California Top 5

Since arriving to my new home in Charlotte, I've been craving a few things from home. These are a few things that can't be found in North Carolina, no matter how hard I try. Not saying life doesn't go on without them, but there are some things I sure do miss.

Number 1. Tommy's Sushi

I'm sorry Charlotte and surrounding areas. There is something that even remotely comes close to Tommy's Sushi. Pass me a baked scallop roll, a spicy tuna handroll, and a crunchy roll that no one can seem to recreate with such magic. Maybe there is something in the water there, but I sure do love it.

Number 2. Family
I know I should have put this one first, but they already know how much I love them. And they also know how much I've struggled with finding sushi in CLT. I miss my family, but their constant love and support is felt across the country and I'm so grateful for such amazing parents. (Plus Maadi gets to see grandma and grandpa)

Number 3. A Sunset on the Beach
We do seem to get pretty incredible sunrises in NC, but I can't seem to get over the sunsets that light up the Pacific Ocean. I am trying to plan time on the Atlantic Ocean, but until then, I miss the ease of driving 20 minutes to the beach. I used to go there on a bad day, park in the same place, walk out to the beach and sit on the lifeguard stand thanking God for his beauty. I thank him in different ways because NC is really beautiful, but I am eager to see the Pacific Ocean.

Number 4. FRIENDS

I can honestly admit that I don't have a crazy amount of close friends, but I think that what I lack in quantity I make up big time in quality. My friends are AWESOME. They love, pray, and accept me for the crazy, out there person that only some people know me for. I can't wait to see all my friends!

Number 5. Warm-er Weather
I know the weather in January isn't the warmest for California, but it will still be noticeable compared to NC. It's not like NC gets crazy cold like, say Vermont, but I am getting used to waking up to 30-degree temps. Being able to wear a scarf for fashion and not function will be a treat.

California, I'll see you in a few weeks!

Worthless to Priceless

Have you ever felt worthless ? It's easy for the world around us to make those accusations. I will admit I'm feeling that way right now about my walk with Jesus. I sin again and again with stuff that is so clearly spoken against in the bible. Why do I do it? Amazingly, I found a guy that can relate to how I feel.

For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate...For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want.
-Romans 7:15, 19 (NASB)

Those words came from the apostle Paul who lived so vibrantly for the Lord. He shows us that even a man so passionate for Jesus had trouble with sin and the temptations of the world.

I shouldn't be surprised by this concept though. The same devil that tempted Adam and Eve, and Paul is the same devil that is tempting me and you today. The same tricks he used back then are working today in just a more modern facet. Well I don't know about you, but that gets me pretty pissed off.

I want to look at the temptations that are placed before me and laugh at them. Hahaha (feel free to practice now). I know it's never as easy as that (though I'm glad you practiced), but hey, maybe it will work! If i take a step back, look at the situation, maybe it might work? I might as well try a different approach than I have been because I haven't been living a life that displays Jesus in a positive light. I know, as with a lot of sin, it sounds fun at the time, but it bites. And Jesus knows it so well.

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."
-John 10:10 (NASB)

I want to choose LIFE. I want to choose it now and not tomorrow.

Now just to make sure we are clear, I am saying this all as a complete reminder to myself, but figured I would share in case anyone else was going through the same thing. I hope you see that.

I wanted to end with a great couple verses from Psalm 34. Remember we GET to praise the God of the universe. How great and holy is He!

I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul will make its boast in the Lord; The humble will hear it and rejoice. O magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together. I sought the Lord, and He answered me, And delivered me from all my fears.
-Psalms 34:1-4 (NASB)

Starting Crazy Love

This week I started reading a new book called Crazy Love by Francis Chan. He has videos to go with the book that really make you think about the words from his book. As much as I love books, I'm definitely one that can relate to visuals. And while I only just finished chapter one, it really started to open my eyes to WHO GOD IS.

I have never been one to jump over to Revelation for my devotional. Not sure if I was confused or afraid of the final book in the bible, but it wasn't something I often flipped to by my own accord. In one of Chan's videos he references Revelation's author John describing what he saw when he got a glimpse of God.

"And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal." - Revelation 4:3-6

I can only imagine John trying to put such majesty into human words. Lighting and Thunder? WOW. It must have been amazing if those are the closest descriptions in human words. Doesn't it put into perspective the God we pray to every day? If I saw God in all his glory like John did, what would be my first words to Him? The two phrases that came into my head that I would want to say to Him are THANK YOU and I LOVE YOU.

Now that I think about really why I haven't read much of Revelation, it might have been that I was only thinking of God in an earthly way, but he is so much bigger. In the same chapter of Revelation, it talks about four creatures that resembled a lion, an ox, a man, and an eagle. But these creatures had eyes all over their bodies. I think that freaked me out the first time I started reading the book. Now I can see how amazing and BIG God is. He isn't confined to what my mind can dream up, he is so much BIGGER.

My challenge today (and I'm going to be challenging myself in the exact same way) is to see God in a bigger way than maybe you've seen him in the past. It might make you fall on your face in worship, it might make you stand in awe. For me, its definitely opened my eyes to the possibilities of God. I don't ever want to put him in a box.

