Living for the days ahead!!

Whewwww.  I'm finally updating this thing :)

So so so much has happened since my last blog. God is truly indescribable...the most beautiful thing to me about Him is that each time I mess up, sin, say something wrong, feel weird, whatever it is-whenever I feel the farthest away from Him and see the huge difference there is between me and Him-THAT'S when He wants me to run to Him - He had His glorious Son come down to earth, live, sweat, bleed, cry, die and RISE AGAIN IN VICTORY so I could run to Him and be washed in His unending, faithful love, grace, and, mercy.  When I feel the least worthy-that's when He truly shows me that HE makes me worthy.  Jesus defends me.  He is my Rescuer, Delight, Restorer, Cleanser - My Life and EVERYTHING - and His Spirit lives in Me...His grace truly is joyfully enough..it leads to repentance. It just amazes me that He is truly our Life and in everything we think, say, do, experience..He is soo deeply, spiritually, and intimately ALIVE.  In all that goes on in us and around we can be in tune with His Spirit and His Truth!  He gives us desires and delights so we can find pleasure in Him and in seeking Him with our hearts, minds, and souls in every aspect of our lives.  He has something so much more in store for us..in this life and in the ONE TO COME.  He is soo deeply, magnificently, spiritually intense, but then again He is so simply beautiful and real..It's truly mindboggling.  I have come to find that Jesus loves teaching us through highs and lows and in-betweens.  Spiritual warfare is a real thing and it can get challenging.  BUT the Lord is truly the victor and nothing happens without His approval and knowing.  He is our comfort and our powerful strength. He is MIGHTIEST, and that's the most reassuring thing that could ever be true!!  So, I truly cannot stand when shame and guilt overcome me.  When this happens it means that I have done something horribly wrong and that I let my flesh get in the way and that I am letting the devil have a field day with me and my emotions.  But, as I stated earlier, thats when Jesus brings me to His cross and shows me mine.  Everyday in my quiet times Jesus challenges me, convicts me, and most of all encourages me.  I believe with my whole heart that God is having me go through the John and David Beth Moore bible studies for such a specific reason...they are ALWAYS exactly what I need to hear from Him.  He shows me what I need to watch out for, what my tendencies are, and He brings me into His jubilant presence to CELEBRATE what His life and love really are!! Today, in David we learned about when David displayed Christ to Mephiboseth in 2 Samuel.  Beth points out that David displayed God's loving kindness, that he initiated the relationship, he displayed God's calming spirit, and that he delighted in restoration. In all of these things God is revealing Himself through the person of David - the man after God's own heart.  David exemplifies Christ in these beautiful areas, and Mephibosheth exemplifies us.  Beth explains that before Christ rescued us and brought us to the arms of our Father, we too were crippled and unworthy, but because God shows us His kind mercy and initiates a relationship with us through salvation, and calms us down..we are worthy and totally loved in His eyes.  At the end of the study Beth points out that one day we will be seated at the ultimate wedding feast, and thinking about that today has just been beyond incredible.  Because when you think about how excited you get when you get to have dinner with friends and celebrate something really exciting..no matter what NOTHING compares to this celebration feast!!! We will be the bride of our heavenly groom!!! We will get to be basking in His presence FACE TO FACE!!  "We will leap and skip with ecstatic joy!"  He is our "shame destroyer" and "the lover of the lame".   My most favorite quote from the study is this:  "I would never have learned to walk with God on healthy feet had I never experienced sitting at His table as a cripple.  My emotional and spiritual healing has come from approaching God in my handicapped state and believing I was His child and worthy of His love."  1 John 3:1.  The John bible study really hit home with me today also.  The reading was Rev. 21:9-21.  Remarkable. The Three in One, through Beth, focused on how John saw his own name written on Jerusalem's foundations.  Beth goes on to talk about how John probably never grasped the hugeness of what he and the 12 disciples were apart of, and that they got down on themselves and got overwhelmed just like we do.  She says, "Every day I deal with a measure of low self-esteem in ministry. I never feel up to the task.  Never smart enough.  Never strong enough.  Never prayed up enough.  Never prepared enough.  Do you feel the same way?  Then perhaps you also feel the same flood of emotions when this truth washes over you: God loves us.  He prepares an inconceivable place for those who receive His love.  He highly esteems those how choose to believe His call over the paralyzing screams of their own insecurities.  No, our names won't be written on the foundations of the New Jerusalem, but they are engraved on the palms of His hands."  Wow, wow, wowwww! Aghhh I completely identify with this - He is so beautiful- I constantly and consistently fail, but HE constantly and consistently comes through and SAVES THE DAY.  I never feel "right" enough, but this also doesn't mean that I don't ever get too prideful, because I definitely swing from ones side to the other in a matter of minutes most days.  But the beautiful part is that on both sides, the palms of His hands override everything and make me clean and NEW!!

