Throwback Thursday!

It is Throwback Thursday!!

I feature posts from my grandfather's blog on these days.  Here is a post from September 14th 2008

"Forgive

Some people wonder why I watch my soap opera. I have to tell you that my soap opera is like a series of parables showing the result of sin. First there was the lie that got discovered and did all kinds of horrible damage to the family including causing one of them to die.
Now in the aftermath of those tragic events comes the problem of forgiveness. Because the family can’t forgive it is being torn apart. Unforgiveness is even causing one family member to consider killing another. At the same time a half crazed criminal who can’t forgive a perceived act by another part of the family is trying to punish that part. And to add to it all the marriage of a nice young couple has ended because he can’t forgive her for lying to him.
In today’s Gospel read in churches using the revised standard lectionary Jesus tells us that Christians have been forgiven by the Father and are obligated to forgive.
The soap opera shows us what happens when people don’t forgive.
In some ways it helps us to understand why Jesus thought forgiveness was so important."

Music Monday #2

Today's song is Stars in the Night by Tenth Avenue North


Lyrics:

No matter where you lead, we want to follow You
Trouble is we forget who we belong to
We chase the wind and tides
We chase the reasons why
Chase the spark inside each other's eyes
Desires are a war, we want that final shore
Sailing on until we find what we've been looking for

Hallelujah, we're running to You
On fire from the mercy in Your eyes
And through the dark, singing we are Yours
Your love will lead us through the fight
Like stars in the night
Stars in the night
Stars in the night
Lead us through the fight

We fix our eyes on what we know is true
Even in our shame, grace makes a way through
Be our obsession, our constellation
You are light in and out of every season
So we keep pressing on with our redemption song
No one can undo what You've done

Hallelujah, we're running to You
On fire from the mercy in Your eyes
And through the dark, singing we are Yours
Your love will lead us through the fight
Like stars in the night

All our lives for the other side, where we'll never die
And in the darkest night, we will lift our eyes
The life that lies ahead is more than all we leave behind

Hallelujah, we're running to You
On fire from the mercy in Your eyes
And through the dark, singing we are Yours
Your love will lead us through the fight
Like stars in the night
Stars in the night
Stars in the night
Lead us through the fight

Stars in the night

Enjoy!

Breanna

Friday Food For Thought #3

The other day I woke up already pretty tired. Work has been crazy and stressful. Outside it was foggy and in general, the day had a general "blah" feeling. Accompanying this was the news talking about the murder of the news reporter and her camera man which was deeply troubling to me.

I think God knew that I was feeling a little worn down because as I reached into a laundry basket in the laundry room I pulled out a white shirt I had been missing for a few weeks though I had gone to look for it. It was my Tenth Avenue North "Worn" t-shirt I got at Lifest.

After I got dressed, I played the song on my phone. The first chorus going like this
"I’m Tired I’m worn
My heart is heavy
From the work it takes
To keep on breathing
I’ve made mistakes
I’ve let my hope fail
My soul feels crushed
By the weight of this world"

My heart was heavy. The world was definitely crushing me at that point, but I knew when I found that shirt that God was speaking to me. 

The next line goes like this

"And I know that you can give me rest

So I cry out with all that I have left" 

So I did cry out (in my mind) as I played the song. As I drove to work the station I was on was talking about the event, and I drove on through the fog gently crying. I thought about how life is so much like driving through a fog. We really do not ever know what is going to happen. That morning Alison Parker did not know what was going to happen when she reported to work. There is no way of knowing what is going to happen, and that is scary. As unclear as the fog is, it also has a trance like affect  as though it makes you sleepy/tired/worn.

Throughout these foggy days of Fall something has been just as strong as I drive to school. The sun behind the fog. The sun fought so hard to get out, and it illuminated my path all the way to school where the fog was virtually gone. 

The chorus of the song goes

"Let me see redemption win
Let me know the struggle ends
That you can mend a heart
That’s frail and torn
I wanna know a song can rise
From the ashes of a broken life
And all that’s dead inside can be reborn
Cause I’m worn"

After getting the shirt on a day I needed it, and having the sun shine so bright through the fog, I can tell you that God has an answer to the singers requests. Redemption will win, the struggle will end, hearts will be mended, and the dead will be reborn.

