Ever since the beginning of the summer, I have been reading a chapter a day through the old testament (or at least trying to do something close to that...). It amazes me most days how much the Lord can speak through simply a chapter, simply a verse, and how often those verses hit me right where I am.
As I was sitting beside a beautiful lake on a warm Sunday afternoon, got struck me with a new concept to an old idea. Love. It's the theme of our bcm this year, and when it boils down it's really the theme of Christianity. When asked what the greatest commandment is, Jesus replied to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind... And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself." --Matthew 22:37-38.
It's a commandment we all have heard, but I stumbled across this verse about love in 1st Timothy:
"Love... comes from a pure heart and a good conscious and a sincere faith." -1st Tim 1:5
These next words come unedited to you from the depths of my journal... a truthful, but often brutal place to be:
Love is based out of these things and therefor I cannot love until I have these in check. The greatest commandment is to love, but how? A pure heart. That is a daily process of renewing.... a daily, moment by moment choice. A good conscious comes only when you know yourself to be right with those around you, but more importantly right with the Lord. And that is a result only of a sincere faith. Love requires sincere faith... that's the truest thing I've heard all day. There are a lot of times I cannot love except for faith and faith cannot be faked. The beauty of the Lord is he knows the sincerity of your heart and your actions. Faking that sincerity is denying Him that love he more than deserves. Denying Him love in turn breaks His greatest commandment, His greatest and most humbled request to us. Breaking this commandment shatters the commandment to follow it-- how can I sincerely love others if I cannot even love the Perfect, most holy one? So I've got to get myself in check-- we all do-- if we ever expect to love. How fortunate that we can be loved when we are incapable of loving on our own. That is the true grace of the Father.
as always, just a thought.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
joyful, joyful
"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." --1 Tess. 5:16
The last time the Lord put this verse on my heart, I was clinging to it as a daily reminder to continue to be strong and to give thanks to God, even in rough circumstances. This morning, as I stumbled upon it yet again, (stumbled, as if it were some sort of accident...) it is still of course a reminder but one viewed in a different light. Somehow this verse is so much easier to live out when everything in life is so beautiful. The other day as I was driving down beautiful roads on my way to visit some friends in Toccoa, listening to a friend of mine preach on a podcast, and smiling the entire drive on a buzz of good news and good friends, I could not help but acknowledge the fact that I have everything I could possibly need right now and that life seems to be taking a wonderful turn for so many people. Just as my precious friend Jeremy and I talked about that night, the Lord is so faithful to take us places we never imagined we could get to when we sincerely turn over our lives and our plans to him. Sure, there are things I would like to add to my current life, but the reality is that I fully believe God has the perfect plan and knows the perfect timing and to be honest, those extra desires are beginning to melt away. And that too is a beautiful thought.
It is worth mentioning, though, that I can't be proud to say that it's so much easier to be joyful, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances when everything is wonderful. Of course it's easier! But God doesn't put those conditions on it. The real test of faith is how honestly you can claim this verse in the valley, not on the mountain. And I am willing to admit that I'm not always the best at that. I have had more thirst for God's word, seen more of Him moving, and been more continually in conversation with Him in the past few days than I have been in a while. I'm grateful to finally feel out of the valley, but I wouldn't trade the things I learned there for anything.
A good friend called me yesterday to tell me wonderful stories of how God is working through his life. It was an unspeakably huge encouragement to me and I am daily so proud of the man of God I know him to be. God is using him left and right and it made me stop to assess myself. God is using me too, but in different ways. As of lately, he's using me the most to simply be an encouragement and to provide a picture of his loving hands to the people around me-- be it phone calls to a person who needs an ear, staying up all night with a sick friend, or just sharing His word with someone. Some of my favorite moments all week are walking through Romans with the girl I'm discipling. God teaches us both so much during that time and I love how she influences me as much, if not more, than I influence her. And while I wish these stories were more miraculous and epic, I wish that for my own selfish glorification. I want to be full of fantastic stories but is it because I want to see God's Kingdom moving or because I want to be visibly seen as a vessel for the Lord? A little of both, if we're being honest. Still, I know God's opportunities pass by me likely every day and I'm trying to make a conscious effort to look past my agenda and be open to God's. Elijah knew God to be in the tiny whispers, but in honesty I'm usually talking too loudly to hear those.
