Hi friend.
I recently read a blog post, well, by recently I mean it was probably a couple months ago and I'm just now remembering that I wanted to comment on it, that made a statement with which I disagreed. (Woo- how's that for bad sentence structure?!)
The writer, who will remain nameless, (don't worry, if you're reading this, it's not you) said that he/she would only write about the good things happening in life, not the messy or imperfect stuff. While the goal was to be uplifting to others, which I understand, I don't think it's necessary to skip over the less than beautiful parts of life.
It happens, right? We cook a flat-out bad dinner. We get in a fender bender. (No Dad- this did not happen.) We have a really embarrassing moment. We don't look like models everyday. We aren't always the perfect wives and our husbands aren't always the perfect husbands. We don't follow through. We fail.
But when it comes down to it, that's life, and that's what we do. It's good to know that other people are having the exact same struggles we've had or are having. That's how we empathize, encourage, and empower.
Of course, this is just my opinion, and I'm not suggesting that we focus on the down and out parts of our lives, but it's alright to acknowledge they're there. How else can I grow and develop those areas unless I admit they need work? And this girl needs lots of work guys.
Well, that's my little soap box for the day. Had a wonderful weekend with family. Jessa rocked her salutatorian speech, and Myriam and Bam were precious on their special day. (I will have some photos later.) And I did a lot of cheating on my new meal plan. That changes today. Haha.
Talk to you later,
Aim
Monday, May 27, 2013
Friday, May 24, 2013
Serious Trials and Tribulations Here
Hi friend, and a most glorious Friday to you today.
Wanna hear something crazy? I mean, absolutely insane, if you know me at all. Well, as you may or may not know, I've been working at a gym for the last few months. It's been great- awesome perks such as having free reign with the treadmill and the opportunity to work out with a trainer, sometimes with a group and sometimes one-on-one. Anyway, you might be surprised by that part, but that wasn't the shocking part.
This is: they're doing a jean challenge right now, and I decided to test it out a little. Basically, I have to completely alter the way I eat.
Yeah. Aimee no likey.
Why is this a big deal? Because Aimee loves bread. And crackers of almost any kind. And sugared up coffee. And yogurt. And cereal. And oatmeal. And pizza. And eggs and toast. And juice. And not vegetables.
You may have guessed it... those are alllllll things I am no longer supposed to have. Except the vegetables... I'm supposed to have lots and lots of those. To some people this is not a big deal, but what my husband and I have observed about my eating habits is that I have zero will power when it comes to food. I am literally like that crying child up there when it comes to broccoli. Ask Jered.
The worst part so far has been when he ate leftover pancakes in front of me the other night. Boo Jered.
However, I have found that I can add extra veggies into my diet by making those green smoothies everyone's been raving about! They were right- you really can't taste all that spinach! Fantastic find for this girl.
Anyway, enough about Aimee's eating habits. That's not what this letter writing is about, is it. Nope. But it is about life, so I guess that's my rationalization. Haha.
Insert relaxed sigh here. Heading down to the Flinkman's today to celebrate. In just an hour or so, I will be piling into a car with Jered, Jeremy, Justin, and Kelly, and we will make our way to see more family. Yay!
Well, I hope you all have a lovely Memorial Day weekend. I know I am going to, although I must say it will be weird to not be with my family! I miss you all very much and hope to make it home soon!
Byeee!
Aim
Wanna hear something crazy? I mean, absolutely insane, if you know me at all. Well, as you may or may not know, I've been working at a gym for the last few months. It's been great- awesome perks such as having free reign with the treadmill and the opportunity to work out with a trainer, sometimes with a group and sometimes one-on-one. Anyway, you might be surprised by that part, but that wasn't the shocking part.
This is: they're doing a jean challenge right now, and I decided to test it out a little. Basically, I have to completely alter the way I eat.
Yeah. Aimee no likey.
Why is this a big deal? Because Aimee loves bread. And crackers of almost any kind. And sugared up coffee. And yogurt. And cereal. And oatmeal. And pizza. And eggs and toast. And juice. And not vegetables.
You may have guessed it... those are alllllll things I am no longer supposed to have. Except the vegetables... I'm supposed to have lots and lots of those. To some people this is not a big deal, but what my husband and I have observed about my eating habits is that I have zero will power when it comes to food. I am literally like that crying child up there when it comes to broccoli. Ask Jered.
The worst part so far has been when he ate leftover pancakes in front of me the other night. Boo Jered.
However, I have found that I can add extra veggies into my diet by making those green smoothies everyone's been raving about! They were right- you really can't taste all that spinach! Fantastic find for this girl.
Anyway, enough about Aimee's eating habits. That's not what this letter writing is about, is it. Nope. But it is about life, so I guess that's my rationalization. Haha.
