Have you ever though about all the different names for God?
Teacher
Father
Bridegroom
Friend
King
Or His characteristics?
Gentle
All-powerful
Loving
Jealous
Patient
Those are very, very few of the words that describe how multi-faceted our God is. He is the very essence of the word "everything" - all that exists. No one word can describe Him. A million words could not describe Him. He...is.
Lately, I've noticed about myself that I can only truly focus on one aspect of God at a time. When I pray, I often catch myself praying to the father figure, or the friend, the bridegroom, etc. I do this because my mind is so small, compared to God, that I simply cannot fathom all that He is.
My Earthly little mind can think in terms of being the bride of Christ: "Okay, I'll think of my relationship with God in terms of a husband/ wife relationship." It can also think in terms of being the daughter: "Even when I stray, my Father welcomes me back with open, loving arms. He is a kind and gentle father." But I cannot fathom those two things at the same time. You see, my mind is small and wired in an Earthly manner. Being someone's daughter AND wife is not a thing that happens here. That would be weird, to say the least!
As much as I try I just cannot fully grasp, at once, all that He is.
And...AHHH! I Just love that.
I love that, because it reminds me how truly small I am and how HUGE He is. The fact that I cannot fully understand Him just makes me realize that He is the God big enough and awesome enough to worship. I would not settle for a God any smaller.
I know this is a short post, and it doesn't really have much of a lesson, but I just wanted to share what has been on my mind lately. Every time I realize that I can't fully understand God, I feel thankful for His magnitude. I feel so....happy (for lack of a stronger word) that He reveals Himself to me piece by piece, never fully revealing His entire self. It would be far too much for me to handle, if He did reveal His entire self at once. He's too big. Too great. He just...IS.
The indescribable God that I worship.
Sunday, May 25, 2014
Friday, May 23, 2014
Sing and be Happy
Hi Soul Surfers,
I wanted to share a little this week on a topic that has been especially pertinent to me during the last year or so - (re)finding joy.
If you know me at all, you know I am a naturally joyous person. I always have been. I am happy, bubbly, joyful...and it's genuine! I have trouble vocalizing my good traits, but that is one I can admit to with confidence.
During my later years of college, though, I found myself becoming overwhelmed with the stressors of life. My light was flickering, as I started to lose what I consider to be my best trait. I started to lose my sense of self, because if I'm not happy, what am I? Who am I? By the time of my graduation from Pepperdine, I was on reserve battery life, joy-wise. I was jaded and exhausted. (Side-note: If I had gone to school anywhere else, my situation would have been 1,000 times worse. Pepperdine is the most wonderful and uplifting place, and kept me focused on God, even during stressful times. What more could I have asked for? Nothing.)
Upon returning home after college, I began to de-stress a little. I was finally able to see what was going on with me - this loss of joy. I remembered how, from as early as I could remember, I was so happy. I could find beauty and joy in anything and everything. I wanted that back. I wanted to be myself again.
I'm sharing this story, because I know I am not the only one who has felt this way. I also realize how important this quality is to our Spiritual, and even physical, well-being. So, how do we retrieve that joy we each had as a child? How to we "get back to ourselves?" Here are some tips I found helped/are currently helping me:
1. Pray - This is probably a no-brainer. If it is, I'm sorry. But as soon as I realized what was going on with me, I prayed to God about it. At the time, I didn't even really know what I wanted or needed from God...I just began praying. First, I prayed to help me "get back to my old self." Later, it became clearer to me that what was different within me was my lack of joy, so I began to pray to God to restore that joy. Even later, I began to pray to God to reveal ways in which I could restore my joy, which brings me to point 2:
2. Fill time with uplifting things - Part of (actually a lot of) what was bringing me down, I realized, was what I like to call "Earthly burdens." These are things that either cause worry, cause sadness, or are just general Spiritual buzz-kills. Many of these types of things, I realize, cannot be taken away or hidden from. For example, child hunger cannot be ignored; it is a real issue and needs to be addressed, even if it is a sad and terrible thing. However, many Earthly burdens can be managed and replaced with uplifting things. For instance, I noticed media was a source for all kinds of unnecessary stress in my life. Whether it was pressure to be "worldly," rather than "Godly," or maybe even TV shows or movies based on topics unfit for princesses such as ourselves, I found unnecessary burdens everywhere. The good thing? These can be replaced. I began filling my time with purposeful activities like spending time with my family or reading a great Christian book (or starting a blog...what?) Even though I am still a Pretty Little Liars addict, and am a sucker for a good Real Housewives drama-fest (shout-out to muh girl Vicki,) I began to see a dramatic difference in my joy levels. It's amazing how everyday activities we hardly even notice can make such a huge difference on our attitude and well-being.
