Hope

"For I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and floods on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit on your descendants, and My blessing on your offspring." -Isaiah 44:3

"There may be pain in the night -- but JOY comes in the morning." <3
~After a long night comes the light!~

"Giving thanks" and "miracles"

John 1:1-14 ~ Jesus feeding the five thousand! 

My thoughts after reading this passage... it's funny how you can read a passage for so long and then one day you learn something new/something different stands out! Here's what I learned today: 

Jesus already knows. He asks the questions to test and reveal what is already in our hearts (v 5-6). Money isn't the answer. Jesus is! (v 7). He chooses the weak, the foolish, the unexpected. And He calls us to simply obey (v 9-10). He had it all planned and even gave them grass to sit more comfortably! (v 10). He gave thanks before the miracle, revealing the importance of a heart of gratitude (v 11). The people ate as much as they wanted and they were filled. There was even a lot left over. God is more than enough and sometimes He will surprise us that way (v 11-13). Aspect of faith -- they saw and believed (v 2&14) but nowadays we don't see Jesus physically. It's a little different! But blessed are those who believe without seeing.


The thing that stood out to me most this time was how Jesus gave thanks before the miracle happened. I don't know what He was giving thanks for -- if it was general or specific, but all I know is that He gave thanks. It shows me the importance of a heart of gratitude. Also, faith in His providence distinguishes this passage! He cares more than we think. It's cool how He chooses the weak and foolish things to shame the wise.

panini cafe in Corona del Mar

A New Thing...

"Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert." 
-Isaiah 43:18&19

Isaiah 43:13

~nothing can reverse God's work~

"Indeed before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?" -Is. 43:13

God is with you.

At the end of Isaiah chapter 42 it talks about people not listening to God and the consequences of that. We reap what we sow. If we are children of God and we have idols in our life, of course they will be destoyed, or we will be destoyed by them! The last verse (25) says "it has set him on fire all around, yet he did not know; and it burned him, yet he did not take it to heart." So many times we are unaware of the damage of our own sinfulness.. This passage was powerful. In the beginning of Isaiah 43 it talks about God being with you through the fire. This passage has spoken to me many times about not worrying about the future -- but this time around I read it in a way that God has already protected me from the fire of my past. It's a good reminder of the faithfulness of God.

New quarter, New year

Hey! It's a new quarter. :) And a new year! Crazy. The classes I'm taking this quarter: two Spanish classes and one Italian class. I'm looking forward to the new quarter. Crazy that I'm graduating soon.... Crazy! Work has been good -- such a blessing. And I'll be teaching piano lessons again soon so I'm really looking forward to that. 

Stuff I'm learning:
Lean on God's strength. Really, in our own strength we can do nothing. We fail so much. We become fearful and prideful. And He can do so much more with our lives than we can do with them. 

Also, it's ALL about relationship. If your works fail, if your plans fail, expectations fail, etc...what is left? If you don't have a relationship with God you might find yourself bitter after bad things happen. But if you take the time to know who God is, who He really is, you can still have joy and hope in something that lasts -- and that's a relationship with Him. 

Exercise a little faith! Faith is what pleases God. And faith leads to a life worth living -- life involves taking risks! Taking risks inquires faith! 

Happy New Years from Peet's :)