The Daily Christian Walk of a Full-Time Student With Two Jobs

When I first began my journey to living on my own everyone told me to make sure I keep the scriptures first in my life and never take my eyes off God. I wish I could say I've kept this advice perfectly ever since I moved out on my own, sadly I cannot. Daily life has gotten in the way my prayer life and Bible studies. I work most Sundays and Wednesdays just to pay the bills and get through life. This is a fact of life, I cannot always make it to church ever single service, I wish I could but there is no way I can and still support myself. So how do I keep my heart focused and on God? To be honest, it has been a huge struggle for me before and still is. I get busy and caught up in my studies and working two jobs and trying to balance my friends and my loved ones. What is a overly busy girl to do?

One, I start by praying. I ask God to give me time to spend with Him. I ask him, sometimes I even beg Him, to help me make time for Him daily. One strange way God has give me extra time with Him is during my runs. I love running and run around 3-5 miles a day, usually 5-6 days a week, and when I don't run I cross-training (meaning biking or using some other type of cardio machine to strengthen my knees). These runs normally take around an hour a half for a long run and a short run is usually around 45 minutes. I find these runs a wonderful time to pray and talk to God. If I am running in the woods I sometimes turn up the music on my I-pod and just praise God for this beautiful creation and listen to Him speak to me. Other times I go for hard runs up hills and these are the time I am crying out to God for help or guidance. Before I prayed for God to increase my time and help me make time for Him my daily runs was just time blaring music and thinking about daily life.

Two, I talk to my boyfriend and other like minded friends. My closest friends, my “college family”, with whom I study with, do some group work outs, cook with, hang out with, and just have fun with, are all Christians. We all struggle at times with things but we all try to keep God first and to stay focused on God. All of us are living on our own, all but one of us are either from out of state or out of country even, thus dealing with a lot of the same things. Surrounding yourself with people who will lift you up constantly is more helpful then I ever dreamed possible. My darling boyfriend is a wonderful Christian man, with who I have Bible studies with and pray with. We bother share our struggles with each other and keep each other accountable. When one falls or needs to be reminded of things, we are there for each other. I cannot stress enough how important this is. Your close friends MUST be like minded. And that special person in your life 100% must be on the same page as you! If they are not, you will fall. I couldn't imagine how I would be if my friends where not believers and I couldn't image my man not being on the same page as me. It just wouldn't work.

Third, The Bible will truly keep you focused. When ever I find my self skimping on my reading or I just skip it, things are ALWAYS worse. Maybe not blatantly so at first, maybe I am just a little moodier, or maybe I am just a little off focused, other times it is like a neon sign. I am frustrated, I don't feel well, I can't focus on anything, and I get hacked off at the little annoying things of daily life.

Four, online sermons. I know that this does not replace sitting in a church service and hearing the word with other Christians but it is something. Hearing the word of God taught keeps me challenged and focus. It keeps my heart tender and usable.

Five, Ignore what others say. This is something I've had to do since my senior year of highschool when my life took a different path from that which I had grown up on. When I challenged a lot of things I was taught and that many of my peers and friends and even family believed. I had to focus on God and tune out the other voices telling me Gods will for me.(see this post) God has lead me here and has placed me in the situations I am in. While they are not ideal and I wish I was able to attend a normal church service every single Sunday it isn't doable. I think God still blesses me for this and gives me other was to worship, learn His word, have good fellowship, and to talk to him.

Sometimes, often, I get frustrated with this but then I am reminder that there is a higher reason that I see. Maybe this is just because God wants be to depend on Him and not a church right now. Maybe He needs me strong in my faith on my own before He leads me into further service, I honestly have no idea. All I know is this is what I've got and this is what God had lead me to.

Using everyday events as a witness.

Being that I can be painfully shy in front of people that I don't know and even with those I do know I have a difficult time sharing the Gospel and declaring the saving power of Jesus with every one in a bold way but I have found that the Lord often brings situations into my life in which I can share the Gospel in a small way.

