Lean on Me, when you're not strong...

I've always loved the song "Lean on Me," by Bill Withers heralding from way back in the late 1970s.
-But today, it gleaned a deeper meaning within me.

If you've been keeping up with me, you know that there's always literally approximately 9 million things going on in my life here at college, at one time.

But, then you also know that I've been making adjustments and lifestyle choices for the better so that as a result, life is easier, life is better.

Well.....

Today I decided to test my trust in God.
Notice how I said test MY trust in God, not test God.

"Thou shall not tempt the Lord thy God."
-iDONTwannaANSWERforTHATthankYOUhaha :)

Anyways...

So I woke up around 10:30 am today, pleasantly greeted by the beautiful rays of sunshine coming through my window. It's such a joy to wake up to sunlight, when you want to, not when you have to! Therapeutic of sorts!

I immediately thought to myself: "Hey God! It's Saturday! Woah... I don't have anything planned til Footloose tonight! What's on my agenda?"

I began to think...
the list began...

Well. I need to eat breakfast.
-went to the fridge, ate a modge podge of things (in my head thinking break ahead... must clean out fridge and eat what's there!) 
-breakfast/lunch/brunch/what?
--check.

Well, I should probably work out...
-how nice is it outside? It looks sunny.
-Should I run? Do insanity? Go to the gym and lift?
-oops. ended up doing none of these today. Oh well, I worked out 5 times this week already, one day skipping is fine.

Well, then I should prob go put real clothes on.
-didn't happen.

Well, what homework do I have?
-Music history paper and reading... check did that last night
-Math none, Theory IV none, Performed in Classical on Thursday so that'll be over break... Commercial done... Aural skills transcription... over break....
-HISTORY RESEARCH PAPER..... (begin weeping on the inside)

Woof. Don't want to do my paper.

Then... literally some how... I'm looking through my fridge and realize I have a crap ton of meat that has been frozen in there for the last month or so. (It's fine... not gross or spoiled or anything... not the point of this story) I think to myself again:
-(keep in mind people, you're getting the play by play of Megan's mind. This is monumental...)
-Wow, I really don't think I want this sitting in the freezer over Thanksgiving break. Much less Christmas. I better eat this.
-(Takes out of freezer and tries to cut off one patty's worth)
-fail, it's totally frozen.
-I better thaw this.

-So.... 30 minutes go by and the beef is thawed.

Then... I realize I have enough meat for literally 8 hungry people.
-well crap, I can't eat this much!

So, I call a few of my guy friends and tell them that I have delicious hamburgers cooking and that I can't eat it all.
The first males arrive 5 minutes later.

Now, I was extremely proud of myself because
1) I'd never cooked hamburgers in my life.
-Also, College apartments don't exactly come stocked with grills. Plus I eat more chicken and fish rather than steak. (I'm from a state where you know the cow's name that was shot... that's how you eat beef... there's no such thing as buying it from Wal-Mart. Gross)
2) Literally using a frying pan. Not a struggle, but it was annoying sopping up the grease every 2 minutes. New found appreciation for the George Foreman Grill. Thank you George.
3) I WANT THESE TO TASTE GOOD IF I'M GOING TO FEED THEM TO MALES WHO LOVE MEAT. And I love meat.
-What should I marinate this with? Do people do that or do they just cook it? Well... better wing it.

So... I throw 3 tbsp (or... more) of Grandma Foster's BBQ sauce in there, with lots of lemon pepper, garlic salt, all-encompassing no salt seasoning, minced garlic, and minced onion, and make me some patties.

THEY.WERE.SO.GOOD.

The burgers resulted in 5 people's happy stomach's, and 4 more people in love with GF's BBQ.
Visit their site at http://www.grandmafostersbbq.com/Home.html They're our really good family friends, all the proceeds go to a children's/teenage home to keep kids out of gangs, and it tastes SO GREAT!!!! It's won like a hundred awards, and you'll know why!

I was SO PROUD OF MYSELF. I should make it an official recipe and put it online sometime.
Yes? No? Thoughts?

Anyway... then a few of my friends stayed and we did laundry for like 2 more hours...

Moral of the story: It was 330 pm when they left and my paper was still... not started.

PROBLEM. Due Monday.

