What a week it has been, I finally feel like I am coming up for a bit of air. I don't know about you but when I get stressed out or feeling overwhelmed I often forget that I have someone I can lean on. The Faith Journey I am on is a very new journey for me and often I have to be very mindful about it. It doesn't come naturally to me- I wasn't raised in a Christian home, I wasn't raised reading the bible or hearing and learning scripture. I didn't grow up singing worship music, knowing hymns and having the ability to quote verses from the Bible. So everything I am doing now, as an adult, is all very new to me. The comfort level I have between the Lord and myself isn't where I ultimately want it to be. I often question it and wonder where my place is within this life. I know this is for now, not forever. So this journey of faith I am on is a learning process and one I am embracing with a full heart.
Because this week was a struggle, I started in on my typical self destructive spiral of feeling down and doing a little bit of wallowing in self-pity. I even canceled a Bible Journaling "date" with a friend of mine from Bible study. How could I not be up for Bible Journaling? And then I sat down that day, alone, with my bible and really started thinking about my post for this week. The stamp set I wanted to use is called "His Name" (it should be released next week by SNSS) as I read different verses about all the names we call God, I asked myself "how did I not know all of these names for our Lord"? That got me thinking about a couple verses I read that mentioned that He knows us each by name/ He has called us each by name. Shouldn't we be calling Him by name?
During difficult times, and I know we've all experienced this, often God is silent. We need to remember that even in His silence and even when we are having doubts or questioning- our God is a magnificent God and we can always lean on him. I find, I tend to focus on what I need from Him, rather than what I am already receiving. I need to remember that we have to have faith that he knows what is best for us. I feel like I need to acknowledge Him the way he acknowledges us. Shouldn't I be calling Him by name and assuring Him that he is mine just as much as I am His?
I wound up calling my friend, whom I cancelled on, and told her what I had come to accept and acknowledge. I asked for her opinion on this post and she was in tears happy for me. She said that God works in His time and maybe today was the day that I needed to be with the Lord alone. Can I tell you how thankful I am for a friend like that? One day I will, I promise :)
The verse I chose to journal this week is:
Isaiah 43:7 "everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made"
To create this page I used the following:
"His Name" stamp set by Sweet' n Sassy Stamps - Will be released by the end of next week.
*I made the confetti tape with double sided tape dipped in confetti and stickers on my page tab w/ ribbon.
I hope you all have a fabulous weekend! Please take the time to make a special acknowledgement to our Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior, our Creator, the Messiah, Father and King of Kings- call Him by name :)
Much love and blessings,
Jamie McNamara
