Faith is one thing I have never struggled with. I have never questioned whether God was real, never questioned if He hears my prayers, or never questioned what the bible told me. I have always thought myself pretty lucky that I have never struggled with this. I have been confronted several times of why I believe in God and it is so second nature to me, I have a hard time relaying my feelings to someone who doesn't get it. I find it so strange that someone can look around the world and not see God's hand in everything.
This week even though it was an easy topic for me, it was a nice be to reassured in God's wonderful faithfulness. One of my favorite parts in the study was at the beginning of Day 2 when we had to list all the "Hall of Faith" heroes. I have heard all the stories a million times, but it was nice to go back over all these people who had to put all their faith in God. Even though their task seemed impossible or difficult, they trusted God and their lives were blessed because of their faithfulness. I stopped long enough to put myself in their shoes and thought about how hard it would have been to build an ark when everyone thought I was mad, or at 100 or so years old finally having my first child only then to have God say I had to give him as an offering. Their faith was so strong in God, that they did whatever He called them to do. That got me thinking...could I do that? What if He called me to do something that would test this faith I am so proud of? I had to think about it. I'm not sure I would have done it willingly. I think I would have questioned God over and over to make sure this was truly something He needed me to do. Maybe after wrestling with it I might have done it, but I'm almost sure it would not have been without a fight. I realized that those in the "Hall of Faith" did what was asked of them and I felt in awe that they were able to handle God's calling sometimes without a fight.
I am curious how y'all felt. Is faith easy for you or have you struggled with it? Have you been questioned just as I have about your faith? If so, what was your answer? Faith is a topic that I loving having but like I said, it is so second nature to me that I have a hard time expressing my feelings and why I know my prayers will be answered in His time and as He sees fit. If you feel comfortable please share, if not and you want to email me (kcmayeur@yahoo.com), please feel free to do that as well.
I hope after this week y'all were reminded of God's amazing faithfulness even when we may not be as faithful to Him.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Sunday, July 19, 2009
The Kindess and Goodness of God
Of all the qualities of the Spirit, goodness and kindness are the two I strive for the most. It is one of the reasons I started this study. I felt like I wasn't being a good enough person to myself and everyone around me. I have let the world consume me and make me bitter. That in turned made me someone I didn't want to be. In my younger days, I always wanted people to know that I was a good person and I would be there for them no matter what. I had always told my friends that anytime the needed me day or night, even at 3 in the morning, I would be there. If they needed someone I wanted them to know they could always fall back on me. I feel over the past couple of years I have gotten away from that. I think some of my life experiences has hardened me and I just shut down. I didn't care anymore if people viewed me as a good person. I knew who I was, or thought I knew, and I was ok with that. After being unhappy with myself for so long I realized I didn't like what I saw in the mirror. I wasn't the same girl all those years ago.
One day during a pity party I was throwing myself, I remembered an interview I saw with Whitney Cerak and a motto she tried to live by. (Whitney was the girl who was in a horrific car crash and was mistaken for another young girl about her same age.) She had posted in her room a sign that simply said "well done my good and faithful servant." Whitney said that's what she wanted God to say to her when she met Him. She wanted to live her life doing good and serving God. I sat there thinking how awesome would that be to get to heaven and have God take you in His arms and say those words to you. For me, it would be like having my parents tell me they were proud of me but multiplying it by a trillion. I knew in that moment I had to make a change or that would never happen to me.
This lesson came at just the right moment for me because I was reminded that just simply thinking I was a good person meant nothing unless I was doing something. In the video, Beth keep referring to several different passages in the bible where it talked about goodness and the act of doing good. The first one was Genesis 1. After each element that God made that benefited man, He said "this is good." Ephesians 2:10 "...so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." There were a few more but these two examples stuck out to me the most. In Genesis, God was doing something that helped someone else. He was creating a world that would make those who lived on it happy and they would be able to enjoy His creation. Ephesians is just a reminder that we are here for a purpose. We are here for Him and to glorify Him as He had planned.
It makes sense that when talking about being good you would also have to discuss the act of it. Thinking about all the people who I think are good, they all serve others. They all do what they are called to do. I love having these duh moments with myself when I realize that if I would have just thought a little harder about being a good person it would have involved me doing something. I mean I can't call myself a good person if the only one I'm doing good for is myself.