Be joyful always. Always, good or bad.
Pray continually. Every day may the very beating of my heart cry out God's glory.
Give thanks in all circumstances.
The last time the Lord put this verse on my heart, I was clinging to it as a daily reminder to continue to be strong and to give thanks to God, even in rough circumstances. This morning, as I stumbled upon it yet again, (stumbled, as if it were some sort of accident...) it is still of course a reminder but one viewed in a different light. Somehow this verse is so much easier to live out when everything in life is so beautiful. The other day as I was driving down beautiful roads on my way to visit some friends in Toccoa, listening to a friend of mine preach on a podcast, and smiling the entire drive on a buzz of good news and good friends, I could not help but acknowledge the fact that I have everything I could possibly need right now and that life seems to be taking a wonderful turn for so many people. Just as my precious friend Jeremy and I talked about that night, the Lord is so faithful to take us places we never imagined we could get to when we sincerely turn over our lives and our plans to him. Sure, there are things I would like to add to my current life, but the reality is that I fully believe God has the perfect plan and knows the perfect timing and to be honest, those extra desires are beginning to melt away. And that too is a beautiful thought.
It is worth mentioning, though, that I can't be proud to say that it's so much easier to be joyful, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances when everything is wonderful. Of course it's easier! But God doesn't put those conditions on it. The real test of faith is how honestly you can claim this verse in the valley, not on the mountain. And I am willing to admit that I'm not always the best at that. I have had more thirst for God's word, seen more of Him moving, and been more continually in conversation with Him in the past few days than I have been in a while. I'm grateful to finally feel out of the valley, but I wouldn't trade the things I learned there for anything.
A good friend called me yesterday to tell me wonderful stories of how God is working through his life. It was an unspeakably huge encouragement to me and I am daily so proud of the man of God I know him to be. God is using him left and right and it made me stop to assess myself. God is using me too, but in different ways. As of lately, he's using me the most to simply be an encouragement and to provide a picture of his loving hands to the people around me-- be it phone calls to a person who needs an ear, staying up all night with a sick friend, or just sharing His word with someone. Some of my favorite moments all week are walking through Romans with the girl I'm discipling. God teaches us both so much during that time and I love how she influences me as much, if not more, than I influence her. And while I wish these stories were more miraculous and epic, I wish that for my own selfish glorification. I want to be full of fantastic stories but is it because I want to see God's Kingdom moving or because I want to be visibly seen as a vessel for the Lord? A little of both, if we're being honest. Still, I know God's opportunities pass by me likely every day and I'm trying to make a conscious effort to look past my agenda and be open to God's. Elijah knew God to be in the tiny whispers, but in honesty I'm usually talking too loudly to hear those.
Be joyful always. Always, good or bad.
Pray continually. Every day may the very beating of my heart cry out God's glory.
Give thanks in all circumstances.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
retrospects on selflessness
Let's level. A week ago I wrote a blog post titled "Selflessness" and I guarantee nobody read it. I guarantee this mostly because I deleted it only a few hours after I wrote it on account of it being one of the most selfish things I think I've ever written.
It basically focused on how we are called to be selfless as Christians and how that isn't easy. I also told an ambiguous story about how I had made a selfless decision that night that the people involved would likely never know about. I told it in a way as to not draw glory or attention to myself, but let's be real. At the heart of the issue, I was simply bragging on my own selflessness. That's not selfless, it's prideful.
