7:7
For the past couple months I have been asking God to always bless me with the bare minimum to get by. It is time I start asking God for some real blessings. It is time I start praising God in some serious ways. It is time I take my relationship with God to the next level. I no longer want to be content with everything in my life. I want more of God. I guarantee you you want more too! Please don't miss out on amazing extravagant opportunities and blessings from God.
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