At Rock Harbor on Sunday, Mike Erre spoke on Luke 10, the story of the good Samaritan. Having heard it a bunch of times I often read over it, remembering the obvious lesson of "helping others" and then proceed on to Luke 11. Mike gave background and examples relevant to today to explain the significance and the point of the message. What struck me from the message was that it's not just about being good and loving your neighbor, but about who you think your neighbor is. The samaritan is the worst, most detestable example God could have used for the Scholar. Jesus points to the heart in showing that how you treat people is a reflection of the feelings in your heart.
The second point, the one relevant to 3 and 3, is that this is an example of how I'll be learning at Capernwray College. The background that makes the stories and message relevant beyond the obvious (it's the between the lines, or the deeper meaning...every great book has them). I'm so excited to spend 5 days a week on this. Instead of the once a week (or maybe twice counting Bible study) i'll get 3-5 times that many (and since we have 5 classes a day) it's more like 15 times. I'm going to learn a lot!
My prayer is that God prepares my heart and mind and gives me the wisdom to understand the teachings, the diligence to dive in and the commitment to keep it up and not let it go to waste.
Thank you for your prayers and support!
2.22.2010
2.14.2010
4 weeks and 4 days...and 4 months ahead!
In four weeks and four days, I will walk onto a plan headed for London to start this seemingly unreal time of travel and studying the bible!
This coming spring is looking to be the most beautiful season yet. I've been on this amazing journey with God and He's gifted me four months in Europe, including (and this is the best part) 8 weeks at Capernwray bible college. In those eight weeks we will go through the whole New Testament, either by chapter or topic (each week covers something new). I'll live in a castle, at the school, in a shared room with 3-5 other girls with a total of about 140 students at the school!
I'll be updating this blog to let you know the latest adventure/lesson/story, etc.
For now, until I leave, I could use prayer for the preparations. I have been planning and trying to prepare and would love to be surrounded by prayer now and while I'm gone.
In faith and with a joyous heart,
Natalie
This coming spring is looking to be the most beautiful season yet. I've been on this amazing journey with God and He's gifted me four months in Europe, including (and this is the best part) 8 weeks at Capernwray bible college. In those eight weeks we will go through the whole New Testament, either by chapter or topic (each week covers something new). I'll live in a castle, at the school, in a shared room with 3-5 other girls with a total of about 140 students at the school!
I'll be updating this blog to let you know the latest adventure/lesson/story, etc.
For now, until I leave, I could use prayer for the preparations. I have been planning and trying to prepare and would love to be surrounded by prayer now and while I'm gone.
In faith and with a joyous heart,
Natalie
2.02.2010
God's Mercy
I have been blessed with an incredible family, spearheaded by two devoted parents that hadn't a clue how to be parents but trusted God and went for it. Fortunately for us, trusting God works.
In a recent exercise, I realized that sometimes we project the relationship we have with our earthly parents onto our image and relationship with our Heavenly Father. I think God uses this to show us a picture of Himself as well. There is one such experience that stands out in my life.
To understand the story you have to know that my dad has always been a very calm, slow-tempered, loving and wise man. I have always had the highest respect for him.
I was 16 years old, learning how to drive a stick-shift on an Isuzu truck...my dad's Isuzu truck. In later years we named the truck "Shrek" because it was green and looking at it head on, the mirrors looked like ears, giving it a "Shrek" resemblance. We went to an open parking lot, I got in the drivers seat and my dad went over EVERYTHING with me. I nodded but was just anxious to try it (I learn my doing). I worked on getting into first gear and once I had that down, he said, "okay, now shift to second." I put my hand on the gear, pulled it down to second and forgot a key step...the clutch. Very calmly my dad said, "okay, stop."
I believe God does this to us sometimes. Ever so calmly he instructs us and we listen, anxiously stepping halfway onto the path but keeping an ear and eye on what He's telling us. We get so excited we just want to be released to try it ourselves without taking the time to really learn what God is teaching us. Then He lets us go and we run off, without looking back and if we do pause, or if we are lucky enough to have God intervene, we can hear Him calmly say, "okay, stop," at which time he corrects and shows us again. This is God's mercy.
In a recent exercise, I realized that sometimes we project the relationship we have with our earthly parents onto our image and relationship with our Heavenly Father. I think God uses this to show us a picture of Himself as well. There is one such experience that stands out in my life.
To understand the story you have to know that my dad has always been a very calm, slow-tempered, loving and wise man. I have always had the highest respect for him.