Selflessness in the past few months of my life has to me meant bottling up anything that mattered at all to me or was concerning me, for the sake of being there for others. But as I studied Romans 2 today with a precious friend, I was reminded that it isn't about the outward appearance of our faith, it's about the actual condition of our heart. Putting others first in hopes that someone will eventually notice (and that's the honest truth) is far from the actual calling God has placed on our lives. Stop preaching on your street corner, Laura, and serve others out of the actual willingness of your heart.
I've also realized lately once again what a blessing friendship is in life. I have this friend who I fully believe God has placed in my life for a reason. Our friendship looks a lot like our lunches-- you bring the pasta and I'll bring the sauce. Both of us are a far cry from perfect but I believe God uses us to encourage one another on a regular basis. We're walking through somewhat similar phases of life and it means a lot to have a friend who understands and can provide biblical insight when necessary. I count myself lucky to have great friends in life, and this speaks back to my picture of selflessness. Selflessness doesn't mean that I pretend I have the whole world together for the sake of helping my friends through their weaknesses. Selflessness does, however, mean that I am vulnerable enough to admit where I stand and simultaneously stand alongside the people in my life when God puts me in a position to do so. I love that about friendship-- it is a two sided concept, the age old idea of giving and taking. When everyone focuses on the giving, the world ends up a much happier place.
So I've been humbled on my narrow perspective of selfless behavior. I am a selfish individual, this much I know. But I thank God daily for being patient with me, for forgiving me when I am wrong, and for gently drawing me to my knees.
"Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?" --Romans 2:4
I'm leaving the blank post below as a reminder.
It basically focused on how we are called to be selfless as Christians and how that isn't easy. I also told an ambiguous story about how I had made a selfless decision that night that the people involved would likely never know about. I told it in a way as to not draw glory or attention to myself, but let's be real. At the heart of the issue, I was simply bragging on my own selflessness. That's not selfless, it's prideful.
Selflessness in the past few months of my life has to me meant bottling up anything that mattered at all to me or was concerning me, for the sake of being there for others. But as I studied Romans 2 today with a precious friend, I was reminded that it isn't about the outward appearance of our faith, it's about the actual condition of our heart. Putting others first in hopes that someone will eventually notice (and that's the honest truth) is far from the actual calling God has placed on our lives. Stop preaching on your street corner, Laura, and serve others out of the actual willingness of your heart.
I've also realized lately once again what a blessing friendship is in life. I have this friend who I fully believe God has placed in my life for a reason. Our friendship looks a lot like our lunches-- you bring the pasta and I'll bring the sauce. Both of us are a far cry from perfect but I believe God uses us to encourage one another on a regular basis. We're walking through somewhat similar phases of life and it means a lot to have a friend who understands and can provide biblical insight when necessary. I count myself lucky to have great friends in life, and this speaks back to my picture of selflessness. Selflessness doesn't mean that I pretend I have the whole world together for the sake of helping my friends through their weaknesses. Selflessness does, however, mean that I am vulnerable enough to admit where I stand and simultaneously stand alongside the people in my life when God puts me in a position to do so. I love that about friendship-- it is a two sided concept, the age old idea of giving and taking. When everyone focuses on the giving, the world ends up a much happier place.
So I've been humbled on my narrow perspective of selfless behavior. I am a selfish individual, this much I know. But I thank God daily for being patient with me, for forgiving me when I am wrong, and for gently drawing me to my knees.
"Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?" --Romans 2:4
I'm leaving the blank post below as a reminder.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
follow.
blogging... it's something I've been meaning to do for a while but there's simply too much going on, too much to say.
The Lord has been teaching me so very much in the past month or so and as I set out to write this, I'm not even sure which direction it will take or where it will end up. I journal every day but I blog very rarely, only when I feel the Lord impounding upon my heart that something I have learned could be of value to others. So I write to you, my pretend readers, in hopes that someone out there needed to hear this...
The sermon hit a lot of us right where we needed to be tonight at Gathering. This summer and into now, God has really given me an unquenchable passion for scripture and I love seeing passages be refreshed and meaningful over and over again. Tonight as we walked through the story of Jesus asking Peter if he truly loves Him, we landed in a very unexpected place. I taught kids each week about how Jesus tells Peter to feed his sheep and follow Him but I never really kept reading. Jesus promises Peter everything (because life with Jesus really is everything.) and Peter turns back to ask "but what about him?" in reference to another disciple. Jesus's response?
