It's nearly been three months since I last wrote here. I guess I was disheartened when five commentes turned to a consecutive zero, but I realised I didn't start this blog for people to read and appreciate my ramblings and tell me what I write is good. Don't get me wrong, I love to hear that people can relate to my own experiences, especially God encounters and what we may think a lack of God encounters. It makes this Christian walk feel a lot less lonely in a world full of lost people. What I initially started writing for is much different to the reason I write now. I had no idea of the soul searching that would take place in the time it takes to look inside your mind to try and translate it into words on a screen. Ha, naivity, gets the best of us.
It's less than four weeks till I head off to The University of Sunderland. Everyone asks the question 'Are you scared?' and when I can't be bothered to go into detail of my honest answer I just say 'yeah a bit'. I think I'm apprehensive, but no, not scared. I think some of the things that I've had to practice for years are starting to come naturally to me. If I was the person I was say, three years ago, I'm have been as scared as my dog when he sees a cat, the absolute fool. But continual practicing of not fearing things and being confident because Christ is within me is something I haven't had to try really hard to make my heart believe this time round. Similair to anticipating results day, I was so peaceful, rather than praying for Gods peace over and over. And I feel very blessed for that and thankful. I'm not trying to make it out that asking God for things such as his peace and confidence is a bad thing, not at all, hope you see where I'm coming from if reading!
I went to a wedding of one of my friends from church on saturday, meaning I spent the weekend in York and only arrived home this morning. Since then, I've been quite emotional. It makes me think of how tempremental the body part of our Body Soul and Spirit is. Feelings and emotion and everything, it's beautiful and fascinating but confusing. The complexity of one being is just astonishing when you think about it. I mean, what does that say about it's creator? How can some black matter or whatever create such a complex and intricately detailed being? It amazes me.
A close friend of mine describes me as having a musical soul. I think music triggers the my emotions a lot of the time. Maybe that's one of the detailps God included in creating us. Things our soul connects with. Places, mountains and oceans and lakes. Or Literature, paintings and novels and tapestry. Nature, animals, the weather, buildings. He takes so much into account, these things we see as so small that we care about, he really considors and dwells in with us I think. It's fascinating. God is fascinating. And God is love.
Monday, 22 August 2011
Wednesday, 18 May 2011
Love
I just started to write a talk for my friday youth group, so was searching for some holy background music fromy outube and came accross this.
I know this is God speaking to me, through this song (even though its directed to God) I felt God.
In the midst of my current problems and situations, worries, concerns, and complete blindness to the security God provides me with, he still fights for me, and for you! Fights for us to seek his face, inwhich we can find restoration and peace.
He constantly reminds me of the truth. When I'm not searching for it, he uses everything around me to call out to me. People, songs, places, even car journeys.
I love the way God loves us :)
I know this is God speaking to me, through this song (even though its directed to God) I felt God.
In the midst of my current problems and situations, worries, concerns, and complete blindness to the security God provides me with, he still fights for me, and for you! Fights for us to seek his face, inwhich we can find restoration and peace.
He constantly reminds me of the truth. When I'm not searching for it, he uses everything around me to call out to me. People, songs, places, even car journeys.
I love the way God loves us :)
Thursday, 21 April 2011
Analysis
Ever see a stranger and analyse them?
Facial features, loudness, maturity, weight, height, voice, hair. Little judgements you take in as you first meet a person. Finding a reason not to like them because maybe you're intimidated, possibly someone of the same sex or some glorified person in your school/college who everybody seems to love.
Those people probably hate those imperfections that you're finding too.
A comment that might pop into my head about a girl wearing so much makeup I feel sick could be the disguise of someone who completely hates the way they look.
It might be quite easy to find the goodness in people that you know and love, or the people who are timid and weak and maybe a bit of a loner. And I don't know about you, but for the people who are well liked and seem to have it all going on, I'm very quick to make judgement on stupid insignificant things rather than search for the goodness all those other people find in them.