Have a great Saturday! Hoping I'll be able to share more tomorrow.

1 Year

I can't believe it's been one year. A year seems like a long time but memories from one year ago seem so fresh. I'm in fact in the same terminal that I was in exactly one year ago. With a semi-photographic memory, everything seems so vivid still. The emotion is still very there. The thought process is similar.

Thankfully this flight is for a good reason. I get to see my husband. I miss him so much and I get to be there with him during this super hard time. Looking back on the year, so many good things have happened. God has definitely ruled and reigned high and I couldn't imagine being here today without him. Whenever i hurt or an overjoyed, I get to openly and erratically get to talk to him all the time. And his blessings are ever-flowing.

I just hope that with the year that has passed, we can look ahead at an amazing future that God has laid before each and every one of his daughters and sons.

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;I will turn the darkness into light before themand make the rough places smooth.These are the things I will do;I will not forsake them.
-Isaiah 42:16 (NIV)

Thanks be to God!

The Cross

The Cross and Resurrection

I just read an awesome little book called The Case For Easter by Lee Strobel. Once again, he used his journalistic skills to investigate the claims for the cross and resurrection, as to whether they actually happened. WOW. I am already a believer but if anything, it strengthened my faith and what I had already believed.

The three points he wanted to pursue were 1) whether Jesus actually died on the cross as the bible said, 2) whether the body of jesus was actually resurrected, and 3) whether he had actually appeared to people after the resurrection. These are three things that people could most definitely get stuck on if they are wanting logical, straight-forth answers about what happened from Good Friday to Easter Sunday.

As a believer already, the one thing in the book that hit me the most was the description of the crucifixion by a doctor and christian that Strobel interviewed. He had modern-day diagnosis' for what Jesus was physically going through. From his lashings the day of his death, what he was dealing with as he carried the cross to Calvary, and a descriptive explanation to what happens during a crucifixion. His descriptions where often hard to read, not only for it's gruesome nature, but because of what it all ended up meaning.

It was MY SIN that held him there. Yes it was the sin of all mankind, but that includes ME. It was hard to take. The verse that I have on my wrist is Galatians 2:20. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." He gave Himself for Me. How amazing is it that Jesus, the creator of the universe, was thinking of me when he was going through the most pain a man could go through.

At the end of the chapter, Stobel posed a heartfelt question to the straight-shooting doctor: what would motivate someone to take on such a horrible death? His answer could be summed up in one word: LOVE. But this is what he said:

"Frankly, I don't think a typical person could have done it. But Jesus knew what was coming, and he was willing to go through it, because this was the only way He could redeem us - by serving as our substitute and paying the death penalty that we deserve because of our rebellion against God. That was His whole mission in coming to earth."

In one word, it was Love. Pure, unmatched love. How thankful am I for that love. I can't even begin to express. I hope you see how much Jesus loves you. And if you don't believe that Jesus died and was risen from the dead, take a look at The Case For Easter. It could show you what you've been missing. Be brave enough to see what God is trying to show you.

When I Am Weak...

"That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Cor 12:10

These words are very amazing and I keep hearing them lately. It's amazing to think that sometimes I act as if I can live this life on my own, without God. Then sometimes, I am jolted back into the real world...the world that I can't live this on my own and that is okay. Because as the verse says, when I am weak, my Jesus is STRONG!

It's hard to live each any every day with this mind set, but I pray that I can start each day knowing that Jesus is on my side. That he wants good and not bad for me. But I know that I can persevere no matter what, because HE IS STRONG.

Thank you Jesus. Amen.

The Truth

“[Dispute Over Whose Children Jesus’ Opponents Are] To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”” - John 8:31-32

I am not a biblical scholar and I am not trying to be. In my blogs, all I want to do is explain the way the verse touched my life and hopefully it can open the eyes of someone else the way it did to me.

This verse captivated me with the last line. It says, "The truth will set you free." How many times have you heard this in a movie or maybe in a scolding? Usually in those instances it's talking about us telling the truth. In this instance, Christ wants to bring us into a place of sweet relief. That weight that you carry around will be gone, if you just believe in him.

Now when I read this it made me realize something about non-Christians, or at least ones that might be on the fence seem to look at Christianity. They see this relationship as the rules and the can nots in our lives. God didn't tell us to do these things because he didn't want us to have fun or enjoy life, he did it so we could live life to the fullest. If Joe Shmoe doesn't want to be a Christian because he wants to go out there and sleep with the whole town, that sucks. Christ knows how bad that will be in the long run.

For me, it's always been hard for me to see the long term in situations. We live in a place that constantly puts the "now" right in front of us. I fall into that trap a lot of the time. But when you come to a place where you are able to look at a scenario and say 'how is this going to affect me in 5 minutes, next week, 10 years', the scenarios change.

That's all for now. My a.d.d. is kicking in, but I hope you realize how awesome it is to have a relationship with Jesus and how loved you will feel by the creator of the universe.