"A Simple Truth"

God never closes a door without opening a window......how true it is.

End of Transmission

"created in My image"

One thing I can say is that I am glad this week is almost over. It has been long and filled with stress. Also I have still not been sleeping despite the fact that I am on drugs to improve it. I am thinking that I will probably not be sleeping at all tonight. It's already going on 2 and I'm not feeling very tired and my Lunesta wore off some time ago. But ya know what, I may be in a bad spot right now but you know what is constant? You know what I can always rely on and Who will never leave nor forsake me? That’s right, the One who sits on the throne in heaven. He is the only reason I am still able to get out of bed in the morning. He is the source of my peace and strength. I trust Him, love Him more every day, desire to become more like Him, to tell others about Him, and above all else to give Him glory through every single word that passes through my lips, every action my body performs, and every thought my mind comes up with. Ya see folks, what I have learned this week is that our life situations don't have to define us. Sure they may bring added stress and we may worry about them from time to time. However, that is when we have to rely on God to take care of our burdens and count on Him to give us the abundant life He promises. I would say that a non-believer in my current situation would be in a private hell right now. But based on the simple fact that I have a personal relationship with Christ I am able (by His unmerited favor and love) to live in freedom of these things that try so hard to get me down. Now sure I slip up from time to time. I am a fallen creature and sin is a by product of that. However, I refuse to let satan use that to his advantage anymore. he loved to tell me how I was never good enough, how this "Christian thing" just wasn't going to work out, how I was just too weak. Now I look at it from a 2 Corinthians kind of perspective:
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.
2 Corinthians 12:8-10
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 Corinthians 12:9-11

Now, for the reason of this entry. A certain issue I have been thinking of lately is being created in God's image.
Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
Genesis 1:25-27
Genesis 1:27
So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
I know that this expression is taught and talked about a lot. My question is have you ever really sat down and contemplated the implications of this. It would have been enough if our loving God would have only created us but He loved us so much that He wanted us to bear His own personal likeness. Do you realize the depths of which He treasures and loves us based on that fact alone? I watched people today and yesterday in the student center. People drinking coffee, sharing a story with a friend, reading newspapers, sitting in front of the fireplace, working on their computers. As I looked at every face do you know what I saw? I saw God's stamp of approval on every one of them. He loves every single one of them equally for the pleasure and glory they bring Him and the fellowship they provide Him with. I think a man much smarter than I said it best......"Wanna see God? Do you have a mirror?
God Bless,
~N

"Sleep.....Where Art Thou??"

Hey there,
Figured it was more than time for an update. As I have stated before the mood has to hit me right to write and as you can see it hasn't for almost a month. Anyways, things have been going well. Just trying to keep up with everything this last year in Nursing school throws at me. I was able to score pretty well on my first two nursing tests so it’s nice to begin with some breathing room (that’s not to say I'm gonna slack off for the next two). My relationship with God has really improved lately as well which is always a good thing. I got pretty far astray the last time and I never want to return to that desolate place ever again. It's amazing how many times simple distractions that hold no eternal value and mean absolutely nothing can throw us off course. It really makes you wonder....where on earth would we be without His eternal grace and love. I've often said that if I were God I would put me beneath hell. Thankfully I'm not and He possesses a love that I will never fully comprehend. The one thing in life right now that is kinda sucky is the fact that I CANNOT SLEEP!!! It really has been over a month that I have had a decent night's rest. I'm beginning to think that insomnia is hereditary. Reason being is that my dad has one of the worst sleeping patterns I have seen and I have noticed that I am following in his footsteps. I'm gonna give it till next week and then I'm going to go and see the nurse practitioner. I really cannot continue on in this state and it is really beginning to affect my relationships and schoolwork. I believe that God can provide me with the rest I need but if the answer to my repeated prayers lies in a pill then so be it.
Till Next Time,
~N