But... you know what? I actually rested for the first time in months.
The first Saturday where I didn't HAVE to be somewhere, or do something.
I spent valuable time with friends and still had a couple hours til Footloose.

so... as my friends left, I sat down and said to God:

"Dad, it's 4pm and I haven't started my paper. I know I've procrastinated and literally had so much time to complete this, but I thank You for the wonderful fellowship with friends today and I thank you that the burgers were good and blessed others! Let that seed of food grow and produce a harvest! And now, thank you Lord for quickening my mind and showing me exactly what to write in this paper. To You be the Glory Lord, I believe you're good and You can do ALL things through me! Thank You for stamina and energy and wisdom to complete this with joy and contentment! Also God... I have to shower and stuff before and be there really soon so... REALLY quicken my mind!"


at 4:57 pm I looked up from my laptop.

I had just been completely focused and typing for an hour. Sources flowed easily through my paper, every argument supported with factual evidence.

Click: "See Word Count"

Almost 900 words had been typed.

Then: took a shower.

It's now 5:45 and I have to be at the show at 7, and eat dinner.

Sat down at 6:15 to start writing, stopped at 6:45.

500 more words typed!

Thank you Lord!!!!! :)

Footloose was INCREDIBLE and I'm so so happy I went!

Got home, ate some snacks, and finished my paper in an HOUR! :)

1,764 words, and 7 pages later, and God is good!

Now tomorrow, despite church in the morning, a rehearsal from 12-3, pictures from 330-430, and sorority chapter at 7, I can rest and peacefully edit my paper and put in the footnotes, knowing that my God provided like he promises He always will do.

It's so cool to trust God and lean on Him.

We get to have fun with our friends, while trusting He can bring wisdom to us.

Disclaimer: I still shouldn't have procrastinated, and I'm not condoning it, but God is very very good, and is our Helper for a reason!

Be encouraged. You can do it because He can do it, and His strength lies WITHIN YOU!!!

Philipians 4:13

Megan. <3

Rainy Days equal... Joy?

Unless you're partial to living in Seattle or places like it... this post will absolutely resonate with you.


So in Nashville, it rains, a lot.
And with rain at least for me, it's extremely easy to become unmotivated and sad.

Something about cloudy days, cold, and moisture just don't resonate well with me, making me honestly in a blatantly negative mood. I've in the past blamed it on stress, hunger, or even "female problems," but all in all, being negative is never okay.  It all boils down to letting my emotions control me and not controlling them.

The Bible says that we have been given the victory. POWER over EVERY force and the principalities of darkness. It tells us darkness FLEES from light. It tells us that light ALWAYS overpowers darkness.

And yet... we allow mere things of the 5 senses to inhibit us from walking fully joyous, peaceful, and victorious lives!

... What? Why!

We are all imperfect, and taught in society that it's ok to get to a point where you have to rant or cry your eyes out til you feel black and blue to feel better. Society tells us that gorging in a bucket of ice cream or punching someone in the face are the only ways to resolve the issue of inner sadness, but what does God have to say about this?

The Bible tells us that we have the fruits of the spirit in Galatians 5:22-23, (Love, Joy, Peace, discipline, Self-control... etc)

I would like to focus on self-control.

We have been GIVEN the power to control and be the victor over our emotions! The POWER to CONTROL... OURSELVES! This may seem trite and a minute thing to focus on, but how many times do we not take our thoughts captive (Like Romans 12:1-2 says to do) and then before we realize a negative emotional attack happening, we're in a world of emotional hurt and just wanna crawl back into bed and sob?

How do I know this? Because it literally happened to me yesterday, after church.

Saturday night I spent my evening with my best friend, gabbing about our plans to study abroad this upcoming May in Ireland.  We fellowshipped immensely and for hours on end talked about the Lord and His calling on our individual lives.  I went to bed so overjoyed!

Sunday morning, I woke up before my alarm and spent time in the word before I got ready to attend a new church that was recommended to me.  I went to church, filled with more word and BAM! all of a sudden on my drive home Satan launches a HUGE emotional attack on me and it takes everything in my power not to start bawling my eyes out over... what. NOTHING!!!!!

So I began to use the power I knew was inside of me, the power that Jesus promises we have, the power to SPEAK over the situation and CHANGE what we can sense through the 5 physical senses. (Keep in mind the Bible says what we see and feel are carnal and changing, but the things of the spirit are steadfast and unchanging! (2 Corinthians 4:18: While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.) 