Monday I will be having my wisdom teeth removed. I was shocked to hear that I would have to take a pregnancy test since I'm going to be lightly sedated. I had seen the sign that declared that all women of childbearing age must have one but I didn't view my self in that category. I simply told the lady that it was unnecessary and that there was no way I could be pregnant, she told me that I could sign a waver testifying that I'm not pregnant if I wished to do so. After my consolation I was talking to my choir director's wife and she told me that the same thing had happend to one of her grown daughters and she had been able to use it as a quick witness of her christian faith. I hadn't thought of it this way. So since then I have been planning on how to use this as a witness. Instead of just saying that I was a virgin inform the lady that I'm a christian and as a born again believer that I believe in all forms of abstinence until marriage or something along those lines.

Other ways I've been able to get a living testimony have been at work. When guys ask me out or ask if I'm single, I'm able to tell them that I believe in waiting for a relationship until God brings the most perfect man along for me, and that til that day I'm building a strong walk with my Savior. I've been able to give out a few tracts this way. Also when customers tell me that they enjoy my smile and that I'm always so friendly I'm able to tell them what makes me so happy all the time. One night the other ladies I was working with where being very short and rude and I have a middle age woman thank me for being to polite and helpful, I thanked her but told her that I'm simply trying to show others the same love that God showed to me. Some people just smile at me like I'm crazy but I've had others seem interested in the Peace that I have though Christ. There are a few godly christian that often encourage men with their witness, They come in my store regularly always dressed modestly, the ones that have children have their children dressed modestly as well and they are behaving like good children. The power of our life testimony is strong even when we're not thinking about it, it shows. At the grocery store, at work, at school, and even at home our lives are always speaking of what in out hearts; the only question is, Is it good or is it a bad witness?

1 Timothy 4:12 (King James Version)
"Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity."

How to read the Bible daily

In my last post I spoke of the importance of daily Bible reading. In this one I'm going to share how to do this. The only way to read the Bible daily is to have a set time to do so each day. If you don't have a planned time them more likely than not it will fall to the way side. So first things first. Pick a time to spend time alone with God. Tell your family or at least your mother so that she can either help keep your accountable or so that she knows when to let you have alone time and not disturb you.

Secondly you have to get into worship mood. For me this means covering my hair and just having a few minutes of silence while I focus on God. I then pray for God to open my eyes to His Word and I then start to read. The hardest part of this is tuning out distractions. If the weather is nice maybe go outside or if you’re indoors shut your bedroom door and just ignore everything else.

Thirdly, want something, have a goal. We only get out what we put into something. If we approach the Heavenly Father with a casual "lets get this over with so I can mark off today" attitude then that’s all we will get out of it. A day to mark off the calendar. If you approach the Word with a "lets see what He can show me today" attitude then the Lord will show us and or teach us something.

Fourthly, Deal with any sin that’s in your heart. Some one once said “Sin will keep you from this Book and this Book will keep you from sin". When there is a heart issue then we will have a hard time reading the Good Book. If there is someone that you need to forgive then forgive before you try to have your prayer time. When we go to God with sin in our hearts it’s like talking to him though a wall we know he's there but we don't feel Him quite the same. The experience has been dulled by our sin. It’s like trying to eat a piece of cake with a burnt tongue. There is still a little enjoyment but near as much! I know that spending time with God is nothing like eating cake but the allegory is still the same.

Five, Have a note book and pen ready. If you read a verse that really stands out write it down so you can read it again when you need some encouragement. Maybe have a little section in a notepad for different kind of verses; encouragement, prayer help, fear, and praise etc.

Six, keep a concordance handy. These are wonderful tools! I had never really used one until I started my study on head coverings and it proved to be extremely useful! Many have Greek and Hebrew dictionaries in them as well which is nice when you don't know the meaning of a word or you just want more clarification.

Seven, Keep an open mind. Be willing to do what ever God shows you. Don't allow your self to become harden to the Word. When ever you receive correction, apply it to your life and or corrects the wrong that you've been shown. If we harden our hearts them the Lord will stop showing us stuff and we will become bitter and useless to the Lord.

