Separation

So, I remember when I was reading a book called The Reason for God, and the author was quoting C.S. Lewis on sin, and The Rich Man and Lazarus parable (Luke 16:19-31) and how Hell was (in essence, as related to this particular illustration) a continuation of our selfishness in our sin (if that made sense). To make sure this was all good and correct 'n stuff, I talked it over with my dad.

Dad agreed...sort of. And then he told me that sin is really separation from God. This, by the way, was about a year ago. I was like, "Ooh...that makes sense."

Well, tonight, in my c-group (small group), a girl brought up when Jesus was afraid, you know, right before He was to be crucified. She said that a teacher (I think) of hers had said that Jesus was afraid of facing the wrath of God, and how that God was gonna have to turn His back on Jesus because of sin...that stuff.

My mind immediately jumped back to that separation from God thing, which, I'm pretty sure, is more or less the same thing she was saying...just in wrath terms....

Anyways, I spoke my mind about it (like I am prone to do), and said all that stuff about the separation (watch it...I might get repetitive), and how Jesus had never been separated from God, and that it was painful enough for us to be separated from anyone, but this was His Father, whom He had never ever been separated from in His whole...eternity (I said life at the time), and my friend Lizzy, who was sitting right next to me, just said qiuetly that it was like being separated from Himself.

@_@ GAAAAHHHHH!!!! (this is what I did when she said it. I turned to her and said the "gah" thing...poor girl, all of my cold germs flying all into her face like that...)

It was an epiphany for me. I had never thought of that moment - like ever - in terms of the Trinity. Ever. It just hit me like a ton of bricks, that Jesus wasn't just dying for our sins...He was being separated from His own being for us.

So, yeah. Ya'll may have realized that already...I hadn't. So, I decided to share my epiphany with everyone. :) -Joanna

p.s. - Sorry I didn't fancify it with pictures...I ain't that good. :)

$500 Extra Dollars

This was a blog post I finished about six months ago: thought you all would get a kick out of it ~ Cheri

Earlier this year, I, in my right mind decided to give 80% of my money away.

It was hilarious.

If you are ever in need of a good day just give out $100 bills randomly to people who need it, it is better than coffee. (smaller currency = less fun).

Then United States of America decided to veg out and entered a recession. I will be honest I had no idea how "a recession" would effect my life. Now I know. It means less money and more time on your hands to spend the money you do have.

Then life in general entered a recession: Verity ran out of napkins, my computer committed suicide, my brother came to live with me, a rather pricey insurance bill, missing clothes, key friends experiencing the death of a loved one, other key friends having medical issues, all other key friends having death of visions etc.

I quickly came to a fork in the road: Worry or Trust God.

Just as quickly I realized the fork in the road in the road was only a tricky optical illusion because money could not really fix the problem anyway- Trusting God was only road actually available.


Then I went to the dentist and all my teeth fell out. Just Kidding! But I was informed my wisdom teeth were coming in sideways and needed to be removed post haste. I had a minor lapse of "trusting in God" and melted into a puddle of weeping jello outside the Verity Campus. It was humbling.

Two weeks later it was business as usual- I cleaned Dr.McCray office, got some hot chocolate, turned on my lights, found a $100 bill on my keyboard (emphasis on the 100). Ran over to Adam's office to tell him, sat back down at my desk, found another $100 bill in my flower arrangement! Ran back over to Adam's office to tell him, went down to check my mailbox for any memos, found

FIFTEEN TWENTY DOLLAR BILLS

in my mailbox!!! Ran down the hall to find Cameron and Beka, and told them what had happened, went into shock, revived... sat still and Thanked God for a long time.

This week- now at home- I went to the dentist for the "psych you out before the surgery" visit and he took X-rays and said all my wisdom teeth were coming in straight- and they might have sent the wrong X-rays to the other dentist- no reason to take them out- etc etc etc. I ran back into the waiting room to tell my mom, went into shock, revived...and now have the problem of $500 extra dollars in my possession.


The moral of the story: God has it covered enjoy.

"The effectual, fervent Prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
-Bible

"Prayer is a serious thing. We may be taken at our words."

-D.L. Moody

"We cannot all argue, but we can all Pray; we cannot all be leaders, but we can all be pleaders; we cannot all be mighty in rhetoric, but we can all be prevalent in Prayer."

-Charles Spurgeon

"We look on Prayer as a means of getting things for ourselves; the Bible idea of Prayer is that we may get to know God Himself."

-Oswald Chambers

"Do not work so hard for Christ that you have no strength to Pray, for Prayer requires strength."

-J. Hudson Taylor

"Productive Prayer requires earnestness, not eloquence."

-Anonymous

"We have to Pray with our eyes on God, not on the difficulties."

-Oswald Chambers

You spin me around

Ever feel like that?

Spinning around and around the room, constantly changing shape. At any moment so up and then at any moment so low you are dripping off the plate?

Lately, life has been spinning fast. I cannot focus on anything much less influence the shape my life is taking.
I start tipping and d
r
i
p
p
i
n
g
I hit the carpet pleading for God to please BLESS me.
Seriously, is that not what was drilled into us before bed?

"God Bless Mommy
God Bless Daddy
God Bless My Gamble at Work Today
God Bless my Car to not really be Totaled..."

Joking aside, I would be lying if I said did not want God's blessing. However, since my finite mind cannot help but put God in a box- I feel like when I pray like that in a rough time I make HIM into a really personal genie. Hypothetically: My prayer maybe is not answered the way I thought (Let's review: I am a lump of clay and God's plan does NOT revolve around me) and then I really start tumbling around and doubt my faith, God's reality... etc etc etc...

Then- all of a sudden-I am a weeping puddle all over the floor

If this sounds familiar- read on...
(if this does not sound familiar I need whatever vitamins you are taking)

Instead, right then- right when I feel weak: Maybe I must cling to the Hands that are strong.Maybe I need to be flexing into those Hands so closely I do not miss a rotation without feeling their shaping influence. Maybe the Hands are going to balance the thin and thick spots so I am not too heavy on one side and that is really the blessing.

Maybe I need to comply with the instructions of the hands responsible for me.

Funny how that's the definition of Obedience.

The moral: I am going to try a new prayer. Obedience to the Hands that shape me. just some thoughts, from another super-extra-special lump of dirt.

Hey Girls!!

Hey Miss C., Gigi, Sandie, Jo, Angie, Ellie, Lily, Andi, and Karen!!!

So.... I just 'set' this blog up as you see... I'm still working on it, so this isn't the finished production yet. I'll mess around with it when I have some time, and see what I can come up with. :) In the mean time, you all are more than welcome to comment or e-mail me different ideas or whatever. Or you can go and mess around with it yourself!!

I hope you girls all made it home safely... I love and miss you all!!!!!!

~Hannah