The past few weeks in my sorority's bible studies (Kappa Phi), we have been talking about what it means to be a Godly Woman and how we should view ourselves the way God views us. This made me think of one of my favorite bible verses. Proverbs 31:25 says, "She is clothed in strength and dignity and she laughs without fear of the future". I would like to take some time and pick this verse apart. There are several other places in the Bible that elaborate on this idea, and I would like to show you all what He has to say! This entry is more focused toward the ladies but I hope you guys will be able to pull something useful out of it as well.
The first part of this verse, "She is clothed in strength and dignity" can actually be split into two parts. The first interpretation can be taken literally. God calls us to find strength through Him and to wrap ourselves up in it. 1 Peter 3:3-4 says, "It is not fancy hair, gold jewelry, or fine clothes that should make you beautiful. Beauty comes from within; from a gentle and quiet spirit. This beauty will never disappear for it is worth very much to God". I think, especially in this culture of inward self focus, that we pay much more attention than is necessary to our outward appearance. I do this myself, it is the way we grew up. What we have to realize is that the only person we were put here to "impress" is God. It is not our physicality that impresses Him either; it is our actions. Another thought about this verse is that by changing ourselves to match what others find "perfect" or "attractive", we are, by extension, denying what God has called "perfect" in us. We are ultimately telling Him that what he did was not good enough for us and that we are not satisfied. Even now, I catch myself thinking about the cute shirt I saw at Target or the way I would look if I wore this or that outfit. In the end, I (we) just need to try to remember that what is pleasing to Him is not about what we wear on our bodies, but what we wear on our hearts.
The second interpretation can be taken figuratively. Isaiah 62:3 says, " you shall be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord and a royal diadem in the hand of your God". In this verse we are reminded of just how perfectly God already sees us. He sees us as a jewel, a crown, a diadem. We are His favorite and most prized possession. He continues to remind us of this in Psalm 45:11 when He says, "He is jealous for me". It cant get any clearer than that! He made us so amazingly in His own sight that He himself is jealous for us. He yearns for a relationship with us, His creation.
The second part of this verse says "And she laughs without fear of the future". When I first read this, I did not understand why she laughs. How can "she" walk so confidently. Does "she" not have any insecurities, any fear, any past regrets? I think we all have one or more of the previous. This clouds our sight of what is great and does not allow us to see just how beautiful this world is. So I dug a little deeper to try and find why "she" is so confident. Isaiah 6:17 says, "I will put my trust in Him". I guess that is as a good as any place to start. This verse is God calling us lay it all down. Raise up our problems, our insecurities, our worries to him and just trust. TRUST. Later in Isaiah (Isaiah 40:31) we are told that "those who trust in the Lord will find new strength. They will rise on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint" Further we can read in Romans 12:12 that we are to "be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer". This goes back to raising everything up to Him. By giving our worries up to God we are able to focus on the lives He has called us to live.
So now that we are able to focus on our God driven lives, we can finally begin to understand why she laughs. Luke 1:45 says, "Blessed is she who believed that the Lord would fulfill His promises to her". This verse instills confidence in us that by trusting in Him and believing that He has it under control that we will be given only the best by Him. Do not misunderstand though! This does not mean that by trusting everything to God that we will get everything we want. It says that He will fulfill His promises, not ours. But after all, He knows what is best for us! To continue with this thought, Psalm 46: 5 says, "God is within her; she can not fail". That is a reason to be joyful right?! By taking Jesus as our saviour we are promised a God filled life and therefore all our God driven endevors will succeed! You may ask how this can happen for you. How can you get the joy of knowing everything will be okay and turn out for the best? How can you be filled with God and not fail? Proverbs 16:3 says, "commit to the Lord whatever you do and He will establish your plans". Also, Jeremiah 29:11-14 says, " For I know the plans I have for you; plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". I think this is ultimately why she laughs. She realizes that her plans are not her own. By taking the commitment to follow Jesus she understands and accepts that her plans are no longer hers, but His and she is happy to serve Him. I have taken that committment and I encourage you to consider the same if you havnt already. You dont have to jump right in. Just pray and listen. If you are willing to listen to what amazing plans God has for you, you will be able to laugh at the future as well.
