inside my treasurebox!

Finally mine ♥

2012-01-29T07:14:00.000Z

War Horse

2012-01-27T22:17:00.000Z

Tomorrow I'll watch this movie! I will not watch the trailer before though, but maybe you want to see it?

Sightsing: #7 - Wales

2012-01-23T11:26:00.003Z

Jared has been driving here (picture below) the night before in the dark. We just had to come out this morning to see how it looked like. We were stuck in the sand for a little while.. (the water had covered up the spinning tracks, sadly no picture of that) Haha! It was hilirious and tons of fun!

It was quite windy

The nature in Wales reminded me a lot of home (Norway) and it was amazing!

We found a sign to a historic church and drove up to see it. It turned out to be the oldest surviving church in Wales. The prince of Gwynedd, Llywelyn the Great worshipped here with his wife Joan in the 12th century. The chantry had the year 1691 intagliated.

We visited my friend Henriette in Aberystwyth. A beautiful town at the coast of Wales.

Then we went on a hike to find some stones called Bryn Cader Faner but we could not find them. It turned out, we could have taken another way not too far away, but it was getting dark, so sadly we were not able to see them. Another time we decided, renting horses to go up. But we did have a nice 2-3 hour walk.

2011 in pictures

2012-01-01T19:58:00.000Z

Marta and Amalie visited a couple of times for dinner and games.

One of the Saturdays in Salem, the Church I'm in back in Bergen

One of many mountainhiking trips this summer

Jacob Eugen was born 01.08.2011

Mountainhiking

Nieces and nephew

The political leader of the Christian party in Norway

Walking in the summer pasture

California

Marta got married

The Christian Union in Keele

Kate + sun = fun!

The first week in Keele was amazing

Manchester

Hiking in peak district (thank you Nina for the invite and arranging everything)

Good friendships

I will never forget London Anna :-)

Rihanna consert

Stonehendge

2012 will be a good year!

17.-24. December: Birthday Jesus

2011-12-20T00:59:00.001Z

16. December: Fellowship

2011-12-17T16:50:00.002Z

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

1.john 1:7

To be a church, I think is a bit about playing together, being a team. The last week I have been watching the handball world championship at the television and now they are in the final! That must be a good team that stands together. I think the church is like the handball team. A handball team will not be a handball team without the players and the Church will not be a Church without people being in the Church. So I think in a sense to show that it is we who are the church. The Church is us. It is the people inside the building that really is the Church, not the building itself. Because we get together with your eyes towards Christ, the Church is us. The priest cannot be the church alone. The norwegian team in handball can’t just be one player playing against France in tomorrow’s final. But together as a team, they will play against France. The church is the fellowship of believers. The church is us who are gathered with the focus on Christ.

Inside the Noah's ark it must have been a totally chaos. Imagine all the animals together. There is a bear who steals honey from the bees while the two of them are buzzed around by themselves in a corner. Squirrels that again and again chew holes in the goat oat bags, much to the annoyance of both Noah and the goats, I can imagine. It must have been quite a ride, with lions and sheep in the same boat, with the wolf and the hare - wonder how Noah got everything to go so smooth? And in the midst of it all then it rained and blew it for many long days. What a life and loud sound it must have been; burly rhino and smelly pigs, thousands of insects that slithered around and got both animals and humans to scratch one side. If you were the goat I guess it could easy feel the irritation or a little confused pubertal sheep with a huge lion in the next stall, I think it would be easy to get a little scared! Maybe sparrow envied the swans’ graceful appearance, or the tiger and the lion's beautiful mane?

In the Bible with pictures or children's books we see the ark of Noah, and it seems quite idyllic - but let's think a little about it. I do not think necessarily it was quite like that.

These thoughts about Noah’s ark lead me to a thought: Our community will never be perfect, we will always be human. And as a church we always encounter challenges, and as a church are we doing wrong. We forget the focus UP toward God, toward each other and we forget to use our sights OUT towards others. We irritate each other, are jealous of each other and we can scare each other. But I still think that the church community is different from other communities.

A concrete example is the Eucharist, I think. When Jesus invites us to celebrate the Eucharist, and he is present then I think something happens to us, with our community and our church. When we - bear bee, lion sheep, sparrow swan goes together, and we look up to Christ - then I think that we as a church, as a team, with all our differences, errors and omissions - the courage, strength and strength to meet challenges and mistakes. And most importantly, we get help, to love one another as God has loved us, He who does not love us because of, but in spite of. We see that when we go to the Eucharist as we move both communities and individuals - UP towards Christ, towards each other and ourselves, and towards those who have not yet seen or heard, although our eyes were to falter from time to time.

"Consequently,

you are no longer foreigners and aliens,

but fellow-citizens with God's people

and members of God's household,

built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets,

with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

In him the whole building is joined together

and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord."

Eph.2:19-21

15. December: Existence

2011-12-15T22:36:00.001Z

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Joh. 1:1

When we study ourselves and the world we live in, we see that all things exist, but they might as well not exist even though we are made THROUGH A father's and mother's love.

The Valley I live in is the result of the ice from millions of years rubbing against the mountain and hollowed it. All earthly things depend on other things and they are changing. They exist, but because they are dependent and changeable, they have not given themselves existence. They have received it from others. The cow cannot exist without the grass, the grass is not without ground, the earth does not exist without soil molecules, they are not without primeval mist that they originate from, etc.