Insert relaxed sigh here. Heading down to the Flinkman's today to celebrate. In just an hour or so, I will be piling into a car with Jered, Jeremy, Justin, and Kelly, and we will make our way to see more family. Yay!
Well, I hope you all have a lovely Memorial Day weekend. I know I am going to, although I must say it will be weird to not be with my family! I miss you all very much and hope to make it home soon!
Byeee!
Aim
Thursday, May 23, 2013
Keeping up the Excitement
Hey there friend. It's been far too long again.
I believe I promised pictures from the recent festivities...
First, my cousin, Bryan, married Stefanie. It was lovely.
The next weekend Jered was in his best friend's wedding. It was a great weekend.
Jered recently graduated from Loyola University. He didn't want it to be a big deal, but I naturally had to get him a few goodies in celebration. Unfortunately I forgot my camera for the big day.
Last weekend we celebrated Myriam's last week as a single lady with a fun night in Wrigleyville.
Aaaaand, we met our honorary niece! Selah is here! Woo hoo!
The festivities aren't at a stopping point yet though! This weekend we will celebrate with Jessica as she graduates from high school. I can hardly believe it! She was in 8th grade when I first met her!
Then.... dumm dum da duuuummmm! Bam, oops- Cole and Myriam will tie the knot!
The excitement just refuses to let up! Within a few weeks we will also be meeting a new little niece or nephew. It's very exciting for me because it will be the first Flink-baby born since I've known them.
Finally, (I don't really have anything else to write to you about right now) I just found some old cartoons that I remember from our childhood. Silly, but it made my afternoon!
Well, until next time!
Aim
I believe I promised pictures from the recent festivities...
First, my cousin, Bryan, married Stefanie. It was lovely.
The next weekend Jered was in his best friend's wedding. It was a great weekend.
Jered recently graduated from Loyola University. He didn't want it to be a big deal, but I naturally had to get him a few goodies in celebration. Unfortunately I forgot my camera for the big day.
Last weekend we celebrated Myriam's last week as a single lady with a fun night in Wrigleyville.
Aaaaand, we met our honorary niece! Selah is here! Woo hoo!
The festivities aren't at a stopping point yet though! This weekend we will celebrate with Jessica as she graduates from high school. I can hardly believe it! She was in 8th grade when I first met her!
Then.... dumm dum da duuuummmm! Bam, oops- Cole and Myriam will tie the knot!
The excitement just refuses to let up! Within a few weeks we will also be meeting a new little niece or nephew. It's very exciting for me because it will be the first Flink-baby born since I've known them.
Finally, (I don't really have anything else to write to you about right now) I just found some old cartoons that I remember from our childhood. Silly, but it made my afternoon!
Well, until next time!
Aim
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Rain, rain, go away.
Hello again.
This morning my heart broke for my nanny family.
They woke up early this morning to find their finished basement flooded. About six inches of standing water filled the rooms that make up their laundry room, one of their bathrooms, their main living room, and the bedroom of two of their little boys.
They carried the boys and took them to bed upstairs, salvaged as much of their clothes, toys, and books as they could, and had to leave the majority of the belongings downstairs.
The boys, maybe not fully grasping the situation, responded fairly easily. We had enough art supplies and puzzles upstairs to keep them occupied. The mom told me that she really didn't have anything of great material value that she lost, but her husband had lost thousands of dollars worth of signed comics, and a guitar that can't really be replaced.
As I looked across the basement at the toys sitting in water and the carpet floating upward, I was filled with extreme sadness. I couldn't imagine having to go through that experience. They're a tough family, and they will make it through fine, but I feel so badly that they have to go through the hassle of waiting days for someone to come clean it up for them, possibly find a hotel for a while, and eventually try to replace their belongings.
All of this to say... well, I'm not quite sure what. I guess, on one hand, I'm very thankful that Jered and I aren't having to go through the struggles so many are going through right now. However, I do know that God uses rain in the weather, and rain storms in our lives, to grow things.
Just over the last week or two, all this rain has created beautiful, green grass and vivid flowers. I don't mean to belittle any of the suffering people are going through right now, just want to remember that we have a hope to hold close.
More festivities this weekend. It's good to have something to celebrate every once in a while, isn't it? I will surely fill you in on all the fun later. Until then, stay dry, friend.
Aim
This morning my heart broke for my nanny family.
They woke up early this morning to find their finished basement flooded. About six inches of standing water filled the rooms that make up their laundry room, one of their bathrooms, their main living room, and the bedroom of two of their little boys.
They carried the boys and took them to bed upstairs, salvaged as much of their clothes, toys, and books as they could, and had to leave the majority of the belongings downstairs.
The boys, maybe not fully grasping the situation, responded fairly easily. We had enough art supplies and puzzles upstairs to keep them occupied. The mom told me that she really didn't have anything of great material value that she lost, but her husband had lost thousands of dollars worth of signed comics, and a guitar that can't really be replaced.
