Being Blessed

Each and every day when I wake up, I realize how truly blessed I am. I mean, first of all, God woke me up today, right? He allowed me to have at least a few more hours of life on this planet, right? He keeps my heart beating and my lungs working and my eyes blinking, and every other intricate part of my body working, right? It is not until we start to realize that being blessed doesn't only mean we have a "good life". If you are alive, you are blessed. So many (and I have definitely been guilty of this, too) think that they are only  blessed if they get that new car they wanted or if they get that promotion they've been wanting. But this just simply isn't the case. And, once this is realized, life become even more amazing.

Make sure you are constantly thanking God for your life- not just for the things in it.

Image courtesy of [graur razvan ionut] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

A Christian in College

Image courtesy of [scottchan] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

"It's like being a cat in a room full of dogs."

Well, that pretty much explains it. And I could leave it at that, but I won't. I will be starting my senior year in college this fall (yay, me!!),  but let me tell you- it has been HARD. And let me just say this before I continue....you hear all of those statistics about how so many people lose their faith and walk away from the church, but I am so proud to say that I actually found Jesus while I was in college. I guess I'm an exception, but I feel like this is important for you to know before reading the rest of this. And that is because I used to be one of those "secular students". And by secular, I mean wordly, not focused on God and letting the devil take hold of me. This all changed dramatically during my sophomore year of college (yeah, that's a different topic) and, after that, I started really understanding how wrong the average person's "college life" is.

"They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity." Ephesians 4:18-19

 A lot of kids think that going to college is going to be so fun. Not because they are going to be filling their minds with new material and information, but because they get to be away from their parents and on their own and without any restrictions. And, frankly, most KIDS go crazy once they hit college. Many drop out because they didn't prepare for learning, just for parties. Some stay in school but make the lowest grades possible just to get by, because they are more focused on the parties and events.
Now, don't get me wrong. I don't think participating in events (if they are appopriate) in college is wrong. No, I encourage these things. But that all depends on if you can handle it. It's important to remember that classes come first and if you can't join that club because you'll have to skip class, yeah- don't do that. Don't even think about it. I am a student ambassador for my school. This entails giving tours to people looking at the campus. This takes a lot of time. But, I only do it because I know that I can handle it and balance it along with my other needs.
But, back to the main point here. What I'm trying to get at is that it's really difficult to be a Christian in college and maintain your faith. Each and every day you have to fight temptation and walk past inappropriate situations and circumstances. But, I truly believe that after the 4 (or 5, or 6, or however long it takes) years are over, it makes you that much stronger. After I was saved, I thought "there's no way I can do this. I can't be a true Christian and still be in college." But, then my attitude changed. And now I think of it like "hey, there all these people here that are lost. They either left the church or they were never in it to begin with. And I actually have the possibility to help here." Yeah, that's right- help. 

"I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace." Ephesians 4:1-3

As a Christian, you should be ministering to everyone around you all the time. This includes when going to school. Now, I'm not telling you to go around shoving the Book down people's throats. No. BUT. People notice things. People notice how you dress, how you act and what you do. By not dressing immodestly, for example, like so many other girls do in college (you know, the booty shorts and super tight shirts) you're already standing out. And this isn't a bad thing. You should strive to be different and to be a guiding light everywhere (in this case, in college) and never want to lower your standards just to fit in with the other people. 

"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm." Psalms 20:7-8

You Have Brought Me Back To Life

 

Really reflecting today on how amazing my Creator is. I thank Him for who He is. His caring and loving nature. No matter how many times we turn away from Him, He's right there waiting for us with open arms. The God who created everything....the big things....the small things.....He cares for it all. Every human heartbeat is controlled by Him. Every creatures breath is controlled by Him. Every gust of wind.......that was Him. I will never be able to fully show God how much I love Him. Nothing I ever do will be enough. And He's ok with that. We just have to surrender our lives to Him. Put Him first. And the rest He will effortlessly and beautifully take care of.

Oh taste and see that the Lord is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him.
Psalms 34:8


Check out this song by Hillsong Young & Free. "Back to Life"