Now, we could well imagine that this series of changeable and dependent things are infinite. Nevertheless, we are faced with the question:

how has the full range of this just described their existence?

The infinitely long line range can only have received its existence from a reality that has not received its existence from any other, but there has to exist as part of his being. Thus we come to the reality we call God. And now it's stupid to ask who created God. For it belongs to God's nature that he created, he always has been, because he exists by being necessary. About the created earthly things, we say that they can exist. If God tells us that he must exist. About the things around us, we say that they have existence. If God tells us that he is EXISTENCE and THAT he IS being, because it is a part of being his part of being.

When God appeared to Moses in the burning bush and asked him to lead the Israelite people out of Egypt, Moses asked what he would answer people when they asked him who had given him this mission. God answered:

"You shall say to the Israelites,

He who IS

has sent me unto you."

2 Mos. 3, 14

14. December: PRAYER

2011-12-15T16:16:00.005Z

"Your Father knows the things you need before you ask Him"

Matthew 6:8

Why do we pray?

What is it about prayer that can make us strong, resolute and strong-willed?
Why is prayer working?
We pray because God has said, "Ask and you shall receive, search and you shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you."(Matthew 7.7)

A man had transformed an over grown plot of ground in a beautiful garden, and showed a friend what he has accomplished. Pointer on a bed of flowers, he said, "Look at what I did here." His companion corrected him: "You think, 'Look what God and I did here." The gardener answered, "I guess you're right. But you should have seen the shape this plot was in when he took care of it by himself. "

We laugh at the man's answer, but it expresses a wonderful spiritual truth-we are workers with God. This applies to all areas of life, including prayer. It answers a question that naturally comes to mind when we reflect on Jesus' statement in Matthew 6 He said that we do not need to request and on with vain repetitions as the heathen, because our Father knows what we need before we ask (Matthew 6:7-8).

The question then is, why ask? The answer is simple and comforting. God has graciously chosen to give us the privilege to be his partners in both physical and spiritual areas of life. Through prayer, we are working with him in fighting the evil forces and bring about the fulfillment of his benevolent intentions in the world. Partners with God-what a privilege! What an incentive to ask! -Herb Vander Lugt

Although God knows our needs,
His work He wants to share;
He takes us into partnership
By calling us to prayer. -D. de Haan

God's work is done by those who ask.

"For where two or more are gathered

for the Lord

He is in the midst of them."

Matthew 16.20

13. December: LIGHT

2011-12-15T15:32:00.002Z

"I am the light he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

Joh.8:12

One of the things I like most about Christmas is all the lights. The light is good. The light provides peace of mind. The lights show us the way we need to go. When Jesus was born, the sky lit by a heavenly host of angels. First, the shepherds was afraid, but then they were part of a great joy. In the sky a star appeared which shone the way of wise men to Bethlehem.

The light had some to our world. But one thing is to see the LIGHT, another thing is to follow it. Jesus is the light .We have the light as we follow him. Jesus is the hope that is stronger than death, and the light that is stronger than darkness.

Jesus gives light to everyone, but some tries to hide from the light, they want to manage on their own, take the charge over their own lives, and will not come to Jesus. For Jesus compels no one. He is too fond of us to do so. But that person who will not come to the light, must take the consequences themselves. It is an eternal darkness away from God. It's terrible.

Jesus gives us a wonderful promise: John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become children of God - those who believe in His name.

To accept Jesus is simply saying "thank you Jesus that you came to us. Thank you that you are the light. Thank you for putting a light into my darkness. Thank you that you shine on my path in life until I get home to you. "

"For the God who commanded light to shine

out of darkness,

has let it shine in our hearts,

to let the light

of the knowledge

of God's glory

in the face of

Jesus Christ

shine out."

2 Kor. 4:6

12. December: Holy

2011-12-14T05:15:00.007Z

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”

Isaiah 6:3

That God is holy; it means that he is different than us, elevated from us, separated from us, something different than humans. God is absolutely pure, true, good, and perfect - everything we are not. But saying that God is holy; it means that he is a strong power, as a spurting volcano, a major earthquake or a massive flood. God is beyond what we can control. In the face of God's holiness, a lot of people is grasped of fear.

“In heaven they sing: "Who would not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify Your name? For you alone are holy. "(Rev. 15.4)

God's holiness did Adam and Eve to hide from God.

"Moses trembled" (Acts 7.32) when he met God in the burning bush.

God's holiness was the Israelites to remain at a safe distance from Mount Sinai.

When Isaiah met the holy God, he was painfully aware of his sin.

God is holy. It should create fear in us. But just God's holiness means that he does not want to destroy us, but salvation. God is not like us to provide the impossible.

"The heart is turned within me, my compassion wake. I will not follow my fierce anger; will not add Ephraim deserted again. For I am God and not man, holy among you, I will not anger. "(Hosea 11.8 b-9) God is holy - that's why he judges sin and evil. God is holy - that's why he loves sinners and forgives them. Even though we gave up our love for him, he has not given up his love for us.

Do not come any closer,

God said.

