Sunday, June 5, 2011

Why Has My Life Changed?

Lately, some questions (and concerns) have arose from a few friends and family members on my new life in Christ.  They wonder why I'm getting more involved in church and why I'm so tuned into the Bible and living a godly life.


Well, for all of you who would love to hear an answer, I decided to write a blog specifically to you. 


A couple of years ago, my husband Dave and I believed in God, but never ever prayed.  We were in the driver seat of our own lives and had it handled as far as we knew.  Let me lay out an extremely short timeline for you -- Dave and I met on May 26th, 2009, I'd found out I was pregnant on July 14th, 2009, and we got married on August 29th, 2009.  (Talk about fast, right?)  I worked at an apartment community while Dave (who was friends with my manager at the time) was a paint vendor.


My life at the time was great, as far as I knew.  I had a best friend, Jen, that always left her daughter to go out on the town with me and we obsessed in spending all of our money on the latest Ed Hardy and Christian Audigier trends.  That was our thing.  To add to the "fun" she even hooked me up with a gang member too -- but that's a whole 'nother story. 


Dave had just broken up with his girlfriend and moved into the apartments I worked at.  His now ex-girlfriend was also cousins with my manager.  Small world, I know. 


So here we were... 2 broken lives slowly joining as one.  Here is where everything unravels.  My manager turned on me out of nowhere once I let her know I was pregnant, and took my job right out from underneath me.  To this day, I still don't understand all of the lies she told about me.  Oh, and by this time, I'd just moved on property too -- and paying full rent each month.  So come early August, I'm blessed with a new job with same pay, but no commission since it was an Assistant Manager position and they didn't offer that.  That brought down my monthly pay considerably.  To add to it, Dave gets laid off in October.  Well, what do we do now?  We pay almost $1,000 a month just for rent alone, and no way to pay it. 


My dad fortunately took us into his home and we were (by God's grace) released from our contract -- which is another story in itself.  So we paid for a storage, and took what would fit into one room we would be living in for the next 7 months.  Even though we had a home to live in, I think we can all agree that if it's not our own home, there is nothing we can do to make it an easygoing, no-stress situation.  My pregnancy was heavy on my mind all the time because I was about to be a new mom and I was worried that I was not going to have my own home and my baby was not going to have his own room when he arrives.  That was such a big deal to me.  But I had to put that aside and take care of my dad who was suffering through surgeries, and to take care of my husband. 


So what does this have to do with my topic -- Why has my life changed?  Do you ever feel like when you hit the absolute rock bottom, feeling helpless to no end, your life is a disaster and there is no way you can pick up all the pieces?  Well, that was us.  Dave was laid of for 4 months, and we wanted our own home more than anything, but we couldn't see that happening anytime soon.  During that time he enrolled in the University of Phoenix so he could get an education to get a better job.  One day, we decided to pray together.  Very soon after that, Wells Fargo called Dave in for an interview, and he started shortly after.  On top of that, we had one car and the Wells Fargo he was placed at was about 5 minutes away from my work so we could switch the car every day at lunchtime.  We knew God heard our prayers.  Well, here came Tyler on February 17th, 2010.  3 months later on May 2, 2010, we were blessed to get a nice apartment at such a large discount because I used to work there. 


Then, we said one day "Man, I really miss CBC."  We decided to go back and I can't even put into words how I felt inside.  I felt guilty, I felt a heavy heart, and all of a sudden I was so hungry to know more about God.  I have been going almost every Sunday since then. 


Let me tell you this: To be hungry for more knowledge of the love of Jesus Christ -- it isn't a discipline, it's a desire.  You start to really listen to the words of the songs during church rather than just hear music.  You start to want to join a bible study and meet new friends who are positive and uplifting so you can be positive and uplifting.  The next Sunday always seems a decade away. 


My life changed because God changed my heart.  Nobody on the face of this earth can make you feel the love that God can give you.  Trust me, I thought that sounded a little crazy when I heard other people say it.  But it's true, and I'm living proof of it.  When you see God work in your life, it captures your attention and makes you hungry for more about Him. 


God will always provide.  Recently, I had less than $30 in my bank account, my husband and I eating ramen noodles for lunch and dinner and making sure Tyler had plenty of healthy food.  We were behind on every single bill we had, and I prayed so hard that day because it was a Saturday and our cable and internet was cut off.  I took that as God wanting us to spend more time together as a family without TV, internet, video games, etc.  But, I decided to shred bills that afternoon (which I haven't done in... I don't even knw how many years).  I came across a random check for $181.00.  What are the odds of that happening?  I see that as an answered prayer and more evidence that God will always take care of me, as long as I give everything to Him.  After all, everything I have isn't mine to claim anyway!


Living life with the Holy Spirit in my heart is the most amazing feeling I ever thought possible.  I wish I could show any skeptic a glimpse of what God can do. 

