Monday, August 29, 2011

The Love Letter - The Purpose of the Bible


Have you ever been in a position when you found an old envelope and in it was a letter from someone who loved you. It could have been an old crush or a best friend who moved away or a relative. You may have read it a couple of times and gave it gave you fond memories of your relationship with them. But somehow the letter got lost in the mix and although you cherished the relationship in your heart, you never picked up that letter again to refresh your memory. Well I’ve had a love letter that someone wrote to me that was always accessible, yet it was tucked under a pile of other stuff. Every time I opened this letter it would remind me of my first love. The other day someone asked me about that love letter, what it meant to me and about the person who wrote it. This is what I wrote about my first love his name is God.




Twelve years ago I was introduced to my first love. I remember when he asked me out I wasn't sure if I believe everything he had to offer. So he wrote me a love letter and as time progressed I would read it over and over and spend time with him and I realized that his Love Letter wasn't just for me. That love letter was the Bible. The Bible from my personal perspective is God’s love letter to humanity. Why a Love Letter you ask? Well because when you write a love letter to someone you truly care about, you take the time to formulate something that expresses what is truly is in your heart. It’s not random, it’s not empty, and it’s not careless. Rather it is filled with purpose, it’s filled with love and compassion which is straight from the heart. It’s real, almost jarring Jer 23:29 to hear just how much someone really cares for you even when they are trying to reach out to you or they are apart from you. It also has a beginning and an end. And when you finish reading that love letter, you know just where you stand with regards with how that person feels about you. Sometimes you find out things you never knew before. There’s nothing left for you to worry about because you have a sense of confidence, a sense of revelation that you never felt before. You really truly know your place in that person’s heart.



So the creator, all Mighty God, of this universe, heaven, the earth, and humanity had to find a way to help us get to know about who He is, why He created everything, and just how much he cares about us. The Bible is the source of all information about life in the past, present and future. It is our way of becoming acquainted with God. It is not just a book, it’s not a story, and it’s not just history. It’s real to those who believe in God and know that the words on the pages are His words (Ps 119:89)


When you get a love letter do you ever notice how much it reveals about the person who wrote it and how you’d like to read it over and over and over again so that the words can remain in your heart. Ps 119:11 Well that’s another purpose of the Bible. God gave His word to mankind so that we would turn the pages and read about his character, learn about his plan to rescue us (because when you’re loved by someone they are saving you from being alone, uncared for, or suffering Jn 8:51 ) for the things he knows that will hurt the ones he truly loves. That letter also expresses the role you play in that person’s life. So the Bible is a means of finding out how God wants mankind to live, how to interact with him and how His love will be extended to others (because lets be real…after you read a love letter you feel so happy and you’d want to share that love with others around you)

Lastly, a love letter keeps your eyes and heart fixed on it’s author Ps 119:105 It inspires, it’s filled with promises from the past, present, and for the future (e.g. Baby I loved you since the day I saw you, the love I have for you will never die, and I hope to love you till the end of my days.. I promise to always be there for you, to take care of you lol) God does a fabulous job of doing all that I just described and much more so that we can develop a wonderful and close relationship with Him. Isa 55:11


References to some of the scriptures I added:

Jeremiah 23:29 “Is not my word like fire,” declares the LORD, “and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?


John 8:51 I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path. Psalm 119:11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Isaiah 55:11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.


*************************************************************************************


I'll be honest and say that for many years I thought the bible was a pretty boring book that I had a hard time understanding. Fortunately, with God's help and attending chruch services I've learned a great deal about the love of God and his message. Now I don't know your relationship with God but if you find yourself just wondering about the Bible and what its message is really about but need some help to get you started on your journey I'd like to recommend a wonderful book to you that made everything clear, SUPER easy, and it read like a book. I kid you not it will help anyone from someone who doesn't know anything about God to a person who has had a solid relationship with him for many years. I LOVEEEEE THISSSSSSSSS BOOKKKKK!!!!


The book is called The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus by John R. Cross


The book is a page turner and you will finish totally understanding God message with clarity.
"This fully illustrated, 304-page book is written for adults and teens who know little or nothing about the Bible. It explains in a straightforward way the greatest themes of the Bible, step by step"

You can purchase this book at http://www.goodseed.com/products/str-eng-book/ for only $10. If you're not sure about getting the book you can click on the link that says "FREEebook" and get a sample of the entire book on pdf format. I'd suggest getting the book though! lol If you're not into reading you can watch the video online.

So has anyone heard of this book? If so what did you think?
Do you find yourself having a hard time reading God's Love Letter?

Tell me anything that's on your mind!

Thanks so very much for READING! It feels awesome to be posting something.




Dream

All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. 

Dreams are today's answers to tomorrow's questions. 
Edgar Cayce 


The best way to make your dreams come true is to wake up. 
Paul Valery 


This is the time when i can dream and make it happen.

This is the time when i wake up to make it come true.

This is the time when i can realize i must proud with my silly dream.

This is the time when i must know that's  not useless to have many dreams.

This is the time when "DREAM" is not just a dream.

THIS IS IT!! 




                        

Me, Myself and I in Pink

Hello Holiday Monday!!! :)
Happy Heroes day! :D


Let us always meet each other with smile, for smile is the beginning of love.
- Mother Theresa -


You never fully dresses without a smile.
- Martin Charnin -


The purpose of our lives is to be happy. 


