Well... here we are almost at the end of what I'm calling 'Week Zer0".
One of the many lessons I learned from Kung Fu Panda that there is indeed a Level Zer0. I think that in this level, we discover that we know nothing. We can do nothing on our own without God's strength and guidance. I am sure I will be reminded of this many times throughout this training process!
With a bit of research and help from family and friends, I have committed to the following two plans:
The Training Plan
The Eating Plan (Top Two Tiers)
I have a feeling that it will be easier to stick to 'The Training Plan' than 'The Eating Plan', but then, I must remind myself that these two will work together to strengthen my body for the upcoming race. In addition to these plans, I am striving to be more focused in my spiritual life... for without His strength, I am like a limp glove with no strong hand to fill it.
When I think about being able to run 13.1 miles by September 18, I'm not quite sure how I will do it. That's the beauty of this whole project. This is a completely impossible task for me, Elise Ivey, but the beauty comes in this:
"...for You have been my help, and in the shadow of Your wings I will sing for joy. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me... my flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."
~Psalm 63:7-8, 73:26~
Friday, May 21, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
The First Step...
Anytime you begin a journey, you must begin with the first step.
In my case, the first step was filling out a form with my name and address, putting in my t-shirt size, and guesstimating how long it would take me to run exactly 13.1 miles.
No, I can't run 13.1 miles NOW, but I am going out on faith. I'm trusting in the strength of the One who has all Power, and I'm embarking on a journey with my Lord.
On September 18th (about four months from today), I will wake up for my first day as a 23-year-old, and I will go to bed having run a half marathon.
Wow. Just typing it makes me feel crazy enough to be committed to the insane asylum!
That's all for now. It's time to go run.
Monday, April 12, 2010
1 Corinthians 4:1-5
Just a bit from my devotions this week:
1 Corinthians 4:1-5
~v. 1 ~
"So then, men out to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God."
-Servants of Christ
-Entrusted with and stewards of the secret things (revelations) of God
-Secret Things= things human wisdom cannot discover, but that are revealed by God to His people
~v. 2~
"Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful."
-We must prove ourselves to be faithful with this entrustment of these revelations of God
~v. 3~
"I care very little if I am judged by you or any human court; indeed I do not even judge myself."
-We should care very little about what others think, say, or do in their judgments
-You cannot even judge yourself
~v. 4~
My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me."
-We are guilty of the judgment of others
-Only the Lord can be the Judge
~v. 5~
"Therefore, judge nothing until the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time, each will receive his own praise from God."
-Judgment is not my task
-Wait on the Lord and His perfect judgment
-God will bring these things to light (not my job)
-Motives of the heart will be exposed (motives are judged)
-True praise comes from the Lord, not from men
1 Corinthians 4:1-5
~v. 1 ~
"So then, men out to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God."
-Servants of Christ
-Entrusted with and stewards of the secret things (revelations) of God
-Secret Things= things human wisdom cannot discover, but that are revealed by God to His people
~v. 2~
"Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful."
-We must prove ourselves to be faithful with this entrustment of these revelations of God
~v. 3~
"I care very little if I am judged by you or any human court; indeed I do not even judge myself."
-We should care very little about what others think, say, or do in their judgments
-You cannot even judge yourself
~v. 4~
My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me."
-We are guilty of the judgment of others
-Only the Lord can be the Judge
~v. 5~
"Therefore, judge nothing until the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time, each will receive his own praise from God."
-Judgment is not my task
-Wait on the Lord and His perfect judgment
-God will bring these things to light (not my job)
-Motives of the heart will be exposed (motives are judged)
-True praise comes from the Lord, not from men
Friday, November 27, 2009
Vampire Craze - Taken from the Revive Our Hearts Blog
Unless you've been living under a rock, you already know that the Twilight sequel, New Moon, was released in theaters Friday. News organizations nationwide reported sell-out crowds at local theaters. Thousands of fans camped out for hours to stake out their seats for the heavily hyped movie premiere. Experts are reporting that New Moon is now the number-one advance ticket seller of all time. In other words, it's a mega-hit! It's more than a blip on the landscape of culture. It's more like a bombshell, and young women are among the series' biggest fans.
Because I care so deeply about pointing young women toward God's truth, I couldn't let this movie premiere go unaddressed. I know it's controversial and I know, because I've blogged about Twilight in the past, that my stand on the series doesn't make me the world's most popular blogger. But I also know what's at stake. These aren't just books. New Moon isn't just another hit movie. We need to talk about it.
Proverbs 4:23 warns, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."
What we allow into our hearts and minds will impact us. As I've researched New Moon and heard about it from countless young women in my sphere of influence, it's clear to me that this movie and the rest of the Twilight series are designed to pull at your heart strings.
People magazine released its "Sexiest Men Alive" issue last week. An entire section of the magazine was dedicated to "Vampires to die for." Twilight star Robert Pattinson topped the list. Stars from the hit vampire shows The Vampire Diaries and True Blood were also featured. All three series have this in common—they're centered around male characters who are dark, brooding, and dangerous.