Laughter is the most precious gift Jesus gave us :)

"Ultimately, it is MY view of you that counts." - Jesus from "Jesus Calling" - He has to get this in my mind and heart every. single. day.

"Wait for the Lord.  Be strong and take heart and wait upon the LORD." Psalm 27:14  He has the most perfect timing - maybe because He created it! and everything!!!  ahh He is just so cool!!

Never forget that "His banner of you is love"  Live in the "shadow of His wings" :D

Jesus loves you more than you can fathom or imagine!!!

Oh Christ, Be the Center of Our Lives!

Everything was made in and for JESUS! The song, "Center," by Charlie Hall, is such a phenomenal song...it should be the cry of all of our heart's and soul's!  So, HI! Lol.  Again, it has been a while since I have posted, and WOW has God been at work.  I have been going through "David - 90 Days With a Heart Like His" by Beth Moore, and "John- 90 Days With the Beloved Disciple".  OH MY GOODNESS - Jesus definitely could not have picked a better time to put these two Bible Studies in my life...He never ceases to astound me - He continually fulfills my hearts deepest desire with Himselg and answers the fears, sins, doubts, delight, and questions of my heart in each of these bible studies, the devotions that I'm reading, and just every day things that He does.  Through these two bible studies the LORD is showing me sins I KNOW that I need to watch out for and be ready for my flesh to crave, and also be ready for the devil to throw them at me.  God is showing and teaching me the tendencies I have in people pleasing and being self focused that I need to watch out for through Saul and the way to overcome and have confidence in my POWERFUL GOD, point consistently to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, soak up Jesus - The Son every blissful second I get to have with Him (which is all the time haha), and let my weakness be His perfect strength through David.  He is also showing me how to live IN His Divine Love and Fruit through John.  The Holy Spirit has pointed out so many treasures about Jesus and John through Beth Moore, to me.  Through the Bible Study He has spoken through her to me and countless ways about the EXCITEMENT and JOY and TRUTH that God gives us through JESUS!!! Ahhh, there is no way to explain the indescribableness of Christ, but He sure does a great job of revealing Himself through His Word and the words He gives her. I strongly, strongly recommend these two Bible studies to every girl!  John is just so deep, intimate, and powerful because John had/has such a unique relationship with Jesus.  He saw Jesus in His glory, He stuck with Jesus at the cross, He had to go through a huge time of waiting - and He used that time to grow and be deeply rooted in the LOVE that God has for us through Christ Jesus, and because He used that time to drink deeply from the Vine, the Holy Spirit used Him to transfer deep, deep Divine Truths to us - and deliver the message of the biggest Revelation of history. Today, I just started the prayer journal that I Am Second has on its website with is curriculum and I really like it because it has you focus on growing with your Savior and LISTENING to Him, by following how He taught us to pray so we could emulate the relationship He had with the Father.  I definitely need to always be letting Jesus change me and decrease me, and I need to work in listening, and letting His sweet Holy Spirit open the ears of me to hear what He has in store so I will fully obey Him. God is awesome through the I Am Second ministry and my friends and I are constantly praying for Jesus to continue to save and grow others through the powerful message it proclaims! Please pray for the I Am Second ministry here at OSU...God has great things in store.  I just want His Kingdom and Name to be proclaimed and manifested through everything we think, say, and do as a ministry! He is FIRST and our CONSUMING FIRE!


Hebrews 12, Philippians 3, 1 and 2 Samuel, John :)

Love Love Love - oh how He loves us so.

Be amazed, and be changed by a Perfect GOD!

