philippians musings...

so, i'm doing this bible study and we had this little assignment to turn philippians 4:6-7 into a negative statement...i thought it was pretty fitting for how we should live our lives (the real philippians verse) and how we really do live our lives (the negative version.)  i wanted to share.  something good to think about.  can you tell which one is the real one and which one was the neg. example???

"do not be calm about anything but in everything, by dwelling on it constantly and feeling picked on by God, with thoughts like 'and this is the thanks i get,' present your aggravations to everyone you know but Him.  and the acid in your stomach, which transends all milk products, will cause you an ulcer, and the doctor bills will cause you a heart attack and you will lose your mind"

or....

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. and the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

which one are you??

woah

some days...

some days i am so discouraged with where i seem to be with my faith and my journey and....well, once i read a quote by chuck swindoll that something about how we rarely stand still in our faith and that if we aren't moving forward than we must be moving backwards...  i've thought about that quote a lot and wondered where i stood in my life.  and especially "lately."  lately meaning the past few years. 

but then i have a night like tonight where i am in this place where i never thought i would be and with people that i mostly didn't want to be around and God was there...and i was able to talk and point out some of His truths to someone who doesn't know Him.  and i thought that had i never been in that place with those people, maybe that link in her chain to God would be missing (not that she couldn't get there without ME!!)...but i felt like His mouthpiece tonight and i knew that the part of my personality that hates lies and loves the truth, the part that is passionate beyond all reason about this faith that i'm still trying to figure out, the part that sometimes values honesty over wisdom was used to honor Him and i trust that He was at work tonight. (wow, was that a super run-on sentance?)  these are the moments that i know that where i am is where i am supposed to be.  i question that often.  but i know that singing in the church that i'm singing in and bringing those cds tonight and her listening and hearing what the pastor had to pray...i KNOW that it's all part of His plan to woo this woman who is terrified to even begin to take a step.

God, how do you even allow me to talk about you?  i know that  i am a terrible example of what a Christ follower is sometimes but i am humbled tonight that you allowed me to speak...  i pray that you would plant seeds in her heart and that somewhere along the line she will want to delve deeper.  your mercy is beyond comprehension.  i am so thankful for your mercy and your grace that i so don't deserve. 

the best compliment of my life...

the best compliment of my life came yesterday by way of my urugauian co-worker who said, "you aren't like the christian-types that i've met.  you seem so much more real"  and then she walked away!  what!?  i wanted to run up to her and hug her and tell her that all my life i've been waiting to hear that...

more later.....

i am thankful.