The Impact of Community

      In the midst of everything in life, community is something that is vital to a lovely existence. Whether this community is family life, church life, or a group of friends. What sets community apart from simply "hanging" with others, is the connection you can make and the impact you have on them and they on you.

As iron sharpens iron,
    so one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)

   Today as you go through your busy day, think of these questions:

*Are you involved in a group of individuals that help encourage you in your walk with Christ?

*What is your impact in this community?

*How do others in this group impact you?


    For me, community has been there when I felt like I couldn't continue to stand firm. They were there when something tragic has happened and they were there to celebrate the important milestones in my life. Community is an important part of my life, they encourage me to do this I never thought I would be able too...

What a blessing community is.

Compassion International is helping children around the world find community by giving them a sponsor that they can trust, talk to, and that can help them in their needs.
Have you considered helping Compassion in their mission?
If not, I would encourage you to get involved by sponsoring a child.

Go to their website at http://www.compassion.com/ for more information.

Never Give Up...Excuses, Excuses.

     I haven't been able to blog for while because I couldn't remember my password. I've had the same password for a while now and I couldn't seem to get it right so I just gave up. Gave up trying to blog for almost a month. Today, I decided hey, I should write a blog post.

     I know, I know! Excuses, excuses- this is no way to run a blog. It's true, I admit my failure. However, as I sit here typing this, I begin to think of a similar parallel. In life it's so easy when we make mistakes to just give up trying. We become tired of fighting the good fight.

     There are many reasons individuals simply give up trying, whether its the pain is too much, they don't believe they are good enough, or one that we see over and over again is I'm too tired to fight because things are happening back to back to back.

Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

                                                                        Romans 12:11-12 (NIV) 

     Sometimes that is more difficult than it reads. You could say this over and over again, but to incorporate it into action is an entirely different story. To put this in action requires daily commitment. Daily loyalty in the midst of our busy work schedules, school life, and the social interactions required of us everyday.

      Many of us, including myself, have dealt with this by simply not trying anymore, but this is not what needs to happen. When life knocks us down, when we sinned yet again- when we need to understand perseverance, understand our sinful nature, and believe in a God who gives love and grace. Not an excuse to continue sinning but grace in that moment to say, "get back up and try again."

      So today, I challenge you to get back up and continue trying. Encourage others to do the same, and remember excuses should not represent our lives in Christ. 

The Sun Hasn't Said Hello...

      The concept of waking up in the middle of the night is becoming surreal to me at this moment. Early morning notions seem to be spinning in my middle and ideas of sleep disappeared a while ago.

The mind or at least my mind is more active in the middle of the night, and I do not go without a minute of not knowing what to say.

        Yesterday, I officially moved in my apartment for my last year of school! That's right, this girl is a senior. (Insert shouts of happiness and random dancing!) After bumps and bruising from moving furniture or just smacking into them I have come to two major premises:

1) I should never be in the furniture moving busy.

2) Everything is better when the sun is up.


First, I should never be hired in anyway to move somebody's furniture...move it your self. I can't sleep on my side because of my swollen ankle from cracking it one the side of heavy duty, not-going-to-break till you're dead furniture. Also, don't get me to hang things on the wall because my eye doesn't catch "straight" so you're wall decals might be rung strangely. Don't ask me to color coordinate because everything matches red I'm certain of it. Yeah, that's me, Ms. Mover!


Second, everything is better when the sun is up. So yeah, I may be able to write really fantastic stuff when the sun is sleeping but I will be feeling this later on today and it won't be pretty. Other people tend to be up when the sun is up, except one of my roommates who has already stated that she will not be up at 8:45 when the coffee pot starts making that glorious popping noise as it makes the "best part of waking up." But besides her, one can safely assume that most will be up at a reasonable time.

The sun saying hello also reminds me of something else:

From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised.

Regardless of the sun's lack of hello at 5am, it is still a good day to praise the Lord. The sun helps me remember that despite today's mistakes, the sun sets and begins again. Daily, I have to make the choice of praising and living for the Lord.

Praising the creator of the sun that has the ability to rise and set in its own time. What a God we have!

So as the sun slowly rises and it's beautiful light begins to shimmer in the distant horizon, think about what a might God we have. As your coffee begins to smell like a "strong train to wake" think about the awesome acts our God is capable of.

p.s. "strong train to wake" seriously is a great comparison for Coffee if you think about it. That first cup is like a train hitting you to consciousness, which now that I think about it is OPPOSITE of what a real train would do...but I still like the idea.

p.s.s. If you would like me to move your furniture I'm sure money would help a poor college student decide to get over her feel of stumping toes.