Recent Ponderings I've Had

I've been thinking a bit about future hubby. I mean, are all my expectations for him realistic, or even fair? I've always had it in my head that the guy Yahveh chooses for me will come from a family with the same beliefs I have. But isn't that what we all want? Won't he have this same expectation as well? If he does, then that sort of complicates things.

Why do I say this? Only because the rest of my family does not have the same beliefs and convictions I have.

My dad likes to say that when you marry someone, you marry their family as well. I think that's very true. If I am to marry a Torah-observant believer with conservative beliefs, it's only natural that I'd want his family to share the same beliefs. But here's where I started to think. My parents do not understand my beliefs regarding many biblical subjects, therefore we are divided on most everything. So is it right for me to want to marry into a Torah-observant family when my own family does not fall into the same category?

Ultimately, what really matters is the husband's beliefs, but wouldn't it be so much easier to have the full support of his like-minded family?

I know Yahveh has the pen of my love story and it is up to Him to decide. Only He can fully answer my questions and worries. Until that time comes, I'll continue to rely on Him for my peace and joy.

But so many times, I find myself crying out to Yah, begging Him to send me my husband soon because I can't do this all on my own. It's hard enough being the only family you know striving for the narrow path. Now imagine being the only person in your family with different beliefs! I don't want to throw myself a pity party, but it can get lonely and frustrating at times. That's why I'm often accused of "obsessing over my future husband when I'm still way too young" (these are my father's words by the way). I mean, you can't really blame me! Standing alone is not easy, and it's only natural that I'd long for a like-minded companion. It's so easy to get discouraged, but I will not let myself go back. Once your eyes are open to the truth, returning to a state of ignorance is unthinkable. Yahveh has blessed me tremendously, and for that, I am forever grateful.

So, there you have it dear readers, I've let you glimse into my heart's ponderings. What do you think?

Shabbat is Almost Here!

"If you hold back your foot on Shabbat

from pursuing your own interests on my holy day;

if you call Shabbat a delight,

YHVH's holy day, worth honoring;

then honor it by not doing your usual things

or pursuing your interests or speaking about them.

If you do, you will find delight in YHVH-

I will make you ride on the heights of the land

and feed you with the heritage of your ancestor Ya'akov,

for the mouth of YHVH has spoken"

~Isaiah 58:13-14

.

Boy, do I love YHVH's Sabbath!

.

The morning before Shabbat is usually the busiest for me and occasionally, I don't finish everything before sunset. However, as each Sabbath came and went, I realized I needed to develop a better system. So nowadays, I begin to prepare as early as Wednesday. That way, I'm not a racing against the sun.

.

Because neither of my parents are Torah-observant, it can get a bit complicated, especially on Friday evening. Traditionally, Shabbat begins with a big feast on the evening of. This involves the whole family coming together to say a special blessing. It's a beautiful event and one that I look forward to establishing within my own (future) family someday.

.

Saturday, which is the 7th day Sabbath YHVH ordained since the beginning of time, is a day set-apart for the purpose of rest and holy convocation. As of now, I have yet to find a like-minded believer with which to fellowship in person. But I do praise Yah for the wonderful online fellowship I am able to enjoy.

.

Apart from fellowship, I use the Sabbath as a time for reading the Scriptures and listening to audio teachings. That's not to say I don't do this throughout the week because I do, just not so in depth.

.

As I continue to read and learn, I discover more ways to honor the Sabbath. Right now I'm at the beginning stages of this wonderful new walk with Yah. While it is true that truth divides, as has been the case with my own family, I am not without joy and peace. Yah has graciously looked after my every need and never once has left me alone.

.

Well, it's nearly 3 PM and I still have a few more things to do before YHVH's day, so I'll leave off right here.

.

Shabbat Shalom!

Woman of Valor

As I was browsing through a social networking site I'm a member of, I found this beautiful picture depicting the virtuous woman found in Proverbs 31. Right when I saw it, I knew I just had to share it with my readers. It would be lovely to have it framed and put up somewhere in my room.

If you click on the picture to make it larger, you'll see that each little image shows the woman doing everything described in this particular Scripture passage.

Isn't that beautiful?

