Culture shock in church happens not only when one enters another country, but it even happens within one's own country. There is something so magical and enlightening about solid, powerful worship. What makes worship so powerful one day, and so irrelevant another day? Maybe it's all about the mindset.
Heavy humidity wafted through the church as we listened to the music of the Canaan Church in Los Alcarrizos, Dominican Republic. Many of us didn't understand a lick of Spanish, so we stood when everyone else stood, and sat when a majority sat. The tunes were the same, but the words completely different in many of the songs. For some reason, it didn't matter that we didn't understand. The power of the people worshiping around us, raising hands, singing loud, and clearly not ashamed of themselves made it one of the best worship services I'd ever been a part of, even though I couldn't understand half of the words.
It's all about your mindset.
Do you go to worship to see what sorts of feelings it can give you? Or, do you worship to show God that you are more than capable to give Him what you have, no matter what people around you are doing, or who's staring, or what kind of music is playing? He knows you are created to worship.
It was such a different atmosphere returning to the US and attending a worship service back at our church. Many people stood there through the songs. Many others sang along, reading the words on the screens. Others sang with their eyes closed, trying to feel God's presence. 1 or 2 had their hands up, if not for a verse, for a line of the song. Why the difference? Why the shame? Perhaps it's a rebellion of the music type. Perhaps laziness. But certainly not the true meaning. It's what we can get, not what we can give. If the song doesn't move us, we won't raise our hands. If the other guys aren't singing, why should I sing? What if people think I'm showing off, or being a maniac?
Who cares?
God cares.
He's the only one we should care about in worship. Not whether or not it's a contemporary song, or hymn. Not about what other people are doing or where they're looking. When did we become entitled to pick the songs we deserve to sing to God?
Where is your worship focus? Is it about what you get, or what you can give?
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Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Monday, March 26, 2012
Trust in You Alone
These past few days have been the most challenging and up and down hours and minutes of my life. Our whole Dominican trip was a roller coaster ride.
Coming home was more the same, with an even bigger decline. Today was hard, to put it lightly. I was grumpy, emotional, confused, and even had doubts. God is growing me in ways I never anticipated and I have to trust in Him alone to get me out of the valleys of life, especially this one. I need to allow Him to do His work in things that I can't fix or control. This is SO hard for me.
I'm scared, but I know that God has it under control. Pin It
Coming home was more the same, with an even bigger decline. Today was hard, to put it lightly. I was grumpy, emotional, confused, and even had doubts. God is growing me in ways I never anticipated and I have to trust in Him alone to get me out of the valleys of life, especially this one. I need to allow Him to do His work in things that I can't fix or control. This is SO hard for me.
I'm scared, but I know that God has it under control. Pin It
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
For Better, For Worse...
I can't believe that I am now a married woman. I have certainly learned a lot! There are so many blessings that have come about because of married life, and realizations I didn't have as a single or even engaged woman. Things like the beauty of living with your partner as a married couple and waiting until you're married to be intimate that have been the hugest blessings to us. I've always questioned our society and the standards it's let slip when it comes to the gift of marriage and how it has taken the sacredness out of it. There is something just so beautiful about having those things in the bounds of marriage and treasuring them with no one other than your spouse. It is well-worth the wait!
There are also hardships in marriage. Especially when it comes to finances and schedules. It has been a struggle for me to not see my husband day in and out. It is hard to get up at 8 and go to work, knowing that when you get home, your husband JUST left for his day at work, and barely being able to stay awake late enough to spend time with him, let alone see him each night.
Then there is the whole honoring your husband above others. How do I make others happy when the hubby doesn't agree to something they want? I'm such a push-over and will give in to anything to get someone off my back, but Mark won't take it, and he'll fight it out. I LOVE that about him, because it will help me grow. It is an adjustment and it's hard to get today's society to realize that your spouse comes first in the decisions, especially your husband.
These are things I've learned over the last 2 weeks or so. All very amazing and God-inspired realizations. I am such a happy girl, who is blessed beyond belief to have the perfect guy for me in my life. Pin It
There are also hardships in marriage. Especially when it comes to finances and schedules. It has been a struggle for me to not see my husband day in and out. It is hard to get up at 8 and go to work, knowing that when you get home, your husband JUST left for his day at work, and barely being able to stay awake late enough to spend time with him, let alone see him each night.
