Life Cycles

It is strange and wonderful how life runs in cycles. We are born helpless naked and needing help for every basic task, and then strangely, after a lifetime of self sufficiency, we often end up right back where we started from.

In autumn, we witness the end of the warm season and the death or hibernation of nature. Plants go dormant or die. Animals crawl into their burrows to wait for spring. And then, after winter has done its worst...everything wakes up again! It is an ordinary miracle - just like many others- that we take for granted.

We were made in the image of God, perfect and whole. Humans are His crowning creation. And then we fell. Adam and Eve rebelled, deciding they knew better than God. But they didn't, and we don't still.

Which is the reason why Jesus had to come, to show us the way back to God and to return us to what God had in mind all along: saints perfectly loving and serving a perfect, loving God.
So now, even though our outward shells are dying slowly day by day, inwardly we are being renewed by the grace of God.*

 And there is nothing more pleasing or satisfying than coming full circle, back to where you need to be.

*"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
" 2Cor. 4:15

{These are Blessings Indeed!}

I must say, I've been blessed. Truly, truly blessed. You all have blessed me! God has smiled on me.
And I don't say that in a cliche "ohymgoodness" sort of way....I really mean it.

The fact that I'm even alive today is a miracle.
The fact that I have a supporting circle of loving people is a true, real gift.
That fact that I have a loving family, and a beautiful, safe home to live in is worth celebrating too!

But today, what I'm thinking of the most is the hearts of the those.....my friends and family....who decided that the dream God gave me of going to Romania, and loving on those lovely, needy people was worth sponsoring.
Worth praying for.
Worth believing in me for.

It's amazing to me!
Because, really, even if I told everything I know and feel about Romania, and what God has said so far to me about it....and even if I admitted that I don't know exactly why I'm going or what will come of it.....it doesn't seem matter to you all!

I'm not talking just about monetary giving for my trip here. (No, but in that respect, I've been extremely blessed as well! Everything has been provided for! Many, many thanks...) I'm thinking of the love, the kind words, the prayers that these folks have given me....each was special!

And I think I'm just standing in awe of God right now.
How He works things out and, how he worked this out for me.
I feel so special! and yet so little, and unworthy of this trip, at the same time!
I promise I will try not to worry about my abilities because "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" and I promise to carry myself well in Romania, and serve with all my heart, soul, mind & strength! As would befit someone who has been so, so blessed....

I must thank you, my friends, my family & my church.
Love in Jesus,
~Hannah

Cheap Pleasures

Cheap Pleasures, originally uploaded by Diana827.

"That man is the richest whose pleasures are the cheapest."

We've been enjoying 'cheap', but rich pleasures like campfires, dancing, and music lately.... life is so good with God!

“The whole world is a series of miracles, but we’re so used to them we call them ordinary things.” 

—	Hans Christian Andersen

I am Very Grateful for...

the bonds of family

photographic inspiration

excellent books of poetry to devour late at night

  

the bright sunshine warming my back

new films to look forward to

the miniature spring flowers coming up everywhere!

quotes that tickle my brain

tiny, adorable animals

...and last but not least:
new Scripture to keep close & write down.

In that day you will sing:
      “I will praise you, O Lord!
   You were angry with me, but not any more.
      Now you comfort me.
 See, God has come to save me.
      I will trust in him and not be afraid.
   The Lord God is my strength and my song;
      he has given me victory.”

 With joy you will drink deeply
      from the fountain of salvation! *

What are you Very Grateful for?

Book Review: "Same Kind of Different As Me"

I've read this book recently, and I just can't get it out of my head. It touched me and moved me. It opened my eyes too...
Slavery was 'abolished' officially with the publication of the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, but did you know that not all the former slaves were free after that? Many of them kept living and working in the same conditions, for years, even up until the 1940s and 50s. Even if they were no longer slaves in name, they lived just like their forefathers and met up with their own walls of seemingly impossible challenges of their times in the quest for true freedom and equality.
This story is about how God took a son of a slave, named Denver, and used a couple called the Halls to change many, many lives. It's a redemption story. And it will make you cry in unbelief, and weep for joy.

I highly recommend the reading of it.

~Hannah

Here's Something ...

If you can't already tell, I am currently in a huge blogging slump...
Haven't felt like writing anything.
Haven't had time to write anything other than school papers,
and thoughts are flying in & out my head so fast
I have not been able to catch them lately.

So sorry about that....

But here's an interesting picture! It's of antelope bounding across the prairie out West (most likely South Dakota.) It was really beautiful out there. That trip was what taught me that I actually do love traveling; I just didn't know it.
Not sure which one of us was holding the family camera on this one though, so the credit goes to "our general family group"! lol.
I pray God that you all are well and less busy as me!
~Hannah

On Trial {God's Refining Fire For Our Faith}

    I love the "Aha!" moments. Those times when something just clicks and things get 'brighter' inside. :-) That happened to me this morning, while talking with Mom, and I thought the subject was important enough to share.

Have you ever heard those verses from the Bible that talk about trials and temptations?
You know: the "hold fast to the faith", "stand strong", and "whenever you face trials" verses?
Well, James 1:2-18 contains a good many things to be said on the subject of trials and temptations.
And where they come from and how to handle them. (Mom was studying James in her personal time this morning, and then she read James 1 aloud to me.) Here are two special verses that caught my attention, but their very juxtaposition:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (vs. 2-3)


When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. (vs. 13&14)

 The first thing I noticed as Mom was reading through it aloud (sometimes hearing a passage brings it out to our ears more than reading silently would) was that trials and temptations are not the same. Not at all. I suppose I 'knew' this, but I did not realize it! But yes, it is true. Think of Job. God was not tempting him, He was trial-ing him, if you will. Job was on trial! Why? For his faith. It's like God was saying, Job, "How much faith do you have in Me? Through how much will you 'stick' to Me?"  Because,

"In this you [should] greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials,so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ..." (1 Peter 1:6&7)

This chapter in James talks about trials and how whenever I face them, I need to remember with joy that they will produce perseverance, because they are testing my faith! To my normal human thinking, this does hardly seem something to be happy or joyful about. :( Trials always puts me in mind of Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof. He has these bad things happen to him over and over again, often right at a time that would have been otherwise joyful! His act of looking to the heavens with a sort of, "Really, God? Was that necessary?" attitude is something we all feel like doing once in a while at least...
And yet. And yet, I am to welcome trials! Why? Why is that, and, how could I?
I can do just that, and rise above the temptations and make it through the trials because I know that:

• Trials from God are refining me & my faith in Him! He is making my faith stronger and stronger; He is refining my trust & hope in Him until it is a beautiful and true as gold!
• Temptations never come from God, always from the Devil and I am tempted only because my flesh wants to be. My spirit is God's and in communion with Him, so temptations can't touch that! But I must resist the temptings, and stay on the narrow path.
• The greatest (i.e. the most faithful) of Christians from history and time were able to be and do what they did because they knew that through the trials and even in the temptations, God was with them. He never ever left them, and  still promises this to us: 

"No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it." (1 Cor. 10:13)

So there you have it. I really learned something today. Something about God (He is so merciful, and thoughtful!) and something about myself (if I trust God, I can overcome!)  :-)

Happy St. Lucias Day, Everyone!
~Hannah

- - - - - - - - - - - - - * Merry Christmas! *