Currently Left-Handed

I have run into a number of things in my lifetime. The microwave door, the countertop, doorways, the wall, supermarket carts, and especially the floor have all given me bumps and bruises. Some would call me clumsy (and I would agree), but I do believe God has allowed me to get hurt so I can learn something. So as you’ve probably guessed, here comes the lesson that I’ve learned from my recent encounter with concrete.
It is not a good idea to ride down a steep, long, concrete street on a razor scooter. It is not a good idea to forget about the brakes and try to use your feet instead when you are going down a steep, long concrete street way too fast. But thank you God for hands that automatically try to stop our falls. But when our hands try to stop our falls, they usually end up getting the worst of the cuts and bruises. This was the case with my situation.

My right hand took all the force of my fall, and it received a lovely quarter-sized scrape. ‘Scrape’ as in all the skin completely gone from this one area in my hand. Sorry for that visual. Anyway, it was painful, and I was actually surprised that I didn’t cry (oh yeah). However, my hand suffered for the rest of the day, as I was unable to move my fingers without pain. And in case you didn’t know, I’m right handed, which meant the homework which was due the next day would have to wait.

As a result my left hand stepped up to the plate. It was now in charge of holding the hairbrush, fork, toothbrush, and other foreign things. Through this struggle I learned an important lesson.

When God eliminates one option, it’s because He wants you to use the other option. When you are forced to be left-handed, look at it as an opportunity to strengthen your barely used non-dominate hand. 

Maybe God has forced you to be left-handed right now, due to an option that He prevented. Would you join me in being thankful that God is using our left-handedness (yes I just made up a word) to strengthen us? God’s gonna use your situation, I can’t promise how or when, but just know that He will. And if I can believe God can use my wimpy left-handedness, than you better believe He can use your situation for good.

“For my (God’s) grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” -2 Corinthians 12:9 

 

Jesus Chose You

In honor of Good Friday & Easter, I’ve been reflecting a lot on Jesus’ mental battle in Gethsemane. And I uncovered a treasure that made me think a little harder.

Jesus was deeply engaged in a mental battle. He prayed to his Father, asking if there was any other possible way for us to be saved. This situation produced the maximum amount of stress possible, causing Jesus’ to sweat blood. His desire to obey his Father and his strong desire to save us fought with his human instincts of wanting to avoid the pain and tremendous torcher that lay ahead.

He had a choice though. He could have given up right there on his knees in the garden. He could have concluded that it was too hard. He could have ignored our sinful hearts and simply let us live in eternal death. He could have…but he didn’t.

Jesus chose you. As he prayed, he pictured your face, your sin, and he decided to change it. He surrendered to his Father, surrendered to excruciating torture. Jesus chose the crown of thorns for you. Jesus chose the beatings for you. Jesus chose the curses and spit for you. Jesus chose the cross for you.

He chose it. He had a choice to walk away. But he didn’t. He chose the torture, which means he chose to save you.

So how will you respond to this great gift? Will you shrug it off? Or will you fall on your knees in worship of the One who gave it all so he could be with you for eternity?

From the bottom of my heart, I wish you and your family a Happy Easter. May you know and love the God who desires an intimate and personal relationship with you.

Exhaled Creation

This is a two paragraph paper that I was assigned to write for one of my homeschool classes. My mom suggested I share it on my blog, so here it is! I hope this paper reminds you just how amazing God’s creation is. :)

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Before creation there was nothing. Nothing but infinite emptiness and darkness and silence. As God began to work, exhaling constellations and planets into existence, the cosmos began to take shape. After separating light for darkness and water from land, the astonishing Creator occupied the earth with diverse landscape. Heavenly storehouses were filled with hail and snow, which would be used to bless or curse the multitudes of the world. All of this was created from nothing in four days, equipping the earth for the formation of life.

      Life originated directly from the lips of God. With originality and imagination flowing through His omniscient mind, aquatic life and land life sprung into being. Each animal, gigantic or seemingly unimportant, was generously provided for by the Sovereign One. Crowning His astounding creation, the Author fashioned human life. From the dust of the earth and the breath of God, a man’s life began, destined to prosper and fill the earth. The beating hearts of all life were shaped by the Designer and for His impeccable purposes. Oh how we should praise Him, for He has exhaled the universe and life itself into being.

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What is your most favorite part of God’s creation? Share it in the comment section below!

The God of Every Moment

Many times I’ve been told not to run on the tile floor after it had been moped. But this time I honestly  had no idea that the floor had just been moped. Dun dun duunnnn.

Afraid that my seldom-bought gluten free chicken nuggets would burn in the oven, I sprinted into the kitchen. Bad idea. As you can imagine, I slipped and fell, slamming my knee into the tile. Drips of blood followed, and (I won’t lie to ya’ll) drips fell from my eyes as well.

So now I sit at the kitchen table typing, a plate of chicken crumbs on a plate beside me, and my knee (still painted with a drop or two of fresh blood) tingling. My stomach is happy, my knee is not.

God of Suffering?

Hardly ever do we like to admit that God allows suffering. But when He does, how should we react?

I acknowledge God was standing right beside me when I slipped and fell. He could have easily stretched out a hand and caught me, or broke my fall. But He chose not to. Why?

This question is swirling around in my brain right now, so I’m about to let you glimpse into my thought processing…

My Thoughts

Perhaps God did break my fall. Perhaps He made the consequences of running on slick tile less bloody than they might have been. Perhaps He purposely made the cut a Band-Aid fixable one instead of one that needed stiches. Perhaps God did intervene.

But God did allow me to fall. He allowed it for a reason. What’s the reason? What does He want me to learn from this ridiculous experience?

Maybe He wants someone else on the other side of this screen to be touched and taught and moved by this story. Maybe He wants me to learn that He is the God of every moment.

EVERY MOMENT. Bad, painful, sad, bloody, depressing, mournful or just plain hard. He is God over all of it.

Take comfort in knowing that God is God over every moment in your life. He is in control, so don’t fear. Are you going through a hard time right now? Let the readers of this post and I know how we can pray for you. Comment below. :)