Wednesday, November 30, 2011

power ballad

 

I love music. I love precious time spent worshipping just me and the piano. I love writing music, which I never seem to do anymore. And sometimes, when I read scripture, it’s juts so powerful, that I want it to be a power ballad! Because that is what God’s love is. A Power Ballad! :)
    makes me happy!

 

VERSE OF THE DAY:
”"Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength...they who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint."
Isaiah 40:28-31

Tuesday, November 29, 2011

perspective

We forget how important our time alone spent with Jesus is. We forget the important of being in His word daily, and of prayer. We lose perspective, way to quickly and way to easily. It is rather frustrating.

Tuesday are probably my favorite day of the week. I can guarantee, I will have great Jesus time in the mornings, and that I will be stretched.
  We need to remember that our strength is found in Christ. That our life is not our own. And that Jesus suffered more than we can even ever imagine.

                       It is a privelage to live and suffer for the sake of Christ.

VERSE OF THE DAY:
"Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—  that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead."

  Philippians 3:8-10

Monday, November 28, 2011

grateful during a storm

I find it amazing how in the midst of people and community, you can still feel lonely. This isn't the first time for me. I feel like it is a season I am currently in, and have been in. But I am also extremely grateful to God.
   For His grace, and His strength to keep me stable and pressing on.
For my community, and the one's who can tell when something is wrong and what it is without you even saying anything. For my brother's. For my sister's. For prayer and encouragement. For His word. For people who fight for you and with you. For the comfort of the Holy Spirit. For rest. For joygivers. For growth. For God's goodness and Holiness. That I am in fact, never actually alone.

I need people. and God has given me the right people, for this time in my life, to help me through whatever season of life I am in. He has answered my prayers. and I just love God.


VERSE OF THE DAY:
"For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Jesus

Matthew 11:30

Sunday, November 27, 2011

church family

I love church. and I love how much encouragement God gives me through being at church and the people there. and I love how God shows favor to His children and honor's their honesty even amidst discipline. and our sin.
   God is Awesome.



VERSE OF THE DAY:
"Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not resisted to the point of shedding your blood...My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives."
    Hebrews 12:3-6

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Jesus loves me this i know.

God always provides. and shows me that He is always with me and will never leave me, nor forsake me, and always comes through and does not delay.

He provides all of my needs. he provides side jobs to help financially, as well as emotionally! he provides people, who bring encouragement and joy even in a work day! he provides rest, when i just feel worn out in many ways. and food for when i am hungry. and those are just a few things.

I am just trying to remember Jesus. it's hard because of my selfishness. but i am trying.

VERSE OF THE DAY:
"O Lord, you have searched me and known me."
Psalm 139:1

Friday, November 25, 2011

selfish

I'm selfish. Plain and simple. Which is the root of so many things in my life...
       BUT...

God still loves me. More than I could ever even comprehend.



VERSE OF THE DAY:
"Such knowledge is to wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it."
  Psalm 139:6


P.S.
   Sometimes, I feel like my job is to just smile at people. and i really like this.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving

I love my family. I love spending time with them. This week has been kind of a rough one for me, mentally and emotionally and even spiritually. and even physically (my legs dont wanna work cuz they are sore from nike training! hah)
   I am completely blessed with an incredible, incredible family. and while yes, I am talking about my blood family. Father, Mother, Brother, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins...I am also talking about my spiritual family. I think that I forget often how blessed I am with the people God has placed in my life. The one's who challenge me, the one's who pray for me constantly, the one's who bring joy to my heart, the one's who make me laugh, the one's who always make me feel better, the one's i can just enjoy their company...

Family.


VERSE OF THE DAY:
"Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush Him. He has put him to grief. When his soul shall make an offering of guilt he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days. The will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand."

Isaiah 53:10

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Faithfulness

Even in our unfaithfulness, God is faithful! This I am thankful for! He does not change.



VERSE of the day:
"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases;
   his mercies never come to an end;
 they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.
  "The LORD is my portion," says my soul,
    "therefore I will hope in him."

Lamentations 3:22-24

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

i need God.

I need God. desperately, always...and forever...
    and all i want to do is cry. for joy. for gratitude. for my own shame and disheartening. for my doubt. for my fears.
I need God. desperately, always....forever....
I am in dire need of my Savior. My God. My Father. My Truth Giver. My Comforter. My Disciplinarian. My Lover. My Grace Giver. My Healer. My Fortress. My Provider. My Jesus...



"You keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD GOD is an everlasting rock."
  Isaiah 26:3-4


Keep my mind stayed on YOU.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Jehovah Jireh.

