20 May 2009
side note.
my blog has almost no pictures remaining on my first page. i will fix that soon. be patient.
17 May 2009
all things.
i spent the fall semester of my junior in kenya, east africa. (followed in my middle sister's footsteps - thank you kate for letting me share that experience) one of our weekend excursions was to climb mt. kenya. what an amazing adventure that was, to say the least. one of the things i remember is a friend of mine repeating "all things" throughout the trek, though most frequently at the more difficult and exhausting parts. "all things" being a phrase from paul's letter to the philippians in chapter 4:13. its a very familiar passage. in this case, it was a source of strength and inspiration and a reminder not to give up.
i am part of a bible study that has been looking at the book of philippians for past few months. it is full of a lot of familiar passages, but often read them with the same old eyes and heart and mind as always and interpret it as we always have. i know i do. philippians 4:13 in particular is often used as a verse of encouragement. we apply it to times when we have a goal that we want to accomplish and look to it for strength and focus. this past weeks study included this verse, "i can do everything (all things) through Him who gives me strength." one of our bible study members had a bible with a different translation. i wish i had the exact wording, but it said something like, i can do everything that He calls me to do through Him who gives me strength.
how often do we...no, how often do i decide what it is i want to do and then look to God to provide me with the strength to accomplish it? i think i am really quite good at it actually. and then in those times when i didn't feel strong, my mind immediately wonders where God was. i know i am not the only one to live this way - i think its a common mentality. sometimes i strive for things that God does not necessarily call me to, or intend for me. i've never felt very good at discerning what God's will is for me. sometimes i struggle with hearing other people's claim at God's will for them (when it seems like they use it for something they just want to do). but who am i to judge?
if you know me at all, you know that i have a hard time with this - what am i supposed to be doing? what job is God calling me to? right now i feel very little purpose for me in my job. but i am so tired of changing my mind, finding something new thinking that this is "it", only to feel empty a bit later. but the whole, try to have a positive attitude mentality isn't really working in my current situation anymore. i am trying to incorporate the two - "all things" and doing what He calls me to do.
(this got very random - as usual)
i am part of a bible study that has been looking at the book of philippians for past few months. it is full of a lot of familiar passages, but often read them with the same old eyes and heart and mind as always and interpret it as we always have. i know i do. philippians 4:13 in particular is often used as a verse of encouragement. we apply it to times when we have a goal that we want to accomplish and look to it for strength and focus. this past weeks study included this verse, "i can do everything (all things) through Him who gives me strength." one of our bible study members had a bible with a different translation. i wish i had the exact wording, but it said something like, i can do everything that He calls me to do through Him who gives me strength.
how often do we...no, how often do i decide what it is i want to do and then look to God to provide me with the strength to accomplish it? i think i am really quite good at it actually. and then in those times when i didn't feel strong, my mind immediately wonders where God was. i know i am not the only one to live this way - i think its a common mentality. sometimes i strive for things that God does not necessarily call me to, or intend for me. i've never felt very good at discerning what God's will is for me. sometimes i struggle with hearing other people's claim at God's will for them (when it seems like they use it for something they just want to do). but who am i to judge?
if you know me at all, you know that i have a hard time with this - what am i supposed to be doing? what job is God calling me to? right now i feel very little purpose for me in my job. but i am so tired of changing my mind, finding something new thinking that this is "it", only to feel empty a bit later. but the whole, try to have a positive attitude mentality isn't really working in my current situation anymore. i am trying to incorporate the two - "all things" and doing what He calls me to do.
(this got very random - as usual)
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