Why destroy when you can encourage. I'm STILL learning its such a better use of my time! I'll get it in the end.
Facial features, loudness, maturity, weight, height, voice, hair. Little judgements you take in as you first meet a person. Finding a reason not to like them because maybe you're intimidated, possibly someone of the same sex or some glorified person in your school/college who everybody seems to love.
Those people probably hate those imperfections that you're finding too.
A comment that might pop into my head about a girl wearing so much makeup I feel sick could be the disguise of someone who completely hates the way they look.
It might be quite easy to find the goodness in people that you know and love, or the people who are timid and weak and maybe a bit of a loner. And I don't know about you, but for the people who are well liked and seem to have it all going on, I'm very quick to make judgement on stupid insignificant things rather than search for the goodness all those other people find in them.
Why destroy when you can encourage. I'm STILL learning its such a better use of my time! I'll get it in the end.
Thursday, 14 April 2011
Emptiness & Oppurtunities
Ever feel like a walking dead person? Staring into space, giving nothing out yet taking nothing in? It talks in the bible about a living corpse, without God, the last couple of days that has been more relatable than I would have liked.
Numbness. Things that happen in life that make you become numb to life in general. Criticisims, attack, words, feelings, rejection. Life throws it all at you, and as a person you can only take so much before it either completely breaks you or just goes over your head. Thats my personal response to it anyway. Becoming empty. Not accepting all the rubbish but then not filling your life with God either. For me praising in the storm is pretty hard, not because I don't know Jesus is my saviour and that he can't help me, but because I get comfortable in nothing-ness.
So as I walked my dog Murphy today I prayed, out loud, timidly, but I invited God back into my heart once more. Life makes it so easy to harden your heart; what a stupid waste of time.
Then, I asked God for an oppurtunity to speak to someone about him, and then I stopped praying out loud as I saw a man approaching, not that I was ashamed, just that people get scared when people approaching arfe talking to themselves. The second I stopped speaking this man shouted "Is he alright?". Murphy was staring this man out, that awkward moment when he's deciding if he should pounce on the stranger or just wag and lick him to death. I was like "Oh yeah he's fine!". This guy was so jolly and chatty, walking in the opposite direction as he was asking me how to get to the dam. As I started walking away I felt the urge to turn back around and use the excuse of showing him where the dam was (he looked a little lost) to talk to him. I didn't. Instead I stopped, staring into space, ignoring my feet.
Now I have no idea if that was the oppurtunity God gave me that I completely missed, so I made sure I prayed for someone else to reveal God's goodness to that guy today. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, living an empty life has no risk. We have to risk to ever reach out to people. People may say 'God never talks to me' or 'I dont know what God wants'. I've learnt we often need to get out there and try to know what God wants for us. After all, what harm would it have done to go and speak to that man if it wasn't the oppurtunity God presented? I'd have still been showing Gods character.
Step out into uncertainty and don't miss any oppurtunity.
Numbness. Things that happen in life that make you become numb to life in general. Criticisims, attack, words, feelings, rejection. Life throws it all at you, and as a person you can only take so much before it either completely breaks you or just goes over your head. Thats my personal response to it anyway. Becoming empty. Not accepting all the rubbish but then not filling your life with God either. For me praising in the storm is pretty hard, not because I don't know Jesus is my saviour and that he can't help me, but because I get comfortable in nothing-ness.
So as I walked my dog Murphy today I prayed, out loud, timidly, but I invited God back into my heart once more. Life makes it so easy to harden your heart; what a stupid waste of time.
Then, I asked God for an oppurtunity to speak to someone about him, and then I stopped praying out loud as I saw a man approaching, not that I was ashamed, just that people get scared when people approaching arfe talking to themselves. The second I stopped speaking this man shouted "Is he alright?". Murphy was staring this man out, that awkward moment when he's deciding if he should pounce on the stranger or just wag and lick him to death. I was like "Oh yeah he's fine!". This guy was so jolly and chatty, walking in the opposite direction as he was asking me how to get to the dam. As I started walking away I felt the urge to turn back around and use the excuse of showing him where the dam was (he looked a little lost) to talk to him. I didn't. Instead I stopped, staring into space, ignoring my feet.
