Sunday, July 31, 2011

Church

 

God is faithful and blesses His children.

I had the blessing to just enjoy worship at church this morning. which i have not had the opportunity to enjoy a full day, sunday school, worship, and service and fellowship in quite a while. and it was complete encouragement to my heart.
I love church.

Also, just sitting with friends and laughing and enjoying company.
   God is good!

My prayer is that this will forever be true….
”My heart will sing, no other name, Jesus.”

 

VERSE of the day: (passage from church this morning, a new favorite. Great reminder that we are the vessels of God, that we hold God inside of us and carry Him with us everywhere. and dieing to ourselves constantly.)


”But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.”
     2 Corinthians 4:7-11

Saturday, July 30, 2011

Narnia

 

I love C.S. Lewis’ The Chronicles of Narnia. I love the movies, but the books are so much better but with watching the movies I am reminded of the books.
  And yesterday watching the first movie, and this evening watching the most recent one. I’m just reminded that God’s truth is out there, in this world. Jesus’ story is out there, in this world. He makes Himself known and available to all who will receive. and I love Him for this. I love that He uses all things to make Himself known and even uses media in such a depraved world, esp in the media.

Thank You God, that you are made known to this world. and are not a tame lion. but you are Good!   :)

 

VERSE of the day:
”For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
a time to be born, and a time to die;a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal;a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh;a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose;a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew;a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate;a time for war, and a time for peace.”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
 
*i suggest reading this whole chapter. tis a good one. or the whole book, i really enjoy it.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Real

 

I love travel. I love people. I love missions. I love Jesus. I love worshipping Him. I love my family (physical and spiritual). I love my church. I love the life God has blessed me with….

Yet right now, I long to be refreshed. to be restored. I think I am worn out, from all things. I long to just be in heaven with Jesus and not have to feel what I have been feeling, think what I have been thinking, trying as I have been trying….I probably have things I need to work through and I pray that God will bring those to the surface. I long for old friends and companionship that I’ve missed.

But, God still delights in me. He is watching over me. He loves me. and He provides for me. I have no reason to complain.

So far today, I have fallen more in love with Christ and known His love more just by sitting in a coffee shop and seeing someone whom I’ve met twice, and talking for a little bit, and him giving me a hug good bye and saying God Bless.

 

“The LORD your God is in your midst,
a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.”

Saturday, July 23, 2011

A Father’s Love

 

Forgive me, for I just want to throw up and cry because I feel like absolute poop. Migraine’s are not heavenly. But alas, God is greater.

A Father’s relationship with a daughter is special.
Today I fell in love with Jesus just remebering His love for me. That He takes delight in me and desires me and because of that I am beautiful, I have purpose, I am joyful,  I have someone to please…plus much more…

VERSE of the day:
”The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you. He will quiet you with His love and rejoice over you with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17

 

p.s.
i am off the tennessee for the week. will update when i return.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Repeat

 

I believe this is a repeat, but I feel like that is totally okay. Because it is true to my day.

There is a youth group from NY staying with us currently, and today they did a ton of work around our house (which they did an incredible job btw.) but tonight we had an event at tuscora park, but it got cancelled due to lightning and a storm…so the group ended up at the guys house and were just having a little time of worship. and they were all honestly just singing their hearts out and worshipping. like they were just singing to Jesus, and no one else, no other distractions. and it was beautiful to me. my heart needed something to smile, and that made me smile. and love Jesus more. I love seeing young people worship and hearing them worship and serve. not just young people, but all people. because it’s no longer about us. but about Jesus. and you can feel and see and hear the genuineness in their love for Jesus during worship. and That is what I love about worshippers. and people who are in love with Jesus. I admire that, and am reminded of my long for that in myself.

 

VERSE of the day:
”So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy,  complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant,being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Philippians 2:1-8

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Finally

 

Thank you Jesus for Air Conditioning that works.

God is good.

 

VERSE of the day:
”Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,”
Philippians 2:14-15

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Relationships

 

Today….I got to catch up and share all God is doing and hear what God is doing with a good friend whom  I don’t get to see that often. I also got to eat some dinner with my parentals. As well as reunite with the youthgroup girls at Bible Study which I have missed almost this summer. So it was great to actually be here, and in what we did tonight, to even hear how our little bible study seems to play a decent part in some of their lives. this is rather encouraging to me. and then I got to go see the new Pirates movie for 2 bucks with some of the youth group.

