New Year...New Me?

It's that time of year again. Everyone's ready to put the past behind them and move forward. With New Year's resolutions, we make promises to ourselves, and commitments that we often don't keep. Yet somehow, every year we do it again, as if we've changed and will be committed to keeping our resolutions for the coming year. We tell ourselves things like "its a new year", "a new me", "a new chance to do the things I've been meaning to do," and we continue to ignore the fact that we said this all last year, and the year before that, and the year before that, and the year before that, and never in all those years have we ever stuck to any commitments for the whole year. Why do we do this to ourselves? It's really kind of comical actually. We trick ourselves into believing that every year will be drastically different.
Why don't we wake up every day and tell ourselves, "today I'm going to stop procrastinating and get done the things I should get done," and live every day in the moment, instead of staying up one night a year to make promises intended to last 365 days?? I mean who is possibly going to be able to stay committed to something like "eating healthy from now on" or "exercising everyday" or "never saying another cuss word"?? We make impossible promises to ourselves only to let ourselves down! Why don't we just take everything one day at a time, and know that we aren't perfect, and that we are going to make mistakes and have days where all we want to do is eat, be lazy, and cuss out every person we see driving that day? If we could only accept that no one is perfect, and resolutions don't happen over night...
But then again...
America is a country where people will come up with any excuse for a holiday...I guess we might as well have fun with it ;)
I hope for all of you that this is a year for daily renewal& self acceptance! Go out& live your life with love, meaning& purpose! Happy New Years Everyone!
Love,
Haeli

Merrrrrrry Christmas Everybody

 Hey everyone! I hope you're having a wonderful Christmas and remember Jesus today because after all, He's the reason for the season!! :D Love You All & Happy Holidays!

True Story: Too Much Hate& Not Enough Love

If Jesus is "the way and the truth and the life"...why don't more Christians try to live like Jesus did?

Love Will Keep Us Together

 You know that song "All You Need Is Love" by The Beatles? Of course you do ;) But have you ever thought about how true those words really are? In my Sociology of Religion class last week my instructor started teaching us about the ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche...interesting man he was. His philosophy was basically that we are all animals and should behave like them, and should not condemn evil practices because really and truly evil does not exist. Evil is something we human beings have made up, and that natural instincts have over many many years become immoral or evil acts. For example, you wouldn't say that an animal killing another animal is evil would you? Isn't it just another act of nature? Nietzsche, I might also add, was a very respectful man; he respected Jesus Christ and what he stood for, and simply did not believe that Jesus was the Son of God.

Nietzsche might have had a point...if I believed that all we humans really are is animals...no different than our own pets. One might say that it is possible that society has changed us over the years, and that the only difference between human beings and other animals is that people have created moral values or societal rules that go against the grain of nature, keeping us one step ahead of any animal on the planet. My question to this is simply..."What is it then that lies inside of us human beings which makes us feel the need to create these moral boundaries if there is no real need for them?" Now you may have a different answer than mine. And if you do, that is completely fine, and I respect whatever that may be.

But my answer is simply....our souls.

They thirst for something more. Something bigger than ourselves. Something bigger than this world. Our souls are the difference between us and the animals of this earth. They are what set us apart. They were given to us for that very reason. We were made to wonder "What does it all mean?". We were created to live for something bigger than ourselves. We were made to search for something...or really someone. We were DESIGNED to crave our own creator. And because of this...we were created to live a life filled with the love of our creator.

Love is a beautiful thing if you think about it. It means being vulnerable, and trusting one another. Some, like Nietzsche, might say "Why do we need love?". And my answer to that is simply...Love is what will allow us all to survive with one another. Refusing it is what will destroy us.

We were designed to live in love because we were designed by Love itself.

