He knits us together

I watched the Tim Burton version of Alice in Wonderland, starring Johnny Depp, tonight.  I have to say, the Tim Burton and Johnny Depp duo is a veryyy strange combination.  Talking animals, strange plants, fantastic creatures, and impossible places are very much the norm for them, and Alice in Wonderland was no exception.

But Tim Burton's creativity can't hold a candle to the Lord's.  I looked up some pictures of a few of the weirdest animals to be found - what a sight!  To think that the One who thought up these creatures also thought up me is a rather humbling thought.  Because the thing is, every strange or unfathomable feature on these animals serves a distinct purpose.  And the Lord says that we are worth so much more to Him than the animals - if He took such care to fashion them, therefore, how much more painstakingly must we have been created!

There is not a single detail on your body that God didn't know about before you were born.  There is not a single blemish that He doesn't love and think is beautiful.  Not a single random useless talent, nor a single weakness that doesn't serve a purpose.  We are fearfully and wonderfully made.  No matter what society thinks, no matter what your family, friends, or even you think; God thinks you a wonderful.  And He created you,  wonderful, beautiful, fantastic, complex you, to be you - just the way you are.

Psalm 139:13-16

¹³ For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
   your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place,
   when I was woven together in the depths of the earth.
¹⁶ Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me 

were written in your book before one of them came to be. 

Change it up

I've been reading through Genesis and Matthew every morning with my friend, Sarah.  We both have the NIV version, but unlike myself, who grew up with that, it's a very foreign translation for her.  She's used to the KJV version, and so every verse is different to her.  She commented the other day that sometimes she has to read really slowly, because nothing sounds like the way she's used to it sounding.

But I realized something, as we were sitting there reading our Bibles together - Sarah slow and methodical, and me blazing through it.  Change is so important.  So often we get into spiritual ruts - we go to church every week, we read the same translation of the Bible every day, we know all of the "Christian" answers to say.  But when we get into a rut, it's so easy to forget why we're doing what we're doing, or what we're reading really says.

When I was in high school, I would try to buy a different translation of my Bible every year or so.  It's amazing how much more you pay attention when you're not reading the same words you've read your whole life.  But it's so much easier to read the same old words over and over again.  We gloss over the details and tune out the meanings, but then rationalize that it's ok because we're still reading the Bible.

But God wants His word to be a fresh revelation to us every day.  So I challenge you - change up your spiritual routine.  Don't get stuck in a rut.  Buy a different translation of the Bible.  Go to the early service at church.  Move your quiet time outside for a few days.  His mercies are new every morning....don't live your life chewing on stale, worn-out revelations!

Proverbs 1:32-33

³² For the waywardness of the simple will kill them,
   and the complacency of fools will destroy them;
³³ but whoever listens to me will live in safety
   and be at ease, without fear of harm.” 

His yoke is easy

Today has been an awful day.  I've been nauseous, headachey, exhausted, and feverish, switching in a second from burning up to freezing cold.  Korean classes today were interminable - my head felt like it was stuffed with cotton balls, and I couldn't focus no matter how hard I tried.  Every spare minute I had - which wasn't many - I spent sleeping.  All I want to do right now is crawl up into my little hole and never come out.

So anyway, tonight I was down with Sarah, my Bible study partner, to read some out of the book of Matthew.  We just happened to be in chapter 11.  The last few verse of the chapter tell the weary to "come to Him, for He will give them rest."  What a wonderful encouragement!!

God knows that we will get tired.  He knows that the stresses and worries of life will get us down.  But He also knows that He can - and will - sustain us.  So I encourage you, if you are worried or stressed out, if you are down in the dumps, whether it be physically, emotionally, spiritually, or all of the above, to take the Lord's yoke upon you.  Come to Him, because He longs to give you rest.  Let Him do it.  Bring your troubles and pains to the Great Physician, and let Him revive and heal you.

Matthew 11:28-30 

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Trust in Him

Well I got my placement today.  I will spend the next year of my life teaching in an all-girls' private high school in Gyeongju, a mid-sized town on the coast of South Korea.  And I'm trying to remind myself that God knows best.

About a week ago, we had to submit placement preference forms.  And I did not get anything that I requested.  I did not get the location, or the type of school, or the gender, or the proximity to other ETAs, or literally anything.  The hardest thing for me is probably going to be so far away from the ETAs that I've grown to be really close with over the past few weeks.

But I have also been praying constantly since I submitted that form that God would put me where He wants me to be.  And I can't help but feel, that He's really waiting for me to just see how I will react.  I went into the placement ceremony with a strange peace, an unnatural peace.  All of the other ETAs were nervous, jittery, on edge....but I was not.  I had basically decided that my year would be what I made of it, no matter where I was placed.

But that was before I was placed.  And now I'm really struggling with accepting God's word.  Especially with Sarah; I feel like I've just found a precious treasure in the form of a like-minded Christian friend, and in two short weeks it's going to be snatched from me again - Sarah has been placed 5 miles from the DMZ, just about as far away from me as possible.

