Saturday, April 25, 2009

You Have Not Forsaken Me

I just haven't been listening to You.

This happens to me so often. I think I know what God means when He points something out to me, but I have no idea. Time and time again I struggle with trusting Him with my entire life, not just work here, school there; but with every aspect of my life, every day. When I trust Him, I able to see better what He wants from me (and for me).

One of my pastors said, "God's going to tell you what He's going to tell you, when He's going to tell you, and that's all He's going to tell you."

Patience is a real issue for me when it comes to what God wants. "Oh, He's showing me something, that must mean I have to do something about it right now." Most of the time it means He's indeed showing me something, but I have to wait in order to find out the answer.

That's always been difficult, to the point I walked away from Christ for a number of years because I got bored. It tore me apart, but Jesus was right there the entire time.

I hope for a day when I'm able to discern what God wants a little faster instead of focusing on my own agenda so much.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Two Different Directions

When you're an adolescent you feel like you're not a kid, but not yet an adult. You feel like you're being pulled in two different directions.

That is how I feel. I am doing one thing, but God is telling me to do something completely different. It's really confusing. I try to figure out what exactly He wants me to do and when and why and how it's all going to work out. Then I just trust Him because it's not going to come to me magically. I have to allow God to show me what He wants me to do.

I have to give up control and just know that it's going to work out, because it has worked out always before when I trust Him with what I'm confused about. Then I go on with life and I forget how hard of a time I had, until it happens again and He shows me something new.

It keeps me interested in Jesus because I'm not stagnant.

Thursday, April 16, 2009

The Second Chance

There's a movie called The Second Chance, with contemporary Christian music (CCM) artist Michael W. Smith. His performance is such that you wouldn't know that it's his film debut.

I got a second chance today. I truly feel blessed. Beyond words. This is a blog, though, so there have to be words.

I didn't do so hot two days ago on my math test. Horrible, even. 2 out of 5 that I was confident about. I know the material, I just always freeze up with tests, math tests in particular. So, I was too upset to go talk to him about it that day.

Today, I asked him during the break whether I could talk to him about my test after class and he said, "Yeah." I figured he would just act sympathetic but I'd have to fail the test anyway. I couldn't have been more wrong.

I explained that I knew the material but that my brain just went away and I explained that it was because of pressure that I felt...with everyone else getting done early. He said that he hadn't gotten to grade all of them yet (meaning he hadn't graded mine).

I think it's sort of because he hadn't graded it yet that he suggested a retake. I was incredulous. I had thought that was not an option. He said to come in Monday. (We have a quiz on Tuesday but I was great on the quiz before...so I'm not worried.)

He said it was fine if I need a different environment. I had always been hesitant to ask an instructor about something like that because I thought they wouldn't accommodate me. Just expect me to stick it out and ignore that it's an actual problem. So, I'm glad that my instructor is so approachable.

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Alive

I am still shook up from today. I want my first post to be about being alive. That's what I am. I can't really fathom it. Something happened today that was really hard for me. Then I went to my car and I was parked at a downward angle, another car in front of mine like this:
___> <___
my car other car

and I put mine in reverse to exit my parking space, and I started to go forward really fast. I freaked out and thought my car had hit it, because it was just that close. I know this is an anime thing, but think of these chevrons, as they're called, as the front of the cars. >< . It was too close. I didn't want to get out of my car and see if there was any damage because I thought I'd go forward again and really hit the car.
So I just sat there for a while, car in park, while I waited for people behind me to exit the aisle. Then I backed out and was fine. Then someone let me in and I waved thanks and I was on my way out to exit the campus. This street that I was stopped at is a two-way, and the car coming toward me this direction <----- stopped for me and so then I proceeded to accelerate. Then a car from the opposite direction going -----> this way was all of a sudden right in front of me and I saw the driver with this look on his face and his hand pressed on the horn. I put my hand to my mouth because I just plain hadn't seen him. I could have gotten in a major accident.
Of course I stopped when I saw his car.

If anyone comments on this, please don't say "be careful". I'm sorry, but that does not help me. If I had gotten into the accident and was at the hospital, would you say "be careful"? Don't say "be careful" after something has happened. I'm really sorry, I know that's rude of me, but things happened today that made me really antsy and so all I was doing was trying to be careful.

Sometimes things just happen.

I was praying all the way home, "God, just get me home", "Just get me home safe". I know I have work to do as far as my driving. That doesn't really matter to me right now.

I didn't expect to get home. I expected to die on campus. I'm serious.

God has done so much for me today alone.