Wow! I can't believe it has been over a year since I have written anything. So much has happened in that time. I got engaged to my best friend. I did a full semester of student teaching at 2 different places. One of those was in Dallas, Texas. I graduated from college. I received a job offering (not very close to home, but not extremely far away either) and decided to take it. My best friend and I got married and a little over a week after that we moved to start our new adventure in a new town and a new state.
As thanksgiving is coming up I have been thinking every day about what I am thankful for (I am also extremely thankful for everything that happened in the above paragraph). I have been posting things I am thankful for each day to Facebook to remind myself and others that we shouldn't just be thankful on one day a year, but all the time. I have been finding that I am thankful for so many little things this month (and other times as well). There doesn't have to be something huge that happens to us to cause us to be thankful. We are blessed by God each and every day and it is up to us to see those blessings and to be thankful for them.
One of the biggest things that I am thankful for at the moment is that I am getting the chance to go back home (we haven't been there since we moved) and be with family. NOT just one side of the family, but BOTH of them. My husband's family is able to travel to my hometown and we will all get to hang out for a couple days. I am beyond blessed, and extremely thankful, to have this happening so that we can see both sides of the family on our short trip.
The greatest thing though that we should be thankful for is the greatest gift that God has offered to each and every single person. The gift of His Son dying on the cross to take away our sins so that if we believe we can live in heaven forever with Him. It is something that is hard to wrap our heads around and to understand this concept, but that is why we hope in Him because He has powers that no one except God Himself truly knows. Take time during this busy holiday season to remind yourself what you are thankful for. If it is another person, let them know that you are thankful for them. No matter what it is (or what the many things are) truly think about it and the blessing that they are to you in your life.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. - Psalm 100:4
Be thankful for everything,
Justina Marie
Sunday, November 23, 2014
Thursday, August 15, 2013
Keep God Center
Some nights, I lay awake and I
Can't push these thoughts away
I'm worried where I'm gonna go,
Where I'm gonna be, are you gonna
Be there for me?
When it feels like the doors are closin',
Gotta trust that you're doin' somethin'
Come sun, come rainy day,
You are all I need
In the dark, in the light,
In the morning and night
In the good, in the hurt,
In the places I hide
When I rise, when I fall,
You'll be there through it all
At the start, at the end
In the center of, the center of it
~ Center of It - Chris August
Lately I have not been getting very much sleep because I lay awake for a lot of the night. There are so many thoughts that I have had ever since camp finished (well even before then). I am headed into my senior year of college and that is a pretty scary thought. In the Spring I will be student teaching, but I have no idea where yet. That is just one of the many things that I think about because I would like to know and I know that there is so much that goes along with that whole experience. I am so worried about so many things that I shouldn't be worried about, but the sinful human nature in me causes me to worry about them and have millions of questions running through my mind about the next year of this chapter in my life. Sometimes I feel like I am stuck and I don't want to go back to school because I am afraid of what is to come, but other times I can't wait to get back and get it over with and on to the next chapter of my life.
A couple days ago I was reading a book and the following Bible verse was in the section that I read: "Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks." Philippians 4:6 Since then I have been thinking about this and trying not to worry about all the things that I have to get done before the next school year starts. I created a list and today I finally started getting a few things crossed off and it felt good and some of that worry started going away. My hope is that I remember to trust in God instead of worrying because He has the perfect plan for me and it has been planned that way for a very long time and that gives me hope. He is with us all the time and will get us through everything because He knows the storms that we can weather, but He is going to be there with us helping through those times. Since the beginning He has been there for us and He will be there until the end. I started this chapter of my life 3 years ago and in May I will end it and begin a new one. What we need to remember is that we need to keep God in the center of our lives. Not just our church lives, but EVERY single part of it. Not just a thought here and there where He is kind of behind the curtain waiting for the right time, but He needs to be at the very center so that we are constantly reminded of every great blessing He gives us.
Remember that in everything you do you need to keep God in the center of your life.
Justina Marie
Can't push these thoughts away
I'm worried where I'm gonna go,
Where I'm gonna be, are you gonna
Be there for me?
