God is Bigger

Do you believe that God still speaks through dreams? I do.

I have been thinking lately that God is FAR bigger than I am willing to admit to myself. I am trying to let go of my inhibitions and wrongful preconceptions about who God is and now He works. Growing up I sometimes heard times that God didn’t really work the same ways that He did in the bible…. He was more at work in quiet, passive ways. More and more I feel like this really isn’t true. I also feel like YES God sometimes works quietly but I can’t seem to understand why God wouldn’t still use things like healing, tongues, speaking to people. I think God still speaks to people in big ways... Isaiah 30:21 says, ‘Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.’” Jesus teaches us to pray and shows us the meaning of true sacrifice and love. He encourages us to pray for our daily bread and also tells us that we cannot live on bread alone. I am pretty sure that our bread is supposed to be Him. I am considering some of the things I’ve prayed about lately… doing well in Geology, getting good reviews for my art critique, not having so much snow, help with wedding planning… when will I learn my lesson. I don’t need so much stuff. In Matthew 24:35 Jesus says, “Heaven and earth will pass away but  my words will not pass away.” You know what else passes away with Heaven and earth Chelsea?  Grades, snow, Hans, fill in the blank.. What isn’t going to pass away is so hard for me to wrap my mind around when I get caught us on now. I have such a short-term perspective it’s awful. I’m in geology right now and my professor is talking about the millions and billions of years, which I don’t really agree with but that is besides the point, and I am thinking that is a lot of zeros…. Eternity is so much longer than any of these numbers we’re conjuring up. I’ll be out of class in 8 minuets if I am out in time. This class can’t pass away quickly enough. I am so imperfect. My mind focuses too often on temporary things. I want to be more aware of that still small voice telling me which way to God and I want to be so caught up in God. One of my favorite verses is found in 2 Corinthians 5:13 and says:

If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you.

As a Christian I think my life could maybe use a little bit more crazy…. Now off to  painting. I am hoping to incorporate that sweet little girl’s prayer. 

Birth of a Blog

I am not really sure what inspired me to start this blog but for some reason I was feeling the need to start one for a while but now that I have started this what will I do with it. I hope this is a place where I can put my thoughts in writing, pictures and maybe even show some art work... I guess that is yet to be determined.  To start, Thanksgiving was such a blessing this year. I am so grateful to God for the time I had with family and my fiance.
I went to ctk with my Aunt, Uncle and Cousin. I was blessed to hear a sermon on thankfulness and was genuinely challenged by a prayer that the pastor shared. The prayer came from a little girl in Africa and has not left my mind this prayer was the following and I hope it challenges you as much as it has me.

"I appreciate you God for this food which is a gift. I asked you for my daily bread and YOU have come through for me again. This food you could have given it to anyone but you gave it to me. I will not waist it,  I will enjoy it, I will not complain about it, I will receive it. I am your child, You are my Father, Asante sana, Thank you very very much and I love you. Amen."

This completely touched my heart, I am overwhelmed my the materialistic-ness in my life, the lack of gratitude, the blindness I have had to my own apathetic heart. I want to pray to God like that... I want to pray in a way that shows God SO much gratitude. I have been thinking about what I need to change in my life and how I need to be more actively in pursuit of God... As I was thinking about all this I heard the song 'Call Unto Me' by Phil Joel. I was reminded that God is so awesome and as the little girl said, God comes through! He has come through for me AGAIN!!! My brain cannot even wrap itself around the fact that God has blessed me more than I can comprehend.  I have so much to thank Him for. Lord, Thank you for how you bless me so much. Please help me to love you better.