Spending time with the Best Friend

~Friday for Friends~

"...The pastor at church said that if you want to grow as a Christian, you have to let the Lord into every area of your life. Otherwise it's like inviting someone into your house and making him stand in the corner the whole time. If you never invite him to sit down or eat with you or do any of the things you'd do with a real friend, then you'll never get to know him." - Katie, A Whisper and a Wish

"'Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.'" Revelation 3:20 (NIV)

Can you spend time with the Lord today?

"It's okay to be broken"

~Saturday Stories~

"It's okay to be broken. You know that, right?" -Mr. B, Angel Eyes

"It's like that first step. You have to take that first step, and then, if you want Him to, God can help you with the rest of it." -Renee, The Masquerade

"The key to everything is knowing that God loves you, and he shows you that love through Jesus. If you really want to believe that, you need to get to know Jesus better - not just in your imagination, but from who he is ... God has a book..." - Dr. Peter, Sophie's World

"Whatever His purpose, I understand something now I didn't before. A righteous God isn't bound by time. He has an eternity to make things right. In this moment I know. Even if He never reveals His reasons to me, even if He never explains why He allowed my mother and Ali to die, I'll still fight against the darkness so His light can spread." -Brielle, Angel Eyes

How about you? Have you ever felt guilty for being broken? Have you taken the first step and asked God to help with everything? Have you taken the time to get to know Jesus? Can you tell God that, even if He does not explain everything to you, you will still follow Him? 

Keep spending time with friends

~Friday for Friends~

Now that it's summer, we might be investing a crazy amount in our friends. Or perhaps, since we don't see them every day, we kind of forget about them. There's a ton of things to do, isn't there? And it's kind of hard to schedule a day with two people free of the million things the summer is full of. I would like to encourage you - and myself! - to keep spending time with our friends. 

And, if nothing else can work at all, let us at least try to say what Paul and Timothy told the Philippians: "I thank my God every time I remember you." Philippians 1:3 (NIV)

God has blessed us so much with the friendships we have! Let us keep the ones that encourage us in our walk with Christ. 

How about you? Have you been spending time with good friends? When was a time you were particularly thankful for friendships? 

Spend time with your friends

~Friday for Friends~

I have to say... I don't spend that much time with my best friend. She' s a year older, and, as of now, I only see her 3-4 times a month. God has blessed me so much, and I hope I don't take it for granted. 

  "One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,

    but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." Proverbs 18:24 (NIV)

How about you? Do you spend time with your friends? In what ways has God blessed you? 

Be still!

~Tuesday Thoughts~  

"He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
    I will be exalted among the nations,
    I will be exalted in the earth.”" Psalm 46:10 (NIV)

Soccer season starts this week. There's a concert our choir class is doing on Tuesday. There is a job fair in our town on Wednesday. I am fundraising on Saturday and meeting with a friend on Sunday. 

Oh. My. Goodness. I should survive, but do I even want to know how many hours a night I'm going to be NOT sleeping? 

Still, in this and other crazy times, God is with us. He does want our time and our attention. So, hopefully even in our crazy periods of life, we'll remember the One who did way more for us than we can ever imagine . I hope we are still, and I hope we praise Him! 

How is your schedule? Do you take time to read the Bible, to pray, and to listen to God? 

Only a number of days

~Saturday Stories~

There are only a number of days

That we will live on Earth. 

There are only a numvber of days 

That we will jump and play in, 

Work and laugh and dance in, 

Sing and talk and argue in, 

Hope and thump and zip in, 

Dream and love and be happy in. 

So do not waste these days 

On doing something boring. 

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10 (NIV)

How can you live today to make a difference? 

10,000 hours with Jesus

 ~Tuesday Thoughts~

The Bible clearly states who Jesus is. He is God (John 1:1), He created the world (Colossians 1:15-16), He is the Messiah (John 20:31), He is the way (John 14:6), and He is King of kings, Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16). When we recognize this, it is pretty amazing that God has called us to be His friends (John 15:14-15). He has called us to follow Him (Matthew 16:24). The thing is, sometimes we think we’re so crammed time-wise that we don’t have time to communicate and listen to the Creator of the World.

It is thought that 10,000 hours pursuing something- whether that be surfing, writing, or knitting-  makes you a professional at it. We often spend more time doing something like that than we do getting to know our Savior. Jesus, in His three years of ministry, spent well over 10, 000 hours proclaiming God’s kingdom, pouring into His disciples and others. And He is still alive today (Revelation 1:17-18)! It is time we got more serious about our relationship with Him.

Personally, I don’t spend enough time reading the Bible, meditating, praying, or serving. About half of the mornings, I’ll read the Bible, which takes about 15-40 minutes. I pray throughout the day - mostly selfish praying and crying out - that altogether might add up to about 15 minutes. At 45 minutes per day, I spend 5 ¼ hours doing this a week, about 22 ½  per month, and about 274 per year. What about you? How much time do you spend with Him a day? How much does that amount to in a year?

