I apologize deeply for the delay in a new entry. For the longest time, I believed this account had been hacked, when in reality, I forgot the password. For the last few months, I had really been struggling in my walk, and even lost faith. I took my eyes off the Lord, and was led down some strange and dangerous paths. These paths took me to cutting, and attempting suicide, ignorance, judgement, and a lot more. These destructive behaviours did just that. Destroyed me. I will talk about that in a later entry.

I am happy to announce, however, that I have found my way back on the right path, and am right with the Lord again. I will begin with more entries as soon as possible.

God Bless

GAA

"And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks."-Luke 11:9-10 (NLT)

Some people wonder why God doesn't answer their prayers. I reality, this often means they have hardly given God a chance. They may have prayed a few times and not gotten what they wanted. Jesus did promise to give if we ask, but He expects us to keep asking. Prayer should be an integral part of our lives, not just practiced in emergencies. Make talking to God a habit. Tell Him about everything at any time of the day.

Let's take verse 10 out of there and divide, shall we? Verse 10 is "For everyone who asks receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks. Now......let's divide:

"For everyone who asks receives.--What do you think this means? If you ask your parents for a pony, they'll get you one? Or if you ask Santa Claus for those new Fireblade Roller Blades for Christmas, he'll give it to you? Or if you ask your big sister to borrow her clothes for your date tonight, she'll give them to you? No. It doesn't mean that. What it means is, whatever you ask the Lord for, He'll give it to you. But, keep in mind that doesn't mean that He'll give it to you in the way you want Him to. For example, if you ask God for a pony, He may or may not send you a real one. Maybe He'll provide you with enough money to go and vist a pony at the stables each week, or, it could be as small as seeing a picture of a pony, or getting a set of My Little Pony's for your birthday. Or if you ask God to let your sister allow you to borrow her clothes for your date tonight, if she says no, then He will give you a way to still be able to wear clothes and go on the date tonight. He'll show you your clothes.

Here's another example: If your mom or dad is very ill with cancer or another life-threatening disease, and you ask God to heal your mom or dad, He will heal him or her. But, it may not be down here on earth. Remember in Revelation's, how God's promises no more sickness or death or pain in Heaven? Well, if your mom or dad dies of this cancer, God did not heal your parent down here on earth like you asked Him to, but He did heal your parent in Heaven, and now your parent is no longer suffering, because there is no sickness or pain or death in Heaven. God answered your prayer, because you asked Him to, and everyone who asks, receives.

"Everyone who seeks, finds."-- You may be reading this, and you do not have a relationship with God, but you're curious about it. You're curious as to who He is, what He does, why He could love you, etc, and you want to get these answers, but you don't know how. Or, you could have a relationship with God, but you feel like you're stuck, and you want more of Him. If you're seeking your answers as to who God is, He promises that you will find them. I did, just a few short months ago. I questioned God's existence, and I wanted the answers. For weeks, I asked Him to help me find the answers, and He didn't answer me. Then, one night, at my second night at a new youth group, as we sang "Trading My Sorrows", God said to me, "This is where you will find your answers", and that is where I found my answers. I sought the answers, and I found the answers, just like He promised. And if you're seeking a relationship with Him, or if you are seeking to grow in your relationship, because you're so hungry for more of Him, keep seeking, because you will find.

"And the door is opened to everyone who knocks."--Yes, this is true. Everyone who knocks on Heaven's door will have the door opened to them. Everyone who want God or wants to grow in their relationship with Him, if you're standing at the door and knocking, don't stop. Never stop knocking, because as God promises, He will open that door, and He will embrace you with loving arms. Just keep knocking until that door is opened. Never give up. Luke 11:8 says "If you keep knocking, he will get up and give you what you want...", so keep knocking, because whatever it is you want, whether it's healing for a parent or friend or even yourself, whether it's because you're hungry for more of Him, whether it's because you're seeking a relationship with Him....knock, and don't stop until that door is opened, because it will be opened to you, and whatever it is you want, will be given to you.

