Thankful Relationships - 2 Thessalonians 1:3

2 Thessalonians 1:3 English Standard Version

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.

Relationships are so important in our lives. God wants us to have relationships with others, not just with Himself. In the second letter from Paul to the Thessalonians, Paul is encouraging us to give thanks to God for our relationships, and to know that those relationships are a blessing in our lives.

There are so many relationships to be thankful for. With Thanksgiving just two days away I have begun thinking about all of the people I am thankful for in my life. My friends, my sister, my parents, my boyfriend, my co-workers, and yes, even my teachers. I have so many people to be thankful for, but I also need to be thankful for their relationship with Christ. I cannot be selfish. I cannot only be thankful that these people love me and encourage me. I must be thankful that they have a relationship with Christ, and I must be thankful that that the help me with my relationship with Christ.

In this letter, Paul reminds us that our love for one another is, and should always be growing. Since our love for one another is always growing we must be thankful for that opportunity. I also remind myself that the people in my life are not only here to make me happy, but also to bring me closer to God (even if they do not know that they are doing it).

I am so thankful for my family and what they have done for me. My parents have sacrificed so much for my siblings and I, and I could never thank them enough. My parents have raised me Catholic, and even though I went to a Christian school my whole life it was not until high school when I really started to get into my faith and they were so supportive, and never pushy. If they hadn’t supported all of my crazy trips and conferences my life would not be the same.

My sister and my best friend are two huge blessings in my life. Without these two women I would be absolutely insane. My best friend and I have been side by side since kindergarten, and since then we have helped each other through thick and thin. Even though she may not know it, she has truly strengthened my relationship with God through her love and gentleness. My sister is a complete work of art. God did something so different with her than he did with me, and I am so thankful for my sister because of her wit and her abilities. I think of us as Jane and Lizzy Bennet from Pride and Prejudice because of our relationship. My sister has strengthened my relationship with God through her own actions. She has put so much faith into God that I took her as an example, even though I am older.

I am also so thankful for my boyfriend and friends. My friends, even though they do not know it, help strengthen my relationship with God because of all the negativity that they hold inside them. (I promise not all of my friends are like this.) Some of my friends really help me realize my blessings, and show me that I have to be thankful for what God has given me. Even though my friends do not intentionally help my relationship with God, I still have to be thankful for them and for all they do. My boyfriend is such a joy in my life. He motivates me, and supports me more than anyone I have ever known. His own relationship with Christ has taught me so much about my faith. He is such a wonderful Catholic gentleman (I don’t know how I got so lucky), and his love for others (and me of course) has shown me how wonderful and loving God is. I thank God everyday for him, but I also thank God for the opportunity that we have been given: to grow closer to each other with His guidance, and that together, as one, we can help bring others to Christ.

All of these relationships have helped me grow closer to God, and for that I have to thank God with so much praise! We all have to be thankful for the relationships we have, and even the ones that may not seem beneficial at first. Our love for one another is always growing, and with God's help that love can continue to grow and help others.

Thought Questions:

How can we express our thankfulness to everyone this coming holiday?

How can each of our relationships help us grow closer to Christ?

What is one way I can step out of my way and help others this holiday season?

In All Circumstances - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 English Standard Version

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

I feel as though this verse is extremely important today. There are so many people angry and hurt in our country right now. This election has brought out the best and worst of people, but now that the race is over we need to stop and prayer for our future leader and for this nation as a whole.

In Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians he teaches us to rejoice always. In all circumstances, including this election, we have reasons to rejoice. The people who ‘won’ can rejoice because they got what they wanted. The people who ‘lost’ may not rejoice over that, but as a nation, together we can rejoice in our continuation as one. We can (and we need to) rejoice together because we are a nation that stands together. At the end of the day we are all still Americans and we can all still make a difference. We must rejoice in our freedom to choose, and now rejoice that we came together to choose one person.