            Let us consider today the beginning of our counting.  With this pretty slow progression, in 6 months I will have spent about 136 hours doing these things. In a year it would be 274 hours. Looking ahead, when I’m 30, 40, 50, 60, and 75, I’ll be at about 3400, 6200, 8900, 11600, and 15800 hours respectively. To get those 10,000 hours said to be needed I’ll need approximately 36 ½ years! How about you? At the rate you're investing into your relationship with Christ, how long will it take you to get to 10,000 hours? 

            Obviously, this is not the most effective way to invest in my relationship with Jesus. Some things that would be good to change include spending time listening to God, reading more and applying the Word, and serving. I can take steps toward this even now, like helping in church and taking 10-15 minutes a day to just listen to God.

            Even if I only make the 45 minutes per day into an hour per day, that can add up to a lot. 10,000 hours would still take me more than 27 years, which might not seem like a very ambitious goal. However, it’s doable. Like already said, I can find opportunities to serve at church and spend time listening to God. What are ways you can invest more into your relationship with Christ?

            It’s a well-known idea that it helps one change if there is someone(s) he/she is accountable to and that will take the journey with him/her. With this in mind, I might ask my best friend to help me in these areas. Who can you ask to help you?

            Our God and Savior cares about us (1 Peter 5:7). Are we ready to put away our agendas and spend time with Him?

Take the time to... MEDITATE

~Friday for Friends~

This is the twelvth post in the Take the Time series. The rest are Take the Time to Listen, Encourage, Talk With Someone, Stop Gossip, Forgive, Calm Down, Plan Ahead, Smile, Thank God, Think of What is Right, and Rest.


"1 Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night." Psalm 1:1-2 (NIV)

“Meditate” is not a very popular word in our fast-paced society. We strive to do things quickly, to get them done just in order to have them over with, to check things of our to-do lists as often as we can.
“Meditate” sounds slow and something people did a century or two ago. Not for us fast-paced folk.

Bad news. Or good news, probably. Meditating on God’s Word is a good thing. This is not coming from a person who has it all figured out and who is patient and loves to ponder the Bible. No, I am very often impatient about meditating. I don’t usually take the time – or don’t take much – to just think about how awesome God is, about how awesome His Word is.

But it is a good thing.

How about you? Do you like to reflect on God and His law? When was a time when you slowed down and did it? 

Take the time to… ENCOURAGE

~Friday for Friends~ 

This is the second in the “Take the Time" series. The first is “Take the time to Listen."

You know that feeling when everything seems to be going incredibly awful? When you're feeling worthless? Unnoticed? Unloved? And then someone comes up and- almost out of the blue- says, "Hey, I really like how you do that" or "You're really talented" or "I missed you last weekend, how are you?" And then you stand there and think Wow. Someone does care.

We can do that to others. We can encourage them and let them know that we care, that God cares.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV) says, "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 

And Hebrews says, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching." Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

Take the time to encourage someone today. You just might be encouraged also. 

Take the time to... LISTEN

~Friday for Friends~

This is the first in the "Take the time to..." series. 

  "Stop listening to instruction, my son,

    and you will stray from the words of knowledge."Proverbs 19:27 (NIV)

"My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry," James 1:19 (NIV)

   "Sin is not ended by multiplying words,

    but the prudent hold their tongues." Proverbs 10:19 (NIV)

There are times to speak. And there are times to listen. Take time today to just be quiet and listen. 

What do you hear?  

A time for everything

~Tuesday Thoughts~

Not too long ago Tessa Emily Hall wrote a post on finding satisfaction in every season of both the year and life in general. 

"There is a time for everything,
  and a season for every activity under the heavens" Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV)

God knows His plans for us and His timing is perfect. Let's pray that we enjoy every season He gives us!

What about you? Are you in a tiring, stressful season? What are some (perhaps small) beauties of it?

Making choices - today

~Tuesday Thoughts~

Life is full of choices big and small. And sometimes we get sucked up trying to make the right big choices that we ignore the small ones. We wonder and ponder about colleges or future relationships so much that we forget to look around and invest into today.

It doesn't have to be big.Take a minute and say "hey, what's up?" to your sibling. Listen -really listen -when your mom says she's tired. Laugh with a friend. Chat with someone you don't know at school.

Let's shine with our lives. Let's love others and let them think "wow, something's different with him/her." And then let's point them to the reason for it - Christ.

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:16 (NIV)

"'By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.'" John 13:35 (NIV)

How about you? How can you shine for Christ today?

Slowly but surely

~Tuesday Thoughts~

January 6th I decided to learn to play on the synthesizer. By my schedule, I have half an hour devoted to it five days a week (although it doesn't always work out at all and sometimes I do more). Thirty minutes isn't much, right? But, by and by, they add up and become hours. And hours of learning make a surer hand and a brain that's faster to read those notes.

Sometimes we don't have a lot of time in our lives where we can just relax and talk with God and tell Him of all our troubles and worries. Or maybe we just don't feel like doing it.

But spending just 20-30 minutes studying  His Word and talking with Him and listening to Him every day are worth it. They add up and, before we know it, they can blossom into a relationship more beautiful than we could have ever imagined.

God will always have time for us. The question is... do we make time for Him?