When it feels like the doors are closin',
Gotta trust that you're doin' somethin'
Come sun, come rainy day,
You are all I need
In the dark, in the light,
In the morning and night
In the good, in the hurt,
In the places I hide
When I rise, when I fall,
You'll be there through it all
At the start, at the end
In the center of, the center of it
~ Center of It - Chris August
Lately I have not been getting very much sleep because I lay awake for a lot of the night. There are so many thoughts that I have had ever since camp finished (well even before then). I am headed into my senior year of college and that is a pretty scary thought. In the Spring I will be student teaching, but I have no idea where yet. That is just one of the many things that I think about because I would like to know and I know that there is so much that goes along with that whole experience. I am so worried about so many things that I shouldn't be worried about, but the sinful human nature in me causes me to worry about them and have millions of questions running through my mind about the next year of this chapter in my life. Sometimes I feel like I am stuck and I don't want to go back to school because I am afraid of what is to come, but other times I can't wait to get back and get it over with and on to the next chapter of my life.
A couple days ago I was reading a book and the following Bible verse was in the section that I read: "Never worry about anything. But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks." Philippians 4:6 Since then I have been thinking about this and trying not to worry about all the things that I have to get done before the next school year starts. I created a list and today I finally started getting a few things crossed off and it felt good and some of that worry started going away. My hope is that I remember to trust in God instead of worrying because He has the perfect plan for me and it has been planned that way for a very long time and that gives me hope. He is with us all the time and will get us through everything because He knows the storms that we can weather, but He is going to be there with us helping through those times. Since the beginning He has been there for us and He will be there until the end. I started this chapter of my life 3 years ago and in May I will end it and begin a new one. What we need to remember is that we need to keep God in the center of our lives. Not just our church lives, but EVERY single part of it. Not just a thought here and there where He is kind of behind the curtain waiting for the right time, but He needs to be at the very center so that we are constantly reminded of every great blessing He gives us.
Remember that in everything you do you need to keep God in the center of your life.
Justina Marie
Saturday, July 27, 2013
NYG - Live Love[d]
This is going to be a different post than my usual posts on this blog. From June 28th - July 5th I spent in Texas. The Lutheran Church Missouri Synod had a National Youth Gathering where around 25,000 people gathered for a week of time with God and learning more about Him. Talk about seeing the Spirit work in many wonderful ways in each person and through the entire time of the gathering. I was there as a volunteer this year (the past 2 gatherings I was a participant). Going in I was really excited to see how the other side looked and to help those participating have fun. I was also worried because there seemed to be many unknowns of what I would actually be doing and I am one that likes to know what it is that I will be doing as soon as possible and not right before I am doing it. But this got better when we got to Texas because we had training and I learned a lot of things during that that helped calm me and prepared me for what was to come for the week.
Live Love[d]
This was the theme of the gathering this year. There were so many powerful speakers at the mass events. As you may have guessed from the theme the whole gathering was based about love and how we are to live love and how we are to live loved. It was so awesome to see that many youth wandering around and learning more about Jesus. From being the participant to being a volunteer the difference was, at least from my perspective, that you don't get to go to everything and I also seemed to see God working more during this than when I was a participant. I was able to see God in so many of the volunteers seeing the things that they went out to do to serve the participants and the other volunteers. It was also neat to see Him working through the various youth that I was able to see at times.
The volunteers are put into teams and I just so happened to get the opportunity to be in charge of a team and make sure they knew when they had to be places and to get them there and lead Bible studies with them. At first I was so nervous and didn't know if I should take this opportunity, but then as I thought about it I decided it would be a good idea to do it because since I want to be a teacher I could use the leading experience. So I had a team of 16 and we got to know each other just a little over social media before the gathering. We were all strangers when we met, but as the week went on we got to know each other in great ways and I couldn't have been more blessed than to meet these wonderful people and get to work with them. They are truly amazing and they made me feel so comfortable to be in the leadership position of leading the Bible studies and making sure they were up and to the place they had to be when they needed to be there. I grew to love each one so quickly and it was hard to leave them and all go our separate ways, but I am looking forward to the chance of seeing them again to reunite and hang out, not only that but also in heaven with our Lord whenever that time comes for all of us.
I am so glad that I got the opportunity to meet all of the people I did and serve the youth like I had once been served as a youth myself. The memories will stay with me forever and I will continue to thank God for everything that He had planned for me during this time. To all f my Team XIT members if you read this: I love you all dearly and if you ever need anything just let me know. I will be here for you always and glad to help out with anything that I am able to. More importantly remember that God loves you and He is always there to listen to you through prayer and He is always with you. We will meet up again sometime and have a good time reconnecting!