Now I have no idea if that was the oppurtunity God gave me that I completely missed, so I made sure I prayed for someone else to reveal God's goodness to that guy today. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, living an empty life has no risk. We have to risk to ever reach out to people. People may say 'God never talks to me' or 'I dont know what God wants'. I've learnt we often need to get out there and try to know what God wants for us. After all, what harm would it have done to go and speak to that man if it wasn't the oppurtunity God presented? I'd have still been showing Gods character.
Step out into uncertainty and don't miss any oppurtunity.
Monday, 14 March 2011
Practice what you preach Bowens
I'll be honest, I knew lent was coming up but I had no idea what date it was...
I know, i'm a 'waste' as my friends would say. So as to make sure I didn't miss lent completely, on the 1st March I thought I'd just give up make up for the month. I'd been saying since last summer I'll give it up for a month and always shrugged it off, forgotten. But coming back from the gathering I realised my dependence on the stuff was too big, and if I was truly comfortable in my identity in Christ, the thought of not wearing make up in college and church and everywhere wouldn't make me so nervous!
I thought, to be truly Stripped of the world and live in Gods presence, I should sacrifice the things in my life that I have a dependence on.
And on a side note, its crazy how beneficial it is! The first week I had work experience, I looked in the mirror of the toilets and didn't recognise myself. I don't even usually wear that much. I actually apologised to the girl I was working with for having to work with my bare face all day. 2 weeks on, the change is not so evident to me anymore, I am comfortable in a new face that is my own and not Boots no.7's or avon's. Its almost like getting rid of an addiction, the longer you go the more you realise how much you didnt need it, painful at first! But worth it.
So, I figured rather than making this like any other lent, to avoid me just being like my college friends who give something up because they are technically a catholic, or because its what you do, or because they want to lose weight by giving up crisps chocolate and biscuits, I thought I'd take on a project to really embrace the Stripped message.
Jesus didn't have distractions in his life like me and you do, Moses or Abraham, characters in the bible who lived according to Gods plan spent their time in Gods presence. Funnily enough, a song called I know who I am starts with this guy from the audience (live recording) singing in a cute funky way 'I wanna be like Jesus'. Jesus knew who he was. I want to be identified in the way Jesus was!
Each month I'm going to give up something I depend on. I dont know how many things in my life that take up time before I give time to God, so how long this project will run for depends on that! If you have any ideas tell me! And yes, facebook will be one of them. In fact, the amount of time I spend on that thing I should probably dedicate two months to it!
P.S
I'm not saying we SHOULDN'T be involved in things of the world, I know scripture says be all things to all men and I also think we have to be involved in the world to make a change in it. The message I want to put out there is that we should be mindful of the things we value in life.
At the end of one of Pauls letters in Philippians he says;
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do the best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious - the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
I know, i'm a 'waste' as my friends would say. So as to make sure I didn't miss lent completely, on the 1st March I thought I'd just give up make up for the month. I'd been saying since last summer I'll give it up for a month and always shrugged it off, forgotten. But coming back from the gathering I realised my dependence on the stuff was too big, and if I was truly comfortable in my identity in Christ, the thought of not wearing make up in college and church and everywhere wouldn't make me so nervous!
I thought, to be truly Stripped of the world and live in Gods presence, I should sacrifice the things in my life that I have a dependence on.
And on a side note, its crazy how beneficial it is! The first week I had work experience, I looked in the mirror of the toilets and didn't recognise myself. I don't even usually wear that much. I actually apologised to the girl I was working with for having to work with my bare face all day. 2 weeks on, the change is not so evident to me anymore, I am comfortable in a new face that is my own and not Boots no.7's or avon's. Its almost like getting rid of an addiction, the longer you go the more you realise how much you didnt need it, painful at first! But worth it.
