Sunday, February 27, 2011

Beginning to understand the Ultimate Sacrifice

Have you ever thought about the God's sacrifice? What it meant to give up His son? I've been thinking about it a lot lately. Originally my thought had always been, ya He gave His son, but He knew He'd see him again.... how could that really be a sacrifice? It's funny how a single circumstance can change your perspective. For anyone reading this blog and doesn't know, my mom was taken home to heaven about 3 weeks ago. Her death has really got me thinking about heaven and has made me realize that our God is truly Mighty to Save! Because of Him I get to see my mom again! I'm not cut off from her for all eternity! It's a wonderful thing to know when you lose someone you truly love! But you know, even though I KNOW with out the shadow of a doubt that I will see her again (because she had a strong faith in God and she followed Him like you wouldn't believe!), it still really pains me to not be able to just call her up or jump in my car and head on over to watch the cooking channel and talk about life. Now I know this isn't something God and Jesus did... well at least I don't think so? But they were (are) still Father and Son! God knew He'd see His son again, but He still had to go 33 years without His son. And not only did Jesus live on earth for 33 years but he was in the end brutalized and hung on a cross. At least I know that my mom is in an amazing place, a place that I can't even begin to dream about! God sent His son to a sin infested cruel world! He knew His son wasn't going to a place of sunshine and beauty. He knew His son wasn't going to be accepted by many. And more importantly He knew that His son was going to suffer and be murdered.

I'm not a parent so I can't imagine exactly how hard it would be to allow my child to go through torture even if I knew they'd be okay in the end, but I've seen enough to know that if I had a child I would want to do everything I could to protect them and I would rather they not have to go through hurt even if it was for the greater good. I don't believe that God is numb and didn't hurt when His son hurt. I don't believe that God just sat there in Heaven and thought "Hm, oh right this is the day that my son is going to have nails pounded into his hands and his feet. Well I'll talk to him about it later." God is loving! There's no way He just sat through that! His son was dying! And for what!? Me, you, everyone and their sinful little lives. It's a BIG deal! Yes God knew the end result, but that doesn't mean that made Him uncaring or unfeeling.

My mom's death has been hard on me, but it has brought so much good for me as well. I now understand a bit more how even though God knew what was going to happen and He knew He'd see Jesus again, it's still hard to say goodbye to someone you love. Our God is so amazing! Unfortunately I have no words that truly describe Him... but I can't wait to see my savior face to face and just worship Him with all that I am! When my day comes you can be sure that I am going home to be with Him... and we can be sure of that because Jesus made it possible. Thank you SO much Jesus for giving your life! And thank You God for giving up your son for me! I can't even begin to fathom the amount of love you have for me! All I can do is Thank You!

with love,
abbey

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Nothing much... wait what am I saying!!!

When I first decided to start this blog I made myself promise that I would never allow myself to be fishing for something to say. Instead I want to write only when I Really have something to say!

Having that said, I was doing my devotion on prayer* today  and one of the verses that was in todays reading was Hebrews 4:12. Before I go onto what that was let me share with you real quick my thought process on this. As I read the verse and wrote it in my journal I thought, "wow this is a pretty good verse!" It had me thinking. As I went on to write down my observation of the verse and a way to apply it in my life** I started wondering if I should write this on the blog. I asked myself, "Is this truly worthy of being on the blog, or am I just using it as a reason to write today?" Because like I said I don't want to just be writing to see my own words! I can't stress this enough! None of what I say is me saying "Wow look what I found," or "Look at what I came up with!" Instead I want you to read this and say, "Wow look at what God is showing this girl!" So there I was wondering if this was worth posting about... and then I hit myself on the forehead and said, "Abbey! This is God's word and it is speaking into your very soul in a VERY real way! Of course this is worth it!"

So anyways (I told you I'm a bit scatterbrained and long winded! I get it from my dad :) Hebrews 4:12 says:
For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. (NLT) 


                                                                Or a more literal translation
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (NKJV)


First thing that struck me is, THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND POWERFUL!!! Woo Whoo!!! It's not some boring old history book people! It's living and powerful! But honestly this isn't what really got me thinking. What really got me thinking was as the NLT says, "It exposes us for what we really are." When I read that I thought, wow that sounds really scary! Why on earth would anyone want to be fully exposed for what they truly are?  Wouldn't people just rather live an ignorant life and not know how sinful and awful they are? And to be honest that's exactly how I lived for the last 20 years. I always came up with excuses like, "I don't like reading the Bible because it's so BORING!" or  "Eh the Bible wont really help me." But in all honesty I was afraid that I would see just how sinful I was, and even worse, I would realize I had to change. But you know what? Now as I dig into God's word and see all the Hope and Love that has been etched into it I realize this isn't a death sentence! The Bible isn't tying my down to dreaded rules! NO! God's word is freeing me!! I'm no longer tied down by sin! Yes I still struggle with sin, but now I know it IS sin and God is willing to help me break free from it! No longer do I have to cry out, "Why am I like this! Why do I do the things I do!?" Because I know it is sin which drives my life and emotions into the ground! And I have Jesus Christ on my side rooting for me to break free from it. Not only that but I have God's handy dandy survival guide right at my finger tips! Following God's "rules" is the most freeing thing I have ever done in my life!


Thank you Heavenly Father for the most amazing gifts, your son and your word! With them my life on this earth is complete! Life will be hard, but I have built my foundation on you and even through the toughest storms I will not be moved because you are my rock and my fortress! Thank you, thank you, thank you!


Well everyone I pray that God reaches your heart in some real way through this! Have a safe weekend! More snow YUCK! Oh well there's a reason :)


Much love,
Abbey






*By Wendy Blight if anyone is interested. It's awesome! Her website is wendyblight.com
** This is called the S.O.A.P. method and will more than likely be explained in my next post

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

What this blog is about....

Let me start off with what this blog is not. This blog is not a mere tool to complain to whoever wants to listen. This blog is not for bragging about my many talents (And trust me I have MANY! Totally just kidding :) And this blog is not in anyway a means to bring myself glory or a pat on the back
In fact this blog is meant to bring glory to our awesome Father, Healer, Protector, and above all Creator! God is awesome people! And I am so fired up to tell you all about Him!

Who am I to tell you about our Amazing God!? To be honest I am a nobody. I'm not a scholar or a theologian, and I am certainly not someone with much pull in our world. I'm simply Abbey. I got married right out of high school and never went to college. My spelling is attrotious (SEE!) and grammar means nothing to me. I clean houses and work in an office twice a week for a living.  But I'm okay with that. I'm who God wants me to be! I am someone who has gone through some of the toughest struggles of life and lived to tell about it... not by my own strength but by the strength my loving God has given me! I am simply someone that wants the world to know how awesome our God is!

I pray that God uses me and this blog to share His amazing story! I've recently found a real hunger and thirst for our Lord's word and I am just BUSTING AT THE SEAMS to tell you what God has shared with me! My light comes from God and I want my light to SO shine that you can't help but see and praise my God because clearly He is amazing!

You may find that the way I explain things and express my thoughts is a bit scatter brained and possibly annoying but please look past me and see what it God is saying! God is alive people! He speaks to us through His word and leads us on a path that will surely end with so much Joy you can't even imagine it!

So check back every so often and see what it is God is teaching me and doing in my life. Can't wait for God to lead us on an amazing trip!

Until we meet again,
Abbey