Today was an interesting, draining day.
  I guess you could say that recently I've had little doubts of God's Provision, and have been thinking about it more often in the last couple of days. You would think I would have learned this, since a huge part of my testimony is how God consistently has provided for me. But a part of God's Provision, is not always financial....although it plays a huge part of it in my life...
   my car needed new tires, so i went in and got new tires put on, in the midst of that they found 3 other problems....and overall, it is God's provision that i spent all afternoon at the tire shop and that they kept finding these problems, becasue if not, it is very likely that a very bad accident could have happened in the near future, which would only make things worse.
   God is always providing for us. in every way possible. He knows exactly what we need, when we need it.  Jehovah Jireh.
  But i am learning, that we need to be responsible, with the provision God provides and roles he places us in. We can't just wait expectantly, but we need to be active and be good stewards of what's been given us. (Parable of the Talents)


Also, i don't have truth spoken to me enough. and tonight, apparantly I needed it, unexpectantly. And I appreciate that.

God's Provision. one thing that always make me love God so much more. because I cannot provide for myself in anyway possible.


VERSE OF THE DAY:
"And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:19


"Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
 "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble."
Matthew 6:25-34

Sunday, November 20, 2011

anthems

I have always been that girl who in songs, has not liked the "oooh's," or the "whoa's", or anything like that....thought they were lame. cuz i was like, what is the point of them?! can people not come up with words?!

BUT...........in worship, i am now starting to love them. you have songs like With Everything and God Be Praised. where you have the "whoa's" and it is jsut like a shout of praise. an anthem.
There are times when in worship, you just have no words to say....but sounds...and simple words....that sometimes 'whoa's' are just perfect.

Sometimes, an anthem of 'whoa's is just what you soul needs to express your gratitude and praise to God.

VERSE OF THE DAY:
"Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words."
Romans 8:26

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Tears of Joy

I love retreats. My favorite part, is seeing the kids worship and 'GET IT' and fall more in love with Christ and make it about Him rather than themselves.
  It actually brings me to tears, because when you see a room of about 100 jr.high and highschoolers, most of them with their arms raised and just lifting their voices to God...your heart wants to explode.

I feel like in those times, God gives me glimpses of how much He is receiving the Praise we are giving, and how proud of His children that He is in those moments and how pleased He is with us giving ourselves to Him. and this is what brings me to tears, that God allows me to feel even just a tiny piece of that.
 I once had a vision of worship...where as a groupf of people were worshipping, our  hands were raised upward, and it was like we were actually holding Jesus up as He was sitting on the throne. Is what I saw. So often, with arms raised, I envision this again. and it just brings a smile to my face.

I am privelaged that God would allow me to be apart of His movement. To be a 'proud parent,' so to speak, with Him. because it is what I feel like (or what I think it would feel like!).

"...break down our pride and all the walls we've built up inside. our earthly crowns and all our desires, we lay at your feet...Every eye will see JESUS our God. Great and mighty to be praised....WITH EVERYTHING WE WILL SHOUT FORTH YOUR PRAISE..."

"Across the earth we see, worshipers believe. Hear our song, Praise to our God, Praise to our God."

"MY HEART WILL SING, NO OTHER NAME, JESUS"



VERSE OF THE DAY:
"And he who was seated on the throne said, "Behold, I( am making all things new."

Revelation 21:5

Thursday, November 17, 2011

things about today.

I like friends who you can just say anything to.
I like dreaming of the future. and coming up with ideas and getting excited about these ideas.
i like being reminded of Biblical mysteries and truth.
i like realizing something isnt as hard as i expected.
i like worshipping my Savior. a lot.
i like hearing people share on the word of God.
i like the idea of being a slave to God.
i like that God is incomprehensible, yet loves us do compassinoately and gracefully and deeply.
i like being smiled at.
i like when people use my name.


VERSE OF THE DAY:
"Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself; unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me." John 15:4

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

short and sweet!

You know, somedays your day just turns out completely not what you were expecting it to be. And sometimes, that is just wonderful! I enjoy this!
God is in control!



VERSE OF THE DAY:
"Commit your way to the LORD;
   trust in him, and he will act."

Psalm 37:5

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

something ive never thought of before

Disclaimer:
So this may make a few people uncomfortable, but this is honestly how I fell in love with Christ today.
 

I love how for women, God completely uses our hormones. for some reason, this is something i've never actually payed attention to, that God uses. Naturally, at a certain time of the month women are just more sensitive. And I think that it's during these times, that God really tries to mold women. With their weaknesses, because weaknesses and frustrations always arise during this time because you are edgy as well, so you realize how weak and selfish you are as well as to speak to us where we hear and can go on a rampant on how we need to be loving Jesus better....and He uses it to completely grab our hearts as well, for what grabs his and just to mold us really...

 i find this amazing and awesome. it's like a new revelation, and yet i feel like 'well duh, God uses everything...of course He would use women's hormones." are we taking the time to hear?! to act?! to listen?! to be molded?!

