Only a trial can prove the depth of our faith and character

What is faith? My opinion is that it is believing in something we could easily not. Having no physical evidence or proof. Webster says it is something that is believed especially with strong conviction, or firm belief in something for which there is no proof.
As believers we are called to be faithful. Believing in something bigger, purpose and hope. We are also called to be faithful to Him and allowing the Holy Spirit to live within us to guide us and give us wisdom. Faith is hard and most of us have this kinda faith, I believe you are an awesome God who is all knowing and all powerful BUT... this is where we get screwed. This BUT part is not being truly surrendered I don't believe. Don't get me wrong, I myself have lived here in this BUT faith for all of my relationship with Christ until now and it has been so easy to justify. Let me say though, I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT WE REACH OUR FULL POTENTIAL IN CHRIST WHEN THERE ARE BUTS INVOLVED. Because we are human and not God himself we are selfish beings and to die to that each day is something most of us haven't gotten yet. I am finding it hard and each day is a choice. Sadly I have failed at this recently.
Truth is, Faith is not easy and so if it is easy your looking for then you will struggle and continue to search for peace and answers in your walk. Do I think that struggles will not come if your faithful? No, but what I am saying is that you will have peace and joy in those times.
Let me give a personal testament to this faith thing.
God has called me to be faithful in a certain area of my life right now. I came home to all too familiar trials and have doubted whether or not I should have prepared myself for the whatif's. Whatif's being "God, whatif I would have prepared for the worst. I would be allot better off today." In fact, I have yelled at God and told him of how angry I have been in the last few days because things just are too hard and I wasn't prepared. After getting in the word tonight I realized that I jumped out of being faithful and began to look at how impossible and hurtful the situation is. There are those who are thinking look at this girl and how foolish she is, "you are only hurting yourself" they say. Here is the thing though, yet again I have been confirmed on what I feel the Lord is calling me to do. The Holy Spirit is within me and that is what I will allow to guide me. So, I may be in for heartache and pain but I will turn to my God who will deliver me each and every time. I will be faithful to what I know I am called to do even when I have no earthly reason to. In this, I know that I will be blessed. I know that I have a long hard road ahead, but nowhere does God call us to take the easy road or to rest in the fact that we are doing all "we" can handle. He is so much bigger than anything "we" could orchestrate.
I DO NOT want the life that I can "handle" I want the life that he has called me to which is selfless and vulnerable so that I may be a testimony to those who are watching. Do I succeed in this all the time, no not hardly but I know that I am seeking to be Christ like as a human can be and in that because I am only human I will fail. Thank God that he is gracious though and loves me and waits for me to come back to Him each time.
Check out Habakkuk, it is an awesome book that speaks of just this.

Nothing can seperate us from HIS love!

I don't know about you, but this gets me stoked! In my current situation, it would be so easy for me to pull a poor me. I often feel inadequate and unloved right now. Being separated from Matt has been so much harder than I expected coming home. I feel incredibly unloved by him and it makes me question allot about myself. I feel unloved at times by Andrew when he is crying I want to go to my Ma's house and be with my Daddy. Mind you he is only 2 so that is normal when unexpected change happens in their little worlds. I could go on and on, but you get the point.
What is most important for me to know especially in these moments and for you to know in similar moments is NOTHING CAN SEPARATE US FROM HIS LOVE. Isn't that comforting! At the end of the day when people have said ugly things or when your children are acting out, remember that our God is still loving us. He is waiting for us to come to Him with our heartache and sadness to renew our spirit. Believe me when I say that He will deliver you from your storm. He has delivered me in the past and will deliver me in the present. Stand firm on the fact that we are loved by God who is the creator of the purest form of love SELFLESS! Bath yourselves in truth when Satan wants you to believe the lies that you are unlovable.
I hope this has encouraged you today, and remember that loving others is something we are as believers called to do. LOVE GOD/LOVE PEOPLE

Out of the HopeQuest bubble

So my friends...it's been three months since I have posted and since I left. A long VERY HARD three months. I would not trade it for anything though. I overcame things I never thought I could and faced realities that I didn't know existed. More than anything though I stepped to a new level in my faith and reached a level of intimacy I have never known with my God. We make "Christianity" so complicated. When in fact it is so simple, so childish. He has simply called us to believe.
While gone I was challenged on what I believed. I had tons of head knowledge, but at what point does it go from head to heart. THAT IS WHEN YOU TRULY BELIEVE! Ya know there are instances in the bible where miracles where performed and people were amazed by God and His love, grace and mercy. There are people who believe these are just stories when you ask them to test this out in there own lives. I was one, until now. You see, I believe that God still does these things, simply in different ways for our society. I am being tested on that right now in my personal life. Do I believe that God will deliver me? YES, absolutely! I believe that He is capable of making beauty of ashes and a masterpiece of what seems a mess. My part is to believe and trust. To not be shaken or weary. To dye to my wants and desires (including timing) and just let God move in the unmistakable way that He does.
I challenge you all to test your faith. Find out what it is you truly believe. Can He perform miracles? Can He make the impossible, possible? Or maybe if you need modern day wording...Can He restore marriages? Can He heal? Can He provide for us financially? Can He give us hope in a hopeless world?