I will praise You in this storm!

“In our lives there is bound to come some pain, surely as there are storms and falling rain; just believe that the One who holds the storms will bring the sun.”


All of us face storms in our life at one time or another. Some storms are big and scary storms that seem to last forever, others are small storms that just get us a little dreary and gloom. No matter how big or small these storms are, they make life difficult for us. Question is, why do we have storms in our life? Why does God allow these storms to come into our lives? Well, in the 1st place, no one, not even Jesus said that life would be easy. Life isn't easy, that's for sure. But another thing that we can be sure about is that God is walking through it with us.

It's very easy to praise God for the things He has done for us when everything is bright and sunny, when things just seem to be going the right direction. It's easy to praise God when we are not facing any difficulties in our life. Why wouldn't we praise God? I mean everything is going just perfect! But what about when we are facing tough times in our lives? Do we praise God in these storms? Even when it is so hard to, the answer is Yes. We praise God, because when God allows a storm to come into our life, He has a reason for it, and He will either calm the storm for us, or He will just ride through it with us. God will never leave us in the storm. So we will praise God, because we know that He is with us.

So why does God put us through these storms? There are 2 main reasons:

1.To change our stubborn thinking and mindsets, so that we can walk in His direction.
This can be seen in the example of Jonah. You see, Jonah was running away from God's calling of going to Nineveh to preach. He got onto a ship and then faced a violent storm. Well, it's a long story, but eventually Jonah was thrown overboard the ship into the sea as he is identified by the sailors for causing the storm as he has incurred God'd wrath. But well, that was not the end of Jonah. In Jonah 1:17, it says "But the Lord provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights." Isn't this wonderful? God didn't let Jonah die in the storm. God was riding with Jonah through the storm, sending a big fish to help Jonah keep alive in the storm! Well, to cut the story short, after spending the time in the fish stomach, Jonah finally soften his heart to God's calling and went to Nineveh to preach against it, thus saving the entire city from God's judgment. You see, this storm that God puts Jonah through was obviously aimed at softening Jonah's stubborness against the calling of God. Aren't we like Jonah sometimes, refusing to listen to the will of God and thus facing a storm that God put in our life? I myself admit to this. But do not be disheartened, God put this storm in our life only for our own good, and He will ride through it with us.

2.To make us depend on His power.
Many a times, when we are so blessed and have lived a sunny life for too long, we get a little complacent and forgot God's blessing upon our life. We will tend to feel that we do not need God in our life anymore. When this happen, God will put a storm in our life to remind us that we still need to depend on Him as we are not as great we think we are. In Mark 4:35~41, we see that Jesus and his disciples were in a boat when a storm caught them. At that point of time, Jesus was still asleep. So the storm was really violent and the disciples got scared. So they woke Jesus up and Jesus rebuked the winds, calming the storm in the end. After that, the disciples were rebuked for having no faith because they were afraid. In this case, the storm was calmed. All that was intended was for the disciples to learn that they had to depend on Jesus and for them to realise their own state of faithlessness. I believe that before this, the disciples were probably thinking that they were mighty and strong in their faith. The storm made them realise their weakness and made them lean onto Jesus for help. This is true in our lives as well. Sometimes we will face storms in our life to make us realise that we are not as great as we thought we are and we eventually still need to go back to God for His strength and protection. But we do not have to fret, because God is in control all along and the storm will eventually be calmed.

In conclusion:

God puts these storms in our lives only for our own good, to make us learn, and that He is always looking after us, either by riding through the storm with us or by calming the storm in the end.

“May God give you... For every storm a rainbow, for every tear a smile, for every care a promise and a blessing in each trial. For every problem life sends, a faithful friend to share, for every sigh a sweet song and an answer for each prayer.”

I heart me ♥

You don’t have to travel too far around the world to discover very quickly that God loves variety. He’s made all kinds of shapes, sizes, colors, intensities; an incredible variety in our world.

Talking specifically about you and me, there are 3 verses in the Bible that say important truths about us:

Psalm 139:13 (Good News), “You (God) created every part of me. You put me
together in my mother’s womb.”
Vs. 14 (LB), “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous.”
Job 10:8, “Your hands shaped me and made me.”

From these verses you can take some obvious principles:

1. I am unique. You are unique. There is nobody else in the world like you or me. There never will be. When God made you He broke the mold. You won’t find two people in the whole world who have the same footprint or fingerprint or voiceprint. Why did God make you different from every person who’s ever lived? Because He wants you to know how special you are, how much you matter to God.

