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Tinkerbell83
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Name: Amy
Country: United States
State: Michigan
Birthday: 4/16/1983
Gender: Female
Interests: photography, music, Atlanta Braves, University of Kentucky basketball, vintage cars, and some day moving to Louisville
Expertise: delete "expertise" and insert "passion": I proclaim Jesus Christ to be my Lord and Savior!
Occupation: Student
Message: message me
Member Since:
8/29/2003
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| 1 John 4:1-3
"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknoledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God..."
Growing up in a conservative church it was a common occurance to hear members of the church talk about "denominations" in a negative light. Now, while they never came right out and said that those other churches were damend to hello, their comments definitely left the impression that they were not people God approved of. In fact, for a long time it all lead me to believe they were not even Godly people, but people who satan was using to draw people away from true Christians.
Since then I've come to see that this is not true, and I actually do see members of other churches as my brothers and sisters in Christ. However, the above passage still gets me. If we are to be people who adhere to the Bible, then we have to adhere to all of it. So, what do we do with this verse? The Spirit of God always acknowledges that Jesus Christ came in the flesh. Baptists do this. So do Methodists. And community Church members. Presbyterian. Pentecostal. Church of Christ. So, according to this verse we all have the Spirit of God.
What do you guys think about this? | | |
| Sunday I was reminded why I love the church.
50+ teens and young adults crowded into a small church building on Sydney's northern beaches singing beautiful praises to God. Amazing. At the top of our lungs, with all our hearts, singing and adoring our Savior and our God. I was brought to tears.
There's just something about the church here in Sydney. Everytime I walk into a Sunday morning service or a random devo or meeting I'm met with such love and genuine joy. People really want to be there and they enjoy the company, the group of brothers and sisters that surround them. And though I'm this strange American, I'm welcomed with open arms and the same love and joy. It is incredible to be part of such a large family and I am so thankful.
This is why I love Australia. Granted, it's hard being away from home. I miss people. I miss familiar things. I miss spicy food. But, if I have to be anywhere else other than home Sydney is a good place. | | |
| This morning I awoke with so much joy that I'm a Christian. And I just don't think I say that enough.
You see, I'm over here in this foreign country and things have been hard. Not the actual living part, but the emotional part. I miss home. Maybe not every piece of it, but certain things. I was enjoying the normalcy of life after college. It was new and refreshing. I miss coffee everday. Man do I miss that. I miss Jake (and that's an understatement). I miss his family, his brother and sister. I miss my parents and being around for the crazy things that are happening in their lives. My dad is taking on the school board and really starting something big in Tekonsha. A good friend is newly pregnant (at least I'm only missing two months of that). But, it's those things that I miss.
The thing is though.... I'm here now. And I'm here because I'm God's daughter. And I have to be content in that. And, though I didn't wake up content nor am I fully content as I write, I think maybe today is about being content in Christ. I do have joy in my Savior. He's the best thing that has ever happened to me. So, today I will have joy in Christ and a confidence knowing that I'm His, and that's what matters. | | |
| A night on the town seems such an easy thing...
Jeff and Sarah decided to head out and explore the northern beaches in Sydney for the day. Sparker and I stuck around the house, but had planned on meeting them for dinner in The Rocks.
Now, getting from one place to another in Sydney without a car can be quite the fiasco. Normally Sparker and I would have had to take a bus from here in North Rocks, to Epping where we would catch a train to Circular Quay in the city. Luckily Andy Scott happened to be here at the house about the time we were to leave. Andy, being the doll that he is, gave us a ride to a train station. After stopping by his house for a few things, he dropped us off at St. Leonards, which is closer to the city than Epping, and that means it's cheaper.
We catch a bus from St. Leonards, head across the Sydney Harbor Bridge by train, to Wynyrd Station where we had to change trains to make it to Circular Quay, where we were to meet Sarah and Jeff.
Dinner was great. We went to a pub in The Rocks and had wedges with sweet chili sauce and sour cream plus our dinner. We girls had a beer each. We ate out on the veranda (patio for you Americans) because it was such a nice night. The pub started playing The Beatles, which made Sarah and I two happy campers. After dinner we headed for home... which was interesting.
Taking a train from Circular Quay, we changed trains at Central Station which was a 20 minute wait. Then, on to Epping. When I checked the transportation website earlier in the afternoon it said there was a bus going from Epping to North Rocks at 10:05pm. We were going to have just enough time to run off the train, across the street, and catch the bus. Well, we ran. And then we waited. And waited. The bus never came. The website lied. So, we decided to catch a cab. Our cab turned out to be this weird mini-van sort of thing, which was good I suppose because there were four of us. Finally, we pulled up to 24 Somerset Drive, North Rocks. It was good to be home.
So, from home to dinner and then home again it looked something like this:
1. Andy Scott's car, which has been named "Pierre"
2. Train from St. Leonards
3. Switching trains at Wynyrd
4. Walk from Circular Quay to The Rocks
5. Walk back to Circular Quay
6. Train from Circular Quay
7. Switching trains at Central
8. Taxi from Epping after the 629 bus never came
Crazy evening... but worth every leg of the journey.  | | |
| It is one month and one day until my birthday. I think that's weird. It seems that just yesterday I was graduating college. Where has the past year gone? It all moved so quickly and I didn't even realize it. | | |
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