Then there is the whole honoring your husband above others. How do I make others happy when the hubby doesn't agree to something they want? I'm such a push-over and will give in to anything to get someone off my back, but Mark won't take it, and he'll fight it out. I LOVE that about him, because it will help me grow. It is an adjustment and it's hard to get today's society to realize that your spouse comes first in the decisions, especially your husband.
These are things I've learned over the last 2 weeks or so. All very amazing and God-inspired realizations. I am such a happy girl, who is blessed beyond belief to have the perfect guy for me in my life. Pin It
Thursday, December 22, 2011
God, Please kick me in the right direction....
I can't really put into words the feeling inside of me. There are things I can't talk about, but would love to talk about, things I don't know how to talk about, and things that I don't want to talk about. Luckily, God knows my feelings and struggles.
I don't want to be thrown into drama that isn't mine, chaos I didn't create, and feel like a burden. (Just a few more cryptic things for you to process.)
Standing up for myself is hard. I hate ticking people off, and I hate confrontation. Yep, I'm a sissy. I believe certain things are unfair, but I suck it up and take the blow to keep peace.
I have plenty of life decisions to make this week. I just wish God could literally kick me in the right direction, but I guess that is when faith wouldn't exist.
Prayers would be awesome. Pin It
I don't want to be thrown into drama that isn't mine, chaos I didn't create, and feel like a burden. (Just a few more cryptic things for you to process.)
Standing up for myself is hard. I hate ticking people off, and I hate confrontation. Yep, I'm a sissy. I believe certain things are unfair, but I suck it up and take the blow to keep peace.
I have plenty of life decisions to make this week. I just wish God could literally kick me in the right direction, but I guess that is when faith wouldn't exist.
Prayers would be awesome. Pin It
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Society's Pressures
I've come to realize that society - especially that of America - has an unreasonable standard of measuring one's identity and success. The first thing someone will ask you is "What do you do for a living?" or "What did you major in?" In America, you need a degree to be looked at in a positive manner. When you don't have a job or make the cash, our society tends to frown upon you.
Unfortunately, many people don't realize how wrong society is. Everything we do on this earth is meaningless. All the achievements we gain, the jobs we have, the money we make, the possessions we have...all absolutely meaningless.
Because our society places these pressures of degrees, and good jobs, and pay raises on us, we become anxious and worry about our lives. It's all such a meaningless cycle. Then we cope with our worries and anxiety in destructive ways. Society's pressures destroy us. Unless we know the truth.
Luckily, my truth is that of Jesus Christ. Because I know He has placed a more important mission in my hands, I don't worry about the society's calling on me. If I simply live out the passion and gifts God has instilled in my heart to the best of my ability, everything else I live for is unimportant. So what if I don't get that raise or get an A in my class? God expects me to do my best in everything, but He will provide for me daily. I can't get bent out of shape over things that don't matter in the end. Pin It
Unfortunately, many people don't realize how wrong society is. Everything we do on this earth is meaningless. All the achievements we gain, the jobs we have, the money we make, the possessions we have...all absolutely meaningless.
Because our society places these pressures of degrees, and good jobs, and pay raises on us, we become anxious and worry about our lives. It's all such a meaningless cycle. Then we cope with our worries and anxiety in destructive ways. Society's pressures destroy us. Unless we know the truth.
Luckily, my truth is that of Jesus Christ. Because I know He has placed a more important mission in my hands, I don't worry about the society's calling on me. If I simply live out the passion and gifts God has instilled in my heart to the best of my ability, everything else I live for is unimportant. So what if I don't get that raise or get an A in my class? God expects me to do my best in everything, but He will provide for me daily. I can't get bent out of shape over things that don't matter in the end. Pin It
Monday, November 21, 2011
Lessons from God
This whole year has been one big blessing and amazing learning experience for me. Last January I was at such a low. I didn't know where I would live, how I would get by, and lived quite afraid for awhile. I spent a couple nights on the couch at church, then lived out in Hamlin with Jen. She is so wonderful for letting me live with her!
I still had to keep my chin up with the high school girls in my life. Though, I can't lie, there were tears shed with them as well. They are so awesome to me too! Doing the Lady in Waiting study with them has been one of the best ever. I can't even begin to tell you how much of a blessing that book has been to me! Even today.