Any tips or helpful thoughts? Please share! We can all benefit from learning from each other! So don't hide your candle under a bush!

As New Born Babes...

...desire the sincere milk of the word,
that ye may grow thereby:" 1 Peter 2:2, KJV

Being some what close in age to my younger brothers I never really knew how new born babies ate nor how fiercely they desired milk! As I feed my kittens this verse pops into my head and makes me giggle at first then sends my mind into a deep train of thought. Do I desire my Bible and time alone with God like these babies desire their milk? Have you ever seen a baby eat? They suck like theirs nothing else in the world, just them and the source of milk! When my kittens start to cry they want milk! And they want it now!! If I tried to give them something else they would cry even louder and start throwing a little kitty fit. Nothing will fill their passion except the milk! When they see the bottles now they start pawing the air in attempts to get to eat sooner! They want to drink! They want to drink till they can drink no more. My hands now show testament to how much of a fight they put up to eat. They knead their paws and they claw like crazy just to get what they want. Milk.

No one tells a baby or in my case a kitten "you've already eaten once today, surely you don't need more milk!" or "are your sure you really need that much milk, surely it won't hurt you to cut back or skip it for one day". When a baby stops eating it cause for worry! We don’t think well I guess its ok for him to skip it just this one day I mean he can always catch up later. NO! We would have to be crazy to think that it’s ok for a newborn baby not to eat for a whole day. Two of the four kittens died, they both stopped eating. When they started to skip meals I was worried and I knew that they couldn't make it with out milk, I tried and tried to coax them into eating but it didn't work, they passed on. I think they may have been sick from the start and that’s why they died but I'll never know. Any ways back to the Bible study! When my kittens stopped eating it was cause for alarm! Something was wrong! Yet how many Christians skip their Bible reading and think nothing of it? A few years back a group of teenagers started a summer Bible study with our pastor their was only 6 of us at the most and on the very first day he asked how many of us had a regular time with God. To my surprise, and relief, I wasn't the only one who struggled with this! Others had a hard time getting into the word as well!

Its easy to fall out of the habit of daily Bible reading, you stay out late one night and then when you get home your so tired that you don't even think about reading your Bible, Or you wake up later than you had planned and your realize that you don't have enough time to get all your stuff done, so the Bible falls to the way side.

Why is daily Bible reading so important? Here are top ten reasons according to more questions than answers


10. To know your King and Savior
9. To grow (1 Peter 2:2)
8. So you can claim the promises that are yours in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 1:20)
7. To see some awesome examples of faith (see Hebrews 11 for a start)
6. To be rooted and grounded in Him (Colossians 2:6-7)
5. So you can stand firm in the trials of life (lots of references!)
4. To know your marching orders
3. To avoid pitfalls
2. For more powerful prayer--what better thing is there to pray than God's own word?
1. Who doesn't love a good, well awesome, love letter?


I have never received a love letter, but once my earthly prince sends me one I'm sure I will cherish it and read it over and over again! How much more should I do so with my Prince of Princes? I personally find it hard sometimes to read my Bible. Either I don’t have time or I just lack the desire to dive into His word. But how many of us would take a letter from our loved one and just set it aside and not even bother with reading it? I know that I read my letters, wither it’s via the postbox or via the e-mail, A.S.A.P!

If you struggle in your Bible study may I suggest getting an accountability partner? Someone who will ask you how your Bible study is going and will up lift you when you succeed and will admonish you with love when you fail. I don't have an official one but my mother often does this for me and I know that when she asks if I haven't done it yet I better! Cause chances are she'll ask again!

Another great tip that my previous pastor gave me was to set a time and place to spend with the Lord daily. If your like me and you think the best at night do your Bible study/Heavy reading before bed; but remember to start each day with prayer and maybe even a proverbs or Psalms to get your mind thinking on God.
If your one of those morning people who thrive in the morning, I don’t understand you people but hey, its ok you can be a little off in the head I won't tell; then spend time with God in the morning first thing! If you have a busy morning and evening then spend time with God in the afternoon! The time is not important! The important thing is to spend time with your Lord and Savior every single day!

