Showing posts with label Faith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Faith. Show all posts
Professor : You are a Christian, aren’t you, son ?
.
Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, you believe in GOD ?

Student : Absolutely, sir.

Professor : Is GOD good ?

Student : Sure.

Professor: Is GOD all powerful ?

Student : Yes.

Professor: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to GOD to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But GOD didn’t. How is this GOD good then? Hmm?

(Student was silent.)

Professor: You can’t answer, can you ? Let’s start again, young fella. Is GOD good?

Student : Yes.

Professor: Is satan good ?

Student : No.

Professor: Where does satan come from ?

Student : From … GOD …

Professor: That’s right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student : Yes.

Professor: Evil is everywhere, isn’t it ? And GOD did make everything. Correct?

Student : Yes.

Professor: So who created evil ?

(Student did not answer.)

Professor: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness? All these terrible things exist in the world, don’t they?

Student : Yes, sir.

Professor: So, who created them ?

(Student had no answer.)

Professor: Science says you have 5 Senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me, son, have you ever seen GOD?

Student : No, sir.

Professor: Tell us if you have ever heard your GOD?

Student : No , sir.

Professor: Have you ever felt your GOD, tasted your GOD, smelt your GOD? Have you ever had any sensory perception of GOD for that matter?

Student : No, sir. I’m afraid I haven’t.

Professor: Yet you still believe in Him?

Student : Yes.

Professor : According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says your GOD doesn’t exist. What do you say to that, son?

Student : Nothing. I only have my faith.

Professor: Yes, faith. And that is the problem Science has.

Student : Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Professor: Yes.

Student : And is there such a thing as cold?

Professor: Yes.

Student : No, sir. There isn’t.

(The lecture theater became very quiet with this turn of events.)

Student : Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we don’t have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can’t go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.

(There was pin-drop silence in the lecture theater.)

Student : What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Professor: Yes. What is night if there isn’t darkness?

Student : You’re wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light. But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and its called darkness, isn’t it? In reality, darkness isn’t. If it is, well you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn’t you?

Professor: So what is the point you are making, young man ?

Student : Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.

Professor: Flawed ? Can you explain how?

Student : Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good GOD and a bad GOD. You are viewing the concept of GOD as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, Science can’t even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing.

Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor, do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?

Professor: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes, of course, I do.

Student : Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?

(The Professor shook his head with a smile, beginning to realize where the argument was going.)

Student : Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor. Are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher?

(The class was in uproar.)

Student : Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor’s brain?

(The class broke out into laughter. )

Student : Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor’s brain, felt it, touched or smelt it? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established Rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, Science says that you have no brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your lectures, sir?

(The room was silent. The Professor stared at the student, his face unfathomable.)

Professor: I guess you’ll have to take them on faith, son.

Student : That is it sir … Exactly ! The link between man & GOD is FAITH. That is all that keeps things alive and moving.
 



Don’t forget to smile!
Hello Everyone!

I am back and I am so sorry for being gone so very long. I have been dealing with a lot in my life and fighting against many demons and I am sure my fight is not over yet. I have been going through personal changes and spiritual changes, all for the best!
I have been listening to K Love! Thank you to everyone who recommended this station to me♥ I have been creating most of my art when listening to this station. It’s like I get and angel of art come down to me and just moves that brush or pencil and I go crazy!
I couple weeks ago I was put on the spot by someone very close to me and it stopped me in my tracks and made me think. I was talking to ‘her’ –no names- and I was talking about going to church and this crazy journey that I am on right now trying to figure out who I am and who I am living for. And her comment was “well you’re only doing this so you have something to talk about on your blog”



….silence…



I am not sure what I should say to that, I just kind of laughed it off and made a joke. But it really hit me, ‘is that what is really going through your head?’ I was just at a loss for words.

So the past few weeks I have been trying to find the ‘real’ me.

Who am I?


I am I this person that just talks the talk and doesn’t do anything about it.

Search for the answer and it will find you…. Yes

The answer was yes.

It takes more than one day to change and be changed, but you know what, God is working in me and he never leads you on the path most traveled. He is going to lead you through the swamp and thorns and push you, but do you know what happens to you in the end? You become stronger. He pushes you until you fall on your knees and realize how strong he is. The path is sometimes hard but if you stick it out you will be stronger for it.
I have been going to bible studying, learning and hanging out with other christians, and it has been amazing! I have it marked on my calendar and I try to never miss one, the people are great and Pastor B. is wonderful. I have been Volunteering with the church and getting invloved in the community. I have been doing great at work, and I just feel amazing!
I have been drawing again, and painting again. I have been just being so creative and it has been amazing! I have so many pictures and fun things planned for this wonderful blog of mine.