~ "This is how God showed His love among us: He send His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him." - 1 John 4:9
Live Love[d]
This was the theme of the gathering this year. There were so many powerful speakers at the mass events. As you may have guessed from the theme the whole gathering was based about love and how we are to live love and how we are to live loved. It was so awesome to see that many youth wandering around and learning more about Jesus. From being the participant to being a volunteer the difference was, at least from my perspective, that you don't get to go to everything and I also seemed to see God working more during this than when I was a participant. I was able to see God in so many of the volunteers seeing the things that they went out to do to serve the participants and the other volunteers. It was also neat to see Him working through the various youth that I was able to see at times.
The volunteers are put into teams and I just so happened to get the opportunity to be in charge of a team and make sure they knew when they had to be places and to get them there and lead Bible studies with them. At first I was so nervous and didn't know if I should take this opportunity, but then as I thought about it I decided it would be a good idea to do it because since I want to be a teacher I could use the leading experience. So I had a team of 16 and we got to know each other just a little over social media before the gathering. We were all strangers when we met, but as the week went on we got to know each other in great ways and I couldn't have been more blessed than to meet these wonderful people and get to work with them. They are truly amazing and they made me feel so comfortable to be in the leadership position of leading the Bible studies and making sure they were up and to the place they had to be when they needed to be there. I grew to love each one so quickly and it was hard to leave them and all go our separate ways, but I am looking forward to the chance of seeing them again to reunite and hang out, not only that but also in heaven with our Lord whenever that time comes for all of us.
I am so glad that I got the opportunity to meet all of the people I did and serve the youth like I had once been served as a youth myself. The memories will stay with me forever and I will continue to thank God for everything that He had planned for me during this time. To all f my Team XIT members if you read this: I love you all dearly and if you ever need anything just let me know. I will be here for you always and glad to help out with anything that I am able to. More importantly remember that God loves you and He is always there to listen to you through prayer and He is always with you. We will meet up again sometime and have a good time reconnecting!
~ "This is how God showed His love among us: He send His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him." - 1 John 4:9
Thursday, May 30, 2013
The Other Side
When everything is broken
When it's hard to understand
When you've lost a place to put your hope
And you can barely stand
When your tears are falling faster
And your strength is almost gone
Well it's hard to imagine that you can carry on, carry on
There is a reason and all of life has meaning
There is an answer for these broken times
So keep on searching, seek and you will find them
There is an answer on the other side
~ The Other Side by Rhett Walker Band
There are so many things going on in the world and it seems as if a lot is broken. We are humans and the only thing we can understand about what it happening is that there is sin in the world and so things are going to happen. God has a plan for everything and we may ask why God is allowing these bad things to happen. Well the truth is that humans were the ones that caused sin to enter the world and God doesn't want the bad to happen, but the devil is able to tempt us and cause bad things to happen. We are sinners and we aren't perfect so there are going to be bad things happening. Sometimes we lose our hope and don't think that things are ever going to get better, but that is far from the truth. On this earth we will suffer and we will cry and sometimes lose our strength, but it doesn't mean that things can't get better.
God has His plan for each and every single one of us and there is a reason for everything that happens in all of our lives. For each of the times that we feel broken and things just seem to not be going right, there is an answer for all of them. We may not be able to figure that out at the moment or even close to the time of the hard battles we go through, but at some point we will understand why. We need to keep on seeking the Lord because He never gives us something that we cannot handle. He is also by our side and going to help us through the hard times in life. The answer to all these hard battles are on the other side. This means that heaven has the answers and we may never figure them out, but the good Lord knows every answer to everything that happens here on earth. So whenever you may have a hard battle that you are going through know that you may not find out all the answers or understand why it is happening, but God knows all of that and is there to help you through it.
Remember that God is on the other side and knows all the answers that we may not be able to figure out here on earth.