When I first started attending church I thought that you had to wake up early in the morning and read a prescribed number of chapters from certain books of the Bible in order to have a "real" Bible study. What works best for me is to read until the Lord shows me something, some times that's a few verses, some times its five, six, even seven chapters but I always try to read until the Lord shows me something. Before I open my Bible I pray Psalm 119:18 “Open Thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of Thy law.” Obviously the psalmists are not talking about the physical eyes but the eyes of the heart. The Lord will not just drop divine inspiration on our laps ever day unless we're seeking him and earnestly desiring to know him.
Luke 11:9 reads: "and I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."
The tells us that if we ask and knock He will show us what the Bible says! He will not hide his truth from those who sincerely seek his face. He made withhold His will from us for awhile but in the end He shows us what He means.

My next post will be on how to set up a time and place to read the Bible and some other practical ways to get into the Bible and how to really study it. I've always been told to study my Bible but no one every told me how to study it. So I plan on sharing some ways that I've learned to really study and learn from what you read.

Second Thessalonians 3:13 "Brethren, be not weary in well doing."
Psalms 1:2 "2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night"

Headcoverings

I feel like I've abandoned my poor little blog the last few weeks but I've been reeeeeeeally busy! So heres a little peek into whats been on my mind.

What I'm about to write it not to change anyone’s ideas or to try to make y'all see this my way but simply to let y'all know what’s going on and to know what I've personally decided to do.

The past few months I've been having a really hard time doing my personal devotions because every time I did I would stumble upon First Corinthians 11 and would be so confused that I simply did not want to read anything else. So this past month I've gone all out studying about head coverings and I doubt my concordance has ever been used that much. Website after website, article after article just confirmed what I had been feeling; I needed to be wearing a head covering in church. I spent a week just praying, and then I spent some time doing a semi-deep study on the topic. I then came to the conclusion that I should be covering my hair at least in church services at this point.

As I said in the beginning I'm not trying to convince any one that they should do they same but I do want to share why I'm doing this. First let’s look at the passage in question.

1Cr 11:1 be ye followers of me, even as I also [am] of Christ.
1Cr 11:2 Now I praise you, brethren, that ye remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered [them] to you.
1Cr 11:3 But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman [is] the man; and the head of Christ [is] God.
1Cr 11:4 every man praying or prophesying, having [his] head covered, dishonoureth his head.
1Cr 11:5 But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with [her] head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven.
1Cr 11:6 for if the woman be not covered let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered.
1Cr 11:7 for a man indeed ought not to cover [his] head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.
1Cr 11:8 for the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man.
1Cr 11:9 neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man.
1Cr 11:10 for this cause ought the woman to have power on [her] head because of the angels.
1Cr 11:11 Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord.
1Cr 11:12 for as the woman [is] of the man, even so [is] the man also by the woman; but all things of God.
1Cr 11:13 Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered?
1Cr 11:14 Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?
1Cr 11:15 but if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for [her] hair is given her for a covering.

When I first started studying this I, like most people I know, thought it to be only for those women in that day. But when I looked at the word "every woman" in the Greek it means "with out exclusions" "every virgin, married woman, or widow". Since I happen to fall into that group thus the passage is a command to me.
Then I started wondering is the hair a covering? Yes, it is "a" covering but not "the covering". If we where to use the word hair in place of covering, the passage would not make much since. It would sound something like "if a woman has short hair let her hair be cut short".
It would also mean that men would have to be bald. The word Covered means to let something hand down and to cover thoroughly. The verses also implies that it is it be something that we can take off and put on as we please, I don’t know bout y'all but I can't take my hair on and off at will.

Another verse that speaks of the covering of the hair is Isaiah 47:1-2

Isa 47:1Come down, and sit in the dust, O virgin daughter of Babylon, sit on the ground: [there is] no throne, O daughter of the Chaldeans: for thou shalt no more be called tender and delicate.
Isa 47:2 Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, and pass over the rivers.
Isa 47:3 Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen...