Is anybody else feeling drained?...I don't know about you guys but I know for me sometimes it seems like with every passing day a little bit of energy is taken from me...in fact usually by mid-day I am completely worn out...especially on days like today. Today was one of those..."Wow I had a really good morning and everything got really chaotic really quickly" kind of days...and it's days like today that I need time to unwind.
God can bring us the rest we need if we allow him.
In fact he tells us this in His word.
Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30:
  "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."
Jesus tells us that we will find our rest in Him, and yet sometimes we still reject His Spirit. He is calling out to us...waiting for us...waiting for us to lay down our burdens at His feet so that he may take them up and give us the gift of His spirit, free and easy, light-hearted and full of joy and hope.
If you haven't spent much time with God today or even lately...I strongly encourage you do! Because nothing brings relief like being in the arms of the One who sets us free!
BRING HIM YOUR BURDENS TODAY!!

Sincerly, I Love You...

Hmmm...sometimes we just want to be missed...cared for...we just want to feel loved. Without having to tell someone we want these things I might add haha...they should just come right? Sometimes we want someone to say I love you or I miss you or to do something spontaneous for us to show that they care just because they do.
We want to be loved and missed because we hold such a special place in someone's heart that they think about us without something or someone reminding them of us. We don't want to be told that we are loved just because someone feels sorry for us or because they feel that "everyone should be told that they are loved and missed." Because though these words are still good and can still be healing when truly coming from the heart...they just aren't as meaningful as when someone tells us they love us just simply because they do...because they think about us...our laugh, smile, personality, warm heart, or fun-loving spirit...but more than that because they've created a bond with us...their heart is tied to ours...and we simply mean something to them...because we are alive their life is that much better.
We should totally tell everyone we love them and show that love to everyone, but next time you tell someone you miss them or love them...think about why you're telling them before you tell them. Think about how much God loves us and how He loves each and every one of us individually for our own personalities, for our own ups and downs, for our own special qualities that make us uniquely us...and then tell someone you love them with your whole heart...think of all their traits and qualities that make you love them no matter what they may be. Because a sincere "I love you" means a lot more than a simple "I love you."

   A friend gave me a mug for graduation 2 years ago, and the mug reads, "Wherever you go, go with all your heart," and honestly I never really thought deeply enough about that until right now. I of course thought it was awesome when she gave it to me back then, but I'm not sure I really thought about that saying in a very deep context, more so of just a "give it all you've got" kinda deal...but as I'm reading it now...it seems like much more.    

  

   Our heart& soul are God's way of guiding us through life...when we become filled with His Holy Spirit, his love and joy and direction fill our hearts like never before, and from then on we rely not on our own wants and desires, but God's. The way I see it...our hearts or souls are God's gateway into our lives...and when God fills your heart, you better believe He's going to want to fill it fully! If you are listening to what God is telling you, and yet still clinging on to your own desires at many times...you aren't allowing Him to fill your heart COMPLETELY and FULLY...you aren't going at Him "with all your heart." 

   The thing is once we DO learn to go at God with all our hearts, we soon learn that going at everything else with all our hearts becomes a lot easier because like I said God isn't a halfway kinda guy...He's the whoooole enchilada kinda guy! 

   "Wherever you go, go with all your heart..." I don't think we realize how important it truly is to do this...to actually act this out. We are human, which means unless it's something we are totally all for, more than likely we will only do it halfway...do enough to get it done and be done, so usually going at something will all our heart is hard for us, or maybe it's just that we are so used to going at things halfway that we do it sub-consciously, but either way we don't do it. And honestly, what does life amount to if we go through it only  doing what we want to do all the time, and not giving it all we've got when we aren't doing exactly what we want? I want my life to amount to more than that! I want to go all in all the time living constantly according to God's will for my life! Because now I can see that not going with all my heart wherever I go...is only going halfway...and God is not a halfway kinda God...

   There are always going to be times in our lives where we don't want to do what we know God is calling us to do, or we don't want to go where He is calling us to go...but what if instead of disobeying or simply being obedient, we went where God wanted us to with all our hearts?...EXCITED, DETERMINED, STRONG-WILLED, and READY to pursue the life God has planned out for us? What kind of difference might we make then?

   Needless to say...that mug means a lot more to me now.