Take off your sandals,

for the place

where you are standing

is holy ground

Exodus 3.5

11. December: Friendship

2011-12-14T04:41:00.005Z

“Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

John. 13:6

FRIENDSHIP IS having something together. Proximity and community are values that are important and that carries us through life. And whenever they are tested, we’re shaking. FRIENDSHIPS THAT LAST are based on reciprocity. It fails when there is only one party performs. Misunderstandings can build up and then break a friendship from within. Friendship is to have something together.

When we follow Jesus on his way to the cross, the road of pain, then we are watching a strong friendship that is broken and tested. Together with his 12 friends, he wandered day after day. They have shared joys and sorrows and come very close to each other.

Jesus tried to teach them the words and experiences so they can continue to tell the truth about God after he is gone. Through conversations and parables, he passed on the kingdom of God's secrets. Now the final phase - it's time for goodbye. The Jewish Celebration with Passover and a meal was going to be served as the disciples were well known with.

But the unexpected happens too: For the Master enter was at the server's location and began to wash his friends' feet. He takes the place of the lowest to show his affection and love. How is he an example for their friends and an example for us who have followed him? But it is difficult to receive than to give. It is easier to perform than to enjoy. We saw Peter.

As the strong and impulsive, he is quick: Never in your life if you should be washing my feet. Not difficult to understand Peter. If he had not known anything about his Master, he was convinced that there were differences in rank and dignity, despite their friendship.

He learns yet another lesson: Jesus conveys what friendship and love is based on: Mutual to receive and give to each other. He does not want subservience and subordination, but freedom and equality.

“Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus said: “If I do not wash your feet, we no longer have anything together.” (John 13)

Jesus calls his disciples friends. He will also be friends with people today. He will give us the greatest gift of all - their unconditional love and grace. He brings - but we have given something first - it's hard for us, as it was for Peter.

Where does the reciprocity disappear?

We provide enough when we give him our confidence, that he wants us the best and we trust that it's enough. His friends today as back then when he challenged to give this further: he gives us a new commandment that we love one another as He has loved us.

He wants us to have something together. He walked the pain away – by dying for you - so that we can still have it - today and every day.

"Oh, for the days

when I was in my prime,

when God's intimate friendship

blessed my house."

Job.29,4

10. December: Unworthy

2011-12-11T01:11:00.003Z

“I have not much to offer You, not near what You deserve, But still I come because Your cross, has placed in me my worth.”

Today I did not know what to talk about. The last week many songs have got a new meaning. Maybe because of this challenge to myself I have taken the time to really listen carefully to the lyrics on the music I listen to.

Today I say to God just as the lyrics to this song says. It’s when you discover that you can’t be perfect you realize how much you need Jesus. Everyone is striving for something. I am always striving to be better. But it’s Jesus who can use ME; He is the one who can make me a better person. Without him, I’m nobody. I feel like one of the criminals hanging on the cross next to Jesus. He said to Jesus: “We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” He turned to Jesus and said; Remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And Jesus answered him; “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in Paradise (Luk.23:41-43). A lot of Christians compare themselves with Balthazar, because Jesus took the penalty instead of Him. And it is true. But I think more that I am the one who’s really upon that cross next to Jesus, because that will be the reality if I forget to ask Jesus to join Him in Paradise, if I don’t except Him in my heart. Jesus makes me not guilty and free from all shame because I am worthy.

I come to God without anything, and he welcomes me with open arms, because he WANTS a relationship with me, and He OPENS His arms for you too, because He loves you more than ANYTHING. We shall not understand everything now, but in the bible it says that we will understand it piecemeal and in heaven we will understand it fully.

Why are you worthy? You are worthy because of the SACRIFICE Jesus made. You are INCREDIBLY valuable to Him. God WANTS nothing but to KNOW YOU better! And how do you do that? Well, you take the time when you get to know friends better, and it is the same with God. Give him of your time.

“I have not much to offer You, not near what You deserve, But still I come because Your cross, has placed in me my worth.”

9. December: Praise

2011-12-09T00:16:00.001Z

“I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name for ever.”

Psalm 86:12

In Luke 17:11-19 it says:

“Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus travelled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, Jesus, Master, have pity on us! When he saw them, he said, Go, and show yourselves to the priests. And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. Jesus asked, Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no-one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner? Then he said to him, Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

It is easy to be a ‘good time supporter’. When everything goes like you want and you have nothing to complain about, but when life turn up side down, then it starts to get hard. In this story the ten lepers must really have had difficulty finding something positive to say about life. This disease eats up your body slowly, and that is a curse in life itself. But also with leprosy there comes isolation, you lose contact with family and friends and you would not get work anywhere. You have no hope of life. So, they had nothing to lose when they called out for Jesus. Jesus healed them. But there was one who saw the healing differently than the others. He counted it as an extra blessing, and that is what I believe you and me have to do. To be the one who stands out from the crowd. We have to praise God for what he DOES in our life.

A lot of people might think that we praise God through worship, prayer and read a lot in the Bible. And yes, this is a very nice way to praise God, But you can also praise God in what you do in everyday life. One thing I really love is mountain hiking. I love when I am on the top and see everything God has created. That is a good moment to praise God. I believe it is important to thank God for everything he has created, thank him for letting me go to Britain, thank him for having a loving family and a bed to sleep in.

Appreciate what God has given you and thank Him.

