Rejoice Always!

Isn't easy to say "Be Happy" when everything is going our way? How much will power does it take to say that when things are so great? I've been pondering these final instructions that Paul wrote in his first letter to the Thessalonians. " Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" 1 Thess. 5:16-18. This is God's will. Why was Paul telling the Thessalonians this? Why do I feel that the Lord is trying to tell me this also in the letters of each moment as I acknowledge the Holy Spirit sweetly drifting around me? Lord, You are so near! Why do sometimes Your words feel so far away? It's puzzling for me to try to understand, yet I know that by my own strength, I am unable to grasp the mystery of God and His wondrous ways He chooses to work in our lives.
So, rejoice always. I want to rejoice always. I want to be joyful always. I think at this moment, I have led myself to believe that being happy means being joyful. A part of me is convinced, and was convinced from the start, that this is not true. I know joy come from the Lord. As long as I have His Joy within me, then I can and will be joyful! I have the depth of comfort and hope in my Savior that He holds all things together. That is a great joy! But Jesus...were you smiling all the time? Did you have a perpetual plastered on grin everywhere you walked and taught? I cannot believe that You did, oh Lord, and I know that You are perfect!
I just want to trust in You, Lord, to help me let go of my need to reason out this confusion, or worry, about being cheerful versus being joyful. I am so thankful, and I give You, the Lord, thanks always for all You've done for me and the world. And especially now, the blessing of my Nathan in my life. God, how could I not thank You for being so kind and gracious and good, too good to me? Wow!!!
May the struggle I am going through now be a blessing and testimony for Your Glory later, especially with those who may experience the same emotions. Our Lord is so wonderful to allow us to learn, so that He may use us to teach others, to be a blessing to those seeking answers. And He's marked us with His Righteousness, we have the answer. He is the answer...to all questions.

God is in Control

So, a little update. God is teaching me (continually) that everyday is an adventure. At any moment, He can allow anything to happen that will affect how I perceive life to unfold.

So, here's the deal. A really wonderful opportunity landed before me. I got so super excited. I know that it is from the Lord. A full-ride scholarship for all 4 years of medical school! Wow! An answer to my prayers, to my family's prayers! So, I called the admissions office to accept the scholarship, and I was told that I was basically put on a list. The scholarship was offered on a first come first serve basis. Whichever order I responded would determine if I would get the scholarship.

I was a little bit surprised to be honest. Perhaps even disappointed. But I thank God for His comforting Spirit for He almost immediately soothed my worried mind with the promise that God has plans to bless me as His Child, rather than harm me. (Jeremiah 29:11) I don't deserve anything from Him. I don't deserve the breath I breathe every second of every day. Sometimes it is so hard for me to accept that God my Creator, Christ my Savior, would want to bless me. But I remember also, that God is indeed my Father. I can trust Him! What a wonderful truth!

And so, in this situation, I have perfect peace, which has been given only by the Lord. I know that the Lord sees more than I can. So, I am not asking why this is happening, why did I have to be put on a waiting list to receive a scholarship that I had already been so excited about...instead I praise the Lord for His free scholarship of life...of salvation!!! Thank you, Lord Jesus! Please use all these things for Your Glory! So that others can come to know You and see Your greatness!

Sunrise

Good morning, world! Good morning, Galveston! Wake up your sleepy head! See the love of Jesus flowing to you as He brings out this beautiful morning star!

It has been 5 days now since we arrived in Galveston to move this life sojourner into the apartment by the beach. It feels like a year has passed already! God is so wonderful! I cannot even express the joy and blessings He decided to send down to me. Just in the past couple of days, doors have been opened, hearts have been changed and strengthened, and most importantly, my Lord Jesus has been beautifully glorified! Even through my fear, my anxiety, my uncertainty, His Holy Spirit has given me confidence. He gave me resolution. He gave me peace. He gave me love. Totally undeserved. Completely indescribable. Absolute grace. Thank you, Lord.

I'm sitting in a coffee shop by the beach, just watching the sun come up. The waves are softly petting the sandy shore. It is a love pat from creation to creation, sweetly whispering, "Peace. Let's obey our Creator this day...and forever. Wait upon our Maker. Let's show the world His majesty."

That is my heart's desire this morning: to show this earth His majesty. I'm reading from my anatomy book right now...well, trying to as I find God's beauty so distracting. :-) But I also read in Galatians this morning. 1:11-12 "But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ."

How glorious that we, man, cannot save ourselves. We cannot make our own Gospel that is true and transforming. The works of our hands are dead. Any life-giving power is provided only through the Holy Spirit of Christ. Wow! I am so grateful! I am so glad that Jesus is the one who reveals Himself to us! And I don't want to make up my own rules of righteousness! It will lead to death! I do not want to lead any one down the path away from the purity of Christ's love.

So, this morning, as I seek to bring the Good News to my fellow medical students, to the people in this coffee shop, to the travellers of the globe, I pray that my thoughts be in submission to the authority of Jesus. That His honest and compassionate love flow through the vessel He has created and called in service. I pray this for all of you, my Brethren. May the Lord open our hearts to His absolute truth. And anything that we learn from man, may it be filtered and corrected and edified by God's Spirit and Word.

I love you with all of the love of Christ. Let's be like the waves today and obey...like a sweet melody to our King.

Tomorrow...you're only a day away

Today has been a most wonderful as well as wonderous day. The past evening contained a series of events that inevitably kept me awake into the wee hours of the morning. These events consisted of crying, talking, crying some more...and with a special man in my life...my father. I am so grateful for the moments of honesty and declaration shared with him. He is such a man after the Lord's heart and I'm overwhelmed by the fact that he loves me the way he does, with such conviction, purity, and truth.

Nevertheless, I woke up this morning with burning eyes and a tired body. I suggest not being emotional before you go to bed.

But today was still beautiful. And the Lord is really stretching me to have faith in Him....because I want things to be a certain way instantly and that simply is not how living life governed by a righteous and loving God.

So, I am just waiting for tomorrow...waiting for the right things to happen, praying for the Lord's grace and love to shower down like the rain we had today. All I truly want is to please the Father, and to do that well by being obedient. Only He truly holds everything I am, past, present, and future, together. I trust Him to lead me down the path of goodness and victory! to be able to use every bit of knowledge learned to give back to the spreading of Light and truth (the Gospel).

Can't wait for tomorrow! The sun will come out, tomorrow! I'll love ya tomorrow, you're only a day away!