"...What is that to you? You must follow me."
We talked about this verse tonight in the context of envy but for me, I think it can apply in a multitude of directions. Why do we, as humans, get so bogged down and lose focus over other things when all we are called to do is faithfully follow? That's it... that's all it boils down to.
I'll be really blunt and honest, this summer the boy I loved cheated on me, dumped me, and broke my heart. Those were hard words to type and a harder reality to live. Again, I tell this story not for pity or for affirmation but only to make a point. I can honestly say I've never been so hurt or betrayed by anyone in my entire life. It takes a lot out of what you believe about yourself to go through something like this. I spent every day this summer teaching little girls about how they are fearfully and wonderfully made (ps. 139:14) and how God is enthralled by their beauty (ps. 45:11) and how we are made in the image of God, wholly and dearly loved. I know and believe all of these things to be true and fill my life with these truths daily and yet I can honestly not tell you the last time I looked in the mirror and believed I was truly beautiful. I could go on for hours about all the good things I know the Lord has planned for this because I know Jeremiah 29:11 to be the utmost truth... and I'm slowly beginning to see the bright sides to this situation. God has plans for everything and while I am fully confident in His love and His plans for me, I admit that it is still a daily struggle to not compare myself to other people or wonder if and where I fell short. It hurts me to think that this person never turns back to even question his decision. I'm not angry, only broken. Broken, but not hopeless. I know what is truth and I fill myself up with that daily, but still that is where Satan has me... and that is where we play back into tonight's scripture.
"...What is that to you? You must follow me."
What does that even matter? Why on Earth walk around making comparisons or being weighed down and burdened by this or by anything else really? This is my current example, but it can apply most anywhere. I'm literally praying for the day when this doesn't cross my mind, but healing takes time. However, in the grand scheme of life, what is that to me? I must follow Christ. Why worry about what's going on with other people in this capacity? Life is not a question of why some people are allotted certain blessings while others are put through struggles. God has something different for me than he has for you and than he has for the person across the room... we lose focus of our story and our journey with Christ. We try to follow formulas-- "well, this happened to her and it turned out this way." No. It's irrelevant because when it comes to our walks with the Lord, we don't need to worry about how He's handling the rest of the world. Do we not have faith that God is big enough to take care of all that correctly without my help? Did Peter really think that Jesus needed him to worry about how He handled other people? So then there's really no need to either focus on it or be jealous of it at all... easier said than done of course. Let other people's blessings be blessings and take your struggles for what they're worth-- hard lessons or plans to grow you closer to the Lord.
The Lord tells Paul in the book of 2nd Corinthians that "My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness."
and Paul's echoing response is "That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
My daily prayer is that that would be my echoing response also.
God's plans, much like Him, are big, they are mighty and they are mysterious. All we can do is take heart and follow. Put aside the other worries-- let blessings be blessing and stand firm on truth. I pray that we each take heart in knowing that all we have to do is follow.
that's just my thought. yours?
The Lord has been teaching me so very much in the past month or so and as I set out to write this, I'm not even sure which direction it will take or where it will end up. I journal every day but I blog very rarely, only when I feel the Lord impounding upon my heart that something I have learned could be of value to others. So I write to you, my pretend readers, in hopes that someone out there needed to hear this...
The sermon hit a lot of us right where we needed to be tonight at Gathering. This summer and into now, God has really given me an unquenchable passion for scripture and I love seeing passages be refreshed and meaningful over and over again. Tonight as we walked through the story of Jesus asking Peter if he truly loves Him, we landed in a very unexpected place. I taught kids each week about how Jesus tells Peter to feed his sheep and follow Him but I never really kept reading. Jesus promises Peter everything (because life with Jesus really is everything.) and Peter turns back to ask "but what about him?" in reference to another disciple. Jesus's response?