2. We are wonderfully complex. You might say, ok define complex? If you check the dictionary definition, something complex is characterized by a very complicated or involved arrangement of parts, units, etc. The fact is we are so complex that many times we are a mystery to ourselves.

• Have you ever said something and later thought, ‘What was I thinking when I said that?”

• Have you ever felt a certain way and later thought, “Why do I feel thisway? What’s happening to me?”

• Have you ever been in a group and everybody reacted one way to a circumstance and you found yourself reacting in the exact opposite way to everyone else in the group? Inside you’re thinking, “What’s wrong with me?” There’s nothing wrong with you, you’re just unique.

3. We were shaped for a purpose! God created everything in the world for a purpose, the Bible says, including you.

• You’re not here by accident. You’re not just taking up space. God made you for a reason.

• You were designed by God and it was His idea. It’s not a mistake. You were planned before birth. God did not simply sit down at a computer and randomly access a bunch of components and threw them all together and out came you.

• The Bible clearly says that you were purposefully, personally and orderly planned and designed by God. Check this out: His loving hand made you exactly the way you are. You are you because God wanted you to be you. Isn't that awesome!

• Your uniqueness is what God wants you to offer to the world. He wants you to be special :)

So just tell yourself this:
God made me. God loves me.


Btw check out this song!!
Group 1 Crew-Live out Loud
here's the Youtube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=220bES6hV-k
here's the lyrics link:
http://www.metrolyrics.com/live-out-loud-lyrics-group-1-crew.html
It's amazing and speaks about how amazing God created you and me :D

New Year, new challenges

A single word can be a powerful thing. It can be the ripple in the pond that changes everything. It can be sharp and biting or rich and soft and slow. Can you identify a single word that sums up what you want for yourself in 2009?

It can be something tangible or intangible. It could be a thought or a feeling or an emotion. It can be singular or plural. The key is to find something that has personal meaning for you. This is not someone else's word - this is YOUR word. One little word can have big meaning in your life if you allow yourself to be open to the possibilities.

New Year is the time to unfold new horizons and realize new dreams, to rediscover the strength and faith within you, to rejoice in simple pleasures and gear up for new challenges.

Take some time this week to think about your own word for 2009!

And in case you were wondering, my word for 2009 is give.

Wishing you a truly fulfilling New Year!!

Today

At the end of today, if it has been preoccupied with thoughts of enjoyment that might be coming, we will find that we have lost something valuable that will be gone forever. Today! In hoping to be happy about something in the future, instead of being happy right now, we are missing out. We often want more time, more money for that new purchase, a better job, better health. The list may be long. This is such a waste because there are probably many things to feel really good about each day. Unfortunately we are encouraged to dwell on things that we have yet to acquire. If we were bombarded with daily reminders of how lucky we are and how much we have to be happy about, we would retire at night with wonderful days behind us.

"No matter what looms ahead, if you can eat today, enjoy the sunlight today, mix good cheer with friends today, then enjoy it and bless God for it. Do not look back on happiness or dream of it in the future. You are only sure of today; do not let yourself be cheated of it." - Henry Ward Beecher

Our day should be free of other stresses and worries. An analysis of a bad event that has happened, or may happen, can be worthwhile in determining a course of action. Beyond that, to continue worrying about it is a completely useless waste of time and is harmful to our health. Worry does not help the future experience and could make it worse, and the past cannot be changed.

"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could, some blunders and absurdities have crept in. Forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

So enjoy yourself today because it is not coming back.

Friendship 101

Good friendship is healthy but it isn't easy for everyone. It’s OK if you don’t fit in with ‘majority’, but sometimes we are so unique that we are left all alone, with no friends. This is why I'm writing a quick and simple 6 step guide on how you can find friends, and keep them. I don't guarantee much, but hey! at least you tried.. right? Even though having many friends may not guarantee happiness; it still may play a key role in our lives.

So let's start..
1. Find your old friends. The first thing you should do before gettig new friends is finding your old ones. We've all had friends at some point of our lives: school, work, church, etc. Old friends are easy to re-establish a connection with: just ring or email; don’t feel shy about it, as they’ll likely be delighted to hear from you and they’ll want to get you caught up on all their news.