So I began to speak, but after a minute or so, gave in.
I arrived back at my apartment and in a fit, secluded myself to my room.
I didn't feel better until I meditated on what the TRUTH was, while talking to my mother she spoke the word over me and told me what the Bible said.

Immediately, as if snapped out of a stupor, I was fully able to again take a situation, whether my workload, home sickness, and everything that was going on in perspective, and not in a fit of emotion that tried to tell me I had a million things to do IN THAT MOMENT and not later.

Hebrews 4 tells us that we are given the peaceable REST of God. He's always there to comfort us and guide us and that if we put him FIRST, (like for me... above school) God will always ALWAYS work everything out.  So as I'm growing, I'm learning these things, and I cannot tell you how much it's made a difference.

I recommitted my time to putting God above school 4 weeks ago after fall break.

In that time span, I've had a huge test pushed back a week
A Paper pushed back 2 days.
A class cancelled
Another class cancelled twice.
God CANNOT fail, and when we ask in His name and BELIEVE He HAS to deliver.
We just don't give Him enough LITERAL "time of day" to learn to lean on and trust in Him! He has already said He has provided all of our needs unto His riches in glory!
Whether that means pushing back a test, helping pay for your car payment, or blessing someone else so He can bless you, it's all about putting God first so He can have the ability and allowance to operate fully in our lives!!!

So be happy!
God has provided SO much for us, and the devil blow by blow uses STUPID tactics (that are always the same) to trick our minds into thinking the 5 physical sense things we see, feel, touch, hear, or smell are forever set in stone.  God can change anything. God can do anything. He IS our peace, IS our happiness, and through the fruit of self-control, we can control our emotions.

Megan <3

Identity

Something has been burning on my heart for the last week or so, and I can't wait to continue to grow in it and study it out. What is this concept? Identity.

Especially an issue I think for women, but important for everyone, this concept has been pulverized, manipulated, and contorted in our minds as Americans from the time we are little.

It could be from anything, whether the media, family members, teachers, or friends. Bottom line is, that society teaches us to be something we're not, to conform to this image of perfection that is both unattainable, and ridiculous.

Growing up, I've always been that "too tall, too skinny" girl that never quite fit in with the popular girls.  I was made fun of and picked at for everything that made me unique, everything that could possibly make me different or a cut above anyone else.  Girls are mean, and every girl knows that, whether it's turning all the other toddlers away from you or by stealing your candy in class.  Whether shunning you or picking you last for kickball.   Anything that makes someone unique, is considered wrong, and one must conform to the image of something that someone else has set to be what is right.

Media through advertisements, television shows, and movies tell women that they have to be 5 foot 10 and 120 pounds with some elements big and some small in just the right places. If we don't have this, then we should always be striving to attain this.  And we wonder why so many girls have eating disorders and search for love in the wrong places, constantly looking for the fulfillment of self through pathways that only lead to more destruction, and further questions.

So now, I'll get off my soap box and elicit why exactly this is on my heart, and my point in all of this.

My point is that, once you find your identity, it's the most inspiring, incredible, love overflowing, grace abounding, peaceful, fulfilling, joy-filled life you could EVER IMAGINE!

Believe me, I've lived the alternative, and although I was never a "bad kid" I have definitely been through my fair share of hardships.  I heard this amazing quote this weekend at my sorority's retreat out in the middle of nowhere that stated that you can't tell someone they aren't sad just because you think your situation is worse and you're even sadder, just like if someone is happy you don't say they aren't happy because you're happier.