Each week I am really glad I decided to take the journey with God. It has opened my eyes to so many things that I may not have picked up on if I wasn't doing a daily study. I have always been told that having a daily devotion is important but never really thought so until now. It is amazing the turn around my mind and heart has made by being with God on an intimate level daily. My hope and prayer is that you feel the same.
*Side bar...I hope in reading this each week you are not overwhelmed with my grammar and spelling mistakes. I have just recently started re-reading my posts and I realized that I miss a lot even after I proof read. I usually try to find a time when everything is settled in the house, but it seems to never fail that the dog comes and bounces at my heels every half second or my husband comes back every 30 minutes to see what I am doing. I apologize and I would love to totally blame them but grammar and spelling have never been my strong points. I had to call myself out so you all don't have to bless my heart! :)
One day during a pity party I was throwing myself, I remembered an interview I saw with Whitney Cerak and a motto she tried to live by. (Whitney was the girl who was in a horrific car crash and was mistaken for another young girl about her same age.) She had posted in her room a sign that simply said "well done my good and faithful servant." Whitney said that's what she wanted God to say to her when she met Him. She wanted to live her life doing good and serving God. I sat there thinking how awesome would that be to get to heaven and have God take you in His arms and say those words to you. For me, it would be like having my parents tell me they were proud of me but multiplying it by a trillion. I knew in that moment I had to make a change or that would never happen to me.
This lesson came at just the right moment for me because I was reminded that just simply thinking I was a good person meant nothing unless I was doing something. In the video, Beth keep referring to several different passages in the bible where it talked about goodness and the act of doing good. The first one was Genesis 1. After each element that God made that benefited man, He said "this is good." Ephesians 2:10 "...so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." There were a few more but these two examples stuck out to me the most. In Genesis, God was doing something that helped someone else. He was creating a world that would make those who lived on it happy and they would be able to enjoy His creation. Ephesians is just a reminder that we are here for a purpose. We are here for Him and to glorify Him as He had planned.
It makes sense that when talking about being good you would also have to discuss the act of it. Thinking about all the people who I think are good, they all serve others. They all do what they are called to do. I love having these duh moments with myself when I realize that if I would have just thought a little harder about being a good person it would have involved me doing something. I mean I can't call myself a good person if the only one I'm doing good for is myself.
Each week I am really glad I decided to take the journey with God. It has opened my eyes to so many things that I may not have picked up on if I wasn't doing a daily study. I have always been told that having a daily devotion is important but never really thought so until now. It is amazing the turn around my mind and heart has made by being with God on an intimate level daily. My hope and prayer is that you feel the same.
*Side bar...I hope in reading this each week you are not overwhelmed with my grammar and spelling mistakes. I have just recently started re-reading my posts and I realized that I miss a lot even after I proof read. I usually try to find a time when everything is settled in the house, but it seems to never fail that the dog comes and bounces at my heels every half second or my husband comes back every 30 minutes to see what I am doing. I apologize and I would love to totally blame them but grammar and spelling have never been my strong points. I had to call myself out so you all don't have to bless my heart! :)
Sunday, July 12, 2009
A Composite of Peculiar Patience
A thought kept coming to me all this week as I was studying and that was 'if I can't seem to have patience for those around me who constantly test it, then why do I expect God to show me that same mercy?'
It is hard for me to grasp that God has the same human traits that we have. I mean I know that we are made in His image but I very rarely think of Him with the same emotions as we have. But this week the thought of Him always being patient with me and showing forgiveness time after time hit hard. I started thinking about all the times I had begged for forgiveness and asked God just to hang in there. That one day I will get it, but yet when someone needed me to just hang in there with them, I couldn't do it. I wrote them off. I started thinking about how God felt all those time I went against Him and how patient He was with me, knowing that at the right time I would finally get the picture. I'm sure there were times when God wanted to thump me on the head and say "Kacie, have you lost your mind!? This is not how you are supposed to behave." I'm almost positive that it would have been easier to write me off during those time, but God wouldn't hear of it.
