Learning to Love like God is the hardest thing! But it molds us more into the image of the one who died for our sins. Isn't that promising!

Thank God for trials and hard stuff. They bring us closer in our relationships. Praise the Lord!!

Genesis and the lessons

I have been reading through the book of Genesis lately and have really enjoyed learning all about the beginning of time. It has been really intense to read through what the Lord has done in the past and kinda just reading history. I really really hate the subject of history in school, but give me biblical and church history and I can't get enough. Anyways, I am only a couple chapters into the book and man have I learned so much. I heard it said before that if you just read Genesis, your entire life will make sense. I hadn't really thought much about it until now, when I am taking the time to reflect on the lessons of Genesis. I must say one of the really cool things is that it has both a lot of rich history as well has the power, love, and fullness of God. I wanted to talk about a couple of things that I have taken note of that really made sense to life in general. So I decided to create a timeline of sorts to display what exactly happened at the beginning of the world and how it makes sense to life today.

Chapter 1: God creates the entire world. He sees that it is good but it is missing something... man
Chapter 2: God creates man, sees that he is good but is still lacking something. He then creates woman.
Chapter 3: So here's where it gets yucky and the most important piece of history vital to understanding life comes in. Man sins, the first ever sin recorded in the Bible. In verse 1 satan questions God's words to the woman, pushing her to question God. Then the next two verses are the scary stage of sin where she begins to contemplate and question. In verse 4 satan hurdles a lie at Eve telling her she will not die if she eats of the fruit. Which we all know very well that it is NOT true. Not even two verses later.... she commits the sin. But let me point out the sin was "desirable" and "delightful", making it true that sin always comes in a pretty package. Then in verse 8 (after Adam sins too) they are forced to hide because they become ashamed in front of the Lord. There you have it my friends, the process of sin. Pretty simple if you ask me. But there is still so much more to grab from this one passage about life. Verse 16 explains childbirth. Verse 18 explains why we have to take care of the ground, why things don't grow supernaturally like they first did. Nothing is anymore how it was planned to be. Animals have begun to eat each other... something that wasn't in the beginning. There was peace on earth. Now man has become a meat eater versus a vegetarian as Jesus planned. Our bodies and the needs of them all changed. Everything changed with one single sin and this is why life is the way it is today. Sin continued with every person that was recorded in the Bible and who wasn't.

I found this all so interesting and thought I would share it with you. It just gives so much wisdom and understanding into life and why it is this way.
Love Ayana <3

Last two days of being thankful

Not that I am done being thankful ;) just here on my blog..... everyday.... okay this is coming out all wrong tehee. Anyways, this has been super fun and I am super happy I was able to do it!!
Day 29: Today I am thankful for everyone of my amazing friends that I didn't have a chance to mention individually,

Day 30: Today I am thankful for my cousins, for God's unending love, for the chance to serve God, for His protection, for the trials of life, and every single gift He has so abundantly blessed me with.

Thankful day 28 and pics :)

Today I am thankful for my brother K :)

Pictures from my weekend with the girls

Silence does indeed have a sound and that sound often shouts louder than an angry cry. Or the good silence speaks more softly then the voice that says its ok!

Fun thanksgiving :)

I really had an awesome thanksgiving. It's been super hard for me this year to not see this as all frivolous. I mean I am way thankful to be so abundantly blessed (I did have 2 dinners), but somewhere in the midst of it all I feel somewhat guilty! Okay so I am not making sense but I am trying really really hard!!! I suppose it's just my heart, my heart for those who don't have family and don't have food. I'm not sure I am articulating this properly, but it's jut some things that were crossing my mind this holiday season. I suppose they will continue to cross my mind over the next month. Anyways, onto my day :). Evan and I went to his family's house around 1:30 and spent time with his family until around 4ish and than headed to meet my family. Than we hung out with my family until around 10 :). It was really fun and did I say yummy (the food was yummy ;). It was really great to just be with the family and relax (hanging with the family is rare for me). Anyways that brings me to what I am thankful for today. Today I am thankful for the rare gift of family and friends and the special moments we share :).

Thankful 25-26

Day 25: Today I am thankful that Jesus has given all of his children a distinct testimony and is writing my story ( I know I'm in good hands)

Day 26: Today I am thankful that we are free as a country

Thankful Day 24

Today I am thankful for my amazing and loving grandparents

Identity

I searched for an Identity for so long. I searched in popularity, in academics, in sports, in guys, in hobbies, in servant hood, in family, in friends, in appearance, and in wealth. In the end each of these things only left me empty and depressed. They drove me to suicide because these things only brought a temporary high. I sought them in a way that was apart from Jesus. They may work for a little but in the end they only bring destruction. The one place I never searched was the almighty saviour, Jesus Christ. When I finally chose to search for my identity in Jesus, I found who I really am! So now I no longer search in the things of this world, cause I know now they don't satisfy. I search in my heavenly Father and he shows me just who I am. Now I enjoy in the proper way, the things I once tried to use to make up my identity. Although they are apart of my life they will never be apart of my identity. I can see in a clear full view who I am. And if I am ever to forget I choose to search the Bible instead of the latest style. I no longer walk by the trust of my own mind but the all knowing compass of my Makers heart. I choose to pray to my heavenly Father instead of turning to my friends, expecting them to show me who I am. I am a sinner saved by the blood of Jesus. I am a child of God seeking to serve him. I am a missionary because my Father has a heart for reaching the lost. My life purpose is to mirror my Father and to do my best to honor him. I am a poor and wretched person who is made rich in Gods fullness and Grace. I am loved by a king that I have never seen. I am chosen by the Almighty Creator and that is who I am. That is my identity!

Thankful Day 23

It's hard to believe it has been 23 days since I started this, it's gone by so fast. Having to write down a different thing each day has been thought provoking and really fun!!

Day 23: Having a fun weekend with just girls, it was really awesome!! :) pictures to come

Day 20-22

Day 20 My amazing beautiful wife ;) siaira :)
Day 21 Taylor Shales and her amazing family :)
Day 22 My youth group