Justina Marie
When it's hard to understand
When you've lost a place to put your hope
And you can barely stand
When your tears are falling faster
And your strength is almost gone
Well it's hard to imagine that you can carry on, carry on
There is a reason and all of life has meaning
There is an answer for these broken times
So keep on searching, seek and you will find them
There is an answer on the other side
~ The Other Side by Rhett Walker Band
There are so many things going on in the world and it seems as if a lot is broken. We are humans and the only thing we can understand about what it happening is that there is sin in the world and so things are going to happen. God has a plan for everything and we may ask why God is allowing these bad things to happen. Well the truth is that humans were the ones that caused sin to enter the world and God doesn't want the bad to happen, but the devil is able to tempt us and cause bad things to happen. We are sinners and we aren't perfect so there are going to be bad things happening. Sometimes we lose our hope and don't think that things are ever going to get better, but that is far from the truth. On this earth we will suffer and we will cry and sometimes lose our strength, but it doesn't mean that things can't get better.
God has His plan for each and every single one of us and there is a reason for everything that happens in all of our lives. For each of the times that we feel broken and things just seem to not be going right, there is an answer for all of them. We may not be able to figure that out at the moment or even close to the time of the hard battles we go through, but at some point we will understand why. We need to keep on seeking the Lord because He never gives us something that we cannot handle. He is also by our side and going to help us through the hard times in life. The answer to all these hard battles are on the other side. This means that heaven has the answers and we may never figure them out, but the good Lord knows every answer to everything that happens here on earth. So whenever you may have a hard battle that you are going through know that you may not find out all the answers or understand why it is happening, but God knows all of that and is there to help you through it.
Remember that God is on the other side and knows all the answers that we may not be able to figure out here on earth.
Justina Marie
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Never Surrender
I don't wanna feel like this tomorrow
I don't wanna live like this today
Make me feel better!
I need to feel better!
Stay with me here now
And never surrender!
Put me back together!
Never Surrender!
~ Never Surrender by Skillet
There are so many things going on in this world that make us question different things in the world and what the motives are that people have and why on earth would they have these motives. Right now (and always) we can't just give up and surrender to the worldly things. There are also just many things in our lives that cause us to hurt and to be in pain. Sometimes we seem lost and confused and we just want to give up because we feel like that is the easiest thing for us to do. Like the song says is that we don't want to feel like we do now and we don't want to feel like it tomorrow either. We want to feel better and if we work through the situation without giving up and keep pushing through it, God is going to help us and get us to the point where we feel better. It is important for us to especially remember God in the times that we are down and count on Him to get us to where He has planned for us. We can't lift ourselves out of the deep pits that we sometimes get into, but God is going to help us get out of. Whenever you are in a time where you think about giving up remember that God is going to pick you up and put you back together and He is going to help you in the way that is according to His plan.
Remember to never surrender because God will pick you up and put you back together!
Justina Marie
I don't wanna live like this today
Make me feel better!
I need to feel better!
Stay with me here now
And never surrender!
Put me back together!
Never Surrender!
~ Never Surrender by Skillet
There are so many things going on in this world that make us question different things in the world and what the motives are that people have and why on earth would they have these motives. Right now (and always) we can't just give up and surrender to the worldly things. There are also just many things in our lives that cause us to hurt and to be in pain. Sometimes we seem lost and confused and we just want to give up because we feel like that is the easiest thing for us to do. Like the song says is that we don't want to feel like we do now and we don't want to feel like it tomorrow either. We want to feel better and if we work through the situation without giving up and keep pushing through it, God is going to help us and get us to the point where we feel better. It is important for us to especially remember God in the times that we are down and count on Him to get us to where He has planned for us. We can't lift ourselves out of the deep pits that we sometimes get into, but God is going to help us get out of. Whenever you are in a time where you think about giving up remember that God is going to pick you up and put you back together and He is going to help you in the way that is according to His plan.
Remember to never surrender because God will pick you up and put you back together!
Justina Marie
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Praise You in this Storm
I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And you raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You
But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter were I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And tough my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
~ Praise You in this Storm by Casting Crowns
Yikes! It has been awhile since I have posted on here.. Sorry about that. As this song may hint I have been super busy and being busy is like being in a storm. For most people they don't like storms for whatever reason they may have be it because they don't like the noise, it scares them or because they had something planned outside and can no longer do that at the time they planned because of the storm. As you can see that I haven't posted lately... that is because I was super busy with a lot of homework and trying to figure out the things that I have to do this summer. As you could say it did seem like a storm because I wasn't just sitting back and letting God do His will. I was trying to get through the storm on my own because I didn't think things were going to work out and of course, God reminded me that He had the whole thing under control the entire time and that I just needed to trust Him and not worry about it.