So, I figured rather than making this like any other lent, to avoid me just being like my college friends who give something up because they are technically a catholic, or because its what you do, or because they want to lose weight by giving up crisps chocolate and biscuits, I thought I'd take on a project to really embrace the Stripped message.
Jesus didn't have distractions in his life like me and you do, Moses or Abraham, characters in the bible who lived according to Gods plan spent their time in Gods presence. Funnily enough, a song called I know who I am starts with this guy from the audience (live recording) singing in a cute funky way 'I wanna be like Jesus'. Jesus knew who he was. I want to be identified in the way Jesus was!
Each month I'm going to give up something I depend on. I dont know how many things in my life that take up time before I give time to God, so how long this project will run for depends on that! If you have any ideas tell me! And yes, facebook will be one of them. In fact, the amount of time I spend on that thing I should probably dedicate two months to it!
P.S
I'm not saying we SHOULDN'T be involved in things of the world, I know scripture says be all things to all men and I also think we have to be involved in the world to make a change in it. The message I want to put out there is that we should be mindful of the things we value in life.
At the end of one of Pauls letters in Philippians he says;
Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do the best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious - the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse. Put into practice what you learned from me, what you heard and saw and realized. Do that, and God, who makes everything work together, will work you into his most excellent harmonies.
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
The Gathering
I realised I hadn't wrote a blog in a while, so much so I didn't even complete the minimum three a month in february, and instead only did a measly one. How pathetic.
So yeah, this isn't going to be well insightful, just an update in the life of Becky. Then again, an update in the life of Becky will most likely lead onto some soul searching!
It is now tuesday, and I got back on sunday from this huge christian youth event called the gathering in telford, hundreds of youth, one God, incredible. I've come away from the gathering not on one of those christian festival highs that lasts a few days then you get depressed by coming home when reality kicks in. Instead, the gatehring was very different. Its equipped me to be a revolutionary, it really does start the second we get home! I'm excited for change because Gods love has changed me. Gods love is the most present thing you could ever feel. If you dont have it, accept it. Its there for you to take, and without knowing it, we are aimless with no direction. As I've started to read my bible more and more, it screams out to me love. Its centred on love. I've never known the importance of love as I do now! Gods love actually is amazing, I've been singing it for so long but not feeling it to the extent God wanted me too, or living it. LIVE GODS LOVE!
So yeah, this isn't going to be well insightful, just an update in the life of Becky. Then again, an update in the life of Becky will most likely lead onto some soul searching!
It is now tuesday, and I got back on sunday from this huge christian youth event called the gathering in telford, hundreds of youth, one God, incredible. I've come away from the gathering not on one of those christian festival highs that lasts a few days then you get depressed by coming home when reality kicks in. Instead, the gatehring was very different. Its equipped me to be a revolutionary, it really does start the second we get home! I'm excited for change because Gods love has changed me. Gods love is the most present thing you could ever feel. If you dont have it, accept it. Its there for you to take, and without knowing it, we are aimless with no direction. As I've started to read my bible more and more, it screams out to me love. Its centred on love. I've never known the importance of love as I do now! Gods love actually is amazing, I've been singing it for so long but not feeling it to the extent God wanted me too, or living it. LIVE GODS LOVE!
Tuesday, 8 February 2011
YO, why you judgin?!
'Don't judge a book by it's cover
Don't make your mind up, too soon
Never ever ever ever, ever ever ever ever, ever judge a book by its cover!'
~Thomas the Tank Engine
This is only a short post due to my absolutley massive week, which I shall talk about in my next blog probably. Anyway, on Becky's heart this February month is Judgement. Recently, God has revealed to me people I never knew, who I had pretty bad perceptions of previously due to what people say, their attitudes in my observations of these people etc, as beautiful, joyous, brilliant people.