As I looked across the basement at the toys sitting in water and the carpet floating upward, I was filled with extreme sadness. I couldn't imagine having to go through that experience. They're a tough family, and they will make it through fine, but I feel so badly that they have to go through the hassle of waiting days for someone to come clean it up for them, possibly find a hotel for a while, and eventually try to replace their belongings.
All of this to say... well, I'm not quite sure what. I guess, on one hand, I'm very thankful that Jered and I aren't having to go through the struggles so many are going through right now. However, I do know that God uses rain in the weather, and rain storms in our lives, to grow things.
Just over the last week or two, all this rain has created beautiful, green grass and vivid flowers. I don't mean to belittle any of the suffering people are going through right now, just want to remember that we have a hope to hold close.
More festivities this weekend. It's good to have something to celebrate every once in a while, isn't it? I will surely fill you in on all the fun later. Until then, stay dry, friend.
Aim
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Wedding? I love weddings! Drinks all around!
Hi friend.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but I will not be buying everyone drinks. However, I do love weddings, and I get to go to two in the next two weeks!
This weekend my cousin, Bryan, is marrying the girl of his dreams. I'll update you after- that way I can share pictures. Then, next weekend, Jered's best friend, Barak is tying the knot. Exciting couple of weeks for us.
I have not had a chance to sit down and write in what seems like forever. It's been more like a month, but it seems like a long time to me. I've been too busy lately. Wait-what?! This girl has been too busy? Yes sir, that's absolutely correct!
Let me tell you 'bout it. First, my main nannying position has more than doubled in time. On top of that, the family has given me a part time job at the gym they own, three nights out of the week. I now have 7-9 working hours six days out of the week, on a typical week. You know, when I'm not leaving town for a wedding or some festivity.
Craziness I tell you. God has truly blessed Jered and me through all this working. Plus, I get the added perk of a free gym membership! Not too shabby. Although, I will admit that I haven't been brave enough to get started with a trainer yet. I've mainly stuck to the treadmill. That changes this week though, if all goes well.
Anyway, I am currently sitting in a Starbucks, somewhere I haven't been in a long, long time. It's kind of glorious. It's also entertaining because there's a guy here, who is just a happy person, or really loves his job. Or both.
Honestly friend, my brain is too frazzled right now to come up with anything compelling to write about. So let me instead tell you how much I enjoyed spending some much needed quality time with my husband this weekend.
Between my new work schedule, and Jered getting started in his clinical/internship thing, we've only seen each other for a couple waking hours a night this week. It's generally been: get home around 8 or 8:30, eat dinner, go to bed, wake up early, repeat.
However, Sunday was lovely. We slept in, watched one of Ray Vanderlaan's Bible lessons in the comfort of our bed, and then went about getting things ready for the week. Sunday evening, we went OUT TO EAT. This is a big deal. It wouldn't have been several months ago, but we've really been tightening our belts, and I can't remember the last time we went out to eat together. We even splurged. We split some curry fried rice, and got some crab rangoon too!
Well guys, this is a random little letter, but my husband is here to pick me up now, so I gotta wrap this up quickly! Hopefully I won't let another month pass before writing to you again. Hope you're doing well.
Talk to you later.
Aim
Sorry to burst your bubble, but I will not be buying everyone drinks. However, I do love weddings, and I get to go to two in the next two weeks!
This weekend my cousin, Bryan, is marrying the girl of his dreams. I'll update you after- that way I can share pictures. Then, next weekend, Jered's best friend, Barak is tying the knot. Exciting couple of weeks for us.
I have not had a chance to sit down and write in what seems like forever. It's been more like a month, but it seems like a long time to me. I've been too busy lately. Wait-what?! This girl has been too busy? Yes sir, that's absolutely correct!
Let me tell you 'bout it. First, my main nannying position has more than doubled in time. On top of that, the family has given me a part time job at the gym they own, three nights out of the week. I now have 7-9 working hours six days out of the week, on a typical week. You know, when I'm not leaving town for a wedding or some festivity.
Craziness I tell you. God has truly blessed Jered and me through all this working. Plus, I get the added perk of a free gym membership! Not too shabby. Although, I will admit that I haven't been brave enough to get started with a trainer yet. I've mainly stuck to the treadmill. That changes this week though, if all goes well.
Anyway, I am currently sitting in a Starbucks, somewhere I haven't been in a long, long time. It's kind of glorious. It's also entertaining because there's a guy here, who is just a happy person, or really loves his job. Or both.
Honestly friend, my brain is too frazzled right now to come up with anything compelling to write about. So let me instead tell you how much I enjoyed spending some much needed quality time with my husband this weekend.
Between my new work schedule, and Jered getting started in his clinical/internship thing, we've only seen each other for a couple waking hours a night this week. It's generally been: get home around 8 or 8:30, eat dinner, go to bed, wake up early, repeat.
