The Way.

Have you ever been lost or been to someplace that was unfamiliar to you?

Starting at one end of your house, imagine yourself walking to the other end using a familiar pathway. This is easy because you know the way and you are familiar with the path. Now go back to the starting point and try doing it again but with your eyes closed. You walk slower. Run into things. You're more careful. You get disoriented. You get lost.

When you know God's ways you know then deep down. You know them 'with your eyes closed.' God fills you with wisdom to lead, guide, and direct you in your life.

We must always trust God in the paths that he takes us. We may not like it sometimes but it's all perfectly planned out for you and I.

Failure.

There has got to be one point in your life where you felt you just failed someone or something. That happen to me today. I didn't know what was wrong. I did everything perfectly and it just hit me. Failure.

What was God trying to tell me? I have no clue. It always happens to me. Maybe it's just a sign? I was talking to my friend and he told me that it's something i can learn from and not keep myself down on the ground. It's just another obstacle that God placed in front of me and i have to tackle it. Who knows when i'll succeed but if i try my best then i'm sure it'll be fine.

It was just a slap in the face. Basically felt like someone ripped my heart out and stomped on it then attempting to put it back as if nothing happen. Yeah, failure hurts but we need to know that it's another thing that God puts in our path. In Him, anything is possible.

Tears might be shed. Hearts may be broken but it's just a challenge for a mighty warrior.

It's Perfect.

God has a plan for you. A plan beyond your wildest dreams. Did you know that the desires deep within you, the passions that move you deeply, the stuff you care about the most, the things in the world you most want to see changed, the stuff that can most quickly bring a tear to your eye or a smile, what most deeply satisfies you are all things that can lead you to God's purpose for you and your life.

We may not think that something bad that happens is part of God's plan but, it actually is. He planned it so perfectly that you need to take the fact that it is. We may struggle with many different things but everyone struggles. We all have these highs and lows in our lives. We may not like it but, it's a plan that was made perfectly and just for you.

I've struggled with many things last year. From dislocating my knee to a fire before show time. It was a really hard year and i didn't understand why God did that to me but now, i realize that he did it for a purpose. He planned it so that i can conquer each of these challenges and it'll lead to making my faith stronger.

Go Here.

Psalm 25:4-10

⁴ Show me your ways, LORD,
teach me your paths.
⁵ Guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.
⁶ Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love,
for they are from of old.
⁷ Do not remember the sins of my youth
and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
for you, LORD, are good.

⁸ Good and upright is the LORD;
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
⁹ He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.
¹⁰ All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.

God never fails to lead you in the path of righteousness. He's the way, the truth, and the light. We often stray away from God and no realize until afterwards. I, personally, have gone astray and i regret it. I didn't realize that i've gone so far and i was ashamed afterwards. Once i finished talking to my counselors i realized that God is a forgiving God and he loves us very much. He is our comforter and our shield. Our way to Heaven. He's always there no matter where you go.

Is It Clear?

Matthew 6:22-23

²² “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. ²³ But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

Have you ever tried on someone else's glasses? Or taken your own off and it was all blurry?
When we see clearly the whole world is just beautiful but, when we can't it's full of mystery and nothing seems to be clear. Do you look for good or evil? Think about where your soul gets its 'glasses'.

I often stumble on the obstacles that God sets for me and i find that it blurs my vision of him. I start to wonder whether or not he is actually there. (I know it's kinda bad but it's true)
After reading this passage, it taught me to keep my eyes focused on God and not let anything be in the way of the path that he has set up for me.

Just Do It.

Luke 15:8-10

⁸ “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn’t she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? ⁹ And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’¹⁰ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Have you ever lost something and had to look everywhere for it? Maybe it was your phone, keys, or something like that. As you put the things that are important in safe places, think about God. Do you ever lose touch with him? How hard do you search? Are you delighted when you find him?

Look at the stuff that hid the things you value. Where are the things in your life that hide God? What buries the kingdom and makes you forget? Some of those things you can keep, but they will need to be put where they aren't in the what of what really matters.

Maybe some stuff has to go. Some of those decisions are easy, some hard. God may see value in things you thought were worthless, or he may want you to get rid of something you wanted to hoard.

It's tough to forget things when they mean so much but are you willing to do it for God? He has a perfect path set up for you.

Pebble.

I'm pretty sure you've seen a rock or pebble before. It's impossible to find 2 of the same one. They're all unique. There are always dents on the rock and the dents are made by other rocks rubbing onto each other.