Is there a fog that you are going through?  Is there something wearing you down? Is there a way that God shines like the sun through the fog for you?

Let me know in the comments or by using the email option to the right.

Breanna

Friday Food For Thought #2

It really hard to decypher through all the voices that talk at us. We have the media, teachers, parents, loved ones, significant others, best friends, and even strangers telling us all different things about who we are, who we should be, and what we should be doing. For myself, one of those voices is my own. I tell myself a lot of things ranging from good things to negative things.  

These voices were at full force the day before and the morning of my drivers test. Most of you reading this will likely know the whole battle that occurred to get me to drive. I was scared to death of it. I did not pass my first test and I did not drive again for two or so years. The night before my test I kept repeating how scared I was, to the point I was almost paralyzed. Even though I knew that I am a good driver and that I had practiced enough, I did not think I could pass.  I did not think it would be possible that I could ever actually pass. 

Part of this was simply not being confident enough. Part of it was the fact that I had come so far from where I had been a few months prior, which was on the verge of a mental breakdown if anyone even hinted at suggesting that I drive. I was so proud that I was actually emotionally ready to drive, but I also knew my confidence would be shattered if I did not pass. I also had the weight of all these people who just wanted me to pass. The morning of my test the song "The Voice of Truth" by Casting Crowns came on. In a really quick  summary, this song talks about all the voices that tell you that you cannot do something. It talks about people in the bible who overcame the voices. One of these comparisons is to David and Goliath. This is the story in the bible of the David, who was tiny fighting the giant Goliath with just a sling and a stone, while all the other warriors were too frightened to do so. Despite his size and the odds, David brought down Goliath.  I brought down my Goliath, with strength from this song, and passed my drivers test. 

Why do you think it is so hard to listen to God's voice, the Voice of Truth? Do you find it hard? What voices give you the most trouble? What ways do you have to fight your giants, and listen to the Voice of Truth? 

Let me know in the comments below, or you can contact me via the contact form on the right side of my blog.

I hope you have a wonderful Friday and weekend.

~ Breanna 

Throwback Thursday!!

It is my favorite day of the week. The day when we get to celebrate the past! Loving history I love this day. In honor of my Grandpa Linna who got me into blogging oh so long ago, I decided that on Thursdays I will feature blog posts he did. If you want to read them all click here


From my grandfather to you.. (This post was written by Dr. John Linna on August 23rd 2009)

"In the Liturgical Churches that use the Common Lectionary this is the twelfth Sunday after Pentecost. The Gospel text is John 6:56-69.

This ends a group of texts that spoke of Jesus as the Bread of life, and of eating and drinking his body and blood.

Week by week we have seen people who were ready to follow Jesus put off by these statements. We have watched multitudes leave.

By the time we reach today’s text only a core of one hundred or so followers are left.

They have walked with Him for some time. They want to believe. They try to hold on.

But now Jesus tells them that not only is He the Bread of life but he has come down from Heaven.

This upsets them enough that they begin to talk among themselves about what kind of man are they following.

Jesus hearing them tells them that if this offends them how will they feel when they see Him ascending back to Heaven.

That statement seems to be the straw that breaks the camels back and one by one they leave for good.

Eventually only the twelve are left.

Jesus says to them “ Do you also wish to go away?”
This is a rough time for Jesus. He loved the people who left. He cared about each one of them. For some time He had been their teacher. But now they were gone.

It had to hurt. Jesus was , after all, fully human.

I just love Peter’s answer.

“ Lord where will we go? You have the words of eternal life.”

This was it. Their commitment was absolute. They would go with Him because they knew that he was the One.

Over the centuries Jesus has asked that question of his followers.

He asked it of St. Augustine and C.S. Lewis.

He asked it of Martin Luther and Dietrich Bonhoeffer .

He asked it of Saint Gregory and John Calvin.

He asks it of me and all modern Christians.

The world says all that stuff you believe is nonsense.

Look at what science has discovered.

Soon we will know where the solar system came from.

Quit believing.

The world says .

Look at the poor. Look at wars. Look at babies that die.

How can you believe in a loving God?

Look at the terrible things people have done in the name of Jesus over the years.

You don’t want to be part of such a group.

Jesus says “ Will you also go away?”