However, Sunday was lovely. We slept in, watched one of Ray Vanderlaan's Bible lessons in the comfort of our bed, and then went about getting things ready for the week. Sunday evening, we went OUT TO EAT. This is a big deal. It wouldn't have been several months ago, but we've really been tightening our belts, and I can't remember the last time we went out to eat together. We even splurged. We split some curry fried rice, and got some crab rangoon too!
Well guys, this is a random little letter, but my husband is here to pick me up now, so I gotta wrap this up quickly! Hopefully I won't let another month pass before writing to you again. Hope you're doing well.
Talk to you later.
Aim
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
Possible Theme for March?
Hey friend.
It's been a while. My apologies. Head's up: this will probably be a lengthy letter. Hang in there.
Last night Jered texted me, saying that he would love some post workout protein. I was tired, had zero thawed out chicken breasts, and only had about 15 minutes before he was going to be home. I looked in the freezer and saw some sausage... Looked in the fridge and saw the eggs... Mmmm... Breakfast burritos is is! Topped with our choice of guacamole, salsa, or hot sauce, it was sure to be a hit.
Unfortunately, our ability to enjoy dinner was interrupted by injury. Jered had pulled or strained something at the gym. It took him an extended amount of time to get home, and when he did arrive, he could barely move. I thought he was going to end up on the floor a couple times.
We tried some maneuvers that Jake suggested over the phone, but at the end of the night, my poor husband was absolutely pitiful. I felt horrible for him and was so frustrated that there was nothing I could do. On top of that, the poor guy was in pain all night and couldn't get comfortable. I think we were both awake for literally half the night.
Is it awful of me that I think it's a little cute too? Does that make me sadistic or something? I hope not. He's just cute when he needs taking care of.
So anyway, injured husband aside, exciting seems to be the word of the month.
We spent the first weekend of the month in Des Moines with Jacob, Molly, Jeremy, Kelly, friends from Des Moines, and Ginny. It was a fun-filled, yet relaxing weekend. I truly felt like I was on vacation. I cannot believe I returned without taking a single picture.
The really exciting part was that our Des Moines family and friends did an awesome job of selling the city to Jered. We came home with a list of hospitals for his applications, and some ideas for me as well. I don't want to speak too soon, but I can totally see us living there.
Our other exciting news started with some major worry on my end. With the possibility of moving time coming soon, and still no full time work for me, expenses were mounting in my head with a solution seeming far away.
A series of fortunate events, that I don't need to write all the way out for you since this is already a mammoth letter, has led to me having over forty hours of work on a typical week, with the possibility of more. Praise God!
That leads me to the last, and most important exciting news. Through another person's story, I've been reminded of how great our God is. In a real, personal, applicable way.
With his permission, I'm sharing it with you. You may have already seen it. If not, meet my brother-in-law, Justin.
(It's long, but very worth the read. Please don't skip out!)
Justin's story challenged me to dig into the Word. To really dig. And to utilize the power of prayer.
I honestly believe that is how the opportunity for so much work came to be.
Don't you love when God reminds you of a single message over and over and over in a short time? That's been happening to me over the last week or so.
This week, due to me working late and Daylight Savings, Jered and I decided to watch the Moody Church service online in our coffee shop. I really felt that the sermon just reinforced exactly what our friend with the challenging story is experiencing right now.
Naturally, I'm going to share with you. Stay put for more exciting news:
The sermon was about the emotional God we sometimes forget, the God who sings.
First off, we were reminded that we are image bearers of God- not the other way around. In an emotional aspect, this means that our emotions are a "dim reflection" of His emotions. His are always pure and appropriate, and ours undoubtedly pale in comparison when it comes to the depth they are felt.
The passage he used was Zephaniah 3:17 because it shows the magnitude of God's delight in us.
"He will rejoice over you with gladness." This is not a mild statement. The use of "gladness" after "rejoice" is mean to be repetitive to show the strength of that promise. The example he used was that of the bridegroom rejoicing over his bride. The beaming look on the groom's face reveals just a small portion of the joy God feels for us. Thinking back to Jered's face on our wedding day makes this simply astounding to me.
"He will quiet you by His love." The Hebrew word for love here is an affectionate love, usually used for husband and wife, or for a parent and child. It's love that makes time stand still. Or a soul-sharing love. The New Living Translation says "His love will calm all your fears." It's the being so in love that explaining words are exhausted, and all that can be done is to be in each other's presence.
"He will exalt over you with loud singing." Yes, our sins cause Him grief and sorrow and frustration. But He is God and can feel more than one emotion at a time. He is all powerful; His love is not a water faucet that can be turned on and off, but a waterfall pouring over us, unable to be stopped.