Imagine yourself holding the pebble in your hand. God holds you in the warmth of his hand, turning you gently, searching your surface for flaws and rough places. We have our struggles that block us from continuing our path with God. Talking to God is the best way to get rid of those struggles and challenges. He's always there for us.

Still ponds don't make pebbles. It takes moving water, like a river or the sea. The water takes the rock on a journey and wears it smooth by rubbing it against other rocks.

How far have you traveled in the water of the Spirit?

Sometimes we fear that God will make us all into the same shape. No two are the same.

Where To Go?

2 Thessalonians 1:4

Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

I often hear myself saying, "God will provide." I find that with this in mind, it has kept me going.

Just now, i completed my course selections for Grade 12. I was pretty confident about what i had chosen but I'm not sure if my brain can take it next year. Throughout this past week I've been stressing out about what i should take next year. There were several courses out there for me but some needed pre-reqs (which i didn't have). I finally made my decision and clicked that submit button.

Only God knows where i'll be when i grow up. Will i have enough money to start a family? God knows. We have to trust him and tell ourselves that he will provide. He does many miraculous things and it's just incredible to see it in front of your own eyes.

We need to persevere and strive for the best. God has an amazing plan for each and every one of us and we need to listen to his voice. His plan is perfectly planned out.

Maps.

A map. What do you use it for? To lead you to a certain direction. Sometimes we take detours or there are stop signs, road blocks, sometimes road kills, or parked cars.

Think about how this relates to our walk with God.
This map, it's like our path that God has set for us. We'll have many obstacles and detours. Our walks with God aren't always perfect. We have our uphills and downhills.
God planned everything for us. We have our choices that we have to make.

We can either park ourselves, like the parked cars on the side of the road, symbolizing the downfalls that we have with Christ, we can stop at the stop sign.

What do you do when you stop at a stop sign? You stop, look around all ways, then go. When we stop at a stop sign we stop, and take a step back and look around us. What's going on with our friends, family, relatives, etc., when is the right time to make the decisions.

Sometimes we may feel that we are very far away from God. But God is alwasy near. Where is your spiritual home? Imagine God saying, "Welcome home!" Say to yourself, "I am home with God."

Walk In It.

Isaiah 31: 20b - 21 says: "he will be with you to teach you. You will see your teacher with your own eyes. Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, "This is the way you should go," whether to the right or to the left."

We may sometimes doubt God. I, personally, have done that. I didn't believe that I was walking in the right path. There were so many temptations that i just gave up on God. I didn't know where to walk.

After reading these verses, i realized that no matter how many challenges we face it's all made for a reason. He's planned everything out for us.

He's got his plan and we follow it. He's there no matter what. He's the one that leads us.

Fire.

It was just another Friday that passed by. Waking up, eating breakfast, then off to school.
Period 1: Math. all we did was review. i sat there not knowing what to do (cuz i fnished it the night before) and then i realized BIO QUIZ NEXT PERIOD! so i studied long and hard then BEEEEPPPP

Period 2: Bio. Started off like a regular quiz day. desks separated. bags on the floor and notes are out of sight. after we finished the quiz the teacher left the class to get something from another room. then all of a sudden BEEEEEEEPPPPP!

FIRE ALARM IS OFF! It was no drill. Why would they set a drill at THIS temperature it must have been - 10 AT LEAST. Some people were in SHORTS and a T-SHIRT (for gym) and some in T-SHIRT and skinnnies. and a few lucky ones managed to go to their locker and grab their jackets.
No one knew what was going on, all we saw was a bunch of tlea-ers walking towards the field. we stood outside for a good 45 min, clueless. none of the teachers knew what was going on. After 45 min of standing outside in the cold we had to move and go to an elementary school nearby. We totally bombarded their school and we chilled in the gym and library. Once we got back inside the school (after a good hour and a bit) we had to stay in our classrooms and wait for announcements. After they announced the period schedules it was already onto fourth period. No one was at school and so i decided to skip.
AND SO that was my school day (: what an amazing and unforgettable way to end of this stressful week.

THANKFULLY no one got hurt. I realized that although we had to suffer through the coldness outside and the horrible stench of the fire (caused by a cigar) it's NOTHING compared to what Jesus had to go through. HE sacrificed himself for YOU and I. He went through pain and suffering just for YOU. His pain is NOTHING compared to standing outside for 45 min in the cold. I know it was a horrible situation but i learned to thank God for keeping us safe and sacrificing himself.
Who knows what could have happened. The fire could have hit a gas pipe which will lead to the school EXPLODING!

Through these tough times we should thank God for them. We may not like how they work out but God's got your path set and ready for you.

