Walking with my 'umbrella'

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" Hebrews 11:1

I recently have been asking, "How do I walk by faith daily?" I just read this story of a little girl that exemplifies great faith and wanted to share it as an encouragement:

A drought continued for what seemed an eternity, a small community of farmers was in a quandary as to what to do.  Rain was vital to keep their crops healthy and sustain the way of life of the townspeople.   As the problem became more acute, a local priest called a prayer meeting to ask for rain.  Many concerned people arrived at the church and the priest greeted most of them as they filed in.   As he walked to the front of the church to officially begin the meeting he noticed the people were chatting across the aisles about their mutual situation and socializing with friends.  When he reached the front his thoughts were on quieting the attendees and getting the meeting started.  His eyes scanned the crowd as he asked for quiet and it was then that he noticed a young girl about 11 years old sitting quietly in the front row, her face beaming with excitement.   Next to her, poised and ready for use, was a bright red umbrella.  The little girl’s beauty and innocence made the priest smile as he realized how much faith she possessed.   No one else in the congregation had brought an umbrella.   All came to pray for rain, but the little girl had come expecting God to answer.”

Unlike the young girl in this story, some of us pray but do not expect an answer, because from our standpoint the outlook is hopeless and grim.  We fall prey to doubt and fear when things change and corrupt our serenity.  Nothing will help, we think, so we slump into depression.  Why doesn’t God listen to me?  And it is then that Satan steps in and whispers, “See, your God is not helping you.”  And so, we think God does not hear us or will not help us.  What we forget is that God is listening and perhaps has something else in mind for us. It is a good reminder to grab our umbrella, grab our faith. We are asked to pray in faith rather than in desperation. It is such a comfort to know that our prayers are heard. 1 John 5:14 reminds us, This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.

 “I am the Lord, the God of all the people of the world. Is anything too hard for me?” Jeremiah 32:27 tells us.

One thing I admire about children is their innocent boldness of faith we sometimes need to adapt in our lives. As I grow older, I realize that the word 'hope' has become a subconscious nilly-willy hope, "I hope I get this job..." But we are a child of God. Like a child, when we ask our dad or mom to give us something, we expect and have utmost faith we will receive it. Like how we have faith our parents will tuck us into bed and promise to protect us from the unknown darkness. 

Question:
Do I live like I know He will give me the strength to overcome the challenges and responsibilities God has given me? 

Prayer:
As I pray for my missions trips and the constant challenges I face, let my life be constant breathing prayers of a faith like the little girl with the umbrella. Amen

Refuel! Learning the unforced rhythms of grace

Yesterday, I planned what my summer would look like, praying to see how I could work in cooperation with God for the next month. I would be studying my MCATs, restoring relationships, and preparing my group for the missions trip to El Salvador- Med. Impact Abroad, a team from my Western University. This morning thinking back to the plans ahead, I will admit, they will be a challenge. I would have said in the beginning of this summer that my plan was to go back to London to study for MCATS while enjoying morning and night workouts, but realized more important things God wanted me to learn, such as reconnecting with family and friends in Toronto. Initially reluctant to adapt God's perspective in life (wanting to focus on my plans and selfish ambitions to achieve a result), He gracefully redirects my path for my good. Although I know I can work in cooperation with him, looking at the mountain I have to hike up ahead, which seems like Mt. Everest to me, I already feel exhausted. Will I be able to catch my breath through this process?

But God is good! While I doubted His strength and was tempted to focus on my strength and my limitations, God knows I will get burned out! When I was reading my devotions this morning He reminded me, "Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly" Matthew 11:30, MSG. This is a reminder to renew my mind and to not conform to this world. We sometimes forget that our soul needs rest. Once I concentrate on His power, centre my heart on His splendour and approach Him with reverence, I can empty my exhaustion before Him.

God knows my every feelings because He has been there. In fact, other people in the Bible have been there too. Elijah was so exhausted at one point that he sank into a deep depression and lost his God-courage. Jesus spoke to a crowd of people in Galilee about the only sure refuel solution to our exhaustion problem.

He said, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:28-30, NIV

Keep company with Him today. All day. When you do, you'll experience His strength for each moment and His hope in each challenge. Live freely and light in Jesus, brothers and sisters!

Listen to this song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnocGt3aeFw&feature=youtu.be

Question: 
Am I focusing on my strength and bounded by my limitations, or am I faithfully concentrating on God's provision with boundless soaring limits?

Prayer:
I am writing because it is so easy to do the former and focus on my strength. But God thank you for reminding me that my strength is limited, and I can always come to you and trade in my exhaustion for your rejuvenation. For You said to "Walk with me and work with me-- watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Matt 11:30, MSG) I come to You today and ask that You would hike up this mountain with me and hang on tight to your promises. Restore rest to my soul and allow me to find fuel in you- to continue to do good for your Kingdom and not for my ambitions. Amen

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Lessons Learned from Applying to Medical School

I was convicted to write this post during my process of applying to medical school. I thank you to all who have supported me in my preparation for applying to medical school, encouraging me, because each one of you have supported me and allowed me to understand that my focus should be to acknowledge an incomparable acceptance and to invest in God’s kingdom!

Throughout this waiting time to hear about the news of medical school, multiple times in my head, I have played the “YA! Got into medical school scene.” I would be able to tell all my friends and jump for joy, knowing that finally all the pressures, anxieties of the uncertain future can be lifted off and go on to fulfill God’s will- or what I think it might be. In medical school, I would be able to study without any pressure and not care about the result. It would be so much less work!

