Fasting Valentines Day. Wait.. not fasting Valentines Day.... fasting AND Valentines Day.

     So, I went to a church service last night with a bunch of my friends after the basketball game.  It was a bit different than what I would have liked, but the pastor said some good things.  Then, at the end of the message, he challenged everyone, for 18 days (until the end of the month), that we pick just one thing to fast.  So, my friends Lexi, Salina, and myself, all chose to fast from Facebook.  Yes, it will probably kill us.  Lexi and I are also going to fast from any foods other than fruits, veggies, and wheat bread.  This is going to be interesting, but I'm guessing that I'll be losing some weight.  YAYYY :))))



     Now, the whole point of fasting, is to take whatever time that you had doing the thing that your fasting from, and giving it to God.  Spending that, now vacant, time, in prayer, reading the Word, worshipping Him, thinking, just anything that would glorify God. 

     This morning, from the moment I got up, I started talking to God.  I let my legs hang over my bed, and just lifted my arms to the ceiling and said "Ok God.  Today is Yours.  This is the day You have made.  Let me be able to make it Yours in what I say and do."  Then I threw on some clothes and walked to class.... (I forgot my bike across the campus... oops. lol)  I was early to class so I went and sat down on a bench and got my Bible and opened it to a verse that the previous night, my friend Shelby, had texted me. 

"You are beautiful, my darling, beautiful in everyway." ~ Song of Solomon 4:7

For awhile now, I have thought of everyone as being beautiful.  No matter gender, shape, form, color, not anything.  And just the other day in class, we were discussing a book that we were reading in class, and we were assigned to do chapter highlights.  The highlight that stood out to me said that people, when reading Song of Solomon, can interpret the words and verses literally, or allegorically.  Being such an intimate and passionate book, I'm sure you can figure out the literal meaning.  But then, if we read it allegorically, it would be interpreted as Jesus, as the groom, and the Church, or us, as the bride. 

     I thought it was quite coincidental that I had just been talking about Song of Solomon in a class, and then my friend sends me a verse from it.  So as I sat on the bench today, I opened my Bible up to the book and read the verse she gave me, and then also skimmed the chapters trying to see the allegory that I just mentioned.  Then, I found two verses.  These two verses are absolutely PERFECT for me right now.  So I kno that I was meant to read them. 

"You have captured my heart, my treasure, my bride...... Your love delights me, my treasure, my bride."  ~ Song of Solomon 4: 9a, 10a

Wow.  Absolutely amazing.  Read these two verses as if Jesus is speaking to YOU.  Because if you are a Christian, than you are the Church, you are the bride.  And THIS, is how Jesus truly feels about us.  He is delighted by our love.  WE.  His creation, God's creation, have captured His heart.  I was totally taken aback when I read this.  It just struck at my heart.  Valentine's Day is coming up in the next few days, and those of us who would rather call it Singles Awareness Day, don't have to call it that.  Because Jesus is our valentine.  He is completely in love with us, he knows us and loves us more than any one on the face of this earth could love.  HE deserves to be our Valentine.  He is the Ultimate Valentine.  He is our Prince.  Our love. 

   So... pretty much... this fast is starting off GREAT :D 

Why can't we be more like the Innkeeper?

"And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." ~ Luke 2:7

You know, it is barely half a verse, and yet it may be the most memorable part of the Christmas story, "and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."  It also has probably one of the worst misinterpretations of a character in any story.  


When we read the story of Jesus' birth in Church, or on Christmas morning, this anonymous innkeeper has a label of being completely heartless and mean planted on his forehead.  I mean, who else would leave such a holy family out in the cold???  We read that there was no room for Mary and Joseph in the Inn, but if we think about it, is a crowded inn really any place for a woman about to give birth to a baby?  And it certainly wouldn't be right for the innkeeper to throw someone else out to accommodate for the less fortunate family.


Another thing, when we think of where the innkeeper finally found a place to stay, we think that it was out in some stable where a bunch of nasty animal stalls and whatnot were located.  But GUESS WHAT????  This was probably not true at all.  It is just another misconception.  The word "inn" is actually translated into Greek as "καταλυμα (kataluma)" which actually means "upper room" or as we would know, "guest room".  As common sense would tell us, this place would be where the guests all stayed.  This leaves us to assume that instead of getting stuck in a barn out in the cold, Mary and Joseph actually just spent the night in the "lower room".  Now you are wondering, well.... "Where does the animals and the manger come in?"  Well, chill! I'm about to tell you!  Back in that day and age, it was quite common for the family animals to be brought into the lower room for the night, hence, a manger coming in handy.  This would be ok, since the guests all stayed upstairs.  

So... just sayin', maybe next time we read the Christmas story, instead of writing the innkeeper off as inconsiderate, we should commend him for using his resources to help the needy family in such a difficult and awkward situation. 


Ok, my main point is, why do we so often think that things must be perfect to serve people or to provide for them places to stay?  Like, taking care of the homeless, or someone who just needs a place to crash? (Holy or not)  I mean, What Would Jesus Do??  Do you really think that if your house was Jesus' house, that if someone had no where to go for Christmas, that He would worry about how messy the bathroom was, or that the guest bedroom didn't have a set of drawers in it, or whatever other excuses we might make?  Heck to the no.  He would welcome them in with open arms because it would be better than what they would have had otherwise.  Jesus was NOT picky about where He was born.  So why do we think that those who are in need care about stupid things like that?  If we could make their lives just a little bit easier by providing simple things like a place to stay for awhile during the Holidays, imagine how much better you are making their lives.  What if they had no where else to go, and YOU were the one who stepped up and took them in.  You just saved them from being alone on the one holiday when NO ONE should be alone.  Christmas is the celebration of the birth of OUR SAVIOUR!! How do you think He would feel if He knew that we neglected to take care of one of His children because we thought our guest room wasn't good enough or our house was too messy or our food not good enough?  Not a very good birthday present for Him, I'd say....  


