18 Years

Some of this post is taken from last year’s post, I just added some new thoughts.

It’s been 18 years since America was attacked by terrorists. That day, the world stopped turning for just a little while.

They say when a big tragedy such as 9/11 occurs that you will always remember where you were. It’s totally true.

I still remember where I was on September 11, 2001. It’s been 18 years but I will always remember where I was.

I was a freshman in college, taking classes at the local community college. I had a late day that day so I was sleeping in when the phone rang. It was my mom calling from work telling me to turn on the TV right away.

I turned on the TV just to see the second plane hit the tower. I was in shock. What was going on??

I went to class as usual and was sitting in my psychology class when the professor stopped talking and just looked at us. He then told us that he couldn’t teach, that everything that was going on was just so surreal and that we were dismissed.

That day changed America, obviously. People were nicer, kinder. Churches filled up. People were scared and looking for answers.

It’s been 18 years. But I remember it as if it were yesterday.

People flocked to the church. Pews were filled.

America was hurt. America was down. Down but not out.

As a nation, we rose back up slowly. We became united as one.

Where were you that September day?

 

 

Where were you when the world stopped turnin’
That September day?
Were you in the yard with your wife and children
Or workin’ on some stage in L.A.?
Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke
Risin’ against that blue sky?
Did you shout out in anger, in fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry?

Did you weep for the children, they lost their dear loved ones
Pray for the ones who don’t know?
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below?
Did you burst out with pride for the red, white, and blue
And the heroes who died just doin’ what they do?
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself and what really matters?

I’m just a singer of simple songs
I’m not a real political man
I watch CNN, but I’m not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, hope, and love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is love

Reckless Love

I heard the song, Reckless Love, by Cory Asbury awhile back and immediately fell in love with it. I invite you all to take a listen to it when you get a chance! Here’s the chorus:

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God
Oh, it chases me down, fights ’til I’m found, leaves the ninety-nine
I couldn’t earn it, and I don’t deserve it, still, You give Yourself away
Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God

God loves us so much. He loves us with an everlasting love, an agape love. It’s so hard to fathom this kind of love, isn’t it?

It’s hard to think that He loved us so much that He sent His only Son to die for us so we don’t have to spend eternity in hell. How is that type of love possible? To love us so unconditionally?

We cannot fathom it because we are human and our minds just can’t wrap around the idea that Someone would love us that much.  But He does and He longs to have a relationship with us.

I long to love people the way Jesus does. As Masey Mclain once put it:

I want to love people with a heart of compassion and see and love people as Jesus does.

Or as my friend Stephen over at Fractured Faith Blog  once said:

Because we are loved undeservedly we need to love unreservedly in return.

John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

He loves you and is calling you by name to come to Him. He is knocking at your heart’s door. Won’t you come to Him today?

God’s Love

I’ll never fully understand God’s love for me. I fail him time and time again. But He continually pours out His grace upon me. Little ole me. I don’t deserve it.

None of us do. Yet he longs to have a relationship with us. He loves us with an agape love. An unconditional love. That love will never change.

He longs for his children to come to Him. He won’t force you by any means. He gives you the choice whether or not to choose Him.

How can anyone refuse a love like His?

Romans 12:9

 Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good.

Romans 12:9

We are called to love others as Christ loves us. Seems easier said than done, right? Some people are just really difficult to love. Maybe they’ve hurt you so many times in the past that loving them seems impossible. But Christ tells us that we are to love them. He loves them so we must love them.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.

John 13:34

We are commanded to love others.

So if you are having trouble loving certain people (and I’m including myself in this) just turn to Jesus who can help you. The closer you grow and walk with Him, the more His love will shine through you towards others.

 

Single but Not Alone

I will be 35 in June (yuck) and I’m single. 10 years ago this would have bothered me. But as I grow closer to the Lord I have realized that I don’t need anyone BUT God.

10 years ago I was in a relationship that didn’t end well. He essentially broke up with me because of my bipolar disorder. He said he couldn’t handle it anymore. I remember looking at him and crying, “You don’t have to handle this. I have to deal with this the rest of my life. I just need you to BE there for me.”

Nope, he ran. But you know what I said? Fine. And I moved on without him. I haven’t had a relationship since.  Honestly, I have moments, small moments when I wonder if I’ll ever find someone but then I spend time with God and it all goes away. I am content being single. God fills that void.

If I’m being honest, I will say this: I am very self-conscious about my appearance. See, I have very bad dental problems due to my medications causing tooth decay. Fibromyalgia also contributes to my dental problems Half my teeth are falling out. Therefore, I don’t smile much and when I do it’s a closed mouth smile. If something makes me laugh I cover my mouth with my hand. I WILL NOT take pictures anymore because I just can’t stand to look at myself. I have to get dentures but I can’t afford them since I don’t have a job or dental insurance. (Anyone wanna start a GoFundMe page? I’m KIDDING!)

I think that’s the biggest reason why I don’t put myself out there and try to find someone.

I’ve accepted that this is how I am, this is how I look and everything else doesn’t matter.