If this isn't a good idea then we're back to square one. There are lots of reasons why you might want to be brave and develop some new relationships. Perhaps you’ve moved away from all your friends. Perhaps you’re deliberately been seeking to put the past behind you. So you're next option is..

2. Find another lonely person. If you find yourself lonely and pathetic, you need to find someone else that is going through the same stage that you are going through. Maybe someone else has the qualities you have, or likes the same things you like. Try and look for them. Maybe if you go to the places you like to go, or do the things you like to do.. you'll find people to spend time with. Example: There's normally more than one lonely person in a park, right? So, why not go talk to them? Don't get me wrong! I don't mean that you should stalk them, and freak them out (remember that if you scare them away, we're back to zero) so just be friendly. Remember: "Friendship improves happiness and abates misery by the doubling of our joy and the dividing of our grief." - Marcus Cicero

3. Make them like you. After you've found someone to talk to..then..getting people to like you is the starting point, and that should be fairly easy to do. People have a basic need to be liked themselves. Show interest, appreciation, and kindness. Smile. Praise given out sincerely is a great act of friendship. Be a good listener and try to see the good, not the bad qualities in people. These actions will usually be returned to you, sooner or later. (Hopefully sooner than later)

4. Once you’ve made contact, stay in touch. Now that you have someone to talk to, then you have to keep in touch. Remember: Communication is the key in friendships. I find Facebook very useful for keeping track of all my friends – almost everyone I know uses it, and it’s an easy way to see what everyone’s up to. Email is also great, since it’s instantaneous and free.

5. Hang out. Now that you've got a friend, now you can have some fun. I love spending time with my friends, and doing fun stuff with them. Don't go back to your routine of being lonely and pathetic. Take care of your friendship and help it grow. Example: Your new friendship is like a plant. It has to grow, but in order to grow it needs some help. You need to feed it, give it some air, and light. Only with care and love will it grow. So take care of your friend(s) and appreciate them!!

6. Keep your friend(s). Lastly, as a friend, try to let an unfavorable incident or remark fly right over the top of your head. We all blurt out something stupid or do something regrettable at times, and it's so nice when the other acts as if it never happened. Simply, be a friend to your friends.

Ok so, those are my 6 step guide to how a person can find friends and keep them. I've honestly never tried them, but I have tons of friends so I think they should work! lol.

Remember: "The rule of friendship means there should be mutual sympathy between them, each supplying what the other lacks and trying to benefit the other, always using friendly and sincere words."

Because the only way to have a friend is to be one. . .

What's your reason?

I've been talking about living life, and about making an impact with your life, so I think I should talk about the meaning I've found in life.

Since the dawn of time, the ultimate question has been asked in a number of ways. "Why do we exist?", "What is the meaning of life?", and "Does God exist?" My answer to these questions are that yes God does exist, and He created you with a purpose.

It only makes sense to ask "What is the meaning of life?" if we believe that life was created for a reason. If life simply evolved on Earth by accident, if we just happen to be here, then life cannot have any meaning. Life can only have meaning if it was created for a purpose. If there is no Creator, then there can be no meaning of life.Of course, people can try to find meaning in life without believing in a Creator. We can set ourselves goals—wealth, fame, helping others—and decide to devote our lives to achieving them. If we do this, then in some sense our lives seem to become about achieving wealth, or fame, or whatever, to take on that meaning. It seems possible to impose meaning on life through our own decisions and desires.

Most people who ask "What is the meaning of life?" really mean something like "What goals should we set ourselves?" There is a misunderstanding here, however; meaning cannot be imposed on life through our decisions and desires. The attempt to impose meaning on a life that would otherwise be devoid of meaning fails.

People can try to find meaning in life without believing in a Creator in just the same way as they can try to find meaning in random scribbles or in clouds. If one looks at a cloud hard enough for long enough and applies enough wishful thinking then one can find a hint of a familiar face or object, and try to project this meaning onto it. That doesn’t make a cloud a portrait, though; it doesn’t give it true meaning. Thinking that the meaning of life is the pursuit of our self-set goals is like seeing a face in a cloud and calling it a portrait. The true meaning of life depends on the reason for our creation. If we want to find the meaning of life then we need to ask why we were put here.

Christianity gives one answer to this question. The reason that we are here is that God created us to have a relationship with him. This is why God created a universe fit for human life, and why He laid down guidelines for how to live our lives. According to the Bible, each one of us is created for communion with God; God wants to know us, to love us, and to rejoice with us. In the Bible God tells us that the barrier to this relationship is sin, but since Jesus gave His life for us (John 3:16), then God heals that relationship, removes that barrier no matter how great it has become, and restores us.