May we all strive to be like the Proverbs 31 woman!

Loveliness is deceptive And prettiness is vain, A woman who fear YHVH is to be praised.

~Proverbs 31:30

A Tag

Thank you so much sweet Shani for tagging me! I love tags and had actually been hoping someone would tag me soon ;>)

Here's my chance to share a bit more about me with my readers...

1.) I've always had a special interest in the Middle Eastern culture, particularly their practice of arranged marriage. In fact, most of the friends I've had over the years have been of that nationality. A Muslim friend I occasionally keep in touch with had her marriage arranged at 17 while she and I were still in highschool together (I still remember when she announced her engagement to me on the bus!). Unfortunately, I couldn't make it to her wedding :(

2.) I have a dad who constantly bugs me about finding fellowship with like-minded believers here where I live. So if you are a Torah observant follower of Yahshua, or even someone with similar views, and you live in central Texas, I would love to meet you!

3.) Whenever I meet an equally quiet person, I'm usually the first to initiate and lead the conversation. It's like I'm finally given the chance to speak! Too many times, extroverts forget they have a living, breathing human being in front of them with thoughts and opinions of their own. Always having to be the listener is not the most fun!

4.) I love waking up early and have recently developed a habit of getting up at around 6:30 AM, even when I don't have to go anywhere that day. My favorite way to spend the early morning is by praying and reading the Word. There's usually no one up at that time, so I can really concentrate on the time I'm spending with Yahweh. Or, on really rare occasions, I might get up early to bake bread or some other yummy treat. It's just a nice habit to have, especially when it comes to married life because you can get lots of things done before your children or husband get up.

5.) I really dislike driving. It scares me so much! I think I wouldn't be so terrified had I not gotten myself into two accidents this past month. If Yahweh ever blesses me with a husband, he'll be the one doing all the driving.

6.) I am a people pleaser by nature. As a result, I find it extremely difficult to say no to anyone. Even if the task they ask me to do sounds unfair or unreasonable, I still agree to do it. I seem to have an intense fear of offending anyone...maybe I'm not the only one?

7.) I rejoice inwardly whenever I spot a woman wearing a long skirt or a headcovering. It's good to know I'm not the only crazy "extremist" out there who dares to go against the accepted norm. It's funny, but usually I spot these women at Wal-Mart.

Okay, so here are the rules if I tag you...

1. Copy the award into a blog post.
   
2. Thank the person who gave you the award.


3. Tell seven things about yourself that your readers don't yet know.


4. Declare seven bloggers as the new recipients.


5. Notify the winners with comments on their blogs.

I'd love to tag:

• Rachel
• Raquel
• Andrea
• Jade
• Katie
• Cora Beth
• Yah Kheena

Yahweh's Health Principles

As my study of Torah continues to grow, I discover many beautiful and profound truths that were previously unknown to me. One of these truths in the Father's wisdom in His instructions on living. Do you realize that every single command has a reason and a purpose that seeks to bring us good?

"How happy are those who observe his instruction, who seek him wholeheartedly!"

~Psalms 119:2

.

I'd like to explore the dietary laws in this post and show how science has confirmed our Heavenly Father's wisdom.

.

Leviticus 11 is where Yahweh defines what he considers to be food. Anything outside of this is considered inedible. Nowhere in the rest of Scripture do we read about these laws being nullifed. You see, prior to my understanding all this, I believed that when Yahshua or his apostles spoke on the subject of food, particularly meat, they were referring to all meat, even the unclean and abominable. But what I failed to look at was the context. Once I took that into account, my eyes began to open and I realized that Yahshua could not have rebelled against Yahweh's Law because that would have made Him a false Messiah.

.

Today, we can use science to further confirm the Scriptures. In "What the Bible Says About Healthy Living" author Rex Russell writes, "God's laws work. The laws of science are consistent with the laws of Scripture. They are irrefutable."

.

Of all the animals that Yahweh considered inedible, most are classified as scavengers, that is, animals who feed off of dead and decaying matter. Did you know that shellfish, which the Bible does not consider to be food, "...can be placed in a body of water that is contaminated with cholera bacteria, and...purify the water (Russell, p. 157)?" Imagine ingesting all that toxicity! Would a loving Father not want to protect us from this?

