Looking Back Over 2015

New Years....a time where people reflect on the past year and look forward to the future year by making resolutions on how to be a better person as a whole! (Though people rarely complete them!)

I guess it's my turn!

This year has been one of my craziest years! It's been up and down, side to side, stretched, and pulled! Parts of it have been amazing and other parts have not! I have had spiritual highs and spiritual lows! I have had amazing relationships and I have had terrible ones! I have had expectations met and my expectations destroyed! Believe me, it's been a crazy year!

The things I have learned from this year are, however, the most important.

I have learned that every relationship is either a blessing or a chance to learn. I have had a couple dangerous and bad relationships, mostly at the beginning of the year, and have learned that I tend to settle for relationships too quickly before really thinking them through! But, I have had some AMAZING relationships this year and learned that real love is worth fighting for!

I have learned that even in the rain and storms the sun still shines. Our trials suck, but it is in the valleys that we truly depend on Christ and see him work! It just makes us appreciate how great He is in the good, easy times!

Since I tend to plan my life out, I learned that my plan and way of doing things isn't always the best or smartest! Sometimes people have more wisdom than I do and can point me to where I should be going! God definitely sees the big picture, while we only see the little part we are working on!

Family is the most important thing (after God, obviously...pretty sure it goes without saying). These people are blood....well some of my family is.....anyway.....they will be there for you no matter how much you mess up and how badly you treat them! While boyfriends/girlfriends, friends, and mentors will move in and out of your life, family will always be there! Even if you give up on them, they will NEVER give up on you...even if you beg them to! (Been there done that! Trust me they are in it for the long haul no matter how much you beg!)



Relationships are hard! Whether it be your parents, siblings, aunts, uncles, grandparents, cousins, friends, or boyfriend/girlfriends, they are all hard! While they are all extremely important, they require a ton of work and are hard! Two sinners interacting....yep it's hard to think about the other person more than yourself!

Remembering that living for the future is better than just in the present. Present happiness wont be the best, look to further God's kingdom...that is the ultimate goal! Yes, the present if fun and exciting, but the future is even better!!!!

Well...those are the highlights! There are so much more, but I could't possibly fit them all!

Good luck on those New Year's resolutions! I pray that this will be the year that you actually complete them!

With Love,
 From....
~Cait

What is Our Purpose in Life?

What is our purpose in life?



That is the million dollar question...one that people have been asking themselves for centuries! Philosophers and teachers have been arguing and debating this one question coming up with many different answers!



So what is our purpose here? We have to be breathing for a reason...right?? I sure hope so!

Is it to have the coolest job? Have the most money? Have many fans and friends? Have the best kids? Or is it to find true love?

Is our purpose in life to have great success???



Many people believe that success is our sole purpose in life! Wow....I would definitely be failing in life then...just saying!!

But once you get to the end of your life does money, love, jobs, house, etc really matter?

As believers we live for something so, so much more!

We live for Christ!!

Which, can I just say, is the greatest honor given to mankind?!?

God created us in the very beginning of time to glorify and praise Him!

We live for something greater than ourselves! Sure, we think that we are pretty great and that living for ourselves wouldn't be so bad, but it is so pointless!!!

Can you take success, money, fame, friends, and family with you once to die? We would like to think we could...but we can't!

So glorifying God is the number one purpose of life!!

It honestly just makes sense that we should worship and glorify the very being that created and brought us to life!!!!

Spreading the gospel to unbelievers is another one of our purposes in life!!



God commanded us to share the gospel!!! And why wouldn't we want to??

If you know something exciting and it has drastically changed your life don't you want to share it with everyone?? Sure!! It is something exciting and important to you and you just want everyone else to share in the excitement!!
For example...you found your soul-mate...the love of your life!!! You are so excited and happy that you just want everyone else around you happy too... so you try to match up your friends and make them happy!!!

How is that any different than wanting to share God's love and redemption story with everyone around? Except for the fact that a person's eternal salvation is on the line, while match-making friends isn't!!