"...What is that to you? You must follow me."
We talked about this verse tonight in the context of envy but for me, I think it can apply in a multitude of directions. Why do we, as humans, get so bogged down and lose focus over other things when all we are called to do is faithfully follow? That's it... that's all it boils down to.
I'll be really blunt and honest, this summer the boy I loved cheated on me, dumped me, and broke my heart. Those were hard words to type and a harder reality to live. Again, I tell this story not for pity or for affirmation but only to make a point. I can honestly say I've never been so hurt or betrayed by anyone in my entire life. It takes a lot out of what you believe about yourself to go through something like this. I spent every day this summer teaching little girls about how they are fearfully and wonderfully made (ps. 139:14) and how God is enthralled by their beauty (ps. 45:11) and how we are made in the image of God, wholly and dearly loved. I know and believe all of these things to be true and fill my life with these truths daily and yet I can honestly not tell you the last time I looked in the mirror and believed I was truly beautiful. I could go on for hours about all the good things I know the Lord has planned for this because I know Jeremiah 29:11 to be the utmost truth... and I'm slowly beginning to see the bright sides to this situation. God has plans for everything and while I am fully confident in His love and His plans for me, I admit that it is still a daily struggle to not compare myself to other people or wonder if and where I fell short. It hurts me to think that this person never turns back to even question his decision. I'm not angry, only broken. Broken, but not hopeless. I know what is truth and I fill myself up with that daily, but still that is where Satan has me... and that is where we play back into tonight's scripture.
"...What is that to you? You must follow me."
What does that even matter? Why on Earth walk around making comparisons or being weighed down and burdened by this or by anything else really? This is my current example, but it can apply most anywhere. I'm literally praying for the day when this doesn't cross my mind, but healing takes time. However, in the grand scheme of life, what is that to me? I must follow Christ. Why worry about what's going on with other people in this capacity? Life is not a question of why some people are allotted certain blessings while others are put through struggles. God has something different for me than he has for you and than he has for the person across the room... we lose focus of our story and our journey with Christ. We try to follow formulas-- "well, this happened to her and it turned out this way." No. It's irrelevant because when it comes to our walks with the Lord, we don't need to worry about how He's handling the rest of the world. Do we not have faith that God is big enough to take care of all that correctly without my help? Did Peter really think that Jesus needed him to worry about how He handled other people? So then there's really no need to either focus on it or be jealous of it at all... easier said than done of course. Let other people's blessings be blessings and take your struggles for what they're worth-- hard lessons or plans to grow you closer to the Lord.
The Lord tells Paul in the book of 2nd Corinthians that "My grace is sufficient for you, my power is made perfect in weakness."
and Paul's echoing response is "That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
My daily prayer is that that would be my echoing response also.
God's plans, much like Him, are big, they are mighty and they are mysterious. All we can do is take heart and follow. Put aside the other worries-- let blessings be blessing and stand firm on truth. I pray that we each take heart in knowing that all we have to do is follow.
that's just my thought. yours?
Saturday, August 21, 2010
snapshots of love
Tonight our bcm discipleship team had it's first kickoff event for the year. We faced an awful lot of obstacles and used a lot of flexibility but overall pulled off a really successful event. The finale of it, a women's ministry "movie under the stars" ended up being a movie in the chapel but was still a lot of fun. It was a good thing we moved in because right towards the end of the movie, the heavens opened up and a monsoon began. Regardless, everything happened beautifully. ...Until everyone left.
Heidi and I were carrying the sound board back downstairs when we turned to see that the downstairs of our beloved uga bcm had all of a sudden become an indoor swimming pool. Seriously, there was a least and inch and a half of water rushing across the floor towards the stage (and the closet full of quite pricey sound equipment...)
