These few days it seems that about every Christian blogger I follow decided to share their thoughts on Halloween. And that is totally cool, I love reading different opinions and comparing them to that of my own, but this year I will not be sharing my thoughts on Halloween, I want to talk about another topic that has nothing to do with celebrating Halloween but it's something that is a big aspect of it.
The biggest part of halloween is that people get to choose to be a different identity, they get to be someone else for one night.
Talk about "identity theft" (pun intended).
Anyways, It got me wondering why people find so much pleasure in being someone other than themselves, and it made me realize that "identity theft" is something that I have struggled with pretty much my whole life.
I'm sure every person, at least once in their life, has thought about who they are, what their purpose is, and where they belong. Well for me, that journey was a long messy one.
I spent my life riding a self esteem roller coaster, always struggling with self image, always striving to be someone prettier, someone cooler, someone better. And even though I always pretended that I didn't care, deep down inside I always had the need to be accepted and acknowledged. As a teenager I actually spent time thinking about whether I wanted to stick to being a nerd, a jock, a girly girl, and so on. I even struggled with deciding on a clothing style; should I dress sporty, girly, indie, classy or grungy? Looking back I realize how ridiculous that is, but it shows just how lost I was.
Then as I got older, I no longer felt the need to categorize myself as something, but I started to struggle with something even worse. With time, I began to find it hard to love myself, and be happy with who I was. I began to constantly doubt myself, and compare myself to others, I lost sight of who I was and who I was made to be. I thought things would change when I got married, but for some reason they only got worse; I became even less confident, and even more confused about who I am. This struggle affected my marriage, my service, my growth and nothing good came out of it.
But I am so thankful for my husband because he has been so supportive and helpful through all of it. Even more so I am so thankful that I know God, because this would be a journey to darkness if it weren't for Him. Even though I didn't always see it, God has been by my side every step of the way, always picking me back up when I fell. There were times when I wasn't close to Him and didn't let Him help me, but He always found a way back into my heart, He always directed me to the right path.
I'm sharing this personal struggle not because I want pity or attention but because I want to remind people, just as God reminded me, that there is always a way out in Him. We all have different journeys, different weaknesses; But we all have one God. And He has showed me that I no longer need to feel the need to identify myself as something, I no longer need to feel the need to feel accepted by people. God wants me to identify myself in Him, to identify myself as His. When you let God decide who you are, then you no longer need to worry about the approval of others. GOD made us, therefore He made us beautiful and perfect in every way. Sure, we are filled with sin, but in our core we share an identity with God. He made us in HIS image. How amazing is that? I just wanted to remind everyone that if there are ever days when you start to doubt yourself, when you lose sight of who you are, just set your eyes up above and He will remind you.
I am a sinner, I will fall again, but I will never stop trying to get better and I will never let go of this truth. Our identity in God is a gift. We should hold on to it with all that we have. It is the passport to a better life. I experienced first hand living without this passport. And it just assures me that much more that there is nothing better in this world than to have an identity in someone greater than life itself, to be confident in Him, and to know who we are in Him.
10/30/2015
10/27/2015
Why look back when the future is yours
There was a point in my life where my relationship with God was stronger than ever. It was fresh, and new, I had great support and resources, and I stood strong in my faith.
Then life happened, and the world slowly and unoticably shaped me into a different person; it dimmed my flame, weakened my faith and my sense of who I was in God blurred.
Since then, my relationship with God has been wavering, on and off, no where near as stable as it used to be.
So ever since, I kept looking to the past, wishing I could change back to the way I used to be. I would fight with myself and push myself to be that person again, putting all my energy into becoming someone I used to be other than becoming more like God.
But recently, I finally realized that looking back was what was getting in the way of my growth. Looking back prevented me from moving forward.
So now, im learning to let go of the past to focus on creating my new, better self, into someone who stands closer to God than ever.
Why look back when you can look forward to the future; something you still have the chance to mold and mend into your own liking.
So I choose to focus on getting closer to God with every new day, and with each day I will be a step closer than I was before. There may be days where I might stay in place, because im not perfect, and growth isnt easy. But as long as day by day I put in all the effort I can to know God more, then looking back will no longer be neccesary.
Now not everyone may relate to this, but I just wanted to remind us all to take life by the day, God opens up to us in new ways every single moment of our lives, we just have to open our eyes and look. Lets not be stuck in the past or in one spot, because life moves forward, not backwards, and so should we. God can't change our past, but He sure can help us have a brighter future.
Then life happened, and the world slowly and unoticably shaped me into a different person; it dimmed my flame, weakened my faith and my sense of who I was in God blurred.
Since then, my relationship with God has been wavering, on and off, no where near as stable as it used to be.
So ever since, I kept looking to the past, wishing I could change back to the way I used to be. I would fight with myself and push myself to be that person again, putting all my energy into becoming someone I used to be other than becoming more like God.
But recently, I finally realized that looking back was what was getting in the way of my growth. Looking back prevented me from moving forward.
So now, im learning to let go of the past to focus on creating my new, better self, into someone who stands closer to God than ever.
Why look back when you can look forward to the future; something you still have the chance to mold and mend into your own liking.
So I choose to focus on getting closer to God with every new day, and with each day I will be a step closer than I was before. There may be days where I might stay in place, because im not perfect, and growth isnt easy. But as long as day by day I put in all the effort I can to know God more, then looking back will no longer be neccesary.
Now not everyone may relate to this, but I just wanted to remind us all to take life by the day, God opens up to us in new ways every single moment of our lives, we just have to open our eyes and look. Lets not be stuck in the past or in one spot, because life moves forward, not backwards, and so should we. God can't change our past, but He sure can help us have a brighter future.
10/13/2015
100 questions no one ever asks
I am subscribed to a few girls on youtube and one of them did a 100 questions no one ever asks tag. So i thought i would do it and reveal weird facts about myself that one one probably cares about. But i always loved these things because they bring back memories and helps me realize some things about myself that i would never think about otherwise.
1. Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?
I close every door in my house, even when I'm not sleeping, Its like a weird OCD thing.
2. Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotels?
Once in awhile, if they smell good.
3. Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out?
I just sleep with a blanket, anything extra, and I wake up all tangled up, because I am a crazy sleeper.
4. Have you stolen a street sign before?
Weirdly I have, more than once, but ones that were already off the pole. I also have stolen license plates only to add them to my collection, and only off old abandoned cars.
5. Do you like to use post-it notes?
I used too, my desk would be covered in them, but now I don't even own any.
6. Do you cut out coupons but then never use them?
Yes! I should use them though, but it takes getting used to.
7. Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of bees?
Um I would most likely die from a bear attack just because I'm so clumsy..but I'm not sure about bees..could you die from that?
8. Do you have freckles?
Nope, but I always wanted them.
9. Do you always smile for pictures?
Not always.
10. What is your biggest pet peeve?
Slow drivers.
11. Do you ever count your steps when you walk?
When I go running I count my steps unnoticably to keep my rhythm.
12. Have you peed in the woods?
Every summer.
13. Have you ever pooped in the woods?
Lol, anyone who's gone camping has.
14. Do you ever dance even if theres no music playing?
Yup.
15. Do you chew your pens and pencils?
It's bad, when I was in school and would borrow pens or pencils I would never give them back because the condition they ended up being in would make people think Im a beaver or something. I chew up all my straws and plastic spoons and forks as well.
16. How many people have you kissed this week?
Well this got personal, one.
17. What size is your bed?
Queen, a king would never fit into our apartment.
18. What is your song of the week?
Um.. honestly I don't have one.
19. Is it OK for guys to wear pink?
I really have no opinion, I've seen guys wear it in weddings, ties, etc. and it never bothered me.
20. Do you still watch cartoons?
I really don't have a choice, I'm a nanny
21. What is your least favorite movie?
I really don't like any comedy where the characters are dumb or retarded. I dont think they are funny, and I don't get the point of them, all they do is aggravate me. Aka, Dumb and Dumber.. hate all of them. Plus people who are really retarded are that way because of some sort of disability, and these movies are just making fun of helpless people and just promoting more bullying towards them. In my opinion.
22. Where would you bury hidden treasure if you had some?
I used to flush my report cards when I didn't want my parents to see them hahaah... but that's not relevant... probably in a safe and then in my backyard..if I lived in a house.
23. What do you drink with dinner?
I drink water with every meal..don't like juice or milk and I try not to drink soda.
24. What do you dip a chicken nugget in?
Ranch mixed with ketchup..or ranch mixed with Bbq.
25. What is your favorite food?
Pizza, and any kind of chicken
26. What movies could you watch over and over again and still love?
Ive seen She's the Man over ten times.
27. Last person you kissed/kissed you?
Husband..duh.
28. Were you ever a boy/girl scout?
Never wanted to be.
29. Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine?
Never, I feel sad for any girl that ever has, how could you degrade yourself that much? Do you not have any respect for yourself?
30. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper?
When me and Andrey were still dating, long distance made writing letters fun.
31. Can you change the oil on a car?
I think I can... but I only think that.
