resolutions for a new year

Happy New Year! It is 2011 and we have (a little less than) a full year ahead of us. I love the excitement of the new year- thinking about all that is ahead... feeling like you can start with a clean slate. And the new beginning- New Year's resolutions.

There are always resolutions to be made... I know I have made my fair share over the years. Every year since middle school I make the New Year's resolution that I will stop biting my nails once and for all. I have never ever succeeded with this. I resolve to work out more, eat better, love people better, do my job better, give more, serve God better, keep in touch with long distance friends more... the list goes on. This year I thought I would share a list of "resolutions" with you that come completely from scripture. Simple commands from our Lord- many of which I let slip through the cracks or just plain fail to do well. So, here is my list of resolutions. Maybe you will join me in this list...

In 2011 I want to...
-"pray continually." 1 Thessalonians 5:17

-"trust in the Lord with all my heart, and lean not on my own understanding" Proverbs 3:5

-Love others even when it is hard, and "lend to them without expecting to get anything back." Luke 6:35

-"Share with God's people who are in need. Practice Hospitality" Romans 12:13

-Care for orphans and widows. James 1:27

-"Let no corrupting talk come out of my mouth but only such... that it may give grace to those that hear." Ephesians 4:29

-"Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another as God in Christ forgave me." Ephesians 4:32

-Honor everyone. 1 Peter 2:17

-Put on "a compassionate heart, kindness, humility, meekness and patience." Colossians 3:12

-Read the Bible more. "faith comes from hearing, hearing through the word of Christ." Romans 10:17

-Be cheerful whenever I give to others. 2 Corinthians 9:7

-"Give thanks in all circumstances." 1 Thessalonians 5:18


posted by: Tara

confessions of a worry-wart

Worry. It creeps and seeps into the corners of my thoughts all the time. I am feeling provided for, thankful and full- thanks be to God! And then... I start to worry. I worry about how we will pay for this, that or the other thing. I worry how this day or that day will go. I worry about how I will get all of this done before that happens. I worry about what I am doing next month or next year. I worry- even thought I know I have a God that is greater than any small worry of mine. I worry even thought I know that my God will provide for me because he promises that he will...

Matthew 6:25-26: "For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?"

When Jesus is speaking here in Matthew it almost makes me laugh to read the example he gives. As if Jesus is trying to tell us "This should be a no-brainer, guys. You think God is going to care for birds that do virtually nothing other than look pretty flying in the sky and yet he won't take care of you?? Of course not. As God cares for the birds he will care for you even more because you are so much more valuable than birds! (duh)" Later Jesus also talks about God taking care of the grass of the fields. Point well taken-- if God takes care of the grasses, of course he cares for me. He cares for you.

He goes on to say, in verse 27, "and who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?" Another no-brainer. Worrying is not going to get us further in life. It is not going to help us to live longer and get more accomplished- in fact I think it does quite the opposite. I remember hearing the expression a lot "you are going to worry yourself sick". Because if anything, all worrying will do is make you feel sick and take up so much of your time and energy that you get less accomplished.

In verses 31 and 33 Jesus says, "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." We desperately (okay I shouldn't drag you down with me...) I desperately need to work on not worrying. The reason is clear. God is taking care of me. God. The one who cares for nature, cares so much more for me- and has told me, seek Him. Seek His kingdom. His righteousness. And I will be okay. No need to worry... just seek. Seek Him.

posted by: Tara

to never be thirsty again.

Water is an element that everyone, I would think, can agree is very necessary. It is one of those things that covers a little more than 2/3 of our entire earth and our bodies are made up of about 60% water. It is really no argument that water is important. I think I feel the importance of water even more in the summer. When the day's temperature pushes above 100 degrees all I can think about is drinking a huge glass of water or jumping into the pool.

Water is used in the Bible as a metaphor or symbol a lot. Isaiah 12:3 says "With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation". In the book of Jeremiah, chapter 17, he refers to the Lord as "the fountain of living water". But what does all of this mean? We know that water is important. In fact, we need it to live. Imagine, without water, we would only be 40% of a person! So if the Lord is our fountain of living water... that must be something really important too.
 Jesus tells us he will not only provide that all-important water, but he provide us with water that with forever quench our thirst! In John 7:37-38 Jesus says, "If anyone is thirsty let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him."... sometimes it seems confusing though. I get that we have to drink water- that clear not-so-flavorful stuff that is good for you. If you are thirsty and you drink water, it quenches your thirst, at least for a little while. But how exactly do we draw from God's well of salvation, or drink a "living water" from Jesus that will allow us to never get thirsty again? Such thirst-quenching fulfilling water that we will have streams of water flowing from within us?! If ever I've felt confused about this, it is comforting to know, I am not alone...
In John 4 Jesus meets a Samaritan woman who was at a well- she needed to draw water from the well. Jesus has a great conversation with her- you can read the whole story here. She is somewhat confused and asks Jesus, "where can you get this living water?" (what a great question, Samaritan woman!!) Jesus says to the woman in John 4:13-15, "Everyone who drinks this water (that is, from the water well the woman was at) will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."

The truth is, we will need to continually supply our bodies with water, good old H₂O, in order to live. We will always want to jump in the refreshing pool when the sun beats down on a hot summer day. But this living water... if we accept Jesus Christ, believing that he is our salvation, our rock, our light in darkness, our provider and our portion- we believe that he will completely fulfill us- he is our living water. If we know these things, we will not need to continually search for other "water" that will fulfill us, protect us, provide for us and save us. If we do try to search for something or someone else to fill us, (or "quench that thirst"), we will just continue to be "thirsty" because no other person or thing will provide all of that for us-- only Jesus Christ can! And what a refreshing thing, to not be "thirsty" again, to be filled with living water that becomes a spring welling up!

posted by: Tara