My Testimony, Part 1

Right now, at this very moment, I am looking at a collage that I made.  What is a collage?  A collage is like a poster you make, with cut outs of pictures and/or words from old magazines that you aren't going to use or read anymore.  

This collage I made on October 27, 2018, somewhere in the Los Angeles mountains, at a spiritual retreat I had attended.  It contains both pictures and words in mine.  I will first share the words.  Then I will share the pictures (or maybe vice versa).  And, then, if I am feeling really brave, I will share the most important part, which is the significance of what the pictures and/or words mean.

Pictures:

Desert rock and river/lake/water; young woman mixing bowl; cookies; little girl on a swing; green prairie like grass; flowers; fish symbol; bird sticker/ heart; parent holding child's hand with heart and flower; butterfly; star.

Words:

Reading; Feel Joy; Personal Best; Relax and Enjoy! God is Love; "...under His wings you will find refuge."  calming. at the right time; beautiful. daughter. loved. rescued! faith. hope. love. feel joy. words with friends.

Significance:

Faith, hope, love, and God is love are 4 stickers I found that I cut out and put in my collage.  The Bible says, somewhere in Corinthians, that faith, hope and love, remain, but the greatest of these is love.  And also, maybe in 1 john, the Bible says/teaches that "God is love".  I thought the stickers were really cool, and I liked the words that they represent.  God's character is love.  He gives me the gift of faith.  He invites me to place my hope in Him and in Christ for salvation.  Hope in Christ does not disappoint, even if/when man/mankind does (disappoint).  

The woman holding the mixing bowl and the plate of cookies next to h er, with the word "calming" over her was to represent one of my hobbies.  In the past, and especially over the holidays (December), I used to bake cookies.  This picture is a picture of chocolate chip cookies, however, around the holidays snowballs and sugar cookies, were common ones baked in home.  One time, my sister nominated me to bake the chocolate chip cookies, because, she said, I made the best chocolate chip cookies.  I enjoy the process of baking, and I find the whole event to be a very relaxing one, when there are no time-constraints, hence the word calming over her.  

I used to enjoy playing one of the games called "words with friends".  Have you ever heard of it or played it?  Growing up, my parents and I would play different games, and one of the games that they taught me how to play was "Scrabble".  Scrabble is a word game, if you don't know.  So, that is why I selected "words with friends" and glued them next to the baking woman.

The little girl riding the swing represents an activity I used to love to do when I was little.  I used to love riding the swing (playing on the swings) at recess time.  Over the top of her head, I put the words "feel joy" because I think that is how I felt whenever I'd go for the swings.  The Bible says, "the joy of the Lord is our strength", and these words "feel joy" are also a reminder of one of God's truth.

The picture of the butterfly was to represent new life, from cocoon to butterfly.  And, also, I like butterflies; I think they're pretty.  In Romans, the Bible says we are to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.  So as we read the Bible more and more, with the help of the Holy Spirit, God changes us more and more into the image of Christ.  That is what the butterfly symbolizes to me.

I selected the words "personal best" to represent that in this life, I aim to do my personal best.  I am not a god, and I am not super-human.  I cannot please everyone all the time.  But, I can try to do my personal best as much as possible.  If I tried my best at something, then I can hold my head up high in giving my best effort, even if the result was not what I had hoped.  Yes, in life I try to "show up" and "do my best" or "give it my best shot".  This is better than hanging my head low in despair.  So, those two words were representing in part, my attitude.

I selected the words relax and enjoy because, one thing in life that I need (needed) ws some relaxation time!  One of my favorite ways to relax has been in hot saunas and warm jacuzzis, and/or just sleeping (napping) or getting extra rest.

Lastly, growing up, my parents used to take us on vacations all over the USA (United States of America).  So, the picture of the desert rocks and the river/lake waters was to represent that time in childhood of family vacation, getting away from city life, and enjoying the God-created outdoors.  Nature is so beautiful, I am reminded that I need to get out more often.

One of the words I selected was "rescued" to represent that Christ brought me out of darkness and into His glorious light.  He did not leave me in my sin to suffer alone, but He offered me His free gift of salvation, and I said "yes" to His free offer.  (John 3:16 says for God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whosoever would believe in Him might not perish but have eternal life.)  I took Him up on His offer of eternal life, of Jesus Christ, the son of God and the son of man, who came in the flesh and yet was both fully God and fully man.  My MANDATE from Christ right now is to CONTINUE in CHRIST and also to go and MAKE DISCIPLES teaching everyone everywhere all that Jesus Christ taught.

