Saturday, August 21, 2010
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!
Friday, August 13, 2010
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??
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??
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
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
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
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
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?!
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?!
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