I wanna start a revolution...a JESUS REVOLUTION!!!!!...Who's with me??!

   So, I've been really discouraged lately...my best friend Kara moved back to Dallas for school this past weekend, and soon my other best friend Christine will be moving for good to Greenville, TN to follow God's mission for her life. I know I should be extremely happy they are both really going places and following God's lead in their lives...but I can't help it...what a I supposed to do when the two people I'm closest to in this world are moving away from me...sure, maybe just a phone call away...but none-the-less...hours and hours of driving distance away. I know I'll be able to call them if I want to talk to them, and I know that it's not that they just want to leave me...but still...it isn't going to be possible for me to just pick up and drive to see them every weekend if I want to from now on...I won't get to see them as much, hug them as much, hang out with them as much...or stay nights with them while watching glee or having long conversations as much...the truth is I'll probably only see them once or twice a year now...I hate growing up.
   But I've been praying about this a lot lately...because I'm not the type to just give in to my sadness...I WILL find a way to get through this...and God is always there to pull me up and dust me off. So it's gotten me thinking a lot about things to be thankful for and productive things to do when I feel the sadness coming on. I'm thankful for my family and friends who love me...no matter where they are in the world. I'm thankful for Christ's sacrafice for my salvation, and the second chance I receive every time I ask for forgiveness, or the fact that although I may feel pain one day...the next day always brings promise of joy and renewal. I have so much to be thankful for, and truly there are so many out there who are so much more worse off than me...and true, thinking about this doesn't always help me to feel any better about my circumstances, but getting out and helping others with their problems does. I find that when I focus on the good and helping others...it gets me through the day...and keeps me fighting that much longer.
   So I guess my challenge for you is to find out what you're thankful for...and if you don't know what you're thankful for, take some time helping out others in your church or school or town that need someone with a servant's heart, and more than likely, you'll soon find lots of things to be grateful for. God's blessings are sometimes small and sometimes very big...but either way, don't let the let downs in life convince you that there are no blessings in life...no gifts to be thankful for because every day is a blessing in itself. If you're going through a rough patch like me...the best thing you can do is remember to not give up on God because He never gives up on you... (:
   God Bless& Have A Wonderful Day!!
   Love,
     Haeli

For myself...and for the world..

   May we use the times when we feel weak as an opportunity to lean on God's strong shoulders, the times when we feel speechless as an opportunity to just listen, the times when we feel useless as an opportunity to help others find their purpose, the times when we feel angry as an opportunity to find laughter, the times when we feel jealous as an opportunity to realize our blessings, the times when we feel heartbroken as an opportunity to visit the one and only Healer, and the times when we feel all alone...as an opportunity to be alone...with the One who can bring us more comfort than we've ever known...this is my prayer. 

"Oh How He Loves Us..."

Psalm 103:8-14
8 The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
9 He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
10 he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his love for those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west,
so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
13 As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
14 for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.

Living Clay Youth Video

A City On Our Knees

"Satan trembles when he sees the weakest saint upon his knees."
Prayer is our secret weapon my friends...embrace it!!!

Sleep for Thought

FRESHMAN YEAR OF COLLEGE 2008----I was going to bed almost everynight around 2 if not LATER..and then waking up for 8:00 am classes EVERYDAY!!
END OF SOPHOMORE YEAR 2010----I'm wondering how I EVER did that! and thinking of how that one year may have possibly screwed up my metabolism, my thought process, my reaction time, my eating habits, my decision making, and many other bodily functions im not aware of in that one year! And now I've been working another year to get it all flowing normally again. Haha. I have officially realized just how much sleep does for the body...mentally and physically and emotionally and in every other kind of way! So best advice for newcoming college students and well...people in general want to dramatically improve their weight, studying habits, and any kind of skills necessary to get through the day? START WITH GETTING YOUR SLEEP!!! Recommendation is AT LEAST 8 hours if not 9! :)

A Day Spent With God

Hey guys...sooo I meant to post this up yesterday...but boy was it a busy day! haha!

