For the past two mornings I have been waking up at five forty five. Weird, I know! I've kind of strangely enjoyed it though. It feel like I get more done in my day, plus I can have some alone time with God before any of my family gets their bright shiny faces out of bed. Me in all my excitement went to sleep Friday night at eight and last night at nine. I'm one crazy party animal on the weekend. But to my defense I didn't go to sleep until three a.m. on Thursday night because I was staying over at a friends house.

Friday my friend and I went to see "Twilight". Can you believe that I went to the movie without knowing really anything about the plot line other than it was about a vampire boy and a human girl that fall in love? After watching the movie, I think I have a handle on why girls all over are so freakishly obsessed with the books. In the movie at least Edward is so incredibly intoxicated by Bella. He wants her drawn in closer and closer to him, but he's afraid he is going to hurt her. Not only that but he takes change of situations and is protective of Bella. All girls want a guy who will protect them, and take change yet tell them how much they love them and want nothing more than to bask in their presence.. I know I would fall all over a guy who was like that. Just add that he is a strong christian and wants to serve God and you'd never see me again cause I would be following him around. :)
I told my friend about my revelation about the plot on the way home and she laughed at me an say's, "Your probably going to compare that with how God is with us, huh?" Well, I wasn't until she mentioned it! BUT, it is the more I think about it. That is way I love Psalm 16 so much I think..

Alright, so I have been reading through the bible and am now in Psalms. The other day I saw this chapter and thought I would share it. Psalms chapter 16 really spoke to me for some strange reason..

Psalm 16:1-11 (New Century Version)

Protect me, God,because I trust in you.
I said to the Lord, "You are my Lord.
Every good thing I have comes from you."
As for the godly people in the world,
they are the wonderful ones I enjoy.
But those who turn to idols
will have much pain.
I will not offer blood to those idols
or even speak their names.
No, the Lord is all I need.
He takes care of me.
My share in life has been pleasant;
my part has been beautiful.

I praise the Lord because he advises me.
Even at night, I feel his leading.
I keep the Lord before me always.
Because he is close by my side,
I will not be hurt.
So I rejoice and am glad.
Even my body has hope,
because you will not leave me in the grave.
You will not let your holy one rot.
You will teach me how to live a holy life.
Being with you will fill me with joy;
at your right hand I will find pleasure forever.

This fit me so well. I feel like I could relate to David. Even though the people around me aren't worshiping actual like idol statues instead they are worshiping the idol of instant gratification. The I want it and I want it now syndrome. Which I'm not saying I never get caught up in but when I realize that I am I look back to God for guidance.

I was really dreading reading through Psalms for some strange reason. But as I read I am amazed at how God has provided and the miracles He dispenses.

Holding Tightly::...

This past week has flown by me. Veterans day was a nice break from the norm of my schedule. It also meant only three days of school instead of four, but who's counting? I was happy on Tuesday because I heard from one of my dear friends stationed in Iraq, I had last heard from him two months ago when he shipped out. So, it was nice to hear his voice and know that he is alright and that God is still encouraging and working on him even in the middle of Iraq. That's a strange place for God to work on anyone but He can pick any place He pleases to use to teach us.

This school year God has been using my circumstances to teach me. Satan has used many things I cherish and distorted them into something heart breaking. But that has given me an option to either pull closer to God or away from Him. I could be like Job and curse God for pulling away things that I have loved for so long or I could praise God for seeing me through the rough times.

Job 6:1-3 Then Job answered: "I wish my suffering could be weighed and my misery put on scales. My sadness would be heavier than the sand of the seas. No wonder my words seem careless.

When I get upset and my relationship with God is troubled my mouth is the first thing that goes. Like the Reliant K song says, " I can conger up a phrase that can cut to the quick." I guarantee that if I was in the same place spiritually as I was this time last school year I could easily pull away from God and from others. But this semester it's not so much me struggling as thoughs around me.