Our purpose in life is to glorify God and share the gospel!!! Not too hard right?? Hahaha... if only our own selfish desires didn't get in the way... right?

Listening to Understand

I LOVE to talk! Trust me! It's one of my best qualities!! I rarely am at a loss of what to talk about! Rarely!!

While my strong point is talking, my weak point is listening! During a conversation I have noticed that I tend to tune the other person out and start thinking about what I'm going to say next.

I saw this quote yesterday and thought it worded this problem perfectly!!

Here it is....

"The biggest communication problem is we do not listen to understand. We listen to reply."
-Gabriel Garcia Marquiz



I so often listen to reply and don't take the time to really hear what that other person is saying. It makes me wonder, am I really caring and loving that person by tuning them out and selfishly trying to determine what I'm going to say next? No, of course not!!! What I'm doing is completely selfish and unloving!!

Now, having thought out replies is a good thing and is a wise move, however, focusing on what the other person is ACTUALLY saying can help in having an intelligent comeback and lead to a very thoughtful conversation.



You can learn a lot about people when you actually listen to them and hear what they have to say!

Now, the hardest part is actually listening to understand not to just reply.

The action part is way harder than just recognizing the problem!!
This is the part that I still struggle with!

So I think that once you recognize that you struggle with listening, you can move onto spending time in prayer, asking God to help you overcome this struggle, because we obviously can't do it by ourselves! I think we also need to start changing our thinking- it's not about how many words we can get into a conversation, it's about what you can learn from a conversation or how you can encourage this other person!

Some people just want a listening ear! They don't always want someone to try to insert their opinions or solutions, but someone who will encourage them and just hear and understand them! So start thinking about it that way! Start telling yourself that this person really needs someone to just listen not talk!!


Not to mention, your relationships are guaranteed to be strengthened just by listening to understand, because...

1) You are putting someone else's needs above your own.

and.....

2) You are actually hearing their likes, dislikes, hopes, dreams, struggles, etc!

You can learn a lot about someone just by talking to them!

I know I didn't have an actual solution for you guys, I'm still trying to figure it out myself! But I hope, f nothing else you can know that you aren't the only one who struggles with this!

Praying for you guys!!

Love,
Cait

Neverland

 This afternoon I was helping my younger brother clean up and tidy our woods garden, aka the large open space in our woods that butts right up against our yard...don't ask me why it's called garden...nothing grows in there- hence the large open space!

There is a large tree house right in the middle of it with a collection of old broken toys and furniture that has all been used for a multitude of things; pirate ship, house, farm, hospital, etc! Things, meaning toys and furniture, had gotten a little out of hand recently, and since my graduation party is this weekend, I decided that the stuff must get cleaned up!

Now, I'm 17 years old and have not played out there for several years.

As we were cleaning things up I would pick up an old toy and old memories would flood into my mind. I remembered the carefree, and somewhat child I was, up in that tree house being whoever I wanted to be!

I stood there for a moment letting the sweet memories sweep over me.

I suddenly felt a longing to be 10 again pretending to be a nurse. Not having to think about the grades or long years of studying it would take for me to become one!

I wanted to be young, innocent, and without all the stress that life has bogged me down with.  I don't want to have to worry about school, grades, money, relationships, time, etc!

Why, oh why did I wish those years away to get to where I am now? There is nothing glorious about it!

And then I realized...I didn't wish those years away...it happened naturally and over time. I was bound to turn 17-18 eventually! And I had a fun childhood! I wouldn't really change it at all!

And being a teenager has many blessings that as a child, I didn't have!

Like having more freedom, being able to drive ( that's a big one!), having more responsibility, having more say over your life, making decisions YOU want to make, being old enough to be in relationships, and so many more things!

So, I guess my main point in this is...be content in the stage of life you are in! They all have their pro's and con's! It's just what you choose to focus on! 

Well that's it folks!! I'm working on a big post right now...I've been struggling with it, but hope to have it out soon! 

Love, 

Cait

What Has Happened to Community?

I know, I know! I said that my next post would be about missions and my mission trip experiences, but....................................

I got distracted!