Thank you God, for using what most of us dread.


VERSE of the day:
"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me."
John 14:1

Monday, November 14, 2011

journaling

I sometimes forget how much I love journaling. It gets me thinking, which is actually good for me now. It's funny how thinking can become such an unhealthy thing for you, then you learn how to control it and give your thoughts over to God and then you just kind of forget how to think or to remind yourself to think. it's odd how that happens. but it does. at least it has to me.

But I was journaling today, and usually when I start journaling, its really hard for me to stop, and distracts me from everything else around me. I forget how much I love it and enjoy it, and how much it helps me process and think things through and get things off of my chest that I didn't even realize were there half the time.


VERSE of the day:
"Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? Buit for this purpose I ahve come to this hour." Jesus

John 12:27

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Family

I love watching families and just hanging out with them. It makes me excited to have a family of my own. And families make such a huge impact on people without us really knowing it. So I love families.
   :)

and once again, laughter. :)


VERSE of the day:
" My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
My Father, who has given them to me,is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand."
John 10:27-29

Friday, November 11, 2011

rediscovering joys of life

I have been rediscovering some joys of my life.


1. I love just spending time at the piano playing and messing around and singing. Sometimes, I wish I could sit there for a whole weekend straight.

2. I love coffee dates with people, they are a real encouragement.

3. I love going out (to eat) in the evenings.

4. I absolutely love laughing so much.

5. I like being warm.

All these things help me love Jesus more!


VERSE of the day:
"For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ."

John 1:17

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Laughter

I like to think that I am a very 'laughy' person; meaning, I laugh a lot. I love to laugh. I've heard that it like, releases endorphines...i don't actually know what this means, I just felt like sharing.

Anywho, for someone who laughs a lot, sometimes when I get to laughing really hard, for some reason I feel like I have no laughed in a really long time...I almost feel like I don't laugh like I used to, but I don't know if that's a true statement or not.
But the main point of this blog today is, Laughter makes me love Jesus more! and I am very thankful for laughter, and people who just make me laugh because I really do love laughing, and wish I laughed more. And when i say laughter, I mean like, something is hysterical and it hurts your stomach your laughing so much, and your eyes are watering. I love these laughs. God uses these laughs and the people who make me laugh like this so much joy, that I don't want to stop laughing.


VERSE of the day:
  "The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood."
John 7:18

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

children

Children, are joyous creatures. They  can wear you out, yet their laughs can just brighten a room!
And I often wonder for the one's just learning to talk, who make loads of noises...if they could actually talk, what would they actually be saying?! It's just amazing watching them, how they learn, how they laugh and smile, what makes them laugh and smile. how they try to communicate, how they understand. It's all quite intrigueing.

I also really love seeing people grow (not physically, but spiritually) God transforms people right before our eyes; are we noticing and Praising Him for that?!


VERSE of the day:
"Jesus answered them, 'Truly, truly I say to you, you are seeking me not because you saw signs, but becasue you ate your fill of the loaves. Do not labor for the food that perishes but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal." John 6:26-27

weird how in our weaknesses there is strength. we kind of shine.

i like my title. just saying.

So, I am 'teaching' worship style piano to 4 girls now. and i love it. granted, there are times when i am highly intimidated, esp when a couple of the girls know more about piano than i do...but what I am finding...I absolutely love it.
  I think the times when we think we can't do something, or we feel weak in an area...the more we do it, and once we are in the midst of it, you learn a lot about yourself and you grow a lot as well. "when i'm weak, He is strong."

I also notice, this makes me play music more, which is something I need to a lot more disciplined in. but last night, I just spent quite an amount of time just playing music and singing my heart out for a little bit and I haven't done that in way to long, and i think my heart misses it. because for me, there is a connection when it's just me on the piano and God. and i've forsaken that for too long.
     and just music in general, i just love. being able to play. for as long as i want or can. so thank you for that gift Father, and the ability and the enjoyment and worship that comes out of those times!


VERSE of the day:
"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. For the sake of Christ then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Monday, November 7, 2011

friendships

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow..." (Ecclesiastes)

Sometimes in ministry, you get so caught up in ministry and in discpling even though through discipling you are building relationships still, it's still work...which every relationship is work. But i guess what I am trying to get at, is that sometimes it's just refreshing just to have those times with friends, where it's not 'work' related, but you just sharing your heart and what's been going on and venting....
   i actually miss these times quite often, of just being friends, with my friends and catching up and just sitting and talking for a couple hours, one on one. and I was very blessed to have these moments the other night. I miss a lot of my friends in my life, because I don't see or talk to very many of them at all, really ever. and when I sit and think about it, it makes my heart sad. BUT, God gives me those refreshign times to just sit and catch up and talk to people, and I pray for more of these times.