If the world around you doesn't fulfill your expectations, and thoughts like "What do I live for?" and "What is the meaning of my life?" keep bothering you, we need to talk. It's not a feeling of melancholy, and no medicine will cure it. Rather the answer is you are so special, and you were created with a divine purpose. But you have to follow God to find the way to live.

There are many reasons why a person will make the choice to pursue Jesus. Where do you fit?

●I am an adventurous person and am willing to explore who God is. I have always been fascinated with the idea of the supernatural.

●The life I am living is miserable and I am searching for the way out. Life cannot be this pointless. (John4:11-13, 10:7-10)

●I have seen examples of family and friends who have lived a life with God and I want to have the same thing. I have always have respect for sincere Christians that really know God. The Christians I know are not perfect, but they seem to be fulfilled in life. (II Corinthians 3:1-3)

●I am not sure what eternity will really be like, but I don't like the sound of existing in a timeless realm of despair and regret. I am scared of going to hell. Heaven sounds like a pleasant place where I would like to go. (Luke 16:24-30, Hebrews 11:7, Jude 21-23)

●I have been raised in an atmosphere where there is a God consciousness and I have accepted that. Yet, I refuse to believe that what my family and friends are participating in is all that God has to offer. (Luke 19:1-10, John 3:1-5, Acts 10:1-8, 19:1-7)

●I cannot shake the felling that I am not living the life that God wants me to live. (Revelation 3:21)

●I have read or had someone tell me what the Bible says. I believe it is true and I can see that there are some things that I am lacking. (Acts 2:37-38, 16:29-34, Hebrews 4:12)


What is the common thread in ALL the reasons that we think of?
A: FAITH (Hebrews 11:5,6) Believing that there is "someone" that is bigger and greater than you.

So what is the "Meaning of Life"? -- The answer to this question cannot come from human intelligence or reason, but only from the Creator himself who transcends our material world. God gave us the ability to choose whether we live by His moral laws or by whatever values we assign to ourselves through our own reason. As we find, we are not mere robots placed on this earth by God. Rather, we have absolute free will to follow what He says or not. We can either recognize God as the Creator of the universe, or we can deny that He exists. We can choose to live a meaningless life or a life with absolute and eternal purpose. The choice is up to you. What do you believe?

Some quotes on life..

Ok so my theme for this week if you haven't noticed is LIFE.
I believe that sometimes we forget to enjoy the gifts God has given us..

What are the wisest words anyone has ever told you that apply to life? The wisest I ever heard were from my dad. He said 'You only get one life and no rehersal'. What's the most though provoking words you ever heard that made an impact on your life?
Here are some amazing words about life that I found...

You've got a lot of choices. If getting out of bed in the morning is a chore and you're not smiling on a regular basis, try another choice. -Steven D. Woodhull

Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, it just means you've decided to see beyond the imperfections -????

Whatever you do, or dream you can, begin it, boldness has genius, power, and magic in it -Johann Wolfgang van Goethe

Even if you are on the right track, you'll still get run over if you just sit there. -Will Rogers

Happiness is not a state to arrive at, but a manner of traveling -Margoret Lee Runbeck

What you are is what you have been, and what you will be is what you do now -The Buddha

If you try you may fail, if you don't try you're guaranteed to fail. -Jesse Jackson

No one appears on our stage unless the director has placed them there for our benefit -Paramahansa Yogananda

Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important -????

When one door of happiness closes, another opens, often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us. -Helen Keller

Success is not fame or money or the power to bewitch. it is to have created something valuable from your own individuality and skill - a garden, an embroidery, a painting, a cake, a life. -Charlotte Gray

Some things have to be believed to be seen. -Ralph Hodgson

Remember, if you’re headed in the wrong direction, God allows U-turns! -Allison Gappa Bottke

Now that it's all over, what did you really do yesterday that's worth mentioning? -Coleman Cox

We have to live today by what truth we can get today and be ready tomorrow to call it falsehood. -William James

Tough and funny and a little bit kind: that is as near to perfection as a human being can be. -Mignon McLaughlin, The Second Neurotic's Notebook, 1966


I love it...you never know what's around the corner in life, do you?
I hope these quotes were a bit inspiring, if not at least you laughed some.

Live for today!