July 16, 2008
Amazing
I have a friend whose sister is doing a world race. She will be visiting 11 countries in 11 months and ministering to those she meets. Right now she is in Mexico. She is keeping a blog of her encounters and experiences. It is amazing to me that someone can give up 11 months of their life to spread a message they believe in so much. The link to her blog is http://melaniebarber.theworldrace.org/
Her stories are already amazing. Please keep her and her team in your prayers.
June 22, 2008
Timing is Everything
Awhile back I started going to St. James Catholic Church. I wanted to get involved in the church but did not know how. I e-mailed the youth ministry person and they said they were looking to get a group together for “young adults” (ages 20s and 30s). We had a meeting but nothing really came out of it.
Fastforward to last weekend: Things fell apart with the roommate situation.
Fastforward to 2 days after the roommate situation: I recieved an e-mail stating that they were having a planning meeting to get this “young adult” group off the ground and wanted to know if I wanted to be a part of it. Coincidence? Probably not. I am excited about this opportunity and hope that something does come out of it.
I also just finished reading the book Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. First, let me say that if you have not read this book then I suggest that you do. It takes the book of Hosea and turns it into a real life story that totally draws you in. Needless to say, this book made its way to me at exactly the right time. It totally restored my faith in waiting for God’s timing. I should have no fear because He will take care of everything in His time. Not mine. I have heard this message so many times from friends and family. Once again, it came at a time when I needed it.
One idea that I got from this book was for the “God Box”. This is when you write down an issue on a piece of paper, date it, and put it in the box. Once you put this problem/issue in the box then you are giving it to God. In a way, you are saying that it is now God’s problem and he can do with it what He will. The date on the paper is so when the problem/issue is finally worked out you can go back and see how long it took Him to lead you to the answer. 
I think that I’m going to give the God Box a shot. I have a couple issues that I have been dealing with since I moved out here 3 years ago and I think that it is about time that I gave them to God.
June 17, 2008
Believing
God puts us in certain situations for reasons unknown to us. I must have faith and confidence in his plan.
Jeremiah 29:11 states, “For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. Plans for your good, and not for your harm, to give a future with hope.”
This passage in the Bible is my favorite. It has gotten me through many rough times and I must call on it again to remind me of God’s promise.
I know that going through this struggle of my beliefs being tested, along with a friendship, will only make me stronger but I am fearful.
I am fearful of change. I am fearful of all of us moving out of our little family community we built here. I am fearful of friendships dwindling. I am fearful of being alone and forgotten.
We all become so busy with our own lives that we forget. We forget to make phone calls, we forget to check in with each other, and we forget how important our friendship is to other people. I don’t want to forget and I don’t want to be forgotten.
But I have a future and I have hope. I know that God will provide me with what I need, when I need it. I must believe in his goodness and I must trust in Him.
June 15, 2008
Morals and Beliefs
I have a situation that I don’t know how to handle. Which, really, doesn’t happen to me very often. I’m usually very good with confrontation. This situation challenges my morals, values, and belief system.
My room mate has made the decision to see women. Yes, I guess she is declaring that she is a lesbian. This was not the case when we moved in together. I would have never moved in with her if it was. This will not change our friendship, as I have had other friends before that “bat for the same team.” However, I did not have to live with it. I really wasn’t sure how to approach this issue with her or if I should. She never really came out and told me but I got the hint when her girlfriend ended up staying the night last night. So it all came to a head today.
Basically, I told her that I did not feel comfortable with her friend being in the apartment at all. Which is unfair to her because she does pay rent to live here. It is also unfair to me since I should not have to feel uncomfortable in my own home. So, I guess we came to the agreement that her friend could hang out here but not stay the night and not be behind closed doors. I hope that is the agreement we came to. She left pretty upset.
I, truthfully, don’t even want her in the apartment but I know that I should have to give a little. She does pay rent also. If I had my way she would not be in the apartment at all, I would ignore the situation because I would never have to see it.
That lifestyle just goes against my Catholic beliefs. It is a sin and immoral. That is what I believe. I’m sorry she is choosing to go to hell but that is how I feel. I really don’t know if I can live with her anymore but I don’t know how to approach it. Financially, she cannot live on her own. I do feel bad about that, which is why (I think) I have not said that I won’t live with her. I’m stuck between a rock and a hard place and I don’t know what to do.
Being a Catholic
I think that I have decided to actually be a Catholic. I’m not really sure what that entails but I’m going to find out. I’m going to start by going to mass tomorrow (well, I guess that would be today). I think that I would like to get involved in the church somehow. It is summertime so I’m going to have a little bit of extra time since school is out.
I believe in all most of the views of the Catholic church. There are only one or two exceptions. One of them being confession. Why do I have to tell my sins to a priest in order to be forgiven? Shouldn’t my prayers to God about my sins and asking Him to forgive me enough? I would think so. Right now, I can’t think of what another exception would be. I guess there is only one.
I do think that I have come to the realization that I need to believe in something to get me through this life. I think that I have found it.
