Saw this video on my friend Sarah M's Blog and had to share it with those of you who read here.
This video really makes you think. It touched me today, hope it does the same for you.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
It is Well with my Soul...
Now this story I am about to tell you may take some of you by surprise, but I hope it touches your heart the way it touched mine. I am going to be brutally honest with you as I have had to be with myself these last few months.
As some of you may know I have been dealing with a lot of hurt and a great "depression" in my life and in my heart. To explain it best would be to say my heart is in a lot of pain a "Winter" season if you will. I haven't felt normal or much like myself in a long time, and I have really been struggling with it a lot as of late I just felt like something was and is trying to keep me down. So much so, that it has encroached on my work life as well as my life here at home with Jake. Sometimes I just break down into sobbing and Jake just holds me as I tell him I just want to feel normal again, and I just want the pain in my heart to go away.
After one of these long nights of this happening, Jake got up as he usually does around 6 am to shower and get ready for work. When he does this, he usually leaves the light in the hallway on right outside of our bedroom; where our door always gets left open a crack to circulate the air flow better in our apartment, and he did this day as well. He gets done getting ready for work and comes in the bedroom to get his shirt and socks, his cell phone and his wallet, and gives me a kiss goodbye and an "I love you" and heads out to the kitchen to make himself some food for the day. About 10 minutes later he is gone, and shuts off all the lights in the hallway, and living room before he leaves. He did all that in this exact order that day. I heard the door downstairs close and he started up his truck to drive the 15 minutes to work, it is about 6:40 am at this point.
I fall asleep again as I usually do, but for some reason something wakes me up today, my alarm did not go off and I look over to see what time it was and it was 7:07. At this point something catches my attention by our bedroom door. I look over and coming through the crack of the door was a bright white shining light, it just radiated. I thought this was weird since Jake always turns the light off in the hallway, and I had heard him do this very thing today just like every other day. I pinch myself to make sure I am not dreaming, I am not. I get up to go to the door to see what's on the other side of it (at this point as I will tell Jake later, I think I am dying because of the bright white light I am following). Just as I touch the handle on the door and open it, the light disappears and I am shaking, not really knowing or understanding what I just saw in my little apartment on Douglas Avenue. I couldn't go back to sleep.
The rest of the day I am scared not really sure of what I saw, and not knowing what to think. I don't tell Jake what happened, I just ask him to leave the light in the hallway on when he leaves for work in the morning from now on, and he says "okay." Later he asks me why and when I tell him what happened, I think he's gonna tell me I'm crazy, that it's all in my head, but instead he says "wow, that's kind of cool!" Thanks Jake :-)
Last weekend we went home for a friends wedding, and Friday night when we arrived at my parents I proceed to tell my mom and dad this story of the light. My mom, without missing a beat says "It was just God, letting you know He is still there, you have nothing to be afraid of." My first thought was "why didn't I see or recognize that's what it was?" It's because my heart is in a dark place, I cannot see what's right in front of me! That night as I went to bed and read "The Shack" I felt this peace come over me like I haven't felt in a long time, knowing that indeed that's what was behind my door, letting me know that no matter what I am going through, He is always there, even in my darkest night.
As some of you may know I have been dealing with a lot of hurt and a great "depression" in my life and in my heart. To explain it best would be to say my heart is in a lot of pain a "Winter" season if you will. I haven't felt normal or much like myself in a long time, and I have really been struggling with it a lot as of late I just felt like something was and is trying to keep me down. So much so, that it has encroached on my work life as well as my life here at home with Jake. Sometimes I just break down into sobbing and Jake just holds me as I tell him I just want to feel normal again, and I just want the pain in my heart to go away.
