Toddler, Trips, & Track
7 years ago
Saturday, April 17, 2010
God's Orchestra
I recently got an invitation to join a facebook support group from an old friend that I haven't seen in years who in October will be leaving the US to partner with World Race, which means she will be traveling to 11 different countries over a period of 11 months to spread the gospel. Anyways, after being involved in a few mission trips and trying to fundraise, I enjoy being able to help out other peoples adventures so I asked her for an address and from there we've been facebooking back and forth and catching up a little bit and it's caused me to have a few interesting thoughts that I figured I would share with you.
When I say old friend that I haven't seen in years... I mean an old friend that I don't think I've seen for almost 8 years. We met at Camp Geneva before going into 7th or 8th grade and maybe saw each other once or twice in the years following camp (I remember her coming to my 8th grade play) but not since then. Of course, we managed to find each other on facebook and have had the chance to swap happenings every once in a while. And, she ended up working at Camp Geneva again, completing the small world circle and getting to know some of my friends from college and high school - always fun connections to make. Anyways, point of this is... it reminded me again what a blessing it is to be a part of God's family. It never ceases to amaze me how I am able to have such great conversations with people that I hardly know (and that I know really well!), all because we share the same love for a God bigger than anything we could imagine. Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecc. 4:12)
In one of our conversations, we started talking about how incredible it is too look back on our lives and realize the different events God used to prepare us for something bigger than we could imagine! It's something that I've been realizing here a lot, and then to hear her talk about it was pretty cool too. It was also neat because God gave me a new image of it all. One of us used the word "orchestrates" and it hit me what a cool picture that paints - how God is the conductor of our life. He directs the different events to rise and fall, enter in and out, at just the right time to produce the incredible song and experience that is my life! And since I tend to really enjoy music, it's was especially neat to think of my life as a song - with high points and low points, key changes and so many other unknown elements that work together to produce something so beautiful. The best part? I know that when I let God conduct this song, it not only brings praise and glory to Him, but it becomes a testimony to the people around me. Then, when you begin to add together all the songs and lives of the body of Christ, instead of drowning each other out, they work together to amplify each other, and produce something even more beautiful - and this is the unbelieve power and wonder of our God, who brings everything together for our good and His glory!
The last thing I picked up from my devos last night and seems to tie in with this as well. Lately, my devo book has been talking a lot about worry, and how the devil uses worry to distract us from our work in the Lord. For example, when we worry, we focus on ourselves, instead of on the people around and we are unable to be effective witnesses to unbelievers. The author suggests various ways to fight against worry, and the one that really struck relates back to the Israelites. Often when God did something for them, they would set up a large pile of rocks that they could "look back on" and be reminded of what God had done and how He had cared for them. For me, nothing beats worrying more than that. It always amazes me when I look back on my life to see how God has been present through it all, working to orchestrate my song and when I see this, I'm reminded again of God's faithfulness. And when you concentrate on God's faithfulness, it removes any remaining worry.
Think that's all I have for now. I've now been here for 7 weeks, so I'm a little over a third of the way through my trip. I can definitely tell my spanish is getting better, and have been getting to know a few of my classmates pretty well. Just yesterday I got to explain to some of them what maple syrup is and what real pancakes are! (The pancakes they eat here, are really crepes and only eaten for dessert, never for breakfast! *gasp*) and I even got to try and explain an assignment to a classmate that I understood but he didn't - all in spanish of course! I also got to play bingo at the casino and practice my numbers :). Miss you all and hope you all have a great upcoming week!
Chauu!