Beautiful.  I am beautiful.  I am beautiful in Christ.  Christ in me is what makes me beautiful.  Oh how beautiful are the feet of him who brings good news.  And even if from a worldly perspective, my life might look upside down to an outsider, God's PERFECT SOVEREIGNTY makes my life beautiful, "at the right time".  God Almighty is truly in control of my life, and of all that I have been through.

At the time that I made this pictorial collage, I had been experiencing homelessness for almost 3 years.  I was in a place of intense joy over having been recently, newly housed.  I was over-the-moon happy and joyous from transitioning from shelter life to apartment life.  (I must add here, however, that it was also very challenging and lonely at the same time.  In shelter life, there is always a community of people surrounding you, like it or not.  In my new apartment living, I suddenly went from having all my meals provided for to having to provide all my own meals.  I suddenly went from having people around me all the time in the shelter life, to having no one around me in solitary shared-apartment living.)  I remember missing my friends from the shelter and/or the streets so much.  Sigh.  I still miss them today, and maybe even more so.

My heart and my hope is that you will love the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth with all of your heart, with all of your soul, with all of your might, and with all of your strength.  This is the desire for myself as well.  What is the 1st commandment that God gave to Moses on Mt. Sinai?  You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your mind and with all of your strength.  You shall have no other Gods before Me.  

Yes, let us worship the Lord in spirit and truth, for all the days of our lives.  Whether you are reading this blog from here locally in the United States, or somewhere else on planet earth, I hope you take heed to the call of Christ on your life.  Believe in Him.  Hope in Him.  Follow Him.  Jesus Christ is the One True and Living God of the Universe.  

Half-hearted versus Whole-hearted Worship and Devotion unto the Lord

The Writing Process

1. Brainstorm ideas
2. Rough draft
3. Revise and edit
4. Publish 

When I was teaching 2nd grade, we learned about the writing process.  So this is how we taught our students to write.  First, we brainstorm ideas of what we want to write about or on given topic.  It could be as simple as a list of ideas, or a circle with themes in the outer bubbles of a bubble map.  Maybe it would be a drawing or a quick sketch of ideas to get the writer started.

Next, we would advise to "write a rough draft".  This piece of writing would not take into consideration grammar and spelling; for those would come later.  In the rough draft, the main point was to get those ideas down into written form.  Get the ideas transformed into sentences.

Plan the order of ideas and best sequencing.  This could be done before writing a rough draft; I think that's how I learned when I was in school.  However, truthfully, it could be done at anytime.  Maybe I thought that planning would help me, but then after following my writing plan, I later decided that I liked it a different way better.  That's okay.  So, plan the order of ideas and how you want to sequence your writing.  If you decide to change it later on, because you think it flows better another way, that's completely acceptable.

Revise and edit your rough draft.  Correct the spelling.  Improve the grammar.  Make any additions and/or deletions of what you are trying to convey.

Finally, publish your work.  It could be typed, or nicely handwritten.  I'd love to see something in caligraphy; now that would be really nice!  If you want to be a writer, you can get started today.  But, whatever you do, be sure you are fulfilling your calling in Christ Jesus today.  What call does God have on your life?  What does God want you to do in Christ Jesus?  Whatever you do, whether in word or in deed, let it all be done to honor and glorify Jesus Christ.

For those of you who don't know, one of my side hustles, or "hobby job" as I like to call it, is to teach an aerobics group exercise class.  My hope and my heart is that each and every single person i make contact with will come to know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.  I am praying for them in the behind-the-scenes.  I am asking God the Father to protect them from injury during our class time.  I am asking God the Father to bring the ones He wants to come.  And, lastly, I am asking Abba Father (God) to help ME be the best instructor I can be, to give a fun, safe and effective exercise class.

Soon, Lord-willing, I plan on creating some on-demand exercise videos that will share Christ in word and encourage others in their walk with Christ.  When I first began teaching these classes, I used to wear clothing that I am now not proud of wearing.  I will say that now, I intentionally try to wear "modest" workout attire, covering chest and bottom area (butt/booty/behind).  And, in song selection, I try to avoid racy lyrics when I am able to, and I select music with clean lyrics.  (I'm not always aware, but I hope to keep it clean for their sakes and mine).  I used to use dirty songs once in awhile, but today I am not able to without feeling down about it.  

So, what do you want to write about?  I am looking forward to hearing what God has put in your heart to write about (if that is your calling or one of your callings).  Thank you so much for taking time to read my blog post.  I feel like the Lord is calling me to write more soon.  Until next time, take care and be well.  May Jesus Christ richly bless any and all who fear His name, and who sincerely love Him.