In the song we see that God is always there and telling us that He is there with us. Often times in the storms we have we continue to look for Him, but don't always see Him even though He is ALWAYS there with us. We stumble and fall at times, but God is always going to help us back up. The troubles and storms that we go to are a part of life and we need to remember to praise God in those times just like we do in the good times. There isn't any difference in the good and bad times we go through because God is working in every situation for the better for us even if we can't see it in the bad times. We need to remember to praise God in all parts of our life even if we are in a tough situation. God is always with us and for that we need to remember to praise Him. Through our tears God is there holding us and going to help us through.
Remember that even in the tough storms you go through that God is with you and you should praise Him.
Justina Strecker
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And you raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You
But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away
And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter were I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And tough my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm
~ Praise You in this Storm by Casting Crowns
Yikes! It has been awhile since I have posted on here.. Sorry about that. As this song may hint I have been super busy and being busy is like being in a storm. For most people they don't like storms for whatever reason they may have be it because they don't like the noise, it scares them or because they had something planned outside and can no longer do that at the time they planned because of the storm. As you can see that I haven't posted lately... that is because I was super busy with a lot of homework and trying to figure out the things that I have to do this summer. As you could say it did seem like a storm because I wasn't just sitting back and letting God do His will. I was trying to get through the storm on my own because I didn't think things were going to work out and of course, God reminded me that He had the whole thing under control the entire time and that I just needed to trust Him and not worry about it.
In the song we see that God is always there and telling us that He is there with us. Often times in the storms we have we continue to look for Him, but don't always see Him even though He is ALWAYS there with us. We stumble and fall at times, but God is always going to help us back up. The troubles and storms that we go to are a part of life and we need to remember to praise God in those times just like we do in the good times. There isn't any difference in the good and bad times we go through because God is working in every situation for the better for us even if we can't see it in the bad times. We need to remember to praise God in all parts of our life even if we are in a tough situation. God is always with us and for that we need to remember to praise Him. Through our tears God is there holding us and going to help us through.
Remember that even in the tough storms you go through that God is with you and you should praise Him.
Justina Strecker
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Beautiful Scars
For us, bruised and brokenFor us, He was forsaken
Our wounded Healer
Suffered to set us free
See in His hands and His feet
Beautiful scars, beautiful scars
Reminders of the wounded love
That had carried us this far
Beautiful scars
Turning the marks of our pain
Into beautiful scars
~ Beautiful Scars by Steven Curtis Chapman
Sorry it has been quite awhile since I have written. These last few weeks have been pretty busy. So last time I wrote about Passover and the Last Supper. Even though Easter was 2 weeks ago I am going to talk about Easter because Easter is awesome and it really is something to not just be celebrated and thought about during Holy week, but truly every day. The lyrics posted above are from a song that really reminds me of Easter and what our wonderful Savior did for us. During Holy Week we think about Jesus and the suffering that He did while He was nailed to the cross. The lyrics say that for us He was bruised and broken and forsaken. We are the ones that deserve this because we sin and Jesus was perfect, but He suffered in our place and that is something to remember every day of our lives. Jesus who committed no sin took our place to die so that one day we could live with Him and His Father in heaven.
This song reminds me every time I hear it how much God cares for us. We live in a world where we would do things for others, but I don't know how many people would lay down their life for those who constantly sin. Jesus' scars truly are beautiful. They remind us about the sacrifice that Jesus went through. In our world we live in pain and suffering of many different circumstances, but if Jesus wouldn't have went to the cross than we would suffer in a completely different circumstance for the rest of our lives, but Jesus carried the cross and then proceeded to hang on the cross and die for ALL of our sins. Since I was introduced to this song I have looked at the scars on Jesus' hands (pictures, statues, etc.) in a completely different light. I used to look at them and think of all the pain that Jesus went through to save us from our sins, but after this song I see them as beautiful scars because He did go through all that pain for us and that is a beautiful thought.
Remember that even though Jesus suffered for us that His scars are a beautiful reminder of what He did for us.
Justina Marie
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