After one of these long nights of this happening, Jake got up as he usually does around 6 am to shower and get ready for work. When he does this, he usually leaves the light in the hallway on right outside of our bedroom; where our door always gets left open a crack to circulate the air flow better in our apartment, and he did this day as well. He gets done getting ready for work and comes in the bedroom to get his shirt and socks, his cell phone and his wallet, and gives me a kiss goodbye and an "I love you" and heads out to the kitchen to make himself some food for the day. About 10 minutes later he is gone, and shuts off all the lights in the hallway, and living room before he leaves. He did all that in this exact order that day. I heard the door downstairs close and he started up his truck to drive the 15 minutes to work, it is about 6:40 am at this point.
I fall asleep again as I usually do, but for some reason something wakes me up today, my alarm did not go off and I look over to see what time it was and it was 7:07. At this point something catches my attention by our bedroom door. I look over and coming through the crack of the door was a bright white shining light, it just radiated. I thought this was weird since Jake always turns the light off in the hallway, and I had heard him do this very thing today just like every other day. I pinch myself to make sure I am not dreaming, I am not. I get up to go to the door to see what's on the other side of it (at this point as I will tell Jake later, I think I am dying because of the bright white light I am following). Just as I touch the handle on the door and open it, the light disappears and I am shaking, not really knowing or understanding what I just saw in my little apartment on Douglas Avenue. I couldn't go back to sleep.
The rest of the day I am scared not really sure of what I saw, and not knowing what to think. I don't tell Jake what happened, I just ask him to leave the light in the hallway on when he leaves for work in the morning from now on, and he says "okay." Later he asks me why and when I tell him what happened, I think he's gonna tell me I'm crazy, that it's all in my head, but instead he says "wow, that's kind of cool!" Thanks Jake :-)
Last weekend we went home for a friends wedding, and Friday night when we arrived at my parents I proceed to tell my mom and dad this story of the light. My mom, without missing a beat says "It was just God, letting you know He is still there, you have nothing to be afraid of." My first thought was "why didn't I see or recognize that's what it was?" It's because my heart is in a dark place, I cannot see what's right in front of me! That night as I went to bed and read "The Shack" I felt this peace come over me like I haven't felt in a long time, knowing that indeed that's what was behind my door, letting me know that no matter what I am going through, He is always there, even in my darkest night.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Praying for the New President
Even though I know a lot of people were "put off" by Barack Obama choosing Pastor Rick Warren to do the invocation at his inauguration, I think it was one of the best parts of the whole televised event. So, no matter what your opinion is about it here is the prayer in case you missed it.
I also found some articles about this very thing, some for and most obviously against as our media is obviously biased, but I will share both sides with you anyway.
I just find it hypocritical myself that people were so against Pastor Rick Warren giving the invocation at this historic event, but when Barack Obama included Biblical teachings in his speech, no one said a thing because he also included non-religious people in his speech, being more diverse is apparently the "in" thing to do.
Don't get me wrong, I think there is an obvious reason that Barack Obama was chosen in this place and time to be the President of the United States of America. I believe that God ordained this, that this all has a purpose even if we cannot see what that is, and that despite whether or not we agree with the views of Obama or even voted for him that we also should be in prayer for our new president, our government and the United States as this is the Will of God.
Psalm 32:8~The Lord says "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you."
And we have this promise from God:
Jeremiah 29:11~"I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
Tell me, what is your opinion on this? What do you think?
I leave you with America's Song.
I also found some articles about this very thing, some for and most obviously against as our media is obviously biased, but I will share both sides with you anyway.
I just find it hypocritical myself that people were so against Pastor Rick Warren giving the invocation at this historic event, but when Barack Obama included Biblical teachings in his speech, no one said a thing because he also included non-religious people in his speech, being more diverse is apparently the "in" thing to do.
Don't get me wrong, I think there is an obvious reason that Barack Obama was chosen in this place and time to be the President of the United States of America. I believe that God ordained this, that this all has a purpose even if we cannot see what that is, and that despite whether or not we agree with the views of Obama or even voted for him that we also should be in prayer for our new president, our government and the United States as this is the Will of God.
Psalm 32:8~The Lord says "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you."
And we have this promise from God:
Jeremiah 29:11~"I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
Tell me, what is your opinion on this? What do you think?
I leave you with America's Song.
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