In Love With The Son

Rediscover love.

[inlovewiththeson]

An Early Morning

          I woke up this morning a little after 7 AM and got ready for service learning as I do every Monday morning. By 8 AM, I knew I was running a bit late as I finished the last touches of my makeup but as I glanced down at my cell phone to check the time, I noticed a reminder for service learning never popped up on my phone. Had the notification been on my calendar, I would have received it at 7:50 AM, ten minutes before I should be out the door and on a bus. My mind raced through my memories and brought me to the realization that there is no school at the Experimental Education Unit this week. My little preschoolers are on spring break. The lucky ducklings…

          The funny thing is, this entire thought process took place as I applied the last coat of my mascara and to my own surprise, I wasn’t upset about the situation (not even a little bit). Normally, I would be frustrated at having woken up for no reason but I knew immediately that there was a reason. I had woken up early and gotten myself ready to spend time with Jesus.

          To be honest, I haven’t seriously spent time with Jesus in a long while, and here I was, all dressed and made up with nowhere to go. It was like I had gotten primped and prepared for a date, yet I wasn’t necessarily looking to impress anyone. I just wanted to look nice and presentable.

          Normally, when I do my quiet times, I am in my PJ’s or wearing comfy clothes. I tell myself if I’m comfortable, I will be able to worship the Lord better and focus less on my attire and more on Him. While this is true to some extent, staying in my pajamas can cause me to be quite lazy or at least feel lazy. I may stay in bed and whether it’s the morning or the evening, it is very possible for me to fall asleep, which brings to me to why today was different.

          Today I was awake, I was refreshed and I was physically prepared to meet with the Lord. Though I had unintentionally done so, I was ready to go on a date with the only man I will ever truly need in my life and what a wonderful date we had. I soaked up His word chapter after chapter and it felt so good to be fed. I hadn’t read this much and read with this kind of interest and desire in a while. It was like going to Whole Foods after a week of binge eating at McDonald’s. Just the sight, sounds and smell of the place have you yearning for something wholesome before you put any organic, locally-sourced, leafy greens in your mouth. I don’t know if that experience is relatable but that is how I felt this morning (also because I went to Whole Foods recently and it is always a good experience).

          I love reading His word and I never want to stop. I know not all days will feel like today and that’s perfectly okay. I need to build the discipline to read His word continually but I know overtime, I will come to fully depend on it and He will be my main source of joy. How good His word is for my soul and how my soul sings for Him.

          Here’s to more early mornings...

          -Alison

[inlovewiththeson]

I've been away at Bible College and I just finished my first year. I feel really discouraged in my walk with the Lord because I'd been cross country from home. Everything was so unfamiliar and now I just want to start over again. Going back to my home church is familiar but still uncomfortable. I'd said my goodbyes and returned to different friendship dynamics and seeing everyone moved on so well. Please pray for me this summer! & we should find a chance to exchange a few words catch up :)

Hey girly, it’s so good to hear from you. Thank you for reaching out to me and opening up to me after all this time; I will most certainly pray for you. I would LOVE to catch up with you. I believe you have my number, if not, message me on Facebook, but let’s set up a time to talk. I want to hear your voice! I hope that reuniting with friends will be a smooth transition for you and that your friendships will grow stronger this summer. :)

[iloveyoursoul]

[inlovewiththeson]

In the Lord...

[upliftourday]

[inlovewiththeson]

2 Corinthians 5:7

[inlovewiththeson]

Roma

          On May 1st, 2014, I was accepted into my desired major, Early Childhood and Family Studies (ECFS), at the University of Washington. Although the major is not a competitive one (everyone I know who applied was accepted), I was so excited that I had made it and was happy to share the news with my family and friends.

          This morning, I went to the ECFS New Student Orientation to discuss the major’s requirements as well as the teaching and learning track and various course electives with the ECFS director. Because I will only be a sophomore in the fall, I have more than enough time to fulfill all the credits and major or minor in another department. I also have the leisure of studying abroad, if I so choose to, my junior year because I applied to ECFS so early in my college career.

          I asked Lisa Murakami, the ECFS director, if there were any study abroad opportunities through the College of Education. To my pleasant surprise, she told me that one of the advisors just took a group of students to Rome this quarter to study their education system. Although the advisor in charge of the study abroad to Rome does not have a planned schedule for the trips, she was certain I would get the chance to go in a year or two.

          I GOT SO EXCITED.

          I have always wanted to travel to Europe, especially Italy; and hearing about the opportunity to go to Rome (dream location) AND study education (dream occupation) just blew my mind. I know the trip, if I even end up going, will be several quarters from now, so I can’t get in over my head but it certainly is something to look forward to.

          This summer, once I return from Scotland (for my cousin’s wedding) and LA (for Leadership Training Camp), I will hopefully find a job and start saving up so that money won’t be an issue when I do get the opportunity to study abroad, whether or not that be in Rome. My mother has so graciously been putting money in my savings account ever since I was a little girl so that I could get braces, go to college, and study abroad. So far, by her blessing, I’ve nailed the first two. I owe a lot to my mom for her love and all her support (including but not limited to: emotional, physical, spiritual, and monetary).

          I look forward to God’s guidance and will continue to pray for direction for my future, and hopefully… Hopefully, He’ll point me to Rome.

          -Alison

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[inlovewiththeson]

Trust in God.

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[inlovewiththeson]

Psalm 139:14

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HEY BUDDY

HEY DUDE!!!