I find myself standing with Peter and saying.

“Lord where can I go? You have the words of eternal life”.

The Good News is He does.  "

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

citation: https://img1.etsystatic.com/046/2/5570441/il_570xN.681966179_9uhp.jpg

God is Good...All the Time

After my post "What is Going on in This World?"  I opened my facebook the next morning and got a few photos that I believe God sent through people using facebook. Don't you just love it when God answers?

At the same time responding to my post, I feel in a humorous way he also responded to my constant complaints about how I do not see rainbows anymore, and that I really want to see one again . I keep askign why is he not giving us rainbows anymore, in response that same morning as the photo above I got this photo...

Okay God, I got it.

Does God ever give you signs? What signs does he give you to show he is listening?

~ Breanna

Music Monday #1

Hello!

I know that I will randomly post songs to this blog site, some Christian, some not but I think I will dedicate a post on Monday's to music. I LOVE music. I think music speaks emotions in a way that just words cannot do.

For this Music Monday the song is a throwback song to my childhood. I loved this song so much when I was younger and I remember dancing with my aunt to it all the time!

It is called "Fly Away" by FFH. (If the video below does not work click on the embedded link)

Lyrics:

Ok you win, you caught me day dreaming again
About our sudden evacuation
Ok I give in, I can't help but wondering
But it seems I can't get enough information

Curiosity has got a hold on me
Tell me how it's gonna be - when
One day I'll see you coming back for me
And all together we'll fly away
One day I'll hear that trumpet loud and clear
And all together we'll fly away
O how I long for the day
When we'll fly away

Don't ask me why I keep starin' at the sky
It's just I'm lost in anticipation
I know it will be in the twinkling of an eye
It's just I get lost in my imagination

(Lyrics by christianlyricsonline.com)

I hope you enjoy this song! Let me know in the comments!

~Breanna 

To Trust or To Be Afraid

Today was one of those days where God answered a prayer loud and clear.  This week I was dreading going to church because I knew I was going to have to read. It is always nerve wracking for me to read in front of church. Adding to my nerves was the fact that there is a hard of hearing guy who always asks the reader to speak louder no matter who they are.

So naturally I prayed about it. I prayed that I would get an easy, yet meaningful reading. This morning I open the program and find that the first reading is Pslam 46. The first reading was also to be read responsively, which meant I only had to read half of it, followed by a short second reading. Pslam 46 is what inspired Martin Luther to write my father's favorite hymn "A Mighty Fortress".  Being my fathers favorite hymn  it has always meant a great deal to me. Part of this psalm I have on a banner in my bathroom. Also, it speaks to God's strength and protection. Which is just what I needed.

Despite having just sang this wonderful hymn, I stood during the prayer of the day debating whether I could back out of reading or not. I felt tears coming on, and panic setting in. I did not want to read. I did not want to mess up. I could have easily turned to my parents, and shook my head and asked them to do it. I could have backed out. Until I remembered what I thought about on my drive home the night prior.

We all have two choices. To trust or to be afraid. 

Being on the nervous side I tend to lean toward the later. I am a constant worrier, and I tend to be afraid rather than trust. As I said in one of my previous posts, God has already won the war, so what is there to be afraid of? Of course, we should all be careful, but no matter what we do our time will come when our time comes, and when it is not our time it is not our time. God has a plan, so we should choose to trust more often. We should trust we are doing God's plan, especially when our worries are something small like reading in church. 

I choose to trust and you know what? It went perfect.  

I realize I should trust God more, and be less afraid of small worries.  I invite you to try doing the same.

~Breanna

Connecting Butterflies and God

After my latest venture with my best friend to lighthouse gifts I realized that I am not the only one who must connect butterflies to God as there were many butterflies decorating things around the store. However, I often find that I have always connected butterflies to God even though there really was no reason why. I tend put the two together all the time, and it is probably because I love both so dearly.

I had a necklace that said something along the lines of "whisper a prayer to a butterfly and it will carry it up to heaven." Even though it may sound foolish, I do believe that butterflies carry messages back to heaven. Butterflies are such beautiful creatures, that I think are proof of a creator. The fact that a crawling, somewhat ugly catipiller turns into a beautiful butterfly that has wings is almost unbelievable except for the fact that we can watch it happen.