3. Read the Bible - I will be the first to admit, I am the worst at this. I think it comes from a place of not being able to read two sentences without getting distracted, but whatever. No excuses. This tip helps so much. This probably won't come as a surprise to most of you, but did you know the answer to any question or trouble you are having can be found in this little book?! WHAT. Sometimes it still surprises me, and I don't know why. But I like it. It's a nice surprise. It is no coincidence that reading the Bible is going to make us happier. "Gospel" literally means "good news." Seriously, it's like a Vitamin D pill to the soul.
4. Remember - Look back on things that you did when you were a child, at your happiest. For me, I would sing. ???.....I don't know... I just remember, when I was really happy, I would always catch myself singing, or humming, or whistling a song. Lately, I've been finding myself doing that a lot, and that's how I know I am starting to get back to my happy old self. While you're reflecting, it also helps to store away a few really good memories. You can save these memories for a gloomy day, however, when your brain is in the "good-memory mode," at least for me, it stays that way for a while. It's hard for me to stop thinking about good things that have happened to me (blessings) once I have started. It's all in the way you train your brain.
5. Be nice - Doing little things for people is a great mood-booster. I know nice things shouldn't be done solely to make ourselves feel better, but who am I to argue against the fact that when I commit an act of kindness, I feel happier. If done from a genuine place, little acts of kindness can really help to bump up the joy factor, because you feel better about yourself knowing that you care for other people. It's a fact. Maybe not. I might of made that up. But it's true, isn't it? Have you ever written a heartfelt letter or held the door for an elderly person only to think "ICK. That made me feel terrible. Never doing that again...?"
Joy is not merely a nice accessory. It is a necessity. It give us strength. It is a virtue. It ties us in closer to the One who loves us. The One we strive to be like. Speaking from experience, it is also something to want, for without it we are.............unhappy.
I hope these tips can help you if you have lost some of your spark, or strengthen it if you have not. They have helped me get back to me and I am, once again, JOYFUUUUULLLLLLLL ( <---- data-blogger-escaped-a="" data-blogger-escaped-br="" data-blogger-escaped-imagine="" data-blogger-escaped-in="" data-blogger-escaped-singing="" data-blogger-escaped-that="" data-blogger-escaped-voice.="">
be happy,
becca
I wanted to share a little this week on a topic that has been especially pertinent to me during the last year or so - (re)finding joy.
If you know me at all, you know I am a naturally joyous person. I always have been. I am happy, bubbly, joyful...and it's genuine! I have trouble vocalizing my good traits, but that is one I can admit to with confidence.
During my later years of college, though, I found myself becoming overwhelmed with the stressors of life. My light was flickering, as I started to lose what I consider to be my best trait. I started to lose my sense of self, because if I'm not happy, what am I? Who am I? By the time of my graduation from Pepperdine, I was on reserve battery life, joy-wise. I was jaded and exhausted. (Side-note: If I had gone to school anywhere else, my situation would have been 1,000 times worse. Pepperdine is the most wonderful and uplifting place, and kept me focused on God, even during stressful times. What more could I have asked for? Nothing.)
Upon returning home after college, I began to de-stress a little. I was finally able to see what was going on with me - this loss of joy. I remembered how, from as early as I could remember, I was so happy. I could find beauty and joy in anything and everything. I wanted that back. I wanted to be myself again.
