Confession #7- "Life is Like a Card Game..."
It's very important to me to have alone time with God. A set time of the day to have a conversation with my physician, counselor, & friend. For me, that time is when I am in the shower. I crank up K-Love radio station, with no other distractions, just me & the Lord.
So the other day, I was talking to God & the thought for this post just hit me, & God has been molding it for about 2 weeks! "Life is like a card game!" I've tried to ask God to reveal to me how a card game could show us how life works... & this is what we come up with...
The Dealer: Once everyone is seated the dealer starts shuffling the deck. Back & forth, from one hand to the other, making sure the deck is ready to be dealt. The dealer has all control over the game. They decided when to begin the game, when to start sliding players their cards, & how the game is conducted. This isn't fact, but I think the dealer doubles as a cheerleader... They want people to win- to improve the player's quality of life. God, our Heavenly Father, is the same way. He is in control of how you get your cards, when you get 'em, and how many you get at one time. God also doubles as our cheerleader. He wants us to win! He wants us to win the prize so badly He gave his Son for us!!!
The Reaction: The way in which you handle the cards you are dealt can determine wether you win or lose. You can be dealt what looks like a losing hand, & turn it into one that defies the odds & wins! God never promised us that we would get all good cards. He didn't promise us that we would like all the cards we were handed. But he did promise us, that if we depend on him, regardless of our "odds", He would stick by our side! Kinda like in a game of cards, in life, if you get a bad hand you don't blame the dealer... You make a choice. You can either quit & give up your chance of winning... or you can play the hand the best of your ability... When God deals you, what looks like a losing hand, what do you do? Are we supposed to become frustrated with the dealer? No! We make the best of what we have. In cards, like in life, there is no re-do! You have that one shot to win!
The Prize: You can either wave the white flag & give up, or you can play the cards you have, & choose to turn a losing hand into one that will win you the prize! When you win a game of cards, what do you get? A few "chips"? In life the prize is much different! Life is like a game of cards... but in life, the stakes are MUCH higher!
Winning: "He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true." He said to me: "It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To him who is thirsty I will give to drink without cost from the spring of the water of life. He who overcomes will inherit all this, and I will be his God and he will be my son." -Revelations 21:4-7
Losing: "And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name.” -Revelation 14:11
It all comes down to this- no matter what cards you are dealt, what matters is THE CHOICE! The choice to give up before you miss out on a blessing. The choice of thinking the dealer hates you, just because you got a few bad cards. The choice to accept the prize of Heaven...
So what are you doing with the cards God dealt you? Are you mad at the dealer? Are you giving up your chance to win?... Or are you playing to the best of your ability?
Sincerely,
College Conservative
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Confession #6- Little Did I Know...
Confession #6- "Little Did I Know... that was just the first battle of the war."
As some of you have noticed, I have not been active for a while, & this is because I have had to have surgery again :/ but while I've taken a break from blogging, I have gathered tons of topics that I hope will inspire you!
Today, I wanted you to know my full story... cover-to-cover... This is not easy for me, I don't like to talk about things that cause me heart-ache... But through this I hope you can find hope for a better tomorrow.
Childhood: I don't remember too much about my childhood, besides the normal things (learning to whistle, swimming in my neighbors' pool, etc.) My parents got divorced when I was pretty young, & I became the son of a single mom, who continues to work too hard!
Teen Years: I was the kid in high school that was involved in EVERY club... & was President of most! I worked hard for 4 years, wanting to get the scholarship that every student would be proud of. I applied to a dozen different schools & got accepted to each... (I know what you're thinking... I'm going to need arm surgery from patting myself on the back so much- but this is where the story changes)... I went to sleep one night after my typical stress-filled day at school... When I woke up, I was covered in blood. My first thought was that I had been stabbed (I know, looking back, it doesn't make too much sense to me either LOL). I FREAKED OUT!
Adulthood: After that night, I quickly became an adult! I went to school that day thinking eventually the bleeding would stop, but it didn't. I went to the hospital & was told I'd be back to my old self "in a matter of 3 or so days". Then, after my first surgery, I learned that they had underestimated my problem by a rather wide margin & there was no possible way for me to walk across the stage of my graduation. Right then & there I had a choice... I could either be devastated or determined. I chose to be determined! By the middle of May, I walked across the stage & defeated the battle!
Now: Little did I know, that was just the first battle of the war..."3 or so days" has turned into almost 3 years... "Staying up all night cramming for a test" has turned into "staying up all night praying the pain goes away"... "Getting ready to hang out with friends" has turned into "getting ready for wound care"... But after of all this, "I can do this on my own" has turned into "I can do this... with God by my side!"
I guess what I want you to take way from this blog post is that we are each on a journey. Some days- that journey is easy... Other days--- not so much... But no matter what, every day holds the possibility of a miracle. I have learned to look at it like this: "Ok... My wound hasn't healed today... This just means I am a day closer to the date that I get my miracle." We all have battles- some big- some small... but, you know, you never hear a weak army say "I wish we wouldn't have went to war", instead they say "how can we become stronger"- it's all about how you fight in battle! How are you fighting? Do you need some improvement? That's ok! It's never too late to change course, unless you are already waving the white flag!
As some of you have noticed, I have not been active for a while, & this is because I have had to have surgery again :/ but while I've taken a break from blogging, I have gathered tons of topics that I hope will inspire you!
Today, I wanted you to know my full story... cover-to-cover... This is not easy for me, I don't like to talk about things that cause me heart-ache... But through this I hope you can find hope for a better tomorrow.
Childhood: I don't remember too much about my childhood, besides the normal things (learning to whistle, swimming in my neighbors' pool, etc.) My parents got divorced when I was pretty young, & I became the son of a single mom, who continues to work too hard!
Teen Years: I was the kid in high school that was involved in EVERY club... & was President of most! I worked hard for 4 years, wanting to get the scholarship that every student would be proud of. I applied to a dozen different schools & got accepted to each... (I know what you're thinking... I'm going to need arm surgery from patting myself on the back so much- but this is where the story changes)... I went to sleep one night after my typical stress-filled day at school... When I woke up, I was covered in blood. My first thought was that I had been stabbed (I know, looking back, it doesn't make too much sense to me either LOL). I FREAKED OUT!
Adulthood: After that night, I quickly became an adult! I went to school that day thinking eventually the bleeding would stop, but it didn't. I went to the hospital & was told I'd be back to my old self "in a matter of 3 or so days". Then, after my first surgery, I learned that they had underestimated my problem by a rather wide margin & there was no possible way for me to walk across the stage of my graduation. Right then & there I had a choice... I could either be devastated or determined. I chose to be determined! By the middle of May, I walked across the stage & defeated the battle!
Now: Little did I know, that was just the first battle of the war..."3 or so days" has turned into almost 3 years... "Staying up all night cramming for a test" has turned into "staying up all night praying the pain goes away"... "Getting ready to hang out with friends" has turned into "getting ready for wound care"... But after of all this, "I can do this on my own" has turned into "I can do this... with God by my side!"
I guess what I want you to take way from this blog post is that we are each on a journey. Some days- that journey is easy... Other days--- not so much... But no matter what, every day holds the possibility of a miracle. I have learned to look at it like this: "Ok... My wound hasn't healed today... This just means I am a day closer to the date that I get my miracle." We all have battles- some big- some small... but, you know, you never hear a weak army say "I wish we wouldn't have went to war", instead they say "how can we become stronger"- it's all about how you fight in battle! How are you fighting? Do you need some improvement? That's ok! It's never too late to change course, unless you are already waving the white flag!
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