It happens a lot....maybe I have ADD.....see there it goes again!

Oh boy...

Okay, well, I have been thinking about this lately with the Baltimore Riots happening and all that.

I asked myself..."Why did this happen? What started this?" Yes I know...

Ferguson happened

and then

Freddie Gray happened

but I'm trying to think deeper! What is the underlying problem here?

Now....I was hesitant to write this post due to the controversy of this particular subject, but I just shrugged my shoulders and said "Ehhh, who cares?" I'm a rebel like that!

Anyway, the underlying problem....what is it?

I had a discussion with some of my family members recently and kinda answered my question.

The underlying problem is (I think, in my limited 17 years of observation)

The church.

I know! A shock! We Christians are supposed to be the ones who promote peace and help people!

We are the GODLY people! We don't start these kind of things!

Or do we?

Jesus talks a lot about community and loving each other.

For example:

Hebrews 10:24-25
"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another- and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Mark 12:31
"The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no commandment greater than these."

Last one;

Romans 13:10
"Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

But honestly...

We as a church body are pretty bad at this.

We are not in our community like we should be! We focus so much on the structure of the building, the 'ministries', the various activities that are provided for church people and their 'friends', but you don't see people outside of the church in their community! Sure, you do sometimes, but it isn't common.

Maybe the actual 'church' building is a hindrance for us...maybe we go there on Sundays, and for that one activity that you do weekly, etc.

Maybe we shouldn't even have a building! Okay that might be taking it a little far, but the point is that I think we get so wrapped up in the building and the various ministries that we forget the people outside of those walls! 

I work for a secular nonprofit that does almost exactly what we should be doing!

They are out there providing for people's needs and truly loving on people. People feel safe as soon as they walk through those doors! There are workers that go out into the community just helping out a family that lost a loved one, or a family that just had a baby, or even just a listening ear!

Why don't we do that?

It is the church's job to be providing for people's needs, both physical and spiritual, but why is that not happening?

Why are these secular programs and the government having to step up and do that?

I mean, the government is setting up all this welfare stuff to 'help' people with poverty.

But isn't that our job? To help people, build relationships, and share the gospel?

Why don't we start doing what Christ told us to do! Stop being SO singly focused on what is happening INSIDE the building and start focusing on the people OUTSIDE of the building.


Well guys, this was kind of a harder post, a little less carefree! I just had that conversation and just felt like I needed to share!

Hope you guys enjoyed it! Love you all!!

~ Cait

Valentines Day Twist

I know, I know...I'm a day late. The love holiday was yesterday....in my defense I wrote this yesterday, but just didn't finish editing until today! Sorry!

I was thinking about a good Valentines Day topic that wasn't all mushy or that wasn't about how to be single and survive February 14th! I have been reading this book called "Redeeming Love" by Francine Rivers and it is a fictional, more modern version of the Old Testament Bible story about the prophet Hosea and his love story with a prostitute named Gomer. I also just finished reading Jefferson Bethke's book, "Jesus> Religion" and he used the same analogy that I thought of when I read "Redeeming Love"!

I think this Bible story is one of the greatest love stories....except for one (we will talk about this later)! (The book of Hosea)

*********Here is a narrative story about Hosea and Gomer told by yours truly! ***********
Here is a well to-do, man of God. He was a prophet, which meant God used him to reach His people, whether it was to encourage them or correct them! Either way, this man was extremely important!
God told him, Hosea to marry a prostitute woman named Gomer. I think I'm safe to think that Hosea was probably in shock....who wouldn't be? A good, righteous man, marry a prostitute? Come on! Is this how God rewards His faithful followers? But, this upstanding man did what God told him to do...he married her!

But....this story doesn't end like you would think! Hosea and Gomer didn't have a happily ever after!

Gomer continued to run back into prostitution, away from a man who loved her and could give her what she wanted and needed!

Hosea even bought his wife back from slavery! He pursued her even when he was humiliated, and angry.

Why?

Because God told him to! (A good enough reason, I think...God can see the big picture!) I'm sure it was hard to love her, but because God told him to do this.... Hosea obeyed!