So how is this made real in our lives? First we must believe it. Then we should enjoy it. Enjoy that God delights over us. God would have nothing less. This is where I feel Justin is right now. He is truly believing and enjoying the fact that God delights in him more than anything else in the world, just as He does for all of us.
Lastly, God's delight in us is the most powerful catalyst for change, so we must share it. However, we cannot share it if we are not full of it.
So fill up with God's love and delight dear friend.
Until next time,
Aim
It's been a while. My apologies. Head's up: this will probably be a lengthy letter. Hang in there.
Last night Jered texted me, saying that he would love some post workout protein. I was tired, had zero thawed out chicken breasts, and only had about 15 minutes before he was going to be home. I looked in the freezer and saw some sausage... Looked in the fridge and saw the eggs... Mmmm... Breakfast burritos is is! Topped with our choice of guacamole, salsa, or hot sauce, it was sure to be a hit.
Unfortunately, our ability to enjoy dinner was interrupted by injury. Jered had pulled or strained something at the gym. It took him an extended amount of time to get home, and when he did arrive, he could barely move. I thought he was going to end up on the floor a couple times.
We tried some maneuvers that Jake suggested over the phone, but at the end of the night, my poor husband was absolutely pitiful. I felt horrible for him and was so frustrated that there was nothing I could do. On top of that, the poor guy was in pain all night and couldn't get comfortable. I think we were both awake for literally half the night.
Is it awful of me that I think it's a little cute too? Does that make me sadistic or something? I hope not. He's just cute when he needs taking care of.
So anyway, injured husband aside, exciting seems to be the word of the month.
We spent the first weekend of the month in Des Moines with Jacob, Molly, Jeremy, Kelly, friends from Des Moines, and Ginny. It was a fun-filled, yet relaxing weekend. I truly felt like I was on vacation. I cannot believe I returned without taking a single picture.
The really exciting part was that our Des Moines family and friends did an awesome job of selling the city to Jered. We came home with a list of hospitals for his applications, and some ideas for me as well. I don't want to speak too soon, but I can totally see us living there.
Our other exciting news started with some major worry on my end. With the possibility of moving time coming soon, and still no full time work for me, expenses were mounting in my head with a solution seeming far away.
A series of fortunate events, that I don't need to write all the way out for you since this is already a mammoth letter, has led to me having over forty hours of work on a typical week, with the possibility of more. Praise God!
That leads me to the last, and most important exciting news. Through another person's story, I've been reminded of how great our God is. In a real, personal, applicable way.
With his permission, I'm sharing it with you. You may have already seen it. If not, meet my brother-in-law, Justin.
(It's long, but very worth the read. Please don't skip out!)
My Testimony.
I don't know how well you know me, but those of you who do, probably have heard about or seen me in many different situations of sin, specifically, substance abuse, sexual immorality, and many more. I have been changed and I would like to tell you about it if you would take time to read this really really long post haha.
I have been raised in a Christian home, but I have never really believed that there is a God that I could actually interact with. In fact, I was so turned off at how hypocritical Christians were that I completely stopped believing in God. The whole time I still claimed to be a Christian (of course being hypocritical myself), because I didn't want to taint the name of my dad who was a pastor, and disappoint my parents who have always loved me. But 5 years ago, sadly, I completely let loose. I didn't care how I was perceived by anyone. I did what I wanted to do and whatever that meant, which for a long time has been smoking dope, drinking, and just basically not caring about anyone else other than myself. Honestly, it was quite refreshing to finally not feel like a hypocrite, because I had finally resolved that there was no such thing as a God. I mean what kind of God makes people say one thing and live out something else? I was lost in myself and I thought that I was better off for it. It wasn't till 2 weeks ago, when I was talking with Anna that the subject of God came up. Randomly, I asked her what she believed about the Bible and what it says about life, God, and how we should live. She explained where she stood, and it troubled me. So, after a long talk with her I decided I wanted to put this God of the Bible to the test. Why not? I am going to a Christian school where everyone is always talking about this unseen God, I grew up with my parents always telling me that God was real, why not test it? I was tired of all the judgment from all the Christian hypocrites. I wanted to just finally completely be able to rule out this God. So, I decided that I was going to stop smoking dope, drinking, and dipping for two weeks and in the time that it gave me (which was quite a lot), read my Bible with an open mind, and then keep a sort of journal. It was like a little science experiment. I was going to actually