Vampire Diaries star Ian Somerhalder offered this explanation for the phenomenon: "The mythology behind vampires has never really gone away. It was always there. Now you have this market for it because I think they're fun. They're powerful. They're sexy. They're dangerous. They're beautiful. Something draws you to them . . . The girls like the bad boy."
Vampire Diaries co-executive producer Julie Plec offered this spin: "You want to believe there is so much going on behind those eyes. You want to believe that they have epic amounts of knowledge and soul and spirituality and intelligence lurking behind those eyes. And in real men, you don't often get that. So in a vampire, just by definition, you are getting the bad boy with the brain."
Here's where my spiritual antenna starts to perk up. As young women everywhere choose between Team Edward and Team Jacob and as over 5 million viewers tune in weekly to the vampire shows I mentioned above (for comparison, that's equivalent to the population of Scotland), I can't help but wonder if this fascination with the dark, dangerous, bad boys featured in these series is fitting for girls and women who love Jesus.
First Corinthians 13:4–7 says this, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
Galatians 5:22–23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."
I've always seen these passages as a great barometer for choosing a fella. These are the qualities that I would advise Christian young women to look for in a man—patience, kindness, joy, peace, goodness, faithfulness, self-control. This is what we should be drawn to. We shouldn't link our lives with those who are envious, boastful, proud, rude, self-seeking, easily angered, concerned with keeping score. It isn't wise to form emotional attachments with a guy who delights in evil.
I've seen firsthand, in my own life and in the lives of so many young women, the train wreck that occurs when we're drawn to bad boys. I know the pain that can occur in real life when girls link their lives with guys who are dangerous, brooding, dark, and unpredictable.
That's why I can't help but see New Moon and the rest of the vampire craze for what it is—dangerous! It isn't wise to buy in to the fascination with these characters who are "sexy" because they are dark. Remember the warning in Proverbs, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."
As New Moon rises to the applause of our culture, I have to ask, are you guarding your heart above all things?
Because I care so deeply about pointing young women toward God's truth, I couldn't let this movie premiere go unaddressed. I know it's controversial and I know, because I've blogged about Twilight in the past, that my stand on the series doesn't make me the world's most popular blogger. But I also know what's at stake. These aren't just books. New Moon isn't just another hit movie. We need to talk about it.
Proverbs 4:23 warns, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."
What we allow into our hearts and minds will impact us. As I've researched New Moon and heard about it from countless young women in my sphere of influence, it's clear to me that this movie and the rest of the Twilight series are designed to pull at your heart strings.
People magazine released its "Sexiest Men Alive" issue last week. An entire section of the magazine was dedicated to "Vampires to die for." Twilight star Robert Pattinson topped the list. Stars from the hit vampire shows The Vampire Diaries and True Blood were also featured. All three series have this in common—they're centered around male characters who are dark, brooding, and dangerous.
Vampire Diaries star Ian Somerhalder offered this explanation for the phenomenon: "The mythology behind vampires has never really gone away. It was always there. Now you have this market for it because I think they're fun. They're powerful. They're sexy. They're dangerous. They're beautiful. Something draws you to them . . . The girls like the bad boy."
Vampire Diaries co-executive producer Julie Plec offered this spin: "You want to believe there is so much going on behind those eyes. You want to believe that they have epic amounts of knowledge and soul and spirituality and intelligence lurking behind those eyes. And in real men, you don't often get that. So in a vampire, just by definition, you are getting the bad boy with the brain."
Here's where my spiritual antenna starts to perk up. As young women everywhere choose between Team Edward and Team Jacob and as over 5 million viewers tune in weekly to the vampire shows I mentioned above (for comparison, that's equivalent to the population of Scotland), I can't help but wonder if this fascination with the dark, dangerous, bad boys featured in these series is fitting for girls and women who love Jesus.
First Corinthians 13:4–7 says this, "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."
Galatians 5:22–23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."
I've always seen these passages as a great barometer for choosing a fella. These are the qualities that I would advise Christian young women to look for in a man—patience, kindness, joy, peace, goodness, faithfulness, self-control. This is what we should be drawn to. We shouldn't link our lives with those who are envious, boastful, proud, rude, self-seeking, easily angered, concerned with keeping score. It isn't wise to form emotional attachments with a guy who delights in evil.
I've seen firsthand, in my own life and in the lives of so many young women, the train wreck that occurs when we're drawn to bad boys. I know the pain that can occur in real life when girls link their lives with guys who are dangerous, brooding, dark, and unpredictable.
That's why I can't help but see New Moon and the rest of the vampire craze for what it is—dangerous! It isn't wise to buy in to the fascination with these characters who are "sexy" because they are dark. Remember the warning in Proverbs, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life."
As New Moon rises to the applause of our culture, I have to ask, are you guarding your heart above all things?
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Parakaleo
"Therefore, I urge (parakaleo) you, brothers,
in view of God's mercy,
to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,
holy and pleasing to God—
this is your spirituala]"> act of worship.