You see.... it think this love story is so great because it is real....it isn't a fairytale, it doesn't sugar coat the whole 'love' thing! 

I don't know if Gomer ever remains with Hosea, of if she kept running away, the Bible doesn't really say.

*****************

Remember I said that there was a greater love story than even this one? Here it is....it is God's relationship with us! No, it isn't weird that a great, heavenly being loves us....

 Guess who we are though....we are Gomer. Startling I know! I will give you some time to process this.....( confession...I need time to process this so I can write it....)

.....................................................................................

Okay, now that we are ready to move on, here we go! 

Think of God as Hosea (granted, Hosea wasn't God , but bear with me!) and think of us...human beings, as Gomer- the prostitute. 

Just as Hosea pursued Gomer even after she kept going back into prostitution, so does God keep pursing us, loving us, and wanting us to be with him eternally! 

Hosea wasn't perfect. I'm sure he got tired of chasing after her; I'm sure he hated her; I'm sure he got angry that she couldn't just be thankful that she had all her needs taken care of; and I'm sure he questioned God on why He was making his faithful servant go through all this pain and hurt! 

But imagine being loved and pursued by a someone who is ultimately perfect! 

So here is my Valentines day post!!

Love you all!! 

~Cait  

Finding the Light in Singleness

 I don’t really feel adequate writing on this topic, but it is something that I struggled, and still struggle with! I’m not a 26 year old where this is something that actually is a big issue, but I think I still have about the same thought process!

I cringe at the word singleness! Ugg, that word! Just, uggg! Okay I'm done! When I think of the word single I think of an old maid…. someone I would rather not be! No offense my old maid friends!

 I don't know about you (you meaning my single friends!), but I want to settle down and get married (when I’m old enough obviously!) I have had that dream for as long as I can remember! I have my wedding planned out, kid's names picked, dream home decorated…..etc!

Getting married and having that strong handsome prince charming is something that our society has…hmmm, exalted. Think of all those Disney princess movies that we girls (and guys…I’m talking to you too!!)  watched and re-watched when we were little! (*confession* I still watch them!)  

Hollywood has drilled the fact that in order to be happy or have a Happy Ever After… we must have a boyfriend or girlfriend! I hate to break it to you my friends, but though I have never had a boyfriend I can tell you that they can’t make you completely happy! They will let you down; break your heart, and a lot of other stuff! There is only one who can truly satisfy that craving for love and that is our Beloved Creator, Redeemer, Jesus Christ!

I digress…

I have struggled in the past with feelings of discontent because many of my friends around me were getting ‘asked out’, or dating, and none of that had ever happened to me! That really bothered me! It bothered me so much that it consumed me!

  

I felt sad and gave up hope that I would ever get married and be able to use those names for my kids, or decorate my dream house!

A little extreme and ridiculous? Yeah I would agree!

Those feelings were of someone who had not yet been satisfied in the point of life that God had put them in! Yeah that was me!

I can't remember the point in where God actually showed me this... whether it was book I read, a blog post, or a conversation with someone. But that is beside the point! The point is, God worked in that moment. He basically told me that I wasn’t letting Him be enough. I didn't trust Him! I was trying to take matters into my own hands and making a mess of my own heart in the process! (Now I know why we aren't center of our universe...because we really screw this thing up!)

It is super hard! I'm not denying that! Trust me I struggle with this every single day! So don't think for a minute that I am saying this is a piece of cake!

When I started to view my current singleness as a blessing, I began to think...Wow, this whole singleness thing is actually pretty cool!!! I can focus on the passions and gifts that God has given to me, I can be open to how God wants me to further his kingdom, and say yes to the opportunities that may arise out of the blue!

My friends...being married is a beautiful thing (at least I'm assuming it is! I'm not really knowledgeable in that department), but God created singleness too! He gave us a time to do everything that we want to do (those things we want to do should be what God wants us to do....just saying!) before we are having to provide for and take care of a family!

These single years are an amazing blessing my friends!!!!!

Love,

~Cait