Because it is mine!


I can write about anything that I want, or talk about anything I want. Because it is MINE! And I want to share it with the world.

It’s like my faith, it is mine but I want to share HIS love with everyone. I am not doing this to be praised, I am not doing this for my own personal gain, I am doing this to praise GOD. Following the path that he has laid out for me, I am here to praise him.

 I don’t care if no one reads my blog; I don’t care if no one takes anything from it. But out of the 10 that don’t care, there is just 1 that needed to hear what I had to say.

If you never try you will never succeed.

If you do not feel the sadness you will take the joy for granted.

I have found myself through Christ my savor and I will not stand back and do nothing. In bible study tonight we talked about Acts 8. Some people just need it explained to them, they don’t need to be preached at or judged, they just need someone to listen to them and teach them.
The devil is always trying to move in and discourage you, but you have to be strong and willing to take the ‘hit’ for what you believe in.



Don’t forget to smile!

       As a new Christian I have had to be more creative in learning to give myself to the lord, giving him my problems so he can bare my stresses and make me free.

“Don’t worry about anything” Phil 4:6


Everyone keeps telling me to give it to the lord. But I don’t know how to do that.
So being the crafter that I am I have created a box. So I can write down my troubles, worries or prayers and give them to him, by putting them in the box. 



 I think that it will help me to feel more connected to him and to lift all this worry away. I always feel awkward because if someone is here then I feel that it might be weird or even my honey; I know he doesn’t want to hear it. So this will fix that problem too!

Did anyone else have trouble praying when they first started? I am still finding it awkward to be talking to the wall…
Don’t forget to smile!
Do I have the right to tell someone to do something if I don’t know the back story?

I met with my friend today; we haven’t seen each other in awhile. In passing, saying hello, but nothing more than that.
She asked me the other day if I wanted to hang out and of course I said yes. I have been hearing through the ‘grape vine’ that she really hasn’t been in a good place lately. And I wanted to get her side of the story and have a heart to heart. I am a “ready to jump in guns blazing” kind of girl when it comes to my friends. I will always have their back and give them advice even though I might not be qualified to do so.
Which brings me to my point, have you ever gone in to a situation with your mind made up about what you’re going to talk about? I went in with a mindset that “this” was bothering her, but in fact it was “that”. Man did I ever feel silly. That’s what you get from listening to the ‘grape vine’
So after I finally stopped talking and listened to what was really bothering her then that back story came to the surface.  She has been very stressed out about debt. She is one of the hardest working people I know; she works two jobs and most of the time on the same day. That would stress me out too, working 20 hours a day. And she feels that she is losing herself, she wanted to ask me what her hobbies used to be. That just broke my heart, I have been in that place and it’s really hard to get out of.
I have been having huge problems with this lately and it has been bringing me closer to God. In letting me step back and realize that he has a plan for me and I don’t have to worry about it. But with her it has torn her farther away from God. She used to be very religious and I was always the standoffish one, and it has seemed that we have switched.
I wasn’t sure what to tell her, I didn’t want to preach to her or have her feel award. Where is the line? Now I think I am the one that needs advice, What should I do….
I told her to just think happy thoughts and good things will happen.  To not look at the negatives but to try and find the positives no matter how bleak the situation seems. Like with debt don’t think about how much you have, focus on the fact that you made a $50.00 payment on it. Simple things like that, have been slowly changing me, I just hope it works for her.
I just kept thinking to myself, I need to pray about this, I need God to help her. Even though she doesn’t realize it, she is worthy. Jesus died for all our sins big and small and he loves all of us.
I ask you to help me pray to the lord today:

DearLord: I ask that you please shine your light on her and show her that she is worthy of your love. That you will help her to find herself again, Oh Lord. Help her with her debt so she can slow down and enjoy the wonderful life that you have blessed her with. Thank you Lord –Amen



Please send a prayer out to her today, and pray that she will let him back in to her heart again. Thank you everyone




Don’t forget to smile!