Well, that's about all I have to say. I hope whoever reads this takes it to heart because there are way too many people out there who need us.  Who are we to ignore their cries?




P.S.
This is where I got some of my information! Read it, it has some interesting stuff! :)

http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/2010/11/30/born-in-a-barn

Britney Spears

So... I haven't told many people about this. Actually, I only recently said it aloud in my College Experience class.  We had an assignment to make a Bucket List for our lives.  I have always wanted to make one so I actually had FUN with homework!! lol. Anyway, so on my Bucket List, the very last item on the paper, I wrote down, "Witness to Britney Spears".

Now, I am not sure when my desire to witness to her started.  I know it was when I was wayy younger, probably when I heard her songs on my bus when I was in 2nd grade. Maybe sometime after that.  I had always imagined sitting down with her on a talk show, or some where personal and telling her how much Jesus loves her no matter what she has ever done, because it is SO true.  I pray that God gives me the opportunity, or somehow puts someone in her life that won't use her, but tell her about the One who made her, loves her, and will NEVER give up on her like so many others have.

Now, in my College Experience class, while I was reading my list out loud, when I came to the last one, my teacher was like "WHAATTT?? OMG! I have to tell you something after class!"
So, after class I went up to her and she proceeded to tell me that I had the same exact passion as she did!! I was pretty shocked to hear someone shared my simultaneous love of Britney and my concern for her soul.  It is amazing to know that someone shares such a passion as something like that with me :)

But on the other hand, its sad that not so many people are public about their concern for the souls of so many of the celebrities out there who are leading lives that are simply disastrous to themselves and their well-being....  that they are consumed with alcohol, greed, fame, vanity, and simply the loss of their true identities among all the things that fans and agents want them to be....

Can someone tell me how this:

 And this:

 Started out as this?:

I'll tell you.... sin.  Not exactly pure or simple, but you know what I mean.  The world thirsts for vulgarity. Whether they label it as that or not, they still do.  Sex, sex, sex.  Money, money, money. Exploitation, desperation, search for satisfaction.  So many things lead to those points... the points where Britney Spears and so many other millions of people find themselves now.

We all start out with souls that look pure and innocent and un-compromised.  Then, as we grow, we become greedy.  We want anything and everything that will satisfy us, or at least what we THINK will satisfy us...

I dont know how to live without your love
I was born to make you happy
Cause you're the only one within my heart
I was born to make you happy
Always and forever
you and me
Thats the way our life should be
I dont know how to live without your love
I was born to make you happy

 This song is from Britney's first album Baby One More Time.  It is the chorus to the song Born to Make You Happy.  So you see, even from the very earliest stages of her career, Britney's mindset was configured.  For some reason, the world thinks that celebrities were born to make us happy, when in reality, they are people themselves. GASP. I know right???  Well, they are.  Their true value doesn't depend on how good they sing, act, or play a sport or instrument.  Their true value lies in Jesus Christ.  And their goal in life should be to make Christ happy.  Not us. We are not the ones that should be made happy.  What right do we have to completely take over someone's life like how people have taken over Britney's?  We don't have any right.

So, I pray right now, Jesus, I ask you, please.  Bless Britney with your love. Show her everything that you are.  Provide for her someone that will actually tell her the Truth about herself, and about You.  I know that under all of her family problems, under every drop of make-up, every song lyric, there is still that innocent girl crying out for someone to love her for who she is inside, and not for what she does or who she tries to be for everyone else.  Lord, I just pray that you will protect her from herself.  Show her that what she is doing is not right, it isn't what she was made for. Let those persons who you will provide for her, to be strong, because she will be hard-pressed to turn away from her lifestyle after living like that for so long.  Give her strength to fight her fears and for her soul to see You.  In Your awesome name I pray :)

Worship

So... at the South Lake Wales Church of God church on campus, they hold a service for college students called Infusion. These services are every Sunday night.  Well, the first one was last night, and boy let me tell you, it was amazing.  The worship was my favorite part.  The songs were good, and I was surrounded by a couple people who weren't fake about their worship. They had their eyes closed and I could tell they were letting the Holy Spirit fill them. And as I was watching them I realized something.  "WHAT THE HECK AM I DOING??!! I'm standing here, looking at them in awe, when I can just as easily set my focus away from them, and onto the Presence of God, and be worshiping right along side them!"  

So I did just that.  I let my focus turn away from those around me.  I closed my eyes and let the beautiful music and words flow through me.... I could almost feel God's presence against my skin as I let myself be taken away to this wonderful place of His glory and praise.  The words penetrated my heart like none other before.  I felt like I could breathe for once in my life.  It was incredible.  Once I couldn't take it any longer (the holding back, that is) I just threw my hands up into the air and I raised my face up to Him.  I didn't care what anyone else was thinking.  All I cared about was my Father and myself.  I just prayed in my head,  "Lord, fill me.  Like you have never done before because I never let you. Fill me so that I am over flowing with your light.  That none see me, but only you."  I was so filled that I felt a tear drop from my eyes.  It was so glorious. 

I praise You, Jesus.  For Your Love and Your truly remarkable magnificence!!!

Praise Jesus!!!!

So... something that amazes me is dance. And some good pop music.  I found this video awhile ago and think its just freaking amazing... It just shows such unitedness (is that a word?????) Spell-check says no.... but I like it so I'm gonna use it.  Tell me what you think!!! :)