I was 16 years old, learning how to drive a stick-shift on an Isuzu truck...my dad's Isuzu truck. In later years we named the truck "Shrek" because it was green and looking at it head on, the mirrors looked like ears, giving it a "Shrek" resemblance. We went to an open parking lot, I got in the drivers seat and my dad went over EVERYTHING with me. I nodded but was just anxious to try it (I learn my doing). I worked on getting into first gear and once I had that down, he said, "okay, now shift to second." I put my hand on the gear, pulled it down to second and forgot a key step...the clutch. Very calmly my dad said, "okay, stop."
I believe God does this to us sometimes. Ever so calmly he instructs us and we listen, anxiously stepping halfway onto the path but keeping an ear and eye on what He's telling us. We get so excited we just want to be released to try it ourselves without taking the time to really learn what God is teaching us. Then He lets us go and we run off, without looking back and if we do pause, or if we are lucky enough to have God intervene, we can hear Him calmly say, "okay, stop," at which time he corrects and shows us again. This is God's mercy.
11.30.2009
Two things
God showed me two things yesterday that I want to share:
1 Tim 6:17 - 17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
--For our enjoyment! How cool is that :).
---He isn't a man but God. I can't figure him out or predict His plan. I can say yes and follow, believing that He has set a life before me that will be of use to His plan and of enjoyment for me, His child. How comforting!
Romans 8:26 - 26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
--The Holy Spirit helps us pray - to communicate with the creator. We can talk to Him anytime we want.
---I started thinking about how I talk to God. I'm very serious when I pray but it sounds just like when I talk - i use similar phrases. I believe God is doing BIG things - I'm seeing them play out before me each day. To think that I can speak to God, that the Holy Spirit is helping me through it, is bigger than i can put in words. I don't know how else to describe it other than "doing big things." How do we approach our relationship with the Lord. Are we different when we address Him or are we the same. I used to put on my "proper" voice when praying but God knows me, sees me and hears me every minute of every day. Why change that? I have respect for Him but I also have a deep personal relationship with Him and I know it's not how I say it but that I bring it before Him; lay it at His feet. That's what really matters, right?
1 Tim 6:17 - 17Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.
--For our enjoyment! How cool is that :).
---He isn't a man but God. I can't figure him out or predict His plan. I can say yes and follow, believing that He has set a life before me that will be of use to His plan and of enjoyment for me, His child. How comforting!
Romans 8:26 - 26In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.
--The Holy Spirit helps us pray - to communicate with the creator. We can talk to Him anytime we want.
---I started thinking about how I talk to God. I'm very serious when I pray but it sounds just like when I talk - i use similar phrases. I believe God is doing BIG things - I'm seeing them play out before me each day. To think that I can speak to God, that the Holy Spirit is helping me through it, is bigger than i can put in words. I don't know how else to describe it other than "doing big things." How do we approach our relationship with the Lord. Are we different when we address Him or are we the same. I used to put on my "proper" voice when praying but God knows me, sees me and hears me every minute of every day. Why change that? I have respect for Him but I also have a deep personal relationship with Him and I know it's not how I say it but that I bring it before Him; lay it at His feet. That's what really matters, right?
Tools
Tools
We're all created for different purposes - unknown until they happen or begin to form. God is so great and mighty that he takes us through things and uses those to equip us for times when we will need to draw from those experiences. Do you ever sit back and see a moment in time where God was clearly at work (the times when you see it all align)? It's such a jaw dropping moment that it can stop me clear in my tracks.
We're all created for different purposes - unknown until they happen or begin to form. God is so great and mighty that he takes us through things and uses those to equip us for times when we will need to draw from those experiences. Do you ever sit back and see a moment in time where God was clearly at work (the times when you see it all align)? It's such a jaw dropping moment that it can stop me clear in my tracks.
11.29.2009
The Blind Side
The Blind Side - A must see!
Not because it's an amazing event in history, great cinematography or for any other "Hollywood-esk" reason but because it is a real movie about a LIFE that is forever changed for the better because someone resonded to that burn within them. We've all felt that at some point: sit with the new kid in school, share lunch with the friend that didn't bring one...the list could go on and on. We so often don't respond or figure "someone else will do it" but why not you? This movie showed what could happen if we responded yes.
