One thing that I have recently realized is the fact that you can be Christian and be unhappy...
It sounds terrible, but its true...Obviously I'm getting this information from my devotions...trust me I don't come up with this stuff on my own...in fact I don't do anything on my own as much as I would like to think I do.
Being saved and being a Christian can become pretty selfish, pretty fast...It becomes all about "me" and whats happening with me and how I have changed and what I can do and what God can do for me...This can lead to unhappiness pretty quickly....
Maybe instead of thinking about what can be done for me or how I can change or what is better for me, I can actually ask God what he can do through me for others...
Lets face it...this world, this place that I'm in isn't for me...It isn't my sancutary...it isn't my home...this is not where I am at my best...this world is about God and for God...it is God's...I'm here for God's purpose...not my own achievements or success...the real "success" lies in God...
Don't get me wrong, though, I do have to spend some time on my personal relationship with God, but I think if I am letting God live through me then that part will become pretty easy.
Thoughts,
Rosalynn <3
Wednesday, March 31, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Insecurity
been awhile...
I'm reading a series by Beth Moore called "So long insecurity". A wonderful friend or should I say angel gave this series to me and I am so grateful.
Its interesting b/c Beth does not dive right in to how to fix your insecurity, but rather she identifies the source and signs of it. This has been especially tough for me, because I have never analyzed my life in this way before. Many things struck home with me and maybe it will strike home with you guys as well.
First of all she talked about how an insecure person may be that way because of dramatic change, which is the only "crisis" I've really ever endured in my life. She talked about how many woman will go to great lengths to avoid change because usually with change (good or bad) comes insecurity. Change is something that is not familiar therefore you experience insecurity. One of the bigger issues that I felt described me to a tee is the fact that some women will stay friends with a person that they haven't liked in years because its to much of a pain to find a new one.
Wow...As I looked back at my life I could point out several people that I stayed friends with b/c I was comfortable with them, but ultimately they actually contributed to my insecurity. I realized that as much as I want to embrace change...I'm still a little scared of it...
Another thing that I felt described me was the fact that women are terrified of rejection. This is no secret (applies to men as well) and although I knew this I didn't quite think of it in the terms that she puts it in.
We fear rejection therefore we sometimes reject others first or resist being close to anyone in the first place...
Heres my point that I have gotten to in a round-a-bout way...The one person we don't have to fear rejection from is God, yet we reject him.
I had to ask myself why I rejected the one person that would never reject me.
Don't get me wrong...rejection come in all forms...it happens when we choose something else to be priority over our relationship with God...It may not be intentional, but it does happen...We all do it.
What I'm trying to say is that we (I) can find security in God ALWAYS...
Love,
Rosalynn
I'm reading a series by Beth Moore called "So long insecurity". A wonderful friend or should I say angel gave this series to me and I am so grateful.
Its interesting b/c Beth does not dive right in to how to fix your insecurity, but rather she identifies the source and signs of it. This has been especially tough for me, because I have never analyzed my life in this way before. Many things struck home with me and maybe it will strike home with you guys as well.
First of all she talked about how an insecure person may be that way because of dramatic change, which is the only "crisis" I've really ever endured in my life. She talked about how many woman will go to great lengths to avoid change because usually with change (good or bad) comes insecurity. Change is something that is not familiar therefore you experience insecurity. One of the bigger issues that I felt described me to a tee is the fact that some women will stay friends with a person that they haven't liked in years because its to much of a pain to find a new one.
Wow...As I looked back at my life I could point out several people that I stayed friends with b/c I was comfortable with them, but ultimately they actually contributed to my insecurity. I realized that as much as I want to embrace change...I'm still a little scared of it...
Another thing that I felt described me was the fact that women are terrified of rejection. This is no secret (applies to men as well) and although I knew this I didn't quite think of it in the terms that she puts it in.
We fear rejection therefore we sometimes reject others first or resist being close to anyone in the first place...
Heres my point that I have gotten to in a round-a-bout way...The one person we don't have to fear rejection from is God, yet we reject him.
I had to ask myself why I rejected the one person that would never reject me.
Don't get me wrong...rejection come in all forms...it happens when we choose something else to be priority over our relationship with God...It may not be intentional, but it does happen...We all do it.
What I'm trying to say is that we (I) can find security in God ALWAYS...
Love,
Rosalynn
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Warning: not meant to be offensive in any way...
When I first moved to NY I had a hard time meeting people who were similar to me...so many times I thought that it was the end of the world b/c I was constantly surrounded by people who were sooo different.
I asked God many times to "throw me a bone" and introduce me to some one like me...It took awhile before I realized that God was trying to show me the world from a different perspective. Believe it or not it wasn't about me and that this was a chance for me to meet other people who thought, believed and behaved differently from me.