try to seek this God and see if He would answer. I know I was being a bit legalistic by just cutting out substance abuse, but that was the only place I knew to start, and those were the so called "sins" that Christians always talk about. That night, which was exactly two weeks ago, I started my testing of God... The first day was pretty hard; I told my buddy who I smoked with what I was trying to do, and he was supportive, but I could see that he was skeptical. I had to try though. Something inside me wanted to either completely let go, or grab on to the idea of a God who actually cares about my life. Guys, I can't explain to you how much of a change I have gone through over these two weeks! I broke up with my girlfriend, but she has gone through the same transformation, and we are actually still really close and experiencing the same transformation together, which is kind of insane. If you have ever been in a relationship with someone for over a year and then broken up, you know how rough it normally is, but we are seriously doing great. I started feeling a little bit happier during the day, even without smoking dope, which was what I was beginning to rely on for happiness. This God I was seeking was actually answering me. So, the first night, I just flipped to Matthew 7. I don’t know why, I just did. I read a bit where it talks about judging others, and I was thinking to myself, yeah all these judgmental Christians need to read this, but then I read in verse 7 where it says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knock, the door will be opened” (NIV). As I read this, I felt the urge to pray to God and tell Him that I was seeking Him. I prayed it over and over, until I was actually just smiling for no reason. I know it sounds crazy but it is true. I started to get this unexplainable feeling of Joy. I was a bit scared and skeptical of how real it really was, but there it was. I was like okay God, I feel that, lead me where you want me to go. The next day I woke up excited about this new feeling I had. I decided that I was going to listen to whatever thought crossed my mind during the day. I actually started feeling sad about all the things I had done, some of which I was still doing, like cheating on my Physics homework for example. I decided I wouldn’t cheat anymore and this new feeling got stronger as I decided that. It was like God was responding to my little acts of obedience with a little bit of an uplifting feeling. So, I just kept trying to follow my new urges that I knew were different than what I normally felt. Eventually, I decided that I needed to tell my Physics professor, that I had been cheating over the past year. I was really scared about confessing to it, because I had a lot of tests coming up, and I was expecting him to say something like, “Thanks for coming to me, and because of your honesty you can make up the homework’s for half credit” which would have been just in anyone’s eyes and would have made my school life a lot more hectic. But instead, he looked at me and said, “God bless you! Go and sin no more!” He was giving me grace! The same grace that God had been giving me over the course of the week. My spirit soured. You could have told me that I was going to lose my right leg and that wouldn’t have been able to discourage me at that moment. I had finally realized that God was real, and that I wanted to spend my life obeying His commands. I have now dedicated my life to following what the Bible says, is truth. Which is the truth of Jesus Christ’s saving sacrifice. Whatever the Bible says, I believe is inspired by God and is worth reading and living out. Guys, I seriously have had the best two weeks of my life. Each day, has been better and better. I still mess up, but that is inevitable. The Bible says in Galatians 5:16 “16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy,[a] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (ESV). So, each day is a battle against what my body craves and what the Spirit in me wants. I know this could sound a bit loony. But if you know me, I normally am level headed about most things hahaha ;) This is my life I’m talking about, it’s no little commitment, and I believe with all that I am that Jesus Christ has died on the cross to pay for all the wrongs I have committed and will ever commit. I just need to try and follow His leading. I am saying all of this not to make anyone view me as “holier than though” and what not, but because I actually care about all of you. You can’t know how much of a difference it has made in my life, with all of my relationships, stress, and anxiety. Please don’t think to yourself, “Well, I’m glad he found something that works for him.” I know that this isn’t just some random emotional outburst. The Bible is true. I swear to you it is. Without God, there is happiness, but a happiness that comes and goes. The joy I feel right now is soo much better than that it is eternal. I am so sorry for my example over the past 21 years of my life. I hope that you all can forgive. Try reading the Bible without any preconceived thoughts, with a heart that is open to whatever God has for you. You won’t be disappointed.
I don't know how well you know me, but those of you who do, probably have heard about or seen me in many different situations of sin, specifically, substance abuse, sexual immorality, and many more. I have been changed and I would like to tell you about it if you would take time to read this really really long post haha.