Even though it's hard to see those closest to you struggle, God provides a way even when we can't see the door. Personally it has been a growing experience. Last school year God called me asking for me to trust Him for contentment. Where as this school year it seems He wants me to trust Him with my future and more importantly my dearest of friends.

1 Timothy 4:12-13 Do not let anyone treat you as if you are unimportant because you are young. Instead, be an example to the believers with your words, your actions, your love, your faith, and your pure life. Until I come, continue to read the Scriptures to the people, strengthen them, and teach them.

Even though I'm young, heck I'm only 19! I can still be there for thoughs around me, love them with my words and my actions and be praying for them. Some of them that is all I'm capable of doing, is pray for them.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is the Father who is full of mercy and all comfort. He comforts us every time we have trouble, so when others have trouble, we can comfort them with the same comfort God gives us. We share in the many sufferings of Christ. In the same way, much comfort comes to us through Christ.

God has placed me where I am today with a purpose and if I look to Him He will give me guidance. So many times even lately God has comforted me. And through my Heavenly Father and can show love and comfort to thoughs around me who are hurting. Just like everyone else I am human and have had my trials, and God has lead me by the hand and gotten me through each and every one. We believers are to point every hurting person whether friend or foe to that same great comforter so they too can be lead to a place of contentment.

Even with all that I have been going through and trails that Satan I'm sure will keep throwing my way, I know that my heavenly Father will guide me through. My hand is His to hold and I know that there has never been a time of more misery in my life then when I have retracted my hand from God's reach.

Psalm 91: 2 I will say to the Lord, "You are my place of safety and protection. You are my God and I trust you."

When Acknowlegdement Hits the Road::..

Pain, plagues my body after a day of cleaning the yard. My family and I made a significant improvement in the front but the back still has weeds that rival the height of Jack's bean stalk.

I still have to finish Bible Institute and study for my biology quiz on Monday.

For Bible Institute this week I have to expound on last weeks ten minute lesson of Proverbs 3:5-5 and make it a twenty minute lesson.

Picking up right where I left off last week.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge in Him, and he will make your paths straight.

Looking at what the word acknowledge means opened up my whole pyridine of that verse. Let me tell you, that verse makes for a great memory verse when your in Awana's but it hits you hard when you grow up.

I know God has slowly been working on me, making it clear to me where in my life I'm not acknowledging Him. One of the HUGE things on that list is my future.

Since I was young I have been one of those people who always liked to have a plan of action. And as I've gotten older I've made attempts to stay that way. But God is slowly working my future out from my tight grasp, forcing me to turn it over to Him. Because in all honesty I don't know what else to do.

What if the plans God has for me is different then what most people had hoped for me? Will I be exiled? Trust me that has been a huge question on my mind. But even if I am exiled, I can take assurance that God has a plan and a purpose for it.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV) For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

If I acknowledge God I'm able to see that He has great plans for me. Even when those plans might not look right to me. Also I can talk to God and seek him out. Knowing that He will always be there for me no matter who else is.

God is a place of shelter. And when I need refuge I can run to Him with open arms and know that I won't be rejected like the world would have me be. Even when the people and circumstances change and I feel like I have no place to turn, God is there.

Isaiah 25:4 (NIV) You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall

There have been times in my life that I have been spiritually needy. Personally those times aren't something I enjoy and if ever possible I would like to never return to that place but I think that state is where God does some of His best work on peoples hearts.

Walking onto the college campus is like walking onto the front lines of spiritual warfare and if your not acknowledging God your going to be chewed up and spit out. Every day the enemy donnes their armor.

But what am I shielding myself with?

I've been keeping a prayer journal and trying to read a few pages of Bible each day but on days that I miss that time with God I can see a difference in my attitude. A void feeling takes over me and when my mouth opens I tend to be ugly to people. Doesn't matter who I'm speaking to everything coming out of my mouth sounds bad.

Ephesians 6:14-15 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

When I have that morning fellowship with God. I'm standing firm in God's word and I know that I'm acknowledging God. Were as on mornings that I miss out on that time, I'm like a loose cannon and who knows who might get hit.

