I can feel his blessings so much..

This past week was absolutely amazing. I'll start off by saying I entered into it in a negative way. I was thinking in my head to just brace myself because this week is just going to be such a drag. I had to work everyday except for Tuesday, on which I had a midterm in my very difficult zoology lab. All these challenges made me do something good though. I prayed. Not much, granted, but I did. Not only that, I asked people to pray for me. This past year I have found out that having people pray for you gives AMAZING results. Being in groups like my Sunday school and college group on Sunday nights is great just because we can share what is going on in my life and what I need help with. And these prayers resulted in my God helping me not only do well on my test, but have a great week at work as well! Hallelujah!

Another praise I have is that my cousin came down with a horrible case of Malaria. Me and several others petitioned God to help her get better, and he answered that prayer in a huge way. She got to go home and is responding to the medicine with the least side effects. (The other medicine could have made her permanently deaf!) Praise God!

AND ANOTHER praise is that my co-worker and friend who had a very severe infection finally started responding to her medicine and although she has some healing left to do, this is definitely a good break for her! Praise Jesus!

Another praise is how much this has allowed God to change my attitude towards things. I am always getting too wrapped up in the future and things I want to do to make me happy. And God has really reminded me this week that Christianity isn't about my self gratification! It's not about me, and if I was going to focus on that, then I had no business to even pretend to live my life for him. He definitely spoke to my heart about some things that were a huge reprimand to my thoughts, feelings, actions, and I will never forget those words.

I don't want to live my life thinking about things I could have done instead of just 'going through the motions'. I could do that. I could go through the motions and not get too much done for him. But where am I storing up my treasures. My favorite verse is Matthew 6:21, 'For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.' It is regrettably one of the few I actually have memorized, but I fell in love with it about the time that my dad got cancer the second time. To me, it says that I need to think eternal, not temporary. Not what makes me happy, but what makes God happy. And really, the things that make God happy make me happy in the long run, no matter what. The things of the Lord are the things that matter!

I could definitely feel his favor this week. And I didn't earn it is what makes me so humbled and even more devoted to him. His love is amazing, and I am happy that he is allowing me to rejoice in our deepening relationship instead of being focused on a temporary, unfulfilling relationship. One day it will be right for me, but I am content to grow in God and wait in Him. My life is given to him so he can use it as he chooses. And the God of good will not do me wrong! I am very ecstatic about all these things I have been feeling, and although I know storms will come that I will have to face, I also know that he is my rock and my strength, my fortress, and my tall tower, like Psalms 18 says (which I am trying very hard to memorize!!).

So, I hope this encourages you to pray, pray, pray, and read, read, read the word! Don't listen to Satan's lies! God's side will win, and one day, our faith will be our eyes...