I went to Lubin a town nearby and went to a bigger grocery store there. I then came back and made some vegetable soup and banana bread. This afternoon I have been relaxing. I listened to a few sermons and was able to catch Thomas Road live this morning.
On a side note, last night we had an earthquake. I was sitting in my apartment and I felt shaking for about ten seconds and then it was done. So now I can say I have experienced an earthquake in Turkey, the United States, and now Poland.
Here are some notes from another message that I listened to today:
Greg Oraham
Foothills Community Church
Stranger Than Fiction Series
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOUR WORLD FALLS APART?
Jacob – looking at his life - Genesis 35:16-29
*these verses talk about #’s 2-4
5 bad things happen to Jacob:
1. Daughter is raped.
2. Rachel (his wife) dies in labor
3. Oldest son Reuben has sex with one of his wives
4. His father Isaac dies
5. Think his son Joseph is dead
Three things you can do in the midst of chaos:
1. Process the pain.
a. All of us will face pain or tragedy at some point in our life (common).
b. What is not common is how we choose to respond to it.
c. Process productively!
i. Non productive: he was saying that everyone who experiences grief and trials will do this, but we must not stay in it
1. We question – we want to know why – most likely we won’t ever know this side of heaven. The better questions is to ask what? What can I learn from this? What is going on? What are you teaching me?
2. Get angry and mad.
a. Anger turns to bitterness if we don’t take care of it.
b. Bitterness changes you!
3. We live our lives in fear.
a. We worry
Ecclesiastes 3:1 – “For everything there is a season”
2. Re-assess life and priorities.
a. Benefit of pain
b. Matthew 6:33 – “Seek the Kingdom of Godabove all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” – Our desire should be to draw closer to the Lord. We never know when it may be our time to breathe our last breath. We don’t have to wait for tragedy to change our priorities.
3. Lean into Jesus.
a. Crisis is an opportunity to ride the wings of faith.
b. You can either shrink back in fear or step out on faith.
c. Psalm 23:4 - Even when I walk through the darkest valley,I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
Another example is Job:
Family was killed, livestock was killed, friends deserted him, health was failing; yet he still kept his trust in the Lord.
John 16:33
I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
Link to some pictures I took today:
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10100118880684508.2428855.55710205&l=7f949ad5d6&
Verse of the day: Proverbs 6:20-23
“My son, obey your father’s commands, and don’t neglect your mother’s instruction. Keep their words always in your heart. Tie them around your neck. When you walk, their counsel will lead you. When you sleep, they will protect you. When you wake up, they will advise you. For their command is a lamp and their instruction a light; their corrective discipline is the way to life.”
Jesus tells us to obey our parents. For me, I can say that the Lord has blessed me with the best parents ever. I could not ask for better parents. They love me unconditionally and have shown me by example how to live out walking with the Lord. As I have gotten older, the more I truly cherish my wonderful parents. It is my desire to honor them and please them, because I know that when I do that I am truly honoring the Lord! Thank you Dad and Mom for everything you have done for me. I love you so much!
My Utmost For His Highest:
“The height of the mountaintop is measured by the dismal drudgery of the valley, but it is in the valley that we have to live for the glory of God. We see His glory on the mountain, but we never live for His glory there. It is in the place of humiliation that we find our true worth to God— that is where our faithfulness is revealed.”
Wow! How easy it is to live for the Lord when everything is going well, but when things are going bad, how are we going to react. My desire is to follow and seek after the Lord in the good times and the bad. For it is in the bad times that we tend to grow most in our walk with the Lord. It is during the rough patches of life where we must remain faithful to the Lord. The Lord never deserted us as Jesus made His way to the cross. He did not deserve to die for us, but humbly shed His own life for us.. Are we willing to be ALL in for the Lord?
I hope everyone has a great evening!Tomorrow I am headed to language class at noon and then we have practice at 6:00 p.m. I hope everyone has a great week ahead!!God bless,Megan