Wordless Wednesday: Giraffe Friends

Giraffe Friends

Learning God's Lessons

Life is full of struggles. Sometimes our trials are small and sometimes they are life changing. Even when you are surrounded by love and support, you can feel alone. That's how I felt a couple months ago. However, during this time God has been working on me, I can feel it.

My last miscarriage took a toll on me. It hit me hard physically and emotionally. However, I have felt God beside me, holding me up the whole way. It has been a struggle where I have felt isolated and confused. But it is in the roller coaster of emotions, the difficult journey, where God teaches us. It is in time of struggle that God challenges and molds our character into becoming Men and Women of God.

photo credit

Elijah provides a perfect example of growing into a Man of God through isolation and struggle...

1 Kings 17:1-7
“Now Elijah, who was from Tishbe in Gilead, told King Ahab, “As surely as the Lord, the God of Israel, lives—the God I serve—there will be no dew or rain during the next few years until I give the word!”
Then the Lord said to Elijah, “Go to the east and hide by Kerith Brook, near where it enters the Jordan River. Drink from the brook and eat what the ravens bring you, for I have commanded them to bring you food. So Elijah did as the Lord told him and camped beside Kerith Brook, east of the Jordan. The ravens brought him bread and meat each morning and evening, and he drank from the brook. But after a while the brook dried up, for there was no rainfall anywhere in the land.”

Elijah comes on the scene at a time of great struggle for Israel. The country was in a bad state thanks to the poor choices of seven kings straying further away from God. Elijah came seemingly out of nowhere to deliver a message to King Ahab (the present king)--There will be no more rain until Elijah says otherwise. What a bold statement from a young prophet. However, just as quickly as Elijah appears, he is gone.

It is easy to assume that God wanted to protect Elijah from Ahab'a wrath during the upcoming drought. However, there is more to the story than simply hiding out. During Elijah's isolation by the brook, he is able to form an intimate relationship with God who teaches him how to pray and become a true Man of God.

photo credit

Elijah is first described simply as a man from Tishbe in Gilead (1 Kings 17:1). But after his time of isolation and struggle, Elijah is openly transformed into a Man of God (1 Kings 17:24). During our times of struggle God teaches us how to fully rely on him. The isolation gives us a chance to focus wholly on God and not on the distractions of the world and of Satan.

Elijah trusted God when he lead him to a brook so he would have water when the drought began, and he ate thanks to raven that God commanded to bring him food. Even when the water from the brook began to dry up thanks to his earnest prayer for no rain, he did not cease. Even through the increasing struggle, Elijah continued to trust God and follow through with his mission. These struggles that come through prayer often mean that God is working on something big in your life. Life is never going to be full of pleasantries. Instead, it is full of good and evil, but it difficult to really appreciate the good without the bad to keep you in perspective and teach you God's ways. It is very difficult to learn God's lessons without struggle.

photo credit

God teaches in these moments of vulnerability. He teaches us to pray, to love, to sacrifice, to trust him, to rely on him and how to rise above our circumstances. By keeping our hearts focused on praising our Almighty God, even through struggles, we transform into Men and Women of God.

While I went through the many emotions and pains of miscarriage, I felt isolated, even though I knew my family and friends were praying and supporting me. I felt like no one could possibly know how I felt--I'm not sure I even knew how I felt. But God did. He took my hand and led me, sometimes carrying me through.

Even though I prayed earnestly to have a healthy baby, God had a different plan for me. God taught me a great deal during my struggle. He taught me:

• Life is a miracle that should never be taken for granted or ignored.
• Whatever God carries you to,  he will carry you through
• Sometimes the answer to prayer is no, but only because there is something greater in store
• Pain is fleeting, but love, knowledge and understanding carry on forever
• There are blessings all around all the time, we just have to open our eyes to God to see them

I have always felt a call to counsel and guide others. Perhaps for me this is the direction that calling with manifest. I hope that my struggles and lessons learned from God can help others understand and deal with loss and miscarriages. I know I also still have lots to learn at the feet of Jesus, but I do know that most struggles serve a higher purpose. I pray for all of those who have gone through loss or are going through it now, I pray that you listen as God teaches you through this time of struggle and for God to cover you with peace and love.

Are You Ready for Election Day?!?

photo credit

Tomorrow is a very important day for our country. Tomorrow we vote for the new leader of the country! I encourage you to become informed on each candidate and to make your voice heard. I encourage you to vote!

I am not here to sway your vote one way or the other. It is important to read through the information yourself and make an educated decision. The two primary candidates for this are President Barack Obama (Democrat) and Mitt Romney (Republican).

photo credit

Voting Information: A non-partisan Website with all the details about voting from the National Associate of Secretaries of State.