I want to thank everyone for their lovely comments, they were amazing!  I was crying practically the whole time. The love that went in to the comments and the love that reached out and hugged me is so over whelming, ohh here come the tears again. What a big family I have now. I am sure I will be taking up some of you on your offers for help and guidance. I am also going to have fun looking for all the music you sent me!! My iPod will be full in no time  I am so happy to know that there are others that use music like me.
One of my favorite comments about music: I'd recommend anything by Francesca Battistelli or Mandisa. Both have awesome, praise-worthy sing-a-long at the top of your lungs songs. –Jen
I can totally relate to this one, because I have Francesca’s album on my iPod and I so do that.
On another high note, I am feeling my life change right before my eyes. It’s wonderful when you finally step back and realize that God has a plan for you. You start looking at each day different and get excited about what you will read/learn next. Work has been awesome, my stress level has gone way down, and I am just loving life.
Also I am officially signed up for bible study! My first one is this Monday night! I am so exited everything is coming together.
I got a new hair cut tonight, I needed a change to go with all the other changes in my life and I cut it very short!! But it turned out so good I am in love with it.

I took this picture in the fall and i thought it would be perfect for todays post! I wanted to add this picture just because I feel like a new born in my faith and I am growing and thriving with the help of the people around me. So Thank you again everyone!



Don’t forget to smile!

I finally put my hand out and you know what happened…I was grabbed and embraced. I finally took the plunge that I have needed for some time now, I went to church.
This may sound silly to some people but I have recently, with some help from blogger friends, have decided to accept Christ into my heart. I didn’t grow up with anything remotely close to religion in my life, so when I told my hubby that I wanted to take this step he was set back a little. But he has been very supportive and understanding with the whole thing. However being new at all this I got side tracked and lost focus a few times, and he has always been the one to ask me if I have read my passage that day. What a hero I have.
Needless to say I have been putting of going to church for some time, only for the fact that I don’t want to go by myself. I had not stepped foot in a church since I used to go to youth group when I was still in high school.
So one day I go and pick up my honey from work, he turns to me and this is the convo we had…
Him: “So this Sunday you have a date with Zach’s mom?” {Zach is my honeys best friend}
Me: “Oh really”
Him: “You’re going to church! I was talking to her today and told her that you had been wanting to go to church and had been too scared to go by yourself. So she told me, to tell you that you have a date.”
Isn’t he the sweetest!

So on Sunday I went to church and it was the most amazing service EVER! I almost cried the whole time.
SIDE NOTE: I don’t know much about the bible, I know the basic. Adam & eve…and well that pretty much sums it up. I have watched movies, but let’s just say my knowledge is nil.

So after we were done singing {always been my favourite part} the guest speaker comes up and starts talking. And reading John 9, a man is born blind. I love how he explained it all and I could have cried.
“I was blind and now I see”
“Why this is an amazing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes”
“I came into this world, that those who do not see may see”
And the way he described this part Ohh here comes the tears!
It was amazing and life changing. Since I have been going I have been reading my bible every night and listening to more Christian music just because I love singing. It is the way I communicate with him, some of its even educational :)
So thanks to wonderful friends here and in the blogging community I love so much, I have been able to be embraced with more love then I could have imagined, and I just love it.
I do you have any music that you like to listen to? I only know two right now that I am listening to. Tell me your favorites so I can try them out! I have a playlist on my ipod called Lovin my GOD, and I would love to fill it up. Let me know in the comments I would love to know!!!


Don’t forget to smile!

These are the lovely ladies that have helped me with every step that I have taken. Check out their blogs I know you will love them as much as I do♥

Farmgirl Paints



 


ALSO....My Church also videos their sermons, here is the video if you want to watch it♥

January 29th 2012 - Special Guests:Teen Challenge, with Rev. Steve Paulson from Moose Jaw Church of God on Vimeo.
New – adjective
different, inexperienced, strange, unfamiliar, unique, unknown
Many new things have happened to me the last few days. It has been a week of learning and experiencing and just plain growing.
Find this necklace here

New toy! The Gypsy for my cricut machine and I am trying to learn how to use it. I have been trying to figure it out for a day or so now and getting the updates and stuff but I just haven’t had time to play with it yet.

New days! I have started going back to the gym and man does it feel good. Zumba today and loving it more than ever! I had stopped for while; I was so focused on getting my license that’s all I was doing in my spare time and the gym kind of feel behind. But I am going back to 3 times a week again, and it feels nice. Well my legs would not agree with this statement however but I know my brain does ;)
New meaning! To date night, the other night was date night with me and my loving boyfriend. And everything was going according to plan. I mad supper and cleaned the house. We finished eating supper, Cashew Chicken, and were watching a movie. Half was though the movie the power goes out! So now its 8:30 and there is no power. We could hear the sirens from our apartment and decided to go and check it out. So we hopped in the car, and just a few blocks down there were fire fighters and SASK Power. So we decided to keep driving around, even though it was pouring out. I got some cool pictures.