In this passage God is referring to the daughters of Babylon and their nakedness. He tells Babylon to sit on in the dust and to leave her high position of being a virgin and to show her nakedness to the entire world by uncovering her hair and by exposing her thighs. Her shame is to show her hair and thighs, both of which should be covered.

I've only told my family and 3 friends about this decision so far and almost every was very supportive of me even if they did not agree. I had one friend look at me very funny as was like "...why?", One who also covers her head was praying for me and was very supportive the whole time and I know she won't ever read this but I do want to thank her! So am I nervous about my first time to go to church covered? YES! Very much so. I know that it will rock the boat a bit and that people are going to laugh, but I also know that I must do what I feel the Lord is calling me to do, even if that means going against what people expect me to do and what the consider normal. If you would like to read more about this subject please vist Miss Lacy’s blog.
She and I have e-mail back and forth a few times about head covering and I found her to be a great encouragement!

I haven't gotten my first covering yet but it should be here any day! I order it from Garlands Of Grace!

When I get it I'll be sure to post some pictures and tell y'all how my first day of wearing it goes!

What have your words done?

Words are something that we use everyday and think very little of. Words can build up, can make people happy and encourage them. Words can show love and can inspire people to take their life to the next level. Words can also kill. Words can hurt and injure more than anything else. We can scar and mangle people with a simple slip of the tongue. When I was younger I was the weird one out. People liked to make fun of me so when I was in my early teens and finally found "acceptance" I took it...at a very high price. The people with whom I hung out with there not very godly and in all fairness neither were I. They'd tease people and I'd just stand their watching never daring to say a word to stop them, I may have not joined in but I did help them by never intervening. As I got older it became easier and easier to blend in with the crowd I was not as strange or as clumsy yet I still felt as if I had to change in order to be cool; I never even stopped to think what I was paying to fit in. Later on when I was fifteen or so, at a Christian camp my "friends" told me that I couldn't hang with them anymore because I didn't look Goth enough or bad enough and they wanted to get to know a group of "awesome" Goths from another church. The words stung like none other I was not enough for my friends and thus I was being cast aside.

Matthew 12:34 reads: "O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh."
If our hearts are full of evil and hate then our words will be damaging not only to ourselves but to others. We so often speak with out thinking and the damage is done the instance our words fall from our lips. The Bible is full of verses dealing with words and the danger there of. Pull out your concordance and read some of the verses dealing with tongue.

Words are powerful. My mother saw this on a blog and showed it to me. I wanted to cry the words touched my soul and brought back memories. After I watched for the fourth time I went to my room sat down, picked up my knitting needles and started to pray and think things over. I can remember a time when I wanted to end my life. A time when I felt as if no one was on my side because of things people had said to me. I thought that no one would care or would even notice my death, what made me think this? Words. Then a sickening feeling hit me in the gut, how many people had I made feel this way? How many people had felt this same hopelessness because of words I said or words that I never said? Another sickening thought was how have I affected those younger than me who look up to me? My younger brothers or children at my church? The thought was almost too much to bear.
As you listen to this song and watch the video I pray that the Lord will speak to you and challenge your heart. There is not much for me to say on this matter the song says so much.

Concert and other stuff

Oliva Joy at All that is good is giving away an awesome looking bag! Be sure to check out her page.