Now that we have chosen our future president, we must pray for him. Paul tells us to pray without ceasing, and by continuously praying we can hope that our future president will follow God’s path for him. Last night, on my three hour drive home from voting, I prayed continuously that God’s will would rule this election and that the chosen person would make the right decision. Today, I continue to pray that God’s will is clear in Donald Trump’s mind.

We must give thanks for what we have all been able to do. As an American citizen, it is our duty and our right to vote. Yesterday was not only important for two candidates, but important for hundreds of other people running for other federal and state positions. We must thank God for giving us this opportunity to vote for what we believe in! Last night I got the chance to save the education system in my local county from someone who has been bullying the system for years. Being able to vote in this nation is a blessing. Even if we do not ‘win’ we should practice our rights because it is our voice that is finally speaking and making a choice.

I pray that these next four years our prospering for all American citizens. No matter what, we must rely on God and his guidance for our whole government, not just the president!

Thought Questions:

How can you pray for God’s will to guide our president elect?

How can you increase your civic duties and participate in the government as a citizen?

How can we, as a nation, come together as one group? How can we pray for people who are against the government and the decisions of the American people?

Songs Of Thanksgiving - Psalm 69:30

Psalm 69:30 English Standard Version

I will praise the name of God with a song;

I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

This verse makes me want to jump out of my chair and dance and sing. Psalm 69:30 is a huge reminder to me that not only can people worship God in different ways, but people need to worship Him in thanksgiving.

This verse, written by David, is about his pleas in life and in battle. David begins the psalm with speaking about his life and how he is sinking in deep waters and very stressed. We can all relate to this at some point. Then, David pleas for the Lord’s help with his enemies and asks that God destroys them. After begging for the destruction of his enemies, David again announces that he is in pain and needs God. He exclaims that he will rejoice in song and praise the Lord to thank Him. He continues on his psalm about worshiping God in better ways than just sacrifice.

This part of the psalm is perfect because it shows how in the middle of all of our begging and need we should stop and praise the Lord. David was very artistic in his praise by using song and dance, and has let us know that we can praise the Lord in any way. We need to stop what we are doing and give thanks to God for all that He has done and all that He will do. David is our example because, even though he is begging for God’s mercy and help, he stops to be thankful and praise God.

In our daily lives, we have so much going on that it is hard to just stop, relax, and say a prayer of thanksgiving to God. Everyday we struggle with deadlines, meetings, work, and school. We need to find a time to stop and pray like David does in the middle of this psalm. When I stop in the middle of my day during my lunch break or even while my students are taking a quiz, I say a quick prayer, read a chapter of my Bible study book, or a chapter of the Bible. It is so so relieving to take a step out of this crazy, busy world and think only about God and my relationship with Him. After that, my day goes by so peacefully because I took that break to praise my Lord in the little ways that I praise Him.

I challenge myself, and you, to take 5-10 minutes during your day to stop and pray and praise God. Not only when you first wake up or before you go to bed, but in the midst of your hectic life stop and praise God, and then thank Him for all He has given to you and for His mercy.

Thought Questions:

At what times can I successfully pause my day and take time to be with God in prayer and worship?

During my prayer time, what do I need to focus on the most in order to strengthen my relationship with God?

How can I encourage and support my brothers and sisters in Christ to also stop and praise God during their busy schedule?

Thanksgiving - Philippians 4:6-7

Philippians 4:6-7 English Standard Version

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your mind in Christ Jesus.

Prayer is our most powerful weapon. We use prayer to not only speak to our Lord in times of need, but to praise Him, and thank Him! This month, I am choosing to write about giving thanks to our Lord, and things that we should be thankful for. With Thanksgiving on the way, I hope that this prepares me to be thankful for all of the blessings in my life.

In Paul’s letter to the Philippians he is telling them to not worry, but instead to pray about everything. He tells us to use three different forms of prayer that are equally important. Paul tells us to use supplication to ask God for things. Supplication is when we are praying for something specific like a good grade on a test, or guidance in our life. We must ask God in prayer for something or for help. Then, we must also praise Him and we will be in peace.