Something else I thought was interesting was brought up in the video. Beth said 'the practice of patience helps complete something lacking in us.' She then went on to say how this was true about the people that are put in our lives and how God uses them to help us with things that we need to work on with Him. First, they are there to bring out the worst in you. I work with someone who can bring out the nastiest person in me and try my patience. She is snippy with me and just down right hateful at times. When she gets in her 'let's make Kacie's day miserable' mood it takes all I have not to come across the cubicle. I immediately react in anger. I started saying all these nasty things about her. Not to her face mind you, just behind her back like most of us girls do. I realized by acting this way that God needs me to get my anger in check. I am no better than her when I start shooting off at the mouth. It is something that is a working progress, but just this week she decided to trout over and test me. I was proud of myself because I kept my angry in control and just let it slide. 2 points for Kacie!
Secondly, they keep us from thinking too highly of ourselves. How often do we think we have it all together and then someone comes in and tells us otherwise? They seem to know the exact moment you are feeling good about yourself and where things are headed and wham! they come at you. I don't always want to hear what they have to say and I get frustrated with them but then I start thinking of how they are a blessing because you know when you get too high on that horse the devil might just get ya. And I would much rather have God snap me back than the devil!
And thirdly, they keep our pretenses from working. They keep you from getting this idea in your head that everything is going to just fit together and go just as you planned. I have gone to church all my life and when I got married, I had just assumed that Brent and I would go to my church and that we would just hit the door running volunteering, doing bible studies and all these other things I had planned. Well I guess I failed to give Brent this memo. Brent is strong headed and works in his own time so when I started telling (key word) him what we would be doing, he backed off. I then had to step back and realize that this little picture I had in my head was wonderful but that I have to let them flow naturally. I have to be patient with Brent and what God has planned for us in that aspect of our lives. All those things I hope for will one day come at just the right time.
Patience is a hard thing! I never thought it would be something that I would struggle with but boy do I! I'm going to have to constantly remind myself of the wonderful mercy God shows me and how I must then show that same mercy to someone else. If I by chance slip, which I know I will, I give you all a free pass to thump my head!
It is hard for me to grasp that God has the same human traits that we have. I mean I know that we are made in His image but I very rarely think of Him with the same emotions as we have. But this week the thought of Him always being patient with me and showing forgiveness time after time hit hard. I started thinking about all the times I had begged for forgiveness and asked God just to hang in there. That one day I will get it, but yet when someone needed me to just hang in there with them, I couldn't do it. I wrote them off. I started thinking about how God felt all those time I went against Him and how patient He was with me, knowing that at the right time I would finally get the picture. I'm sure there were times when God wanted to thump me on the head and say "Kacie, have you lost your mind!? This is not how you are supposed to behave." I'm almost positive that it would have been easier to write me off during those time, but God wouldn't hear of it.
Something else I thought was interesting was brought up in the video. Beth said 'the practice of patience helps complete something lacking in us.' She then went on to say how this was true about the people that are put in our lives and how God uses them to help us with things that we need to work on with Him. First, they are there to bring out the worst in you. I work with someone who can bring out the nastiest person in me and try my patience. She is snippy with me and just down right hateful at times. When she gets in her 'let's make Kacie's day miserable' mood it takes all I have not to come across the cubicle. I immediately react in anger. I started saying all these nasty things about her. Not to her face mind you, just behind her back like most of us girls do. I realized by acting this way that God needs me to get my anger in check. I am no better than her when I start shooting off at the mouth. It is something that is a working progress, but just this week she decided to trout over and test me. I was proud of myself because I kept my angry in control and just let it slide. 2 points for Kacie!
Secondly, they keep us from thinking too highly of ourselves. How often do we think we have it all together and then someone comes in and tells us otherwise? They seem to know the exact moment you are feeling good about yourself and where things are headed and wham! they come at you. I don't always want to hear what they have to say and I get frustrated with them but then I start thinking of how they are a blessing because you know when you get too high on that horse the devil might just get ya. And I would much rather have God snap me back than the devil!
