Renew Your Mind

This week I've spend some time with students at camp. I love camp and I love that it can be a huge turning point in the lives of many.

I've noticed a few things about students today (and even some of this applies to myself).

1. We don't know how to study God's word. I'm not sure whose fault it is. I wonder if the church is not teaching is or if we are not listening. What ever the case, these kids are the church and will be teaching my kids one day. How can we know the Lord if we randomly read sentences from the Bible (as many do in their time with God) and not take in-depth looks at these beautiful passages?

2. We are hurting. People haven't changed. Students are hurting because at one time their parents were hurting. We live in a cycle of bad decisions due to sin and hurt that is never resolved. God is our healer.

3. I'd say we often do not heal because we do not trust God to renew our minds. Romans 12:2 says we should be transformed by the renewing of our minds so we can test God's perfect will. I know my mind needs renewal, my first thoughts or reactions are often nasty.

Join me, please. Let's renew our minds in God's word. His good and perfect Will is about the kingdom, not our problems.

Illusion of Control

Do you ever wonder if life will slow down?

I do. All the time. Then it does, then I try to figure out what it is that I'm not doing that I ought to be doing. After all, I'm useless just sitting there, right?

Wow, I'm so American.

This idea that we have to be "doing" is so human. We even carry this over into our spiritual lives and think "I must be doing something for the Lord." This leads to guilt when we don't have that special "quiet time." This leads to guilt when we just need some rest on Sunday night and can't find the strength to make it to church. This leads to guilt when we fall asleep reading God's word. This leads to guilt when we don't have the words to say to a friend. We think "If I really knew God like I should, I would have the perfect thing to say.

Ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to my brain. I think all these things, but, thank goodness, just because I think or feel it doesn't mean its true. In fact Jeremiah 17:9 says "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (NIV).

So, let's deal with this issue. As human beings we feel much better when we can check off a list of do's and don'ts to monitor our progress. (I always feel very accomplished when I can check of a to-do list) Don't get me wrong, I do think that we grow deeper spiritually, and our understanding of our Father and who he is is broadened with time, study, and prayer. However, I don't think there is any scale upon which we can measure like the quiet-time-o-meter where 365 quiet times a year earns us points.

You know those days when you can't drag yourself out of bed and all day when things go wrong you think "If would have just prayed this morning this wouldn't have happened." Possible, yes it is. But what a pedestal we place our actions upon when think that have that much control over a whole day.

I'm coming to terms with the fact that this is far beyond my human understanding and right in the strong grasp of God's understanding. He wants me to walk with Him so badly he's jealous when I stray. I hold that we think these thoughts because as humans we have the illusion of control over the every day. Today, let's put down our illusions of control, our to do list for God and listen to him, seek him every moment, and simply walk with him.

For the Love of ___________

I was telling my husband recently about how writing is just imprinted on my soul. I feel like a much more complete person when I can utilize the written word to express my inner most thoughts. Sometimes when we are having a very serious conversation I get very emotional and I can't talk anymore without blubbering, so I will simply write down what I would love to say out loud, but simply can't. I'm a lot more keen at writing my personal thoughts than saying them out loud. One of my favorite things to do is write a letter to my love or a friend when I have something very personal to say because I know the delivery will be much more smooth.

Since I have been blogging (a few days, haha) I feel like a more complete person. I believe that the Lord has inspired me to share with you, especially you young women.

I say all this so that I can pose this question: What is your passion?

What is it that the Lord has gifted you with and why aren't you pursuing Godly use of it?

(If you are, kudos to you! Just don't let your talent get your ego growing.)

Be inspired, friends.

For the Love of Scripture

Let me tell you, I know many students who do not quite understand how to tackle the seemingly daunting task of studying scripture, God's Holy Word.

I know, it's pretty weird. People are killing each other, Jesus talks about eating his flesh, they have lots of wives, two girls sleep with their dad... it goes on and on..

Lately, God has been calling me to dive into his beautiful word, and it is irreplaceable. I can't listen to enough preachers or read enough Jesus loving blogs to replace the Word itself. You might find yourself at a loss for how to begin. Here are a few suggestions...

1. Memorize scripture. I had to do this in AWANAS when I was a kid and I hated sitting in a room for 30 minute being forced to memorize words that I didn't understand and verses I did not identify with. However, in my adult life I have found that when a scripture speaks to me in my studying, I need to hide it in my heart. A very practical way to do this is to put it on note cards just like studying for a test. I put verses in a spiral book of note card so they are all in the same place. (I made it look cute too, don't worry). I put the scripture on the front side of the card and the reference on the back so that when I really know it I can go back, look at the reference and recite the scripture. (Check out the picture.




2. Invest your hard-earned money in a trustworthy study Bible with good notes. Lets face it, on my own I wouldn't have known that "the Dispersion was a common Jewish expression to refer to all the Jewish people scattered throughout the Roman Empire, and even beyond the bounds of the empire, but not living in Palestine itself." (ESV Study Bible, John 7:35 study notes) There is cultural and regional diction that we don't get. So, stop reading words that you can't understand and connect with and get some help!