God Bless

GAA

***I am just posting a story today. You will be able to figure out the message behind it without me explaining it. I found this on a Christian Dating website, Christian Mingle.

A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Walmart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Walmart.

We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day.

The little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in, "Mom, let's run through the rain," she said.

"What?" Mom asked.

"Let's run through the rain!" She repeated.

"No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied.

This young child waited about another minute and repeated: "Mom, let's run through the rain."

"We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said.

"No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm.

This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?

"Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!"

The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few minutes.

Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith.
"Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just needed washing," Mom said.

Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars.

And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories everyday. To everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven.

A friend sent this to me to remind me of life. Hope you enjoy it.

I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN.

They say it takes a minute to find a special person, an hour to appreciate them, a day to love them, but then an entire life to forget them. Send this message to a friend.

If you don't send it to anyone, it means you're in a hurry.

Take the time to live!!!

Keep in touch with your friends, you never know when you'll need each other -- and don't forget to run in the rain.---Anonymous

God Bless!!!

GAA

***I'm terribly sorry for the delay in an entry. I have been extremely busy lately with PSATs, tests, assignments, and daily homework on top of all of that. I just went through midterms and parent-teacher interviews as well. I have also been searching for a new place to livwe, which, Praise God, I have found one, and looking for a job, which, unfortunetly, I have not found yet.

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever."-Hebrews 13:8

How have you looked at this in the past? Did you see it as Christ will never change? I did too, until yesterday. Let's break this verse down into three sections: Yesterday: The Back Then; Today: The Right Now; and Forever: The Not Yet. Christ is in all three.

Yesterday: The Back Then

Did you ever have a moment when you needed Christ and He came right away? That's how He's part of the Back Then. Our Guest Pastor yesterday did his sermon on this yesterday. He told us of the time that he and his then 9-year-old son were on their way back from church. They lived 5 miles away, and it was freezing rain, so the roads were icy. There were some cars in the ditch along the side of the road, because of a hill they attempted to drive up. Well, when the Pastor and his son attempted to go up the hill, they began slipping down. So the Pastor put on the brakes and turned off the car. Well, bad idea. The car began slipping again, so to save his kid's life, he turned the car on again. Well, his son, from the back seat of the car said "Dad, why don't we pray?" and so he did. The son, a total man of God, says "God, please send a sander so we can get over this hill." And all of a sudden, flashing lights come over the hill, and there is a sander. Christ was part of the Back Then in the son's life right there. He was there for you when you needed Him, and you know what? He still is...

Today: The Right Now

Christ is here for you, right now. When you need comfort, He's there; when you need love, He's there. When you ask Him for something, He's always faithful to answer your prayers. But don't discouraged if it's not right away, or if it's not in the way you'd like Him to answer it.

Have you looked to Jesus recently? Have you asked Him for anything lately? Did you get it? No? That's because He's in the Not Yet.

Forever: The Not Yet

Jesus is part of the not yet of: The church, friendships, family, community, relationships, and much much more. If you've asked Him for something lately, and you haven't yet gotten it, that's because Jesus is being a part of your Not Yet. Or, God may have promised you something, and He hasn't yet given it to you; He's part of the Not Yet there as well. Maybe you've asked Him for advice on your family, and you're still waiting for an answer. Be patient, because your answer will come. Or, maybe God promised you a husband or wife, and you still don't even have a boyfriend or girlfriend. Be patient, because He's going to give what He promised to you....on HIS time.

Right now, in my own life, I'm waiting for answers. God told me a few months ago that a certain friend of mine was in my life for a reason, and He told my friend that I was in his life for a reason. We don't know those reasons, but since God is a part of the Not Yet in both our lives, we're still waiting for answers on what the reason is. Although I hope it's for a relationship, even if it's not, whatever the reason is, I am quite content, because it's of God.

I just want to end with a quote from another friend right now. I will only use his initials, so as to keep the confidentiality.

"God is the perfect chess player. He moves exactly the right pieces at exactly the right times. The problem is that exactly the right time is not always as soon as we'd like it to be. "--L.H.

God Bless!

GAA