New makeup and hair products! (was in serious need of restocking) I was in need of new colours to mix it up a bit. I got this one colour it reminds me of a mermaids tail, kind of shinny greeny blue, sooo nice! I also got some new mascara because I needed it bad.
New scratches on my car L Skylar was out last night and got into an accident (He is ok) 3 thousand dollars in damage. But we have to wait and see what the adjuster has to say and go from there. I’ll keep you posted.
New painting! For my craft room. I bought it at a store that I had never been into before and I was walking by and I saw that they were having a closing out sale. Well as soon as I spotted the 70% off sign I was already though the door. As soon as I laid eyes on this painting I knew I HAD to have it. Guess what I paid for it…you will never guess. $5.00 Needless to say I was happy to take it off there hands.

New Teachings! I have been working with another wonderful Friend of mine, Sasha over at Lemonade Makin Mama! She has been teaching me all the things I need for my journey. She has been sort of bible Study though email. And it is wonderful, she spells it out just perfectly so I understand every word.
New music! for my IPod. Francesca Battistelli and Meredith Andrews.
New Bible! From my wonderful friend Becky over at Farm Girl Paints! She sent me a wonderful care package full of fun stuff. The Daily Reading Bible, which includes date on which things to read on which days, great for a first time bible reader like myself. God’s Wisdom for your Life: 1,000 key Scriptures. As well as a lovely card.


Thats what is new in my life how about you?
Tell me whats new with you!


Don’t forget to smile!


68. gifts that mean the world
69. re-inventing date night
70. the word SALE
71. subway for supper
72. my wonderful Zumba instructor
73. the way my body feels after a work out
74. my cats ability to sleep in some of the positions he does
75. quality time
76. teck friends that get you all of the coolest gadgets
77. Noah B’s laugh
78. having a friend that could be your twin
“From the beginnings, we keep reliving the Garden Story. Satan, he wanted more. More power, more glory. We eat. And, in an instant, we are blind. No longer do we see God as one we can trust. No longer do we perceive him as wholly good. No longer do we observe all of the remaining paradise. We eat. And, in an instant, we see. Everywhere we look, we see a world of lack, a universe of loss, a cosmos of scarcity and injustice. We are hungry. We eat. We are filled…and emptied.”
Quote from:
One Thousand Gifts
by Ann Voskamp

I started reading One Thousand Gifts today; because I wanted to fill this empty hole I have in my heart. Because I wanted someone to tell me that my life is not just to be here and die. That one day after many days here I would live in the light of something more then I could ever imagine. I thought that I would just wake up one day and know the glory of the Lord and feel His love in return. That I would be able to see his love in everything that I do and everything that I am. I want to feel this love more than my human body can stand and yet I am I not ready? I am I not ready to hear what He has to say and do the things that He asks. For every time I try I have stumbled and failed.
As I read chapter one I am starting to realize who I am, through this book, thought her eyes. I have grown up as a No God person and I didn’t even know it. Nor do I want to be one. I have seen all the things that He has not done and focused on that; for I knew nothing better. I have taken death, sorrow and lose right to the heart and I have made that hole in my heart. I am the one that dug deep and removed Him with my own hands, and didn’t even know. Is it so easy to do, for a child I supposes, it is. Growing up not knowing any different; never being told the whole truth. There other day I got a fortune cookie that said “A half-truth is a whole lie” and I didn’t know what it meant. But I believe that everything happens for a reason.
I am meant to go on this journey, I am meant to find the light but not until I am ready. I started reading chapter one and half way though I got such a headache I stopped. It ached because all I have known; all I have lived she so plainly put on paper and showed to the world and yet I am scared to tell my friends because what will they think. What will that say if I believe; what will they say if I don’t, I have spent my whole life thinking about what other people will think not what is going to make me happy. Even know I am a culprit of my own demise, doing my makeup to impress my boss or what should I wear so that people will notice me. I don’t want to be a fly on the wall that no one sees and I don’t want to be something I am not either.
So where is the line? The line between what I need to do and what I should do. The first step to finding out, is the first step I will have to make in my journey. It has become a journey to not only find God but to find my true self along the way. I want to know more about the garden; I need to know more about the snake. I have been living with my eyes closed. I want to know more; about everything.
And thanks to my wonderful new friend Sasha it has become possible (more on that to come)
Don’t forget to smile!

Today has been a day full of surprises for me! First I got to sleep in, then I checked my blog and had a beautiful comment that brought me to tears, and then I got inspired to finish a painting that I have been working on for over two months.


Surprises are good, I love them.

