Faithful Fridays ~ Even in the Storm.

Hi, everyone!  :)  I'm here for Faithful Fridays...a day late, because our weekend has been action-packed (I'll be back to tell more about that soon), but I'm here!  :)


Faithful Fridays is a weekly linky party hosted on my blog. I made it so that Christians could have one special day out of the week (Friday) to share something from their Christian walk on their blog. If you'd like to participate, write your post, grab the button from the Faithful Fridays page on my blog (so that it will link back here), and come link up at the bottom of this post! :)
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I've been dealing with some stuff emotionally lately, and it's felt like a stormy kind of time in my walk with Jesus, but I've been reflecting on just how good God is, even in our storms.
"The Lord is good, a refuge in times of trouble, He cares for those who trust in him," -Nahum 1:7
He's answered so many of my prayer requests--even just the little ones.  For instance, before we went to Disney World, we prayed that my daddy's knee problems wouldn't hold him back from being able to do things--and it didn't!  He had issues with it, but he was still able to get up and go to the parks each day. 
He made pretty much my every little dream come true when I met Peter Pan.  You guys may not understand how much that means to me.  God cares about the little things--He orchestrated it perfectly for me!  :)
I got to take part in a swing dance flash mob--something kind of big for me because a flash mob video was what got me interested in swing dancing, and I've always wanted to be part of one.  
Another thing--I'll be honest here: I tend to live in a little bit of fear of having a pancreatitis episode flare up on me any time I have something big coming up that I'm looking forward to, because that's happened before.  Last February, I went into the hospital right before my Chinese New Year performance was supposed to happen, and I wasn't able to make it.  I've had a lot of things to look forward to lately--Disney World, the Reset Movement concert, the swing dance flash mob, and going to the carnival with some friends last night.  And God has kept me well and healthy so that I could go and enjoy them all.  
And I'm really thankful that for all of that.  :)  

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." -Romans 8:28
So, my point is that I'm really thankful that God hears me and answers my little prayers even in my stormy times--and I want to acknowledge that.  And, God does care about the little things that matter deep down inside your heart.  He knows all about you, everything inside and out, every little nook and cranny of your mind.  Don't let that scare you--the awesome thing is that He loves you more than you can imagine, despite what He sees--good and bad.  And he cares about those dreams you have--big and small.  Bring them to Him!  :)
God bless you guys and have a great day!  :) Joy :)

Fathful Fridays ~ Remember.

Hi, everyone!  :)  It's Friday again! 

My Friday today is pretty different from last Friday.  :)  Last Friday, I had been at home, not doing much.  But this Friday, we're in Alabama, visiting family....after a concert.  :)  The RESET Movement came to a town about four hours from us on Wednesday and my parents were oh-so-kind enough to take me.  And guess who came with the RESET Movement?!  Rend Collective and Morgan Harper Nichols!  I have *loved* Rend Collective's music for a while and was so, so, so excited to see them...they didn't disappoint.  :)  I had heard Morgan sing with her sister, Jamie Grace, but hadn't heard any of her own original songs.  I'm so glad she was there, because she's made a new fan out of me.  :)  Her song "Let Everything" is awesome! 

I also got to hear other artists--Matt Gilman, Lacey Sturm, and spoken word poet/rapper Propaganda.  :)  It was an amazing night!  I also got to meet the artists afterward.  I got to talk with Pat and Chris from Rend Collective for quite a while (with some online friends who I finally got to meet)!  It was an overall amazing night.  :)  God is good!


Faithful Fridays is a weekly linky party hosted on my blog. I made it so that Christians could have one special day out of the week (Friday) to share something from their Christian walk on their blog. If you'd like to participate, write your post, grab the button from the Faithful Fridays page on my blog (so that it will link back here), and come link up at the bottom of this post! :)   ************************************************************************   Something I've been thinking about, and that was mentioned at the concert, is remembering what God has done for you.    I mean, we say that we know God's done a lot for us, but do we ever really think about the recent, powerful things He's done that just totally gave us what we needed when we needed it?   I've often wished that I could be given such a mighty sign from God as the sea being parted so that I and my people could pass through on dry land, then letting it go again to crash down on our enemies--wouldn't that have been amazing?!    The Israelites were shown amazing signs like this over and over again, and yet again and again they turned from the Lord.  How could they do that?!   But sometimes we do that.  God does something for us and works things to our good, just as He promises, and reveals Himself and lifts us up out of our despair when we need it.....and then we forget.    We need to keep going back and reminding ourselves of everything that God's done for us.  We need to remind ourselves of all that He's brought us through and all the times He's fulfilled His promises to us.    The Israelites used to put up piles of rocks so that every time they passed by it and it stuck out and made itself noticed, they would remember what God had done and re-tell the account to themselves and to their children and grandchildren.  I think that's a pretty awesome idea.  We don't need to ever forget what God's done for us!    "Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor ever since." -Joshua 7:26   So, if you're going through something, or you're confused, or scared, or unsure, or even if you're not and you're just sitting there and you're perfectly content, remind yourself of all the things God's done for you, all the times He's brought you through and fulfilled His promises.  It does a soul good.  :)   God bless you guys and have a great day!  :) Joy :)   P.S. Linky isn't working for me right now, so if you've participated in Faithful Fridays, please let me know in your comment!  :)

Faithful Fridays ~ Feel it or Not.

Hi, everyone!  :)

Gosh, it's been a while, hasn't it?  We had SO MUCH fun at Disney World.  Best vacation ever.  We miss it...still recovering!  :)  Hence my late Faithful Friday post.  Oh, well.  Better late than never, right?


Faithful Fridays is a weekly linky party hosted on my blog. I made it so that Christians could have one special day out of the week (Friday) to share something from their Christian walk on their blog. If you'd like to participate, write your post, grab the button from the Faithful Fridays page on my blog (so that it will link back here), and come link up at the bottom of this post! :)
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Feelings are funny things, aren't they?  God gave them to us.  They're built into us.  Part of us.  But I think after the fall of man and sin entering the world, they have become really, really twisted.  
Here's the awesome thing: God isn't human, so He is not bound by feelings at all.  Feelings don't change Him.  They don't change His word.  They don't change His promises!
Read that again.  Isn't that great to know?  God is constant.  
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."   -Hebrews 13:8
The same love that we feel when we are on top of the world is the same love that is still there for us when we are down in the dumps and feel abandoned by God.  His promises are still the same to us.  Our feelings don't change that, and we can still hold onto those promises, even if it doesn't change how we feel.  Feelings don't change our relationship with God.  He encourages us to pour out our feelings and thoughts and worries to Him.  When you made that choice to trust in Jesus, you were locked into His love for life.  You've got the maker of the universe looking out for you!  That's the awesome thing about our God.
"Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." -1 Peter 5:7
That's faith.  It's trusting in God, even when you don't feel like it, even when you don't see it....you trust.  It's a choice you make.  Love and trust aren't feelings, they're choices.   
"And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."  -Hebrews 11:6
So whatever you're dealing with, whatever sea of emotions or thoughts or worries you're being tossed around in, just lean on Him.  Bring it all to Him, regardless of how you're feeling.  He can take it.  He will take it.  He is your God!
God bless you guys and have a great day.  :) Joy :)