GOD is all I need and I’m going to spend as much time with Him as I can and in the meantime, if He has someone planned for me, and I meet him, then so be it! But I’m not looking actively for anyone because I want God first in my life. Maybe I’ll be single forever, like Paul was. Maybe I’m not meant to have a significant other because it’ll be a distraction for me. And as we all know, I get distracted pretty easily. (Stupid ADD)

I will say this again: God has great plans for me….for YOU….for everyone! If only we would stop, be still and listen to His voice. He’s calling for you and for me……NOTHING can change God’s love for you. 🙂

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everyone! I pray that your day is great! May we always remember the true meaning of Christmas! So many times we tend to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season. But the greatest gift of them all arrived in a manger 2,000 years ago. Without this gift we would be doomed to a horrible life in sin. But God loved us SO much that He sent His only Son to the earth so that we can have life everlasting.

But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart

Luke 2:19

May we ponder these things in our heart as well.

 

 

 

 

Forgiveness

Last night at church, our lesson was on forgiveness.  I, and I’m sure most of you, have struggled with this at one time or another. Our main lesson was in Matthew 18:21-35, The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant

Basically? We are to forgive as God has forgiven us. It’s honestly that simple. But unfortunately, because we are human, it’s hard to execute sometimes. Especially when we have that one person who continually hurts us. Seriously, why should we keep forgiving them? Well the answer is really simple….because God keeps forgiving us.

We mess up time and time again and yet he shows his unfailing love towards us and forgives us.

Not forgiving someone only creates bitterness in our hearts. We end up holding a grudge towards that person. And it says in Ephesians 4:31-32

Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor and evil speaking be put away from you with all malice. And be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another even as God in Christ forgave you.

So as we celebrate this Christmas season and remember Christ’s birth, let’s take the time to search our hearts and if we are harboring unforgiveness then we should take a moment and let the bitterness go and forgive that particular person.

But Leigh, you say, you don’t know the hurt they’ve done to me. You don’t know the pain they’ve caused. You’re right, I don’t. But I do know the pain we’ve caused Christ and look at how much he forgives us.

 

 

 

The Love of God at Christmas

Edit

My church’s Christmas Cantata is tomorrow which means big rehearsal today! But afterwards is our annual Christmas party so that will be lots of fun! Not that rehearsal won’t be….well fun….LOL.  Because I’m sure it will be! We always end up laughing hard at one thing or another.

Pray that we all stay healthy! And that we will get the message across to our audience tomorrow! It’s a really good program with really great songs! My favorite is called “More than Wonderful.” It has such a great message!

For He’s more wonderful than my mind can conceive
He’s more wonderful than my heart can believe
He goes beyond my highest hopes and fondest dreams
He’s everything that my soul ever longed for
Everything He’s promised and so much more
More than amazing, more than marvelous
More than miraculous could ever be
He’s more than wonderful, that’s what Jesus is to me

 

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Verse of the day:

The Lord does not delay his promise as some understand delay, but is patient with you not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.  2 Peter 3:9

They say patience is a virtue. Well, it’s a virtue I haven’t learned yet. I can be so impatient at times. I’m trying to hard to work on that but some days are just bad, lol.

God has promised us that He is coming back for us one day. And I don’t know about you but I get impatient waiting for the 2nd coming. I’m so ready for Him to come back so I can spend ETERNITY with Him.

But our patience and God’s patience are two different things. You see, God doesn’t want anyone to perish so he is “patiently waiting for all to come to repentance.”

 

Romans 8:28

Y’all….God loves us! And He has great plans for us if we would just take the time to listen and obey Him.

Why do bad things happen? It’s a question I struggle with on a daily basis. Why does there have to be mental disorders? Why must someone, such as myself, have to struggle with daily activities because of a mental illness? I don’t know. I do know that God can USE it for good though! How? I don’t know that. But I’m confident that God can take a bad situation and turn it into good. That’s just what He does! He’s a loving God and will always be there for us. He is faithful. He is just. He is an awesome God!

Redeemed

 

 

I love this song by Big Daddy Weave. It’s wonderful to know and experience God’s love and to know that He’s not finished with me yet. I fail Him constantly but He’s always faithful.

Redeemed

Seems like all I could see was the struggle
Haunted by ghosts that lived in my past
Bound up in shackles of all my failures
Wondering how long is this gonna last
Then You look at this prisoner and say to me “son
Stop fighting a fight it’s already been won”

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I’ll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, now I’m not who I used to be
I am redeemed, I’m redeemed

All my life I have been called unworthy
Named by the voice of my shame and regret
But when I hear You whisper, “Child lift up your head”
I remember, oh God, You’re not done with me yet

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I’ll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, now I’m not who I used to be

Because I don’t have to be the old man inside of me
‘Cause his day is long dead and gone
Because I’ve got a new name, a new life, I’m not the same
And a hope that will carry me home

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I’ll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, ’cause I’m not who I used to be

I am redeemed, You set me free
So I’ll shake off these heavy chains
Wipe away every stain, yeah, I’m not who I used to be
Oh, God, I’m not who I used to be
Jesus, I’m not who I used to be
‘Cause I am redeemed
Thank God, redeemed