When I am halfway up the mountain I am climbing and feel that I am out of shape, I also need to thank God. You praise him for the good things in your life, and you praise him when bad things happens. Are you a ‘good time supporter’?

“You were bought

at a price.

Therefore

Praise God

with your body”

1. Cor. 6:20

8. December: Masterpiece

2011-12-08T00:08:00.001Z

“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.”

Genesis 1:27

Are you happy being you? Maybe you are satisfied with something? But most of the time you are thinking: “What if I was more like him, or more like her?” We are never satisfied are we?

When God created man, He creates us to the most outstanding of His creation. He made us in His image.

Once, there was a painter and he was the best in what he did and nothing was done without a reason. He chose very carefully the materials he was going to use, brushes and colors were cautiously inspected before He started the painting and he just used the best colors that were in His workshop.

One day something really strange happened in his workshop. The Master was putting the final touch on a masterpiece when suddenly the painting started to talk!

“What on earth are you doing?” IT exclaimed a little irritated. Surprisingly the master was not shaken and he drew the breath before he calmly replied: “I formed you. I make you exactly who I have planned you to be. You are BEAUTIFUL.”

The painting looked volatile throughout the workshop. Several works were hanging around, a little scornful laugh at some of them. Only one of the paintings he looked on speechless with envy. “I do not like it” said the painting to the master. “I do not like what you’ve done. I would rather be like that” the painting almost shouted while pointing at the painting he admired. The master looked as calm as when the painting start talking and smiled to his masterpiece. “No”, he said quietly. “You are as I’ve made you to be. I have made you because I wanted it, and I love you for being you and not someone else.”

You and I are created in Gods image, to be ourselves and no one else. You are who you are BECAUSE GOD WANTED YOU TO BE YOU!

“For you created me in most being;

You knit me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise you

because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.”

Psalm 139: 13-14

7. December: Trials

2011-12-07T00:10:00.001Z

“In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.”

1. Peter. 1:6

In life we will meet a lot of trials, some people more than others. Sometimes we could ask ourselves if God really want to give us those TRIALS. Is He testing us? No, God never wanted evil to arise or exist. He did not initially want the people to suffer physical pain, being born with deformities or have life-long chronic diseases. Still, he has allowed it to happen, because it was a necessary consequence of empowering people with free will.

By letting evil reign in this world, God has once and for all proved that evil and darkness could occur and actually become dominant and destructive. In this world, God allows people to choose. Weak as we are in our own nature the dark power is over us. The consequence is that God WITHDRAWS; He is not longer dominant in this world/Life. The absence of the power of God brings suffering, poverty and disease in the world. God gives life! Without Him, we cannot make it. Degradation, aging and death have been tragic consequences in this world. God is not only our creator, He is also our Maintainer.

Temporary injustice is a consequence of the trials. Everyone knows that the disease, destruction, and violence AFFECT individuals and population groups with different weight. Apparently, life in this world is regarded as a lottery, that some are luckier than others. And God knows exactly how much suffering you have been through. He can and will justify what seems unfair.

“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

Rom.8:18

One consequence of that is that we have to go through trials in this world is that we will love God so much more after. We will actually thank Him because we had to go through the sufferings and trials. it is not naturally given to us that we should make it through the trials of life without losing faith in God, or not seeking Him, or accuse Him, let indifference, ingratitude and apathy close the road to eternal liberation. But remember, God is not evil. Be in him and he will be in you.

“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial,

because when he has stood the test,

he will receive the crown of life

that God has promised to those

who Love Him. “

James 1:12

6. December: Forgiven

2011-12-06T00:40:00.003Z

“Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the FORGIVENESS of sins is proclaimed to you.”

Act.13:38

Sometimes I have thought that it must be a limit to how many times God will have to forgive me. Every time you do something wrong an awful feeling overwhelms you. You want to pretend that it never happened and hopefully no one will ever know about it. But when you finally take that step and tell your mum or dad that it was you who broke the lamp, everything goes so much easier than you thought beforehand and you can feel an overwhelming relief.

Sometimes I have had the same feeling with sin in my life. Although I have not wanted to sin against God, I have repeatedly fallen and both done and said things I shouldn’t, And instead of going to Jesus right away I have walked around feeling guilty and have a bad conscience about it. I would rather avoid the confrontation with God. I thought it had to be a limit to how many times God will have to forgive me. This has created a distance between me and God. The feeling of have a score to settle becomes a real burden. But as I have experienced time after time, the indescribable feeling of freedom after I have talked to Jesus and received FORGIVENESS. So, why did I not go to Jesus right away?

Jesus says that his GRACE is ENOUGH, because his strength is made perfect in weakness (2.cor. 12:9).

Not let UNRESOLVED sin cause a separation between you and God. Go to Jesus right away. He will meet you will open arms, full of grace and love like I have been talking about the last days. Let Jesus put you out of misery! You feel guilty, but you don’t have to. Go to him and you will be forgiven.

“If we confess our sins,

he is faithful and just

and will forgive us our sins

and purify us

from all unrighteousness.”

1. Joh. 1:9

5. December: Joy

2011-12-05T00:12:00.000Z

“Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say, Rejoice!”

