Friday, January 23, 2009

Analogies the Modern Day Parables..

Once again my heart and mind are so full I can't seem to get anything done so I am gonna attempt to let some out via blogging, and then back to the grind here! I had an intense conversation with a friend today! She is atheist, and since we have only known each other a couple of months there has been only a couple of "faith based" conversations. She knows I am Christian, and she is very open about where she stands, and it has not been until today that the two have really come to a head.
Without trying to replay the two hours conversation, let me skip ahead, to after she asked if I really believe all that *@$! or if I think it could be made up stories. After sharing with her how God is more than just someone I read about in a book, He is as real to me as the chair she was sitting in, she asked why "we Christians" are always wanting people to become christians too, since gay people don't walk around trying to make the whole world gay. I tried to give her the best analogy I could come up with that she could understand from where she stood, basically stating that if she thought that being gay would save people from an eternity in hell, and that people who chose not to be gay would have a hopeless eternity, but those who chose to be gay would have a promise of great things, and an amazing eternity in heaven would she attempt to "convert" people to being gay? This led into the toughest question I hate to hear but don't doubt the answer to..." So are you saying that because I don't believe in Jesus or all this God @*!# I am going to hell?" I replied simply, yes. Bull@&#$ she said...and the conversation went on....
I share this because as I sat there I realized or was reminded of rather a simple truth, appart from Christ she will never know God! His Spirit has to do the work in her heart, and until He does all this "stuff" will be foolishness to her. Its a tough leap for me to see her even thinking about it, but God gave me a glimpse into His working when she told me after everything we talked about, she was still coming over tonight to chill with me and my friends!
He is able, and I will continue to trust, and pray, and if you think to could you lift a prayer as well! You dont need her name, God knows, if I witness any answers I'll be sure to record them here!

Monday, January 12, 2009

Java Java Java

No significance to this other than I realized something today... I have never really understood addictions. Honestly I can't really think of anything I craved on a regular basis..I am not one of those chocolate=life kind of girls, and though I love chips, and anything salty I have lived without them without any kind of withdrawal. So you see I never got how people got addicted to things to the point where they needed them to function properly...not until now that is! When I began working the 4:30 AM shift at BSC I made coffee a regular morning thing, thinking it would just assist me in being allert at such an early hour! Then this morning hit, and as usual I made my coffee, and headed out the door, not realizing until I reached work that I had left my mug of happiness at home:(. At first I was just a little bummed, after all there is something about having a warm drink in the early winter mornings thats comforting...however "a little bummed" quickly moved into an insane level of exhaustion, and period like moodiness! I swear each person coming through the door with their little "cup-of-Joe" was taunting me, laughing at my stupidity for leaving behind my energy source and daring to face the day caffeine free.
It was then my husband entered the scene, looking more attractive than ever, with my starbucks in hand...as I excused myself from my shift and headed to meet him, and at last fulfill this burning desire for java, I watched helplessly as my three year old knocked the table holding my very lifeline, pouring its contents all over the waiting room floor. Tears burned my eyes, and just as I am about to contemplate drinking from the well used, under cleaned gym floor, it hits me... I'm an ADDICT!!!
All this to say, Hi my name is Bethany, and I am a Coffe aholic:)!

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Prayer

I have been thinking a lot about prayer...What is prayer? Why do I pray? How do I pray? I will be honest prayer is one of those things that has always been a struggle for me...something I had to be deliberate in doing, and not something I found myself doing with any kind of grace and ease. There have been many times in my life where I have been challenged in how I thought of prayer, and what prayer looked like, and seasons where I did a lot of praying, and some where honestly there was very little!
Our church just had a meeting tonight where we talked about the vision for our church, and the people we want to reach, and minister to outside our walls! It was a powerful night for me, as I was hit by the hard reality of how many people in just my own town are living in darkness, not knowing the truth of God's love for them! I know myself, and the vision, the dreaming of you will is that which comes easily! I could sit with a notebook for hours and just dream up insane ideas, and get all excited about each one....but what challenged me in this time was the call to prayer! I began to think about not just the importance, but the necessity prayer is in our moving forward with any vision...
So I am committing this month to take some real serious time, and place all my visions, and dreams aside just for a little while, and pray! Talk with my Savior, praise His name, bring my thoughts, and requests before Him, and lay everything down! I wonder one month from now when I look back what things I will have seen or experienced... I'll be sure to update you on that later on!!