I've been struggling with, and thinking about, something lately.
You see, I'm praying about something in particular. It doesn't matter what it is for this purpose, I'm using it as my example.
I am trying to leave a situation in God's hands (even though I will still pray about it), I mean, He is the one in control, but that's not always an easy thing to do. My dilemma in the matter is this: every time I pray for and about this particular situation, am I not trusting God? Am I trying to take things into my own hands, so to speak, and continuing to pray because I really want this to be answered in a specific way, or am I just being persistent?
Jesus tells a parable in Luke 18: about a persistent widow. He wanted to show his disciples that they should always pray and not give up.
What is perplexing me, is whether or not I am actually praying about the situation and not giving up (which I am doing, I guess), being persistent, or am I just praying about it so much because I lack trust in God, in His answering my prayer?
How can you tell the difference between the two? When are you being persistent in prayer and when are you just praying because you might not truly believe or trust that God will bring things about in answer to your prayer?
If you have any thoughts, ideas, or answers, feel free to leave them in the comment section. I'd really like to hear what you think, and hopefully someone can answer my question :).
Sunday, June 30, 2013
Saturday, June 29, 2013
It's The End of June Already!
Where has the time gone? It's the end of June already!
I know I've been away from this for several months. I had really, honestly hoped I would get back into the swing of keeping a blog. Obviously that didn't work out. Mostly it was from not feeling motivated, and lack of energy to just do it (stemming from work).
And now that summer is upon us, I am heading back home again. I don't know how much access I'll have to the Internet, so I don't think my postings throughout the summer will be happening - unless I can convince my mom (with whom I'll be staying this summer) to get Internet just for while I'm there, and of course I'd pay for it since she doesn't use it.
I've kept up with my journals quite a bit (the ones I mention in the previous post). I have two - a general quote type and a Bible verse type. In the general one I mostly write quotes that I like and doodle or draw a simple picture. It's really very basic. In the Bible verse one, I record verses from when I read my Bible or see one posted online, or hear one in church. I also tend to mostly have doodles and simple drawings in this, but I have "expanded" a little bit. Since my journal has ordinary paper, I bought some gesso to apply to it so that I could use watercolours on it. I've tried it twice now, and while my drawings and paintings are very basic and amateurish, I liked the results.
I've been pinning a lot of journal ideas to my Pinterest board of the same name. I don't necessarily plan on doing all of them, but there are things about the ones I've pinned that I like: it might be a colour scheme, a quote, a doodle, or design. I've even pinned a few videos that show how to create some specific journal pages. The ones I've watched were pretty cool, and over the summer I'd like to incorporate those ideas into my own journals. This, I know, will require practice - and lots of it! I don't mind though; I'm finding it quite relaxing. I want to also continue practicing drawing (yesterday I practiced drawing a butterfly landing on a flower and it actually looks cute...not perfect by any means, but cute none the less).
This morning, as I was reading my Bible (in Hebrews 13), I used two verses from there for my Bible verse journal. The first one is: Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it (verse 2). The second is: The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me? (verse 6). I've illustrated the first verse, a very simple sky and what are supposed to be clouds, though they don't really look like clouds. I need some definition or something in them. I have yet to draw something for the second verse. I'll probably look through Pinterest to get some ideas.
Well, if I don't get the chance to post over the next few months, I wish one and all a safe and happy summer!
I know I've been away from this for several months. I had really, honestly hoped I would get back into the swing of keeping a blog. Obviously that didn't work out. Mostly it was from not feeling motivated, and lack of energy to just do it (stemming from work).
And now that summer is upon us, I am heading back home again. I don't know how much access I'll have to the Internet, so I don't think my postings throughout the summer will be happening - unless I can convince my mom (with whom I'll be staying this summer) to get Internet just for while I'm there, and of course I'd pay for it since she doesn't use it.
I've kept up with my journals quite a bit (the ones I mention in the previous post). I have two - a general quote type and a Bible verse type. In the general one I mostly write quotes that I like and doodle or draw a simple picture. It's really very basic. In the Bible verse one, I record verses from when I read my Bible or see one posted online, or hear one in church. I also tend to mostly have doodles and simple drawings in this, but I have "expanded" a little bit. Since my journal has ordinary paper, I bought some gesso to apply to it so that I could use watercolours on it. I've tried it twice now, and while my drawings and paintings are very basic and amateurish, I liked the results.
I've been pinning a lot of journal ideas to my Pinterest board of the same name. I don't necessarily plan on doing all of them, but there are things about the ones I've pinned that I like: it might be a colour scheme, a quote, a doodle, or design. I've even pinned a few videos that show how to create some specific journal pages. The ones I've watched were pretty cool, and over the summer I'd like to incorporate those ideas into my own journals. This, I know, will require practice - and lots of it! I don't mind though; I'm finding it quite relaxing. I want to also continue practicing drawing (yesterday I practiced drawing a butterfly landing on a flower and it actually looks cute...not perfect by any means, but cute none the less).
This morning, as I was reading my Bible (in Hebrews 13), I used two verses from there for my Bible verse journal. The first one is: Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it (verse 2). The second is: The Lord is my helper, I will not be afraid. What will man do to me? (verse 6). I've illustrated the first verse, a very simple sky and what are supposed to be clouds, though they don't really look like clouds. I need some definition or something in them. I have yet to draw something for the second verse. I'll probably look through Pinterest to get some ideas.
Well, if I don't get the chance to post over the next few months, I wish one and all a safe and happy summer!
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