Phil: 4:4

It’s soon Christmas and Christmas is a time for joy. Well, that is for someone. Not everyone is excited for Christmas. Some might associate their Christmas with drinking or gambling and someone associate it with feeling alone. Someone does not like the pressure on buying gifts and smile to pretend that they are happy.

Joy is mentioned in the Bible quite a few times. In the four chapters of the Philippians while Paul sits in jail he write about joy as much as 15 times! He had no reason at all to talk about joy, but this is the book in the Bible that mentions it the most based on chapters.

“Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no-one will take away your joy.”

John. 16:22

It is easy to base our faith on feelings. But what if we changed it the other way around? base our feelings on our faith? I think that is what Paul does when he sits in jail talking about joy. He has a joy knowing Jesus and knowing that the name of Jesus is preached. Although he suffered a lot of pain on the outside, he has a joy that comes from within, from the depths of his heart.

In thess.5:16 it says “Be joyful always”. Wow, ALWAYS? Really Lord? Well, if you think about it, If you take a look at yourself, the joy VANISHES! We see all our mistakes and all the things we have done wrong in life. That is what makes us sad. But, if we look at Jesus and His amazing grace, the joy will come back to us. God commands us to be joyful. That’s because the roads that not leads to joy, are devious Roads.

If we shall retain the joy in our hearts, the heart must be filled with the salvation of the benefits we have in Christ. He is our Savior and Lord, the bread and water of life, way, truth and life, Our provider and resident. When I see all those gift I have in Jesus, I cannot do anything but to rejoice him.

Therefore, the Christian’s happiness is regardless despite of circumstances. We can rejoice in the Lord in sorrow and trials. Especially in the hills we have to climb in our lives when we are not purified or strongest. That only shows that our source is not within our own hearts, but in God, but added in our heart as the Holy Spirit.

“Worship the Lord

with gladness;

come before him

with joyful songs.”

4. December: Love

2011-12-04T00:06:00.000Z

“(…) Do you truly love me more than these? “

John. 21:15

Do you know what love really means? If you don’t, then you should read 1.Corinthians 13: 1- 8. “Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, AND ENDURES all things. Love never ends.” What I’ve just written here is God’s love for you. You! You are that important that he is patient for you. He longs for you to be with him.

Have you ever been in love with someone and they do not feel the same way in return? Just like this is the longing of God’s love for those who not believe in him.

If you read the meeting of Peter and Jesus just a few days after Peter had denied that he knew Jesus in John. 21:15-20. See how Jesus meets Peter, not with the question whether he would promise to keep all the commandments and regulations, not by exhortation or word that he must improve. No, Jesus asks if Peter loves him.

IMAGINE yourself getting married to the world’s best guy. Imagine if he says; Yes, I will be yours, I’ll put down the seat when I have pied, I will make sure that we will have enough money to have food on the table and I promise to change the tires on the car. But, my heart will never be yours.. Would you have married him? You would probably have an ok life. But Without love I think life would be empty and the man I was married to, wouldn’t have been really mine.

Sometimes I wonder if God feels like this. I do a lot of great deeds. I give money to the poor, I preach his word and I try my best to be a person to look up to. BUT, this is NOT what God asks for, he asks:

Do you love me more than anything else?

A Christian life is based on that love. God wants us to love him more than anything else. He wants us to put down everything, come to him and feel his love for us. He FORGIVES and I can come to him again in his love and our life’s will be a result of his love.

God also WISHES for us to show love for others.

“Do not seek revenge

or bear a grudge

against one of your people,

but love your neighbour

as yourself.

I am the lord.”

Leviticus 19:18

3. December: Heart

2011-12-03T11:53:00.004Z

“What do you want me to do for you? Jesus asked”

Mark.10:51

Who do you go to with all that concerns you? A good friend asks you; How are you, really, and you tell. But how often do you tell God how you feel? I like doing things myself and not get help from others. I try to solve the problems of my own in my own way. I have discovered that it is only when I seek God that I get peace.

But, is it not when you cannot do things by yourself you can seek God? No, He wants you through joy and sorrow.

Who do you search? We all have the joys, sorrows, fears and concerns. God cares about how you feel. And he asks in Mark.10:51; “What do you want me to do for you?” When do you actually take advantage of having a God who asks you that question? Have you ever been so lucky having a friend ask you that?

“What can I do for you?”

That is a question of care. Do you ask this question to your friends? Or, maybe someone you have never met?

You are created for a fellowship with God and you are his beloved child. It was God who first searched for you. He gave his only son so he could be forever with you. You do not need a special reason to seek God. To seek God may be to just be quiet and BE in his presence.

“When you seek me, you shall find me. Yes, when you seek me with all your heart, I will let you find me, say the Lord.”

Jer.29:12-13

Today I have a challenge for you. Find some time alone with God and seek him. Be quiet. Listen. Read his word.

“What can I do for you?

“Of all the things

you take care of the most,

take care of your heart,
for from it flow

the springs of life.”

Proverbs 4:23

2. December: Grace

2011-12-02T01:05:00.000Z

“For it is by grace you have been SAVED, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.”

Eph.2:8

Rhema - Amazing Grace:

John Newton who wrote Amazing grace knew what he was talking about. Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now I am found, was blind, but now I see. Grace helps us to see, walk through life without seeing is though. It is better when you have a staff that helps you on the right path. The grace God gives us is that staff. It guides you on the right way and you trust it to do so. Like you have to trust God. Grace is a matter of life or death.