WELL, it has been quite a while since I have had time to update my blog, but WOW has God been at work.  Since Thursday of last week He has allowed a beautiful wedding that honored Jesus in so many ways, my next door neighbor and I's I Am Second Block Party, an inspiring and much needed church service with Jesus, catching up with best friends from the LORD, a party celebrating what He did, taught, is doing, and is teaching on the mission trip to Costa Rica, sweet goodbyes and prayers, awesome moving in moments with best friends, roommates, family, and Jesus - to happen.  And of course, great quiet times in the presence of our King and Savior and a lot of revelations about my sin and depravity and neeeeed for Him have happened also.  Just when I think I've learned my lesson from Jesus and truly repented my sickness of self roars up again...But oh, is Jesus merciful or what??? His grace and love and TRUTH are astounding.  Because God is JUST, Jesus and His CROSS are the only thing that bridge the gap to His love. Wow wow wow wow wow.  Thank You!! He shows me time and time and time again that His way truly is perfect and that His timing, will, plan, and Kingdom truly will bring Him glory no matter what.  No.  Matter.  What.  Lol, I want to talk a little bit about each of these awesome events in messages to come.   But for now, praise our God from whom all blessings flow.  Let everything that has breath praise the LORD Psalm 150:6  Jesus loves you, please don't forget it. Thrive in that.  Let Him live through you!

Jesus is the Answer!!!

Hi!! Ahhh, today has been an inspiring day! I am so in awe with my Savior and what He is doing in the lives around me.  I am so small and HE IS ABLE!!

First, God showed me through the discipleship book, "Becoming a Woman of Faith," that the "heroes of the faith" are such REAL people.  They lived lives just like you and me, and they had weaknesses and struggles just like you and me.  BUT, they came to a crossroads where they had to decide to either live in fear or faith...they had to decide if their treasures were in earth or in heaven; and they decided on the Reward of Jesus!!! That's what made the difference. Man, oh man, that is just indescribable.  Jesus is indescribable.  He joyfully chose to save us.  It's so mind-boggling, and so so so exciting, comforting, and fulfilling.  Secondly, I got to eat with one of my best friends, Mary Kate, and we got to update each other on our summer's and what all God has taught us and done in them, and the awesome thing is that Jesus taught us SO MUCH of the SAME stuff, but in such different ways.  We both agreed that Jesus has to break us to make us understand ourselves and Him more and that our sins and the devil are real, but that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are the BIGGEST and the VICTORY goes to God in our lives.  He brings us to the point where we can't stand ourselves any longer so we will just fully, completely, wholly rely on HIM as our True Love, so that others can see Him, worship Him, and be changed by Him!!! He does this so we will have passion and satisfaction in Him, in doing service with Him to let His name be lifted high, so that our lives are purposeful in Him alone.  Gosh, He just really blew my mind away through the life of my friend today, because He has put the desire in her heart to want something more than the ordinary, to want something more than just being comfortable.  He has placed in her a desire to leave a legacy of His Name and to do something for Him in a radical, intentional way.  It makes me ecstatic that He is putting this delight of serving Him and living attached to Him in the hearts of His Saints.  Lastly, two of my other best friends, Alex and Mariel, and I watched Father of the Bride Two and To Save a Life.  Father of the Bride Two brought so much happiness and laughter...I am so thankful for laughter.  We thought of watching To Save a Life because a girl named Kristen from our school recommended everyone should see it, on Fb, haha! It was truly a fantastic movie.  It was so real and showed the power of God, depravity and loneliness of humanity, and the Saving Grace that only He offers in such a moving way.  It makes you think and talk about the deeper meaning of life and really want to reach out and let God use you for His glory.

Jesus is real and alive and mighty to save - just like the song says!! He is what we all NEEED and truly WANT.  Have a blessed blast of a weekend! What is a way that God has used someone in your life, or what is a way that God can use you in other's lives??

God's Friendship

Wow, so...the Lord told me something today that really ministered to me.  He told me that sharing what He is teaching me and changing in me is not about if or when I want to share it, the excitement I get from it, or the closer I feel to Him because of it...nothing I do makes me closer to Him..His cross, grace, mercy, and resurrection are my Lifeline to Him and nothing changes that..so sharing His Good News HAS to be completely and totally me following Him and me letting the Holy Spirit do it's indescribable thing!! It's about His name being proclaimed and lifted high so that He will draw men to Himself (Bible)!! It's not, it CAN'T be about me...how can I make something so about Jesus and His Kingdom and His power about myself and me world??? He is the highest, greatest, and strongest-LORD of all!!  God is showing me that I have to be willing to look weak in front of other people so that His grace proves it's sufficiency and that His power is made perfect, and that He can take me where He wants me and make me who He wants me to be (Beth Moore -Crossing Our River of Fear)!

