I know this is delayed, but I decided that I need to keep writing on this. I learned so much from my birthday this year -- It will be one of my favorite birthdays for a long time!
So at 5:00 in the morning, my room mate, Sam, woke me up by jumping on my bed and yelling "Heather! Wake up, it snowed!" I shot out of bed, and groggily ran outside. Sure enough, there was almost 2 inches of snow, covering everything around. There were still snowflakes lazily drifting down. Praise the Lord! He answered my prayers.
I couldn't believe how faithful God is. So many of my friends woke up on Thursday and thought "Hey, look at the snow! Heather's going to be so happy!"
Over steaming cups of hot chocolate, Sam told me of a conversation she had with one of the guys. "I knew it was going to snow." He said. I expected a smart continuation like "They changed the forecast" or "of course, the wind last night rolled the clouds and coldness in." But no. His reply was "We prayed for it."
He knew it was going to snow, because we had been praying for it. What faith! I wish that I had that much faith.
So, the part two to the best birthday present was not only snow, but faith.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
The Best Birthday Present: Part 1
Today has been a day of learning and of re-learning. These last couple of weeks, I have been praying to God, asking Him for snow on my birthday. I know it's a small thing, but to me, it was big enough to pray about. To me, my birthday has always been full of fun out in the snow, when it's warm enough. (The day I was born it was -50 F. Not much stuff going on outside then.) We had nice weather last week, with temps hoovering around 0 F. The snow reminded me of home, and all I wanted was for it to last until tomorrow.
It didn't. Last night, as I walked up to the dorm, the rain that ran down the road was blurred by the tears that ran down my cheeks. My snow was gone! And it was so close!
As my feet trudged up the hill, my mind tried to wade through the mud of my thoughts. Lord, I know you're heard my prayers. I want to accept your will here! Please encourage me tonight.
Feeling like being solitary, I sat on a couch by myself in worship. I bet the look on my face spelled "bad mood, coming through." A few songs went by before I got the encouragement I had asked for. "Jesus, what a help in sorrows! While the billows o'er me roll. Even when my heart is breaking, He my comfort helps my soul. Hallelujah! What a Savior! Hallelujah! What a friend! Saving, helping, keeping, loving, He is with me to the end."
Isn't God good? He knew exactly the words I needed to hear. I know that even though my heart is breaking, He will comfort my soul! Even if I don't get snow, I know He loves me, and will bless me.
"For I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content" (Phi 4:11 NKJ). I think that Paul, if anyone, had reason to be unhappy with his life, and wonder why God didn't bless him more. But he had learned something. God's blessings don't always come as answers to our wishes. God knows what is good for us. Like a parent encouraging a child to eat broccoli, God will encourage us to trust Him, even though the situation is tough.
Oh the lessons of God's love! He wants to teach me to be happy with the lessons and even the trials that come my way. What an amazing gift God is trying to give me: Contentment. Now that's even better than snow!
It didn't. Last night, as I walked up to the dorm, the rain that ran down the road was blurred by the tears that ran down my cheeks. My snow was gone! And it was so close!
As my feet trudged up the hill, my mind tried to wade through the mud of my thoughts. Lord, I know you're heard my prayers. I want to accept your will here! Please encourage me tonight.
Feeling like being solitary, I sat on a couch by myself in worship. I bet the look on my face spelled "bad mood, coming through." A few songs went by before I got the encouragement I had asked for. "Jesus, what a help in sorrows! While the billows o'er me roll. Even when my heart is breaking, He my comfort helps my soul. Hallelujah! What a Savior! Hallelujah! What a friend! Saving, helping, keeping, loving, He is with me to the end."
Isn't God good? He knew exactly the words I needed to hear. I know that even though my heart is breaking, He will comfort my soul! Even if I don't get snow, I know He loves me, and will bless me.
"For I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content" (Phi 4:11 NKJ). I think that Paul, if anyone, had reason to be unhappy with his life, and wonder why God didn't bless him more. But he had learned something. God's blessings don't always come as answers to our wishes. God knows what is good for us. Like a parent encouraging a child to eat broccoli, God will encourage us to trust Him, even though the situation is tough.
Oh the lessons of God's love! He wants to teach me to be happy with the lessons and even the trials that come my way. What an amazing gift God is trying to give me: Contentment. Now that's even better than snow!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
The Rock or the Sponge?
The other day, I was talking to a friend about how different people control their anger. He worded it this way: "There are two types of people: Rocks and sponges. Whenever it rains on a rock, the water just bounces right off, without affecting the rock at all. When it rains on a sponge, all the water just gets soaked up. Eventually, when you squeeze the sponge the right way, the water explodes everywhere."
I realized how true that is. I know I tend to be like a sponge. I don't let things just bounce off me. Problems and grudges and sins build up inside until I just can't take it any more. What an unpleasant experience for anyone around me!
I was thinking how unfortunate that is. Why can't God just take away the water? I wouldn't have a problem with that. Doesn't that sound nice? Then I realized just how selfish that would be, for me to deprive God of His means of changing and building my character for His kingdom. God doesn't want me to suffer, but He knows that if I want to be right and ready for His kingdom, I need to get through the trials, with His help.
Later that week, I was sorting carrots (which happens to be a very inspirational task). I was wondering what I, as a Christians, need to be if I can't be a rock or a sponge. Something in between maybe, like coral. The water goes in me, and kinda falls out the other end. I live in the water, but I'm not really affected or changed by it. That didn't really work.
Then all the sudden, I realized what I need to be: a plant. A plant starts as a seed -- kinda hard. It may not seem like its doing any better than a rock. But look at it. It grows! How amazing, that something that should be dead can have life like that!
If a plant goes without water for too long, it won't survive. The rain may seem to pelt the plant and cause it to slouch, but not for long. God uses the water to bring life to the plant, and life to us too. There are cells in the plant that take the water and basically make life-giving oxygen out of it.
Isn't God amazing? When I give Him my trials, He will make them into blessings. If I choose to give Him my life, He will be able to impact others through me. Only when I live like the plant, living to give, will I be able to grow closer to Christ.
I realized how true that is. I know I tend to be like a sponge. I don't let things just bounce off me. Problems and grudges and sins build up inside until I just can't take it any more. What an unpleasant experience for anyone around me!
I was thinking how unfortunate that is. Why can't God just take away the water? I wouldn't have a problem with that. Doesn't that sound nice? Then I realized just how selfish that would be, for me to deprive God of His means of changing and building my character for His kingdom. God doesn't want me to suffer, but He knows that if I want to be right and ready for His kingdom, I need to get through the trials, with His help.
Later that week, I was sorting carrots (which happens to be a very inspirational task). I was wondering what I, as a Christians, need to be if I can't be a rock or a sponge. Something in between maybe, like coral. The water goes in me, and kinda falls out the other end. I live in the water, but I'm not really affected or changed by it. That didn't really work.
Then all the sudden, I realized what I need to be: a plant. A plant starts as a seed -- kinda hard. It may not seem like its doing any better than a rock. But look at it. It grows! How amazing, that something that should be dead can have life like that!
If a plant goes without water for too long, it won't survive. The rain may seem to pelt the plant and cause it to slouch, but not for long. God uses the water to bring life to the plant, and life to us too. There are cells in the plant that take the water and basically make life-giving oxygen out of it.
Isn't God amazing? When I give Him my trials, He will make them into blessings. If I choose to give Him my life, He will be able to impact others through me. Only when I live like the plant, living to give, will I be able to grow closer to Christ.
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