[inlovewiththeson]

The Unmerciful Servant

          Forgiveness is hard to come by in a world that is self-centered and prideful. A popular motto that society tells us is to “forgive and forget”; however, holding grudges seems to occur more often than not.

          Why is forgiveness so important? Why should we forgive? Some say absolution is healthy, not only for ones relationships but also for oneself. Instead of letting anger and frustration build within us, we can let go of negative feelings and be at peace with the other party who has wronged us. While this is true, absolving others for the sake of your health or relationships pretty much misses the entire point of why we forgive in the first place. To see the big picture, let’s dive into Matthew 18 and read the Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.

          The parable begins at verse 21 when Peter asks Jesus, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”

          Let’s stop right here and think about this. Peter wants to know what the numerical cap is for forgiveness, and the first number he throws out is seven. SEVEN. If I were only granted forgiveness seven times for each relationship that I had, I’m not sure I would have friends anymore, much less a family. As a human, I am prone to being selfish (whether consciously or unconsciously). Over the last 18 years of my life, I have hurt others because of stupid, self-serving reasons, and I have come to the realization that I have taken others for granted.

          Of course, Jesus knows the heart and nature of man so what is His reply? “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times (or seventy times seven).”

          Jesus then explains the kingdom of heaven by launching into the story of a king who wants to settle accounts with his servants. One of his servants owes him ten thousand talents, and because the servant is unable to pay, the king orders that he, his wife, his children, and all his belongings be sold to pay back the debt. But after hearing this, the servant falls on his knees and begs the king to be patient with him for he will pay back all that he owes. The king takes pity on him, cancels the debt, and lets him go.

          I don’t know about you but I would probably cry (tears of joy obviously) after hearing that I am free of a huge debt (after all, I’m a college student taking on loans). According to the Bible, ten thousand talents equate to millions of dollars. MILLIONS OF DOLLARS!!! That’s insane! That servant definitely should have lost everything he had, and all that would be sold most likely would not have covered what he owed. After hearing such good news, I would expect the servant to skip, hop, and run back home singing for joy at the top of his lungs. But wait! The story continues…

          Instead of going home to rejoice, the servant goes out and finds a fellow servant who owes him a hundred denarii. He grabs him, chokes him, and demands that he pay back what he owes. The fellow servant falls on his knees and begs the first servant for patience in the exact same way that the first servant begged the king. While we can’t be sure of how much time has passed since the first servant’s interaction with the king, we can assume the incident must be fresh in his mind. Considering this, you would think the first servant would let go of the fellow servant and forget about the debt. However, this is not the case. The first servant refuses to be patient and throws the fellow servant into jail until the debt is paid.

          How could a person just released from a lifetime of debt (ten thousand talents) be all up in arms over a few dollars (a hundred denarii)? We can say this behavior doesn’t make sense, yet we act this way in our lives all the time.

          Christians, including myself, continuously reenact this parable as the unmerciful servant. Time and time again, I have overlooked God’s forgiveness and forgotten of His grace. I have gotten angry at others and held grudges over small things, letting my selfishness blind me from all that I have been forgiven of. If I remembered all that I owe and knew of true forgiveness, I would never think twice about forgiving a brother or sister again. When you think about it, holding a grudge against someone would be like not forgiving a friend for owing you a couple McChickens when you owe somebody the amount of an entire McDonald’s franchise.

          When it comes to forgiving others, you shouldn’t forgive because you feel obliged; you should forgive because you know how much you’ve been forgiven. While grace is free, it is not cheap - it came at the price of the cross. Know that you have so much more to give than protecting your pride and never forget what Christ has done for you.

          “Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed. This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” -Matthew 18:32-35

          -Alison

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[inlovewiththeson]

Grace through the cross.

[heartswillrecover]

[inlovewiththeson]

Never give up.

[teenofchrist]

[inlovewiththeson]

Psalms 119:105

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Romans 5:8

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In a single moment...

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[inlovewiththeson]

Let go and let God.

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White as snow.

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[inlovewiththeson]

Ask and Receive

          One month ago, I told myself I needed a job and wanted to work at a coffee shop. Without much thought, I dropped off my resume at a small shop near my dorm and never contemplated the matter again. In my mind I figured, if God wants me to work there, I’ll receive a call.

          Two weeks ago, I checked my email and was surprised to find a message from the manager of Bean and Bagel. After corresponding back and forth for a day, I met with her the day after and ended up receiving the job on the spot. I couldn’t have been more excited or blessed.

          God has always given me what I’ve asked for. As long as I have done my part, I can trust that God will do His. The most important lesson that I learned from this experience was that our God is a loving father; He always wants to bless us and shower us with His love. However, we should know that just because we ask for something doesn’t mean we get to sit back and wait for it to be handed to us. We have to work on our side and do what we can to the best of our abilities. If our hearts and plans are aligned with His, we can in fact expect a response from God; it may only be a matter of time.

          Today was only my second day on the job (I can only work one day a week), but I am already learning so much and loving every minute of it. God has provided for me once again by giving me a position that I actually wanted. I receive free drinks whenever I want, bagels when I work, and company with great people, not to mention the fact that it is super close to my dorm.

          I feel so blessed to have a God who loves me so much. I know I am constantly being taken care of and watched over, and I find so much comfort in that. As a child of God, I don’t have to be afraid to ask, and that in itself is a wonderful gift.

          “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”       -Matthew 7:7-8

          -Alison