I want to be like Leigh Anne Tuohy - I admire her courage, boldness and pure love. She isn't afraid of life, from what the movie portraid, and she made the well being a person (of whom she didn't know) a priority in her life. She responded and took action when others didn't. It's inspiring. Best of all, it changed her for the better, not just him. God was teaching her something at the same time he was taking care of and protecting one of his children, Michael.
I've always wanted to live a life that matters and I'm not sure what that looks like. Sometimes I think it could be a recognizable thing (like something that could make the news) but I've realized more reacently that it could be touching ONE person's life for the better - the fame is not what it's about, and though i know that, i still wonder if it will be something others will see or even something i'll know about or if it will be something that God and that person will share and i'll be the tool God chose to use in the moment.
I recently heard someone was trampled to death at a Toys R Us on Black Friday. That family will be without that person, and for what reason...a bargain? It's incredibly sad and disheartning that people can't find it within themselfs to WAIT - why do we need to rush into life and at what risk is it. Rush to do errands while talking on the phone and changing the song on our iPod - are we focused on the road and the other lives at stake? Do we care? But do we care enough to stop?
What does it take for us to listen. We learn from mistakes not preventative measures. We rush into errors and "the hard way" but sometimes that means risking what isn't ours to risk...someone's life perhaps. Then try to live with that...I can't imagine it's anything less than difficult on a daily basis.
Let's slow it down a few paces and get pack to our priorities. Who and what do we value? Where is our time spent and where would it be better spent? Who can we invest in - with our time, with love, energy and money?
Say yes and really do it.
Not because it's an amazing event in history, great cinematography or for any other "Hollywood-esk" reason but because it is a real movie about a LIFE that is forever changed for the better because someone resonded to that burn within them. We've all felt that at some point: sit with the new kid in school, share lunch with the friend that didn't bring one...the list could go on and on. We so often don't respond or figure "someone else will do it" but why not you? This movie showed what could happen if we responded yes.
I want to be like Leigh Anne Tuohy - I admire her courage, boldness and pure love. She isn't afraid of life, from what the movie portraid, and she made the well being a person (of whom she didn't know) a priority in her life. She responded and took action when others didn't. It's inspiring. Best of all, it changed her for the better, not just him. God was teaching her something at the same time he was taking care of and protecting one of his children, Michael.
I've always wanted to live a life that matters and I'm not sure what that looks like. Sometimes I think it could be a recognizable thing (like something that could make the news) but I've realized more reacently that it could be touching ONE person's life for the better - the fame is not what it's about, and though i know that, i still wonder if it will be something others will see or even something i'll know about or if it will be something that God and that person will share and i'll be the tool God chose to use in the moment.
I recently heard someone was trampled to death at a Toys R Us on Black Friday. That family will be without that person, and for what reason...a bargain? It's incredibly sad and disheartning that people can't find it within themselfs to WAIT - why do we need to rush into life and at what risk is it. Rush to do errands while talking on the phone and changing the song on our iPod - are we focused on the road and the other lives at stake? Do we care? But do we care enough to stop?
What does it take for us to listen. We learn from mistakes not preventative measures. We rush into errors and "the hard way" but sometimes that means risking what isn't ours to risk...someone's life perhaps. Then try to live with that...I can't imagine it's anything less than difficult on a daily basis.
Let's slow it down a few paces and get pack to our priorities. Who and what do we value? Where is our time spent and where would it be better spent? Who can we invest in - with our time, with love, energy and money?
Say yes and really do it.
11.17.2009
I just returned from a four day trip to TN. Highlight...shooting guns; Lowlight...Beale Street.
I realized how much "stuff" I have and how I don't need most of it. I used one bag for the weekend...granted I brought more than I needed but considering the size of my closet, not to mention shoe rack, I can't believe all I required for a weekend of unknown adventures was one bag. How much money do I spend on useless junk that in the moment "I have to have" but in reality, after the shopaholic inside me subsides, I don't need and probably won't use enough to justify the purchase later. I live in a little world of simplicity that has been suffocated with "have-to-have" and "need" items. It's too much.
I realized how much "stuff" I have and how I don't need most of it. I used one bag for the weekend...granted I brought more than I needed but considering the size of my closet, not to mention shoe rack, I can't believe all I required for a weekend of unknown adventures was one bag. How much money do I spend on useless junk that in the moment "I have to have" but in reality, after the shopaholic inside me subsides, I don't need and probably won't use enough to justify the purchase later. I live in a little world of simplicity that has been suffocated with "have-to-have" and "need" items. It's too much.
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