Last night we had a small concert at our director's old church. The church was so small! Some of our guys where hitting their heads while on the risers! It all went well until the end, one of my friends has been having knee problems and his knee started to give out at the end of the last song, He is going for a MRI this Tuesday so if y'all would pray for his knee I'm sure him and his family would appreciate it. After the concert my blood sugar had gotten kind of low and I wasn't feeling that great, a friend got me something to drink and started feeling better in a few minutes. After wards I started thinking how that’s like our daily life. I can’t eat things that have a lot of sugar yet some times it looks sooo good and I do it anyways, I always suffer later and regret it. The same goes for our Christian walk, we see things that we know are bad for us yet we want them anyways. Skipping meals is something that’s not an option for me, if I don’t eat I get dizzy and sick feeling. I may not notice the affects right way and I might be thinking I'm doing pretty good I don’t need to eat; well that doesn't last very long, I soon realized that my mother was right and that I should have eaten. Christians also tend to do the same thing, we wake up late or we have a busy day ahead of us so we skip our Bible reading and prayer time, we may think that it’s not going to affect us, yet sooner or later it will. We get spiritually weak, we don’t make as good of choices as we ought to; the list could go on and on. I know that I forget to read my Bible from time to time and those days normally go pretty bad. So let me encourage you don’t forget to take care of your "spiritual blood sugar" by reading your Bible and praying daily.

Fruits of The Spirit: Faith

Faith is the substance for things hoped for yet not seen. I'm not sure where I heard/read that but it’s so very true. Faith is not always easy; we so often rather take charge of things our self. Faith is something that I struggle with. I often wonder when God will bring that special some one across my path and me across his. It is not always easy to have faith and trust that God knows what he is doing. I often wonder what the Lord has in store for me down the road, especially since next year is my last year of high school. Even while I pray for guidance I wonder if He is going to show me when the time is right. When we take things into our own hands we often make a mess of things. God knows what he is doing and doesn't need us to help him out. Sitting back and letting God take control of the reins takes allot of faith; but there is also a peace when we have faith in the Lord. Knowing that the God who created me is in control and He is the one who is planning my future not I is a very comforting fact. I am NOT saying that we should just close our eyes and not plan for the future! We should prayerful plan and prepare but also we should keep in mind that His plans might be different from ours.

On a more personal life note our concert Sunday went wonderful. The two soloist where fantastic! Please be in prayer for my choir for the next few weeks. In April more half the choir will be heading off for choir tour. This trip will be 10 days long so please pray for the people who are going. I hope every one has a great day!

Fruit of the Spirit: Gentleness

Hello one and all!
I know, I was supposed to write this yesterday but I didn't. I'm a bad bloggest(My own word for a Lady blogger). So here's the post I should have written yesterday.

Gentleness is one of the traits that, to me, is the one that is most visible. When Out grocery shopping with my mom and brothers you can always tell mothers who are gentle and those who are not. The mother who is yelling at her child as often as she draws breath is obviously NOT gentle; On the other hand the mother who firmly yet gently and lovingly corrects her child is manifesting gentleness. Yes, I know you can’t judge how people are by how you see them in a store, but it does make a good illustration. Gentleness, According to Mr. Webster, means: "Gen"tle*ness, n. The quality or state of being gentle, well-born, mild, benevolent, docile, etc.; gentility; softness of manners, disposition, etc.; mildness." Gentleness is something that takes practice. It’s very easy to be gentle when everything is peaceful but to be gentle when someone is annoying you is different story! Gentleness is something that draws me towards people, a girl I know is very quite and gentle, she and I have very different in personalities but her gentleness draws me toward her. I find it impossible not to smile at this person when ever she passes by me. A gentle spirit is blatantly obvious in those that have one. We all should strive for a more gentle spirit everyday. Let me end by saying this. No one is perfect, just because a person seems gentle it doesn’t mean they are. More important then seeming gentle is what your heart condition is. If you have a rebellious heart it doesn’t matter how gentle you may seem. So we should not strive to be gentle for praise of men, but we should strive to have a gentle heart as well. Matthew 12: 34 reads “For out of abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh”.