32. Ever gotten a speeding ticket?
Ha! I'm actually somewhat embarrassed to say how many I've gotten, but I've been on a deferral, I went to a nine hour class about learning to drive properly, I got my license taken away so that should say something. But...I haven't gotten a speeding ticket for a year or two I think, so I'm very proud of my progress.
33. Ever ran out of gas?
Surprisingly not, because lately I've been driving with my empty tank light on for two days straight.
34. What’s your favorite kind of sandwich?
I LOVE sandwiches. My favorite kinds are the toasted ones, where the cheese is melted.
35. Best thing to eat for breakfast?
The best thing to eat IS breakfast
36. What is your usual bedtime?
I don't have a usual bedtime...sometime after eleven? Sometimes I doze off around ten but then I wake up again and stay up some more.
37. Are you lazy?
I try not to be... but I do dedicate some time in my evenings to relax.
38. When you were a kid, what did you dress up as for Halloween?
Never celebrated halloween, never dressed up for halloween.
39. What is your Chinese astrological sign?
Don't believe in that stuff, don't care.
40. How many languages can you speak?
Fluent english, I like to say fluent russian, spanish (I'm terrible at speaking it, but can read it and understand it.) I can also somewhat understand ukrainian
41. Do you have any magazine subscriptions?
Me and my best friend used to spend hours in barnes and nobles or the library and just read magazines for teenagers, but that was about the last time I spent time reading one, we were like 14.
42. Which are better: legos or lincoln logs?
Definitely legos.. all the way.
43. Are you stubborn?
My husband wouldn't think twice before answering yes.
44. Who is better: Leno or Letterman?
Not into any.
45. Ever watch soap operas?
I think I watched one in my life and never again.. but any russian show always reminds me of a soap opera.
46. Are you afraid of heights?
For the most part no.. I don't even feel the thrill of roller coasters any more...
But I haven't been a top all heights.
47. Do you sing in the car?
Who hasn't?
48. Do you sing in the shower?
Surprisingly no... I have tried before..yes like forced myself too... but I could never think of what to sing? haha
49. Do you dance in the car?
Shhh
50. Ever used a gun?
To shoot empty soda cans in a forest.
51. Last time you got a portrait taken by a photographer?
My wedding.
52. Do you think musicals are cheesy?
No! A guilty pleasure.. I love them.
53. Is Christmas stressful?
It has always been my favorite holiday... but every Christmas as I get older I would joke about wanting less friends... because it does get expensive.
54. Ever eat a pierogi?
Hah! Have you met a russian who hasn't?
55. Favorite type of fruit pie?
Pie is so good, all pie...
56. Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid?
A firefighter lol, I would try to convince my parents why girls should be allowed to be one.
But teacher was always on the list too.
57. Do you believe in ghosts?
I believe in the spirit world.. is that the same thing?
58. Ever have a Deja-vu feeling?
All the time.
59. Do you take a vitamin daily?
No but I try into slip in fruits and veggies into every meal.
60. Do you wear slippers?
Never liked them, and never liked socks.
61. Do you wear a bath robe?
Only in the winter.
62. What do you wear at home?
Baggy shirts and leggings.
63. What was your first concert?
Owl city and Relient K.
64. Walmart, Target, or Kmart?
Target for sure, but it does get pricey, because everything there is perfect and perfect things add up to a high number.
65. Nike or Adidas?
Always been a Nike girl.
66. Cheetos or Fritos?
Fritos, As much as I love cheese I never was a fan of cheetos..except the hot cheetos.
67. Peanuts or Sunflower seeds?
Neither. Pumpkin seeds.
68. Ever hear of the group Tres Bien?
Nope.
69. Ever take dance lessons?
Nope.
70. Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing?
Rating and evaluating movies, for sure.
71. Can you curl your tongue?
Yup, but not into the clover.
72. Ever won a spelling bee?
Of course, spelling is my talent... I'm also a major grammar nazi as they say.
73. Have you ever cried because you were so happy?
The first time I repented, throughout my whole wedding ceremony, when I saw my mom on her birthday this year... of course I have.
74. Own any record albums?
Nope, but I always dreamed of having a collection.
75. Own a record player?
I wish.
76. Do you regularly burn incense?
Nope, but lately I have been obsessed with candles, sometimes I burn five at once.
77. Ever been in love?
Still am.
78. Who would you like to see in concert?
Need to Breathe and M83.
79. What was the last concert you saw?
Odesza.
80. Hot tea or cold tea?
Hot..I'm russian, I drink like eight cups a day.
81. Tea or coffee?
Coffee, hands down, but in the evening I prefer tea.
82. Sugar cookies or snickerdoodles?
Snickerdoodles.
83. Can you swim well?
I love to swim... when I was in good shape I used to do laps in the pool of my gym I used to be able to do a mile.
84. Can you hold your breath without holding your nose?
Yea, theres people that can't?
85. Are you patient?
Ask my husband, he will say no.
86. DJ or band at a wedding?
Band.
87. Ever won a contest?
Honestly, I don't remember.
88. Have you ever had plastic surgery?
Nope, never plan on it.
89. Which are better: black or green olives?
Neither, olives are gross.
90. Can you knit or crochet?
I used to knit all the time, my mom taught me, but I have very sensitive hands and for some odd reason my fingers would hurt so much after, so I had to stop.
91. Best room for a fireplace?
Living room, but a fireplace in a big bedroom seems so cozy as well.
92. Do you want to get married?
I did, but then I got married.
93. If married, how long have you been married?
Five months.
94. Who was your high school crush?
Some boy probably.
95. Do you cry and throw a fit until you get your own way?
Ha Ha Ha....I think my husband would laugh at this question.
96. Do you have kids?
No.
97. Do you want kids?
Yes, I would love kids..but not anytime soon.
98. What is your favorite color?
All shades of blue.
99. Do you miss anyone right now?
Of course, everyone I grew up with is in a completely different state. My family, my relatives, my best friend, my friends group. I miss tons of people, all the time.
100. Who are you going to tag to do this next?
No one. ..whoever wants to.
10/08/2015
My journey with video games
Throughout my teenage years I was always attracted to those "bad boys" who didn't have a care in the world, who were rebellious and always broke the rules... it kind of rubbed off on me too. But God is amazing and always knows what's best for us, so He sent the sweetest, most affectionate, loving and caring man my way. Who is now in case someone doesn't know yet, my husband.
Now if you first meet him, he seems like a nice ordinary guy, but little do people know, that in the realms of his man cave (or our living room) is the king of geeks. Which is something that I have found to be quite attractive about him.
Growing up, I went through many phases..the sweet innocent one, the rebellious one, the somewhat mature one...but along with all of those I always carried with me a nerdy side...not geeky, nerdy. I listen to classical music, played piano, read every young adult book in the library, have an obsession with art, love to write, always had English and literature as a favorite class, and the list could go on and on.
So when Andrey revealed his geeky side to me more and more, I realized how parralel my world of nerdiness went along with his geeky one. Two completely different things but something we both learned to appreciate about each other so much.
Throughout our few short months of marriage I think those two worlds evolved into each other and he took upon some of my nerdiness while I drenched myself into that geeky world of his.
He pre reads all my blogs and takes me to art museums, and I can rant about a movie we just watched for hours, rating it and evaluating it. But a big part of his lifestyle that I never thought I would catch myself getting into was gaming.
Andrey has been a gamer since he was about five years old, he could probably write a book about all his console and game experiences. And the more I think about it the more I realize that, growing up, I played more games than I thought.. we went through gameboys and play stations, even a joystick and many pc games, I even remember playing Age of Empire.
But when I got older I hit a phase where I was extremely against gaming. I watched how it took over my siblings lives, and it upset me because I thought their imagination wouldn't expand, and their learning and growing abilities would be affected. I even wrote an essay about how my kids aren't going to be involved with technology.
I still hope to live up to that, I hope that my kids have a childhood where they play pretend and love the outdoors, I hope that they learn skills mannualy and not through electronics, but my views on gaming changed completely..thanks to Andrey. And when my kids grow up and make their own decisions, I will let them decide for themselves whether they want to be involved in that or not.
Now I know that this topic could bring up lots of questions about where I stand with my Christian beliefs, my morals, but don't be so quick to judge me yet.
We live in a world filled with a large variety of games.. whether its games on our phone or board games in our drawers, we play physical games, we play learning games, strategy games, the list goes on. So how are video games that much different? ....
They arent... sure there are lots of evil content in some, but those could easily be avoided ... some board games and party games could be just as bad..for instance spin the bottle... who ever came up with that? ..
My point is, every kind of entertaintment today could be evil, but also be benefitial and educational.
So to let it out in the open, ever since we got married, I finished five video games, and am on my sixth. And to be honest the experience was wonderful. I have come across some of the most beautiful, creative stories I have ever heard. I now am a firm believer that video games, if done right, could qualify as art. The first game I finished was called Valiant Hearts and it was based on the history of world war two..it was a hand drawn side scroller where you get to experience the horrible life people had during the era and some of the challenges of the war..as you play you learn new facts about the war and the timeline of this era. The game told a beautiful story and the ending was so touching, that I then had even more respect or all the people who took part in this tragic time.
