My hope is in the Lord

'tis the season for joy and hope...
yet I find myself filled with feelings of sorrow and anger.

I have constantly been praying that the Lord will change my heart. That he would give me a heart of hope and gratitude. He has done so much in my life and I know he provides for me in so many ways, but it's hard to be joyful in times of pain, especially hidden pain.

God, my prayer again today is that you will change my heart. Help me to remember the hope I have in you.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
Revelation 21:4

Inspired by... Psalms

I was an RA in my dorm a few years back and lead Bible study for our hall. For most of the first semester we focused on praising God for all that he does. Each week we studied a few different psalms. One week the "homework" assignment was to create your own psalm. You could use the format of any of the psalms in the Bible, but it had to be your own words. I came across these on my computer today and thought I would share. The first one is the Psalm I shared with the girls in my hall, and the second one is another one I wrote around that same time. 2009 ~ Fall-ish.

In the name of the Father & the Son & the Holy Spirit

I am getting baptized next Sunday...

Listening

Ecclesiastes 5:1-2

Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Go near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong.


Do not be quick with your mouth,

   do not be hasty in your heart
   to utter anything before God.
God is in heaven
   and you are on earth,
   so let your words be few. 

A Person's a Person No Matter How Small

Why am I posting this??

1- because it is very important to me 
2- for people who are unsure on the topic
This is my biblically-based conviction on abortion. I have done a lot of research over the past 5 years independently and collaboratively so this didn't just come out of nowhere. This is adapted from my christian ethics assignment.

When does life begin? When an ovum and spermatozoon meet {aka: conception} they create a zygote. A zygote contains all 46 genes that make up a human life. Because a zygote does have all 46 of these genes, it is at the moment of conception that life begins. The embryo is a human life. It has full moral status {personhood} and therefore has the right to live. 

Choices: Legally women have the right to choose abortion at any time during the entire nine months of pregnancy for any reason she deems fit. Biblically a woman has the right to choose what to do with her child after birth, but she has a moral obligation to protect the unborn life and carry her pregnancy to term. 

Legal choices: {abortion, co-parenting, single-parenting, and adoption}

Biblical choices: {co-parenting, single-parenting, and adoption}

Moral obligation: Everyone is to honor God with their bodies (1Pet. 2:16) and value life (Gen. 1:27, Matt. 6:26), even unborn life.

What about...? Whether the unborn child is a result of rape, incest, or is possibly going to be deformed, these circumstances do not change the status of personhood. These are not ethical reasons for abortion, and abortion should not be considered as an alternative to pregnancy.

The Bible Says: Life is a gift from God (Ps. 100:3, 127:3). He has a purpose for every life and everything that happens in life (Rom. 8:28). No matter the quality (Ex. 4:11), it is in God’s hands how long that life shall last (Ps. 139:15-16) not ours (Ps. 39:4). 

*I did not address the issue of possibility of harm/death to the mother and/or child because there is no clear biblical solution on choosing "which life to save". 

{I have many references, if you would like some let me know!}