That being said, I believe that true identity is only found in Jesus Christ, and knowing His love.  I know I know, you've all heard that before and that may seem a little blunt, but I have LIVED what it's like to not put God first, lived what it's like to be a Christian but not WALK in His love.  It's impossible to put into words how incredible it feels to truly know that no matter if any person picked me last for kickball, no matter if someone told me that I was the fattest, ugliest, too tall girl in the entire world, that through ONLY GODS LOVE I can be resilient, and tell myself and walk CONVINCED that I do NOT have to accept that as truth.  I walk in the truth of the Word, that through meditating (fixing eyes on, basking in, reading) on the Word of God and letting it into my spirit and affect the way I live I have truly become POWERFUL and STRONG!
There are so many scriptures I've heard my entire life that talk about "How Great is Our God" (Chris Tomlin's song everyone's heard), but really... how many times do we make our PROBLEMS bigger than a guy who in the Bible it says has a thumbnail THE SIZE OF THE EARTH? Guys, there are 7 BILLION people on here... and we let the actions or words of one person affect us when we have an ARMY of angels, and the Almighty One WITH US who says He will NEVER leave us NOR forsake us!!! What? Seriously, it's so funny and a bit stupid when we put the two on a scale side by side.
Y'all, seriously I'm NOT perfect and literally in the last MONTH I've really grasped this, and it's only by meditating on God's love. It gets me so excited! Seriously! I KNOW WHO I AM. I am His, and He is mine.  There has been SO much awful honestly just... CRAP that's happened this school year, whether it be having to constantly be around people who are just inherently NEGATIVE and SEARCHING and DON'T know their identity.  I'm not gonna lie, it's been EXTREMELY challenging at times.  But you know what's gotten me through? God's love, and learning that I HAVE the POWER to CHOOSE what affects me. I have the power through Jesus Christ to CHOOSE what I let bring me down, or I choose to have Joy and be content in all circumstances! (Phil 4:11-13)

But it's only because I know that my identity is in Him.
He forms my image of myself.
By the principles of His word, forms what I believe.
By His stripes, I am healed.
Because He SO Loved me, He laid down and GAVE His life for me. (John 3:16)
Because I am imperfect, God sent the perfect one to SAVE ME.

I'm not too skinny, too fat, too tall, too anything.  I'm not perfect, and I definitely always have things to work on. But I hold on to His grace constantly working through me to change me from the inside out.  I am a living, breathing example of His love which I try my best to outpour to others, because until I understand His love I literally cannot comprehend what it means to love others, creating a wall shutting others out.  I thank Jesus that there's never going to be a day I improve, move forward, and deliberately increase in faith and depth of the knowledge of Jesus. To Him be the glory for all the elements of me that other people want to be like.  Every smile, every good deed, every time I have the opportunity to minister based on a past awful or great experience. It's all Him.

Thank you Lord.

Megan. <3

Moving forward, new great things!!!

Here is a copy of an email I sent 3 wonderful girls today.
We decided last Wednesday that God was really calling us to come together to form a real Christian sisterhood.

We all go to the same church and stand for the same things, and all wanted and needed a close knit group of Godly girls to fellowship with!

So... bam! Friday bible-study came about. And woah did God blow the roof off!! :)

Here it is: filled with wonderful scripture and revelation of stuff that all 4 of us were going through! :)

October 19, 2012

Hey beautifuls!!!

SO, I just wanted to kinda recap all that we talked about today so we don't forget the important points!!! :)

We talked about kinda what we're each going through, and each helped give input as to how we CAN FIGHT BACK POWERFULLY with the Mighty Word of God!!! :)

We talked about how WORDS mean SO much more than we could ever imagine!

Life and death are in the power of our tongue! Prov 18:21
Whosoever keeps guard over his mouth keeps himself from troubles Proverbs 21:23

God SPOKE the earth into motion.
Whenever the devil tries to get into our HEAD by speaking to our MIND, WILL, or EMOTIONS, WE OURSELVES have to take those thoughts captive, no one else can do it for us!

How do we do that?
Well, in order to stop one thought, (thoughts turn into words which turn into actions) we have to START thinking of another one!!!
So! We speak out loud, literally, saying whatever you need to do to stop that thought.
It's okay to tell the devil NO! We are MORE than conquerors in Christ Jesus! (Romans 8:37).
The devil ONLY has as much power as WE GIVE HIM. Remember! Thoughts fester if you don't stop them! Do you want them to become what you're speaking over yourself or what become your actions?

So SPEAK LIFE! Over your health, prosperity.
FAITH is the SUBSTANCE of things HOPED FOR, the things UN-seen. (Hebrews 11:1)
- we can't SEE our healing, but God said that he has already given us "all things that pertain to life and Godliness" (2 Peter 1:3) and that he has already sent Jesus who "bore ALL sickness, ALL Disease, EVERY curse of the law" (Deuteronomy 28).

So if you ever have a symptom of illness, you have the legal right to say that you are HEALED and WHOLE in Jesus name!!! You have the power to believe the things unseen! That's faith!

