A Fresh Start

I love the rain. Today, as I watch the droplets hit my window and roll down, I am reminded of a couple of things. First off, I realize that God is like the rain. When the land is parched and needs water and renewing, it calls out. The rain is like God because it fills the land with the water it needs to live, it also washes away impurities the ground may have developed.

When I was baptized a couple months back, it decided to pour outside. My parents didn't understand why I was so happy about the rain. After my baptism I took my friends and we went and danced in the rain. To me the rain also symbolizes God's forgiveness. It pours down and cleans us. It was cool that it rained on my baptism because not only do the waters of baptism symbolize, but, to me, so does the rain. It was such a cool gift from God.

On a different note, school starts tomorrow and I can't say that I'm too excited. I'm actually quite nervous. I'm starting high school tomorrow and I've been informed many times that "high school is when it really counts to do well". I'm a perfectionist, plain and simple. If I don't do well, I beat myself up about it for ages. So you can probably imagine that I'm feeling a little stressed. I'm sure some of you feel the same way. Well, I'm also worried that I'm going to grow away from God during the school year or that he'll leave me because I get too busy. A verse that it is really helping me right now is Hebrews 13:8, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Why is that so helpful to me? It reminded me that He won't leave me. Ever! He has held me up today. He will hold me up tomorrow. He's not planning on putting me down anytime soon. I just need to continue seeking HIM! Write that verse on your hand. Tape it to your locker. But most importantly, tattoo it on your heart. Don't let it get away.

Peace,

Jillian

For the Moments I Feel Faint

We've all had those moments or even lengths of time in our lives when we feel far away and disconnected from our Father in Heaven. They sometimes fall after something significant in our lives has something happened- our friends have turned their backs on us, a family member dies, a parents walks out on you. You feel like God isn't with you. You can see what He is doing to people around you but you feel that your life is lacking something.

I had one of those moments last night. It happened for no particular reason and I just felt frustrated with myself. I felt like I was putting a barrier between God and me and I didn't know how I was doing it or how to take it down. I became angry with myself. I cried out longing to feel that blanket of love wrapped around me but I felt my pleas weren't heard. I went to sleep after about an hour, still feeling little love or comfort.

I can't say this morning I woke up feeling significantly better but I did feel something. I woke up with an answer. The first thought on my mind this morning was not of my daily chores or what commitments I had to keep up but it was of something greater, a message from God. He is asking me to wait. To wait to feel His love. He hasn't taken His love from me but right now, He is only speaking to me in a whisper, not a shout. And, not going to lie, it's scary. But I feel it is how God is pushing me to grow in my faith. Although right now, I'm not sure what He is doing with my life, He needs me to be faithful when he calls. Even though His whispered commands are quiet, I still need to obey and trust Him, knowing that His plans will prevail (Proverbs 19:21).

I believe in this time that I am waiting to hear His shout again, He is preparing me. Sometimes even when God speaks to us in a shout but we don't hear Him because we are so preoccupied with earthly things. I believe that He is preparing me for those times and teaching me to listen to Him even when it's hard.

For those of you who are in this same place, know that you are not alone. Jesus loves you! While He died on the cross, he was thinking of YOU! He will never leave or forsake you. He loves you more than the stars that He taught to shine. He loves you more than all of the grains of sand on the beach. Even if it feels like it, you're never alone.

In His Service,

Jillian

jillianlangford@sbcglobal.net

For those of you who are feeling alone right now, shoot me an email. I'd love to talk and help your through this "time of whisper".

Humble Yourself

Something I struggle with is being humble before the Lord and in my everyday life. The Bible mention several times that we need to be humble before the Lord because it is not by our own strength that we, as Christians, do things. Let's take apart one of these verses and study what it means to be humble before the Lord.

1 Peter 5:6
Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time.

My translation of this verse goes something like this: Be willing to get down on your knees before the great power of God. Put yourself below Him. Do not put yourself above others. Those (and only those) who submit and are humble before the powerful Lord, He will lift up.

When you pray remember that although our Lord is our friend and father, we still need to look to Him with an amazing amount respect. He is sinless. He created the earth. He knows everything about you. And He is the reason you are capable of doing such great things. Make an effort to thank Him for the amazing things He is doing in your life. When you get a compliment from a peer because they like something you have done, remember that you alone have not done it, our power comes from Christ and only Christ.

In His Service,

Jillian