How easy is it, to make an opinion of someone you don't know? It's CRAZY. You will never know. You are not justified in knowing, because you don't. I didn't know people I thought badly of, how is this possible?! All of the things I have thought about some people is what I was myself. Obnoxious, snobby, critical, cocky, sour person. That was what I thought, and that is what I was. These people have been revealed to me as brilliant people, which pains me to say how wrong I was, I feel hurt for them from my thoughts.
Don't judge. You're only dooming yourself and limiting people. Those same people could may well have been our closest of friends if we didn't limit them with our dangerous and un justified thoughts.
Don't make your mind up, too soon
Never ever ever ever, ever ever ever ever, ever judge a book by its cover!'
~Thomas the Tank Engine
This is only a short post due to my absolutley massive week, which I shall talk about in my next blog probably. Anyway, on Becky's heart this February month is Judgement. Recently, God has revealed to me people I never knew, who I had pretty bad perceptions of previously due to what people say, their attitudes in my observations of these people etc, as beautiful, joyous, brilliant people.
How easy is it, to make an opinion of someone you don't know? It's CRAZY. You will never know. You are not justified in knowing, because you don't. I didn't know people I thought badly of, how is this possible?! All of the things I have thought about some people is what I was myself. Obnoxious, snobby, critical, cocky, sour person. That was what I thought, and that is what I was. These people have been revealed to me as brilliant people, which pains me to say how wrong I was, I feel hurt for them from my thoughts.
Don't judge. You're only dooming yourself and limiting people. Those same people could may well have been our closest of friends if we didn't limit them with our dangerous and un justified thoughts.
Monday, 31 January 2011
Changing Desires
I just sat on my bed, ready to open the Word of God (WOG) and get some daily bread in me. When I thought, and decided to write a blog first, as it often puts me in a mind frame of being worshipful of God, or deciphers out my own feelings so I can better know what I need from him!
And now that my second to final exam is done and dusted, what better excuse to click 'new post' and tell all of you beautiful people what has been whizzing around my head this time.
Turning 18 is a milestone, and it's kind of forced me to look back on my youth. University applications has also made me look into my past, to decide what I want to do in the future, what my desire has always been. And it made me think, how much what I thought were my 'desires' has changed.
Growing up, when I was asked 'What do you want to be when you grow up?', the fame hungry, self centred child that was me wanted to be either 'a singer, actress or T.V presenter'. Specifically in that order. I wanted to be married by the age of 22 with four children, two girls and two boys, (typical), one boy to be called Jeremiah, and one of the girls to be called Esther, the other Kaitlyn.
The 18 year old me hates the name Kaitlyn.
(sorry if anyone reading is called kaitlyn, or knows of someone with that name, I just used the word hate for effect, I'm just not that keen rather than hate)
So, at 18 years old, even though I know this is still very young and these opinions may later change in time of approach, I no longer want to be a world renown singer, with crazy fame and my own entourage of paparazzi and a tonne of money. I no longer want to be an actress. I do not share the same enthusiasm and drive for drama anymore.
I wouldn't mind to be wed early, but only in order to spend time with my husband before a family (if I ever get married of course). I no longer want to be a young hip mum, people describe giving birth later in life as a way of not missing out on the parties and drinking etc etc, I just want solely a marriage before family is all. I still want children, but no specifications to number, names or sex.
And as for the T.V presenter, I got one thing right when I was a kid, but who knows, in another five years I'll probably see that change too.
Anyway, this extremely long winded post is a way of saying, I'm glad God didn't give in to the demanding 'give me what I want when I want' attitude of the child with the blonde 'fro. If he had, I would have been pretty messed up. No, a lot messed up.
What I thought were my desires have completely changed, and they always do. This may be too my indecisive nature, but its bound to happen with age and finding who we are in Christ, walking closer along side the Lord everyday. Of course its gonna change, God shapes and moulds and squeezes us every day by his holy spirit, with a purpose for change!
As to not make this post any longer, God changes us, what we think we want changes, so don't be sad when you don't get what you want, because in hindsight you probably won't want it for yourself either. I know this is so simple, but when something so small such as not getting an offer for a particular university comes along, It becomes something I easily forget. Selfish selfish humans.
