That's Final!

No, I'm not yelling at anyone!

Sorry I've taken so long to blog. Saying that things are busy right now would be a gross understatement, but everyone is busy, so it's not really an excuse either.

Next week, I will be having finals at school. Most schools around the country are doing finals next week or the week after. What does that mean exactly? Well, it means that it's the last school related thing you have for that school year. If you are a senior, like myself, it means that you will be graduating, and you have no school responsibilities left to complete for your degree! It means for me that school may be over for life for me. Or is it?

Truth is, you never really get out of school. If you have (or had) one of those dads like I have, then there's a continuous project going on at the house all the time. As soon as you finish building that deck, you start working on mulching all the gardens or replacing the gutter guards. Frankly it can be frustrating for a kid who just wants to have fun. But at the same time, I'm always learning how to do new and useful things.

No one appreciates that aspect of life like they should. Your brain is like a piece of "Silly Puddy" on newspaper. You are constantly "copying" new things then reforming your thought process and "copying" something else. Life makes you learn whether you want to or not. God made us this way. We are like clay on the Potter's wheel. He forms us and shapes us. If He doesn't like what He sees then he breaks us down and starts over. If we harden ourselves, then He's forced to work us over to soften us back up.

Life is learning. Its much easier if we stay soft and pliable. Be open to learning new things whether it be how to use a new tool or what you read in devo's this morning. Sorry kids, schools not out just yet!

Keep thinking friends,

Simeon Brazzell
I Tim. 1:12

Exterior or Interior Actions

Our days are made up of decisions and actions. Each one can be classified as either an exterior or an interior action. Simeon and I are reading Joel 2 this week, and a thought stood out to me today as I read the chapter. . . .

Joel 2:13 says, "And rend your hearts, and not your garment, and turn unto the LORD your God: for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repenteth him of the evil."

The first part of that verse says to rend your hearts and not your garments. What does that mean exactly? I believe that God is speaking of the motivation behind our decisions and actions. Rending your garment is an exterior action. It is an action that is seen by men. We often "rend our garments," yet never render our hearts! Our motivation is to make a show of our works. We publicly do things so that man will see us and  think "What a good Christian they are!" or "Look how much they love the Lord!" Now let me add a disclaimer here, it is not bad to have other people think that or to have people see what we do for the Lord! We just cannot allow that to become our motivation! God instead tells us to rend out hearts. This is an interior action. It may never been seen or known by those around us, but it does not go unnoticed by God!! In this verse, He promises that if we rend our hearts to Him and turn unto Him, that he will be gracious, merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness toward us! What a promise!

I'm an English major, and I love studying words. I want to define the words that God used to describe Himself in this verse, and may it bless you as it did me!

• Gracious: compassionate, generosity of spirit, marked by kindness and courtesy
• Merciful: treating someone with kindness and forgiveness, compassionate, giving someone something they do not deserve
• Slow to anger: long-suffering, patient
• Great kindness: goodness, showing compassion

God promises to show all things to us when we rend our hearts to Him!

Let's all purpose today to have interior actions, actions that are motivated only by our love for the Lord and our desire to glorify Him! God gives us all a choice, we can live for Him of live for self and others. What do you choose- exterior or interior actions?

All for His Glory,

Brettnay

Being Ready for Change

I've been thinking a lot recently about what it will be like when I'm married. Brettnay and I are getting married on July 12th, so a lot of big changes are headed my way. Sometimes the thought is scary, but it's always exciting. Then I got to thinking about what "being ready" really is.

1. You can't truly be ready
           The truth is, when monumental things happen in life, you are never really fully ready. You cannot possibly anticipate every scenario. Anyone who has ever had a baby knows that there's always something you forgot. Something you don't realize until you get home from the hospital. Maybe it's diapers, maybe there isn't a lock on the crib, maybe something broke a day after you brought the little person home. My big sister is about to have a baby, and they are having a baby shower today! She'll get lots of things that are necessary for baby care and lots of things that are more for mommy than the baby. The point is that you are never really 100% prepared.

2. You can rely on God

           Here is the sticky part. How much should you rely on God, and how much should you rely on preparation? Well realistically we should rely on God 100% and not on ourselves at all. Our God can supply all our need according to His riches in Christ Jesus.

3. You must also prepare
           Yes we should rely totally on God, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't prepare. Christ says, "look to the ant thou sluggard". What do ants do? Well, they are constantly preparing for the cold season. All day, everyday thay are working hard to store up food for the colony and for their eggs so that they can last through the cold winter. We should be prepared for the future, but all our preparation could get ruined in a day. Like a child stepping on that ant hill, we could lose all that preparation. We must still rely on God.

3. You shouldn't overwork

            Another teaching of Christ may seem like a contradiction the the previous one. When Christ was visiting with his dear friends, Mary and Martha, he taught them a very important lesson. Mary was sitting at the feet of Christ listening to every word He had to say. Martha, however, was hurriedly running around the house cooking and cleaning and making sure everything was fit for Christ to be there. Christ rebuked Martha and commended Mary by saying that Martha was troubled about many things "but one thing is needful". The biggest and most important piece of preparing for any change in life is to spend time at the feet of Christ! You can get that baby room perfect. You can make your wedding an wonderful fairy tale wedding. But you will never be fully prepared for what is to come without spending that time with Christ!

I wish you would pray for Brettnay and I as we're getting married soon, and I hope you'll pray for my sister's pregnancy as well. We need your prayers!

Keep thinking friends,

Simeon Brazzell - I Tim 1:12