A friend of mine showed me this post and it does a great job of summarizing the Bible. Here is a link to the blog it is from: http://soulcaffeine.wordpress.com/

It’s great having a rule book for life. 🙂

I went to Overflow tonight, which, for those of you who aren’t familiar, is a time for college kids to gather and worship our King together. Anyway, tonight we sang “Open Up the Sky” and I wanted to share it because it really lifted me up!

Our beloved Jesus we just want to see You 
in the glory of Your light 
Earthly things don’t matter 
They just fade and shatter 
When we’re touched by love divine 

It’s great to hear this song and remember that nothing on this earth matters more than our relationship with our father and creator.  It is so comforting to know that even when all earthly things disappear I will still have my God!

I have two favorite stories, so I’ll shoot a quick summary for both along with why I love them.

Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling

 This is a great story because it completely removes me from reality. I don’t have magic and unicorns and Time Turners and Flew Powder and Bat Boogey hexes here! When I read Harry Potter I become apart of a world that is entirely different from my own and freaking awesome. Joking aside, it really is a fantastically written series. Each character has a nicely developed personality and the storyline is always exciting. It’s great that while Harry is out battling dragons, Death Eaters, Basalisks, giant spiders, Hogwart’s staircases, and the Dark Lord, he’s also dealing with all the same junk every other teenager deals with. So while he is an incredibly awesome wizard, who also happens to be The Chosen One, he is still relatable! I just love  a story I can get lost in and Harry Potter always does that for me.

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

 This is a wonderful fiction story about the power of love, redemption and faith. The story is about a young girl (Angel)  in the 19th century who, when her mother dies, is trapped in a ring of prostitution. After 18 years, Angel is filled with hatred and numbness. Michael Hosea is the man who rescues Angel. God calls Michael to marry and love Angel. Throughout the story Angel struggles with her past and how her hatred for men and the kindness of Michael collide. I love this book because it talks about the amazing power of faith and how it can chance lives. It also deals with answering God’s call, even if we don’t understand His motives. It is a story of the unconditional love two people have for each other and God has for us.

Each of these books are very different in genre, but both very amazing. I love to read, so there is no surprise as to why both my stories are from books, although there are many movie stories I love as well. I would also suggest reading Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen for another great story!

I worry a lot about my future, as I am sure many college students do. I worry whether I have made the right choice with my major, if I m going to get a good job after graduating, my assignments and all the other worries that come along with college. I think most college students struggle with worrying about their future, whether they want to admit it or not. Since I have come to college I have learned to depend on the Lord more than ever. I have always been close to God, but the stress of college has pulled me even closer because I am in need of comfort and reassurance.

I pray consistently for patience, understanding, and peace while I am waiting for God’s plans. Jeremiah 29:11 is the scripture I frequently go to in times of need. It reminds me that my life is in God’s hands and that my worries are small insignificant in the larger scheme of things because I know “…that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28)”

In times of stress, I pray that God gives me assurance and peace that I am in His hands and He never fails me. I challenge you to give your worries to God and see what happens. Really put your trust in Him and enjoy the peace that comes with it.

This blog will focus on things to encourage you and brighten your day. This will include scriptures from the Bible, encouraging quotes, and other things that might make you smile.