labelling theory

It's been an awfully long time since I wrote a blog, about a year actually which is pretty scary to think that a year has gone by and within the blink of an eye. I guess you could say a lot has changed in the past year. I visited Bethlehem this summer, an experience I don't think I'll ever forget and cannot wait to relive again hopefully very soon. I finished my first year of uni and now, into my second I'm beginning to feel like I should probably take it more seriously. I built new friendships, I lost some old ones and along the way there's been some great stuff and not so great stuff.

One thing hasn't changed; God. His blessings are still being poured out continuously, even when I can't see it.

I study psychology at uni and for my exams next week I've been looking at psychiatric disorders, pretty hefty but something strangely stood out to me. There are lots of theories that have evolved to try and understand how these disorders develop, one of them being 'Labelling theory'.
It's not too hard to understand, basically people get labelled with an illness or disorder and therefore they 'live up' to the expectation of said label, they act and change their attitudes so that they fit into the label they have been given.

Recently the devils been on my case a lot. The only word I can illustrate this with is worthlessness. That I'm unworthy of God's love, that I was unworthy of a mans love, that my worth dwindles due to my appearance, my lifestyle and my daily disappointments to God and to those around me. This has been playing on my mind over and over to the point were I'm starting to believe it.
Sometimes the devil can overwhelm us with his words, these labels that he forces upon us and reiterates with the situations we face in order to push us to the point were we believe it and accept his lies.

I believe it's in moments of utter simplicity that God can reveal himself, don't get me wrong, there are momentous occasions with signs and visions, but God knows me and how I love simplicity. And whilst studying for my exams, he's revealed a bit of his heart to me.

The devil may have one word against me but I have a book of the living word that tells me time and time again of my worth in Jesus Christ.

God places many labels on my life and one thing I can be sure of is that he doesn't call me worthless. I was worth his son... His only son.
No matter how many times I mess up, I run away or I sin, his grace covers it.
No matter what chaos my life is in, he remains constant.

Here's what Matthew writes in chapter 10:
'What is the price of two sparrows - one copper coin? But not a single sparrow can fall to the ground without your father knowing it.
And the very hairs on your head are numbered.
So, don't be afraid, you are more valuable to God than a whole flock of sparrows'

'You are more than valuable' 
And so I chose to fit the label God has placed on me.
I chose to fulfil the plans God has called me to do and refuse to be weighed down by the insecurities and difficulties that have drained my spirit and tripped me up.

God is good all the time, he never fails and he is always constant.

not by might, nor even power.

It's been a while...

Summer has been great, i've been blessed, challenged, refreshed, made new friends, saw some old ones and most of all i've grown more, as a person and with God.

I have finally, after many months, finished Job.. It was a struggle for definite..

You just kinda want him to quick nagging after a while and wait upon God.. But a good friend of mine assured me the end was brilliant so I kept on going until God stepped in..

And here's what I learnt from the book.

firstly, we have to be humble before God. we dont test him. we dont blame him. we dont get angry at him. but we should humble ourselves before him and appreciate how massive he is and how punie we are. 

humility.

secondly, we have to be patient. we have to wait for the storm to pass. yes, we can dance in the rain but we also have to be ready to sit at Jesus' feet and just wait. be still and know that he is God.

humility and patience.

and finally, we need to fear God. we need to realise how BIG he is and how he causes us to breathe and so could take those breaths away . that he causes the world to spin but could stop it at any second. he is not safe but he is good, just, merciful. we need to fear him, not like in fear 'of our eternal souls' way, but in an adoration way, were we stand simply in awe of him. 

humility. patience. adoration. 

the past year has been a tough one. friends have fallen away from God and a lot of the time i've felt very alone and really quite small. but tonight i was reminded of Job and what i learnt from it.

that God is bigger.

that when i humble myself, truly humble myself before him, giving him my all and not just my half assed worship that i 'feel' like giving, he can do GREAT things.

that when i am patient, waiting for him, not always seeking the answers and asking questions but just seeking him, he can do GREAT things.

that when i fear him, like a child fears his strict granda or his father, knowing that he may be tough but he is fair and loves me more than anything, he can do GREAT things.

and then, when all is said and done, all i can do is stand in awe of him..

because of the GREAT things he has done in me and in the people around me.

its time for me, little leah glover, to start believing i can do GREAT things through Christ who gives me strength.. not just saying it, but living it as well.

'not by might, nor even power

but by your spirit oh lord!

healer of hearts,

binder of wounds.

lives that are lost, restored' 

Blessed to the brim!

these past few months God has done nothing but bless me.
and i mean bless me.

i have the most beautiful friends, the most wonderful boyfriend and such a loving family, people i have been blessed abundantly with and yet His blessings keep on coming...
at one stage this summer i didnt quite know where i was meant to be. i missed uganda, i missed my friends, i missed my nephews, i missed my church and i just didnt know what to be doing.

and then God blessed me..
i often speak of God's blessings because i firmly believe each day we have to look for them and count them, because God is a loving God and he wants to pour out his love onto us again and again.
but this time, His blessings came in multitude and to be honest, i was just so overwhelmed by it all that i really didnt know how to react.