Recently I have come to the conclusion that I am ready to let the lord in to my heart and I have been struggling at where to start. There are so many questions I have and so many things I want to learn. I was reading the book of Romans the other day online (because I don’t own a bible yet) and I was having trouble understanding it. So I opened it up again today with the audio and read along. And for some reason it all made sense, I think that I was not really ready to read it the other day and that I was meant to read it today. Because I got to Romans 5 and got the eager to paint, so I closed everything on my computer and pulled out my paint. While I was painting the wording on I realized that what I wanted to write would not fit, so I got angry and pushed everything to the side and opened my computer. I read this post from a blog I am new to and have completely fallen in love with, Lemonade Makin Mama. And it was like she was talking to me, starring at me and giving me this advice herself. I have been focusing on all the things that are wrong in my life right now and not focusing on the little things that mean the most. I have been shaking my cup and only bad things have been coming out. As I sit here in my craft room and look around at all the beautiful things I have and how lucky I am to have this space all to myself. It makes me feel selfish for even thinking bad things about my life. I have a loving boy friend that gives me everything I need and more, a loving family that I don’t call as much as I should and still loves me. I finished my painting and it couldn’t have turned out better! I am very pleased with the way it turned out, so thank you for your advice.


I have been living with my eyes closed. I have recently read about this book called One Thousand Gifts and I can’t wait to read it! I have put it on my wish list on the Chapter’s website and I am hoping to be able to get it soon. I believe that when He thinks I am ready to read it I will receive it. But until then I am continuing my list, with Becky, and look forward to reading it one day.


Don’t forget to smile!

16.Finding new friends
17.Random thoughts of kindness that means a lot
18.Unexpected gifts
19.Clean blankets
20.The smell of your house when you finish baking cookies
21.Friends that text me every day, just to say hi
22.Finishing a long overdue painting
23.Finding inspiration from unexpected places
24.Organized shelves in my craft room
25.Being able to be wrapped with love when my honey hugs me
26.Country music
Faith
is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.
Dr. Martine Luther king JR



So the list begins! A list of Gifts, little things that you might miss on a day to day basis but would miss if they were gone. Gifts that God has given us, I need to remember the small things and rejoice in the many pleasures of this world. I am hoping that it will help me look past all the troubles of this world and see the good. I cannot how ever take all the credit for this wonderful idea it was Becky’s idea. Without her blog I would undoubtedly lose my way. She is doing a list as well, join us and remind yourself to see the little things in life.


Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew
Gifts
1.       The smell of rain
2.       The feel of sand between your toes as water rushes towards you
3.       Finding lost treasures when going through old boxes
4.       The feeling of laundry fresh out of the dryer
5.       An ice cold glass of water with a lemon wedge on a hot day
6.       The love in a hug from an old friend
7.       The tears on your mothers face when you surprise her
8.       First snow fall
9.       A good Quote
10.   The smell of paint as it squeezes out of the tube


 

Don’t forget to smile!

It's so easy to get lost inside
a problem that seems so big at the time
it's like a river that’s so wide
it swallows you whole
While you sit around thinking about what you can't change
and worrying about all the wrong things
time's flying by
moving so fast
Empty; I have this vast feeling of emptiness in my soul recently. It’s like a part of me is missing, and I need to find it. I have read this book that tells you everything that you think will come to you. Think bad and bad will come; the universe doesn’t know that it’s bad; it sends you anything you are thinking. For example: I hope the car doesn’t break down, all the universe hears is: I hope the car breaks down.
You need to send out as well as think good things and good things will follow. But it’s so hard to think good thoughts when bad things are happing. It’s so hard to keep your chin up when you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I haven’t painted anything in over a month; I have had my camera out but haven’t really used it. This emptiness is starting to consume me. Starting to get into my head and devour me alive. So how do I come back from this? How do I start to see the light at the end of the tunnel again?

I need is a divan intervention! I need to be showered with his love and be consumed by it. I want to be filled with love and a fullness I have never felt before. I read about the things unconditional love can do, I read about it all the time, but have never felt it for my own. I have tried but I don’t know how to do this. I can’t do this on my own any more.
Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can't do this on my own
I'm letting go
So give me one more chance
To save me from this road I'm on
Jesus take the wheel
I haven’t done this before so I don’t know if I am doing it right. All I can do is pray and hope that someone hears me and will help guide me though. I listened to a song yesterday when reading my favourite blog, which made me want that feeling so much. I want to be the tree that’s bends beneath the weight of His wind and mercy. I need to be saved from this road I am on, I need help more now than I have ever known…