And thirdly, they keep our pretenses from working. They keep you from getting this idea in your head that everything is going to just fit together and go just as you planned. I have gone to church all my life and when I got married, I had just assumed that Brent and I would go to my church and that we would just hit the door running volunteering, doing bible studies and all these other things I had planned. Well I guess I failed to give Brent this memo. Brent is strong headed and works in his own time so when I started telling (key word) him what we would be doing, he backed off. I then had to step back and realize that this little picture I had in my head was wonderful but that I have to let them flow naturally. I have to be patient with Brent and what God has planned for us in that aspect of our lives. All those things I hope for will one day come at just the right time.
Patience is a hard thing! I never thought it would be something that I would struggle with but boy do I! I'm going to have to constantly remind myself of the wonderful mercy God shows me and how I must then show that same mercy to someone else. If I by chance slip, which I know I will, I give you all a free pass to thump my head!
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Peace Be with You
If you have ever been to Catholic Mass, you know during the meet and greet you are supposed to say "peace be with you" and then they respond "and also with you." Not being Catholic, I found this ritual very interesting the first time I saw it. It was definitely not the Southern Baptist way I was used to where you go up to just about everyone around you and give a big "hi-dee" with a smile on your face and arms out for a hug. I never asked way they do this (if you know please fill me in) and thought it to be a strange way to greet one another...until now. What an amazing thing for someone to wish you peace!
This week I'm not going to touch much on the what was said in the book, but what Beth discussed on her video. For some reason this keeps playing in my head and I thought I would share my thoughts and see what you think.
In her video, one of the things Beth talked about was having conflict with one another. I thought this to be odd to talk about but then it was the perfect way to express peace. She talked about the difference between a peacekeeper and a peacemaker. A peacekeeper is one who will keep peace no matter the cost; will not confront the problem that lie ahead, just ignore it. The peacemaker is one who does something about it; takes action towards whom or whatever to get peace in their life.
Obviously when talking about this, it didn't take me long to figure out which one I was. I am a definite peacemaker. I hate conflict, but if there is a big pink elephant in the room I'm going to deal with it. I wasn't always this way, but there have been episodes in my life where I never confronted someone with my feelings and our relationship ended up fading. There are still some relationships that I have had that I still don't have peace with because I have no idea what drove us apart. One of the best relationships I have is with someone who will shoot it to me straight. If I have wronged her, she tells me right then and vice versa. I never have to worry about that relationship because we are both peacemakers and we want the dirty laundry aired before we move on. We simply want peace with one another.
The peacekeeper is one that I found most interesting. Beth said that being a peacekeeper is actually like having false peace. You are just bypassing what is wrong and never getting your feelings out. And if you have all this false peace in you, how is God ever going to be able to fill you completely with His peace?
I find it funny that you will hear a lot of married woman say that as a wife you are supposed to "keep the peace" with your spouse. Don't go getting all riled up over everything, keep the peace with him. As many of you know this little saying just doesn't fly in my house. I don't live in 1950 and if something is bothering me you better believe Brent Miller is going to hear about it. Now, I usually try to say whatever I'm feeling in a nice calm way and be peaceful about it. I don't go flying off the hinges, but I do let him know what is on my mind. I want peace between us. I have seen too many relationships fail because the woman was simply trying to keep the peace and it ended up driving her crazy. A good friend on mine does this a lot. Her husband will do things that just drives her nuts and instead of confronting him about it, she just simply lets it slide. She has all these ill emotions towards him that it is hard for her to have any good feelings towards him. I hate it for her, and I tell her just to say something but she won't. She just keeps the peace.
Beth noted that this type of peace is a deceiving peace. You think that everything is okay and that you have found peace with the situation but in reality you haven't. You have no peace. You haven't dealt with the problem. The same goes for having peace with yourself. As I have said before, I have dealt being a worrier. I worry about every big and small detail, things that have happened in the past, things that might happen in the future, and I worry about people I don't even know. I have made myself sick over worrying. I had no peace with all these things in my head. I finally had a talk with God and told Him everything that was going on in this little brain of mine. Once I had emptied everything out, I let out a big sigh and felt the peace I had been missing. And even now, things will creep up in my head and I immediately just tell God He is going to have to take it. I want peace in the situation.