I'm sharing this story, because I know I am not the only one who has felt this way. I also realize how important this quality is to our Spiritual, and even physical, well-being. So, how do we retrieve that joy we each had as a child? How to we "get back to ourselves?" Here are some tips I found helped/are currently helping me:
1. Pray - This is probably a no-brainer. If it is, I'm sorry. But as soon as I realized what was going on with me, I prayed to God about it. At the time, I didn't even really know what I wanted or needed from God...I just began praying. First, I prayed to help me "get back to my old self." Later, it became clearer to me that what was different within me was my lack of joy, so I began to pray to God to restore that joy. Even later, I began to pray to God to reveal ways in which I could restore my joy, which brings me to point 2:
2. Fill time with uplifting things - Part of (actually a lot of) what was bringing me down, I realized, was what I like to call "Earthly burdens." These are things that either cause worry, cause sadness, or are just general Spiritual buzz-kills. Many of these types of things, I realize, cannot be taken away or hidden from. For example, child hunger cannot be ignored; it is a real issue and needs to be addressed, even if it is a sad and terrible thing. However, many Earthly burdens can be managed and replaced with uplifting things. For instance, I noticed media was a source for all kinds of unnecessary stress in my life. Whether it was pressure to be "worldly," rather than "Godly," or maybe even TV shows or movies based on topics unfit for princesses such as ourselves, I found unnecessary burdens everywhere. The good thing? These can be replaced. I began filling my time with purposeful activities like spending time with my family or reading a great Christian book (or starting a blog...what?) Even though I am still a Pretty Little Liars addict, and am a sucker for a good Real Housewives drama-fest (shout-out to muh girl Vicki,) I began to see a dramatic difference in my joy levels. It's amazing how everyday activities we hardly even notice can make such a huge difference on our attitude and well-being.
3. Read the Bible - I will be the first to admit, I am the worst at this. I think it comes from a place of not being able to read two sentences without getting distracted, but whatever. No excuses. This tip helps so much. This probably won't come as a surprise to most of you, but did you know the answer to any question or trouble you are having can be found in this little book?! WHAT. Sometimes it still surprises me, and I don't know why. But I like it. It's a nice surprise. It is no coincidence that reading the Bible is going to make us happier. "Gospel" literally means "good news." Seriously, it's like a Vitamin D pill to the soul.
4. Remember - Look back on things that you did when you were a child, at your happiest. For me, I would sing. ???.....I don't know... I just remember, when I was really happy, I would always catch myself singing, or humming, or whistling a song. Lately, I've been finding myself doing that a lot, and that's how I know I am starting to get back to my happy old self. While you're reflecting, it also helps to store away a few really good memories. You can save these memories for a gloomy day, however, when your brain is in the "good-memory mode," at least for me, it stays that way for a while. It's hard for me to stop thinking about good things that have happened to me (blessings) once I have started. It's all in the way you train your brain.
5. Be nice - Doing little things for people is a great mood-booster. I know nice things shouldn't be done solely to make ourselves feel better, but who am I to argue against the fact that when I commit an act of kindness, I feel happier. If done from a genuine place, little acts of kindness can really help to bump up the joy factor, because you feel better about yourself knowing that you care for other people. It's a fact. Maybe not. I might of made that up. But it's true, isn't it? Have you ever written a heartfelt letter or held the door for an elderly person only to think "ICK. That made me feel terrible. Never doing that again...?"
Joy is not merely a nice accessory. It is a necessity. It give us strength. It is a virtue. It ties us in closer to the One who loves us. The One we strive to be like. Speaking from experience, it is also something to want, for without it we are.............unhappy.
I hope these tips can help you if you have lost some of your spark, or strengthen it if you have not. They have helped me get back to me and I am, once again, JOYFUUUUULLLLLLLL ( <---- data-blogger-escaped-a="" data-blogger-escaped-br="" data-blogger-escaped-imagine="" data-blogger-escaped-in="" data-blogger-escaped-singing="" data-blogger-escaped-that="" data-blogger-escaped-voice.="">
be happy,
becca
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Gifts and Talents - Part 2
Hey surfers! So today, as promised, I wanted to talk a little bit about Spiritual gifts. Now before I start, I feel I need to say that I, in no way, am confidently wise on this subject. I just recently became intrigued by it, and thought I would study to learn more about it. That is why I would ESPECIALLY love some feedback this week from everyone. I am really interested in learning more about this subject.