.

We all know pork is not considered a clean meat in the Scriptures, so why eat it? Pigs are known to eat anything and everything. There's simply no stopping them. Due to the large amount of food going into their stomach, the passing of parasites and toxins going into their flesh is inevitable. And according to a statistic found in Russell's book, "...three of the six most common foodborne parasitic diseases of humans are associated with pork consumption."

.

There is a common misconception surrounding Yahweh's definition of food in the Christian church today. And believing that misconception can cost you your health. True freedom, as many suppose, is not the eating of unclean meat, nor is it the ability to work on the Sabbath. True freedom is the enjoyement of life through adherance to Yahweh's instructions, which seek to protect us from harm.

.

I rejoice in the way of your instruction more than in any kind of wealth.

~Psalms 119:14

.

May we seek to obey Yahweh with all our hearts, moving forward in the faith.

Why Lina?

You may be wondering what compelled me to change my name to Lina, the shortened version of Paulina. Actually, this change has to do a lot with the meaning behind the name. My name, Paulina, is the feminine form of the name Paul which means "small or little." However, I've always been a tall girl, so small doesn't quite fit my description.

On the other hand, the shortened form of my name, Lina, has several beautiful meanings. But the one that really caught my eye, and the one that made me want to change my name, was the Dutch meaning of Lina which is "pure."

When I first started out as a true follower of Yahshua [Jesus], I felt convicted to live a life of complete purity, both emotionally and physically. I knew that there was no greater gift I could give my future husband than the saving of all my "firsts." I also knew Yahweh commands a life of purity in His Word. We are told to be holy and set-apart for Him. I believe purity goes along with the concept of holiness.

In the Tanakh (OT), we read of several instances where Yahweh changed the name of some of His people. Avram became Avraham, Sarai became Sarah, and Jacob became Israel. The reason why Yahweh renamed a person was because their life or character was now going to be changed for His purpose. Before I woke up to a life of seeking Yahweh with all my heart, I cared nothing for the concept of purity. I thought it was extreme and radical. Amazingly, I graduated from school without ever having had to compromise my purity. While it is true I was pure even back then, it wasn't something I was proud of nor was it something I embraced. Today, my attitude is much different. I thank Yahweh for the privelage of being pure and set-apart for Him.

And that, dear readers and friends, is why I now prefer to be called Lina. No, I haven't rejected the name my parents gave me, I just feel Lina is very appropriate for this stage of my life. The change within my heart that came as a result of my relationship with Yahweh calls for a special reminder. That special reminder is my name - Lina - reminding me of the purity I've been led to uphold.

...set the believers an example in your speech, behavior, love, trust and purity.

~1 Timothy 4:12

On Being Introverted and Witnessing

I have always been introverted, now more so than then. But before I knew what the world even meant, I was convinced there was something seriously wrong with me. I wondered why the quietness of the library appealed to me more than the hustle and bustle of the school cafeteria. Or why the high school social scene complete with its parties held no appeal to me.

Why am I telling you this? Simply because being introverted affects every aspect of my life, including the spiritual. You see, it is extremely difficult for me to stand up for what I believe in when it comes to everyday encounters with people. I tend to live a quiet life, never seeking to bring attention to myself.

But here's my dilemna - am I truly being obedient to Yahweh if I'm not out witnessing to others? I'm pretty good at witnessing online, but actually speaking to someone face to face is a totally different story.

I am constantly being told by family members to be more aggresive and to be more active, but both of these things go directly against my calm introverted nature.

So really, the purpose of this post is to get some feedback on the topic of witnessing particularly as it regards women. Here are a few questions I've been pondering:

According to the Scriptures:

• Is it okay for a woman to go out alone as a missionary?
• What is the proper way to witness?
• Should our focus be on witnessing?
• Does it matter what medium we choose to witness through (online vs. in person)?
• Can personality hinder our ability to witness and if so, can we overcome it?

These are just a couple of questions that I've had on my mind. Of course, I do have my own thoughts on each one, but I really want to hear someone else's perspective as well.

Shabbat Shalom!