It is not until recently that I have come to realize that it is such a blessing that I am able to meet and interact with people who were not raised in the same way. I would not say that I have seen the world or that I now understand everyone, but God has allowed me to catch a glimpse of the world that I have never seen before.
When I came to NYU many people warned me about "changing"...well guess what...I have changed.
I'm not talking about my faith, beliefs, morals or political views...I'm talking about my perspective. I think people get caught up in their own ways of thinking almost to the point of refusing to even allow themselves to be exposed to different ways of thinking. I'm not saying you should adopt a different way of thinking, but its important to allow yourself to be exposed to it.
Some have said its so important to find people who are similar to you and to be surrounded by those who who share your way of thinking...they say that if you allow yourself to be "exposed" to something you might "change"...
Well I agree that finding ppl similar to you is important...I also think that a person never grows or evolves until they allow themselves to be exposed to different perspectives.
I may go even as far as to say that you may never know how strong your faith is until you are challenged in some way and experience something different...
Change is not always a negative word, but it is a necessary thing...I also believe that change makes a person stronger especially when it comes to a person's perspective.
This is a strong statement, but I truly believe that God did not mean for us to stay put and shut ourselves out from the rest of the world...he wants us to go out into the world and see it for what it really is.
He wants us to converse with Christians and nonChristians alike...he wants us to experience different perspectives and learn about the world around us.
In short...I have changed...I believe it is the challenges that have come from being exposed to a small piece of the world that have defined my faith and have required me to rely on God fully.
Just thoughts...(and maybe a response to those who have doubts about change),
Rosalynn <3
I asked God many times to "throw me a bone" and introduce me to some one like me...It took awhile before I realized that God was trying to show me the world from a different perspective. Believe it or not it wasn't about me and that this was a chance for me to meet other people who thought, believed and behaved differently from me.
It is not until recently that I have come to realize that it is such a blessing that I am able to meet and interact with people who were not raised in the same way. I would not say that I have seen the world or that I now understand everyone, but God has allowed me to catch a glimpse of the world that I have never seen before.
When I came to NYU many people warned me about "changing"...well guess what...I have changed.
I'm not talking about my faith, beliefs, morals or political views...I'm talking about my perspective. I think people get caught up in their own ways of thinking almost to the point of refusing to even allow themselves to be exposed to different ways of thinking. I'm not saying you should adopt a different way of thinking, but its important to allow yourself to be exposed to it.
Some have said its so important to find people who are similar to you and to be surrounded by those who who share your way of thinking...they say that if you allow yourself to be "exposed" to something you might "change"...
Well I agree that finding ppl similar to you is important...I also think that a person never grows or evolves until they allow themselves to be exposed to different perspectives.
I may go even as far as to say that you may never know how strong your faith is until you are challenged in some way and experience something different...
Change is not always a negative word, but it is a necessary thing...I also believe that change makes a person stronger especially when it comes to a person's perspective.
This is a strong statement, but I truly believe that God did not mean for us to stay put and shut ourselves out from the rest of the world...he wants us to go out into the world and see it for what it really is.
He wants us to converse with Christians and nonChristians alike...he wants us to experience different perspectives and learn about the world around us.
In short...I have changed...I believe it is the challenges that have come from being exposed to a small piece of the world that have defined my faith and have required me to rely on God fully.
Just thoughts...(and maybe a response to those who have doubts about change),
Rosalynn <3
Friday, February 19, 2010
Interpretation
Its funny how some say that you have to read the Bible for what it says instead of interpreting it. Rob Bell, who I am not saying is the authority on this subject but has a good point, says that when reading the Bible you have no choice but to interpret it.
He even points out a passage, which had to be interpreted, that says, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loose in heaven" Matthew 43.
God wants us to interpret his word. The Bible was meant to apply and relate to us. However that doesn't mean that he meant for people to justify all their actions through his word. Some interpretation is needed in order for Christians to connect and use the word of God.
I found this interesting, because so many times I have heard that the Bible was meant to be read as written without interpretation, but if you really think about it...it has to interpreted.
Just a thought,
Rosalynn
He even points out a passage, which had to be interpreted, that says, "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loose in heaven" Matthew 43.
God wants us to interpret his word. The Bible was meant to apply and relate to us. However that doesn't mean that he meant for people to justify all their actions through his word. Some interpretation is needed in order for Christians to connect and use the word of God.
I found this interesting, because so many times I have heard that the Bible was meant to be read as written without interpretation, but if you really think about it...it has to interpreted.
Just a thought,
Rosalynn
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Greater
Psa 36:5 (NIV) Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.
His love counters all things...his love is greater than our worries, our enemies and our demons.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Battle
I've said it before and I'll say it again...life is a battle.
A major battle, maybe even a war. I say this because it has been on my mind a lot lately. Its uncomfortable to admit, but getting out of bed and trying to be productive is difficult. You want to get things done, but it can be so hard to get up and participate in your daily routine.