I have been raised in a Christian home, but I have never really believed that there is a God that I could actually interact with. In fact, I was so turned off at how hypocritical Christians were that I completely stopped believing in God. The whole time I still claimed to be a Christian (of course being hypocritical myself), because I didn't want to taint the name of my dad who was a pastor, and disappoint my parents who have always loved me. But 5 years ago, sadly, I completely let loose. I didn't care how I was perceived by anyone. I did what I wanted to do and whatever that meant, which for a long time has been smoking dope, drinking, and just basically not caring about anyone else other than myself. Honestly, it was quite refreshing to finally not feel like a hypocrite, because I had finally resolved that there was no such thing as a God. I mean what kind of God makes people say one thing and live out something else? I was lost in myself and I thought that I was better off for it. It wasn't till 2 weeks ago, when I was talking with Anna that the subject of God came up. Randomly, I asked her what she believed about the Bible and what it says about life, God, and how we should live. She explained where she stood, and it troubled me. So, after a long talk with her I decided I wanted to put this God of the Bible to the test. Why not? I am going to a Christian school where everyone is always talking about this unseen God, I grew up with my parents always telling me that God was real, why not test it? I was tired of all the judgment from all the Christian hypocrites. I wanted to just finally completely be able to rule out this God. So, I decided that I was going to stop smoking dope, drinking, and dipping for two weeks and in the time that it gave me (which was quite a lot), read my Bible with an open mind, and then keep a sort of journal. It was like a little science experiment. I was going to actually try to seek this God and see if He would answer. I know I was being a bit legalistic by just cutting out substance abuse, but that was the only place I knew to start, and those were the so called "sins" that Christians always talk about. That night, which was exactly two weeks ago, I started my testing of God... The first day was pretty hard; I told my buddy who I smoked with what I was trying to do, and he was supportive, but I could see that he was skeptical. I had to try though. Something inside me wanted to either completely let go, or grab on to the idea of a God who actually cares about my life. Guys, I can't explain to you how much of a change I have gone through over these two weeks! I broke up with my girlfriend, but she has gone through the same transformation, and we are actually still really close and experiencing the same transformation together, which is kind of insane. If you have ever been in a relationship with someone for over a year and then broken up, you know how rough it normally is, but we are seriously doing great. I started feeling a little bit happier during the day, even without smoking dope, which was what I was beginning to rely on for happiness. This God I was seeking was actually answering me. So, the first night, I just flipped to Matthew 7. I don’t know why, I just did. I read a bit where it talks about judging others, and I was thinking to myself, yeah all these judgmental Christians need to read this, but then I read in verse 7 where it says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knock, the door will be opened” (NIV). As I read this, I felt the urge to pray to God and tell Him that I was seeking Him. I prayed it over and over, until I was actually just smiling for no reason. I know it sounds crazy but it is true. I started to get this unexplainable feeling of Joy. I was a bit scared and skeptical of how real it really was, but there it was. I was like okay God, I feel that, lead me where you want me to go. The next day I woke up excited about this new feeling I had. I decided that I was going to listen to whatever thought crossed my mind during the day. I actually started feeling sad about all the things I had done, some of which I was still doing, like cheating on my Physics homework for example. I decided I wouldn’t cheat anymore and this new feeling got stronger as I decided that. It was like God was responding to my little acts of obedience with a little bit of an uplifting feeling. So, I just kept trying to follow my new urges that I knew were different than what I normally felt. Eventually, I decided that I needed to tell my Physics professor, that I had been cheating over the past year. I was really scared about confessing to it, because I had a lot of tests coming up, and I was expecting him to say something like, “Thanks for coming to me, and because of your honesty you can make up the homework’s for half credit” which would have been just in anyone’s eyes and would have made my school life a lot more hectic. But instead, he looked at me and said, “God bless you! Go and sin no more!” He was giving me grace! The same grace that God had been giving me over the course of the week. My spirit soured. You could have told me that I was going to lose my right leg and that wouldn’t have been able to discourage me at that moment. I had finally realized that God was real, and that I wanted to spend my life obeying His commands. I have now dedicated my life to following what the Bible says, is truth. Which is the truth of Jesus Christ’s saving sacrifice. Whatever the Bible says, I believe is inspired by God and is worth reading and living out. Guys, I seriously have had the best two weeks of my life. Each day, has been better and better. I still mess up, but that is inevitable. The Bible says in Galatians 5:16 “16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy,[a] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (ESV). So, each day is a battle against what my body craves and what the Spirit in me wants. I know this could sound a bit loony. But if you know me, I normally am level headed about most things hahaha ;) This is my life I’m talking about, it’s no little commitment, and I believe with all that I am that Jesus Christ has died on the cross to pay for all the wrongs I have committed and will ever commit. I just need to try and follow His leading. I am saying all of this not to make anyone view me as “holier than though” and what not, but because I actually care about all of you. You can’t know how much of a difference it has made in my life, with all of my relationships, stress, and anxiety. Please don’t think to yourself, “Well, I’m glad he found something that works for him.” I know that this isn’t just some random emotional outburst. The Bible is true. I swear to you it is. Without God, there is happiness, but a happiness that comes and goes. The joy I feel right now is soo much better than that it is eternal. I am so sorry for my example over the past 21 years of my life. I hope that you all can forgive. Try reading the Bible without any preconceived thoughts, with a heart that is open to whatever God has for you. You won’t be disappointed.
Justin's story challenged me to dig into the Word. To really dig. And to utilize the power of prayer.
I honestly believe that is how the opportunity for so much work came to be.
Don't you love when God reminds you of a single message over and over and over in a short time? That's been happening to me over the last week or so.
This week, due to me working late and Daylight Savings, Jered and I decided to watch the Moody Church service online in our coffee shop. I really felt that the sermon just reinforced exactly what our friend with the challenging story is experiencing right now.
Naturally, I'm going to share with you. Stay put for more exciting news:
The sermon was about the emotional God we sometimes forget, the God who sings.