Scars is doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is what you choose to be now.

 -KUNG FU PANDA 2 -



Everyone smiles in the same language.  
~Author Unknown



If you don't have a smile, I'll give you one of mine. 
 ~Author Unknown



An optimist is a person who sees a green light everywhere, while a pessimist sees only the red stoplight... the truly wise person is colorblind. 




Green how I want you green. Green wind. Green branches.





Dream and give yourself permission to envision a You that you choose to be. 



If my life was a song it would be, 'It ain't that easy being green' from Sesame Street. 





All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. 



Your life is a big suprise.
Your smile is a big gift.
Your heart is a big present.
Don't waste your time in this earth! 
-unknown-





Sunday, August 28, 2011

Here I Lay My Trust



I have a lot of unreasonable fears. 

One of which I spend the most time worrying about is messing up my own fate.

"Sheena, isn't that kind of like an oxymoron?" you ask. "Wouldn't  messing up your fate be just another part of your fate?"

You sir, are correct.  But my mind doesn't operate in such logical ways. No, no it does not..

but, today the theme of this post is fate, not how illogical my mind can be.(though, someday soon, there will be a post about how that.)

I truly believe in fate. I do. I truly believe that someday I will look back on these times & say, thank goodness it didn't work out in that relationship, otherwise I would have never met ________ (insert future husband's name here.)

but Today is not someday. Today is today & today I am losing the skip in my step, the sparkle of hope in my eyes. It's easy to say you believe in fate. It's much harder to put all of your trust in fate. I am a big fan of the thought that God has plans in store for us... plans much greater than anything we could conceive on our own. I love this thought. I have faith that it is true. God knows what will truly make us happy while we so often don't.

But here I sit on the other side of the world, away from my family & friends.It is beautiful here. Absolutely breathtaking. But I can't help but find myself wondering: "what if I'm supposed to meet my husband right now, but I am here?", "what if my perfect job was just around the corner & I went & threw it away?" these thoughts keep my mind busy throughout the day & though they are exhausting thoughts to have, they keep my mind swirling most nights. It's a terrible pattern.

But, a pattern I intend to change. 

So tonight, as I lay my head down to rest,
I will put all my trust in Him. 
Every little bit.



What A Wonderful Thought it is That Some of The Best Days of our Lives Haven't Happened Yet


Someday I will host dinner parties & you will always be invited.

We will eat lovely food, and perhaps the first time I will try & have a hand at cooking a real meal. If it doesn't work so well, the next time I'll just have something ordered-in. But nevertheless, food will be plenty & drinks will be flowing. (Our drinks will be something "fancy" - you know, what qualifies as "fancy" to us: like sparkling grape juice & ice cold wheat beers-- served in wee glasses, most likely a mason jar I've turned into drinking cups.  

We will come together & every single time the conversation will start with something along the lines of "Where does the time go? It seems just like yesterday..." & for a moment we will all sigh & smile at that truth, & the fact it will be mentioned, just the same, at our next dinner party.

We will then talk of our lives.  We will share in roars of laughter & bicker about politics & how some of us still listen to Taylor Swift... but only because we know just how to each others buttons-- & our quirks & differences are what we truly love about one another.

We will reminisce about all the memories we share & chuckle at our past selves.  

"How could we have been so silly?" we'll say. 

"We worried about so many unnecessary things!" we'll all agree.

We will laugh until we cry & cry until we laugh.

We will find ourselves chatting on & on about how our Loves drive us bonkers--but we all will smile at one another, knowing that none of us would trade them for anything.

We will talk of our past dates-- especially the times we tried to set one another up.  

"How on earth did you think he was MY type?" we'll banter. 

"Well, he turned out to be much different than i thought." we'll refute. 

We will then joke & point out our most embarrassing moments & then we'll sigh & say in unison, "how did we get through all of that?" 

& we will not say it aloud, but each of us, in our hearts will think:

"It was crazy, exhausting & one of the most confusing times of our lives...but we wouldn't change it for the world." 

"Not one bit." 
we will silently repeat.


The Best Time is Now - Oprah Winfrey

I took this photo few months ago in Caluwayan Palm Resort, Samar. It's beautiful resort. So today, this is what I want to share with you. Some quotes about life. :)


Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.
Theodore Roosevelt


Life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you wish, but you only spend it once.
Lillian Dickson

***

Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.
Life is beauty, admire it.
Life is bliss, taste it.
Life is a dream, realize it.
Life is a challenge, meet it.
Life is a duty, complete it.
Life is a game, play it.
Life is a promise, fulfill it.
Life is sorrow, overcome it.
Life is a song, sing it.
Life is a struggle, accept it.
Life is a tragedy, confront it.
Life is an adventure, dare it.
Life is luck, make it.
Life is too precious, do not destroy it.
Life is life, fight for it.

Mother Teresa


My life is not perfect, but He always makes me feel how to be happy. My life is not easy, but He always teach me how to be stronger. My life is not good, but He always make me learn how to smile. No, my life is the best things i ever had. Thanks PapaGod.

Life is so PRETTY SIMPLE


life is so pretty simple. you do some stuff. most fails. some works. you do more of what works.

if it works big, others quickly copy it. then you do something else. the trick is the doing something else.

-Leonardo da Vinci-