I played another game called Brothers, a tale of two sons..where you go on a journey to find medicine for your dying father, you play as both brothers and have to figure out ways to help each other throughout the journey...also a heart warming touching experience.
Now why am I sharing this?... My point is, video games come in lots of varieties just like board games and the games on our phones. They can tell a beautiful story, challenge you, and also make you feel things. Like everything else in life we must filter what we watch and play...
but don't be so quick to judge when you meet someone who likes video games.
And Please don't get me wrong, me and my husband don't just sit around and play all day.. we work, and go places, we spend most of our time outdoors.. I cook and clean, and take care of my home, we read and pray, have disscusions...
But once in a while, once all the important things are taken care of, we relax on the couch and play a game..and I don't see anything wrong with that because it's no different than watching a movie or listening to a story.
Now if you first meet him, he seems like a nice ordinary guy, but little do people know, that in the realms of his man cave (or our living room) is the king of geeks. Which is something that I have found to be quite attractive about him.
Growing up, I went through many phases..the sweet innocent one, the rebellious one, the somewhat mature one...but along with all of those I always carried with me a nerdy side...not geeky, nerdy. I listen to classical music, played piano, read every young adult book in the library, have an obsession with art, love to write, always had English and literature as a favorite class, and the list could go on and on.
So when Andrey revealed his geeky side to me more and more, I realized how parralel my world of nerdiness went along with his geeky one. Two completely different things but something we both learned to appreciate about each other so much.
Throughout our few short months of marriage I think those two worlds evolved into each other and he took upon some of my nerdiness while I drenched myself into that geeky world of his.
He pre reads all my blogs and takes me to art museums, and I can rant about a movie we just watched for hours, rating it and evaluating it. But a big part of his lifestyle that I never thought I would catch myself getting into was gaming.
Andrey has been a gamer since he was about five years old, he could probably write a book about all his console and game experiences. And the more I think about it the more I realize that, growing up, I played more games than I thought.. we went through gameboys and play stations, even a joystick and many pc games, I even remember playing Age of Empire.
But when I got older I hit a phase where I was extremely against gaming. I watched how it took over my siblings lives, and it upset me because I thought their imagination wouldn't expand, and their learning and growing abilities would be affected. I even wrote an essay about how my kids aren't going to be involved with technology.
I still hope to live up to that, I hope that my kids have a childhood where they play pretend and love the outdoors, I hope that they learn skills mannualy and not through electronics, but my views on gaming changed completely..thanks to Andrey. And when my kids grow up and make their own decisions, I will let them decide for themselves whether they want to be involved in that or not.
Now I know that this topic could bring up lots of questions about where I stand with my Christian beliefs, my morals, but don't be so quick to judge me yet.
We live in a world filled with a large variety of games.. whether its games on our phone or board games in our drawers, we play physical games, we play learning games, strategy games, the list goes on. So how are video games that much different? ....
They arent... sure there are lots of evil content in some, but those could easily be avoided ... some board games and party games could be just as bad..for instance spin the bottle... who ever came up with that? ..
My point is, every kind of entertaintment today could be evil, but also be benefitial and educational.
So to let it out in the open, ever since we got married, I finished five video games, and am on my sixth. And to be honest the experience was wonderful. I have come across some of the most beautiful, creative stories I have ever heard. I now am a firm believer that video games, if done right, could qualify as art. The first game I finished was called Valiant Hearts and it was based on the history of world war two..it was a hand drawn side scroller where you get to experience the horrible life people had during the era and some of the challenges of the war..as you play you learn new facts about the war and the timeline of this era. The game told a beautiful story and the ending was so touching, that I then had even more respect or all the people who took part in this tragic time.
I played another game called Brothers, a tale of two sons..where you go on a journey to find medicine for your dying father, you play as both brothers and have to figure out ways to help each other throughout the journey...also a heart warming touching experience.
Now why am I sharing this?... My point is, video games come in lots of varieties just like board games and the games on our phones. They can tell a beautiful story, challenge you, and also make you feel things. Like everything else in life we must filter what we watch and play...
but don't be so quick to judge when you meet someone who likes video games.
And Please don't get me wrong, me and my husband don't just sit around and play all day.. we work, and go places, we spend most of our time outdoors.. I cook and clean, and take care of my home, we read and pray, have disscusions...
But once in a while, once all the important things are taken care of, we relax on the couch and play a game..and I don't see anything wrong with that because it's no different than watching a movie or listening to a story.
10/06/2015
Seasons of our lives
Seasons of our lives
"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven."
Ecc.3:1
Our lives, just like the earth, consist of seasons. Four phases that change and mold us into something new. A repetitive pattern that goes on until our days are fully lived. A beautiful process constructed by God, that helps us live a life that He desires.
As the earth changes, so do we. In the spring, as the world starts blooming with new life, we are given the chance to bloom as well. As everyone cleans up to prepare for sunny days, we should likewise clean up our hearts. Its the perfect season to start fresh, to remind ourselves that we are also given new life, a chance to ressurect from the old to the new. As Christs resseruction is celebrated, so is our gift of a second chance in Him.
As the sun gets closer and the day gets warmer, summer approaches us with new opportunities, a sudden burst of energy, and a desire to serve. Lives busiest, brightest, season fills us with a drive to do as much as we can to change the world. There is a strong pull towards the outdoors and no time is wasted inside. As we soak up the sun every opportunity we get, we also soak up Gods love and use it to give back to the everyone around us. Missionary trips, camps, community events keep people busy with a focus on the one one true source of light. There is bonding through outdoor activities and smiles on people's faces as they fulfill the purpose God had planned for them. Seeds that were planted begin to sprout and fill our lives with fulfillment. Goals that were set are reached and dreams are chased after.
The earth stays warm for a few months after, but as the days get shorter, everything starts to cool off and slow down. Everything changes color and there is a sudden calm in the wind. As the earth let's go of it's old in order to bring in the new, we should do the same. Its the perfect time to evaluate our hearts and rid of our bad habits, so that new, better ones, could take place. We now reap what we sowed in the summer, and see what we must put more time into. The calm of autumn is the perfect time to fill our minds with knowledge of Christ and what He expects of us. We should reevaluate who we are and strive to be better, to know Him and ourselves more.
As the earth grows even colder and the snow falls we can then, in the comfort of our warm homes, start to make plans and goals for the new year. As many animals go in their dens to hibernate, we are given a chance to rest as well. During this resting period we are given the opportunity to become more intimate with our father. We have even more time to get to know Him, and make plans of how else to serve Him when the winter passes. The white snow reminds us to cleanse ourselves and be just as pure and white. We then celebrate the upbringing of a new year, a fresh cycle of seasons and remind ourselves that we were created for a purpose.
How beautiful the seasons of our lives are, so different but directed toward one purpose; to set our eyes on the Creator, who has a new season prepared for all His children. The best season of all. One where we could be with Him forever.
May the seasons we have now, help prepare us for the best one yet to come, one where Everything will change for the better, one where we will exist in perfection for eternity.
"To everything there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven."
Ecc.3:1
Our lives, just like the earth, consist of seasons. Four phases that change and mold us into something new. A repetitive pattern that goes on until our days are fully lived. A beautiful process constructed by God, that helps us live a life that He desires.
As the earth changes, so do we. In the spring, as the world starts blooming with new life, we are given the chance to bloom as well. As everyone cleans up to prepare for sunny days, we should likewise clean up our hearts. Its the perfect season to start fresh, to remind ourselves that we are also given new life, a chance to ressurect from the old to the new. As Christs resseruction is celebrated, so is our gift of a second chance in Him.
As the sun gets closer and the day gets warmer, summer approaches us with new opportunities, a sudden burst of energy, and a desire to serve. Lives busiest, brightest, season fills us with a drive to do as much as we can to change the world. There is a strong pull towards the outdoors and no time is wasted inside. As we soak up the sun every opportunity we get, we also soak up Gods love and use it to give back to the everyone around us. Missionary trips, camps, community events keep people busy with a focus on the one one true source of light. There is bonding through outdoor activities and smiles on people's faces as they fulfill the purpose God had planned for them. Seeds that were planted begin to sprout and fill our lives with fulfillment. Goals that were set are reached and dreams are chased after.
The earth stays warm for a few months after, but as the days get shorter, everything starts to cool off and slow down. Everything changes color and there is a sudden calm in the wind. As the earth let's go of it's old in order to bring in the new, we should do the same. Its the perfect time to evaluate our hearts and rid of our bad habits, so that new, better ones, could take place. We now reap what we sowed in the summer, and see what we must put more time into. The calm of autumn is the perfect time to fill our minds with knowledge of Christ and what He expects of us. We should reevaluate who we are and strive to be better, to know Him and ourselves more.
