Chicago = snow…lots of snow. Of course for most cases in the extreme areas of the world this is the case there is a lot of snow.  Being that I live in Chicago I live in a city that is known for wild nasty winter weather.  Of course with winter weather comes snow, LOTS of it.  Now I have grown up in the southern region of the United States for all of my life till now and yeah we get snow but not a lot.  Usually we get a few inches here and there and thats about it.  Now I have always loved snow, but as I am watching the snow fall upon Chicago right now in December I have realized that I probably won’t love the snow as much come February.  In fact I will probably hate it, hate walking in it having it piled in feet and always blowing around and it just getting all over me every time I step out.  But as I just stop and watch the snow fall a bit I am reminded about how beautiful snow can be.

Like I mentioned before I have always liked snow. I can always remember getting really excited when it would snow. (especially since it meant a snow day from school) even just yesterday and today I am excited because it is snowing.  There is something about snow to me that just makes me calm and just forget all that is going on in life.  I love how everything is just white and the brightness that snow on the ground brings day and night.  I remember a time when snow was really the only thing that kept me going in life too.  For those who know me you know that during my freshman and sophomore year of college was a really dark and rough time in my life.  That period was a time of great suffering for me in that I never seemed to fit in and what relationships that I did have those crashed and I was really at a point where I was so hurt and in such pain that I really just wanted to end life period.  I just remember during the winter when its cold and gloomy and I was at the height of my pain and would just be in tears and just wanting to end it all I remembered that it would snow and all of a sudden I would stop and just look out the window and for that moment I just felt that everything would be ok.  I really didn’t know at the time but I believe God was giving me hope during that time leading me to something or really someone greater!

It was out of that period of pain and suffering when became a Christ follower and from that point forward my life has been awesome!  More and more as I watch it snow now I see the gospel of Jesus Christ and as Isaiah 1:18 says “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are like crimson, they shall become like wool.” So God says that are sins are cleansed and white as snow!  I have to think when times I am flying during winter and fly over an area that has snow on the ground and how all I can see is the white that covers over the cities and farms down below and I am reminded that by the blood of Christ sacrificed covers our sin in which God sees us as clean and righteous! Praise God!

So as I continue to watch it snow and come down pretty heavy my heart and prayer is that I would not forsake the beauty that God blesses us, even with snow and be constantly reminded that I serve an awesome God and that no matter what may be going on outside or around me to always, ALWAYS remember the beautiful precious sacrifice that He gave in love for a broken person like me.  I pray that you would grab a hold of this too and be marveled at love, grace, and power of the Almighty God of the Universe!  God bless you all.

Well my friends. I have been really thinking of getting back into this blog thing…well after a year of not writing anything. Of course I am pretty sure no one really has read this thing anyway, but I don’t care I am going to blog anyway and hopes that someone might read it.  Anyways well for a quick update on my life from a year I have now followed God’s calling to come up to Chicago and so I am now living in Chicago. I find it kind of neat that the picture that I chose for this blog happens to be the Chicago skyline.  So well I am up here trying to find a job and follow God’s plan and will for my life. I am not going to lie but moving here has been one of the toughest experiences that I have had in my life. My faith and trust in Christ has been tested on all levels and is still being challenged to this day.

What I have been learning from all of this (and there is still much much to learn) is that God is in control and as Romans 8:28 says “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” so even during a time when life is nothing by crazy God is still at work.  I have also been learning more to just be patient and wait on God. He is God and I am not, and my life belongs to Him and so I have to wait on God and just trust Him rather then try to move my life myself. I have also learned that there is NOTHING, yes, NOTHING that I need other then God. A verse from Matthew 6:33 that I am putting into my memory says this “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” In essence and Jesus makes this clear in the preceding passages that even though we as humans need the basics of food, clothing, shelter, and water it is not what we REALLY need. We need God, and only God through Christ Jesus can give us life, even over our earthly needs. Just let that sink in a bit.  It’s very easy for us especially in America to get caught up in the cares and needs of the world and also the wants of the world.  I have been really convicted lately as to how selfish I am in how I always want something. Like really what is a new product going to do? It isn’t going to really make my life better, I mean yeah it will be exciting at first but oh about a month later its old news anyway. God never gets “old news” to me. It’s everyday that I still marvel at how the God of the Universe, the Alpha and Omega, the All Mighty, Infinite, most Holy God would even want to have a relationship with me.

So anyways that is where my heart has been lately. My prayer for whoever reads this will be comforted in knowing that God loves you and He has a plan for you regardless of what crap may be going on in your life.  We are nothing but just a small portion of this great big plan of God. I hope to be more diligent at writing on this thing and to share more about what is going on in my life but more so my walk with God and that you might join with me as continue grow closer to Jesus Christ and to know Him more and more each new day.

Have you ever had that moment when you are listening to someone preaching and it seems like they are talking right at you?  I have, and I did last night.  Last night I went to CRU the weekly meeting of Campus Crusade for Christ, and man did I need to hear what I heard last night.  Last night’s talk was out of Luke 10:38-42 talking about Martha being distracted at preparing the meal while Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet. The message from this passage of scripture was centered around the distractions in our lives.