Starting the year with our Savior

~Friday for Friends~

"I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you." John 15:15 (NIV)

Jesus Christ has called us His friends. Jesus, the God of all, the Lord Almighty. Us, the terrible sinners with no way out of our mess except through Him. Isn't that amazing?

This year let'stry to spend more time with Him who gave His life to save us.

How about you? What are some ways you can spend time with God this year?

"Christians never say goodbye" and more quotes

~Saturday Stories~

"Christians never say goodbye!" - C. S. Lewis

"Prayer is not preparation for the work, it is the work." - Oswald Chambers

"Worry does not empty tomorrow of its sorrow; it empties today of its strength." - Corrie ten Boom

"God loves each of us as if there were only one of us." - Saint Augustine

“God does not depend on our time. Our time is chronological and linear but God . . . is timeless. He will act at the fullness of His time. Our prayer . . . may not necessarily rush God into action, but . . . places us before Him in fellowship.” - Samuel Enyia

What about you? What do you think of these quotes? Which one did you like best? What quotes can you share?

The Call to Give, Part 2: Time

~Tuesday Thoughts~ 

These November Tuesdays I want to explore the theme of giving. The Dictionary of Bible Themes divides it up into four things: giving of oneself, of possessions, of talents, and of time. I'm mixing that order up and we’ll have possessions first, time second, talents third and then –oh, the climax!- the giving of oneself. Last Tuesday we talked about giving possesions. Now let's talk about time. 


One important thing to remember about time is that we really don't have a lot of it here on Earth. What's 60 or 80 or even 120 years compared to ETERNITY? And we don't even know if we'll live to 60.

"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:14 (NIV)


But that doesn't mean we should enjoy ourselves and do whatever "while it lasts." On the contrary, realizing the brevity of life we should strive to do something with it.

"Teach us to number our days,
 that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Psalm 90:12 (NIV)

What we need to do is open up our eyes to the numerous opportunities of using the time given us for God's glory. 

"Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is." Ephesians 5:15-17 (NIV)

What, then, should we use time on? I'm taking the following list from what The Dictionary of Bible Themes has on the topic and adding thoughts and some Bible verses. 

    

1.   Worship and meditation 

Blessed is the one

  who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take

  or sit in the company of mockers,

but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,

  and who meditates on his law day and night. Psalm 1:1-2 (NIV)

God is SO worthy of our time!!! Let's give it to Him! 

2. Work 

"Six days you shall labor and do all your work," Exodus 20:9 (NIV)

Work is ordained by God.

3. Rest 

"but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns." Exodus 20:10 (NIV)

What we sometimes do is give too much time to work. We should not forget to leave a day for rest. 

4. With one's family

"These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NIV)

Spending time with family is a good thing too, you know. 

5. In fellowship 

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

We are to spend time with our fellow believers, spurring each other on. 

But what does all this have to do with GIVING? 

Actually, I was kind of taken by surprise by what The Dictionary of Bible Themes had on giving time. I though it would be more about giving it to the others, using it to help those in need. 

But, brothers and sisters, 

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42 (NIV)

That is NOT to say we shouldn't spend time doing good to others. 

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:9-10 (NIV)

Let us. then, give time to God and to others for that is the will of Him who saved us!

How about you? What do you thinking of giving time? What inspires you to give? In what ways do you already use time to benefit others? Please share!

To-do lists

Generally, I think I like to-do lists. They have me doing a bunch of stuff I might not do otherwise and with probably less distractions. I also like beating my to-do lists (meaning getting them done faster than I planned). That feels great.

But to-do lists need LIMITS. I myself are not limitless and my to-do list needs to reflect that. That is a problem with me. Fridays and Saturdays used to be free from anything big after school and I planned a lot of things there. But now I go to my tutor to study math for a big test. I do OK myself, but to do that test great I need to study. So, that takes time. But did I change my to-do list? Yeah right. I try and get it done anyway and have all these things left for Monday and probably Tuesday. Which gives me something to strive to beat, but then, as I said, I have limits. Sometimes it leaves me just feeling incapable or something.

So... Do you have that sort of problem? God gave us time and it's a remarkable thing. But planning way too much way too often really isn't good. Leave your thoughts in the comments. :)

Timing

Timing is a lot. Today my brother was told that he can go to a large city and compete there in a school contest. Cool, right? The problem is he needs to go the day after tomorrow and there's papers to do and all that. So now we're not that super excited as we could have been. How hard would it have been to tell us a week ago? To give us time to do all the official stuff and just get used to the idea that he's going? And we'd be so much more interested in doing this.

 There are a lot of times when timing is important, like when you're asking a favor or asking someone to forgive you. For some it's more important than for others, but it's always there, I think.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens. Ecclesiastes 3:1

 How about you? Do you think timing is important? What are some times you plan when to say something or do something?

Merry Christmas!!!

Merry Christmas! Christmas is so near I can hardly believe it. (How did come so quickly? Maybe I'm just growing up and years pass by faster now). I hope everybody has a wonderful holiday. Lord, please help us not to forget the real reason for Christmas among all this last minute shopping and all.