This can apply also to prosperity, believing God for college tuition, grocery money, haha.. anything!

We limit ourselves to what we can believe and have faith for!!

We also talked about anxiety, and worry!

Matthew 6:25-32 BEAUTIFULLY states that we shouldn't worry or have any cares about today, tomorrow, or ever, because they have enough worries of their own!
We "shouldn't worry about what we eat, drink, or wear," because "isn't life more than food and the body more than clothing?" (<-- woah, I'm convicted. I love food yuuummmm) (and clothes.)
BUT SEEK YE FIRST the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and ALL these things shall be added unto you!

YAY FOR GODLY THINGS!!! :)

Lastly, we talked about the walls that we put up sometimes, along with our identity.

Remember! If you were the only person EVER to exist, Jesus still would have had to die because he LOVES YOU THAT MUCH!

There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1), so if you ever feel condemned, afraid, scared, (or remember, John 10:10, anything that's stealing, killing, or destroying in your life) it's NOT FROM YO DADDY!!!

We choose life, joy, righteousness, self control, peace, and all the fruits of the spirit because God's given us those too! YAY! (Galations 5:22-23) So we have the right to claim these and speak these out over our lives! We tell our emotions how to act, they don't tell us!

Sometimes we build walls up because we're scared of the unknown.
the good news is, Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that He knows our plans that He's specifically designed and crafted for us. They're plans NOT to harm us, but to give us a HOPE AND a FUTURE! Isn't that powerful? I know I'm holding on to that!

God is the God of the HOW. He'll figure out HOW it's gonna work out, what we're supposed to do, where we're supposed to go, and we can just rest in his beautiful peace and trust Him! Of course we do our part by going to school, getting a degree, writing hit songs, doing awesome radio tours (JORDAN) etc... but God does the heavy lifting... our burdens are on Him!!! :)

So whenever we feel uneasy about others opinions of us, it's so cool because... it doesn't matter.
We think it does, or we let those thoughts come about that ONE person that we've let bother us for what seems like forever... but guess what? That doesn't matter either.

Why? Because other people's thoughts toward you don't change God's thoughts toward you. Ever. At all.
He loves you, and wants to wrap you in His big ole' arms and comfort you until you're the most COMFY PERSON EVER. :D like this cute lil' kitty.

We also talked about pride, but it's so funny because people who talk about how they "have a pride issue" are generally way LESS prideful than they think they are. Because prideful puffed up people are too prideful to KNOW IT OR ADMIT IT!! hahaha, the devil is so stupid he tries to put that on us TELLING us we're prideful. Good thing you can crush him under your feet and tell him he's the dumbest, stupidest (is that a word) thing ever. You're victorious and humility is something God's given you, so name it claim it blab it grab it homegirl, it's yours!

Remember, in this world, there is sin, and this world functions under the laws of sin which produces death.
But as children of God, his laws SUPERSEDE and OUT-RULE the laws of sin and death, because the spirit of LIFE in Christ JEsus has made us FREE from the laws of sin and death, hallelujah!

GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME

Meggie. :)



*(Pictures from google images, I am not claiming I took them, you are more than welcome to click on them and see the sites they come from!)

Back on Track

This weekend I had the honor and privilege of going back home!

What a blessing it is to be in the most comfortable environment you know.

It had been a solid 10 weeks since I'd gotten to sleep in my own bed, and gaze upon the beautiful city of Omaha. It's so funny, so many students in high school are SO ready to "get out of Omaha" when they graduate, only to find that they didn't realize how incredibly blessed they were at home.

It's been a few weeks since I last posted, so I'll try and catch y'all up quickly!

1. I was so honored to have my family come here to visit me about 3 weeks ago for Belmont's Christian Showcase! Jay came too, which was also fun!

• -We had a blast despite them literally being here for less than 48 hours total, with a 13 hour drive here and back starting around 10am Friday and leaving Sunday after church! 
• -I'm so thankful and grateful that my family and boyfriend love me that much to sacrifice a weekend, and a whole DAY in the car for me! 
• -I really needed it, it was kinda during that "mid-semester slump" time where you just want to cry and talk to your mom all day. (Ok, that's a bit dramatic, but you can get the picture!)