And now that my second to final exam is done and dusted, what better excuse to click 'new post' and tell all of you beautiful people what has been whizzing around my head this time.
Turning 18 is a milestone, and it's kind of forced me to look back on my youth. University applications has also made me look into my past, to decide what I want to do in the future, what my desire has always been. And it made me think, how much what I thought were my 'desires' has changed.
Growing up, when I was asked 'What do you want to be when you grow up?', the fame hungry, self centred child that was me wanted to be either 'a singer, actress or T.V presenter'. Specifically in that order. I wanted to be married by the age of 22 with four children, two girls and two boys, (typical), one boy to be called Jeremiah, and one of the girls to be called Esther, the other Kaitlyn.
The 18 year old me hates the name Kaitlyn.
(sorry if anyone reading is called kaitlyn, or knows of someone with that name, I just used the word hate for effect, I'm just not that keen rather than hate)
So, at 18 years old, even though I know this is still very young and these opinions may later change in time of approach, I no longer want to be a world renown singer, with crazy fame and my own entourage of paparazzi and a tonne of money. I no longer want to be an actress. I do not share the same enthusiasm and drive for drama anymore.
I wouldn't mind to be wed early, but only in order to spend time with my husband before a family (if I ever get married of course). I no longer want to be a young hip mum, people describe giving birth later in life as a way of not missing out on the parties and drinking etc etc, I just want solely a marriage before family is all. I still want children, but no specifications to number, names or sex.
And as for the T.V presenter, I got one thing right when I was a kid, but who knows, in another five years I'll probably see that change too.
Anyway, this extremely long winded post is a way of saying, I'm glad God didn't give in to the demanding 'give me what I want when I want' attitude of the child with the blonde 'fro. If he had, I would have been pretty messed up. No, a lot messed up.
What I thought were my desires have completely changed, and they always do. This may be too my indecisive nature, but its bound to happen with age and finding who we are in Christ, walking closer along side the Lord everyday. Of course its gonna change, God shapes and moulds and squeezes us every day by his holy spirit, with a purpose for change!
As to not make this post any longer, God changes us, what we think we want changes, so don't be sad when you don't get what you want, because in hindsight you probably won't want it for yourself either. I know this is so simple, but when something so small such as not getting an offer for a particular university comes along, It becomes something I easily forget. Selfish selfish humans.
Sunday, 16 January 2011
Can a hindrance ever become an abundance?
Some poetry of mine for ya'll
I'm not a poet, this is more of a rap, then again, rap is poetry, so I guess it is a poem!
However, imagine in a Dizzee Rascal style rather than Shakespeare!
Can a hindrance ever become an abundance?
Potential exists. Change exists. You exist.
An existance that is forever going round in my head
An existance that equals death.
A hindrance
what can that be?
Can we ever be?
Ever be free, to live, to co-exist
Can we ever retrace steps to a time
Where we could co incide
Not only inside my head, but yours too
I will never know if we will ever be
Untill the time where you don't exist
So prominantely
Every day I walk where you walked
Every day; memories and jokes and
things of me, discovered by you
Things you made me to be.
Neither positive or negativley
Just you and I, I and me
There will be a time, I have faith
in the other man I have made my home in
Hope to untie my soul from yours
It takes work and time
But we will co incide
As people, and not my hindrance.
I'm not a poet, this is more of a rap, then again, rap is poetry, so I guess it is a poem!
However, imagine in a Dizzee Rascal style rather than Shakespeare!
Can a hindrance ever become an abundance?
Potential exists. Change exists. You exist.
An existance that is forever going round in my head
An existance that equals death.
A hindrance
what can that be?
Can we ever be?
Ever be free, to live, to co-exist
Can we ever retrace steps to a time
Where we could co incide
Not only inside my head, but yours too
I will never know if we will ever be
Untill the time where you don't exist
So prominantely
Every day I walk where you walked
Every day; memories and jokes and
things of me, discovered by you
Things you made me to be.