Urge.
'Parakaleo'.
-To call to one's side
-To admonish, exhort
-To console, strengthen
-To comfort, teach, and encourage
Urging. Calling. Comforting. The words that Paul is writing here to the church at Corinth are just as applicable to our lives now as they were to the Corinthians then. Paul is encouraging us here (because of the great and abundant mercy of God) to present ourselves as a 'living sacrifice'.
The Corinthians no longer had to make animal sacrifices. The blood had been shed on the cross of Christ to cover all sins...past, present, and future. So what is Paul saying here?
Paul is saying, give it ALL. Sacrifice is no longer a ritualistic ceremony of bloodshed that must be done in order to bring forgiveness of sin. The living sacrifice mentioned here is to give over our lives in obedience to the Lord. It is an act of worship... of submission to the wisdom of the God that we serve.
...do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—
His good, pleasing and perfect will."
~Romans 12:1-2~
As Christians, this is our calling. 'Do not conform', 'be transformed', gain knowledge of Christ to 'test and approve what God's will is— His good, pleasing and perfect will'. We don't blend in with the world... and we shouldn't. We have been called to be non-conformists that will, through studying God's Word, be transformed by these God-breathed words:
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for
teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness..."
~2 Timothy 3:16~
Lately, I have felt convicted about how I spend my time. You can tell a lot about ones priorities through taking a quick peek into their Day-Planner of Life. Is the day spent in prayer? Studying the word? Wow... imagine what 'training in righteousness' can take place through daily study of God's Word!
On the flip side, is the day spent mindlessly surfing the internet? Planting and harvesting crops on Farmville? Updating a twitter or status to fill in your peers in on your fickle mood? Hmm... I wonder if my status will really effect ones day, or if my attitude towards them will have more of an impact?
I am no Greek scholar, but I am developing a passion to learn more of 'the Greek' or 'the Hebrew' in order to get a fuller understanding of the Word of God. To my fullest knowledge and understanding of this word, I believe I have a sudden sense of God's parakaleo— His urging to come alongside Him, learn from His wisdom, and be empowered by His strength.
I am going to be taking a bit of a sabbatical from a few of the distractions in my life (including facebook). You can still reach me via email, but it may take longer than usual for me to answer.
I restate this here as a bit of a reminder to myself:
"Therefore, I urge (parakaleo) you, brothers,
in view of God's mercy,
to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,
holy and pleasing to God—
this is your spiritual act of worship..."
in view of God's mercy,
to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,
holy and pleasing to God—
this is your spirituala]"> act of worship.
Urge.
'Parakaleo'.
-To call to one's side
-To admonish, exhort
-To console, strengthen
-To comfort, teach, and encourage
Urging. Calling. Comforting. The words that Paul is writing here to the church at Corinth are just as applicable to our lives now as they were to the Corinthians then. Paul is encouraging us here (because of the great and abundant mercy of God) to present ourselves as a 'living sacrifice'.
The Corinthians no longer had to make animal sacrifices. The blood had been shed on the cross of Christ to cover all sins...past, present, and future. So what is Paul saying here?
Paul is saying, give it ALL. Sacrifice is no longer a ritualistic ceremony of bloodshed that must be done in order to bring forgiveness of sin. The living sacrifice mentioned here is to give over our lives in obedience to the Lord. It is an act of worship... of submission to the wisdom of the God that we serve.
...do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—
His good, pleasing and perfect will."
~Romans 12:1-2~
As Christians, this is our calling. 'Do not conform', 'be transformed', gain knowledge of Christ to 'test and approve what God's will is— His good, pleasing and perfect will'. We don't blend in with the world... and we shouldn't. We have been called to be non-conformists that will, through studying God's Word, be transformed by these God-breathed words:
"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for
teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness..."
~2 Timothy 3:16~
Lately, I have felt convicted about how I spend my time. You can tell a lot about ones priorities through taking a quick peek into their Day-Planner of Life. Is the day spent in prayer? Studying the word? Wow... imagine what 'training in righteousness' can take place through daily study of God's Word!
On the flip side, is the day spent mindlessly surfing the internet? Planting and harvesting crops on Farmville? Updating a twitter or status to fill in your peers in on your fickle mood? Hmm... I wonder if my status will really effect ones day, or if my attitude towards them will have more of an impact?
I am no Greek scholar, but I am developing a passion to learn more of 'the Greek' or 'the Hebrew' in order to get a fuller understanding of the Word of God. To my fullest knowledge and understanding of this word, I believe I have a sudden sense of God's parakaleo— His urging to come alongside Him, learn from His wisdom, and be empowered by His strength.
I am going to be taking a bit of a sabbatical from a few of the distractions in my life (including facebook). You can still reach me via email, but it may take longer than usual for me to answer.
I restate this here as a bit of a reminder to myself:
"Therefore, I urge (parakaleo) you, brothers,
in view of God's mercy,
to offer your bodies as living sacrifices,
holy and pleasing to God—
this is your spiritual act of worship..."
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