Acknowledging God comes in all areas of your life. An intimate relationship with God starts by simply trusting Him. And slowly as the relationship grows your willingness to trust Him with more areas of your life expands. Giving over parts of your life to God to do what He wills is rough at times but you can take comfort that it will always be for your good.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.

Acknowledgement::..

It is yet to be six in the morning and I am up, dressed, make-up is on and there is a coffee cup full of liquid goodness sitting beside me. Some one should be proud of me. I'm not sure who, but some one. I have to leave by seven to get to work at seven forty-five and I wanted some prayer time and to blog a little. I've been praying over the last day that God would tell me what to put in this next blog because it is the start to my lesson that I'm having to teach at Bible Institute so, you poor people who are subjected to reading my blog get to be my guinea pigs for a lesson I'm having to prepare.

I have a tendency any ways to pray for guidance about what to blog about BUT the folks at Bible Institute aren't exactly my usual crowd that consists of kids and twenty year old girls. For the past week I have sat staring at this verse, just kind of hoping God would rain down a shower of enlightenment on me. Of course God in His infinite wisdom knew in eternity past where I would be at this point in my life and so strangely enough this verse is very applicable to me and my current situation. Isn't that entertaining how God does that? He gives me a verse that I am required to teach on that is incredibly blunt about the action I should take even when the road in front of me looks as whopper jawed as it's has been lately.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways ACKNOWLEDGE him, and he will make your paths straight.

After looking at that verse I decided that the best thing to do would be to look up the definition of acknowledge. Just straight up what the Webster dictionary says, and I thought it was interesting:

Main Entry: ac·knowl·edge

1: to recognize the rights, authority, or status of
2: to disclose knowledge of or agreement with
3 a: to express gratitude or obligation for
b: to take notice of
c: to make known the receipt of
4: to recognize as genuine or valid

We are all guilty of looking over some attribute of God that is calling us to faithfully place our trust in him. But being human we are sure that our own pathetic human nature can take care of our issues just fine.

After coming to a conclusion of what Acknowledge means you can start asking yourself some questions.

· Do I recognize the rights, authority and statues of God?

· Am I honestly disclosing/telling God all there is to know about me and what is
goingon in my life? In other words am I having the right type of prayer life?

· Have I acknowledged God's son, God's ultimate gift to me?

· Am I paying attention to God?

· Do I except His love letter to me as His true unchanged word?

· Is God Himself valid to me, am I accrediting my relationship with Him as true and
important?

All of the questions in the bulletins above could be answered yes, if you are filled with the Holy Spirit which is a product of faith.

So it could be read.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways have faith in Him, and he will make your paths straight.

Strange how your definition of a verse changes when one word is put into it’s place.

Right now I’m going through first and second Samuel with my class on Sunday. It took praying for a while before God guided me to teach about the life of David. David’s life stood out to me because most of the kids in my class come from troubled families. That might sound like a weird reason to pick to study David but David’s family is one of great dysfunction. David himself didn’t always trust God BUT when ever he clearly saw he walked away from God he came right back to Him; and was considered a man after God’s own heart at the end of his life.

David wrote some of my favorite Psalms. After trying to solve problems both with and without God he wrote this.

Psalm 37:5 (New Century Version) Depend on the Lord; trust him, and he will take care of you.

In my own life I have seen God be tried and true. David saw it in both his life and the lives of the great men that trusted God before him.

Psalm 22:4-5 (New Century Version) our ancestors trusted you; they trusted, and you saved them. They called to you for help and were rescued. They trusted you and were not disappointed.

No matter what you place in God’s hands you can take assurance that it will be resolved in a way that will both bring Him honor and glory and will be the best for you.
Now I can see that the passages in proverbs are words to live by. God can lead you down any path, no matter the obstacles and yet you still have the fruits of the spirit in your life because you trust Him with where your final destination will be.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV) Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways have faith in Him, and he will make your paths straight.