3. Use a commentary. If you really want notes on the scripture you are studying, (notice, I say studying and not merely reading) acquire a commentary or 30. A commentary is simply a book of notes from scholars on a particular scripture. These people have invested their lives into studying the background, history, culture of passages and are striving to interpret the meaning of the text in our lives as Christians. I encourage you to think critically about what they say and with the leading of the Holy Spirit, decide if the text, the commentary and the Spirit agree. (This will also be a monetary investment, but you may be able to check them our from a library, borrow them from your campus minister or church, go in with a friend and share and study together, or put them on your Christmas list. They run about $30 each, but many of the smaller books of the Bible will be contained 3 per commentary).

I hope the Lord uses this post to divinely inspire you to dive into His Word. Please don't think I'm a Bible scholar by any stretch of the imagination, but I am working to become a student of the scripture. Please join me :)

Newlywed News

Oh, dear, sweet 12 days of marriage and I find that I am definitely not an expert, but my husband is so adorable. Honestly, I feel like he is soo good at being a husband already and I'm a total mess. I don't deserve as much grace as he gives me.

But let's forget the serious side of this and let me tell you what's hilarious and super awkward.

1. Marriage has made me a total klutz. One of the first things I did as a wife was run right into a table in our room on our honeymoon and put a huge bruise on my leg. The past week has consisted of me dripping mustard from my sandwich all over a new blanket and then rubbing it on my neck and hair, pouring cocoa powder all down my front while making cookies, stepping on a hammer my love left in the floor and stubbing my toe on the ground.. and many more.

2. Men don't understand decorations. Lucas and I agreed while we were dating that, if we did marry, I would not flood our bed with throw pillows (even though that would be adorable). However, I have learned that putting decorations on the movie shelf that cover up the movies and don't allow us to display them is unheard of in the man world.

3. Introducing myself as "Hanna Tu-r-uh-hi-ckman...?"

4. When we got home from the honeymoon and I realized there was a man living in the same house as me.

The life of a newly wed is one of awkwardness and change. After we got back from our honeymoon my boss said to me "You might not think I know what's going on at the Hickman house right now, but I do. You're trying to figure out how to live together."

Truth.

But here's to not forgetting these fun and awkward moments that will make us a stronger married couple. Mark 10:7-8 says "'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one." (NIV) That reason he refers to is that God made man and woman for a purpose. God is beautiful in how he creates us to be his representatives, but I'm sure even He laughs along the way too.

Women Wonder and Wander

While taking my morning stroll through Facebook land I came upon this little gem of a photo, so I humored the author and wondered the same.

I can almost identify with this statement. Often if you are a self-respecting woman who acts in character and dignity, creepy men are slightly more intimidated by you and don't bother you as much as they might those void of self-respect. However, I would not agree that being a "lady" can turn a man into a gentleman.

This idea is embraced all to often by Christian women. I have known many Christian women (even I have fallen victim to this in short spurts) who have dated a man who is obviously not an upstanding Christian leader (or not a believer at all) with the lingering promise to herself that "if he just knows how much I love Jesus, he will too."Other thoughts might be "if I don't stay with him, he won't survive," "if I can get him to hang out with my friends he will really change his ways." This list could go on and on, but you get the point.

Ladies, let me introduce you to a little passage in Ephesians, that is 5:22-33. (I just got married 11 days ago, so I have read this over a million times since then). Many people struggle with this passage and especially this word "submit." My friend webster defines this verb as "to yield oneself to the authority of another." Verse 22 says "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord." (ESV) I encourage to dive into this passage yourself so that I can go on to the point of my blog. (Thanks)

Both from personal experience and a Biblical perspective on life I disagree with the words on this photo because men are to lead. Yes, single women should be self-respecting, following God, modest, trustworthy... all the things a Biblical woman should be. However, the the peek of my "womanhood"(so far) has been being able to submit myself to a man who is worthy of being submitted to in the same way that I submit to the Lord. Why would you submit to a man in the same way you submit to the Lord when he doesn't even know the Lord, much less the way the Lord designed marriage and relationships? Can he really understand the God is love and he is to give himself up as a sacrifice for you?

So, you want to be a woman? Ladies, please wait and pray and wait. I'm begging you to not get bored of single life and settle for the type of man who does not emulate God's qualities.

I understand, as a single woman you have no choice but to be independent, self-sufficient and proud of it. But when you are blessed with a man who oozes Godliness, allow him to lead you as Christ leads the church. Put down the notion that in order for things to go right, you have to be in charge. What a beautiful picture of God when we respond to a man who is pursuing us as we responded to God when he called us to himself. Don't buy in to a culture that portrays "lazy men" and "strong women" as the norm. Don't wander from the truth of God's word.