It seems like doing this bible study has made it easier for me to talk to God. They say your prayers are supposed to be never ending and that you are always supposed to tell Him everything, and bless His heart! lately I haven't been able to shut up! I usually start my day off talking to Him in the shower and throughout the day say quick little prayers when something pops up. I find that I don't have as much turmoil going on inside. I'm empty myself out all day so I can be filled with Him. It just doesn't seem worth it to me to have gunk inside me when I just simply just have to say "God you take this one."
My question to you is, are you a peacekeeper or a peacemaker? Are you finding peace within yourself and with situations in your life? I hope that you have/had. Our lives are way too short to not have peace!
Peace be with you!
This week I'm not going to touch much on the what was said in the book, but what Beth discussed on her video. For some reason this keeps playing in my head and I thought I would share my thoughts and see what you think.
In her video, one of the things Beth talked about was having conflict with one another. I thought this to be odd to talk about but then it was the perfect way to express peace. She talked about the difference between a peacekeeper and a peacemaker. A peacekeeper is one who will keep peace no matter the cost; will not confront the problem that lie ahead, just ignore it. The peacemaker is one who does something about it; takes action towards whom or whatever to get peace in their life.
Obviously when talking about this, it didn't take me long to figure out which one I was. I am a definite peacemaker. I hate conflict, but if there is a big pink elephant in the room I'm going to deal with it. I wasn't always this way, but there have been episodes in my life where I never confronted someone with my feelings and our relationship ended up fading. There are still some relationships that I have had that I still don't have peace with because I have no idea what drove us apart. One of the best relationships I have is with someone who will shoot it to me straight. If I have wronged her, she tells me right then and vice versa. I never have to worry about that relationship because we are both peacemakers and we want the dirty laundry aired before we move on. We simply want peace with one another.
The peacekeeper is one that I found most interesting. Beth said that being a peacekeeper is actually like having false peace. You are just bypassing what is wrong and never getting your feelings out. And if you have all this false peace in you, how is God ever going to be able to fill you completely with His peace?
I find it funny that you will hear a lot of married woman say that as a wife you are supposed to "keep the peace" with your spouse. Don't go getting all riled up over everything, keep the peace with him. As many of you know this little saying just doesn't fly in my house. I don't live in 1950 and if something is bothering me you better believe Brent Miller is going to hear about it. Now, I usually try to say whatever I'm feeling in a nice calm way and be peaceful about it. I don't go flying off the hinges, but I do let him know what is on my mind. I want peace between us. I have seen too many relationships fail because the woman was simply trying to keep the peace and it ended up driving her crazy. A good friend on mine does this a lot. Her husband will do things that just drives her nuts and instead of confronting him about it, she just simply lets it slide. She has all these ill emotions towards him that it is hard for her to have any good feelings towards him. I hate it for her, and I tell her just to say something but she won't. She just keeps the peace.
Beth noted that this type of peace is a deceiving peace. You think that everything is okay and that you have found peace with the situation but in reality you haven't. You have no peace. You haven't dealt with the problem. The same goes for having peace with yourself. As I have said before, I have dealt being a worrier. I worry about every big and small detail, things that have happened in the past, things that might happen in the future, and I worry about people I don't even know. I have made myself sick over worrying. I had no peace with all these things in my head. I finally had a talk with God and told Him everything that was going on in this little brain of mine. Once I had emptied everything out, I let out a big sigh and felt the peace I had been missing. And even now, things will creep up in my head and I immediately just tell God He is going to have to take it. I want peace in the situation.
It seems like doing this bible study has made it easier for me to talk to God. They say your prayers are supposed to be never ending and that you are always supposed to tell Him everything, and bless His heart! lately I haven't been able to shut up! I usually start my day off talking to Him in the shower and throughout the day say quick little prayers when something pops up. I find that I don't have as much turmoil going on inside. I'm empty myself out all day so I can be filled with Him. It just doesn't seem worth it to me to have gunk inside me when I just simply just have to say "God you take this one."
My question to you is, are you a peacekeeper or a peacemaker? Are you finding peace within yourself and with situations in your life? I hope that you have/had. Our lives are way too short to not have peace!
Peace be with you!
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