Been learning so much!

Here are some things that have been wonderful reminders to me in the last few days:

1)  "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:20b
That is so personal. So loving. So comforting! We are never alone. God promises to be right with us, right by our sides always, all the way to the end. SURELY He is with us ALWAYS.

2)  Anchor of my soul, You sustain, You sustain...when I'm in the storm, You remain, You remain good to me, good to me.
I put this in the post before, but it's so good. Even when our life situation isn't the best, God is still good. That is pretty cool to know. We are anchored in truth, in love, in a God that never changes, never fails, and never stops loving on us. He REMAINS. He SUSTAINS.

3)  Life and heart transformation is NOT something we can do- it's something that God does in us! AND, it comes from a lifestyle of humility!
God can combat my pride and selfishness and make me more aware of them so that we, God and I, can fight those together!
I think on Friday He helped me see this with a little slap in the face (that I dealt out) that made me realize how selfish and prideful (via another situation) I truly could be. It is an ugly part of me that I really do want to rid myself of.

4)  God has a plan and we get to be a part of it!! (The subject of my second to last post, I believe.)
He can use us, and DOES use us, and wow is that a privilege! I feel like He's been giving me a lot of opportunities to talk with people, get to know them, and help get people plugged in recently and that is SO COOL!

5)  I am loved. And if not on this earth, then always, unconditionally, and completely by my wonderful Father in heaven.
It has been crazy to really reflect back on this week and see the way that God has put people in my life that have been supporting me and loving me and really care how I'm doing. And God has provided so much truth to me in relatable ways through the rap/hip-hop group out of Portland, called Beautiful Eulogy. Their songs have blessed me in understanding God and His love more, and what being a Christian really means. Their words and thoughts have challenged me and I am so grateful for that.

6)  I feel like the Church would be a lot more relatable and welcoming if we Christians weren't always so HAPPY all the time...
Let me explain, because this sounds counterintuitive. Today in church we talked about struggles (pain and suffering) and what these mean in our lives. We fill our lives many times with "things" so that we don't have to think about the pain around us or in us. But you know what? We are all, the entire earth, suffering through the brokenness together. TOGETHER. We should all have a place where we can talk about how sometimes, yeah, we're not doing okay. We're actually pretty beaten down and depressed. A lot of times I think as Christians we assume we have to be happy and have it all together. WE DON'T. We are suffering through the pain and brokenness of this world too. But I think people on the outside looking in think we think we're better than everything and that's why we act happy. I think if the church just came out and said, Yeah, we're struggling too! We get depressed sometimes, angry about things, we need to cry and yell too, that people would see that we're real too. I know that I (and I've heard from other Christians too) get intimidated by all the seemingly "happy and perfect" people milling around church on a Sunday. Sure, church is a happy time where we get to see everyone, but LET'S GET REAL. Let's deal with our things and I don't just mean on the inside.
Openness begets openness, so be open! Feel pain. Be sad. Let it out. And I think people will respect that. Not just respect, but relate to it.
The difference between Christians and people who do not believe (on the "happy" aspect) is that we as Christians know that right now, these sufferings are MEANINGFUL. Not for nothing, because we know that these sufferings promise a new world to come, like the pain of childbirth is bearable only because the mother knows that there is something good on the way- new life. We are comforted with peace, not only in the good times but in times of pain. We experience true joy, even when we are suffering. Peace and joy are not circumstantial- they are beyond that. Happiness and relaxedness are circumstantial.

7) Last one. As I was listening to the "slice of life" today (a personal testimony h2o church does before each sermon on Sundays), the girl shared how one of the staff shared the Gospel with her one day- and it changed her. It just HIT ME...people want this. They really want and crave the truth and love that is in Christ Jesus and His sacrifice. Not only do they want it, it changes everything. (**Not everyone wants it right now in this moment. But some do.)
I feel like God was really working on my heart with this one. Showing me that the Gospel isn't something that people are just tired of or scared of hearing...that it can really be wanted, that it can really do good. (I have no idea at all why I hadn't really known this before. I think God was getting it to a heart level knowing this time.) It is something that flips our lives around, takes everything we knew and asks, are you doing this for YOU? or for God? It challenges our pride, our selfishness, how we love people, how we live our daily lives.
In that moment sitting in the chair at church, I felt God show me His love. I felt Him showing me what it really looks like and the sheer power of His love and grace. Shattering my doubt. It all felt so real and perfect. I felt so loved.

Phew. There is more than this but I'm stopping here for the sake of you guys and I really need to study now...

Closing thought:  Jesus. Is. Amazing.

Peace & Blessings