"For I am the daughter of a King, who is not moved by the world. For my God is with me and goes before me. I do not fear because I am His."
In love and in Chist,
Ashlin
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Friday, July 12, 2013
Pay It Forward
Salt and Light. We've all heard of it, maybe even went to a summer camp or vacation bible school where this idea was the theme of the event. I can remember learning about salt and light and being the salt and light and thinking "yeah, alright, but how? Just be good to people?" I wasnt convinced that it could be that easy until yesterday.
I am heading out to work; it is pretty early in the morning (not my favorite time of day I will admit) and I am in a hurry as usual. I will also admit that my tendency to always be in a rush does not lead to a very patient attitude. So I am attempting to get on the two lane road that leads to my favorite coffee shop then to the highway towards work; and no one will let me on. Car after car I waited and could not merge. After what seemed like forever a young man slowed down significantly and let me on. As I sped up he passed around me with a friendly wave, and I thought to myself how great it is that there are still nice people in this world...... and that wasnt even the best part!
As I approach Starbucks I see this gentleman's car take the turn into the coffee shop parking lot, and I followed suit. As I walk in to the shop, I notice the man a few people ahead of me ordering his morning cup o' joe, and I take a glance at my watch, observing the time oh so carfully as to not be late to work. A few minutes later it is my turn to order, and the barista tells me my order has been paid for. I look at her questioningly, and she tells my that "that nice guy over there wanted to buy your coffee". I turn around to where she was pointing, and there is the nice merge guy! I pick up my coffee and walk over to say thank you and tell him that was so nice but not necessary. Before I can even begin he says that he noticed I seemed to be having a flustered morning and wanted to do something to help put my day back on track (as it was still early). He continued to say that the previous night, a random stranger did something kind for him and asked him to just Pay It Forward, so that is what he was doing for me. He asked that I keep an open mind about my day and the only thing he requested was that I Pay It Forward to someone else. I was awestruck.
So back to this Salt and Light deal. Matthew 5:13-16 says, "You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world- like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Dont hide your light! In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." My devotional this morning used this verse and made the following points. I will quote what they said because I dont think I could have said it any better. They said that God challenges us to "shake things up, and challenge the status quo." By doing this, like salt, we are "flavoring the world". We are also to be agents of holiness in a sin-sick culture and we are to be warm and welcoming to others". This is exactly what Mr. Merge-and-buy-my-coffee guy did for me. I am beyond thankful for this experience for it changed my whole view about my day and the ones that would follow. I now challenge all of you to be Merge-and-buy-someone-coffee people. It doesnt have to be traffic courtesy or coffee, but I challenge you all to do one random nice thing for a stranger every day. They reap the benefit of a kind person's love for God and you feel pretty good too. I know I did when I "Payed It Forward".
In Love and In Christ,
Ashlin
I am heading out to work; it is pretty early in the morning (not my favorite time of day I will admit) and I am in a hurry as usual. I will also admit that my tendency to always be in a rush does not lead to a very patient attitude. So I am attempting to get on the two lane road that leads to my favorite coffee shop then to the highway towards work; and no one will let me on. Car after car I waited and could not merge. After what seemed like forever a young man slowed down significantly and let me on. As I sped up he passed around me with a friendly wave, and I thought to myself how great it is that there are still nice people in this world...... and that wasnt even the best part!