Man I have many distractions in my life that are taking away from much needed time with God.  Many times Christians including myself tend to forget that we have a relationship with Christ.  A relationship whether with Christ or with anyone has to be maintained in order for it to remain strong.  However today we are surrounded with so many distractions that take our focus off are relationships with people and with Christ.  Some of these distractions may be our job or school, or worrying about finances or for a lot of people today the stock market.  Also as living in the age of technology we tend to occupy every free moment of are time with tv watching, playing video games, or surfing the net.  If we are not careful we will be so wrapped up in all of these things that we dont spend time and fellowship with those we are in relationships with.  And especially with our relationship with Christ. What happens when we don’t maintain our relationship with Christ, is we will begin to get a fuzzy picture of Him and we will fall out of fellowship with Him leading to a joyless and stressful life.

I am very guilty of spending countless hours surfing the net or watching a pointless tv show when I should be spending time in God’s word and in prayer with Him.  And I know from experience that when I spend more time with God I am much more understanding of His will for my life, and show more love to Him.  I have to constantly remind myself of James 4:14 which states that our lives are of a vapor which is here and gone in a flash.  By reminding myself of that I realize that none of the things of this world are worth worrying about or worth any moment of time that should be given to the almighty God who lives and reigns forever.  I mean my life on this earth is short, but after this life I have a whole eternity that I will spend with God, and so my life and focus each and everyday should be on the eternal things and not the things of this world.

I also should remind myself of the Gospel and what Jesus did on the cross.  I mean Jesus gave His life and bore my sins so that I would not have to pay the penalty of my sins.  For someone to give His life for such a sinner as me is someone I should spend every waking moment with.  But despite this I still fail at giving my all to Him and become wrapped up in the things of this world.  But whats even greater is that Christ is still there for me and he never gives up on me.  So pray for me to use my time much better to glorify God and to continually spend it with Him and not give into the what the world has to offer.  So anyways I hope to talk to you all soon and God Bless you all!

Alright, im finally writing another post on this thing! I know its been a while, but hopefully I will be a lot better at using my time.  Anyways, well God has been teaching me ALOT lately, and I just felt that I should share it with you all.  Well I will have to say its been quite difficult stepping into a new chapter in life, i mean coming out of years of non stop tests and papers and all the other stuff that goes with the school life, its quite different now that I am out of school.  I will have to say that I have relied on God quite alot lately because I really dont know what I will be doing or where he will be calling me to go.  I have spent the last few months really just trusting and following Him as im am trying to find work, and to discern His will for my life.  I will have to say it has been tough being patient and just letting God do the work and guiding in my life.  It seems like I always want to each day try to do it my own way, but I always find out that it doesnt work to well.  Its amazing though how God works in teaching and reminding us of something that we need in our lives.  Lately it seems that every sermon or message that I have heard has had something to do with walking in the Spirit and giving your whole life to God and not just parts of it.  Man I struggle badly with this.  But im reminded that I am His and that only He can be in control and not me. Galatians 5:16-17 really open it up in that especially in verse 17 our flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh.  I mean I know in my heart and through the Holy Spirit that my life will be better and I will live the life that God has called me to if I yield to Him and give Him the control, but my flesh is scared and is afraid that God will wreck my life or something like that.  But then I am led to another passage of scripture that reminds me of Gods power, which is Colossians 1:16.  Verse 16 reminds me that ALL things were created which reminds me that God created everything and he is in control of everything which also states that He is highest possible in which makes Him ultra qualified.  Dr. Bill Bright (he is the founder of Campus Crusade for Christ) mentioned in his book The Joy of Trusting God that we get on an airplane not knowing the qualifications of the pilots and we trust them to fly us somewhere, but what about trusting God whom we KNOW He is qualified to be in control of our lives.  I also have to stop and think of all the times that God has led me somewhere and He has never caused my life to fall apart.  Now my life has fallen apart a few times, but it is always when I am in control.  And its always great to always see that God is always there no matter the circumstance or the situation.  For me it is always a matter of giving my all to Him and allowing Him to work in me through His Spirit.  Anyways, Ive rambled on enough now so I will depart till next time.

Well, I have decided to start a blog, I know you are probably saying what? Jared writing a blog?  Well as most of you who know me well you know that im a huge thinker and I like to think alot.  It seems like that my mind is always racing about all kinds of stuff from my spiritual life to just random thoughts about life and why we are the way we are.  For those of you all who are like me and think alot you understand how hard it is sometimes to express what you are thinking and your thoughts just seem to build up in your head.  Now that school is over for me and I have a lot of extra free time from not doing homework and studying and such, I felt that I have plenty of time to finally do this blog thing to express some of what I am always thinking.  I also want to express how my walk with the Lord is on a normal basis because that is most important in my life (or at least I try to make it so).  I want to be able to share my joys and struggles that I encounter on a daily basis, I pray that what I write on here will be a blessing and an encouragement to those who may stumble to read this.  I dont know how often I will post on this but im hoping to write often.  Anyways I will talk to you all soon!

God Bless

Jared S.