We need friends, in the midst of ministry, in the midst of our trials, in the midst of our lives period.
And i am so thankful for the love of friends, and for friends, for old friends who just warm my heart, and for the excitement of new friends who will eventually turn into old reliable, warm friends! :)


VERSE of the day:
"But now, O LORD, you are our Father; we are the clay, and you are our potter; we are all the work of your hand."
Isaiah 64:8

Saturday, November 5, 2011

I just love Jesus

I am blown away by God. and I love just worshipping.
  and I keep being blown away by His love, and just the fact that I have favor with God...and he honors me, when i am so completely undeserving. and my prayer, is that my life will be giving God glory and honor and that I can live to please Him and Him alone becasue HE is worthy! and in our worship, in every day life, to give it all back to Him, and to stop taking myself so seriously and caring or worrying about other people so much and just living for Jesus, because that is what it is all about!

i find it frustrating when words cannot express exactly what I am feeling and thinking, but yet i am glad for it because only God can do such a thing! :)


VERSE of the day:
"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. "
John 4:22

honor

So I slacked last night, so I am updating this morning for last night! :)

I am blown away by God. I am completely undeserving of the love and honor that He lavishes me with. It often seems to be, that sometimes, the things that get my heart down and that I get annoyed or frustrated with...and when i express those to Him just cuz my heart is heavy, that soon after, He shows me that He has heard me. He provides what my heart was downtrodden for. and this blows me away. becasue like i said, I am so undeserving. yet His love is honoring...

which is a weird thought to me. God honoring us...his children. It feels like an oxymoron to me and is hard to wrap my mind around. because we should be the ones honoring God. yet He does honor us, exalt us,  because He loves us with a love that this world cannot understand and that sometimes, we just can't understand either but we know it to be true!
James says that if we humble ourselves before the LORD that He will exalt us.
  weird concept. but the Bible says it, so I know it is true. it is humbling...

God's love really does change lives.


VERSE of the day:
"And he did not do mighty works there before of their unbelief."
Matthew 13:58


BELIEVE in your God.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

community

I am learning an interesting piece of advice about myself...my love language is becoming more quality time than I ever thought i would be...

God has used community immensely in my life, and I think that is what has changed my love language...

It is community that has helped me love Christ more. It is community that has taught me so much about myself, and who I am in Christ. It is community who has taught me what acceptance actually looks like, what true Christ-like love actually looks like, what discipline looks like, and how to love people. It is community that has challenged me when I needed it most, it is community that has taught me to be honest with myself and with others and with my feelings and thoughts. It is community that has taught me more about God biblically than I could have ever done on my own.

and often i let the enemy make me believe that I am left out of this community, or not wanted or cared for, but I know this to be a complete lie. Without saying actual words, I know fine rightly that my community would do anything for me. and Love me with a love that can only come from above.

I pray that we all know what biblical community is.


VERSE of the day:
"So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple."
Luke 14:33

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Simplicity

A picture, is quite the simple thing. Last week, somehow the conversation came up about old pictures, and how embarrassing some of them can be...ya know...when ur a kid and u have a mullet...embarrassing right?! Well, it got me in the mood to dig out all my older pictures from my mom's house. so today after lunch with her, i went to the house and got them and the rest of the day have been reminiscing!

the best one's are the one's from the past 5 years. So many memories. and so many life-stretching moments and incredible relationships. Then amidst that, I was able to skype with 2 peopel very dear and near to my heart, AT THE SAME TIME! and just laugh, and here a bit of what's going on in their lives. it's great that as people grow older, they also still keep their crazy selves! this makes me happy!

I guess today, I am just thankful for the simple things in life. Pictures to remember great people and great and challenging times. Times of worship where you just enjoy and not a whole lot is required of you. Watching people learn. Seeing a husband be attentive to his wife. Conversations. Simple pleasures.

God is good!


VERSE of the day:
"For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; 'I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.'"
Isaiah 57:15

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Grandparents

Sometimes, my grandparents break my heart. My grandpa is currently contemplating a big decision on whether to move out of the house they have been in for over 50 years I believe. and my Grandma, is in the beginning stages of alzheimers, and today when I was over, she kept speaking to me in dutch thinking I could understand her...and repeating different phrases.

I love my grandparents. and now that I'm old enough for help them out more whenever I can, and to sit and talk to them, i see more of my grandpa's heart, as he is the caretaker of my grandma, and i just love him more.


VERSE of the day:
"...for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty andhunger, abundance and need."
Philippians 4:11-12