Fruits of the Spirit: Longsuffering

Ok before I start the Fruit of the Spirits I wanted to mention how choir is doing. Our first concert is the 29th, which I will not be attending because its 45 minutes both ways and we're only singing for 30mins so the drive time would be three times the singing time. It’s kind of sad that I'll be missing it cause there will be to many first sopranos missing, so they won’t be able to do any of our higher songs. The first full concert will be March ninth! Me and about 3 other firsts sopranos are doing a descant (a counter melody that’s higher than the other parts) on a song called Worthy is the Lamb I've never been put on descant before, needless to say I'm slightly nervous. Ok now that I'm done rambling about my nerves, or lack there of) lets get on to the subject of longer suffering.
Longsuffering is something that many people seem to lack. Longsuffering means: "(Adjective) a long-suffering person is patient despite being annoyed or insulted regularly over a period of time." This is one of the few Fruits that I have been blessed with naturally, but sometimes I do get upset and "ruffled" with people. In order to be longsuffering you have to be able to get over your pride. Pride is what flames up and makes up want to retort or if you’re like me smart off. Pride says "they have no right to say that to me! Who do they think they are to insult me like that?" a friend of mine once said “pride is like a pineapple, Hard to swallow".
Being able to let things go and let them not bother you is a result of being dead to your old self. We should all try to be humble our self’s and not to take offence, even when we have the right to do so, and try to be patience and longsuffering with others, especially those who are lost in sin. If Christians where as longsuffering as they ought to be the lost world might take notice and wonder what we have that makes us the way we are.

Fruits of the Spirit: Joy

Joy, many people confuse joy with happiness. Happiness is only temporary and depends on what’s going on at the present time; Joy on the other hand can be present even when your life seems to be falling apart. James 1:2 reads: "My brethren, Count it all joy..." We should always be joyful no matter what’s going on in your life, even when we're not happy, when I looked up the word joy I found "1. Great happiness: feelings of great happiness or pleasure, especially of an elevated or spiritual kind" and when I looked up happiness I found "2 a: a state of well-being and contentment". While I am typing this I am remembering a time when it felt as if my whole life was going wrong. I was not happy in the least, I was scared and upset. When I first found out we where changing churches I was even a little angry, But after I realized that no matter what I said it didn’t change a thing I prayed for joy and acceptance. Even though I was far from happy I felt some joy in knowing that what I was doing was what my parents thought best. That happened a little over a year ago. Last Wednesday night I was talking to a friend and he mentioned something about my first few months at the church and I told him that I was sure I appeared rude at first, his reply was that I seemed quiet and scared but that he could tell I was trying to make the best of it, which is why he and many others decided to try to help me fit in. I was shocked to hear this; my attempt of joy was evident. If I hadn't tried to be joyful I doubt people would have talked to me yet alone try to make me feel welcomed like they did and I might still be miserable and angry about changing churches. So what caused my joy? Certainly not my situation; the lord did, I prayed from joy and He, like a loving father, wanted me to be joyful and He granted me a joy that the lost world will never understand.

Fruits of the Spirit

Last night, when I was doing my nightly devotions, I read Galatians 5:22-23 "But the fruits of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering gentleness, goodness, Faith, meekness, Temperance: against Such there is no law." At first I just read over them like I normal do a verse that I know well, but when I had set my Bible aside for the night I began to wonder what does that really mean and Matthew 7:20 came to mind "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them." and it made me wonder if people can tell That I am a born again believer by my fruits. Do I bear the fruits of the Spirit like I should? The painful answer was not as well as I should. So I decide to study each one and to apply it. So the First one is "love". When I looked up the word love I found it to mean "unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1): the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2): brotherly concern for others b: a person's adoration of God"
I am a pretty loving pretty loving person, but do I always love others the way I should? The answer is obviously no, to truly love people you must be willing to always put them first, you must be willing to serve them to the best of your abilities, which is not something that I always do. So I thought up some ways that I (or any one else) could do to show love to others.
1. Say an uplifting word to at least one person and really mean it.
2. Do some extra chores or cook for the family and do the dishes.
3. Hand out gospel tracts at least pray for a lost neighbor or family member.
4. Volunteer to baby-sit for a family in your church so that the parents can enjoy a night together.
5. Ask your pastor if your church has any needs that you could help with. Many times they will have something for you to do. (Even if it’s cleaning the church’s bathroom)
6. Be creative, Find something that you can do for some one else.

If any one has any other ideas please list them, or if you have something you'd like to share please do so.