I always tend to have a butterfly show up at just the right time. Sometimes I think it is a loved one who passed away, or just God's way of saying everything will be okay. On fathers day I was wearing a dress that has butterflies on it. On the way home from the historical home where I volunteered the windows in the car were open. In flew what was probably a moth, but could have been a butterfly. It looked exactly like the butterflies on my dress. It landed on one of the butterflies, and took a lot of coaxing to get it to fly away. I like to think it was my grandfathers who have both passed away who sent it. The next butterfly that I saw was on my birthday at lifest. A few days ago while listening to my favorite song (Shoulders, by King and Country) which happened to come on the radio, a beautiful monarch butterfly flew right by my car.  I could not have been happier!!

I obviously love butterflies, but I do think they connect with God. They speak to his beautiful creation, and  I think that is why I love them so much.

~ Breanna

Friday Food For Thought #1

I thought I would start Friday Food For Thought blogs. I do not even know if that is a thing, but now it will be.  This week's food for thought is the quote pictured above.  I read about it for the first time in my devotional book. It talked about Coretta Scott King, Martin Luther King jr's wife, and how she decided to continue to be peaceful in the fight to end racial hatred, instead of acting out in revenge.

As I talked about yesterday, I have been struggling a great deal with all the evilness in this world. This quote brought great peace to me when I read it, and I feel like I want to strive to make this possible. I want to overcome evil, with good.

Please feel free to comment any thoughts you might have on this quote.

~Breanna

Be Thou My Vision - Ascend the Hill (Acoustic Cover)

What is Going on in This World?

So, I find myself here as I have many times before asking what is going on in the world. All of a sudden there has been a rash of bad news at what seems to be around every corner. Either it is fires, murders, terrorists, earthquakes, cheating husbands, cheating wives, addictions, deaths, and of course cancer, cancer and yet more cancer.  

Of course, this bad news is nothing new. It happens in waves like this, it has always happened like this throughout history. I do not know what it was about today that made me dwell on it, but as I was driving home all this negativity hit me extremely hard. I did not cry about it, at least not yet (normally I am a very emotional person). Instead, I just kind of drove on half numb to everything. I almost feel like giving up.  Why fight to be optimistic in this world that is so extremely messed up? It does not matter how great the random good news is, it seems to be outweighed by all the horrible things in life. It is like the little flame inside of us keeps getting almost snuffed out by every stomp of bad news.

In this past week presidents and celebrities keep coming out with their announcements of having cancer. It seems no one is immune to it. Two of my classmates have died in this past week of different causes. Role models have fallen from grace as well. All of it is troubling, and taxing. I know that everyone says it, but this world is truly messy. This world is unfair, it can be sickening, and it is more often than not downright frightening. 

The thing that hits me even harder than all the negativity is that the solution is extremely simple. Yes, the world is messy, but in the end that does not really matter. Everyone's sin has been washed away the second that Jesus died for all of us. So though we should strive to do good, we are all sinners. All of us. We have no right to judge others, or condemn them. We should try to not get caught up in the terrors and evils of this world. They have already been conquered.

In Chris Tomlins song "At The Cross (Love Ran Red)" he speaks to this concept. Part of the lyrics are "Where your love ran red, and my sin washed white". Jesus's blood ran red. Red, a color that has an evil, stomach turning connotation, washes our sins white. White, being a color that represents purity and renewal in our culture in the United States.  Jesus's blood did not stain us, instead it purified us. 

Yes, that is a mind blowing concept. Blood making us pure, when usually it makes us feel dirty. In an odd way it seems kind of perfect that shedding blood would be the way to make a messy society clean. God loved us, all of us, so much that he did something he would not even make us do. In Genisis God tests Abraham to see if he will obey him. He asks Abraham to sacrifice his beloved son Issac. Abraham goes to do so, but God stops him and gives an animal to offer instead. God however loves us (let me be clear that us means EVERYONE ON THIS PLANET. GAYS, LESBIANS, HINDUS, MUSLIMS, BLACK, WHITE, REPUBLICAN, DEMOCRATS, EUROPEANS, AFRICANS, ALL DENOMINATIONS OF  CHRISTIANS, ATHEISTS, GREEN ALIENS WHATEVER)  so unconditionally that he gave his only begotten son as the final sacrifice. He forgives us relentlessly, just as we should forgive each other.