First things first:
What are Spiritual gifts? It states in 1 Corinthians that Spiritual gifts are simply special gifts given to each of us through the Holy Spirit. Just like the physical gifts God has blessed us with, each of us have a special Spiritual gift given to us to help us each serve the Lord better, and in our own unique way. When we, as Christians, all pitch in with our different gifts, we become a whole, working body.
I think 1 Corinthians: 4-6 explains it best:
4 "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work."
Although we all use our Spiritual gifts differently, we use them to serve the same God and the same Spirit issues them to us. (We have a pretty sweet bond that way, don't ya think?)
Soooo....what are the different Spiritual gifts?
They are listed in 1 Corinthians as:
wise counsel
clear understanding
simple trust
healing the sick
miraculous acts
proclamation
distinguishing between spirits
tongues
interpretation of tongues.
If you're like me upon reading that, you may have no idea what your gift is! To that I say: take the online Spiritual gifts quiz. I'm not even kidding. I totally did, (because I think we all know I love my quizzes) and it actually ended up being incredibly helpful! It helped me figure out what my gift is, and it went into more detail and explanation. I know it sounds silly, but I actually loved it! Thank you, Google.
I think it's important to remember, no one has all of the gifts. That would be cray. Plus, this way we all need each other to create one working Spiritual body - just like our human bodies need all of the systems to be there and be working in order for the body to function properly.
I also think it's cool that some of the Spiritual gifts overlap with the gifts we talked about last week. I don't know about you, but I'm just learning all kinds of things about myself! :))
I know I am not a font of information on this subject yet, but hopefully this helped a little. I will definitely keep everyone posted ( <-- data-blogger-escaped-and="" data-blogger-escaped-any="" data-blogger-escaped-are="" data-blogger-escaped-br="" data-blogger-escaped-but="" data-blogger-escaped-gather="" data-blogger-escaped-gifts.="" data-blogger-escaped-haven="" data-blogger-escaped-heard="" data-blogger-escaped-i="" data-blogger-escaped-in="" data-blogger-escaped-information="" data-blogger-escaped-intended="" data-blogger-escaped-interested="" data-blogger-escaped-is="" data-blogger-escaped-it="" data-blogger-escaped-m="" data-blogger-escaped-maybe="" data-blogger-escaped-much="" data-blogger-escaped-new="" data-blogger-escaped-no="" data-blogger-escaped-of="" data-blogger-escaped-on="" data-blogger-escaped-over="" data-blogger-escaped-pun="" data-blogger-escaped-so="" data-blogger-escaped-something="" data-blogger-escaped-spiritual="" data-blogger-escaped-subject="" data-blogger-escaped-t="" data-blogger-escaped-that="" data-blogger-escaped-the="" data-blogger-escaped-too="" data-blogger-escaped-years="" data-blogger-escaped-you="">
I hope everyone is doing well. PLEASE let me know if you want to talk more about this with me, or if you have any prayer requests, if you want to write a blog post, if you just want to talk...whatever! I love it all! :))
Hang loose,
-
P.S. I think the website I went to for the Spiritual gifts test was www.spiritualgiftstest.com
First things first:
What are Spiritual gifts? It states in 1 Corinthians that Spiritual gifts are simply special gifts given to each of us through the Holy Spirit. Just like the physical gifts God has blessed us with, each of us have a special Spiritual gift given to us to help us each serve the Lord better, and in our own unique way. When we, as Christians, all pitch in with our different gifts, we become a whole, working body.
I think 1 Corinthians: 4-6 explains it best:
4 "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work."
Although we all use our Spiritual gifts differently, we use them to serve the same God and the same Spirit issues them to us. (We have a pretty sweet bond that way, don't ya think?)
Soooo....what are the different Spiritual gifts?
They are listed in 1 Corinthians as:
wise counsel
clear understanding
simple trust
healing the sick
miraculous acts
proclamation
distinguishing between spirits
tongues
interpretation of tongues.
If you're like me upon reading that, you may have no idea what your gift is! To that I say: take the online Spiritual gifts quiz. I'm not even kidding. I totally did, (because I think we all know I love my quizzes) and it actually ended up being incredibly helpful! It helped me figure out what my gift is, and it went into more detail and explanation. I know it sounds silly, but I actually loved it! Thank you, Google.