When I say old friend that I haven't seen in years... I mean an old friend that I don't think I've seen for almost 8 years. We met at Camp Geneva before going into 7th or 8th grade and maybe saw each other once or twice in the years following camp (I remember her coming to my 8th grade play) but not since then. Of course, we managed to find each other on facebook and have had the chance to swap happenings every once in a while. And, she ended up working at Camp Geneva again, completing the small world circle and getting to know some of my friends from college and high school - always fun connections to make. Anyways, point of this is... it reminded me again what a blessing it is to be a part of God's family. It never ceases to amaze me how I am able to have such great conversations with people that I hardly know (and that I know really well!), all because we share the same love for a God bigger than anything we could imagine. Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecc. 4:12)
In one of our conversations, we started talking about how incredible it is too look back on our lives and realize the different events God used to prepare us for something bigger than we could imagine! It's something that I've been realizing here a lot, and then to hear her talk about it was pretty cool too. It was also neat because God gave me a new image of it all. One of us used the word "orchestrates" and it hit me what a cool picture that paints - how God is the conductor of our life. He directs the different events to rise and fall, enter in and out, at just the right time to produce the incredible song and experience that is my life! And since I tend to really enjoy music, it's was especially neat to think of my life as a song - with high points and low points, key changes and so many other unknown elements that work together to produce something so beautiful. The best part? I know that when I let God conduct this song, it not only brings praise and glory to Him, but it becomes a testimony to the people around me. Then, when you begin to add together all the songs and lives of the body of Christ, instead of drowning each other out, they work together to amplify each other, and produce something even more beautiful - and this is the unbelieve power and wonder of our God, who brings everything together for our good and His glory!
The last thing I picked up from my devos last night and seems to tie in with this as well. Lately, my devo book has been talking a lot about worry, and how the devil uses worry to distract us from our work in the Lord. For example, when we worry, we focus on ourselves, instead of on the people around and we are unable to be effective witnesses to unbelievers. The author suggests various ways to fight against worry, and the one that really struck relates back to the Israelites. Often when God did something for them, they would set up a large pile of rocks that they could "look back on" and be reminded of what God had done and how He had cared for them. For me, nothing beats worrying more than that. It always amazes me when I look back on my life to see how God has been present through it all, working to orchestrate my song and when I see this, I'm reminded again of God's faithfulness. And when you concentrate on God's faithfulness, it removes any remaining worry.
Think that's all I have for now. I've now been here for 7 weeks, so I'm a little over a third of the way through my trip. I can definitely tell my spanish is getting better, and have been getting to know a few of my classmates pretty well. Just yesterday I got to explain to some of them what maple syrup is and what real pancakes are! (The pancakes they eat here, are really crepes and only eaten for dessert, never for breakfast! *gasp*) and I even got to try and explain an assignment to a classmate that I understood but he didn't - all in spanish of course! I also got to play bingo at the casino and practice my numbers :). Miss you all and hope you all have a great upcoming week!
Chauu!
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3 comments:
Another way to eradicate worry is to sing praise songs. You can't worry and praise at the same time!
I read this after reading your post!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
When you pray, give your worries to God
by Rick Warren
Give us today the food we need. Matthew 6:11 (TEV)
"If we prayed as much as we worried, we'd have a lot less to worry about! Give God your worries."
Once you have given God your love and your life, Jesus teaches you can give him your worries by asking God to provide for your needs and the trusting that he will provide.
For instance, we can ask God to give us the food we need each day. Some translations say, "Give us this day our daily bread."
What is "daily bread"? It is the necessities of life -- our physical and material needs that we're always worrying about. God wants you to ask him to provide those things so you don't have to worry about them. He's promised to provide all your needs: "My God shall supply all of your needs." (Philippians 4:19)
What do you need today? Energy to make it through the day? Finances? Wisdom? You've got two alternatives: panic or pray. Philippians 4:6 says: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God."
Do you really believe this verse? God says you can pray about everything. Nothing is too great for God's power. Nothing is too insignificant for His care. Anything worth worrying about is worth praying about. If we prayed as much as we worried, we'd have a lot less to worry about! Give God your worries.
When you talk to God about your needs, you need to be specific. When you pray generically -- "God, bless me" -- how are you going to know if He answered it or not? What's a blessing? Sometimes blessings come in the form of problems. You'd better be careful when you pray, "God, bless me."
Notice the Philippian verse also says, "... by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving." When you pray, be specific and do it with thanksgiving. Gratitude is the healthiest emotion you can have, psychologists say. The more you develop an attitude of appreciation for God, your family, and other people, the healthier you are emotionally.
You worship God through prayer when you give him your love (praise), your life (purpose), and your worries (provision).
Definitely! What a great find - thanks for sharing
side note.. who is this? :)
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