I find that I tend to love unconditionally. It takes a lot to lose my love once you have it, no matter how many times I am hurt. To imagine the fact that God does this with all of us is insane to me, but at the same time I know what it is like to love that deeply. Which to me is proof of God's existance. 

As I sat here before making this post I listened to a Casting Crowns Christmas song (even though it is August). I listened to it because of these lyrics "And in despair I bowed my head,There is no peace on earth I said, For hate is strong and mocks the song, Of peace on earth, good will to men" . This is honestly how I felt before writing this post. However, the next verses answer, 
"But the bells are ringing (Peace on Earth)

Like a choir singing (Peace on Earth)
Does anybody hear them?
Peace on earth, good will to men

Then rang the bells more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor doth He sleep (Peace on Earth, peace on Earth)
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men

Then ringing singing on its way

The world revolved from night to day
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men"

God is not dead, and he has already won.  As it says in Revelation 21:4-5 "And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." 5And He who sits on the throne said, "Behold, I am making all things new."  

We are made new from this messy world in Jesus and in God. Our lights are still burning, and they will not be put out. Keep on shining, and remember who holds on to us. 

Thanks for reading.

~Breanna 

Faith and the Fourth of July

Hello world!

It has been a long time since I have blogged other than on my sims blog, but I thought I would try again.

Anyway, a thought came to me as I was sitting last night with my best friend and her family watching fireworks that I decided I would like to share it.  Fireworks have never been my favorite thing. They are as dangerous and loud as they are pretty. Having a fear of thunderstorms, fireworks followed close behind because they sound similar. When I was younger I would force my parents to watch them from a building if at all. Once at Disney land I freaked out and hid in a pile of stuff animals in a gift store because this fear is so great.

As I have become older (in five days I will be 20), my fear of fireworks has more switched to worry over the safety of my family firing them off, and drunk people using them. The sound still bothers me now and again, but not enough that I will run away to hide in a bin of Mickey Mouse and Minne stuff animals. My approvement can be seen in the fact that last night I made a split second decision to go with my best friend to see the downtown fireworks.

I was calm and then excited at first, I was with my best friend after all and she makes everything fun. We parked at a decent and not crowded parking spot that was a few blocks down from where her family was. The walk was not bad but the tons of people and amateur fireworks going off made me a bit nervous. At that moment, I regretted not bringing my tums which have been something I have always relied on to calm my nerves. The walk was not bad and  after a few phone calls we tracked down her family who had front row seats. We waited, not very patiently, for the fireworks. As always the fireworks started late, but I knew from somewhere in my memory of fireworks they often are. I like to think it is the caution of the firework people that makes it late and not a last minute fix, but I will probably never know. My best friend kept me calmer than I normally would be, and I did not have my usual urge to flee or throw up as usual.

Then the fireworks started. I clung to my friend ( I am so lucky she deals with me) and watched as they bursted into the air. Being the history geek I am I thought about how for 238 years (the fireworks were a tradition started in 1777 not 1776) we have sent up fireworks to celebrate our declaration of independence creating a country, that is not perfect but of which  I am proud of nevertheless.

The thought that caused me the greatest comfort, however was one regarding my faith. Faith is wonderful, but can be fairly scary. I believe my God is a God of love, but he is all powerful and therefore supposed to be feared as well. Kind of like fireworks, God is beautiful and spectacular. He gave his own son for us and promises us his unconditional love and a beautiful life of eternity. At the same time, faith is a scary thing as it requires a lot of trust in something that seems unbelievable. Sometimes having faith can cause people to be nervous when times are uncertain. Sometimes it seems like Gods beautiful plan for life comes a lot later than we wanted, but in reality maybe he was waiting for the darkest moment to spread his light.

This Fourth of July was a turning point. I did not run, or throw up. I faced my fear and enjoyed every second of it. I realized that God and faith in him is a lot like fireworks. Another realization I came to is  that faith is sometimes something we cannot do on our own, and we need people there to help us see the beauty in it sometimes. It was a wonderful Fourth of July for me, I hope I was for all of you as well.

~ Breanna