I think it's important to remember, no one has all of the gifts. That would be cray. Plus, this way we all need each other to create one working Spiritual body - just like our human bodies need all of the systems to be there and be working in order for the body to function properly.
I also think it's cool that some of the Spiritual gifts overlap with the gifts we talked about last week. I don't know about you, but I'm just learning all kinds of things about myself! :))
I know I am not a font of information on this subject yet, but hopefully this helped a little. I will definitely keep everyone posted ( <-- data-blogger-escaped-and="" data-blogger-escaped-any="" data-blogger-escaped-are="" data-blogger-escaped-br="" data-blogger-escaped-but="" data-blogger-escaped-gather="" data-blogger-escaped-gifts.="" data-blogger-escaped-haven="" data-blogger-escaped-heard="" data-blogger-escaped-i="" data-blogger-escaped-in="" data-blogger-escaped-information="" data-blogger-escaped-intended="" data-blogger-escaped-interested="" data-blogger-escaped-is="" data-blogger-escaped-it="" data-blogger-escaped-m="" data-blogger-escaped-maybe="" data-blogger-escaped-much="" data-blogger-escaped-new="" data-blogger-escaped-no="" data-blogger-escaped-of="" data-blogger-escaped-on="" data-blogger-escaped-over="" data-blogger-escaped-pun="" data-blogger-escaped-so="" data-blogger-escaped-something="" data-blogger-escaped-spiritual="" data-blogger-escaped-subject="" data-blogger-escaped-t="" data-blogger-escaped-that="" data-blogger-escaped-the="" data-blogger-escaped-too="" data-blogger-escaped-years="" data-blogger-escaped-you="">
I hope everyone is doing well. PLEASE let me know if you want to talk more about this with me, or if you have any prayer requests, if you want to write a blog post, if you just want to talk...whatever! I love it all! :))
Hang loose,
-
P.S. I think the website I went to for the Spiritual gifts test was www.spiritualgiftstest.com
Monday, May 5, 2014
Gifts and Talents - Part 1
I was praying the other night, and I found myself "lacking." Just feeling like although I'm trying hard to love with every bit of me, there's just more to give to God - a reserve battery power that I can't figure out how to tap into yet.
Has anyone else ever felt this?
Anyway, so I prayed to God to help me figure out how to find this love within myself - to love Him with all of my heart AND my soul AND mind AND strength. All of it. I was beginning to feel very frustrated with myself.
So literally the next day, I found a book called "The Young Lady in Waiting." The book addresses everything I've been thinking about. (And besides that, it's just a great book for girls our age....from what I've read.)
Now, I know I shouldn't be surprised, but when God answers my prayers like that, it always stuns me. It shouldn't....because He always answers prayers...but when it's so obvious like that, and answered so quickly, it just always amazes me. So I thought I'd share.
This week's thought is heavily influenced by that book. I wanted to do a two-part thought on "gifts." This first week's is about physical gifts God has given us each, individually, and how we can use them to glorify Him. Next week's will be more about Spiritual gifts - a topic I'm newly getting into. I had decided last week to do these two topics, and once I started reading the book, I found some very interesting material that goes hand-in-hand with this week's topic of physical gifts.
SO....
I don't know about y'all, but I don't ever think about my "gifts." It makes me feel very prideful, for whatever reason. But today, I want to invite us all to think about the gifts God has blessed us with. These gifts are numerous and personalized to make each of us unique. I believe He has given us each these special gifts so that we can use them to serve Him and to help each other.
Here are some examples of physical gifts and how we can use them:
1. Teaching - Some people are natural-born leaders. These people feel comfortable preaching and teaching. If this is you, consider (if you haven't already) starting a small group, a bible study, or maybe even Sunday school teaching. If you have speaking and really being able to get through to people - use it, honey! Work it.
2. Encouragement - This goes hand-in-hand with what we talked about the last couple of weeks. Awesomely, this is something we can all do. Some of us are born just wanting to encourage others. I am one of those people. I LOVE seeing other people happy and seeing other people succeed.... Probably more than I like seeing myself happy. Even if this isn't one of your main qualities, though, I'm sure as Christians we all like to help and encourage each other....and it so easy! Send a little note. Make it a point to tell people how much you appreciate them. If there is someone who you really look up to spiritually, tell them what parts of their faith you really admire. A little bit of encourage can really change someone's day.