As the earth grows even colder and the snow falls we can then, in the comfort of our warm homes, start to make plans and goals for the new year. As many animals go in their dens to hibernate, we are given a chance to rest as well. During this resting period we are given the opportunity to become more intimate with our father. We have even more time to get to know Him, and make plans of how else to serve Him when the winter passes. The white snow reminds us to cleanse ourselves and be just as pure and white. We then celebrate the upbringing of a new year, a fresh cycle of seasons and remind ourselves that we were created for a purpose.
How beautiful the seasons of our lives are, so different but directed toward one purpose; to set our eyes on the Creator, who has a new season prepared for all His children. The best season of all. One where we could be with Him forever.
May the seasons we have now, help prepare us for the best one yet to come, one where Everything will change for the better, one where we will exist in perfection for eternity.
9/21/2015
What IS truth?
The bible teaches us how to live. It teaches us what God wants from us and what he has done for us. So many people read it and so many people live by it. So how does it happen that we all read the same book of truth but still all have so many different views, and lifestyles, and beliefs. How come the people of the church have so many disagreements and differences when it comes to Gods truth. Aside from the bible, In the new testament we were given the gift of the holy spirit, to guide us and to show us what is right and wrong. So why is it that every individual has their own idea of right and wrong. Is it because we try to bend the rules in our own favor and try to convince ourselves that we aren't? Or is it because we each have our very own depiction of the truth? Why is it that certain things are considered to be sin to some people, but to others it wouldn't even cross their minds as sin.
In this life we truly might never find out why it is like that, but God, does show us how to deal with these questions in a christian manner. Me and Andrey were discussing a disagreement we came across in our lives. We had extremely opposite views and stood strong in what we believed to be right. But how could both of us, with such opposing views be right? We were both raised in different homes with different lifestyles. We both believe in one God, and we both love Christ. But how could we so strongly disagree on some matters.
The thing is we both look at life differently, and we both interpret the bible differently. But we came up with a few conclusions. We realized sin becomes evident in our lives when we have knowledge about it. I brought up the analogy of a child. As they grow there might come times when they lie, or steal, get angry, or disobedient. As grown ups we know these things to be sinful, and we know how God feels about them, and we know that we shouldn't do them. But a little child has no awareness that in those few moments he is considered to be sinning, and since he has no knowledge about it, he is therefore blameless. So we are sinning when we have knowledge about it being sin. If one has no knowledge that what he is doing is sin, then he cant be judged for it. We could say the same about those who turn to Christ without having any past knowledge about his teachings. He is almost as a new born, what God desires is all new to him and requires learning. This is not an excuse though, we cant run from Gods word just to say that we have no idea that the things we do in our life are sinful. In fact, if we are true Christians we should have the desire to instead, run to his word, we should have the desire to no longer sin, and to learn about what God wants from us. We talked about Paul, where he touched on the subject in Corinthians, Paul said that if me eating meat causes my brother to stumble, "then I will never eat meat again so that i will not cause them to fall." Even Paul realized how different everyone's walk with God is and he teaches us to respect that. So me and Andrey had to learn to respect each other.
We ended the discussion with the agreement that God will be the judge. Its not up to us to decide who is more sinful than us, its not up to us to decide how others should live. As long as we are dedicated to living like with Christ, with a clear conscience we will no longer be lost.
Christ leads us to the truth, he whispers into our hearts and shows us how to live, all it takes is to listen. When we read the bible, it will only make sense if we read it with Christ in our hearts. It doesn't matter what lifestyle you have, what matters is the relationship you have with Christ. If it is strong, then He will show us how to be strong. I don't believe in religion, God will justify all of us. I believe in Christ, my relationship with him. Christ is the answer to all questions, he is the conclusion to all life. He is our future, and he is the saving grace that gives us hope and forgiveness no matter how sinful we are.
In this life we truly might never find out why it is like that, but God, does show us how to deal with these questions in a christian manner. Me and Andrey were discussing a disagreement we came across in our lives. We had extremely opposite views and stood strong in what we believed to be right. But how could both of us, with such opposing views be right? We were both raised in different homes with different lifestyles. We both believe in one God, and we both love Christ. But how could we so strongly disagree on some matters.
The thing is we both look at life differently, and we both interpret the bible differently. But we came up with a few conclusions. We realized sin becomes evident in our lives when we have knowledge about it. I brought up the analogy of a child. As they grow there might come times when they lie, or steal, get angry, or disobedient. As grown ups we know these things to be sinful, and we know how God feels about them, and we know that we shouldn't do them. But a little child has no awareness that in those few moments he is considered to be sinning, and since he has no knowledge about it, he is therefore blameless. So we are sinning when we have knowledge about it being sin. If one has no knowledge that what he is doing is sin, then he cant be judged for it. We could say the same about those who turn to Christ without having any past knowledge about his teachings. He is almost as a new born, what God desires is all new to him and requires learning. This is not an excuse though, we cant run from Gods word just to say that we have no idea that the things we do in our life are sinful. In fact, if we are true Christians we should have the desire to instead, run to his word, we should have the desire to no longer sin, and to learn about what God wants from us. We talked about Paul, where he touched on the subject in Corinthians, Paul said that if me eating meat causes my brother to stumble, "then I will never eat meat again so that i will not cause them to fall." Even Paul realized how different everyone's walk with God is and he teaches us to respect that. So me and Andrey had to learn to respect each other.
We ended the discussion with the agreement that God will be the judge. Its not up to us to decide who is more sinful than us, its not up to us to decide how others should live. As long as we are dedicated to living like with Christ, with a clear conscience we will no longer be lost.
Christ leads us to the truth, he whispers into our hearts and shows us how to live, all it takes is to listen. When we read the bible, it will only make sense if we read it with Christ in our hearts. It doesn't matter what lifestyle you have, what matters is the relationship you have with Christ. If it is strong, then He will show us how to be strong. I don't believe in religion, God will justify all of us. I believe in Christ, my relationship with him. Christ is the answer to all questions, he is the conclusion to all life. He is our future, and he is the saving grace that gives us hope and forgiveness no matter how sinful we are.
9/01/2015
Praying for rain
As the sky covered itself in an ashy smaug, rain appeared on everyone's prayer list. It hasn't rained all summer, and the wildfires were untamable. The oxygen filled up with smoky poison and ash left its trail on everything that came in its way. Putting this to an end was no where in the strength and ability of the people, all that was left to do was wait for God to show His mighty hand and pour his mercy from above. And he did, just as things were getting worse, it rained. The people rejoiced and were thankful because that was all they could do.
Sometimes in our lives we dry out, and face a catastrophe as well. Everything inside turns into dry patches and loses life. You find nothing in sight that could replenish your dried out soul and with time something sets ablaze causing wildfire. It could be the slightest piece of dry grass that sets your whole self into flames. A little lie, a small sin, could spread through your heart and life growing like wildfire; spreading, killing everything in its way. Ruining your relationships, your image, and your faith. As the sin poisons your soul, you know you won't last long without a change in climate; some cleansing rain, but the fire can grow so large that you no longer have the strength or ability to put it out. Anything you try to do, the sin would always catch up to you. In the end, as much as you try to change things yourself, all you have left to do is wait for God to how his mighty hand and pour his mercy from above. Which He always does, just as things can't get worse, He pours out blessings and cleanses your soul of all the ashes and destruction caused by sin. And you rejoice, and are thankful, because it's all that you could do.
Sometimes in our lives we dry out, and face a catastrophe as well. Everything inside turns into dry patches and loses life. You find nothing in sight that could replenish your dried out soul and with time something sets ablaze causing wildfire. It could be the slightest piece of dry grass that sets your whole self into flames. A little lie, a small sin, could spread through your heart and life growing like wildfire; spreading, killing everything in its way. Ruining your relationships, your image, and your faith. As the sin poisons your soul, you know you won't last long without a change in climate; some cleansing rain, but the fire can grow so large that you no longer have the strength or ability to put it out. Anything you try to do, the sin would always catch up to you. In the end, as much as you try to change things yourself, all you have left to do is wait for God to how his mighty hand and pour his mercy from above. Which He always does, just as things can't get worse, He pours out blessings and cleanses your soul of all the ashes and destruction caused by sin. And you rejoice, and are thankful, because it's all that you could do.
8/12/2015
God and mountains
I looked up at the mountain and thought, "wow, that's a long way to go." But I had my mind set on getting to the top and nothing was going to stop me, not even threats of lightning. Of course my husband and his friends had the same mind set.
A little over 14,000 feet high.... we climbed mountains merely half as tall as Everest, talk about an accomplishment. If you disagree, just imagine your head being tightly squeezed, as you slowly lose oxygen and your breath becomes scarce. Sometimes there's nose bleeds, and every muscle in your body is aching, because it literally takes all of them to climb up the steep, incline. Your legs..well you no longer feel them, and you are treading up the dirt path as if you are learning to walk for the first time.
Of course, you don't start off like that. You start off with a bucket full of energy, confidence, and motivation. You bounce as you walk because hiking is your specialty, and you plan to keep things that way.
Unfortunately that lasts for about... 1/3 of the hike and you then gain a love hate relationship with the mountain. But no matter what, you still feel as if it is the greatest thing you have ever done.
