Innocence

It seems to me that the author was describing how children like structure in the sense that things go along unchanged and repetitive. Children love monotony whereas adults grow tired of the same object or action very quickly. G. K. Chesterton points out that God has a child-like delight and has kept the innocence of youth unlike us as adults have grown old and tired of repetition. We as a society have become so unappreciative of the beauty and greatness of the world around us. As we grow older we seem to lose the innocence we enjoyed as children. This world (sin) makes us jaded and unaware of the miracles which surround us. Perhaps because we are filled with the Holy Spirit we could retrieve some of the innocence that we once enjoyed. If God is in fact younger than us, then why could we not recover some of the incorruptibility we once had?

A Letter of Encouragement

Dear Stacie,

As I think about the similarities of our lives and even personalities, I realize how blessed I am to have you in my life. God is so providential in the way that he places specific people in our lives on this earth.

A passage that has recently been placed on my heart as I deal with diffucult situations in my life is Galatians 1:10:

'For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to
please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a
bond-servant of Christ.'

I have been struggling to try and please people and be liked by everyone. This verse was shared as a reminder from a friend to not give yourself over to the approval of men. It can become so discouraging when those people do not give you the acceptance you desire and long for. It is natural to want to belong to something and someone. The key is to daily remind yourself that no one on this earth will fulfill that desire. God has placed that desire in your heart and only he will be able to completely fill it.

As you go through your daily routines of life this week remember this verse and ask yourself who you are choosing to serve.

For the Beauty of the Earth

We were blessed on Saturday with a glorious day to spend time outside with God. The sun was shining brightly, there was a soft breeze and the temperature was just right. On the weekends, the campus seems almost vacant with students gone home for the weekend, but is rather peaceful.

This past week, life was quite busy and I really did not spend much time alone. My time alone is when I usually meditate and ponder on what God is doing in my life. Saturday I had a longing to go and be out in the beauty of creation with God. I needed my alone time with him. As I walked the campus, I was blessed to see others enjoying the day as well. As I walked, a hymn came to mind:

For the beauty of the earth,
For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth
Over and around us lies,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

For the beauty of each hour
Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower,
Sun and moon and stars of light,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

For the joy of human love,
Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth, and friends above,
Pleasures pure and undefiled,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

For each perfect gift of thine,
To our race so freely given,
Graces human and divine,
Flowers of earth and buds of heaven,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
This our grateful hymn of praise.

For thy Church which evermore
Lifteth holy hands above,
Offering up on every shore
Her pure sacrifice of love,
Lord of all, to thee we raise
Thisour grateful hymn of praise


It is such a beautiful song that worships God not only focusing on the beauty of the earth but also the Christ sacrifice. These words came to mind as I walked and I could not help but be joyful and appreciative of the extraordinary gift God has given me. I have the pleasure of not only receiving a life-saving gift, but He conitnues to bless me with his creation.

Responding to Our Environment

It is important to maintain respect for the authority that has been set in place. Just because we do not agree with certain points of view does not mean that we should have a negative attitude towards them. Our attitude and actions should reflect the Christian principles we claim. We must learn how to balance sharing our principles without getting caught into the game in which political leaders engage. Christians should approach political situations and act toward them with the values that we are given in the Bible.

Victory over the Oppressor

I believe that we daily face oppression by material things of this world and money is definately my strongest oppressor. It is not the paper or coins themselves but rather the things which it buys.

Reviewing my bank statement for this past month I noticed that it was pretty evenly distrubuted to the different needs in my life. Although, the area that always seems to lack is savings. This is not because I am trying to avoid storing my treasures on earth. My struggle is sticking closely to my budget so that my savings do not suffer.

My lack of savings does not line up with what I would like my priorities to be. My goal is to see my savings as untouchable. It is not to be used unless an unexpected need that I trully cannot live without arises.

Fifteen Minutes

As I prepared to complete the assignment to pray a passage for fifteen minutes for two days, I debated on what I would like to read. I finally chose Romans 5:1-5

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our suffereings, knowing that produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produes hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

This passage has been very meaningful for me as I process my father's death. It has been so encouraging because so much good can come out of suffering.

As I read this passage my prayer became 'Lord, help me to rejoice in my loss so that it will produce endurance which builds character that produces hope i nthe reliance of your love. May I depend upon your love and the guidance of the Holy Spirit'.

I loved this exercise because it reminded me that praying God's Word can be so encouraging. God loves when we pray his words.

Taylor's Rules

God has really been challenging me in understanding humility for quite some time. As I read Taylor's rules I knew without yet reading the others that number one would be the one that comes most difficult to me. The following words from the devotion struck me the deepest, "Humility does not consist in critizing yourself, or wearing ragged clothes, or walking around submissively wherever you go. Humility consists in a realistic opinion of yourself, namely, that you are an unworthy person." So often in order to try to humble myself I will end up degrading myself. God never called us to think lesser of myself only to realize that I am a sinner. Knowledge and understanding of God's grace is what should bring humility.


The rule that comes most easily to me is to lift people up in encouragement. I don't want to tear people down with my words, but rather build them up especially their weaknesses.