I yelled frantically for Karen and the next hour was spent with the three of us plus Courtney literally sweeping and shoving water out the back door of the bcm. Of course the shop vac didn't work and it was beginning to seem like a futile effort. We called in Franklin and by God's grace Aubrey and Scott Murphy showed up and ended up helping. It took us forever to push the water out but luckily nothing was damaged... but it was the point around midnight when I was barefoot, dirty, soaked, and on my hands and knees wiping the nasty floor with towels that it hit me...
this is love.
It's our theme for the year... love. But what is love? Tonight, we saw love manifested in service. What in the world would persuade a bunch of college kids on a Friday night to be frantically trying to mop water out a door? What would drive us to stay there any longer after having literally been in the building 10 hours already? We pulled together quickly to fix the problem because we love our bcm.
But why? Why love an old, dirty building? Why put such effort into working there and devote so much time and passion to an organization led by a bunch of college students? We give and serve and do what we do not because we are bored or have tons of free time, but so that we can effectively love our students because Christ first loved us. We talked this Tuesday about how God loves us because He loves us because He loves us. He just does. And therefore we should just do also. And that love manifests itself in so many ways-- be it shuttling around freshman, stepping up to grill hamburgers last minute, giving up your free time to run sound, giving up sleep to play rec games all night after a long week of class, cleaning up a kitchen, playing frisbee with others, stacking chairs when it's not even your job, or sweeping water out the door at midnight... The beauty of that thought is that all of those are specific things that I have seen lived out by different people just today.
I'm overwhelmed by the magnitude of such giving love... we do our best to love efficiently as an outflowing of our hearts first because Christ loves us and second because he asked us to go forth and selflessly love others. And I love daily watching that play out. I think this is going to be a really cool year for us, not just as a ministry but also as individuals. When we open our hearts to love, it is amazing what the Lord will show us, even when we don't expect it.
Heidi and I were carrying the sound board back downstairs when we turned to see that the downstairs of our beloved uga bcm had all of a sudden become an indoor swimming pool. Seriously, there was a least and inch and a half of water rushing across the floor towards the stage (and the closet full of quite pricey sound equipment...)
I yelled frantically for Karen and the next hour was spent with the three of us plus Courtney literally sweeping and shoving water out the back door of the bcm. Of course the shop vac didn't work and it was beginning to seem like a futile effort. We called in Franklin and by God's grace Aubrey and Scott Murphy showed up and ended up helping. It took us forever to push the water out but luckily nothing was damaged... but it was the point around midnight when I was barefoot, dirty, soaked, and on my hands and knees wiping the nasty floor with towels that it hit me...
this is love.
It's our theme for the year... love. But what is love? Tonight, we saw love manifested in service. What in the world would persuade a bunch of college kids on a Friday night to be frantically trying to mop water out a door? What would drive us to stay there any longer after having literally been in the building 10 hours already? We pulled together quickly to fix the problem because we love our bcm.
But why? Why love an old, dirty building? Why put such effort into working there and devote so much time and passion to an organization led by a bunch of college students? We give and serve and do what we do not because we are bored or have tons of free time, but so that we can effectively love our students because Christ first loved us. We talked this Tuesday about how God loves us because He loves us because He loves us. He just does. And therefore we should just do also. And that love manifests itself in so many ways-- be it shuttling around freshman, stepping up to grill hamburgers last minute, giving up your free time to run sound, giving up sleep to play rec games all night after a long week of class, cleaning up a kitchen, playing frisbee with others, stacking chairs when it's not even your job, or sweeping water out the door at midnight... The beauty of that thought is that all of those are specific things that I have seen lived out by different people just today.
I'm overwhelmed by the magnitude of such giving love... we do our best to love efficiently as an outflowing of our hearts first because Christ loves us and second because he asked us to go forth and selflessly love others. And I love daily watching that play out. I think this is going to be a really cool year for us, not just as a ministry but also as individuals. When we open our hearts to love, it is amazing what the Lord will show us, even when we don't expect it.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." --psalm 34:18
This is the verse with which I started off the morning. Sometimes in our lives, unexpected things will get thrown our way that will cause us unpredicted amounts of difficulty and for me, last night was one of those things. (I'll take a second to say I count it an unfortunate coincidence that it was exactly one year from the night my life fell to pieces last year... funny how God's timing works ironically.) Regardless, I take the opportunity every single day of my life to tell kids that God has big plans for each of our lives and that we have to faithfully have confidence that he knows exactly what he is doing so much better than we ever will. If I quote Jeremiah 29:11 once a day, I quote it at least 23 times. Today more than ever I prayed that the Lord would reaffirm me in the truth of it all.