With time, that bubble of glory slowly shrinks as you find yourself side by side with little children, couples with babies on their their backs, and best of all, men who look about 60-70 years of age who run up to the top and back without even breaking a sweat. A humbling experience.
Looking back, i'm able to break the climb into three stages of difficulty. The beginning, which of course is the easiest part. The dreadful middle where you start to believe your life is over. And the end, where you get that final doze of adrenaline because you are almost at the top, and you know getting there will be the biggest reward you've probably ever gotten.
Getting to the top twice already, i can confidently say that the reward was greater than i could ever imagine. So great, that i could probably never find the words to describe it. Because not only did you just accomplish one of the most difficult things you have ever done in your life, but you end up pretty much "on top of the world."
It was truly a life changing experience, and I never thought i could learn so much about God, and my relationship with Him through this new found hobby. I truly believe that He made it possible for us to make the first step to doing this, and i'm glad He did.
For many years now, I struggled with lack of faith and unstable patterns in my relationship with Him. I would constantly get frustrated with the idea that my walk with Him was so bumpy, so difficult. I would constantly fall, rise, but then fall again, often times not getting up for a long time. I would get so annoyed with myself, but sadly also with God. I didn't understand why it was so difficult for me to become the best person i could be for God, and stay that way. He showed me why, as i climbed that 14er.
When you first start your journey as a believer it seems easy. You start with a bucket full of energy, confidence, and motivation. You tell yourself, nothing will stop you, nothing will get in your way.
But as you keep going, the path gets steeper and harder, and you find yourself with the desire to turn back around. Still, you find strength to keep going because you know whats ahead, and you know its rewarding.
With time, the journey gets harder, you get tired, and your confidence starts to die down. You meet people of all ages and personalities who are better than you, and your hope of being a perfect Christian starts to shrink. You gain a love hate relationship with yourself, and you slowly lose hope. Somehow though you keep pushing yourself, overcoming the pain that comes as you get weaker and weaker in faith.
Just like in hiking, i could kind of break down my journey as a believer into three stages. The smooth and easy beginning; you're a newborn christian and your sight on God is so clear that you feel like you can overcome every obstacle. Then the middle, where you are at the urge of giving up, and no longer have the strength or determination to keep going, because you fall for the distractions of the world and your sight gets blurry. And the end, when you finally overcome the middle, and regain your strength because you are so close to getting your reward, you are tired, but you are more determined and stronger than ever.
I am still in the middle stage of my climb and will be for a while. And just like climbing a mountain i will go through many ups and downs before i get to the end, and i realize now, that its okay. Because during the tough parts of the climb i may fall down, and i may get hurt, but i will also be growing and getting stronger. When i get through to the easy parts i will find my burst of adrenaline to keep going. I have confidence that through all this Christ is always by my side, whispering words of encouragement. I also know now that God lets us fall once in a while, because, if climbing mountains was easy, getting to the top wouldn't be half as rewarding. When you really give it all you've got to get to the top, and you didn't give up, that's when you know the journey was really worth it. At that point it doesn't matter whether you fell, or were slower than others. All that matters is that you never gave up, you overcame the challenge, and you got to the top.
If life was easy, without bumps or inclines, then getting to heaven wouldn't be half as rewarding. So even if you feel you are in the most difficult part of your journey, don't give up on God, and trust Him that whatever He prepared for you in the end, no matter how hard it is to get there will be greatest thing you will ever experience. Because you chose the more difficult path, with the better view. And that view, will be more incredible than words could ever describe. More incredible than the view from a 14er and even Mt Everest.
A little over 14,000 feet high.... we climbed mountains merely half as tall as Everest, talk about an accomplishment. If you disagree, just imagine your head being tightly squeezed, as you slowly lose oxygen and your breath becomes scarce. Sometimes there's nose bleeds, and every muscle in your body is aching, because it literally takes all of them to climb up the steep, incline. Your legs..well you no longer feel them, and you are treading up the dirt path as if you are learning to walk for the first time.
Of course, you don't start off like that. You start off with a bucket full of energy, confidence, and motivation. You bounce as you walk because hiking is your specialty, and you plan to keep things that way.
Unfortunately that lasts for about... 1/3 of the hike and you then gain a love hate relationship with the mountain. But no matter what, you still feel as if it is the greatest thing you have ever done.
With time, that bubble of glory slowly shrinks as you find yourself side by side with little children, couples with babies on their their backs, and best of all, men who look about 60-70 years of age who run up to the top and back without even breaking a sweat. A humbling experience.
Looking back, i'm able to break the climb into three stages of difficulty. The beginning, which of course is the easiest part. The dreadful middle where you start to believe your life is over. And the end, where you get that final doze of adrenaline because you are almost at the top, and you know getting there will be the biggest reward you've probably ever gotten.
Getting to the top twice already, i can confidently say that the reward was greater than i could ever imagine. So great, that i could probably never find the words to describe it. Because not only did you just accomplish one of the most difficult things you have ever done in your life, but you end up pretty much "on top of the world."
It was truly a life changing experience, and I never thought i could learn so much about God, and my relationship with Him through this new found hobby. I truly believe that He made it possible for us to make the first step to doing this, and i'm glad He did.
For many years now, I struggled with lack of faith and unstable patterns in my relationship with Him. I would constantly get frustrated with the idea that my walk with Him was so bumpy, so difficult. I would constantly fall, rise, but then fall again, often times not getting up for a long time. I would get so annoyed with myself, but sadly also with God. I didn't understand why it was so difficult for me to become the best person i could be for God, and stay that way. He showed me why, as i climbed that 14er.
When you first start your journey as a believer it seems easy. You start with a bucket full of energy, confidence, and motivation. You tell yourself, nothing will stop you, nothing will get in your way.
But as you keep going, the path gets steeper and harder, and you find yourself with the desire to turn back around. Still, you find strength to keep going because you know whats ahead, and you know its rewarding.
With time, the journey gets harder, you get tired, and your confidence starts to die down. You meet people of all ages and personalities who are better than you, and your hope of being a perfect Christian starts to shrink. You gain a love hate relationship with yourself, and you slowly lose hope. Somehow though you keep pushing yourself, overcoming the pain that comes as you get weaker and weaker in faith.
Just like in hiking, i could kind of break down my journey as a believer into three stages. The smooth and easy beginning; you're a newborn christian and your sight on God is so clear that you feel like you can overcome every obstacle. Then the middle, where you are at the urge of giving up, and no longer have the strength or determination to keep going, because you fall for the distractions of the world and your sight gets blurry. And the end, when you finally overcome the middle, and regain your strength because you are so close to getting your reward, you are tired, but you are more determined and stronger than ever.
I am still in the middle stage of my climb and will be for a while. And just like climbing a mountain i will go through many ups and downs before i get to the end, and i realize now, that its okay. Because during the tough parts of the climb i may fall down, and i may get hurt, but i will also be growing and getting stronger. When i get through to the easy parts i will find my burst of adrenaline to keep going. I have confidence that through all this Christ is always by my side, whispering words of encouragement. I also know now that God lets us fall once in a while, because, if climbing mountains was easy, getting to the top wouldn't be half as rewarding. When you really give it all you've got to get to the top, and you didn't give up, that's when you know the journey was really worth it. At that point it doesn't matter whether you fell, or were slower than others. All that matters is that you never gave up, you overcame the challenge, and you got to the top.
If life was easy, without bumps or inclines, then getting to heaven wouldn't be half as rewarding. So even if you feel you are in the most difficult part of your journey, don't give up on God, and trust Him that whatever He prepared for you in the end, no matter how hard it is to get there will be greatest thing you will ever experience. Because you chose the more difficult path, with the better view. And that view, will be more incredible than words could ever describe. More incredible than the view from a 14er and even Mt Everest.
4/02/2015
Resurrecting spring time
For those who like fresh starts, spring is the perfect season. As spring cleaning is a big part of peoples homes, it also becomes a big part of my lifestyle. The change from cold, gloomy winter to blooming, sunny, spring always gets me excited about the changes that I want to make in my life. So not only do I throw out my old clothes, and hide the winter sweaters, I also get rid of my old destructive habits, and start the season with a fresh, dust free, new slate. For me its a time of renewal and cleansing; old Vika has to go. And as people start to focus on their summer body, with that, I start to work on my soul. I think God has specific purposes for each season, and the more I focus on "spring cleaning" and becoming a better person, the more I realize that He couldn't have picked a better season for us to celebrate Easter. Before realizing this, I started to wonder why the holiday is even called Easter, it seemed so random. Google cleared things up for me a bit. Easter derived from the old English word "Eastrun," which in definition is the same as the word "Pasch." Which in latin is :Pascha" and in Greek Paskha. (Now we know where our Slavic language got their name from.) Paskha or "Passover" was first celebrated when the Jews were freed from their slavery in Egypt. They had to sacrifice a pure baby lamb to give glory to God for their freedom. How amazing is it that we no longer have to do that. Because when Christ died on the cross he became the ultimate sacrifice, the lamb slain for all. Now we are freed from our slavery to sin! And not only that, we are also given new life. Today the modern english definition, or meaning of Easter is, "Resurrection Sunday." To me, the name means new chances everyday, an opportunity to be better, a reason to live, as well as a fresh new start.Our resurrection was when we first accepted Christ into our lives. He raised us from our deadly old life into a new one with the promise of eternity. We died with Christ as he died on the cross, we are washed of our sins with His blood, and then with Him we resurrect into new life; into the promise of eternity with Him in heaven.