2. 2 weeks later, Jay came for a solo visit, YAY!!!!! :) 

• - I cannot even describe how much fun we had, and how much I missed him! 
• - I won't be too sappy I promise, but seeing my family and him for a mere 24 hours, you see them but you don't really "see them" if that makes sense. It's a bit of a tease, so needless to say I was pumped.
• He arrived Thursday night and left Sunday after church and lunch and we did so many different things!
• Of course, me being the planner, had a bunch of fun things for us to do planned out like the day he booked his flight.
• We ended up going to a bunch of East-Nashville restaurants, including Silly Goose, and Jeni's Ice Cream, and some West Nashville favorites too, like Amerigo's. And of course, I took Jay to Pancake Pantry, a Nashville STAPLE. He loved all of them, and we had so much fun going all around the city! (One tank of gas later by the end of the weekend.)
• It was also a blessing having someone to go for walks with, as we did one of the days.  Haha, we ended up counting Land Rovers... as I described to him how Nashville is a "big city" with lots of people with money but looks like home.  We counted literally 20 in about 5 minutes.
• Jay also got to see Session perform, the singing group I'm in at school, which was an interesting experience! :)

3. Fall Break

• Now we arrive at pretty near the present. Last weekend was fall break, which was a 4 day weekend that was the first time I got to go HOME!!!!!!!!!!!
• Despite being only 5 days after Jay left Nashville, it was the longest 5 days of my life. AHHHHHHH teachers felt the need to have a million homework assignments, and midterms. YAY. Not.
• Fall break was wonderful, getting to see the lovely Newstrom's for the first time in 10 weeks!!!! I'm so blessed to be as close to them as anyone. They're as loud and weird as my family. Wow, that could be a whole blog post.
• I was also blessed to get to lead worship again!! wooooo! It's hard here where your gift seems to lie dormant just BUILDING UP inside of you ready to be let out!!! So worship was AWESOME Sunday at FFC! God is REALLY moving and working in our midst! SO EXCITED for what's to come!
• I also got to lead worship with momma Swan at the A.M. Women's Bible Study Monday, and lead for the P.M. Ladies as well! Both were incredible, as always. I cannot even describe how much I'm blessed by these Godly women. It's like having 25 mothers! How incredible!!! :)
• Sadly, I had a TON of homework over break, (THANK YOU MUSIC HISTORY AHHHH :( ) so I didn't really FULLY get to relax, at all. But, I slept kind of more than usual... for maybe a day or two so I'm thankful for that! 
• Lastly, seeing and spending time with my family is the greatest blessing I could ever, ever, did I say EVER ask for.  I would not trade them for ANYTHING or ANYONE in the world. 
• Whether it was running with my dad, reading my sisters mind (and visa versa), chatting with Mom, or telling Ian to stop cracking his ear, I love all the isms each of us have and how we all, despite our strong Swanson Type-A personalities, still love each other and get along so well. We are all growing and learning in our times apart, and it's so cool to see the power of "The Swanson 5" together each time we get to be one unit. LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!

Finally.

Since being back from break, I am feeling more empowered than ever.

I realized that during the past 10 weeks I haven't spent AS much time with God as I should have, and I've neglected my spirit being fed in place of things like... MUSIC HISTORY HOMEWORK CONSTANTLY. But anyways, I've been really placing the MOST emphasis on God first, trusting that He'll amplify and lengthen my time when I'm bombarded with tests, projects, and homework, and it's been working!

I've heard all that before, but it's really clicking now, and I'm happier than ever.

It's not worth it to be stressed, lonely, or sad. So I'm choosing to be empowered by His grace to walk Holy (and wholly), before Him!!!!

THANK YOU JESUS!!!

Megan :)

10/18/12

p.s. I got my sorority Lil. SO EXCITED SHES PRECIOUS AND BEAUTIFUL AND YAY!

Be built on the solid rock.

Hello readers!

So I started studying Matthew 7 this morning, and wow! What a packed chapter it is!

It begins with talking about not judging others, which we hear all the time; however what spoke to me was that it also talks about how we shouldn't judge at all. Mind blowing, right? (kidding)

Not judging at ALL, includes not judging OURSELVES.
-We can all just admit it, we're our own harshest critics.
-More than half the things we are criticized for in life, in fact, the vast majority I would venture to say, are only things we are being criticized for INSIDE OUR OWN HEADS.

