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Momento Mori

"Greater Love has no one than this, that He lay down His life for His friends."

-John 15: 13

"Fill this space idle words

I'm scared to death of light and silence

Jesus kill me inside this

Raise me up to live again

Like you did, like you did..."

-In The Dark\Flyleaf

"The Christians who refuse to look squarely in to the suffering of Christ are not Christians at all. They are a breed of pretenders, who would turn their backs on the cross and shame his death. You cannot hold up the cross, nor drink the cup without embracing the death. And you cannot understand love, unless you first die." -Tedd Dekkar

Those who don't know what Momento Mori means, it means "you must die". This past Sunday my pastor preached a sermon that made me feel that God was speaking directly to me, and I want to share it with you guys. The sermon was about having obedience towards God, and having the attitude of Christ.

My pastor pointed out some example that Jesus made for us while He was on earth. One of them was the example He made at Gethsemane, when He was praying before his crucifixion. Jesus cried out to God the Father saying, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." You may think, "Jesus was God, why is He praying this?"; well, I believe that He was setting an example of how we should surrender ourselves to God.

It is hard to surrender ourselves to God, but it also hard for Jesus. He was both man and God, and he wrestled with God before his crucifixion. I think he might of wished that there was another way, but there wasn't. So he submitted Himself to God by saying let your will be done. God understands that life is difficult and that we often doubt Him. But He wants us to trust Him with our pain. I believe bad things happen for a reason; that God has a purpose in the midst of our trials, though I don't understand what his purpose is but I try to trust him with my life. I want to encourage you to do the same thing. God has a plan for you not to hurt you, but to give you a hope and a future. When life become difficult, I challenge you to just tell God It is well, let your will be done in my life.

God calls us to carry our cross and to die to ourselves. The Apostle Paul says in Galatians 2: 20, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. " To die to yourself means to surrender, to be set apart from the world and to be like Christ. We as Christians are supposed to be reflections of Christ.

Another example God has made for us was when He washed His disciples feet. He is God, the king of the universe and He knelt down to wash His disciples feet. He was showing us the example of how we are supposed to act like a servant, by serving other before ourselves.We are supposed to live a life that is selfless; we are supposed to have the mind and attitude of Christ. Jesus lived a life helping the poor and needy, healing the sick, and reaching out to the sinners. We are supposed to live that life; helping people who are in need and telling the lost of the good news of Jesus Christ. We are born to serve God, to be his hands and feet. We serve God by serving others, by doing everything for the glory of Christ; like homework, or when we go to school, or go to work, help our parents or whomever we live with clean around the house. Were supposed to do all of that for the glory of God, isn't that awesome?

My pastor also talked about loving your enemies or loving the people you don't get along with. (Check out "What does it mean to love our enemies") That's hard, I know--because it is hard for me to love my enemies also. But God set an example of that by sending His one and only son to die for our sins. He could of not chosen to love us; but he wanted to love us, even though sometimes we turn our backs on him, or disobey him--He still loves us, despite our flaws.

I was named after the Tabitha in the Bible, you know the one that God through the Apostle Peter raised from the dead? I want to be like that, but it's different; Tabitha was sick and she died because of her illness. But, I want to die, I want Jesus to kill me. Not literally die, but I want Him to take away my selfishness, my ugly wretched part of me, my sin. I want to be raised from the dead like Jesus, to be a new person. John the Baptist said that God, You will increase, but I will decrease, or meaning --it's not about me but about You God.

I want to challenge you to read a "Call to die", by David Nassar. It is an 40 day devotional, where fast for forty days. You don't have to fast your lunch or breakfast, or dinner; but you can fast Internet, TV, listening to music, talking on the phone, anything. Just pray about, ask God what He wants you to do. You don't have to even fast, I just encourage you to pick up the cross and come and join me in this quest to follow Christ. Momento Mori...

Tabitha

Don't Quit

"Don't quit when the tide is lowest
For it's just about to turn
Don't quit over doubts and questions
For there's something you may learn.

Don't quit when the night is darkest
For it is just awhile 'til dawn
Don't quit when you run the farthest
For the race is almost won.

Don't quit when the hill is steepest
For your goal is almost nigh
Don't quit for you're not a failure
Until you fail to try.
-Jill Wolf

Don't Give Up!

For my ASL class I had to interact with deaf people and write an essay about my experience. I emailed my old ASL high school teacher, and asked her if she knew of any deaf events. She told me that she was signing in a Christmas program at her church with people who are deaf and some hearing people are signing with her too. She also said that they are practicing on Tuesdays and Saturdays, so yesterday I went to her practice for the program. She introduced me to an deaf man, and I interviewed him.

