studying is realizing how little i know

you know how you wonder "why" for years and then when God finally gives you the answer, you're so excited you don't know what to do with yourself?!

well, i remember that i used to struggle with pridefulness (and still do some days). i used to always compare myself to the world when i looked to see how "good" i was until God told me that i was looking on the wrong scale...i should be looking at the scale with only Him and me on it....then i see that i am terribly low on the 'good' scale. 

when i was trying to stop be so prideful, i wondered how i could do that if i kept studying the Bible..i mean, if i study it more, i'm gonna gain more knowledge and be smarter, right? which means i would be even higher on the 'good' scale? 

well, first of all, i should ALWAYS compare myself to GOD rather than other humans because they are in the same boat that i am...living in a sinful world.

secondly, i was talking with a friend tonight and we were discussing how the more we study our Bibles, the more we realize how little we actually know. That is the most jam-packed Book i've ever started to read!!! and after i read a part, i have a million questions for God! there is no possible human way for me to read the whole Bible, understand all of it, and get everything there is to get out of God's Word...especially in my short little lifetime.

 but i have to try to get the most out of God's Word that i can in my lifetime, which requires a lot of prayer! i mean, it's GOD'S words...i always think how i wish i could know what He is thinking..well, His Book to us is the best place to start!

i know that i can't do anything without God's help and He is showing me that more and more recently!

indescribable security

"For I am the Lord, your God,
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you."
~Isaiah 41:13

I love this picture because it shows the bigger, stronger hand coming down from above and the child's hand going straight across as if the child didn't have to go out of her reach because the strong hand came to her where she was at and took her by the hand. The strong hand knew that the child could not reach him on her own because she is too little and weak, so he reached out for her; all she had to do was grab it and hold on and rest in his hand. i see a sense of security in this picture that can only be found in a Father/daughter relationship.

The "Little" Things

1) yesterday while i was running, God laid a person on my heart so i said a special prayer for her and when i texted her that today, she almost started crying because of the perfect timing.

2) today on my run, my prayer was that i don't waste time, that i wake up in the morning with a passion to live my life for the glory of Christ and fall asleep at night exhausted and content because my life glorified God that day. then i got back to my room and read a day from Jesus Calling and guess what it was about?!! yeah.. living my life each day for Christ and how to let God prepare you each day by spending time with Him!!

3) a friend told me how she runs and prays so i decided to see if it would help me and it wasn't til just now that i see how much it IS helping me and giving me incredible time with Christ...it's like our date time each day just to talk!! for my quiet time, i usually read my Bible or a study book or something along those lines which is great, but i don't usually take a lot of time just to talk to Him and hear what He has to say to me that day.

...so it's the "little" things that make each day worth living. those "little" encounters with God make a HUGE difference. i wish i could remember all of them, but there is no possible way i could because there are so many....so many more than i even see.

His sovereignty never ceases to amaze me!!...His perfect timing, the way He coordinates everything to work out for our good even if we can't see it then, the way He uses the rough times to make mind-blowing days afterwards...i wish i could describe it, but if i could, it wouldn't be as wonderful!!!

the Light and the lamp

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

GOD is the Light; I am the lamp; not the source of the Light, but the tool.