"When you change what you believe,

You Change what you do"



This was another quote from our change theory class for PBL. I think it was talking about the stage of change that when you realize that the change is good then you become more willing to complete the change.

During Bible Study last night I was remind about this quote, we were discussing persecution and how their is this understanding that experiencing persecution is a part of our faith. A question was raised about that if we are not persecuted then are we really a Christian since it says that all Christians are to be persecuted?

A point was raised from the perspective of the persecuted church. Those who are persecuted made the choice of following Christ because the had a full grasp of what he did for them and what he deserves. When they change from a person trapped in sin to a person following Christ they know that they have to change. It's either all in or nothing. Makes sense; I don't think a person there would want to die for "fire assurance"-- as we seem to use it in North America. We choose to say yes to Christ because that way we know we are going to heaven. But is that really changing anything? If we are not doing anything about it have we really changed? Have we made that commitment to Christ?

So how does this relate back to persecution? Well lets connect the dots. Change often is a good thing but also can bring discomfort. Following Christ is more then just going to church every Sunday and reading you bible. Its about change, sacrifice and commitment. Here in North America we have comfort and safety blanks all around us. So what if we started shedding those things off? What if instead of getting the nicest car getting a used one to give more money away? Or living in not the nicest house? or giving up the unlimited texting plan to have a little more to give to offering?

Yes, I understand that these things are not like being physically persecuted in China. But persecution does not have to be physical, it could be emotional too.

We are surrounded by safely nets and comfort blankets, shed some of those off and let yourself be exposed to persecution around you. It will come. I think we almost have to put ourselves there. But if we do those around us will know who our God is! It comes down to this; Soli de Gloria!

"When you move beyond your fear, you feel free"

It was interesting quote because we heard this when I was in my PBL class talking about change. When change is approaching many people become fearful because it is new and they are afraid of the unknown. But when they move past their fear they often discover that the unknown change is actually a good thing.

What really got my attention was that God tells us the same thing. God calls us to give everything thing to him, our lives, our money, our family, our future, everything. This ultimately means that when we do this we are entering into the unknown, most of us dreading or fearing it.

Now for the change above the "moving beyond your fear" was your own doing with your own strength. With moving past the fear of letting go and giving everything to God we have two promises. First is that he says to never fear because he is always with us. (which is pretty incredible, the God of universal power is protecting us!) Secondly when we give our lives to him he frees us from all the sin and then promises our lives with be full or abundant. Knowing that God what our lives to be lived to the best is amazing. We are going to have a live that is truly awesome time!

This small little quote that was learned in my PBL class is actually biblical truth that God offers, funny how he up shows in everything.

Strong Fortress

So I have to say that today had its ups and downs for sure
1. I found out that I have staff training on Sunday which means missing church
2. Got a ticket today for parking beside the parking spot because as always there are no actual parking spots available
3. I set the alarm off... again
4. and I bought oatmeal raisin cookies instead of chocolate chip (which by the way is a huge deal because now I am not going to be able to satisfy my cookie addiction!)

On the plus side though my oven is working and I didn't fall asleep in Anatomy class, pretty much everything was completely over my head but didn't fall asleep so I think that is a BONUS!

Any who... this morning I was reflecting on a verse that talked about God as being our strong fortress and I was trying to imagine and encompass what that would look like in my everyday life. And I have to say that today was a very good example of what it is. The fortress that surrounds me is Christ. I know that Christ is stronger then anything that can come against me and I also know that the fortress that I am standing in will never fall down. So what I imagined as I was standing on the pool deck was me standing in the fortress with bombs hitting the walls. I was scared and could hear and feel the impact but I knew that I was safe. So the hard times in life we feel and hear are real and even though we feel them we can be reassured that the walls that are around me are protecting me and I can feel safe and ultimately at peace.

It's kinda funny how the devil knows you are thinking these things so he shots some of those bombs at your walls hoping that I will think that they might crumble. But he's wrong the wall of Christ that I am encompassed is much stronger then anything that he can through at me. In short boom roasted! You ain't touching me!

Thoughts from here to around the world: Health

In clinical today (one of my classes for nursing) we discussed the top three determinants of Health in Canada.

They are:
1. Income and social status
2.Social support networks
3. Education and Literacy
note:published by public health Canada

When we looked over these top three my mind began to fill with differant thoughts about my time in Africa as well as people here in Canada.
So lets take a look!