But during this experience, I learned 2 main things I want to share with those who are waiting on hearing back from professional schools or just anxious/worried about what their next step in life is:


1) Did you ever think that God is more concerned about you "being good 'His will is for us to be sanctified' than feeling happy?” Like Paul says, “Don’t be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the RENEWAL of your mind.” Romans 12:2. 

Throughout this past year, I realized that a Christian walk is not easy and requires me to surrender my MIND to God and change my WHOLE PERSPECTIVE so it can be aligned with God’s-so I can be one with Him. God is not as concerned for us to obtain a certain career or a certain respectability/ranking according to the world, but is more concerned about transforming us to become like Jesus and to obtain a high ranking from God according to heavenly standards. 

I encourage you to examine what's important in your life. Are we more concerned about fulfilling God's goals or goals that are worldly? Are we so set on becoming a doctor or lawyer but less concerned about transforming our character to become like Jesus? Let’s not conform to this world, but RENEW our minds into what’s unseen, and eternal!

To my beautiful sisters out there, God wants to sculpt you into a beautiful women. Oops, yes to my bros, handsome men too! 

2) One day I was thinking about my possible medical school result and became anxious about what I would have to do if I didn't get in- I would have to start the process of worrying again about applying to different schools, etc. But when I was driving home that day, God revealed himself to me in His ways! I had prayed so that I could hear his voice and my conversation with God went something like this:

God, “Renee, you’ve gotten in!" 

"Wait- to what?"

"YOU”VE GOTTEN IN TO THE KINGDOM OF GOD!” 

From thinking about that, it felt like all the 'worry free joys' of getting into medical school translated to what it is like already having entered into the kingdom of God- but way better. I just remembered it was one of the happiest moments, not the happy I got a good grade, but a -deeper fullness of Spirit- happiness. 

I realized, to Him, I’m called a CHILD OF GOD. We are not a label of a certain profession according to God. So why am I worrying so much about my future or what career I want? I realized that I can already live like I’ve gotten into medical school, but even better, His kingdom. As a child from loving and faithful parents, I am not concerned about obtaining provisions or what career I will have. As a child, we obey and expect provisions. Now without these worries, my focus should be investing into the kingdom of God.

Once our concentration is on God, all the limits of our life are free and under the control and mastery of God alone.


Why had I taken the final result of medical school more seriously than the final result of getting into the kingdom of God? The final exam we should be putting all our efforts into is when we stand before God. Our mentality should be the same as studying for MCATS or running a race to win. Paul says in Philippians 3:10-16.

"I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained."

If someone were to ask me ,”Who am I?” Do I want to more to be attached with the title, “I am a doctor” or “I am a child of God?” Those concrete things are fleeting, but CHILD OF GOD- I knew I needed to live with an ambition to obtain the highest calling in Christ Jesus, and everyone has the opportunity to; we are told to “He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. ¹¹ Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.” 1 Thessalonians 5:10-12.

I know this will be important to remember as I prepare for my El Salvador missions. As I am organizing a group from my University and tasks start to pile up- finishing the health education/ gospel pamphlet, helping my group with medical spanish terms and basic medical training- please pray for me to continually press on whenever I get tired, feel like efforts are wasted or feel overwhelmed and strive for what's desirable to God.

Question:

Do you live like you have already entered into the kingdom of God- With a renewed mind, with a strong faith, and with an ambition to achieve the highest calling of Christ Jesus- to pass HIS final exam?

Prayer:

I pray that we not only take these truths as theories but to apply it to our lives, yielding to You each day. I want to live each step in full dependence and cooperation with You Lord! Give us the strength so we can live like we have entered into your kingdom with a renewed mind, with a faith so strong there’s joy in whatever the circumstance, and with an ambition to achieve the highest calling of Christ Jesus- to pass HIS final exam.

1st Blog- Renewal!

This blog is to encourage those who are JUST renewed in Christ (that's me and you because of our need to come into humility to God and die DAILY to Him, like we are JUST renewed) and to build each other up in prayer. My theme is renewal. As Christians we are called to renew our minds daily; when we feel weary we can renew our strength and through God’s provisions, soar beyond our limits.

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will” 

Romans 12:2. 

Once we renew our minds and adopt God’s perspective, He promises us He will continually renew our strength when we yield to Him.

"But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;

they shall mount up with wings like eagles;

they shall run and not be weary;

they shall walk and not be faint."

Isaiah 40: 31

Just a synopsis of how I experienced God’s love and power to renew my strength and to encourage the renewal of my mind: I was feeling down about getting rejected from Ottawa Medical School, but God always has a plan to prosper us. Despite knowing this, I began to doubt God’s plan for me and lose faith in doing good. But showered by my friends’ prayers, God showed His power and love. He knows our every thoughts and emotions; He renewed my strength and revealed His power and love by placing the right mentor to talk to at the perfect timing! I was reminded and felt so happy to be reminded I am a child of God, not defined by our jobs or title! Our purpose is on eternal things and not on earthly things! Read more for my story below!

This blog started off randomly one day when my loving and amazing twin sister, Justina, wanted to keep each other accountable for our missions trip so we can shower our experience and struggles with prayer- come to Him for renewal in our strength and renewal of our mind. We also want to extend these blessings to others, so why not a blog? For each one I’ll try to share my current experience, a question, and a prayer.

Prayer is so powerful. 

Be prayer warriors for my missions trip to San Miguel, El Salvador.

Also please pray for Justina's missions to Japan too!--> blog 

http://just--renewed.blogspot.ca/.

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