3. Some Christians really have a heart for service...and are really good at it! I know all kinds of friends who love LOVE missions as a way to serve God. I think this is a great and major way to serve God. If this is you, I urge you to just exercise this gift as much as possible. This is a gift I admire; I think the world needs more people like you! I can't name all the service opportunities out there; there are too many. All I can say is, if this is you and a service opportunity opens up, don't be afraid to take it. Share your passion and gift with the world!
Now, I have only named a few of the most generic and obvious gifts. Think about what God has specifically given you. Are you a great listener? Maybe God gave you the gift of music? Hospitality? Pick the top 3 (or if you want, go for all of them,) write them down, and then think of different ways you can use them to serve God and help others.
I love this exercise, because it helps - at least me - to figure out who I am in Christ and how I can serve better. Besides this, it reminds me of all the blessings God has given all of His children. We are all unique and truly His!
Has anyone else ever felt this?
Anyway, so I prayed to God to help me figure out how to find this love within myself - to love Him with all of my heart AND my soul AND mind AND strength. All of it. I was beginning to feel very frustrated with myself.
So literally the next day, I found a book called "The Young Lady in Waiting." The book addresses everything I've been thinking about. (And besides that, it's just a great book for girls our age....from what I've read.)
Now, I know I shouldn't be surprised, but when God answers my prayers like that, it always stuns me. It shouldn't....because He always answers prayers...but when it's so obvious like that, and answered so quickly, it just always amazes me. So I thought I'd share.
This week's thought is heavily influenced by that book. I wanted to do a two-part thought on "gifts." This first week's is about physical gifts God has given us each, individually, and how we can use them to glorify Him. Next week's will be more about Spiritual gifts - a topic I'm newly getting into. I had decided last week to do these two topics, and once I started reading the book, I found some very interesting material that goes hand-in-hand with this week's topic of physical gifts.
SO....
I don't know about y'all, but I don't ever think about my "gifts." It makes me feel very prideful, for whatever reason. But today, I want to invite us all to think about the gifts God has blessed us with. These gifts are numerous and personalized to make each of us unique. I believe He has given us each these special gifts so that we can use them to serve Him and to help each other.
Here are some examples of physical gifts and how we can use them:
1. Teaching - Some people are natural-born leaders. These people feel comfortable preaching and teaching. If this is you, consider (if you haven't already) starting a small group, a bible study, or maybe even Sunday school teaching. If you have speaking and really being able to get through to people - use it, honey! Work it.
2. Encouragement - This goes hand-in-hand with what we talked about the last couple of weeks. Awesomely, this is something we can all do. Some of us are born just wanting to encourage others. I am one of those people. I LOVE seeing other people happy and seeing other people succeed.... Probably more than I like seeing myself happy. Even if this isn't one of your main qualities, though, I'm sure as Christians we all like to help and encourage each other....and it so easy! Send a little note. Make it a point to tell people how much you appreciate them. If there is someone who you really look up to spiritually, tell them what parts of their faith you really admire. A little bit of encourage can really change someone's day.
3. Some Christians really have a heart for service...and are really good at it! I know all kinds of friends who love LOVE missions as a way to serve God. I think this is a great and major way to serve God. If this is you, I urge you to just exercise this gift as much as possible. This is a gift I admire; I think the world needs more people like you! I can't name all the service opportunities out there; there are too many. All I can say is, if this is you and a service opportunity opens up, don't be afraid to take it. Share your passion and gift with the world!
Now, I have only named a few of the most generic and obvious gifts. Think about what God has specifically given you. Are you a great listener? Maybe God gave you the gift of music? Hospitality? Pick the top 3 (or if you want, go for all of them,) write them down, and then think of different ways you can use them to serve God and help others.
I love this exercise, because it helps - at least me - to figure out who I am in Christ and how I can serve better. Besides this, it reminds me of all the blessings God has given all of His children. We are all unique and truly His!
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