Soooo God gave me a little lesson on patience today. Haha! Woke up at about 6:45ish to go wait in line from about 7:20ish to 4:00...which is when we FINALLY got to sign up for our rooms for next year! lol SO! waited in a line for about 8 and 1/2 hours...and my computer only lasted about the first hour and a half because from where I was sitting my power chord couldn't reach the wall power outlet...hmmmm good thing I'm not too high maintenance! haha although...my butt was DEFINITELY hurting after only a bit even though i had a blanket to sit on. Eventually I started sending picture messages to my friends who I'm sure were thrilled with every new message bahaha! ;)
But anyways...it made me realize how silly in all reality it is that I would spend that much time waiting in a line for something with as little importance as what room I'll stay in next year...I mean honestly, no matter what room I actually ended up staying in, I know God would take care of me...He's still God no matter what! Yet, for some reason...there I was waiting in line so I could sign up for a single room in the dorm I wanted...why is that? Why is it that I would wait in line for literally HOURS for something I know in the end has no real importance, and yet don't spend 8 hrs every day in prayer or devotion to God? Don't get me wrong, God is in my heart all day and I carry him with me everywhere I go, but I wonder why there isn't one day every week or month or year even that I spend in complete seclusion and submission to God...a complete day of worship, prayer, devotion, fasting, and whatever else God leads me to do. Food for thought I guess.
Honestly, it sounds like a wonderful idea to me! I think I'll do more thinking and praying about this because if you think about it, don't we all have days we wish we could just get away from the busyness of life, away from the people and things that destract us, and just spend the day with God? I definitely do. And I think from now on I will. Maybe it's something you guys would be interested in too? Well I'll catch back up later! Have an awesome day& God bless!

Seek And You Shall Find

Hey everyone!
So this morning has been great so far! I had breakfast with my friend Anna, and even though breakfast is usually my time that I like to sit and listen to my iPod while I read my Bible or devotional or whatever little inspiring book I feel like reading that morning, I loved sitting with Anna even just for the few brief moments because it reminded me that sometimes our days don't go exactly as planned...but if we appreciate every moment for what it is, or look back on how nice it actually was, instead of how it could have been, we tend to find the beauty in every moment. There are a lot of times in my life like this...really beautiful moments that I never seem to seize...but I want to change that. I want to recognize God's fingerprints on every situation in my life! Or maybe its more about creating opportunities than it is recognizing...maybe it's more about me opening my mind and allowing God to lead the way to all different kinds of opportunities that are only right outside my door.

I read a story in this book called "Sister Freaks" and the book is about women and girls who gave up everything they had to follow God's plan for their lives, and how they impacted the people around them.

One of the stories I read was about a girl named Janine Ramer. The girl died at the young age of 16, but boy were people affected by her life, EVEN AFTER she died! This was an ordinary girl with an outgoing personality that was truly a gift from God...she was obedient to the Spirit and not only obedient, but SEEKING! She wasn't just waiting and listening for the right opportunities, she was seeking out opportunities wherever she could! And it really got me thinking...why can't I do the same? Why don't I build up the courage, or better yet allow God to set me free of my insecurties and worries, and seek out opportunities and people to love on and minister to everyday?? There's no reason available, aside from my own fear.
And I DO NOT want to let fear stand in my way!
Not any more.
So today I'm going to try something new, and I'll let you know how it goes! I'm going to do more than just wait and listen...I'm going to seek out people for my self. I'm going to allow God to transform me even more so than He already has, and try to make a difference in the lives of those around me!
I encourage you guys to do the same. Ask yourself: "Am I waiting, or seeking?" Go make a difference! Go change someone's day...or maybe their life. Go show someone the love Christ shows us everyday.

Show Love

So...I got to thinking...what if everyone around the world showed love to everyone they came in contact with today? What if it was just one person? Big impact no matter what right? Showing love to those around you can be as simple as a

smile.

wave.

or even a hug.

Tell someone you love them today. Tell someone God loves them today. Show some love and whether you believe it or not...make the world a better place for at least one more person today.