But 1 Corinthians reminds me that even God's weakness is stronger than my strength.  The prayer of my heart since I got here had been that God would put me where He wants me, with the people He wants me around.  So here we go....now it's time to put my words into action.  Is that really what I want?  Or do I just want to think that it's what I want?  Trust in Him, even if it doesn't make sense.  He really does know best, and He really does care for you, and He really will work everything out for you if you let Him.

1 Corinthians 1:20-25

 ²⁰ Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹ For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. ²² Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, ²³ but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, ²⁴ but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Prayer in all things

Last night I had a horrible headache.  We started sparring in Taekwondo, and let's just say that it didn't go so well for me.  My back muscles were all knotted up, my neck was tight, and my head was killing me.  I muscled through it for most of the day, but by the time I sat down last night to study it was pretty bad.

But when I was studying, I was reminded of the importance of prayer.  I commented to my study partner how much my back was hurting me, and the first thing that she asked was if I wanted to pray about it.  It was so cool to see that prayer was her very first go-to reaction, and also very convicting to be reminded that it is not my go-to reaction.

But anyway, we prayed for my back right then and there.  And almost instantly, the pain went away.  Now don't get me wrong, I know that God does not always work instantaneously.  But it was so encouraging to see Him work so quickly and so faithfully.  The Bible says to bring your requests to God in EVERY situation.  Not just the big ones.  Not just the ones that affect a lot of people.  Not just the ones that you've been thinking about for a while.  Every situation.  And, although you might not get the answer you want every time, His peace will always be with you.  That's a promise.

Philippians 4:4-7

 ⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! ⁵ Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. ⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

Back to the basics

I had an interesting day today.  I met my friend, Sarah, outside in the morning before breakfast for a little devotional / Bible study.  We're going to try to continue it every day for the rest of orientation.  It was wonderful to have a quiet time, an accountability partner, a time of prayer before I started my day.  And, although the rest of my day is pretty hazy from a lack of sleep, it was also punctuated by a wonderful peace - the Lord's peace, the peace that passes all understanding.

One thing that I am learning, that God has constantly been underscoring the past few days, is that He really does know me better than even I know myself.  He knows exactly what we need, and if we let Him, He will never fail to give it to us exactly when we need it.  He longs to wrap us up in His big, wonderful, loving arms.  He yearns to comfort us when we are hurt, to wipe every tear from our eyes.

We get so worked up about all of the little things, all of the details of life, that we forget about the purpose of life, the Creator of life.  But He never forgets about us.  Open up to Him.  He already knows your inmost being, anyway.  But if you willingly let Him in, He will show you a life that you've never even dreamed of before.  It's simple, really.  God made us.  The creator always knows His creations better than anyone else, and he always loves them more than anyone else does, as well.  So let your Creator love you.  Let Him care for you.  Get back to the basics. 

Psalm 139:1-6

 ¹ You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.
² You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.
³ You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.
⁴ Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely.
⁵ You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me.
⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,  too lofty for me to attain. 

Best, not good enough

Today did not go at all how I though it would.  It went far, far better.

I was planning on eating dinner, studying for a while, going to my Bible study, and then going to bed.  What actually ended up happening was that after dinner, I went to the Bible study for just a few minutes, and then left early to help celebrate the birthday of one of the other ETAs, who turned 22 yesterday.  Then, afterwards, Sarah, who spearheaded the party, and is also a regular in the Bible study, asked me if I wanted to read the Bible together for a little while, since we missed the Bible study.

We ended up not just reading the Bible; we talked, and prayed, and shared, and connected in a way that I have not done with anyone since I got here.  Not only that, but I got to cheer up a great guy on his birthday, to boot!!  Something that Sarah said when we were talking and reading our Bibles really hit home for me.  She said, "God does not want us to have 'good enough.'  He wants us to have the best."

What a great thing to hear after the emotional roller coaster I've been on the past few days.  I was really looking forward to the group Bible study tonight.  I thought it would be what's best for me.  But it turns out, it was only "good enough."  God had other plans for me.  He knew that I needed to relax and make someone else happy at the party.  He knew that I needed a friend.  He knew that I needed someone to keep me accountable.  He gave me all of that, and more, because He wanted to give me the best, not simply good enough.

I would have been happy with my Plan A.  If I had never gone to the party, never talked and prayed with Sarah after, I would have never been the wiser.  But I have prayed that God would bless me, and He has promised to be faithful to us.  What blessings are you missing out on because you're holding on too tightly to good enough?  Let it go, let Him work; He wants to give you the best.

1 Peter 3:8-12

 ⁸ Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. ⁹ Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. ¹⁰ For, “Whoever would love life and see good days must keep their tongue from evil and their lips from deceitful speech. ¹¹ They must turn from evil and do good; they must seek peace and pursue it.  ¹² For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”