This is a good day. Good day of relationships. Everyday is a good day of relationships. Today was just especially good I guess!

Fall in love with Jesus through being in relationship with people. Being a part of something bigger than yourself. And giving your time, because your time is what counts in a relationship.

 

VERSE of the day:
”Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
but his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.
He is like a tree planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers. The wicked are not so,
but are like chaff that the wind drives away.”
Psalm 1:1-4

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Time to read

 

Today, I fell in love with Christ through the joy of just sitting down and reading a book(author, Max Lucado! a fav of mine). I had forgotten how much you can learn by reading other authors apart from the Bible. I enjoy it so much, its so rich and just stretches my thinking! And i usually can’t stop journaling and praying!

So pick up a good book, and enjoy the richness and love of Christ.

 

VERSE of the day:
”When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.”
1 Peter 2:23

*Jesus had every reason to retaliate…for all the scoffing and abuse + more that He received at the cross. Yet He did nothing in the sort, but remembered who the scoffers and abusers were, and saw them through eyes of grace and love….and instead of retaliation, He showed love and trust the God who does the judging.
What do we do?!

Monday, July 18, 2011

Newness

 

Beki’s family is here with us visiting this week. We had dinner at my mom’s tonight, and there are not fireflies (lightning bugs)  in Northern Ireland, so her littlest sister and Father were fascinated by them, she caught them (and we will pry catch more sometime this week) and were taking pictures of them in a jar.

The fascination of things we’ve never seen before is an amazing thing. I can’t remember the last time I was fascinated like that at something I had never seen or experienced before. Yet that is how we should be with God. and with His creation…fascinated by His wonder. Reading His word like we have never read or experienced it before. Seeing the creation and people like we have never seen or experienced before.

So i encourage you, to try to re-experience the awesomeness of Christ, like its the very first time you are falling in love or experiencing the things of the LORD!

 

VERSE of the day:
”Taste and see that the LORD is good…”
Psalm 34:8

Sunday, July 17, 2011

2 in 1

 

So I kinda slacked yesterday and forgot to update. So im updating early, and its 2 in 1! wooo!!

So yesterday:  Was through a couple getting married. I helped (if thats what u call it) two of my friends who took pictures at a wedding yesteday for a lil bit. and while taking pictures of the couple about to wed, i just really enjoyed myself. to see how they were together, their love, yet their normality and no care in the world but just to start this new journey with each other, and their excitement. was great, and im glad i got to be a part of it even for just that little bit! Was beautiful, and a full of the love of Jesus!

Today:   Worship. I was super blessed after church today, to be home alone. and to be able to just sit at the piano for over an hour and to play and sing as loud and as quiet as i wanted. and just had that intimate worship time with my Jesus! I’ve missed that! can’t remember the last time i did that, so it was just a great reminder to me of God’s love for me and how much I love to worship Him via music. :)

 

VERSE(S) of the day:
”Oh come, let us sing to the LORD;
let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
For the LORD is a great God,
and a great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth;
the heights of the mountains are his also.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.
Oh come, let us worship and bow down;
let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker!
For he is our God,
and we are the people of his pasture,
and the sheep of his hand.”
Psalm 95:1-7

“But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called "today," that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin…”
Hebrews 3:13

Friday, July 15, 2011

Rest

 

Today the idea of me being worn out….became truth tonight. But alas, a prayer was answered. This afternoon God gave me rest. and yes, this is how I fell more in love with Him. Through Him providing me a rest. Which resulted in…
1. a nap.
2. quietness
3. bible time with no distractions

This was bliss to me today, and I was really appreciative for it. Especially just the quietness. Something that only comes every now and then, that you just need to embrace and soak up whenever the opportunity comes to you.  Thank you Jesus.

 

 

Verse of the day:
”Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Children

 

So I just got back last night(and our internet was down) from the MCA missions trip. Hometown missions trip, which was honestly, next to alaska, the best mission’s trip I’ve ever been on. The sense of community and unity among believer’s and the churches was absolutely incredible and how it should be. and just the servanthood and attitude of servanthood was awesome and I pray that God’s people will remain and be more that way, because I believe it’s important.