The devil will try and get at us in our minds, it's truly a battlefield. And if we don't "take EVERY thought into captivity" (2 Cor 10:5) then they have the ability to start forming lies into our heads!
p.s. if you're struggling with this, there is an AMAZING book by Joyce Meyer that deals with this titled "The Battlefield of the Mind" <-- click there for the link.

(pic from h2osermonsource)
John 10:10 states that "The devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy, but I have come to give you LIFE, and LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY!" - said by Jesus.

Jesus wants us to walk like we're the greatest gift to God's earth. Now, I don't mean that you should go walking around telling people that, or acting prideful or egotistical, but you SHOULD wake up every morning thinking "wow, I'm HOT." No sarcasm there.

God wouldn't have created us if He didn't have a plan and purpose for our life, so who are we to judge His divine creation? Who are WE to deny the fact that He has given us unique gifts and elements of our personality that He DESIGNED to be the ways they are? What do we really even know? We go to school to learn things; certainly we don't already know everything, and that includes what to think about ourselves.

I am so lucky to live with an extremely encouraging roommate this year who builds me up and makes me feel so good about myself, it makes me want to encourage others. Take a leap of faith and encourage someone today, you'll be surprised how happy and beautiful it makes you feel to bless someone else! A genuine smile is one of my favorite things.

This leads into another section Matthew 7 discusses, about good and bad fruit.
(picture from blogelevationfit)

It is impossible for a bad tree to produce good fruit, and visa versa.
I have read this a thousand times, but it particularly stuck out to me recently because in my own life I have had recent conversations with people and have had to look at my own life in regards to who surrounds me.
I not only want to produce GOOD fruit (kindness, longsuffering, gentleness, self control, patience, love, joy, peace etc. "fruits of the spirit") but I also don't want to be surrounded by or associated with bad fruit.
I mean, we've all heard "Bad company corrupts good character" (1 Corinthians 15:33) but have you ever really thought about it?

Now, I'm absolutely NOT saying that Christians shouldn't hang out with nonbelievers, or visa versa, but think about the people in your life. How do they make you feel when you're around them?
-Are you around more people that build you up or tear you down?
-Do you have to have a guard up when you're around your closest "friends", weary that you may say something bad and living in fear that at any moment they may lash out at you for no particular reason?

-- If so, you may want to reorganize the amount of time you spend with each close person in your life. It's okay to find new friends or make new ones.
--When those "bad fruit-filled people" realize that the people they're used to taking advantage of or just using as a wet blanket finally walk away from them or take a stand, they'll change their ways.  Even if they don't, that's NOT your care to bare!.

                   And lastly, I read about the importance of being built on the solid Rock.

(picture from visualphotos.com)

-Jesus + the Word (which are synonymous (John 1:1)) is your SOLID ROCK, YOUR FOUNDATION.
-We have to be built up and constantly communing with Jesus so that when the storms of life come, the things that SHOULD be our foundation don't pass away.

I wrote this quote this morning:
"We must be SOLIDIFIED in the WORD of God so that when the waves come, we aren't washed away along with the things that we WANT to be immovable, and foundational in our lives."
(picture from Ewtnreligiouscatalogue) 

Without us working out of the overflow of Christ, we will never have enough to glean from when those storms come. On the other hand, when we make a constant deposit into our spirits with the Word of God, we have that reserve to use when we need it and go through hardships. Or any time!!

So go read Matthew 7 with these things in mind, it'll make your day!

Love you all!

Megs. <3

Update upon popular demand.

So I have been so extremely blessed lately to find out that so many people are reading my blog! What a treat! Thank you!
I have always had a passion for writing and encouraging others through my experiences in life, so hey, if that can ever bless someone else, what better way to spread ministry?

Anyways, this blog post is going to be about a few exciting, and a few not-so-exciting updates in my life right now.  Don't worry, I have a positive spin for all the not-so-exciting updates!

It's actually a blog (video log) to the women's groups at home who regularly check up on me and love on me and send me encouraging messages, emails, and text.  I feel their prayers every day and I miss them all along with everyone else back home VERY MUCH!!!

So enjoy! If you have any further inquiries of what's going on here I'd love to answer you! :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYtA5S8ICMg

Love, <3

Megan