The celebration of Easter is Gods gift to those who know Him. He gives us this incredible opportunity to walk in the shoes of Christ through His heroic journey. As we take part in communion we remember the sacrifice, we remember his love for us. Three days later, on Easter Sunday we rejoice in the truth of our salvation and in the fact that we are given new life. There's such a closeness that derives from this process, an intimacy with Christ like no other, and Christians tend to underestimate this opportunity. My hope is that we could all dedicate this week to walking with Christ, and to letting him "spring clean" our hearts. Lets put aside the busyness of life, the dusty old habits of this world, and just enjoy this blessed holiday. Lets celebrate our resurrection in Christ, lets find joy in the spring time, and lets use this opportunity to examine our lives and remember that if it weren't the precious gift of Christs love, we would no longer have a reason to wake up every morning.
2/05/2015
Glimpse from today.
I judged a book by its cover today
theoretically speaking,
and to my shame, that book ended up being the highlight of my day.
We just have this nasty habit of labeling people just by the way they look.
Sure, they might not be nicely dressed,
they might not be clean,
but why should that matter?
When sometimes, people like that, have a more appealing soul
than those of us that have the advantage of cleaning up nicely.
I mean we all look the same when we wake up,
messy.
So what matters first, is whats inside of us
and how we make people feel by our presence: the vibe we give off.
It gets to the point where you don't even notice yourself doing it anymore
which is sad, and I want to change that.
I work in a small, local, furniture store: the only employee.
I meet so many different people , every single day.
And I realized that, even though i don't know these people,
and i might never see them again,
but they all made an impact on my life, negatively or positively.
I will always remember those who found interest in my life story
and those who shared back;
a compliment,
a smile,
a laugh,
someone can fill a small space in your heart just by a small gesture.
But I will also remember those who cared only for themselves.
Those people always ended up turning my day upside down and making my job more difficult.
I hope to never be remembered as one of those people.
I think if people just took a moment to listen,
and to really see what someone is about
even if it is for a mere moment,
then the world would be a happier place
with a lot more smiling people.
We all have a story, we all try to get by, we are all facing life.
Why not help each other out?
Why not let each other know: "I feel ya man, i'm living to, and its not always easy."
Lets work on how we treat others,
Lets learn not to make first impressions just from appearance.
People love to be listened to,
and you'll never know how someone is really like unless you listen.
theoretically speaking,
and to my shame, that book ended up being the highlight of my day.
We just have this nasty habit of labeling people just by the way they look.
Sure, they might not be nicely dressed,
they might not be clean,
but why should that matter?
When sometimes, people like that, have a more appealing soul
than those of us that have the advantage of cleaning up nicely.
I mean we all look the same when we wake up,
messy.
So what matters first, is whats inside of us
and how we make people feel by our presence: the vibe we give off.
It gets to the point where you don't even notice yourself doing it anymore
which is sad, and I want to change that.
I work in a small, local, furniture store: the only employee.
I meet so many different people , every single day.
And I realized that, even though i don't know these people,
and i might never see them again,
but they all made an impact on my life, negatively or positively.
I will always remember those who found interest in my life story
and those who shared back;
a compliment,
a smile,
a laugh,
someone can fill a small space in your heart just by a small gesture.
But I will also remember those who cared only for themselves.
Those people always ended up turning my day upside down and making my job more difficult.
I hope to never be remembered as one of those people.
I think if people just took a moment to listen,
and to really see what someone is about
even if it is for a mere moment,
then the world would be a happier place
with a lot more smiling people.
We all have a story, we all try to get by, we are all facing life.
Why not help each other out?
Why not let each other know: "I feel ya man, i'm living to, and its not always easy."
Lets work on how we treat others,
Lets learn not to make first impressions just from appearance.
People love to be listened to,
and you'll never know how someone is really like unless you listen.
10/05/2014
Influence of words
The magic of words.
One sentence has the ability to take you to places unknown
One paragraph can contain a million different worlds
One page can evoke a variety of moods.
The magic of words is that every person decides what he wants to do with them
Where they want to go
What they want to see
What they make them feel
they can make you fall in love with someone who doesn't exist
or make you believe in things that aren't true
they can give you unimaginable abilities
or a whole new self image
they can make you forget the messy world we live in
and for a moment take you to a perfect place
The power of a writer.
they can make you see things you've never seen before
feel things you didn't know you could feel
a writer has an incredible opportunity
to influence, change, inspire
God himself was a writer
He wrote our lives
and He wrote the book that gives us life
How could we not be thankful for such a gift
One sentence has the ability to take you to places unknown
One paragraph can contain a million different worlds
One page can evoke a variety of moods.
The magic of words is that every person decides what he wants to do with them
Where they want to go
What they want to see
What they make them feel
they can make you fall in love with someone who doesn't exist
or make you believe in things that aren't true
they can give you unimaginable abilities
or a whole new self image
they can make you forget the messy world we live in
and for a moment take you to a perfect place
The power of a writer.
they can make you see things you've never seen before
feel things you didn't know you could feel
a writer has an incredible opportunity
to influence, change, inspire
God himself was a writer
He wrote our lives
and He wrote the book that gives us life
How could we not be thankful for such a gift
10/04/2014
Late night chats
Hello dear readers,
Prepare yourselves for a series of heated, deep, thoughtful blog posts.
Im starting a new project.
and im calling it
"Late night chats" by Vika and Andrey
based on a series of topics discussed and dissected
by me and my super cool fiance.
You'll get a chance to see deep into our thought process.
Im excited to see where this goes.
wish us luck ;)
and if anybody has the desire... hook us up with a topic to talk about, we would highly appreciate it.
Here is the link: http://vikandreychats.blogspot.com/
ENJOY.
(We will start our first discussion tonight or asap)
Prepare yourselves for a series of heated, deep, thoughtful blog posts.
Im starting a new project.
and im calling it
"Late night chats" by Vika and Andrey
based on a series of topics discussed and dissected
by me and my super cool fiance.
You'll get a chance to see deep into our thought process.
Im excited to see where this goes.
wish us luck ;)
and if anybody has the desire... hook us up with a topic to talk about, we would highly appreciate it.
Here is the link: http://vikandreychats.blogspot.com/
ENJOY.
(We will start our first discussion tonight or asap)
10/02/2014
The adventurous heart
Why do we, humans, feel the need to limit ourselves to the possibilities we could have, the dreams we could achieve, and the adventures we place in our lives. Who decides that enough is enough? Our money? Society? The people around us?
The only one who can put a limit on us is ourselves.
And if that is so, then why is it that phrases like, "I wish" or "in my dreams" come out of our mouths so often?
Why don't we replace these words with "Why not" and "Ill try" and "show me how."
Instead of pursuing what we want to achieve, we shut the door to those things by telling ourselves every reason why it wouldn't be possible. When instead, it's the opposite; anything is possible if we open the door and actually walk inside. If we remind ourselves that in fact it is possible, this statement will then not only be a set of words but will also surely become fact. And this applies to almost anything in life; education, careers, passions, and dreams. We limit ourselves to our capabilities, and we only let ourselves explore the dimensions that our mind built walls around. We make things seem so much more difficult then they really are. When in fact, as a Christian nothing should ever seem impossible. How could we ever doubt in ourselves with such a mighty God by our side. A big problem with us Christians is that we tend to believe that our adventures, and our lives need to revolve around the church, and the church only. And don't get me wrong, church is one of the most important aspects of a Christians life, but I mean if your heart yearns to travel, why shouldn't you? If your passion is the outdoors then get out there, if your passion is art then get on it, if your passion is travel then go buy that plane ticket. I don't think God would get angry with us if we did. In all certainty i truly believe that God much more prefers us to be out there, out of our comfort zone, than stuck between the walls of a building. In reality the church is more the people of the body of Christ, not as much as a place to gather, so why do we only serve God in one place. What drives and excites me the most is the fact that we could serve God anywhere, and there are so many different ways to serve him as well, even by going on adventures. The even cooler thing is that, if we do achieve the things we strive for and if we do go on the adventures we desired to, It could be a service in itself. If we give the glory to God, if we make it known that only through him everything is possible it is a testimony in itself. So many people from the bible, even Jesus himself traveled far distances, across cities, and through it all they served the father. It made me wonder about all the sights they got to see, how Gods creation looked liked back then, it makes me want to see it all through their eyes. But God gave me life now, and he gave me eyes, he gave them to all of us, so why don't we use them to our full potential and go see the world, finish that painting, climb that mountain, and get to the finish line. Everyone has the ability to achieve their dreams, all of us were made to seek deeper and bigger things in life. Life with God is an adventure in itself. And those who think adventure is out of the picture for them, those who think its not for them, I believe otherwise. In all of us there is an adventurer waiting to be born, waiting to experience how it feels to see the bigger part of life and not just sit around and wait for it to be buried up in doubt again.Adventure doesn't have to mean climbing the biggest mountain in the world or beating a world record. Adventure is chasing your dreams and catching them, adventure is living your live to its full potential. Adventure is for everyone and everyone has their own definition of it. And to take the time to find out what your adventure is, is a gift you are giving to yourself.
