Like a Fine Wine

I'm not gonna lie. I'm sooo ready for 2010. As I was cleaning out my room today, I found a ticket stub from 2006. Aww 2006, like a vintage wine, was a great year. I was learning so much about God, meeting new friends, and experiencing wonderful miracles. It is a time I will never forget.

Over the past years, it's not that I've lost those things. I'm just not a pup anymore. You know how puppies discover things for the first time, like their tails and clothes from the hamper. I'm growing up. I'm learning with each new experience. 2009 was a season of trial. I knew I would survive it, but I wasn't quite sure what state of mind I would be in.

Yet I can see how God had his hand in the midst of it all. I can tell you that if those trials had happened in 2006, I would not have reacted the same way. Luckily, my faith is growing deeper so I can better withstand the blows that life brings.

I remember being "young" and wishing I was like _fill_in_the_blank_ who was such a strong Christian influence. What I didn't understand was that it was her experiences and responses that made her the strong woman she is today. Similarily, when God called Elijah, he didn't give him a pulpit and radio show right off. First, Elijah had to learn to rely on God...for everything. When he proved himself faithful, then God could perform miracles through him.

I've been through a lot. I'll probably go through much more. But I know that I can always rely on God. He has proven himself faithful. I only hope that I can prove myself faithful to Him. 2010 is going to be a great year. As long as God is on his throne, I have nothing to fear. (Oops, didn't mean to rhyme there!)

Prayer Wimp or Warrior?

When I was brand spankin' new to this Jesus thing, I used to wonder why I needed to pray. If God knows everything, then what effect would praying have on a situation? It will either happen or it won't. And I didn't really believe that praying made much of a difference.

So I started researching the Bible and found the book of Amos. Amos was just an ordinary shepherd until God called him to prophesy to his people. In chapter 7, Amos begged God not to destroy the land. So God relented. God actually listened to Amos!

After reading that, my prayer life radically changed. "Lord, you told me to pray about everything, so get ready." I started really praying. Not the wimpy prayers like "Well if you feel like it, or if it's in Your will." I started believing. And I started to see results. God answered prayers that were unreal. Unexpected. Unimaginable. The more results I saw, the more faith I had, and the harder I prayed.

God's power is so close. Yet often we neglect it. We forget to go to Him first. Or maybe we don't really trust that He'll come through, so we try to fix it on our own. But God designed us to need Him. He wants us to rely on His strength. His power is made perfect in our weakness.

So when you pray, believe that He will answer you. I'm not saying that you will always get what you pray for though. God isn't a cosmic vending machine that caters to your every whim such as, "I'd like to win the lottery, find a hot husband, and never get another breakout." Sometimes, you won't get the outcome you wanted. Sometimes you will. God has a plan and a purpose for all of it though.

What does your prayer life look like? Are you constantly praying for yourself or do you pray for others? If someone asks you to pray for them, do you follow through? If so, are you doing it half-heartedly? I've had to ask myself these questions lately. One day I was praying for someone and God seemed to whisper, "If you really believe that I will answer you, then pray like you mean it." I've had to daily remind myself to not just go through the motions so I could check off my Good Christian box. There is real power in prayer. Tap into it.

One out of Ten

I was reading the Good Book the other day and came across the story of Jesus healing the ten men who had leprosy. He told them to go see the priests, and they were cleansed as they went. But only one of the men returned to thank Jesus. ONE?!? What happened to the others? Were they late for supper? Could they not find Jesus later?

So here's my question: When God answers one of your prayers, do you thank Him? I mean really, really appreciate what He's done for you? What is it that you need to thank Him for? Don't put it off any longer.

I Heart Myspace

"When you get a boyfriend, you'll stop hanging out with all your friends." Someone recently told me this and it made me cringe. I’ve been through so many friends that got married, you’d think they wrote the movie 27 Dresses about me. I realize it’s a part of the courtship process. The quiet moments spent with the person who could potentially become your #2. Learning their innermost thoughts, dreams, and ideas. But I never wanted to be That Girl. The girl who was all googly-eyed, opinionless, and couldn’t spend one night out of the week away from her man.

I need my space. Sometimes I need to be alone. Other times I need a girls night.
I also need chill time with God. I need to depend on Him, and Him alone. My future boyfriend or spouse is human. At some point he’s going to let me down, make me angry, or hurt me (hopefully, it’s unintentional). But I can always count on my Savior. He promises to never leave me nor forsake me. So very often I need to fill my Jesus tank.

I can’t say for sure, but I don’t believe I’ll stop hanging out with my friends once I start dating. It’s like a basketball player that trains for the big game. If you practice consistently, then chances are you will play well. If you don’t practice, you’ll probably go home a loser. And I hate losing.

So if you have any advice on keeping the balance of putting God first and your sweetie-pie second, please share your thoughts. I’d love to hear it.