As I approach Starbucks I see this gentleman's car take the turn into the coffee shop parking lot, and I followed suit. As I walk in to the shop, I notice the man a few people ahead of me ordering his morning cup o' joe, and I take a glance at my watch, observing the time oh so carfully as to not be late to work. A few minutes later it is my turn to order, and the barista tells me my order has been paid for. I look at her questioningly, and she tells my that "that nice guy over there wanted to buy your coffee". I turn around to where she was pointing, and there is the nice merge guy! I pick up my coffee and walk over to say thank you and tell him that was so nice but not necessary. Before I can even begin he says that he noticed I seemed to be having a flustered morning and wanted to do something to help put my day back on track (as it was still early). He continued to say that the previous night, a random stranger did something kind for him and asked him to just Pay It Forward, so that is what he was doing for me. He asked that I keep an open mind about my day and the only thing he requested was that I Pay It Forward to someone else. I was awestruck.
So back to this Salt and Light deal. Matthew 5:13-16 says, "You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world- like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see. Dont hide your light! In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father." My devotional this morning used this verse and made the following points. I will quote what they said because I dont think I could have said it any better. They said that God challenges us to "shake things up, and challenge the status quo." By doing this, like salt, we are "flavoring the world". We are also to be agents of holiness in a sin-sick culture and we are to be warm and welcoming to others". This is exactly what Mr. Merge-and-buy-my-coffee guy did for me. I am beyond thankful for this experience for it changed my whole view about my day and the ones that would follow. I now challenge all of you to be Merge-and-buy-someone-coffee people. It doesnt have to be traffic courtesy or coffee, but I challenge you all to do one random nice thing for a stranger every day. They reap the benefit of a kind person's love for God and you feel pretty good too. I know I did when I "Payed It Forward".
In Love and In Christ,
Ashlin
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Father's Day
I am addicted to pinterest. I can spend hours browsing through pictures, recipes, cute outfits, you name it. But today, on Father's Day, I'm scrolling down through my pinterest feed, and I see the following:
I had heard this said probably a million times in church; in the songs we sing, the verses i've read, the sermons I've heard, but today these two words carry a lot more weight. Father's Day is a day to praise our dads (or grandpas, step-dads, uncles, whoever) for being the awesome guys they are. But do we ever really praise God for being such a cool dad? I never have. Think about all he does for us. Like any other dad, he listens to our problems, rejoices with us in our triumphs, comforts us in times of despair and hopelessness, and encourages us to be the best person we can be. He's the whole package deal when it comes to great dads. So on this Father's Day, say thanks to your dads, grandpas, uncles, and "whoevers" but be sure to take a moment and thank God for being such an amazing Father.
In Christ,
Ashlin
Monday, April 29, 2013
Who's Your Cheerleader?
So it's almost finals. boo :( only two weeks left of class though, yay! overall I am excited to get this semester over with. I start clinicals in the fall and I am definitely looking forward to leaving all the book work behind and getting my hands dirty! Tonight I was reading my devotional and it was basically about how John the Baptist was sent by God to tell everyone about the light. He was telling anyone who would listen that, "Someone is coming who is far greater than I am". This is from John 1:1-18. As I continued to read, I realized that as finals week approaches, I have several people on my team, just like God had John the Baptist on His team. I have friends who are part of the same process as I am (good luck everyone!) and I have family who are beyond supportive. All of them are great at cheering me on. But as I really start to get tired, frustrated (thanks finance 101), and annoyed, I know the only person I really need is Jesus. He is the ultimate cheerleader. It may sound funny, but I literally can imagine him cheering me on with big gold sparkly pom poms. ha! I know that when I get discouraged, all I need to do is take a moment to stop and pray about it and I'll be good to go! Family and friends are fantastic cheerleaders, but my head cheerleader is Him; is He yours? Just some food for thought
~Ashlin
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; and I will hold you up. Isaiah 41:10
~Ashlin
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; and I will hold you up. Isaiah 41:10
Sunday, April 21, 2013
eyewitness
Happy Sunday Everyone!
