fear of separation

Hey everyone!!

 

I'm so sorry I haven't been here in awhile. A lot of things have happened  in the past week and a half. To name a few...

• Been doing a lot of maid of honor duties for a couple of my best friends...yay!!
• Got a part time job as a bridal consultant! (One of my dream jobs...I'm obsessed with weddings). I started last Friday...God is good! :)
• Started a new class - "Perspectives: World Christian Movement" (I'll be talking about this more later!)
• Been celebrating my birthday! (It was yesterday). I'm 23! Wohoo!

 

So I've been busy and exhausted!! However, I absolutely love my job, but my body isn't really loving it right now. It's definitely getting used to it, but hey...it's helping me gain strength! So goal number #1 of 2013 is now scratched off the list...now onto goal #2. Have you reached any of your 2013 goals?

 

As a kid, I always had this fear of being separated from my parents especially when we were in crowded areas. The idea of being lost never felt good to me. So I was always sure to stay near by and pay attention to my surroundings so I wouldn't get separated from my parents. When you're a kid, it's easy to get lost because there are so many distractions and not to mention, you're little so it's hard to find your way. Have you ever struggled with the fear of separation?

 

Let's face it. It's easy to get separated from things. We don't like it when we're separated from our phone. We don't like it when we're separated from our car because it's in the shop. We don't like it when we're separated from our home. We don't like it when we're separated from our family. For whatever circumstance, we've been separated from something we love, however, there is one thing we will never be separated from...the love of Christ.

 

Romans 8:38-39 says, "For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

 

Bad things happen to us. We get separated from things we love, but one thing is for certain...the love of God will never be separated from us. His love has been nailed into us...into our sin...it can never be separated from us. Even when we mess up, His love never leaves us. No person, no thing, no event can separate us from the love of Christ. You know what my favorite part is though?

 

"Neither death, nor life...will be able to separate us from the love of God." I was driving home one day and this verse was read over the radio. I've heard it many, many times, but the Holy Spirit moved and hit my like a ton of bricks (in a good way!) Even when I die, I will never be separated from God's love. Even when I live, I will never be separated from God's love. Do you know what this means? You may have already realized this, but this was huge for me...God loved me before I was born. God loves me now. God loves me even when I pass away on this earth. He loves me from the beginning to the end. His love for me never stops. It lasts an eternity.

 

 

 

My friend, please know this,

God's love for you will never end.

Nothing can ever separate you from His love. Nothing. Rest in that truth.

 

 

The memory verse for the past 2 weeks  has been Matthew 5:16. I hope you've been cherishing it in your heart. Now, the memory verse for the next 2 weeks will be Romans 8:38-39 because I feel that this verse carries so much hope for us. I hope that you will join me in memorizing this amazing truth!

 

Today's scripture is Genesis 27-29. If you would like the reading plan, please email me!

 

 

 

 

A Bit of Heaven on Earth

I was watching the opening ceremony last night and obviously, it inspired me to write even though I just wrote yesterday! I'm on a roll! First of all, if you don't know me, let me let you in on a secret...I'm a tad bit sentimental. So bare with me if what I'm about to write seems a little far fetched or silly or emotional, but it just popped into my mind! I'm not going to critique the ceremony or talk about the funny moments of Mr. Bean or the queen and James Bond (even though it was pretty entertaining), but I'm going to talk about the hope I found in the ceremony. You may be wondering, "What hope? The hope that team USA is going to win? The hope that the media is finally going to stop talking about Ralph Lauren's opening ceremony outfits?" Nope, I'm not going to talk about either. So enough with all this chit chat, let me get to the point. I had a glimpse of heaven while I was watching the ceremony. No, I don't think heaven is going to look like London, however, you never know! What made me think of heaven was when I saw the flags from the different countries on the hill surrounding the tree, the eight people carrying the olympic flag, and the thousands of excited athletes. All these people from around the world have finally arrived to this one place after four years (or more) of intense training to practice their skills and abilities. Aside from the competition aspect, I saw heaven in the faces of the ecstatic people. I saw heaven in the dancing. I saw heaven in the music. I saw heaven in the community. I saw heaven in the excitement from around the world. Everyone is talking about the olympics. It's one of the few times that the whole world comes together for a positive reason. The fact that 204 countries, 10, 902 athletes and billions of people watching the events are all involved together blows me away. It reminds me of heaven because all people of different cultures and walks of life will meet together for one reason....belief in Christ Jesus for their salvation. Revelation 15:4 says, "'Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For You alone are holy; For ALL THE NATIONS WILL COME AND WORSHIP BEFORE YOU, FOR YOUR RIGHTEOUS ACTS HAVE BEEN REVEALED.'" Just like the excited athletes, everyone in heaven will be more than excited. Who wouldn't be excited about no pain, no tears, no war, no sorrow (the list goes on)? Revelation 7:16-17 says, "They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them,nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes." Not to mention, we as a body of believers, will be reunited with Jesus. I don't know about you, but it sounds like a party to me! So we should be inviting people to this party. Matthew 28:19-20, also known as the Great Commision, says, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Now I'm not saying the olympics are heaven, all I'm saying is that it was a good reminder of what heaven will be like. So what does heaven look like to you? Who are you going to invite to the biggest party of all ages?! Be blessed! Enjoy the olympics :)