Easter Sunday

It is a story we all know well. It makes for a good movie, and has been made into more than one. Taken, Man on Fire, Seven Pounds, and Finding Nemo are all based on this concept. Many, many more movies are as well, but these are just a few. Stories of a father or father figure doing all that he can to rescue someone he loves. Two of these movies the rescuer must die in order to save the life. In none of them, however, does the savior come back to life.

That is where the greatest story of all differs.

Our Savior searched for us, went through Hell to rescue us, found us and then died for us. But it didn't end there as many stories do. As soon as the rescue takes place, the loved one is freed, the movie ends. For us as humans, we keep getting back into trouble. We lose our way, wander off, get kidnapped by our sin. Instead of continuously rescuing us, Jesus paid the ultimate price and died for us. And then He rose back to life.

He is Risen!

Encouragement

Day 39

While running the triathlon last weekend, I wasn't exactly the fastest person there. I actually got passed. More than once. Frequently. But, when people would pass me, some of them cheered me on, rooted for me and encouraged me. When I passed people who were standing on the side of the road, they also frequently cheered me on.

The next day, Sunday, I had small group. Our leaders of the week decided that for our group time, we were going to each write our name on a piece of paper, then pass the papers around. On each piece of paper, you wrote an encouraging note to whoevers paper it was. Later that night when I got my paper back, I had 9 encouraging messages on my paper.

Last night I was upset about some things that I can't see ever working out in the future. My friends reached out to me and through a process that included cuddling, smacking me and using encouraging words, I got out of the funk I had fallen into.

I am such a words of affirmation person. I love encouragement. I wouldn't be able to survive without it. None of us should.


Hebrews 3:13
"But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called "Today," lest any one of you be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin."

Triathlon (and Pain revisited)

Today, I ran a triathlon. It didn't actually kill me as much as I thought it would, but I might limp for a while yet. I rocked the swimming part, then threw on clothes and hopped on my borrowed mountain bike to hit the road. Oops. Everyone else had nice road bikes, and most passed me pretty easily. My thighs burned and I got fairly discouraged. Even though I knew I was doing this for myself and not for anyone else, it wasn't the best feeling to be passed repeatedly by others faster than me.
But while I was being passed, a few people took time to encourage me, to tell me I was doing well and cheer me on. Although I'm not sure if I believed it, it helped some. Plus, if you remember last year on the 4th of July I wrote about Pain, you'll remember that I had just run a 5k and reflecting back on hurt; physical and spiritual. Today, while I did feel pain, I also felt something else. Endurance. Support. The ability to push through.

How did I get from extreme pain and slight hopelessness after a 5k to the ability to do a sprint triathlon? I trained. I intentionally disciplined myself in preparation for the pain I knew was on the way. I trained myself for the hardships I knew I was going to face. I made myself ready.

So why don't I do that for my faith?

I could go from limping around in my faith, having it shaken by a slight breeze, to being able to endure, persevere and push through the hardships God is putting me through... if I trained. Reading my Bible, going to church, having small group... they're all well and good, and completely necessary, but so is walking to class. I need to walk to class to get there, and it burns calories too, but I can't train for a triathlon that way. Nor can I build my spiritual being up, make it stronger, unless I'm willing to experience some discomfort in my daily schedule. Reading my Bible for 5 minutes every day doesn't really cut it.

It isn't easy. But I know what to do.

So why am I not training harder for the race that really matters?

2 more weeks...

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These are definately all getting better... when I actually take time to spend time on them. But they do continue to improve!

Laughing

I laughed a lot today. My favorite time I laughed was during observation this morning.

The kids have gotten to know me by now, and aren't afraid to whisper to me when the teacher isn't paying attention. So today, one of the girls goes "Pst, Liz. Come here" with a silly grin on her face.
Me: *Whispering* What?
Her: *Whispering* Closer!
Me: What?
Her: Are you a Christian?
Me: Well, yeah, I am. Why?
Her: Oh. I though only Hispanic people could be Christians.

I held it together long enough to get out of the classroom. Oh, the joy of children, and the joy of laughter!

Surrender

"I don't want to talk about surrender, I don't want to talk about surrender... shoot. I have to talk about surrender."

This is what has been running through my mind lately as I've felt the need to write a new post. The past hour I was in Catacombs, a really cool worship service my school does from 10-11 each sunday night. It is all acoustic, no lights, and a good mix of traditional and contemporary music. A lot of the songs tonight were about surrender. A lot of today has been about surrender. It started off this morning, with a dream.

I'm not going to get into the details, but the dream had a lot of things that I don't have, but have been searching for. It honestly made me slightly depressed when I woke up. Then, in church, I had to leave in the middle of the serivce because of an overwhelming sense of homesickness. I wanted to go back to my home church so badly it hurt. I spent a good portion of this afternoon trying to figure out my future, and another part having my future plans torn apart by my friends who think they are crazy and can't see how they will ever succeed. Basically, much dwelling on what I don't have occured.

It wasn't good.

I longed after these earthly things.

During Catacombs tonight, I could barely choke out the words to Hillsong's "The Stand". Specifically, the lines that go:
"I'll stand, my soul, Lord, to You surrendered.
All I have is Yours."

Because it isn't true of my life. I've been holding so much back from God, telling him that no, this is mine. I want this. Don't take it away from me. It's what You want for me, right God? But it isn't.

He doesn't want me worrying about my future. He doesn't want me dwelling on what I don't have. He doesn't want me discouraged by this world and it's difficulties. Because He can handle all of it.

I just have to surrender.

Over halfway done with lent!!

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