So it's not a secret that we as a country have been dealing with some nasty and unfortunate events lately. I could go on and on about what a shame it is or about what my opinion is, but that is not my main priority. Ironically, I opened my devotional this morning where I was instructed to read Luke 1:1-4. This verse says, " Most honorable Theophilus, Many people have written accounts about the events that took place among us. They used as their source material the reports circulating among us from the early disciples and other eyewitnesses of what God has done in fulfillment of his promises. Having carefully investigated all of these accounts from the beginning, I have decided to write a careful summary for you, to reassure you of the truth of all you were taught". This passage was written by Luke about the life of Jesus. Many people had claimed that they had the inside scoop. So Luke took it upon himself to find out the real truth from the testimonies of eyewitnesses.
I think it is important to note that there were several people who claimed to know the truth about Jesus. And you can be sure that not everyone had the same account of His life. This reminded me about the most recent events here in the US. I can recall several times, while following the event on twitter, of news crews and people taking back earlier made statements because they were found to be unsound. This was frustrating. Everyone wants the truth and they want it now and so it becomes difficult to decifer between what is sound and what is just being thrown out there.
Overall, I see things like this happen in every day life. Everyone has an opinion about an event or situation until that eyewitnesses comes around and sets everyone straight. I know I almost always jump to whichever statement or opinion sounds the best. That's the one that has to be right, right?! Not always.
There is good news though! We have an eyewitness that can tell the whole story, from every perspective. The bible. Whenever someone comes to you with uncertainty or has a question weighing on their heart, don't be quick to jump to the "best answer" you can think of. Consult your witness and give that person God's answer. He knows best after all!
Have a great Sunday,
~Ashlin
So it's not a secret that we as a country have been dealing with some nasty and unfortunate events lately. I could go on and on about what a shame it is or about what my opinion is, but that is not my main priority. Ironically, I opened my devotional this morning where I was instructed to read Luke 1:1-4. This verse says, " Most honorable Theophilus, Many people have written accounts about the events that took place among us. They used as their source material the reports circulating among us from the early disciples and other eyewitnesses of what God has done in fulfillment of his promises. Having carefully investigated all of these accounts from the beginning, I have decided to write a careful summary for you, to reassure you of the truth of all you were taught". This passage was written by Luke about the life of Jesus. Many people had claimed that they had the inside scoop. So Luke took it upon himself to find out the real truth from the testimonies of eyewitnesses.
I think it is important to note that there were several people who claimed to know the truth about Jesus. And you can be sure that not everyone had the same account of His life. This reminded me about the most recent events here in the US. I can recall several times, while following the event on twitter, of news crews and people taking back earlier made statements because they were found to be unsound. This was frustrating. Everyone wants the truth and they want it now and so it becomes difficult to decifer between what is sound and what is just being thrown out there.
Overall, I see things like this happen in every day life. Everyone has an opinion about an event or situation until that eyewitnesses comes around and sets everyone straight. I know I almost always jump to whichever statement or opinion sounds the best. That's the one that has to be right, right?! Not always.
There is good news though! We have an eyewitness that can tell the whole story, from every perspective. The bible. Whenever someone comes to you with uncertainty or has a question weighing on their heart, don't be quick to jump to the "best answer" you can think of. Consult your witness and give that person God's answer. He knows best after all!
Psalm 33:4-6
For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love. By the word of the LORD were the heavens made, their starry host by the breath of his mouth.
Have a great Sunday,
~Ashlin
Friday, April 19, 2013
Just what are you after anyway?
Good Morning! So yesterday was fun! Today's post is going to be pretty short though. I'm busy busy busy! I notice that a lot! I wake up every morning and there is always something that needs done. I have classes, studying, homework, and meetings to attend; when do I ever have time for myself? Then the next thing I know, its 11 pm and i'm wiped out and ready to hit my pillow. Unfortunately, I've been asking myself the wrong question. It's not about when I have time for me, it's about when I have time for Him.