When asking for something, we then also need to be thankful. I feel like this is one of the hardest things we do everyday. We sometimes forget to be thankful, and I mean more than just the quick ‘Thank you God!!’. I know that I am very guilty of this. For awhile, I have been asking God for so much, plans for myself and plans for others, or for my loved ones to not be sick. But I have realized that when things seem to workout, when I learn what God is trying to tell me, I do not fall on my knees and pray in thanks as hard as I did begging for something. We need to give God the same amount, if not more, of us in prayer for thanks and praise as we do with supplication.

In my prayers, I try to follow the ACTS format: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. I find that this is one of the best prayer formats that I have found, and covers all of our important prayers. We begin with adoring God, then confess our sins, give thanks, then ask for what we need or want. Using this formation helps me put my prayers into perspective, and I am much happier with myself after I pray because I go through every important piece of a prayer.

Giving thanks to our Lord is so fulfilling. After I thank God for anything, I feel like I have appropriately given Him credit for my happiness. I pray that everyday I can remember to accompany thanksgiving with my regular prayers of adoration, confession, and supplication.

Thought Questions:

How can we say thank you to God in the middle of busy lives?

How we can check ourselves and remind ourselves about thanking God everyday during our prayers?

How can we thank others, while keeping our focus on God, when they also have a part in our happiness?

Deep Waters - Isaiah 42:8

Isaiah 48:2

When you go through deep waters I will be with you.

God created the ocean to be a source of life for us. The ocean has many of the nutrients we, as humans, need to live, like water, food, and natural resources. The ocean is important, but scary at the same time. Even though this verse is not about the ocean or nature, but about our faith and trust in God, the ocean is a wonderful metaphor of fear that we can all relate to.

Everyday we fear something. We have tests, meetings, doctors appointments, and many other stressors that make us fear the outcome. If I fail this test I will not get into graduate school. The doctor may tell me that I am sick. I may lose a loved one. These are fears we have everyday. These are the deep waters we have to swim through.  

The ocean can be a resource. Our stressors can be beneficial to us, help achieve our goals, and keep us working, but when those stressors overwhelm us we begin sinking. The waters can become too deep for us to stand and we start to stress even more. In these situations we need a life raft, we need a savior.

God is there to pull us out of the deep, troubling waters and save us. In his prophecies, Isaiah explains to us that God will be with us through the troubling times when we are sinking and falling away from our faith. God wants to help us! God wants to save us! We know that there will be stressors in our lives, so we need to prepare for those times.

When I stress, I stress. People may not know I am stressed, but on the inside I am freaking out. Pulling my Bible and Rosary out are two of the best ways to de-stress. I go straight to my Lord and beg in prayer for my stress to go away. I try not ask for God to solve it, instead I beg for strength to find the answer. I know God could snap His fingers and make everything alright, but I would not learn the lesson He wants me to learn. I need to trust in God and know that He will be with me through my struggles.

Thought Questions:

How can I prepare for stressors and be ready to fight them with God’s strength?

What are some ways that I de-stress?

How can I help others de-stress and be a motivator?

Night and Day - Genesis 1:3-5

Night and Day - Genesis 1:3-5

English Standard Version

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.

On the first day of creation God creates day and night. It is magnificent how God can just say “Let there be light” and then there is light. He can create on a whim, when He wants, and how He wants. God created the Earth to rule over and began with day and night to separate two important halves of one complete day.

During the day we live our lives and do what we need to do. We strive to be better and we hope to make other happy. For most people daytime is cherished and used to work, go to school, and socialize. The daytime is the time God gave us to live our lives for Him: to do His will, and spread His gospel.

Throughout the night we rest. We stop to rejuvenate our bodies and prepare for the next day. I look forward to sleeping everyday. I wake up early in the morning and go to bed late at night, so sleep is very precious to me and I am so thankful that God gave us something that is so rejuvenating.