This year's Dominican trip seemed almost as if it were in a fog for me. So much was going on at home, that to sit back and take in what God was doing in my life was near impossible. I had way too much going on with my family, my health, and other relationships. Trying to explain how intricately God works through people is hard, but He sure did - even on the plane home from the DR. I got into a great conversation with one of our team members, and things seemed to become so clear! I wrote my dad a letter about my feelings and how God has worked in me. I stood up for myself in another relationship, and I was put at ease about health concerns.
Jen and I finally moved into Wildwood in May and things were really looking up. Though, relationships were still quite strained with my family, especially my dad. With summer came house-warming parties, where I took a leap and invited Mark (the guy I've had a crush on for a year now). Surprisingly he accepted!
More summer fun came up with fishing, baseball games, Dominican team events, and hikes at the state park. Mark and I started dating officially, which was huge for us since feelings just seemed too hard to put out for either of us and our crazy shyness. Mark and I shared in many late-night conversations that really challenged my thinking about the situation I had been through all year. He barely even knew about it, but God had used him to open my eyes.
I was convinced that I was going to marry this man.
I wrote my dad another letter, telling him how much Mark meant to me and how much God had used him to open my eyes on how grateful I needed to be of my dad for raising me to be a strong, woman of God who decided to pursue a strong man of God. Mark reminds me so much of my dad - scary isn't it? He has that solid faith, traditional values, and strong morals that my dad has taught me are important, and I knew that finding another man like him this day in age would be near impossible.
God had placed people in my life all year that have pulled me up, and helped me out. He put people there to say the right things at the right times, show me what was right to do in difficult situations, and use even books to teach me about true security and contentment in Him only. What a great way to take pressure off of Mark!
Since Mark met with my dad to ask him permission to marry me, and since I wrote my dad that letter, the relationship has slowly healed, and I feel like God has brought me such grace and blessing in a difficult time. God has rewarded me for waiting for this man.
Ladies - WAIT for him. Don't just be with someone because you want to be with someone. I can't even tell you how big of a blessing this man is to me! He has taught me so much, even hard things that I used to be stubborn about. I love him. I love God. God is so amazing! Pin It
I still had to keep my chin up with the high school girls in my life. Though, I can't lie, there were tears shed with them as well. They are so awesome to me too! Doing the Lady in Waiting study with them has been one of the best ever. I can't even begin to tell you how much of a blessing that book has been to me! Even today.
This year's Dominican trip seemed almost as if it were in a fog for me. So much was going on at home, that to sit back and take in what God was doing in my life was near impossible. I had way too much going on with my family, my health, and other relationships. Trying to explain how intricately God works through people is hard, but He sure did - even on the plane home from the DR. I got into a great conversation with one of our team members, and things seemed to become so clear! I wrote my dad a letter about my feelings and how God has worked in me. I stood up for myself in another relationship, and I was put at ease about health concerns.
Jen and I finally moved into Wildwood in May and things were really looking up. Though, relationships were still quite strained with my family, especially my dad. With summer came house-warming parties, where I took a leap and invited Mark (the guy I've had a crush on for a year now). Surprisingly he accepted!
More summer fun came up with fishing, baseball games, Dominican team events, and hikes at the state park. Mark and I started dating officially, which was huge for us since feelings just seemed too hard to put out for either of us and our crazy shyness. Mark and I shared in many late-night conversations that really challenged my thinking about the situation I had been through all year. He barely even knew about it, but God had used him to open my eyes.
I was convinced that I was going to marry this man.
I wrote my dad another letter, telling him how much Mark meant to me and how much God had used him to open my eyes on how grateful I needed to be of my dad for raising me to be a strong, woman of God who decided to pursue a strong man of God. Mark reminds me so much of my dad - scary isn't it? He has that solid faith, traditional values, and strong morals that my dad has taught me are important, and I knew that finding another man like him this day in age would be near impossible.
God had placed people in my life all year that have pulled me up, and helped me out. He put people there to say the right things at the right times, show me what was right to do in difficult situations, and use even books to teach me about true security and contentment in Him only. What a great way to take pressure off of Mark!
Since Mark met with my dad to ask him permission to marry me, and since I wrote my dad that letter, the relationship has slowly healed, and I feel like God has brought me such grace and blessing in a difficult time. God has rewarded me for waiting for this man.
Ladies - WAIT for him. Don't just be with someone because you want to be with someone. I can't even tell you how big of a blessing this man is to me! He has taught me so much, even hard things that I used to be stubborn about. I love him. I love God. God is so amazing! Pin It
Monday, August 15, 2011
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