Today,  in the devotion, "Dear Jesus" by Sarah Young, Jesus proclaims that He triumphed our performance anxiety and Satan through His finished work on the cross and that His "Brilliant Light" will dispel the performance anxiety we hold in us that we don't even know we live with.  Performance anxiety is so built in us that we think it is normal to live with this feeling of failure and inadequacy constantly, but if we lift our eyes to Jesus we can see more clearly His "smile of approval" and unfailing love that cloaks us!  The first line in the devotion, "Jesus Lives," also by Sarah Young, reads, "The ultimate protection against sinking during life's storms is developing your friendship with Me".  Wow!! I think that is just simply beautiful.  Because right before I read that while I was talking with Jesus He had me really appreciate and understand the blessing of just getting to grow in my relationship with Him by being in His Magnificent Presence-He continues to surprise me with His delight and peace.  In the Bible Study, "John: The Beloved Disciple" by Beth Moore, yesterday and today God really brought to life just how close Jesus and John were (are), and just how powerful, strong, inspiring, loving, enduring (and the list goes on and on) Jesus truly was.  John chose to stick by Jesus through every awesome miracle and the lowest, ugliest thing the world has ever seen.  John leaned on Jesus at the passover meal and then kneeled at the cross with the three Mary's and watched Him suffer.  Also, it says in the John 19 that there was a garden in the place where Jesus was crucified.  Beth Moore talks about how our emotions "swing wildly" when we have to suffer loss, just like John and Mary's were doing that day.  But the two pictures of death and birth being side by side show that, "When death of some kind comes and we are willing to take it to the cross, to remain nearby, and to suffer its grief, we will also experience resurrection".....Woahhhhh, soo beyond true and cool, while I was reading God's Word today I just had to sit back and tell God how cool He really is! I mean it's just incredible how He uses things that seem to have no answer and look like they could not be any more hopeless to bring answers, blessings, and glory to His name in His own precious, perfect timing.  He doesn't let suffering happen for no reason...In Jesus: The One and Only the fact that we are not able to understand God sometimes, but that He is working all things out and He is faithful- that is the awesome hope we have to hold on to.  Beth also talks about how she wants to be known for being all about God and nothing else.  Oh, that is how Jesus was, and that's how I want to be too...Lord, please keep humbling me and bringing my ugly sin to my notice so that I can grow in my faith and knowledge and intimacy of and with You, so I will walk in your grace and mercy and that Your Name alone will be lifted high and Your Light will shine into the hearts of everyone and Your Holy Spirit will lead us to your cross, throne, and heart! To be all about Jesus and Your Saving Grace!

Jesus loves you!! Ephesians 3:14-21

First Post! :)

Hi!! So this is my first post...I'm really excited about this blog because I always feel overwhelmed with needing to tell someone about what Jesus taught me in my quiet time that day, so today He and I decided to make a blog so this could be one way to share that, and whatever else comes up in life with Him, and just awesome, fun stuff that happens with me and my peeps! :))

Don't worry I wont post EVERY day and EVERY detail that God and I share together, just a few things that He lays on my heart to share that He teaches me throughout the days, because really, He has to teach me most things over and over again, because I tend to be a silly, sinful human...But that makes His grace and love that much more praiseworthy and astounding, right!?! Thank You, Jesus! :D

Today, a verse that stuck out to me was: "Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD will be kept safe." Provers 29:25.  Now, this hit my heart because I find myself fearing man and what he thinks of me, and if I were to put my fear and trust ONLY in the LORD my life would be so much more peaceful and humble.  God is the most humble being and it truly amazes me; oh I wish I was more like Him and less like myself!  In Beth Moore's Bible Study, Jesus: The One and Only, Christ's PERFECTNESS was pictured today.  Luke 2:52 describes how perfectly human and God Jesus truly was while on earth.  One of my favorite quotes was, "In today's terms, He was a man who could preach an anointed sermon, then change a flat tire on the way home from church."  (Beth Moore)  I looove learning that God and Jesus' relationship while He was on earth was a growing relationship that delighted both of them to the max!  Jesus embodied the perfect spiritual and practical wisdom that we all desire.  It's so incredibly cool that we get to be cleansed and filled in the presence of our Savior and King!!  One last thing; I found that I really like Gideon in the book of Judges.  He reminds me of myself because he says that he is the youngest in the weakest clan, he has to ask God for several signs to make sure He is real and that he is following the way He wants him to go, and not until he overhears another person interpreting a dream does he fully grasp that God knows what He's doing...and then he praises Him.  The great thing is that God is completely and totally the same and is Mighty and in control the whole time....His patience with Gideon, me, and humans in general truly amazes me and gives me so much hope and courage to know that He will always be with us and using His Holy Spirit to lead us to Himself!!

Any praises or prayer requests that we can offer to our Extravagant Love today?!