First off, we were reminded that we are image bearers of God- not the other way around. In an emotional aspect, this means that our emotions are a "dim reflection" of His emotions. His are always pure and appropriate, and ours undoubtedly pale in comparison when it comes to the depth they are felt.
The passage he used was Zephaniah 3:17 because it shows the magnitude of God's delight in us.
"He will rejoice over you with gladness." This is not a mild statement. The use of "gladness" after "rejoice" is mean to be repetitive to show the strength of that promise. The example he used was that of the bridegroom rejoicing over his bride. The beaming look on the groom's face reveals just a small portion of the joy God feels for us. Thinking back to Jered's face on our wedding day makes this simply astounding to me.
"He will quiet you by His love." The Hebrew word for love here is an affectionate love, usually used for husband and wife, or for a parent and child. It's love that makes time stand still. Or a soul-sharing love. The New Living Translation says "His love will calm all your fears." It's the being so in love that explaining words are exhausted, and all that can be done is to be in each other's presence.
"He will exalt over you with loud singing." Yes, our sins cause Him grief and sorrow and frustration. But He is God and can feel more than one emotion at a time. He is all powerful; His love is not a water faucet that can be turned on and off, but a waterfall pouring over us, unable to be stopped.
So how is this made real in our lives? First we must believe it. Then we should enjoy it. Enjoy that God delights over us. God would have nothing less. This is where I feel Justin is right now. He is truly believing and enjoying the fact that God delights in him more than anything else in the world, just as He does for all of us.
Lastly, God's delight in us is the most powerful catalyst for change, so we must share it. However, we cannot share it if we are not full of it.
So fill up with God's love and delight dear friend.
Until next time,
Aim
Thursday, February 28, 2013
Out on the Open Road
Hi.
Ready to hear something totally disgusting? Ok, so I decided it was high time to clean out our vacuum cleaner this week. Obviously, I'd emptied out the tank multiple times, but I hadn't gotten around to cleaning out the filter. This resulted in me completely taking apart our vacuum, and washing with soap and a sponge. It was horrifying. Truly.
My disgust was furthered when I decided to vacuum with my newly cleaned appliance and it filled up right away again. Guys- it's not like I don't clean either; I probably vacuum at least twice a week on a regular basis. Gross.
Anyway, I just came across some pictures from back in the day. First, check out this dish.
This picture was taken when Jered and I drove to Missouri to meet Tanis. We made the trip to pick up Carter and Tyler and bring them back with us.
I wish I had the video to share with you because Tyler decided to sing a lot of the way home. Carter read The Magician's Nephew the entire way back.
Somewhere after dinner time, when it was starting to get dark, a storm hit. You might remember it- it was the night all those tornadoes plowed through Missouri. Later we found out Tanis had to drive through it. We were just reaping some of the side effects. Heavy rain. Heavy, heavy rain. To the point that Jered almost had to pull over because he couldn't see at all.
Needless to say, the drive home ended up being pretty long, and rather than going all the way back to his house that night, Jered and the boys camped out in our back room for the night.
In addition to all of this, Jered had a bad case of "The Ivy," and was incredibly grouchy.
Ready to hear something totally disgusting? Ok, so I decided it was high time to clean out our vacuum cleaner this week. Obviously, I'd emptied out the tank multiple times, but I hadn't gotten around to cleaning out the filter. This resulted in me completely taking apart our vacuum, and washing with soap and a sponge. It was horrifying. Truly.
My disgust was furthered when I decided to vacuum with my newly cleaned appliance and it filled up right away again. Guys- it's not like I don't clean either; I probably vacuum at least twice a week on a regular basis. Gross.
Anyway, I just came across some pictures from back in the day. First, check out this dish.
Somewhere after dinner time, when it was starting to get dark, a storm hit. You might remember it- it was the night all those tornadoes plowed through Missouri. Later we found out Tanis had to drive through it. We were just reaping some of the side effects. Heavy rain. Heavy, heavy rain. To the point that Jered almost had to pull over because he couldn't see at all.
Needless to say, the drive home ended up being pretty long, and rather than going all the way back to his house that night, Jered and the boys camped out in our back room for the night.
In addition to all of this, Jered had a bad case of "The Ivy," and was incredibly grouchy.
Along the way, Jered treated the boys and me to some ice cream. So all in all, the trip wasn't bad for me... although I didn't envy his position as driver and victim of "The Ivy."
I am pleased to announce that we have another road trip coming up tomorrow! Jeremy, Kelly, Jered, and I will be venturing to Des Moines to spend the weekend with Jake and Molly. I am thrilled, as we have been talking about this trip since Christmas break! In addition to seeing them, Jered and I will also get to visit the town he's considering.
Well, I'm out for now. I will talk to you later. Have a great weekend!
Aim
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