Neither positive or negativley
Just you and I, I and me
There will be a time, I have faith
in the other man I have made my home in
Hope to untie my soul from yours
It takes work and time
But we will co incide
As people, and not my hindrance.
Wednesday, 12 January 2011
Birthdays and General Studies
So, I figured I needed to complete a blog before moving from childhood to adulthood, turning the big 18.
For some reason, I feel like once thursday the thirteenth comes along this week, Becky Owens will have a whole different persona, that I probably will no longer be referred to as 'Bowens' or get away with being late to lessons, and everywhere else. I feel like Becky Owens will no longer exist, and Rebecca Owens will take her place for the rest of my life. Haha! I wonder if anybody else felt like this when turning 18? I'm both excited at the prospect of having no limits in life, and extremely scared of not having an excuse to act like a total idiot for the best part of every day. At the same time of being excited, I'm clinging on to my youth for dear life! Once I hit 18, it'll feel like a couple of days till I'm turning 30. AHHH!
Anyway, back to the main point of my post today. A brilliant preacher in my church, (probably one of the best I have ever heard) Frank, likes to use really swish videos that make an impact. Just from being at various different events of the same topic, I have seen one of his videos three times. Unfortunatley I can't find it, but I'm sure the onyl four people reading have seen it already, hahaha. (that was a joke at the lack of people who view my blog, HOWEVER, these are the people I care about, so it's ok). Anyway, the video displays loads of facts about the decline of youthin churches, and the shocking figures of what the youth of today turn to instead. Drugs, Alcohol, Sex, Abuse. Four not brilliant words.
Today I had a general studies resit exam, and even though I have no need for general studies, and personally believe it is the most pointless thing known to education, maybe even mankind. Despite this, I was pretty glad I was made to resit this exam, as hopefully there will be a converted examiner in the UK, that would be brilliant indeed. I was also pretty glad, because like my blogs, it was a great realisation moment when I thought, wait, to this examiner, I'm a full on passionate evangelistic christian, but am I living that out?
The answer is, I certainly am not. You see, in this exam I used many of the facts that were on that video, that in the 1920's, for every 100 young people in the church, today we have 9. Another interesting fact, if every christian in the world brought one person to God every year, then that person brought somebody to God, it would only take 32 years for not only a comlete christian country, a complete Christian world! It's a TINY part to play. One person, brought to God, a year, would see a changed world.
So, this year, I'm making it my aim to bring at least one person to God. Have someone in mind, pray for them every day, and hopefully before 2012 they will know God personally and intimatley. After all, you might only have to do it once if the world actually does end in 2012! I'm not about praying for friends either, I pray for my friends, but I do not specifically pray for one person and concetrate on bringing them to places in which they can experience God for themselves. This is much more effective. And I think as Christians, this has to be our aim, otherwise, how can we ever really be living out the word? So make it your aim too, it's not too late to have a new new years resolution, we still have 11 months and 19 days left..
For some reason, I feel like once thursday the thirteenth comes along this week, Becky Owens will have a whole different persona, that I probably will no longer be referred to as 'Bowens' or get away with being late to lessons, and everywhere else. I feel like Becky Owens will no longer exist, and Rebecca Owens will take her place for the rest of my life. Haha! I wonder if anybody else felt like this when turning 18? I'm both excited at the prospect of having no limits in life, and extremely scared of not having an excuse to act like a total idiot for the best part of every day. At the same time of being excited, I'm clinging on to my youth for dear life! Once I hit 18, it'll feel like a couple of days till I'm turning 30. AHHH!
Anyway, back to the main point of my post today. A brilliant preacher in my church, (probably one of the best I have ever heard) Frank, likes to use really swish videos that make an impact. Just from being at various different events of the same topic, I have seen one of his videos three times. Unfortunatley I can't find it, but I'm sure the onyl four people reading have seen it already, hahaha. (that was a joke at the lack of people who view my blog, HOWEVER, these are the people I care about, so it's ok). Anyway, the video displays loads of facts about the decline of youthin churches, and the shocking figures of what the youth of today turn to instead. Drugs, Alcohol, Sex, Abuse. Four not brilliant words.