So complex.

Last night as i studied for a bio quest i realized how complex we are.

The test was on the digestive system and respiratory system.
This made me realize how much God loves us. He spent HIS time to create each and every one of us. He made our insides and out. From taking a simple breath to swallowing food. He created a system for our body to follow. He focused on each and every one of us. He made us all special. We are all unique and there is only ONE of YOU in this UNIVERSE!

He created us with many different systems. We may feel like everyone is the same but in God's eyes, we are all different. We are made in a complex way. He keeps us all on track physically and spiritually. We all have our different ways in taking on a challenge but without God nothing can be done. We have to set aside time to thank Him for everything that He has done for us. From sacrificing HIS one and only son, Jesus Christ, to creating you!

We have our own complex brains and systems but without God, we wouldn't be here.

I Got This. Trust.

Don’t See How? God Will Make a Way.

Rick Warren

“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.”

(Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV)

You may be facing a dead end right now — financial, emotional, or relational — but if you will trust God and keep on moving in faith, even when you don’t see a way, he will make a way.

It will become more understandable as you head down the path he sets before you, but understanding is not a requirement for you to start down the path. Proverbs 4:18 says, “The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day” (NIV). One day you will stand in the full light of eternity and view the big picture. You’ll see God’s purpose behind the path he specifically chose for you.

In the meantime, do what Proverbs 3 says: “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.”

Be patient. God knows what he’s doing. God knows what is best for you. He can see the end result. You can’t. All those problems, heartaches, difficulties and delays — all the things that make you ask “why” — will one day be clear in the light of God’s love.

But for now, we’re learning to trust God.

TRUST. It’s something that we all have. May be big or small but we call have it. There may be times where we don’t trust anyone or the opposite of that, we trust someone a lot.

It’s something that we all have to work upon and can’t just leave it as that. When we say trust in the LORD with all our heart do we really do that or just say it. I know for me, it’s a struggle. I’ve faced many challenges and it seems that sometimes I ask God “Why Me?” then it all goes downhill.

He purposely chose these struggles for each and every one of us because he knows that there’s a way to get you out of it. It takes time and patience to work with God. Obedience is key in this relationship. If He tells us to go somewhere (for example a mission field) and we don’t want to we have to make a big decision.

We may not see the path that he has made for us right away but we need to stay focused and be mature about what he has set for us.

Guide Me.

We all like to be independent. Whether it be doing your own laundry or going off to university. We often think of when we’re independent we are by ourselves, no one’s there to tell you anything.

But let’s take a step back. Who was there to die for you? Who was there to forgive your every sin? Who was there to lead you when you were struggling?

JESUS CHRIST (:

He’s always there when we need help. He guides us and makes our every move. He knows each of our names, how many strands of hair we have on our head, and everything in between.

I, personally, forget that He’s up there waiting. But in the end I realize that anything is possible with Him.

It even says in Matthew 19:26, “Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

In the devotion for today Rick Warren says, “God made you so that you would not be able to see into the future no matter how much you try. Why did God do this? He did it so you would depend on him.”

I don’t know how else you can say it. He wants all of us to depend on Him.

He’s there for us and always will be.

Is that really you?

We often struggle with making decisions. From eating the last cookie to taking that huge step in our faith and getting baptized. I, personally, have struggled with many decisions. We face challenges every single day of our life. We may not know it but it’s true.

It may be hard to believe but YOU ARE PERFECT. No matter what way, shape, or form, God made you perfect. I’ve struggled with accepting that. A few years back I was the kid that was shy and casted aside. I never felt the feeling of not being lonely. This was a very hard time in my spiritual walk with God. I often questioned Him to see if He would answer me or at least give me a sign. One day I was sitting in the school office (because I got hurt) and I read a poem called: “Footprints In The Sand”

It says:

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,

“You promised me Lord,
that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”

The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”

I then thought that God never left me, He was always by my side. He didn’t want to see me sad, but I was. I soon realized that stepping out of my comfort zone was one of the hardest decisions that I’ve made at that time. I soon realized that taking chances and believing it or not, God wants to see you take that step. It was very hard to take at first but after a while I got the hang of it and I don’t regret a thing.

He leads us to many different places and gives us many challenges but there is always a reason for why He does them. You and I both have challenges in our lives and we have to accept that God gave it to us for a purpose. He’s almighty, all knowing, and our one true creator. He made you and I and he knew us before we were born.

We face many challenges but it’s up to you whether to follow them or not. Always remember that God is by your side no matter what. He never leaves you and He’s always there to talk.