Unexpected Reminder :)

So I'm not really a Sunday morning church person. It's not that I don't like it, I just prefer Saturday nights. But at the Easter service when I saw a commercial for the new series for the following week, it looked really interesting. Of course, I had completely forgotten about it by the next day.
For some reason today, when I was looking through my sixty or so emails, I decided to open the newsletter the church sends every week. It had a link to the online messages of previous weeks, and I started watching one.
It was amazing. The pastor spoke about how, through all the storms, God is there and if we trust that He will take care of everything, we will have peace. It was just so encouraging, not because the message was new, but because we are all going through one thing or another, and at times we forget that we aren't in control. We try to fix the situation ourselves, only to make it worse, all the while wondering where He is. We have to remember that the storm will eventually pass, but meanwhile, we must cling to Him, the one constant in our lives. If we trust God, we will have peace. It says this in John 16:33 :

'I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.'

Enduring all this trouble will strengthen your faith in Him. This is something I needed to be reminded of and the message was just what I needed.

On another note, I am really excited to start our group, we just have to figure out when. And what book to use. And exactly how it's going to work. :) I'm sure it'll work out... hopefully soon.

Have a great weekend! :)

Duck and Cover :D

'Sometimes it even saves his life!'

Advice...

So the other day I decided to write about something that has been on my mind for a while, something that has caused me frustration and sorrow and doubt in my capabilities to help someone when they really need it. But that post sounded too much like I was complaining and filled completely with despair and hopelessness. So I hope this one's better.

It's difficult when a friend of yours is hurting and it seems like you can't do much to help except listen. I didn't mind listening, but I felt like I could be doing more. I couldn't understand why sometimes people ignore the solution to their problems, even when it's right in front of them. I wanted to help, but everything I tried just didn't seem to be doing any good. Sure I was able to comfort and reassure, but that didn't solve anything. As someone once told me, sometimes people need to learn their lesson on their own, and I was beginning to realize this was one of those times.
Yet I still felt obligated to do more than I had.
Then, I received this advice: I'm not God. It was a simple statement but it made me realize I can do all the listening and advising I want, but in the end I don't have the answers and I don't have a plan. He does. And His plan is far greater than anything I could ever imagine.
So really, all I can do is be a friend and trust that that's enough.