Saturday, May 21, 2011

I wanted to do a "Then Sings My Soul Saturday" to share my most favorite song with lyrics. This song has brought me through some tough times and it always gets me every time. I hope you enjoy it... Happy Saturday! :)


Lyrics:
Everybody falls sometimes
Gotta find the strength to rise
From the ashes
And make a new beginning

Anyone can feel the ache
You think it's more than you can take
But you're stronger
Stronger than you know

Don't you give up now
The sun will soon be shining
You gotta face the clouds
To find the silver lining

I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That's what faith can do

It doesn't matter what you've heard
Impossible is not a word
It's just a reason
For someone not to try

Everybody's scared to death
When they decide to take that step
Out on the water
It'll be alright

Life is so much more
Than what your eyes are seeing
You will find your way
If you keep believing

I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That's what faith can do

Overcome the odds
You don't have a chance
(That's what faith can do)
When the world says you can't
It'll tell you that you can

I've seen dreams that move the mountains
Hope that doesn't ever end
Even when the sky is falling
And I've seen miracles just happen
Silent prayers get answered
Broken hearts become brand new
That's what faith can do
That's what faith can do

Even if you fall sometimes
You will have the strength to rise

Friday, May 20, 2011

I Wish It Was Easier...

I have been seeing so many people laugh about & make fun of the (false) judgement day tomorrow.  Although it's not tomorrow, it is going to happen.  It bothers me that I can't show everyone the truth so all souls are saved.  Instead, I get criticized just as Jesus was.  This reminds me of John 15:18-20:
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours."
I wish I could show people just a glimpse of the happiness and peace I have now that the Holy Spirit lives in my heart.  It's so real, yet it makes me sound like such a fool to the world.  Why do people laugh at the sight of someone reading the bible?  Why are people so quick to judge Christians?  Yes, we have a lifestyle change, but we are essentially still the same person.  I am judged by the close relationship I have with God, but I don't judge anybody.  I plant the seed through my lifestyle and sharing what I know about my new found peace.  But no one will cross the line of living a Christian life until they are ready.  It's not my place to judge anybody.  I try to live by Matthew 7:1-5:
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."
So again, I wish I could lead everyone to the truth, but I can only plant the seed.  No one believes me when I tell them that if they pray, read the bible, and go to church for a place for fellowship, they live a happier life.  I have learned the hard way by giving away my books and buying people bibles... it's not that easy.  It sounds so cliche nowadays to hear someone say "Jesus Christ died for your sins."  It usually goes through one ear and out the other.  I know, because it went right through me too.  I didn't care.  I knew, but I didn't care.  Think about it... imagine yourself tortured and beaten to DEATH, to save everyone else.  Jesus was so beaten that he didn't look human!
"Everyone was afraid of how he looked. He did not even look human. Nobody would recognize him as a man." Isaiah 52:14
I will continue to pray for my friends and family in hopes that one day their eyes will be opened; hopefully it's before judgement day.

Tomorrow = End of Times?

Ok, so I've been hearing through the media that the world is ending tomorrow, according to Harold Camping, an 89 year old theologist & leader of Family Radio Group.  A follower of Mr. Camping and fellow group member also believed the world would end in 1994 and now claims "there is so much more in the Bible than in 1994."  (Well I wasn't aware that the Bible had been rewritten!)  ;-)
Let's look at the group's thoughts.  The belief is being backed up by an equation set up by the group itself.  They believe Noah built the ark in 4990 BC and God told him he had seven days.  Well in regards to 2 Peter 3:8, they took the "one day = 1,000 days" quite literally.  It wasn't meant to be taken literally.  It was written to teach us that God works on His time, not on ours.  So since the Bible says that Noah had seven days, well 7 x 1,000 = 7,000.  Since we are in the year 2011 and there was no year zero, they subtracted one year.  Here is the equation: 4990 + 2011 - 1 = 7,000.  From then to now is 7,000 years.  According to this, the world will end Saturday, may 21, 2011 at 6:00PM. 
Now let's look at what the Bible says (that hasn't changed in over 2,000 years, might I add).  Matthew 24:36 & Mark 13:32 says no one knows the day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, only the Father.  Matthew 24:44 says "Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."  Acts 1:7 says "He said to them:  It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority."  So if Jesus or the angels don't even know, then why would God's most unworthy?
Please feel free to share your thoughts.........

Thursday, May 19, 2011

First blog!!!

Well, I finally got a blog that I'm happy with!  I think what pushed me to finally start one is not only the fact that everyone else has one, but I have had some serious thoughts lately that I need to just get out!  But for now, I'm only going to dedicate my first blog to kind of an introduction.  I'm a stay at home mom... I love spending every second with my 15 month old, Tyler!  So much in fact that I refuse to take breaks from him very often.  I know, it's not healthy!  But I just love him so much!!  My husband Dave works at USAA; he started in January.  We are so happy he works there, they REALLY spoil their employees!  Last month we went to this HUGE annual party they had called CultureFest.  It was just like Fiesta, except everything was FREE!  I seriously felt like I was going to get in trouble by taking food from a booth either without asking or paying!  They had different areas that represented different countries/cultures and had food and music to go with it.  My favorite was probably the American food, haha!  The hot dogs and BBQ sandwiches were a hit.  Tyler had tried watermelon too, and LOVED IT!  I'm not a fan, though.  So back to current and future events, I'd like to bring light to my brother's birthday coming up in 12 days!!!  He is going to be 21 and I cannot believe it!!  Seems like just yesterday I was trying to hurt him every day because he stole my princess spotlight LOL!  I love my brother... even though he is younger than me, I look up to him a lot.  I mean, he is taller than me. ;)  Oh, on another note, I applied for a job at the Childrens Center of Stone Oak because my cousin Jennifer referred me.  It looks like a lot of fun to work there so I hope I get it!!  Well, I guess that's all for now, but there will be many more posts to come!!  Thanks for reading, and don't forget to follow me! ;)