Its interesting, but logically makes sense that those who are most healthy have a good income. Think those who have more money can buy healther foods (since they are generally more expensive) can have to all inclusive gym pass etc. Along with money often comes greater social status which inforces a more postive lookout on life which increases mental health! yay!!! Now this is great in all that these high income people can be healthy but why should health be determined by the paycheck that the person recieves each week? I have no idea how to answer that question or fix that problem but it was brought to my attention today. Who are the people that need healthcare and assistance the most? The ones who don't have that money. I am hoping to learn more this semester how this can be change or how people can make a differance in this area

Social support networks are also key. My logic of the reason is that if you have a network that can keep you accountable to being healthy then obviously its more likely going to happen! Its interesting to think in a global perspective of how differant cultures have differant support groups. Example of this would be in Africa people are 'group orientated' meaning that spending time alone or not building relationships is practically none existant there. So for them this is the easiest thing in the world! Which brings me hope that these people who are not considered high income can have a chance at truely being healthy by relying and helping each other!

The last one mentioned was education and literacy. Everytime I see the word literacy I think of the organization I went to Cameroon with this summer. We discussed with one of the literacy teachers in Oku and he explained that they had literacy availible in the Oku language to help people become more aware of health issues. I have also learned that this is happening in a variety of other minority languages around the world. Its fantastic to think that Health is being promoted and these people have the chance to recieve education in regards to health because of translation. I saw again and again how important it was for people to learn in their mother tongue so to teach them health in it as well is incredible!

So what's the conclusion of all of this? Well to get you to think  and for me to start my thinking and connecting process. When I first heard these determinants in made me almost cry because there are people everywhere who do not have these basic things to help gain and maintain their health but as I was thinking about it more organizations such as Wycliffe are making a differance. The even cooler thing is that God gave these people who do not have the income the ability to build community that North America lost a long time ago.

This was also really neat because it gave me some insight into the needs that Canada faces in regards to Health and also around the world. Maybe this is part of Gods plan for my future, until then I'll keep learning and rely on him to give me the knowledge that I need to exceed and excel to be the best nurse I can be!

Here and now is only a minute compared to eternity come. Hold onto things lightly then and look foward to what you can hold forever.

I was riding in a car with a couple of people and one of them said that they wanted to be rich. From there a small discussion emerged. I said I never wanted to be rich because life becomes so much more complicated with so many more distractions. We did talk about how if we were rich what we could do like give more away or get a big house so that others could live there for free.

This conversation coincided directly to what I was reading in Mark 10 the next day. (funny how God does those things) Jesus explains to his disciples that it is a challenge for any rich man...well any man really, to enter into the Kingdom of heaven. Jesus tells them that only God is the one who can get man in. And all of us know this right? We know that if we believe in Jesus then we will go to heaven. But Jesus keeps going and says something that was even better.

He says that those who give up their family, their homes, their lives then they will receive a hunderd times full in eternity to come. I was struck by this really. That this life we are to give it to him and he will return to it to us even more in eternity. Now think 80 yrs vs. 1000000000. Thats alot, now think eternity! In all reality our time hear on earth is only a minute compared to eternity. Hold onto things lightly here and now. Give them back to him when ever he asks and be willing to go where ever he goes and do whatever he wants you to do. Your reward will be great and you CAN hold it forever!

One of Them

Have you ever been so engrossed in a book that you feel like you are one of the characters? This has happened to me sooooo many times. I remember when I was younger I was reading this series and got so into it that when I was shopping I said "Shannon would love this"..... Shannon was one of the characters in my book.

Recently, I have had this experience again but this time reading the book of Mark. Reading though I feel like I am one of the disciples. I am walking beside them, having the same doubts, troubles and conversations that they have. This started happening around chapter 7-8 when Jesus' focus turns more away from healing and teaching the crowd to teaching and discipling his 12 closest followers.

Its rather interesting really, how in all the events that the disciples experience, there is always a deeper lesson the Jesus desires his disciples to learn, and most of the time they don't. They are left with confused looks. I am one of them, having the same confused look on my face when I read what Jesus has said.

I am one of them. A confused disciple not completely understanding what Jesus is saying or even meaning. I must admit that the teachings of Jesus are not easy ones to implement in ones life or even understand right away.  But look at what the disciples become. John has AMAZING visions of what heaven is going to be. Peter bring the gospel to the world and so many of the the other disciples do the same. The disciples, in midst of their mistakes and slow progress of understanding of what Jesus taught them, were able to fulfill the commission that he gave to them. If they can that means that I can too.

So I will leave you with this, if you are feeling the same way, that this book that you are reading does not make sense or seems so impossible to apply to your life right now, hold on. Persevere though it and let Christ enlighten you like he did the disciples and what and see what amazing things he will have you do. Maybe your name will be one written down in Christian history.