But God also needs us to rest our souls. We need to be ready to fight the Devil with strength. During the day we can live for God and make Him proud to call us His children.

Thought Questions:

Do you get enough spiritual rest every day?  

What are some ways we can rest without taking away from our busy schedules?

How can we encourage others to rest when we see that they need it?

God's Creation - 1 Timothy 4:4-5

1 Timothy 4: 4-5

New International Version

For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

For the remainder of October I have decided to study verses about God’s creations. I love nature. I love being outside in God’s handiwork and being able to see the beauty of nature. Fall is my second favorite season, behind summer, because of the beautiful colors. In autumn, nature is completing its natural course for the year and preparing for winter. The leaves on trees start to change color, and the plants begin to die. It is important for plants to do this each year so that they can properly be nourished by the Earth, and nourish the Earth. When a plant dies in the fall, it makes the soil beneath it enriched with all of its nutrients so the next season’s plant can be healthy.

In First Timothy 4, Paul is writing to Timothy about men who have abandoned the faith. Many of these men have believed in false idols and have abstained from eating certain foods. Paul tells Timothy that they are wrong in these actions God’s creatures were created to be received, and that we should be thankful for them. The literal understanding of this verse is suggesting that God would not restrict us from eating any animals because he has blessed them through prayer and God’s word (the footnote in this part of the verse references Hebrews 4:12).

To me, this verse has a much deeper meaning as well. Paul, with God’s guidance, is telling us to be thankful for the creatures that God has created, but I also think about how everything else that God has created is good. The trees, the sky, the ocean - these are all blessings in our life. We need animals and nature to live and thrive, and we need to be thankful that God has given us these gifts.

I love when Paul says that nothing is to be rejected. Everything God creates is good. Every animal is good and has a purpose, and all the trees and the weeds and the waters are good.

When I read this verse I think about how thankful I am to drive through the countryside and see the changing leaves, or go home and be welcomed by my dog. I am so thankful for the seed that made the pear tree that the pear in my lunch is from. We do not think about these little blessings from God all the time, but this verse reminds us to thank God everyday for what he has created to help us live our lives.

Thought questions:

What forms of nature have you used in your life on daily basis that you can be thankful for?

How can you incorporate more of God’s blessing of nature into your life?

New Beginnings - 2 Corinthians 5:17

2 Corinthians 5:17

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come."

I chose this verse to begin my blog because of its inspiration, and blessing of a new beginning. A new day has come where we want to be in a relationship with God, and we want to learn more about Him.

The beginning of this verse is so inspiring! “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ” is very inclusive. I can be a part of that “anyone”. You can be a part of that “anyone”. Even if we have fallen, and gotten back up, and fallen again, we can be a part of that “anyone”. Paul, in his letter, uses the word “if” giving us the opportunity to choose if we want to be in Christ, and be in a relationship with Him and join His kingdom.

If we choose to live in Christ we become new. Paul is inviting new people into the Church, and he, with God’s inspiration, is telling them that they will be new when they choose Christ. We can become new again, born again, baptized, created, by accepting Christ into our lives.

The second part of this verse is directed towards our past and our sins. If we choose to live in Christ our old and sinful ways will be erased. God is so loving and forgiving. If we ask for forgiveness and repent of our sins then He will forgive us. He wants us to join Him in Heaven! He would do anything to have us by His side, including sending His only son to Earth to die for us. We need to let God forgive us, and we can do that by first realizing that we need to ask for forgiveness.

Once we have let our sins go and have chosen to move onto a life with Christ we can be new. It is so wonderful to think about being new in Christ! We are forgiven, and we are set free from our sins!

This verse gives us the opportunity to begin a new journey; even if it’s the fourth time we are starting again. Each day, we are given the opportunity to change lives and make the right decisions, and each day we can become new in Christ!

Questions for Thought:

What is lingering on your heart that is keeping you from becoming new in Christ?

What are some ways that you can included time in your day to sit and speak to God and reflect on your actions?

How can you encourage others to seek Christ and the new life that He has to offer?