Routine is good and very stable, but I think sometimes it can also be tiring and boring. I don't think that God meant for us to live this way. I'm not saying that he doesn't want us to have a productive routine, I'm saying that I don't think he meant for us to be bored with our routines.
I find this happens when I do my daily devotions. I'll read out of my devotional, look up and read the scripture and then end in prayer. This is very effective, but to be honest it can be so repetitive. Something is wrong when you find your devotions boring. I think its important to switch it up and to find God at different times and places.
Sometimes I find him when I'm listening to a particular song or when I'm writing. Maybe it isn't just about that time you set aside for him. Maybe it is also looking for him when you are participating in your daily routine. I am not saying that you shouldn't set aside time for your devotions, but I'm saying maybe it wouldn't hurt to switch it up. You could do something like writing in your journal one day or listening and worshiping during a particular song that you feel brings you closer to him. Maybe one morning you could wake up early and watch the sun rise and thank him for another day.
I was just thinking that there are so many creative ways you could spend time with God besides the usual. I think its important for me to keep my relationship with God fresh. A fresh relationship with God is so important when fighting the battle of everyday.
Thoughts,
Rosalynn
A major battle, maybe even a war. I say this because it has been on my mind a lot lately. Its uncomfortable to admit, but getting out of bed and trying to be productive is difficult. You want to get things done, but it can be so hard to get up and participate in your daily routine.
Routine is good and very stable, but I think sometimes it can also be tiring and boring. I don't think that God meant for us to live this way. I'm not saying that he doesn't want us to have a productive routine, I'm saying that I don't think he meant for us to be bored with our routines.
I find this happens when I do my daily devotions. I'll read out of my devotional, look up and read the scripture and then end in prayer. This is very effective, but to be honest it can be so repetitive. Something is wrong when you find your devotions boring. I think its important to switch it up and to find God at different times and places.
Sometimes I find him when I'm listening to a particular song or when I'm writing. Maybe it isn't just about that time you set aside for him. Maybe it is also looking for him when you are participating in your daily routine. I am not saying that you shouldn't set aside time for your devotions, but I'm saying maybe it wouldn't hurt to switch it up. You could do something like writing in your journal one day or listening and worshiping during a particular song that you feel brings you closer to him. Maybe one morning you could wake up early and watch the sun rise and thank him for another day.
I was just thinking that there are so many creative ways you could spend time with God besides the usual. I think its important for me to keep my relationship with God fresh. A fresh relationship with God is so important when fighting the battle of everyday.
Thoughts,
Rosalynn
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Friendship
So yeah I think that I was a little preachy on my last entry....sry about that...
Had a small group meeting with some ppl from campus ministry and we talked about friendship and it made me evaluate my own friendship tendencies.
I realized that many times when I go in search of new friends, which has been pretty much all the time lately, I was really concerned with how many I could make. Rather than being concerned with creating a deep relationship with someone or how I could influence someone, I was worried about how many friends I could make.
It really doesn't make sense to worry about the quantity of our friends because although it feels good to be acquainted with many people, it does not necessarily mean they consist of people we can count on and trust.
Friends, in the true sense of the word, are blessings and in order to acquire something thats of worth we must first work hard to get it. In simple words, having a real friend takes work and time. Thats what makes them trustworthy, reliable and loyal.
I'm beginning to realize that the relationships that have disappointed me in the past have ended in such a way because neither of us really worked for the friendship. Neither of us were to blame entirely, we just didn't value the relationship enough to make it a lasting one. Therefore it was a mere acquaintance with give and take that gradually deteriorated.
I'm realizing that this can be applied to my relationship with God, however he already has his part more than covered. I need to rely primarily on him, trusting him and remaining loyal to him.
Blessings,
Rosalynn
Had a small group meeting with some ppl from campus ministry and we talked about friendship and it made me evaluate my own friendship tendencies.
I realized that many times when I go in search of new friends, which has been pretty much all the time lately, I was really concerned with how many I could make. Rather than being concerned with creating a deep relationship with someone or how I could influence someone, I was worried about how many friends I could make.
It really doesn't make sense to worry about the quantity of our friends because although it feels good to be acquainted with many people, it does not necessarily mean they consist of people we can count on and trust.
Friends, in the true sense of the word, are blessings and in order to acquire something thats of worth we must first work hard to get it. In simple words, having a real friend takes work and time. Thats what makes them trustworthy, reliable and loyal.
I'm beginning to realize that the relationships that have disappointed me in the past have ended in such a way because neither of us really worked for the friendship. Neither of us were to blame entirely, we just didn't value the relationship enough to make it a lasting one. Therefore it was a mere acquaintance with give and take that gradually deteriorated.
I'm realizing that this can be applied to my relationship with God, however he already has his part more than covered. I need to rely primarily on him, trusting him and remaining loyal to him.
Blessings,
Rosalynn
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