“I became a servant of this Gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power.”

Eph. 3:7

At Christmas morning everyone is excited about what’s under the Christmas tree; A lot of gifts. Did my mum and dad buy me what I wanted? God’s grace has disappeared this day; the greatest gift of all. Yes, grace is a gift from our father. He wants to give me and you eternal life. He has the ultimate present! The best present and it cannot fit under the Christmas tree. Would you accept this gift? Grace is a gift, why wouldn’t we want to share it? Are we selfish? Do we want to have the grace for ourselves? The great thing about grace is that you don’t lose your own grace by helping others receive it. One of the verses in Amazing Grace Sais:

“When this flesh and heart shall fail,

and mortal life shall cease,

I shall possess within the veil,

A life of joy and peace.”

And wouldn’t we like our friends a part of that journey? Who doesn’t want to give their friends a life of joy and peace?

I think it is written in a good way in 1.Pet.4:10

“Each one should use

Whatever gift he has received

To serve others, faithfully

Administering God’s grace

In its various forms.”

1. December: Be patient

2011-12-01T00:27:00.002Z

“I waited patiently for the Lord; He inclined to me and heard my cry.”

Psalm: 40:1

John Waller - While I'm Waiting:

Are you Still Waiting? Tired of waiting? Is it worth the wait? “It is Stupid to wait too long”, says the commercial for new tires on the televition.

Advent is about waiting. It is about waiting for the birth of our king, Jesus Christ, as a celebration of life that was given to us. Our Life contains a lot of waiting and to be patient.

We are also in a different latency in the world today. We are not only waiting to celebrate the birth of our Saviour, we are also waiting for Jesus to come back for us. I am lucky not to fear that day. We need to be sure to have enough oil in our lamp; because we do not know the day he comes. The oil is how we spend our time waiting. Do we fill it with God?

In the Bible there are 188 words that contain the word “wait”. It tells us to stay in God’s love while we wait for Jesus’ mercy who will lead us to eternal life. The righteous man has joy in store. He needs to wait.

The Psalms tells us a lot about waiting.

Among other

“Everyone’s waiting for you, to get food at the right time.”

And;

“But the Lord’s eyes rested on those who are afraid waiting for his mercy.”

“For God Alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation.”

In Romans 8:25 it says; “But we hope for something we do not see, and then we wait with patience.”

In the Old Testament they are waiting for God while in the New Testament we are waiting for heaven. Keep Waiting! Remember to put a lot of oil in your lamp, spend time with the lord. It is Advent season. Think about what it means to you. What it means to wait. Are you patient?

“The one who waits for something good, are not waiting in vain.”

Psalm 27:14:

“Wait for the Lord,

Be strong and don’t lose hope.

Wait for the Lord.

The Holiday

2011-11-30T00:48:00.000Z

A film to watch and get in Christmas mood :)

Three treasures I found

2011-11-29T15:18:00.001Z

Girlsnight #2

2011-11-29T00:43:00.001Z

Sightsing: #6 - Liverpool

2011-11-26T22:14:00.001Z

Arthur Christmas

2011-11-21T22:16:00.000Z

This movie is perfect for Christmas!

Concert #2: Calvin Harris

2011-11-21T22:12:00.000Z

Rihanna - We Found Love ft. Calvin Harris

2011-11-21T21:47:00.001Z

Sightsing: #5 - Sheffield

2011-11-20T23:51:00.000Z

I should have taken more pictures of Sheffield, because it is a wonderfull place! It turned out shopping came in the way of taking too many pictures, but here you have some. Ofcourse I had to tell Santa what I wish for Christmas!

Thank you for joining me Henriette! I had an awesome weekend, with an awesome friend and we agreed that we was sleeping in an awesome bed and the shower was pretty awesome too! AWESOME!

Concert #1: Rihanna

2011-11-20T19:51:00.000Z

In time

2011-11-19T00:59:00.000Z

When I watched this movie tonight at the cinema, I was thinking about a saying my dad said to me: Time does not past by, time comes!

What I've learned #3

2011-11-14T01:35:00.000Z

<-- this is called a bulletpoint.. yeah, who could figure that out? (people who know english)
that presentations in school here is like reading from a paper or your computer, and, you SIT!
that I can order my food to my block so I don't have to pay the buss to go there and use endless of time to find what I want. I just order it home to me online. Wow, new experience for me!
that I really love to be Norwegian even though we lost 4-1 to Wales.

What I've learned #2

2011-11-03T22:38:00.001Z

If the block burns, I can actually not get out. I need to break the window, because here is only one emergency exit, and that's outside the front door. I'm on the top! And the window I can open, I can't get through.
Quizes are hard in England and I am actually not smart. Haha! But they have quizes each week here. Several times each week!
Left side roundabouts! I think I've got it now!
The bus is never on time.
They eat crisps all the time!
15 girls on one shower actually DO work!

What I've learned #1

2011-10-28T13:03:00.002+01:00

Being here now over one month have learned me a few things.

Pardon! They say that to everything. Sorry is also a quite common word.
U alright? <-- this question they ask while they pass me on the street. How can I answer before they're behind me and ask them back? I'm just wondering...
They don't have VANILLA SUGAR here! I'm almost crying!
They have one tap with cold water and one with warm. It looks like the one we had in the old days..
I have someone to clean my room every second week. It's crazy!