I purchased a devotions book a few months ago. Ive opened it maybe five times. Embarassing! :/ It seems that I am so busy dealing with what life throws my way that I dont take the time to slow down and spend quality time with God. After a few weeks of this charade, I notice i'm stressed to the max. Huh, how peculiar! And every time, my eyes are pulled to that devotions book on my desk and I think "ohh, shoot". I think we all deal with stuff like this. Life seems to always have something new, exciting, or stressful ready to throw in our faces. All this does is avert us from what is important. Jeramiah 2:25 says "Slow down. Take a deep breath. What's the hurry? Why wear yourself out? Just what are you after anyway?". This is God begging us to spend time with Him. He wants our attention and our full attention. This doesn't mean He wants us to drop everything that is important to us, He just wants us to remember that what we do for ourselves, should ultimately be to glorify Him. If He is not the focus of our actions, then our focus is corrupt. I know I need to remember that and be daily reminded. I hope as your Friday folds out and your weekend begins that you will take some quality time to slow down and spend some time with God. I know I will be!
~Ashlin
In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the LORD establishes their steps.
I purchased a devotions book a few months ago. Ive opened it maybe five times. Embarassing! :/ It seems that I am so busy dealing with what life throws my way that I dont take the time to slow down and spend quality time with God. After a few weeks of this charade, I notice i'm stressed to the max. Huh, how peculiar! And every time, my eyes are pulled to that devotions book on my desk and I think "ohh, shoot". I think we all deal with stuff like this. Life seems to always have something new, exciting, or stressful ready to throw in our faces. All this does is avert us from what is important. Jeramiah 2:25 says "Slow down. Take a deep breath. What's the hurry? Why wear yourself out? Just what are you after anyway?". This is God begging us to spend time with Him. He wants our attention and our full attention. This doesn't mean He wants us to drop everything that is important to us, He just wants us to remember that what we do for ourselves, should ultimately be to glorify Him. If He is not the focus of our actions, then our focus is corrupt. I know I need to remember that and be daily reminded. I hope as your Friday folds out and your weekend begins that you will take some quality time to slow down and spend some time with God. I know I will be!
~Ashlin
Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
and he will establish your plans.
and he will establish your plans.
In their hearts humans plan their course,
but the LORD establishes their steps.
– Proverbs 16:3 and 16:9
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Growing up Christian
So I'm not going to lie, this is going to be rough! I've never hosted a
blog before so bear with me while I figure this all out. Basically for
my first blog poster EVER, I'll just be sharing a little bit about
myself. I am hoping this will create a clearer picture as to why I even
started a blog in the first place. Okay, here it goes! :)
My name is Ashlin. I grew up in a small town outside of a big city. I went to your average high school where kids cared about who they hung out with, what their plans were Friday night, and which sporting event would take home a State title that year. I had grown up in what I guess you could call a "Christian" home. At least it started out that way and kinda faded as the years went on. I grew up Brethren, and to be completely honest, I have almost no clue at all what that means. My parents took me to church every Sunday. Until they got divorced that is. It wasn't the worst thing in the world. I was young enough to understand that mommy and daddy still loved me, they just didn't love each other anymore, yet young enough to not truly understand what type of impact this would have on the rest of my childhood and adolescence. As my childhood turned into middle school, the prevalence of our Sunday church goings got thinner. The importance of church never changed; we just didn't go much anymore. My brother and I were both well into our sports and activities stage and to be honest I think my parents enjoyed the snooze button on weekends. We would go occasionally and of course on important holidays like Easter and Christmas but for most Sundays, church was kind of just shrugged off as a non-necessity. I never really gave any thought to it until high school. As I began getting closer and closer to becoming an adult I started to notice the more specific reasons why we didn't go to church. As with any business or organization, I started to understand that church, unfortunately, came with political and financial discussions as well. (who knew?!). I had also noticed, well before this point, that hitting the snooze button wasn't so much to enjoy that extra hour of sleep, it was needed for my mom and step-dad. Through the stresses of life, work, and family my parents had both developed their own forms of coping. That extra hour was