There is hope

I am reading a book right now titled A Whole New Mind by Daniel Pink. I picked it up on a whim while waiting for a delayed plane in Denver. I have begun to fall in love with what this book is saying. I haven't gotten that far into it yet, but it's all about how right brain thinkers are on the rise. Gone are the days of needing a super logical, decisive brain. The doctors and lawyers are changing their job descriptions because their jobs are not so decisive any more.

So, what does this have to do with Jesus?

Now, many people are searching for a spiritual side of life. They are searching for meaning. Many more artists are on the rise and many more are claiming to be spiritual whatever that means to them . . .

I think that this opens a door for Jesus. He has an opportunity to be seen for what he is. Maybe this is a new era of Religion.

What Else Do We Want?

In 1 Corinthians 4

* 1 COR 4:7-8
I may not have interpreted this the correct way but it makes me think of this . . .
-What do I want that I don't already have? AND if I have what I want, than why am I acting like I didn't receive it? This causes us to be boastful because we are being satisfied by something else other than God. (aka- still missing something and aren't truly happy) How can we act like all is well without God?

For example, this is something I want to make sure I don't do, as hard as it can be sometimes:

WANT= Happines
BF= Happy/Satisfied
GOD= ??

Where does that leave God? There's no space for him. I wouldn't need Him, to satisfy anything. (Like Andrew has said- when we are happy do we usually need God?)

While it's ok to be happy now that I have a boyfriend (Andrew) I can't distract myself with the fact that I should be satisfied by God, FIRST! He should be what fills me up, then all the rest falls into place. Having a boyfriend should be the "icing on the cake" if you will. And having a Godly "guy" haha like Andrew in my life is truly a blessing,and to be able to share this relationship we have with GOD with eachother makes everything work well, and the way it's supposed to.

It should be:

WANT= Happiness
GOD= Happy/Satisfied
BF= Shares in happiness/God relationship

I just want those of you in relationships to really take this seriously. As I think I have spoken about previously, you have to have a relationship with Him before one with anyone else, or it just won't be successful. Girls especially, be in everything for all the right reasons, and make decisions accordingly --> I'll be listening to my own advice as well as I go through life and make decisions.

<3 LNV

P.S. Andrew is out in Yellowstone! He'll be back soon :(

Not Yet Mature

In 1 Corinthians 3

We are humans and are all still immature in our faith/spiritual life . . . we can't yet handle all that it entails. Will we ever be able to fully understand?

God is key in our life and we need him for any and everything. If we try to do some things on our own we will always find there is a vital piece missing, and as a result of that, we will remain unsuccessful without Him. We need Him, and I think we all know that, we just don't face it sometimes.

God laid down a foundation for us. Our job is to build upon it in the right way. We are not supposed to ignore what God has done for us and try to lay a foundation of our own.(Making other things our foundation instead of God- putting other things before God). We would be destroying God's work and His gift/grace for us. It won't work!

Foundation: Faith in God --> all we are to live by and if we try to replace it by other things to make our life "complete" than we aren't living up to God's plan and purpose for our lives . . . he gave us this foundation for a reason! We can't make anything else our main focus over God, or all will go wrong.(Like materials things, etc.) Can you think of anything that you have placed before God, or put in His place ?

* 1 COR:10-11

<3 LNV

Selfless Act of Giving

Andrew and I decided to jump into the book of 1 CORINTHIANS! So, here goes . . .

Just as Paul was called to be an apostle of Jesus, by Gods will, some of us are also called to do great things.(1 COR:1) Those that are called, people give thanks to because they bring light to others. They will venture off to serve equipt with all knowledge they need and lacking in nothing. (Makes me think of James 1:4"Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything".

What comes to mind when reading the first part of Chapter 1 is Missionaries! They are called from God and therefore impact so many lives. It truly has to be the will of God for someone to lay down their life for not only God, but everyone. It is a very self-less life. Missionaries are setting a good example for all of us, because shouldn't we all be living that way anyway? Thinking of others instead of ourselves first, giving to give and not ask anything in return, and making a difference in someone's life . . . aren't those all things everyone wants? I think that defines being truly happy!

Keep Andrew in your prayers as he is prepping for life in the Mission field, and pray for me to have it on my heart.

<3 LNV

Listening is Key

On that same note, Andrew had a point! :)

Often times we find ourselves reading the bible like we read a textbook for school. We skim and don't really comprehend and then we aren't able to apply what we read because we didn't learn anything.

The Bible holds such powerful and important things to live by. God's speaks to us through it, and how are we going to "just read" to say we did? Or how can we read it and then just put it away and go on with our "lives"? It is worthless to us unless we do what we are being told, follow what we are being called to do. . .

It is like a resource to us to grow stronger in Christ and it is given to us, why are we not taking better advantage of that? Well, that's because we find excuses not to do it (too tired, not in the mood, too busy, not cool, don't have it with me, and the list goes on) I know we can all relate with this in some way.

But, the point is, it's not a textbook it is a subject we should be genuinely interested in if we plan to live our life God's way, the only way!

Let's try to read with more enthusiasm and really understand what we are reading. Andrew and I decided the best way to do this is by keeping a journal log and writing down our thoughts, comments, notes, and prayers. It is my favorite way of taking all of God in and putting what I learn to good use. It's great because you can refer back to it at anytime. What are some other ways?

<3 LNV

YO! Just do it!

