Stop and Say Thank You.

My best friend Liz and I bought the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan to read together in like January. We both started it, but unfortunately didn't finish it. I got about a 3rd of the way through when other things consumed my time and it then got used as a coaster for the rest of the stuff on my bedside table. When packing to come to Moldova I though "O hey I should definitely bring that and read it!" Well I brought it, but didn't get around to reading it again until about a month ago when someone from the states brought it up in a conversation and mentioned how it changed her life and her view on God's love for us. So curious on how this could be I found the book in my box of random stuff and started to read it again. I'm about half way through with it. A chapter that I have read more than twice is the first one. It talks about God's creation, and how crazy his love and power is to have thought up and created all the things that he has.

There are MORE than 350,000,000,000 galaxies that God created. A caterpillar has 228 separate and distinct muscles in its head. The average elm tree has approximately 6 million leaves on it. Your heart generates enough pressure as it pumps blood throughout your body that it could squirt blood up to 30 feet. When you get goose bumps the hair follicles are actually helping you stay warmer by trapping body heat.- These are some examples from the book that show just a little bit how huge our God is. He is bigger and more powerful than we can ever imagine.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world."-Psalm 19:1-4

Think of all the places in this world that God created. Exclude the pictures from your mind that include buildings or anything man made. Although man has been given many skills and talents and have used them to create many good things, I want to focus on the pure creation of God. Think of all the oceans, all the mountains, all the waterfalls, the rain forests, all the different types of plants, all the different fruits and vegetables that grow from the earth, think of the snow that covers the arctic in complete white, the desert that even though hot is still beautiful, and all the endless places and things God has created. This is His creation that we live on, and it is amazingly breath taking. When I went to Canada a few years ago we went hiking in Banff, and it was absolutely gorgeous. I couldn't help but stop, look, and think "only God could have created this". I don't always do this though. I think of all the places I've been able to go and see and how few times I stopped and thanked God for creating them.

WE have been given this earth by God, He created it for us. How often do we stop and thank God for it? Do ever take 2 seconds to stop and say, "God thank you"?

"In the beginning there was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were made by him, and nothing was made without him. In him there was life, and nothing was made without him. In him there was life, and that life was the light of all people. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overpowered it." John 1:1-5

"It is by faith we understand that the whole world was made by God's command so what we see was made by something that cannot be seen"-Hebrews 11:3

We are to worship God for what He has given us. To look it everything he has creating and given us, is a very humbling experience.

Psalm 8 talks about the Lord's greatness.

"I look at your heavens, which you made with your fingers. I see the moon and stars, which you created. But why are people even important to you? Why do you take care of human beings? You made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You put them in charge of everything you made. You put all things under their control:all the sheep, the cattle, and the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that lives under the water." Psalm 8:3-8

This passage asks the question to God, why are people even important to you? God has entrusted us with all of these things, including His great creation. Why would He put us in charge? Do you ever feel not good enough for this earth and for this creation? God is so mighty, why would he choose us?

We are ALSO God's creation. He not only created the heavens and the earth, but he created US!

"Then God said, 'Let us make human beings in our image and likeness. And let them rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the tame animals, over all the earth, and over all the small crawling animals on earth. So God created human beings in his image. In the image of God He created them."-Genesis 1:26-27

The God who we worship is not one who does things just because he has the power to. God has a reason for everything. He created you in HIS image. He has a purpose for your life. Just like he has a purpose for all his creation, He has a reason for having you in this creation.

You are a part of the creation.

God created you.

There is no one else like you.

It is very easy to get overwhelmed and thing that you aren't good enough for God and his creation. But have hope in God, because He has formed you, and He has formed you in His image.

I encourage you as you go throughout your day to look through different eyes. Look all around you at what God has created, and the fact that He has given it to us.

Stop and thank God today.

God put me here for a reason, and it is to serve. Moldova may not be the richest country, or the prettiest, but God is moving here and to me that is more beautiful than any mountain or river. I see God's love growing here, and that's how I know that this is where I am supposed to be.

This was the chapel that I presented this morning, I hope that the words that God gave me are a blessing and encouragement to you.

Much love and God Bless,

Bethany