The only one who can put a limit on us is ourselves.
And if that is so, then why is it that phrases like, "I wish" or "in my dreams" come out of our mouths so often?
Why don't we replace these words with "Why not" and "Ill try" and "show me how."
Instead of pursuing what we want to achieve, we shut the door to those things by telling ourselves every reason why it wouldn't be possible. When instead, it's the opposite; anything is possible if we open the door and actually walk inside. If we remind ourselves that in fact it is possible, this statement will then not only be a set of words but will also surely become fact. And this applies to almost anything in life; education, careers, passions, and dreams. We limit ourselves to our capabilities, and we only let ourselves explore the dimensions that our mind built walls around. We make things seem so much more difficult then they really are. When in fact, as a Christian nothing should ever seem impossible. How could we ever doubt in ourselves with such a mighty God by our side. A big problem with us Christians is that we tend to believe that our adventures, and our lives need to revolve around the church, and the church only. And don't get me wrong, church is one of the most important aspects of a Christians life, but I mean if your heart yearns to travel, why shouldn't you? If your passion is the outdoors then get out there, if your passion is art then get on it, if your passion is travel then go buy that plane ticket. I don't think God would get angry with us if we did. In all certainty i truly believe that God much more prefers us to be out there, out of our comfort zone, than stuck between the walls of a building. In reality the church is more the people of the body of Christ, not as much as a place to gather, so why do we only serve God in one place. What drives and excites me the most is the fact that we could serve God anywhere, and there are so many different ways to serve him as well, even by going on adventures. The even cooler thing is that, if we do achieve the things we strive for and if we do go on the adventures we desired to, It could be a service in itself. If we give the glory to God, if we make it known that only through him everything is possible it is a testimony in itself. So many people from the bible, even Jesus himself traveled far distances, across cities, and through it all they served the father. It made me wonder about all the sights they got to see, how Gods creation looked liked back then, it makes me want to see it all through their eyes. But God gave me life now, and he gave me eyes, he gave them to all of us, so why don't we use them to our full potential and go see the world, finish that painting, climb that mountain, and get to the finish line. Everyone has the ability to achieve their dreams, all of us were made to seek deeper and bigger things in life. Life with God is an adventure in itself. And those who think adventure is out of the picture for them, those who think its not for them, I believe otherwise. In all of us there is an adventurer waiting to be born, waiting to experience how it feels to see the bigger part of life and not just sit around and wait for it to be buried up in doubt again.Adventure doesn't have to mean climbing the biggest mountain in the world or beating a world record. Adventure is chasing your dreams and catching them, adventure is living your live to its full potential. Adventure is for everyone and everyone has their own definition of it. And to take the time to find out what your adventure is, is a gift you are giving to yourself.
9/29/2014
And He will fill that void.
The feeling of being alone is torturous and aching. Everyone, no matter who, tries to fill that gap of loneliness. Everyone desires to be loved or wanted in some possible way. People do outrageous things in order to fill that gap,but nothing works and nothing lasts. Only a portion of people in this world have felt the true feeling being loved, wanted, and needed. And no, it didn't come from a spouse, a friend, or even a parent. Only those who have come to know God, the heavenly Father have experienced the complete joy of truly being wanted, for no certain reason, other than the fact that we are just so loved. Its a feeling you never want to lose sight of, a feeling you want to experience for the rest of eternity. It is the answer to what everyone is missing in their lives. You could have everything; wealth, a family, friends, but if you don't have Gods love in your life, you will always end up being empty and dry; thirsty for something more. But the saddest part of all is that so many people that had experienced this true love and fulfillment, have lost it, and have a hard time getting it back. And the pain that comes after experiencing something so perfect and then losing sight of it seems almost unbearable. When we no longer feel the presence of our Father up above it is almost an unbearable feeling. Everyone has experienced loss in some way or form but nothing compares to the loss of being truly fulfilled and truly loved. Most people blame God for this loss, they start to question him, and question the lack of His presence. They start to believe that God left them, or abandoned them. But one question they don't ask is, why would such a loving God, one who chose to love you in the first place, no matter how undeserving of it you are, abandon something he loves so dearly and unconditionally. God doesn't abandon us, he never wants to leave us. In fact all He wants is a relationship with His children. And the only problem is, that his children have to want that relationship back. We as selfish and prideful people just expect everything to be given to us. But a relationship with God has to work both ways. The reason we ever feel abandoned by God is simple. We as people constantly have a battle between the love of sin and the love of God. But He is a jealous God, and he wants us to himself. So the stronger our relationship becomes with sin, the further we are from God. As we give in to what sin has to offer, we are the ones abandoning God. We tend to forget that God is blameless, the holy of hollies. And as much as he wants to be near to us, He could never go anywhere near sin. So he has no choice but to turn away from us. That's when so many people give up, and forever turn away from God. But God never gives up on us and that is why he gives us the key to winning back that connection with Him. That key is Christ, the son of God. Christ like God is completely blameless. And when we nailed him to the cross along with our sins he made our image before God seem blameless too. And as long as we carry all our sins to Christ and leave them at his feet, he will then wash us with his blood and make us clean again. Then, when we reach out to God, he no longer sees our sin. All he see's is us through Christ. And we again find that joy that comes with knowing the Father.
So don't lose sight of Christ, lay out your sins before him. He will lead you to the truth, and as you seek him and thirst to be closer to him, God the father will come close to you, he will fill your void, and you will feel loved and complete for the rest of eternity.
So don't lose sight of Christ, lay out your sins before him. He will lead you to the truth, and as you seek him and thirst to be closer to him, God the father will come close to you, he will fill your void, and you will feel loved and complete for the rest of eternity.
9/21/2014
They are without excuse
Romans Ch 1. verses 20,21
FOR SINCE THE CREATION OF THIS WORLD HIS INVISIBLE ATTRIBUTES ARE CLEARLY SEEN, BEING UNDERSTOOD BY THE THINGS THAT ARE MADE, EVEN HIS ETERNAL POWER AND GODHEAD, SO THAT THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE,
BECAUSE, ALTHOUGH THEY KNEW GOD, THEY DID NOT GLORIFY HIM AS GOD, NOR WERE THANKFUL, BUT BECAME FUTILE IN THEIR THOUGHTS, AND THEIR FOOLISH HEARTS WERE DARKENED.
God is everywhere. Even if we tried, we could not in any way avoid it, or make it untrue. If we take a closer look, science itself, proves the very existence of God just by the study of creation. I mean if you really think about it, there is no way evolution could have created such intensely detailed and orchestrated beings. Every cell in our body, every cell in any living organism, is so extremely profound and amazing that there is just no way that some explosion could have created us. For even just the fact that we have feelings, and souls, and thoughts proves how much more unrealistic evolution seems. How could evolution create feelings, and how could evolution create thoughts. Why does the human race believe in miracles, or even the idea of fate..how could those be possible without some higher power? There HAS to be a God. And this bible verse states just that, "for since the creation of this world his invisible attributes are CLEARLY seen...and then it goes on to say .."so that they are without excuse." So it pretty much means that all creation knows, and feels that God is alive; people just close their hearts to the fact and make themselves believe otherwise. In the end, no one will have an excuse, because deep down inside, everyone knows the truth, some just choose to run away from it. But life, isn't only about knowing that God is alive... anybody could make up their own idea of God, this world has many versions of "god"... but hasn't it hit them that every other God in every other religion doesn't go by the name GOD... there's Buddha, and there's Zeus, and so many other ideas that people came up with, but its still not GOD. There is one God, and the bible is his powerful sword, and the people who have been pierced with that sword come across the power, of our one true GOD. And today, as I thought about God, my heart filled with a strong sense of shame. I realized that we as Christians tend to underestimate the power of our God, a God who could rid our existence with nothing but his breath. A God who is almighty, and omnipotent. We Christians don't treat Him with the reverence and fear that he deserves, we disobey him at every convenience and think that we could get away with it. We don't praise him or glorify him with all that we are..we treat kings and presidents with more respect, we try to look good and worthy before their eyes but why not before God? Why is it that other religions are so faithful to something that isn't even true and we Christians who know the truth cant even live one day without selfishly abandoning our God. And the worst part is, we underestimate the power of his love and his free gift that he has given us. Our prideful hearts don't realize how undeserving we are of this love that he fills our lives with every day. If only our minds and hearts could TRULY comprehend how extravagant this gift really is, we would no longer have the desire to live for ourselves anymore. Because why would this holy, and mighty God want anything to do with us; so selfish, and proud, such sinners. But by the blood of His Son, he proves to us how much we truly mean to him, and how much he wants to save us all. No other religion could offer something this great. In all honesty we take God, and everything he did for us for granted. We don't realize that without this gift our lives would mean nothing. So why do we tend to treat God this way, like he's nothing? Why don't treat Him like the mighty God that he is..I pray not to become like the people in the verse, one who knows God but doesn't glorify him, one who doesn't thank him for his never ending blessings and mercies. I want to live in a way where I am boastful of the God that I believe in, where I stand firm in his promises and his laws. Because we all know him, and we all know of him, but i don't want to do just that...I want to proclaim him, and live him..and I want to know him; as my God, and as my creator, as my father, but most of all as my savior.