Today I had a general studies resit exam, and even though I have no need for general studies, and personally believe it is the most pointless thing known to education, maybe even mankind. Despite this, I was pretty glad I was made to resit this exam, as hopefully there will be a converted examiner in the UK, that would be brilliant indeed. I was also pretty glad, because like my blogs, it was a great realisation moment when I thought, wait, to this examiner, I'm a full on passionate evangelistic christian, but am I living that out?
The answer is, I certainly am not. You see, in this exam I used many of the facts that were on that video, that in the 1920's, for every 100 young people in the church, today we have 9. Another interesting fact, if every christian in the world brought one person to God every year, then that person brought somebody to God, it would only take 32 years for not only a comlete christian country, a complete Christian world! It's a TINY part to play. One person, brought to God, a year, would see a changed world.
So, this year, I'm making it my aim to bring at least one person to God. Have someone in mind, pray for them every day, and hopefully before 2012 they will know God personally and intimatley. After all, you might only have to do it once if the world actually does end in 2012! I'm not about praying for friends either, I pray for my friends, but I do not specifically pray for one person and concetrate on bringing them to places in which they can experience God for themselves. This is much more effective. And I think as Christians, this has to be our aim, otherwise, how can we ever really be living out the word? So make it your aim too, it's not too late to have a new new years resolution, we still have 11 months and 19 days left..
Sunday, 2 January 2011
Insomnia
So it's 2011...
and unfortunatley staying up till 6 on New Years day has completely messed up my sleeping pattern, haven't had a decent sleep this year yet. So I decided to write a blog with the main things whirling around my head, rather than lay in bed playing on my new christmas toy: iPod touch. I love that cut the rope game.
So, i'm going to take a risk and go straight into the deepest thing that has affected my life recently, which I only discovered last night. I have been robbed of Joy.
I mean, i'm generally a happy person, and although things may be going alright and sailing on, I've lost joy, due to numerous reasons.
I've come to realise how important joy is. I've always taken it as just another fruit of the spirit, you know, they're just some nice extra things God gives us to make us nice people. I was wrong. They are so important in making us who we are designed to be, disciples and followers of the Lord. How can I live a life of love without love? How can I not argue with my family and friends without kindness? How can I not be angry and upset with what life throws at me without peace and patience? And how can I live a joyful life without Joy? I can't. So when the devil robs you of such things, it can be very hard to live a life worthy of God.
A deep joy in knowing God's intense and tangible love, a content being is a full life.
I'm eighteen in 10 days
I'm going to do a blog of 365 pictures of a year of being eighteen. Exciting, watch this space.
and unfortunatley staying up till 6 on New Years day has completely messed up my sleeping pattern, haven't had a decent sleep this year yet. So I decided to write a blog with the main things whirling around my head, rather than lay in bed playing on my new christmas toy: iPod touch. I love that cut the rope game.
So, i'm going to take a risk and go straight into the deepest thing that has affected my life recently, which I only discovered last night. I have been robbed of Joy.
I mean, i'm generally a happy person, and although things may be going alright and sailing on, I've lost joy, due to numerous reasons.
I've come to realise how important joy is. I've always taken it as just another fruit of the spirit, you know, they're just some nice extra things God gives us to make us nice people. I was wrong. They are so important in making us who we are designed to be, disciples and followers of the Lord. How can I live a life of love without love? How can I not argue with my family and friends without kindness? How can I not be angry and upset with what life throws at me without peace and patience? And how can I live a joyful life without Joy? I can't. So when the devil robs you of such things, it can be very hard to live a life worthy of God.
A deep joy in knowing God's intense and tangible love, a content being is a full life.
I'm eighteen in 10 days
I'm going to do a blog of 365 pictures of a year of being eighteen. Exciting, watch this space.
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