Sightsing: #4: London part 2

2011-10-25T22:46:00.000+01:00

Girlsnight

2011-10-25T00:39:00.000+01:00

Love these girls! Nina, Kate and Monica

Sightsing: #4: London

2011-10-24T01:28:00.000+01:00

Christians in England

2011-10-19T00:03:00.000+01:00

I introduce to you the Christian Union in Keele:

Sightsing: #3: Chester

2011-10-16T23:33:00.000+01:00

I changed my mind with Chester. Haha! 15 minutes before they were leaving I got out of bed, getting ready to go with them. And it was alot of fun!

The oldest racingtrack in Britain:

Publiser innlegg

Hiking in Peak District

2011-10-16T05:35:00.003+01:00

I got some complains from the last blogpost that I need to write in english. Sorry guys, I just had to write Norwegian for once! Everyday I feel that I speak worse english than the day before. Maybe because I realize it's too much I don't know. Here's a map showing where I've been in England sofar. I don't know if I will be able to go to Chester today, since we walked for 8 miles yesterday and I'm a bit sore after that + the fitness strenght on thursday (yes, still feeling it) and I also believe that I'm in the start of the famous Freshers Flu. YEY! Or not.

Well, as the title say, I was hiking yesterday, and it was in Peak District near Stafford. It was beautiful. I will just steal a picture from Kate, since I really liked the picture. The rest you need to look in my photoalbum for.

oh, and one more, Kate is a great photagrapher!

and no, we were not walking alone, it was 25 international students going on this trip

and people go hiking in jeans which surprise me. I have no idea why...

Alt til si tid

2011-10-13T23:29:00.001+01:00

Det er kanskje på tide at eg fortel litt om korleis det er å vere her i England. Eg trives veldig godt, sjølv om eg siste veka har hatt det litt tøft med eit såkalla "kultursjokk". Ikkje at kulturane er så forskjellige, men skulesystemet er ganske overveldande. Det er mykje å sette seg inn i, som er forskjellig frå Noreg. T.d. så har eg fem essay og ein muntleg presentasjon før jul. Eg har også skifta eit fag, så eg har eindel å ta igjen der.
Eg begynne sakte men sikkert å komme inn i det. Alt skjer på campus her, så det er vanskelig å halde seg heime for å kvile (eller lese).
- Dei har to timers forelesning utan pause.
- Dei har femten sider med bøker oppramsa (vel kva du vil) som pensum. Og viss eg får ein spørsmål på eksamen som ikkje har vore i mi bok, synd for meg...

Engelskmenn er også veldig glad i Quizar, og kvar onsdag er vi ein vennegjeng som møter opp på den vekelige quizkvelden. God stemning! Mandagar og fredager er eg å trenar med volleyballteamet og tirsdag og torsdag er det spinning og "fitness strenght". Også veldig forskjellig frå Noreg. Har du nokon gong klappa når du syklar på spinning sykkelen? Jauda, engelskmennene gjer det. Alltid kjekt å lære noko nytt. Onsdagane før quizen er det også kveldsmøte i kirka.

Som du ser, dagane er fulle. Helgene går til reising. Eg har vore i Trentham Gardens, Manchester og Stonehenge. Denne laurdagen skal eg til Peak district og gå i fem timar, og helga etter er Londontur booka. Etter det vert det nok meir avslapping og skule (trur eg!).

I dag har eg tatt det med ro og kosa meg med pensumboka på senga. Merka at eg sett pris på det også. Ikkje gå ut av rommet for å lese, men at eg faktisk kan ligge i senga å kose meg med pensum på morgonen. Deilig! (eg veit eg har blitt litt rar..)

Eg har fått mange gode vener som gjer at denne plassen er fantastisk å vere. Eg saknar tanteungane og melkesjokoladen, men elles går det bra :)

"Vi elsker fordi han elsket oss først."

(1.joh.4,19)

Sightsing: #2 - Stonehenge and Costwolds

2011-10-09T00:08:00.001+01:00

Go to my photoalbum to see the 4 pictures I liked the most.

Sightsing: #1 - Manchester

2011-10-01T20:51:00.002+01:00

10 friends and me went to Manchester today. We left early and got back 12 hours after (20.00). We did this alot:

I figured it was best showing you the picture rather than my feets :P haha!

Lazy day in the sun

2011-09-30T18:32:00.001+01:00

Today it's been... relaxing. I can honestly say that I've done nothing. We've layed in the sun and played cards. A great day!