FOR SINCE THE CREATION OF THIS WORLD HIS INVISIBLE ATTRIBUTES ARE CLEARLY SEEN, BEING UNDERSTOOD BY THE THINGS THAT ARE MADE, EVEN HIS ETERNAL POWER AND GODHEAD, SO THAT THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE,
BECAUSE, ALTHOUGH THEY KNEW GOD, THEY DID NOT GLORIFY HIM AS GOD, NOR WERE THANKFUL, BUT BECAME FUTILE IN THEIR THOUGHTS, AND THEIR FOOLISH HEARTS WERE DARKENED.
God is everywhere. Even if we tried, we could not in any way avoid it, or make it untrue. If we take a closer look, science itself, proves the very existence of God just by the study of creation. I mean if you really think about it, there is no way evolution could have created such intensely detailed and orchestrated beings. Every cell in our body, every cell in any living organism, is so extremely profound and amazing that there is just no way that some explosion could have created us. For even just the fact that we have feelings, and souls, and thoughts proves how much more unrealistic evolution seems. How could evolution create feelings, and how could evolution create thoughts. Why does the human race believe in miracles, or even the idea of fate..how could those be possible without some higher power? There HAS to be a God. And this bible verse states just that, "for since the creation of this world his invisible attributes are CLEARLY seen...and then it goes on to say .."so that they are without excuse." So it pretty much means that all creation knows, and feels that God is alive; people just close their hearts to the fact and make themselves believe otherwise. In the end, no one will have an excuse, because deep down inside, everyone knows the truth, some just choose to run away from it. But life, isn't only about knowing that God is alive... anybody could make up their own idea of God, this world has many versions of "god"... but hasn't it hit them that every other God in every other religion doesn't go by the name GOD... there's Buddha, and there's Zeus, and so many other ideas that people came up with, but its still not GOD. There is one God, and the bible is his powerful sword, and the people who have been pierced with that sword come across the power, of our one true GOD. And today, as I thought about God, my heart filled with a strong sense of shame. I realized that we as Christians tend to underestimate the power of our God, a God who could rid our existence with nothing but his breath. A God who is almighty, and omnipotent. We Christians don't treat Him with the reverence and fear that he deserves, we disobey him at every convenience and think that we could get away with it. We don't praise him or glorify him with all that we are..we treat kings and presidents with more respect, we try to look good and worthy before their eyes but why not before God? Why is it that other religions are so faithful to something that isn't even true and we Christians who know the truth cant even live one day without selfishly abandoning our God. And the worst part is, we underestimate the power of his love and his free gift that he has given us. Our prideful hearts don't realize how undeserving we are of this love that he fills our lives with every day. If only our minds and hearts could TRULY comprehend how extravagant this gift really is, we would no longer have the desire to live for ourselves anymore. Because why would this holy, and mighty God want anything to do with us; so selfish, and proud, such sinners. But by the blood of His Son, he proves to us how much we truly mean to him, and how much he wants to save us all. No other religion could offer something this great. In all honesty we take God, and everything he did for us for granted. We don't realize that without this gift our lives would mean nothing. So why do we tend to treat God this way, like he's nothing? Why don't treat Him like the mighty God that he is..I pray not to become like the people in the verse, one who knows God but doesn't glorify him, one who doesn't thank him for his never ending blessings and mercies. I want to live in a way where I am boastful of the God that I believe in, where I stand firm in his promises and his laws. Because we all know him, and we all know of him, but i don't want to do just that...I want to proclaim him, and live him..and I want to know him; as my God, and as my creator, as my father, but most of all as my savior.
9/19/2014
I am a Maze Runner
I realize that slowly, the time is coming where we will soon live up to the revelations in the bible. But today as i was watching The Maze Runner it really..i mean REALLY hit me. Even the world itself is preparing itself to end. I mean pinterest already has a dedicated page due to emergencies in case of the apocalypse... and these are just the minor details of one major puzzle. So today, what got to me, was the fact that even movies..pretty much every movie in theaters today has hints and glimpses of peoples ideas on how the world will "end" or evolve, and that the time is coming. And then there's major movies like The Hunger Games or even Planet of the Apes, and Maze Runner: the movie I watched today and each have their own major portrayal of destruction and hope. The thing is, all these movies have the same idea... The world is facing chaos, disaster, and practically the end. Somehow (i really don't understand this) but there's always some sort of higher power that is still alive... and they pretty much control the "underdogs" which, in most cases turn out to be the heroes and good guys of the story. And most of the time, the heroes go under some sort of suffering, they always live in the worst circumstances, and always face the toughest trials. What I also noticed, is that in some way, they always have some sort of connection or relation to the higher power, they never seek to defeat it, but are more so regulated by it. So with that, the weird person that i am, i always find some odd way to relate or take some sort of lesson from movies, even if that wasn't the purpose. But while watching the maze runner, I could almost see the portrayal of my very own life. And this is why.....So as a Christian, I was put unto this earth by a higher power, God of course. And God put me on this earth with a genuine purpose; to pretty much save the dying world or to be the tool in his major plan. So in this life, I am faced with tests, and trials, and challenges. I fight against evil every day: and sometimes I get stung, but God always provides healing. All this makes me stronger, and shapes me and prepares me. Because in the end, just like in the movie, i am faced with the choice to either stay behind, do nothing, and fail my whole purpose. Or to lead the people of this world out of the maze of sin, and save them, or at least die trying. And when you put it this way, it becomes so clear, how much more meaningful our lives really are. I mean the people around us depend on us. We are responsible for human souls. And in a time like this, where the world is so close to an end; where there is chaos, and destruction, I hope to make it my purpose in life to take on this great responsibility to lead people to eternity.
9/18/2014
Trees
Its astonishing how the fate of all humanity was dependand on something so simple as a tree. It might not seem eligible, but that tree was created by God as a tool. A tool to test the faithfulness of man. And how silly it might seem, that a tree..was the proof to God, that man could never live up to its purpose. One tree determined the chaos of our lives.
And it is so amazing that even though after humanity went through many years of failure before God, he didnt give up on us, and once again, humanity was dependand on yet another tree. The tree was used as a tool, a tool with such resemblance it could bring man to tears. That tree then, became the path to our salvation, the cross on which The Son of God shed his blood and wiped our sins. That tree was shaped into hope for man kind
Its almost unbelievable that something like a tree would be used by God himself. He took something thats would seem so small and used it to change our lives. And if God could usea tree, to Influence man, what makes us think that he cant use us...living beings, his children. We are Gods tools in his handiwork.. and like the trees that God used, we have a choice to either bring this world chaos or life. We always have a choice, we always had a choice. To eat the fruit or not? To surrender to the cross or perish? And we have a choice now, to be used by God for something good and great, or to lay around and be a stumbling block to the life around us.
5/20/2014
Good Morning
Mornings
A time when its you, and your thoughts
time when everything is still covered in peace
no worries, no rush, no negativity
just a clean slate and a knew canvas to work with
Mornings
when you plan out how you shall conquer the world today
when you inspire yourself to be the best you can be
where nothing is in your way
Mornings
when everything comes to life
when souls wake up
when new beginnings arise
Mornings
such a precious time
such a special feeling
such a treasured event
A time when its you, and your thoughts
time when everything is still covered in peace
no worries, no rush, no negativity
just a clean slate and a knew canvas to work with
Mornings
when you plan out how you shall conquer the world today
when you inspire yourself to be the best you can be
where nothing is in your way
Mornings
when everything comes to life
when souls wake up
when new beginnings arise
Mornings
such a precious time
such a special feeling
such a treasured event
5/07/2014
What is the purpose of my life?
Why do I wake every day?
there has to be something
a drive that makes me live this way
What was I born on this earth for?
whose are the lives i'll affect?
if life is bigger than this
then what path should I select?
What are the roads I should drive on?
who are the ones I should meet?
If I'm living for others
how much of me should I defeat?
Everyday my life is spared
I walk, I hear, I see, I speak
blessed unimaginably
by the one whom my heart was made to seek
Where are the lands I should travel to?
is there a place i should rest?
Or should i let myself wander
and put my strength to the test
What should I say to the ones that I meet?
How do help them get by?
How should I cope with the truth
that there are those far worse off than I
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