"22Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

I love this. I always look at the word halfway think about it and move on with my life. It's time to give God some time to speak to me. Time to shut up and listen.

"23Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror 24and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like."

Only if we retain this information can we put it into action.

Pray

13"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

Why don't we pray enough? Why don't I pray enough? We know that we should but there is just not enough time in the day . . .or so we try to think.

Everything comes from God. Simple right? Not para mi. I sure don't need Jesus when I am happy. Everything is going right and I just wanna do my thing, but it's his thing. I tried to pray a little more today but distractions always creep in.

Maybe because we don't think that it can really happen.

17"Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. 19My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins."

It can. Righteous man Elijah shows us this. Need this, want that. Give it to Him. I gotta remind myself of that one.

I have no crops that need watering, but I sure do have some other things I need to correct.

I've been blessed with a Godly woman who is willing to help me with those.

Pray.

Best Fighting Position is on Your Knees in Hand to Hand Combat

Prayer, such a simple thing to do and yet so powerful. I don't know why sometimes I find it's hard to have prayer time. I think I get caught up in "living" and feel as though I don't have the time . . . the problem is I'm not making the time. And when I feel defeated or need somewhere to turn I need to remember that's the best thing to do, let it out to God. Turn to him because I know he wants to hear it and be there for me, for everyone.

I definitely don't do it nearly enough. That's something Andrew & I are trying to work on and hold each other accountable for. Just reminding each other how important it is to do throughout the day. Also, I think when I do pray a lot of times it's for myself. I am working on being more selfless in that area. There are plenty of people that need my prayers!

How do you make it not a routine? That's my other fear I don't want to just get into the habit of praying at certain times during the day (when I wake up, before bed, etc), because then it's more like something you HAVE to do and it ends up being not as meaningful (in my opinion).

Just some thoughts, well in the moment Pray for someone you see today!
(CH. 5) FAV VERSE- JAMES 5:16

<3 LNV

Keep that tongue in check

So, the whole thing in James where he discusses our tongues being used for evil is hitting me right in the face.

"26If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. 27 Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world." Bible gateway.

I am definitely the worst on this. I let people hear things that I would never want to hear from my pastor . . . which is the direction that I want to go. Something's gotta give.

Being a teacher of my faith is my goal, but how am I to reach this goal with out the respect of other? As said in James, teachers are held to a higher standard. It's time to live that.

I say all that to bring you this.

"13Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." 14Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." 16As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. 17Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."

I say I am going to do this or that, but I must make it happen today.

It's all about the Journey

Faith is a journey, it's not something that you are going to reach and be done with, it's an ongoing dedication to God and adopting everything that life entails . . . and I'm still learning exactly what that's like!

In James it talks about us being tempted merely by our own passions and desires and this causes us to sin. So, how do we avoid thinking like that? We need to learn to put those selfish thoughts aside so we can get on to better things . . . sounds so easy right? NOT! We are humans after all, but it's something we must work on.
FAV VERSE- JAMES 1:4(CH. 1)

I find myself being partial sometimes and that's not good. I have to be ALL IN for God in every aspect of my life or all I do is false in his eyes. I mean I know I'm not the only one who does some things right and some things wrong. . . I just need to make sure I stay away from knowing something is wrong and doing it anyway.
FAV VERSE-JAMES 2:11 (CH. 2)

I also read about how powerful the tongue is and it's interesting to think that once again we are being partial, or at least I know I can be. For example, how can I stand to say a cuss word knowing I pray meaningful things to the Lord? I should be ashamed. I mean is that saying I'm not truly loyal to Christ? We can't have both, just like the Bible says: " Neither can salt water yield fresh".
FAV VERSE- JAMES 3:9-10 (CH. 3)

Tonight I read about coming in to conflict with different things in life. I think many times the reason for a conflict or doubt in faith comes from thinking selfishly about out own desires/ wants/passions. And we will not get anything we ask for if it is based on what WE WANT, it has to be genuine and giving it up to God, trusting he will do what is best. (LET GO AND LET GOD). All of these evil things cause us to get off track. If they weren't around to tempt us don't you think we all would have done just fine? lol But that's not how it is. I think we were meant to sin so that when we reach the broken down point we turn to none but Yours Truly.
FAV VERSE- JAMES 4:14-15 (CH. 4)

I'm going to leave it at that, and for this to be our goal (Andrew & I)- " If the Lord wills it, we shall live to do this or that."

<3 LNV

Getting into the Word

I'm Lauren Verdi! :) Brief summary is: I have come a long way in my faith, but still have a long way to go.

Like my dear boyfriend Andrew <3 explained we are beginning to read more and pick apart the Bible. It will be very beneficial thing for us to do as individuals and will also benefit our relationship when sharing and discussing things together, as it is the basis of any relationship or life for that matter.

We are starting with the book of James. We will keep flipping through different books and absorbing all that we can.

Please feel free to make comments and contribute to our discussions. This should be a really fun way of "Getting into the Word" and sharing it with each other and all of you!

-LNV

Here we go in the book of James

So, Here we go . . . My name is Andrew Whelan and I am an aspiring missionary. Well. actually I've been accepted to United World Mission, so I'm just waiting on graduation and I'm outta here!

My beautiul girlfriend Lauren and I will be going through different books of the Bible and recording right here for the world to see. So go ahead, comment, help and criticize. We just wanna make sure that we are learning God's word!

Please send us some prayer requests!!

The book of James is up first since we wanna learn how to walk the walk . . . scary I know . . .