non-negotiable. So as a senior in high school I had often struggled with how to hold on to the faith that had been instilled in me as a child. I was often the "good kid". I didn't drink, I didn't do drugs, etc. And I was often asked why. I couldn't give a straight up answer. I knew deep in me that my answer was easy; those are not things that glorify God. But how was I supposed to use that as my excuse to a bunch of high schoolers? This scared me. If I couldn't justify my choices with people who I would probably never see again due to us all leaving for separate college educations, how was I supposed to stick to my guns with people I had never met once I got to college? Honestly, I don't think I figured this out until my junior year of college. And that is where life has me today. Through the help of God, and some wonderful people I have met here at school, I have finally begun to figure out what it means to be Christian in college. We are all on our own walks with God, and I am hoping by walking with me in mine, you will be able to walk stronger in yours. I know I just threw a bunch of fluff at you but I figured at least this would help you understand how I got to this point; how I got to decide I was going to write a blog. At the end of each post, I will be posting a verse or two that helped encourage me through my day. Thanks so much for following me and I encourage you to open your eyes and your heart to what God may be trying to show to tell you today. ~Ashlin
Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is [always] the same, yesterday, today, [yes] and forever (to the ages) Hebrews 13:8
My name is Ashlin. I grew up in a small town outside of a big city. I went to your average high school where kids cared about who they hung out with, what their plans were Friday night, and which sporting event would take home a State title that year. I had grown up in what I guess you could call a "Christian" home. At least it started out that way and kinda faded as the years went on. I grew up Brethren, and to be completely honest, I have almost no clue at all what that means. My parents took me to church every Sunday. Until they got divorced that is. It wasn't the worst thing in the world. I was young enough to understand that mommy and daddy still loved me, they just didn't love each other anymore, yet young enough to not truly understand what type of impact this would have on the rest of my childhood and adolescence. As my childhood turned into middle school, the prevalence of our Sunday church goings got thinner. The importance of church never changed; we just didn't go much anymore. My brother and I were both well into our sports and activities stage and to be honest I think my parents enjoyed the snooze button on weekends. We would go occasionally and of course on important holidays like Easter and Christmas but for most Sundays, church was kind of just shrugged off as a non-necessity. I never really gave any thought to it until high school. As I began getting closer and closer to becoming an adult I started to notice the more specific reasons why we didn't go to church. As with any business or organization, I started to understand that church, unfortunately, came with political and financial discussions as well. (who knew?!). I had also noticed, well before this point, that hitting the snooze button wasn't so much to enjoy that extra hour of sleep, it was needed for my mom and step-dad. Through the stresses of life, work, and family my parents had both developed their own forms of coping. That extra hour was non-negotiable. So as a senior in high school I had often struggled with how to hold on to the faith that had been instilled in me as a child. I was often the "good kid". I didn't drink, I didn't do drugs, etc. And I was often asked why. I couldn't give a straight up answer. I knew deep in me that my answer was easy; those are not things that glorify God. But how was I supposed to use that as my excuse to a bunch of high schoolers? This scared me. If I couldn't justify my choices with people who I would probably never see again due to us all leaving for separate college educations, how was I supposed to stick to my guns with people I had never met once I got to college? Honestly, I don't think I figured this out until my junior year of college. And that is where life has me today. Through the help of God, and some wonderful people I have met here at school, I have finally begun to figure out what it means to be Christian in college. We are all on our own walks with God, and I am hoping by walking with me in mine, you will be able to walk stronger in yours. I know I just threw a bunch of fluff at you but I figured at least this would help you understand how I got to this point; how I got to decide I was going to write a blog. At the end of each post, I will be posting a verse or two that helped encourage me through my day. Thanks so much for following me and I encourage you to open your eyes and your heart to what God may be trying to show to tell you today. ~Ashlin
Jesus Christ (the Messiah) is [always] the same, yesterday, today, [yes] and forever (to the ages) Hebrews 13:8
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)