Hey everybody :)
I was thinking and praying and reading my bible a lot yesterday. It was a good time. But I found myself asking God why life was so confusing, and why it's so hard to figure out where I'm suppose to go and what I'm supposed to do. WELL, I thought back to a blog post my brother wrote (http://theroc1217.blogspot.com/2010/07/why-we-hurt.html) and how he basically said that God gives us options in life. He GIVES them to us. We're free to make whichever decision we want, because both can be used to honor God. This obviously isn't always the case. Sometimes one choice is truly the right choice and the other is wrong. But I think a lot of the seemingly tough decisions are when you have two great options before you, and you can't pick just one. So basically what I learned is that God will give you peace no matter which choice you make, as long as you're seeking to honor him through it. Pretty awesome :)
Okay so here's a funny story. I was walking to the Hy-Vee gas station to visit the volleyball carwash (I'm not in volleyball but I pretended to be and it was very fun :P) and I was talking to God. I don't really know why, but He brought to my attention that He holds all the power in the entire universe. So how did he do this you might be asking? I saw an orange pickup truck drive by. That probably seems totally irrelevant to you now, but basically, I really really love the color orange, and I love pickup trucks. Seeing it drive by made me smile, and I was like, "You know what God? That's exactly what I needed. Thanks for blessing me with a reason to smile." I thought about this for a few more minutes as I was walking. Does God really have the power to do ANYTHING? Like, does he actually have such an elaborate plan that he led a random orange pickup truck owner's friend to live in the northwest part of town, and then call the owner to go visit that friend at noon yesterday, and then bring to my attention the opportunity to walk and talk with God at the same time, on that particular road, just so that I could see that orange pickup truck and smile? About the time I was thinking about and questioning this, guess what? The orange pickup truck drives by me again. I laughed out loud. God's plan is more complex than we can comprehend. He doesn't control us, but he does know our hearts, and like I said, he holds all power in the universe.
One more thing. Two blocks or so after the orange pickup truck incident, I was pondering the life of Paul the apostle, and how he went into dangerous situations and survived unharmed. I asked myself, or I guess I was kind of asking God this too... anyways, I asked if God still does that today. It seems like we hear so many more stories about attacks on Christians than about the deliverance of Christians. Well, I have a desire to reach people everywhere with the gospel message, and I don't plan on backing down from my convictions just for the purpose of safety, so I prayed that God would always keep me safe so that I can be effective in spreading the Good News of Christ. As I was praying for safety, a man rode up behind me on his bike. When he passed me he said hello cheerfully, and I responded, but a little less enthusiastically. The only thing running through my head was stories of a couple guys on bikes who have been trying to sexually assault young women on the bike paths around my house in the past 4 months or so. I honestly don't think it was that serious, but bad enough that I'm not allowed to be on the bike paths that aren't along streets anymore. So yeah, that was running through my head and I was sorta mentally freaking out as this man GETS OFF HIS BIKE right in front of me! And he stops and waits for me to catch up and starts talking really randomly. "I'm just out here biking... yep. I just got some blood drawn so I'm feeling pretty energized..." I sorta laughed and nodded, still freaking out in my mind. Thankfully, just then we reached the corner where I was supposed to turn, and so I did and I started walking away quickly, praying that this guy wouldn't follow me. He didn't, he just got right back on his bike and continued going straight. God delivered me! At least in my mind he did. That could've been really dangerous, but nothing happened. Praise God! Now, I feel kinda bad for describing this guy in such a negative light, in case he really was just a nice, sociable guy out for a bike ride. That's probably the case, but it was scary for me nevertheless, and God took the opportunity to let me know that I have nothing to fear.
Joshua 1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
Isaiah 51:12-14
I, even I, am he who comforts you.
Who are you that you fear mortal men,
the sons of men, who are but grass.
That you forget the Lord your Maker,
Who stretched out the heavens
and laid the foundations of the earth,
That you live in constant terror every day
because of the wrath of the oppressor
who is bent on destruction?
For where is the wrath of the oppressor?
The cowering prisoners will soon be set free.
They will not die in their dungeon,
nor will they lack bread.
For I am the Lord your God,
who churns up the sea so that its waves roar-
The Lord Almighty is his name.