Information on the 2012 US Presidential Election: Includes the structure of the election, electoral college changes, and links to all of the party conventions and debates. 

On the Issues: Includes the candidate's stand on major issues brought up in the debates and the news.

Democratic National Committee: The official Democratic Party Website (endorsing Obama).

Grand Old Party: The official Republican Party Website (endorsing Romney).


I believe it is important to always pray for the leaders of our nation at all times. I can not even imagine how much stress and pressure our president has to endure every day. They need constant prayer to keep the people in mind as they decide on the direction to take on social and all issues. They are in office to keep us safe and be a diplomat and commander for the entire nation. I pray that whomever wins the presidency for the next term has wisdom and discernment to lead our nation righteously and honestly.

"I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. 2 Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity. 3 This is good and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants everyone to be saved and to understand the truth." (1 Timothy 2:1-4)

Daniel (Bible in 90 Days)

photo credit

The world is full of tragedy, heartbreak, social pressures and seeming chaos. But through it all God is in control. He watches over those who love him even in the gravest circumstances. When Jerusalem fell, Daniel was among many faithful Jews living in captivity under King Nebuchadnezzar’s rule of Babylon.  Daniel found favor with the king by interpreting a dream that no one else could decipher. He was granted a prominent position in the Babylonian government thanks to his trust in God and delivering his message.

Daniel wrote about three of his friends, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and their encounter with the burning furnace. I love this story, and thanks again to Veggie Tales, I have a fun visual when I read it.
King Nebuchadnezzar placed a huge idol of gold for everyone in his kingdom to bow to. However, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego lived faithfully for God and would not worship an idol. Nebuchadnezzar became furious and ordered the three Jews to be thrown in the blazing furnace.

photo credit

This is their response: “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” Daniel 3:16-18

I cannot even imagine how much faith that response takes. They basically say you can kill us, but our God is stronger than this situation. Our God can save us, but even if he doesn't we still serve him. God is in control. They stand above pressures of society and do what is right—even if it means death.

They were thrown into the blazing furnace and God did save them:
“Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers “ weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?” They replied, “Certainly o King.” He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unburned and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.” Daniel 3:24-25

It was a miracle. Even Nebuchadnezzar recognized that. He promoted the three in the Babylonian government and gave praise to God. (The entire story can be found in Daniel 3:1-30.)

photo credit

But that is only one of the incredible stories found in Daniel. He interprets dreams and writings, he plays an important role in the Babylonian government, he survived a night in the lion’s den and he sees visions of the future, the Messiah and the End times.

Daniel sees a vision foretelling the Messiah:
“In my vision at night I looked and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the ancient of days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory, and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is and everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” Daniel 7:13-14.

Daniel ends with a vision of the end times, which is more detailed in Revelations. He also provides the allusion to the rapture, which is not mentioned in Revelations. Details are found in Daniel 12: 1-13.

photo credit

Daniel was a fierce man of God who stood up for his beliefs even in the worst of times. God saved Daniel from destruction and relayed a message threw him to four different leaders of the time. Even though the world can feel chaotic, God is still in control directing nature and nations and caring for his people.

National Novel Writing Month

Today marks the beginning of National Novel Writing Month (or NaNoWriMo)!!!

photo credit

What is NaNoWriMo you might ask? I didn't know anything about it until last year. It is a group of people coming together locally and online that support each other while they write. For anyone (including myself) who has ever thought about writing a novel, this is the perfect challenge. It focuses on writing everyday for one month. The goal is to write 50,000 words (about 175-page novel) in 30 days. That would mean averaging just over 1500 words a day. It sounds intimidating, but it is actually a wonderful experience!

I participated last year and managed to produce about 40,000 words. More than the volume of text you write, I enjoy NaNoWriMo because it immerses you in your characters and setting. By writing everyday it is easier to envision your thoughts turn into a novel instead of the chaos often found in your mind (at least that's how I feel it works in my mind.) The best part about participating with the program online is that you can collaborate with other writers, plan your novel and track your progress on the NaNoWriMo Website.

photo credit

This year, I am going to try something a little different. I am looking to write a devotional book. So for NaNoWriMo this year, I am going to add a little more each day. This is a project I have been wanting to pursue for a while now and NaNoWriMo is just the motivation I need to get started. I had such a wonderful time last year, I am very excited to participate once again!

Is anyone else participating in NaNoWriMo? Would anyone else like too? I will post updates on my progress and experiences, I would love to hear from you! You can learn all about NaNoWriMo at www.nanowrimo.org!

I hope you have a wonderful November!