YEAR OF THANKS

The past few years have been challenging to say the least. I've been through too much and I am declaring that 2015 will be my YEAR OF THANKS! I want to renew my relationship with God, learning His word, growing spiritually, and letting it all take root in my life! With the new year I had already challenged myself, that every morning when my alarm goes off to immediately open my Bible app and read the scripture for the day. Then, on Joyce Meyer Ministries Facebook page, they have been posting so many wonderful daily devotionals (which I have been reading). As well, they have issued different challenges, the #YEAROFTHANKS challenge (which I will be doing), and the 3030 challenge (I didn't sign-up for but, in essence I will be doing anyway).

For my Year of Thanks challenge I am going to post something I am thankful for in my life each month. This will help me in different ways. It will help me spiritually, it will also help me to overcome the fear of expressing what I am thankful for. In the past, when I have praised or shown appreciation for something in my life - to me - I felt that it was taken away from me. I know God does not want me to live in fear and if I continue to be afraid, then that negativity will consume my life. I want to be happy, God wants me to be happy, and I know this is the route to my happiness. This is the journey He wants me to take...

JANUARY

So, to start off my Year of Thanks Challenge, the first thing above all else that I am irrevocably thankful for is God. Without Him by my side, I don't know how I would have survived everything that I have. I know He was with me when I was in the hospital, I know He's been with me through the darkest of times, and He always will be. He has understood when I have been mad and He remains patiently by my side. "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you." Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV 

For the past couple of years I have sort of crept into this depression where I thought I wasn't getting "the good things in life" because, for some reason, God wasn't rewarding me. My entire mind-set was wrong and because I wasn't studying His word or working on our relationship, that depression fueled those delusional thought patterns. After losing so much and having to move back in with my parents, when I'm well into my 30's now, is rather depressing. However, my faith tells me that God has a plan and I should not seek worldly desires. What I want for my life isn't necessarily what God wants or has had planned. "Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." Hebrews 13:5 ESV

I pray that God will continue to guide and teach me, that I continue to grow, and to honor Him. Through His timing, that I walk His chosen path for my life that He has blessed me with. I praise God for everything that He has blessed me with in my life so far and look forward to what He still has in store for my future. I pray for those less fortunate than I am, that He work in their lives, and that we all work together to glorify Him. Amen.

The Writing Is In The Sand

The Writing Is In the Sand

ICHTUS

We hear about Christians being persecuted and savagely murdered over seas and it seems like we, as a people, have been in this lethargic slumber that we didn't rise to the call. Where are the actors pulling together in aide? Because religion is such a taboo? Are we so desensitized to such brutality that we rather look the other way while history continues to repeat itself. It's no news that Christians have been mistreated, imprisoned, tortured, and killed because or our faith. But, you would think in this day and age that surely, this wouldn't be happening. Think again!

Muslim "Nun" Symbol

History has taught us that Christians and people of faith have been prosecuted over and over again. ICHTUS fish for different reasons, but nonetheless, they used a symbol in a spiritual, positive message. We are blessed living in the US that we can proudly display our symbols of faith without persecution. While people are dying overseas because of a symbol that expresses "Nun". It is the Muslim letter for Nun and an extremest group are using it to mark Christians; the Nazarene.
Christians, way before the 3rd century, were using symbols to communicate their faith. They used the symbol of the

Let's Break This Down

Seeing a posting about how Christians today are being beheaded and made to leave their homes, I wanted to learn more. Reading over article after article, I came across an article written by Rod Dreher (July 19th, 2014) where he states "The genocidal Muslims of ISIS used it to mark Christian houses, businesses, and properties" the article continues that these individuals (ISIS) are using this mark as a mark of shame (The American Conservative, Mosul Christians: And Then There Were Nun). This is a great article to read because I really liked how it expressed that ISIS are using this as a mark of shame, but in reality and for those of faith, it is a mark of hope.

ISIS is a collection of individuals that have broken from another group more recognizable called Al-Qaeda. What is the deal with ISIS? Here is another great article pointing out what they want, compiled by Zack Beauchamp (August 8th, 2014), Beauchamp states that "ISIS wants to establish a caliphate" (Vox, 16 things about ISIS and Iraq you need to know). What's a caliphate? Basically a caliphate is led by a caliph, who would be the political and religious leader who is a successor (caliph) to the Islamic prophet Muhammad (thank you Google search). They are part of a very intricate war waged a long, long time ago and has only been further complicated by political agendas. What's new, right?

Cause and Effect

On August 7th, 2014 the US took actions to strike ISIS. Why? Because there were innocent people held up on a mountain and ISIS had them cornered without provisions for their survival = genocide. Now what? We have to sit and hold our breaths between this conflict, the boarder issues, and the Ebola outbreak. It's enough that all people should have their eyes wide open. Some say that this crisis doesn't matter, that the US should focus more on what is going on at home (there are plenty of issues). 

What I believe we could do as a united people, is to show our support for those afflicted the most. As a people of faith we pray for them. Since we are blessed to live in the land of liberties, we can proudly display our symbols of faith. I remember reading once how a supremacy wanted to mark the forehead of their people to demonstrate their loyalty to their causes and that these people were to bow down to the supremacy, to worship them. People of faith that cannot do this because God is the only God and they were to worship only to him. They were killed or persecuted when they refused the mark yielding to their faith.

So What Now? 

Would you display the "Nun" symbol? 

I know driving around I see the ICHTUS all the time. If you were living in a region where there was a group like ISIS, would you still be driving around with the ICHTUS on your vehicle? Or would you fear if you came home from work and saw that someone had spray painted the Muslim letter Nun on your house marking your religious beliefs? 

Originally, I had started to compile information and write this post because I wanted to show support for those being affected. When I thought about how they must be feeling, I couldn't help but to think this has been happening for way too long and something needs to be done. Plus, I got really aggravated because there isn't more being done.  

What is your take on what is going on?

Links

The American Conservative, Mosul Christians: And Then There Were Nun

Religion Facts, The Christian Fish Symbol

Vox, 16 things about ISIS and Iraq you need to know