God became man and died for me. His son took my sins, my mums sins, my friends sins, your sins, and bore the punishment..
isnt that blessing enough?
yet he continues to bless me? woah.
thats the God i serve.
the God who sees everything, yet still smiles.
the God who deserves so much more from me, yet takes me as i am.

i dont deserve God's blessings, but i am reminded of his gracious and loving nature, and just like a father dotes after his daughter, God loves to dote after me!

also, i kept hitting 'new blog' for about an hour earlier and nearly every blog i came upon was a blog from someone who was walking with God, maybe struggling but still glorifying Him! across the world, people far and near are seeking Him and His grace.

lets start praying for our brothers and sisters, and see his blessings continue to pour! (:

Moons and Stars

Everything's been a bit hectic lately..
I'm in the middle of my exams and finding it hard to look to God, always knowing he's right there but ignoring him anyway because well, he is always there..
Wrong attitude Leah.. You stop talking to a friend and they'll soon stop listening.
God's always been there for me. And recently he's been testing my faith a lot to see if I will actually listen to him. Plans I had wanted to happen, didn't happen and friends are continually falling away from God.
But all through it God's saying, 'i got this'..

Last night at youth we had a fantastic worship session.. A little boy who can be a chancer sometimes started praising God.. Lifting his hands in the air, looking at his hands and then lifting them higher.. It seemed like the spirit had just taken over him and he couldn't help but praise God.. It was beautiful to watch and just made me so in awe of God.

After this I wanted some time alone, to pray and listen, so I went outside.
It was beautiful, so peaceful and was such a quiet night. I constantly love looking at the stars and last night I found myself doing just that.
But there was a massive light shining right in the middle of the sky and it kept distracting me. At first I thought it was a street light, and was angry that in Bangor we have so much light pollution that you can hardly see the stars..
Then I realised it was the moon. In all its splendor and glory, just sitting there as big as can be and waiting for me to notice it and appreciate it..
And just like that it dawned on me..
I'm looking for the stars, when I should be looking at the moon..

God's big.. And he's so big that you just cant miss him.
When I'm looking for the stars, I'm not seeing the moon.
I need to start focusing on the moon, focusing on God and how BIG he actually is, so that everything else will fall into place.
So focused on him, that nothing else matters.
And when I looked at the moon, more stars began to appear.
And when I look to God, everything else, all those little things I worry about, fall into place.
He's bigger than anything I can imagine..
And i'm so excited to see what stars he wants to reveal to me..

I'm still walking, and occasionally I stumble..
But like the moon, God is always bigger.
He's always there and he always will be.

Journey.. dont stop believing

recently God's been challenging me about this journey i am on..
again, he has reminded me to never stop believing.
to never underestimate the power he has or how much he can actually do.
to remind myself everyday that he has a plan, not only hearing this but knowing it too.

none of my family are christians.. in fact all four of my brothers deny God's existence and
believe im in a 'cult' or sucked in by a book that was made by humans who knew nothing..
they believe the church is based on lies, that true christians dont actually exist as they all
dont follow the word correctly or what it means to be a christian..
therefore, sometimes my hope of them ever turning to God fades..
but this is when God reminded me that nothings too big for him. that one night he could
completely transform my brothers lives and make them understand who he is and develop
a relationship with him..
dont stop believing.

i find myself saying to people continually that i believe God has a plan, that i know he can move
mountains and can heal the sick within the blink of an eye..
but do i truly believe this?
do i believe that he can make the sun stand still?
i once heard a guy talk about 'sun stand still prayers'
he was referring to the time when Joshua spoke to God and said
'let the sun stand still over Gibeon, and the moon over the valley of Aijalon'
and in verse 13 it says 'so the sun stood still and the moon stayed in place'
i used to say i believed this until recently i questioned if i did.
i read it again and again until i totally believed God can do it. he can do the impossible.
he can make the sun stand still.

lets start praying sun stand still prayers. lets believe God can make the impossible happen.
that our loved ones can be changed from the inside out. that our towns can be transformed by
his love and grace. that the sun could be stilled if he wanted it.
i'm reminded daily with journey's song running through my head..
dont stop believing!

Struggling

Each time he said,
'My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.'
So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.
That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that
I suffer for Christ.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.

He's in the whisper..

RS for A Level has challenged me so much this year..
My teacher continues to inspire me everyday, an incredible woman with a heart
the size of Jupiter and a laugh that could reach that far, who everyday stands up for her faith when being criticised by atheists and teens who dont want to listen..

Recently we have been learning about Jesus' miracles..
We studied the miracle of the Widow at Nain, one no one really knows but has such
a beautiful meaning to it..
As Jesus passes through Nain he arrives to meet a funeral taking place to which the
dead boy is being carried out with a concession of mourners and his weeping mother
walking along side him..

This is my favourite part. When Jesus steps in.
Luke tells us that
'When the Lord saw her, his heart went out to her and he said, 'Don't cry.'

Oh sweet goodness..
He then raises the boy from death.
Something he was never asked for, but he chose to do just because he LOVED her
and his HEART went out to her.

Jesus' heart goes out to you and I..
When we are crying, feeling alone or just lost, Jesus is filled with compassion
and gently whispers to us 'Don't cry'

He longs to heal our hearts..
He wants to direct our paths..
He cries every tear alongside us..
He looks after us when we dont even look to him..
He reaches out to sinners, outcasts, athiests and steals their hearts..
He looks after the poor..
He looks after the rich.
He never leaves even though we walk away again and again.. and again..
He DIED for us..
He cant wait to party with us in Heaven..

Listen for Jesus whispering your name..
He wasnt in the fire, he wasnt in the wind, he wasnt in the quake..

He's in the whisper here..