And you know what? Our God is always faithful to hear the cries of our heart.
I cannot say that I did not trip over a change of God's plans, but I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that my God never leaves me or forsakes me, that he has plans to prosper me and not to harm me, and that he works all things to the good of those who love him.
I was unexpectedly incredibly blessed by a new friend today. The chance to talk through theology and to taste and see that the Lord is good were boldly presented to me today. At the end of today, I can say that I have seen more of God in this day than I have in quite a while. (and that says something, seeing as I get to see kids come to the Lord on such a regular basis.)
Be reassured, friends, that God's timing is perfect in every single way. I can see that at work in my own life right now. God orchestrates the tiniest details of our lives and uses them to bring us peace and to shows his might, and my goodness do I know and see that at work. Thank the Lord that we do not serve a God who leaves us hanging, leaves us unsure of how He feels about us, or leaves us wondering if He is even hearing us. Our God is greater, stronger, and higher than all of that.
About a year ago this time, God revealed to me the verse I so frequently sign on the back of kids tshirts: psalm 37:23-24-- "If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.".
God has huge plans for each of our lives. I talked today with my friend about how the world cannot understand what an upbeat mood I'm in when my life is chaotic. The world doesn't understand why or how I'm doing what I'm doing and frankly, neither do I. However, the result comes from being found in Him. Being found in Christ, as a new creation. We never need anything more, and I sincerely believe that will every stitch of my heart.
This is the verse with which I started off the morning. Sometimes in our lives, unexpected things will get thrown our way that will cause us unpredicted amounts of difficulty and for me, last night was one of those things. (I'll take a second to say I count it an unfortunate coincidence that it was exactly one year from the night my life fell to pieces last year... funny how God's timing works ironically.) Regardless, I take the opportunity every single day of my life to tell kids that God has big plans for each of our lives and that we have to faithfully have confidence that he knows exactly what he is doing so much better than we ever will. If I quote Jeremiah 29:11 once a day, I quote it at least 23 times. Today more than ever I prayed that the Lord would reaffirm me in the truth of it all.
And you know what? Our God is always faithful to hear the cries of our heart.
I cannot say that I did not trip over a change of God's plans, but I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that my God never leaves me or forsakes me, that he has plans to prosper me and not to harm me, and that he works all things to the good of those who love him.
I was unexpectedly incredibly blessed by a new friend today. The chance to talk through theology and to taste and see that the Lord is good were boldly presented to me today. At the end of today, I can say that I have seen more of God in this day than I have in quite a while. (and that says something, seeing as I get to see kids come to the Lord on such a regular basis.)
Be reassured, friends, that God's timing is perfect in every single way. I can see that at work in my own life right now. God orchestrates the tiniest details of our lives and uses them to bring us peace and to shows his might, and my goodness do I know and see that at work. Thank the Lord that we do not serve a God who leaves us hanging, leaves us unsure of how He feels about us, or leaves us wondering if He is even hearing us. Our God is greater, stronger, and higher than all of that.
About a year ago this time, God revealed to me the verse I so frequently sign on the back of kids tshirts: psalm 37:23-24-- "If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.".
God has huge plans for each of our lives. I talked today with my friend about how the world cannot understand what an upbeat mood I'm in when my life is chaotic. The world doesn't understand why or how I'm doing what I'm doing and frankly, neither do I. However, the result comes from being found in Him. Being found in Christ, as a new creation. We never need anything more, and I sincerely believe that will every stitch of my heart.
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