Here's me, Tim, Kalle and Johanna:

Jacob, Kalle and Tim

Caught in the Middle

2011-05-28T20:25:00.000+01:00

EIN PLASS MELLOM DET VARME OG KALDE. EIN PLASS MELLOM DET NYE OG GAMLE, EIN PLASS MELLOM KVEN EG ER OG KVEN EG VAR. EIN PLASS I MIDTEN, DER FINN DU MEG. EIN PLASS MELLOM DET RETTE OG GALE, EIN PLASS MELLOM DET VONDE OG DET GODE. EIN PLASS MELLOM DEN EG VAR OG DEN GUD HAR LAGA MEG TIL Å VERE. EIN PLASS MELLOM DER, DET ER DER DU FINN MEG. KOR LANGT KJEM EG, GUD, I MI OVERGIVING TIL DEG, UTAN Å SJØLV MISTE HEILT KONTROLLEN…

Songen til Casting Crowns kimar i høgtalarane mine. Somewhere in the middle, det er den kjensla eg har inne i meg. Ein plass i midten av noko. I midten av Guds plan, eller i midten av mitt eige sentrum med meg sjølv som hovudrolle. Songen får meg til å tenkje, tenkje på kvar i landskapet eg er. Og; Har eg Gud med på ferda? Eg kjenner at eg blir dratt i forskjellige retningar. Kor langt vil eg gå, eller har eg gått, for å ta kontrollen heilt sjølv, i staden for å gi den til Gud. Planlegg livet mitt frå A-Å, og veit korleis eg vil ha alt, og alt Gud prøva å gjer, er å velsigne livet mitt utifrå dei vala eg vel. Men av og til fungerar ikkje alt for meg. Eg vel feil. Av og til trur eg at du er sett i ein jobb, berre for ei lita stund, for du betyr noko der og då. Om ikkje for alle, så kanskje for nokon.

Det at eg ikkje klare å fullføre ei teneste, men kjem lett innpå ei ny, frustrerar meg. Er det eg som ikkje klarer å høyre Guds stemme, Guds vilje med mitt liv, eller er det berre at Gud vil ha meg på den plassen på det tidspunktet? Har Gud vanskelig for å bestemme seg? Eller skal eg leve midt i ”unfinished deeds”. Litt her og litt der… Eg vil leve livet mitt i ferdiglaga gjerningar. Er det ikkje dette forkynnarar prøva å legge fram i nokon av andaktene sine? ”Eg går i ferdiglaga gjerningar”. Eg vil vere ein del av dei som gjer det. Klart, eg er velsigna på mange måtar. Eg har fått mange vennar, og fått mange nye kjente. Eg har fått utfordringar, nokon eg har meistra, og andre ikkje fult så godt. Strevar vi etter det perfekte? Kvar blir det av dei ferdiglaga gjerningane som eg vart lova?

Klare eg å forandre mine drømmar etter Gud sine planar? Ting blir ikkje som eg tenker, kan eg leve midt opp i det? Klare eg å gi livet mitt heilt og fult for Herren, og stole på at Han er der, at Han velsignar og omsluttar meg? At Han berre har fredstankar for meg, og ikkje tankar til ulukke. Han vil gi meg framtid og von. Det er det som er så utruleg vanskeleg å forstå når du er midt opp i ein vanskelig situasjon. Kva var meininga med dette Gud? Meininga med å sette meg ein plass i midten, der eg ikkje veit heilt kven eg er, og kven eg må sette min lit til. Ein plass mellom hjarte og gjerningar. ”Somewhere between the altar and the door”. Kva skal eg velje? Skal eg velje å kvile i nåden, eller det materialistiske valet; Å konstant ønske seg meir? Kva vil gi meg fred i hjarte?

Valet burde vere enkelt. Gud er ikkje noko eg vel han er, Gud ER og vil ALLTID vere. Gud vil vi skal ofre livet vårt for Han. Gi vekk draumane våra, for ei endå betre velsigning. At Gud har full kontroll over livet våra. Vi kan ikkje styre Gud, og bestemme korleis Han skal vere. Akkurat slik vi prøva å pakke inn evangeliet til tider; ”Joda, du kjem sikkert til himmelen du som er så snill og grei.” Kvifor fortel vi ikkje sanninga? Vi kan ikkje styre korleis ting skal vere, eller korleis ting skal ende, og det er kanskje derfor eg er fanga i midten. For eg vil, eg har ønskjer, draumar og lyster.

Men det så er så fantastisk er, at sjølv om eg er fanga i midten av kva som er rett og gale, kva som hjarte ønska og kva andre ønska, så elska Gud meg for den eg er. Han står der støtt ved mi side, med ein uforståelig kjærleik. Han vil uansett elske meg, for den eg er, ikkje for kva eg gjer, eller kva eg har gjort, men han elska meg for den eg er. For ein kjærleik Gud vise oss!

Gud har ein vanvittig omsorg for oss menneske, og ønskar alt det beste for oss. Det er ein grunn til at eg er her, og det er ein grunn for at ting skjer slik dei gjer. Gud har allereie vore her på denne dag og sett kva som er skjedd, og kva han kan gjer i desse situasjonane for å få meg nærmare Han. Og eg merkar til meir eg klarar å fokusere på Gud, til meir kjærleik får eg til å gi andre, og vise andre. Til meir tid eg brukar med Bibelen, til meir kraft får eg. Til meir kvalitetstid eg får med Gud, vil valet mitt bli enklare og enklare. Eg vil nærme meg meir og meir alteret i staden for døra. Kvar er du på veg?

inside my treasurebox

2011-05-10T23:23:00.002+01:00

It's time for change. My life inside this box. Either its a laptop or a mobilephone, I Seem to stuff my life inside these four walls. This box will be my treasurebox. A box full of memories I want to keep. I'm soon off to the state, and my question for you are if you want to follow my journey? What do you want to see? Or do you have questions about the trip?