I have to be honest, at first--I didn't want to go, because I felt that I wasn't ready, and that I wasn't comfortable with my signing. I mean, I was just learning and I hardly don't even know how to communicate in sign language very well. But I think I did pretty fine, my old sign language teacher helped me. And plus I felt pretty comfortable talking to this guy, because he reminded me of my grandfather some how.

Sam, the guy I interviewed, really encouraged me last night, and I am grateful for that. He told me to not give up. At first, earlier yesterday, I told my sister that I was really concerned about my ASL class. I wasn't doing well in that class, I got B's and C's on my tests, which isn't a really bad grade, and I got D's and F's on my quizzes. And my teacher doesn't look at my homework or even go over it, and it was hard for me. I did have an ASL tutor, and that helped a lot. But I was still concerned about the class, I feared that--What if I don't pass? Then I 'd fail, get an F for a grade, and have to take the class all over again. But just hearing Sam say that--don't give up, it really brought hope that maybe I would pass the class, with at least a C.

That also gave me the strength to keep going and to keep my eyes on the goal. And, that's what I want to encourage you tonight. If you are struggling in your high school/or college class, or even at your job; I want to say the same thing that Sam told me--Don't give up! Keep your eyes on the goal. Don't quit running the race, you got to finish that race, holding your torches high. You can do it, I believe in you, and most of all, God believes in you. For in the Bible it did say that he is your confidence, your strength in your weakness. So, today I encourage you--please don't give up, 'cause God hasn't given up on you. This life is a race worth winning, when you know that you have a strong God by your side. I encourage you to put your trust in Him, because He loves you with no end. He fought for you, I just want to ask you, is it worth it to do same for Him? I love you guys, and I hope someone will read this someday and be encouraged.

Philippians 4: 13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Galatians 6: 9
Let's not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not give up.

2 Timothy 4: 7
I have fought the fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

A Picture by Ron Page

For those who don't know Ron, he is a friend of my old sign language teacher. This picture is origonally from an Sign Language celebration at my high school. I was signing a song, though now I don't quite remember what song I was signing in that picture. Ron took a picture of me while I was signing, and he posted my picure in front of a beautiful sunrise. The poem on the picture is actually a poem I wrote, and Ron posted it on the picture. I hope you enjoy, I was just so exited to share it with you guys. :)

This is an awesome movie: see how God's creation can blow you away

Happy Thanksgiving

Hey guys, I hope you had a great thanksgiving. I know I did! Thanksgiving has always been a holiday that expresses what we are thankful for. I love thanksgiving, because it is a reminder to be thankful for the things that God has blessed us with. Here are a few things that I am thankful for:

* I am thankful for God and for what He has done for us on the cross. I'm thankful for the love He has shown and lavished on us. The fact that, while we were still sinners, God sent His Son to die for our sins, even though we don't deserve it.

* I am thankful for all the surgeries that I have gone through. That the doctors could fix my cleft lip and palate. And that God was there through it all.

* I am thankful for the fact that I graduated high school.Because when I was still in high school, I doubted that I'd even graduate. You see, I was diagnosed with an learning disability, Attention deficit disorder (ADD); and I struggled a lot in high school. I was in special classes mostly all through out grade school, middle school, and part of high school. I was then, put in regular classes somewhere in my middle years of high school. I worked very hard at school that sometimes me and my grandmother would struggle through home work. But I made it, I graduated this past summer, on June 6, 2009.

* I am thankful for my dad and my grandparents, who have been there for me throughout the years and helped me succeed to in high school. And they supported me when I had to go through multiple surgeries. I am thankful for thier love and devotion for me and my sister.

* I am thankful for my best friend and my sister, Debra. She encouraged me on the times when I really struggled, and she has always been there for me.

* I am thankful for the Campus Crusade group at my college. They have really helped strengthen my relationship with God. And they have made me welcome in college. And I am so glad that God has put them in a secular college, just to be a light in the darkness, and reach out to those who are hurting, and tell the good news of Jesus Christ.

* And I am thankful that I am alive, and that I have food, clothes and shelter.

I believe it is important to remember what we are thankful for, because sometimes we tend to take things for granted. I really hope that you guys remembered to thankful for the blessings you have,because really we are blessed. Many countries, like Africa and India have families that are poor. And many don't have food, clothes, or even a roof over thier head. I am thankful for the organizations, such as Campus Crusade for Christ, Wycliffe Bible Translations, World Vision, and Faceless International. These organizations have helped many countries around the world, by giving them food and clothes, and sharing the gospel of Christ. I would love to hear from you guys, you can tell me what you are thankful for by comment or emailing me at tabitha_reilly@bellsouth.net. Love you guys, and have a Happy Thanksgiving! :) Tabitha