So as for how I fell in love with Jesus this past week…i won’t go detail day by day. Because the main way how I fell in love with Jesus…is actually through children. Jeff Polen (the youth leader) and his wife and his 3 little girls (1, 3, 4) were a huge blessing to me (along with the rest of the youth of course!) but I learned and realized, that by watching a father with his daughter, you get a picture for God the Father and how He loves us. Incredible. Seeing how a father disciplines, then the next moment is lifting her up in his arms and making her laugh. When she falls, He is the first person there and runs to her to pick her up. Witnessing children’s imagination…it baffles me the things they come up with! Makes my heart laugh.
  My favorite child moment of the week….was the very last day. Was on the playground with Taylor and Abigail and we were pretending there was a storm coming and the girls decided it best to call Jesus. Abigail proceeded to be on the phone with Jesus, and all of a sudden “its okay if i tell the secret? (in a whispering voice) i love you.”   my heart just melted. Children are special. and I fell more in love with them, and even more in love with Christ by being with them.

Sigh, whoever would have thought of the day that I would absolutely fall in love with children. The LORD is at work, my friends.

 

 

Verse of the day:

"Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”
   Matthew 18:3-4

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Vastness

Today I was at a family friend’s pool with my mom and my aunt. We were laying on the chairs when all of a sudden mom noticed that you could see the moon. there were no clouds in the sky(needless to say, i turned into a tomato…but that is not what im sharing bout!) With seeing the moon, we then got onto the topic of difference hemispheres and how they see the sky…she mentioned a missionary couple from our church says that the sky in Australia where they were was very different. the stars are different, the layout of the moon….Mom said that when we may see a half moon, somewhere else may see a full moon…and what baffles me is…its light where i am..sun bright…i can see the moon…yet in some other place of the world they see darkness and the moon…
All one big sky….yet so many different views.
and I do not understand how it all works.
I love my God.

Verse of the day:
”Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
Matthew 7:24



P.S.
   I will be away for the next week. I will be serving with MCA youth group locally. We are camping, bike riding, doing work projects, God's Closet, serving other churches...
 So there will be no blog, but what I plan to do...is each day to still do this in my journal. and when I return, I will give a top 3 or 5. or maybe a daily rundown. we will c how I feel on that day. But there will be a long update one. :)

Monday, July 4, 2011

Simplicity

 

Today I have to think about it.
and actually, I think that by getting up earlier than I want, and going biking with Kellie and Kim this morning, I fell more in love with Jesus. and the reason I say this, is becaues it is teaching me discipline already. and by disciplining myself…is good, and I can love Jesus better, and I even feel better! How bout that!

Also, I love my job. and it is a job. Ministry, discipleship, is my job. For all the times that I question myself in this work, God always gives me moments that I just fall more in love with Him, because I learn selflessness, and just to disciple girls and see them grow and be challenged. So if you want to pray for me, pray for me as a discipler. I would greatly appreciate it. I’ve been challenged that I need to be doing a better job at discipling the people God gives me, I know this is what I am called to do, and I love it, and I want to give my all to God in it. And the more I do it, and see growth and become less about myself, the more I fall in love with Jesus becaue that is what He was about…not Himself but other people.

Also. I love family time. :) That’s it.

 

Verse of the day:
”God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? Behold, I have received a command to bless; He has blessed and I cannot reverse it.”
  Numbers 23:19-20

When God makes His will known, that is that. Yet we try to change it all the time.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

“I’m alive and well, Your Spirit lives within me…”

 

Today, short and sweet. I fell in love with Jesus more by being reminded and realizing that the Holy Spirit is ALIVE inside of me and is my strength and uses me. When you take time to remember this truth, you can’t help but worship God and to fall more in love!

Also, i thoroughly enjoy listening to people sing in worship. Makes my heart smile, a lot.

 

 

Verse of the day:

“For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing…”
2 Corinthians 2:15

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Enjoyment

 

Today was a mighty junk food day. Mexican for lunch. nuggets for dinner. afternoon snack of: 2 krispy kreme donuts, and a nice chunk of pudding cake. and to end the day…a bottle of Coca Cola!

So how did I fall in love with Jesus today?!  :)
           1…by being a super patient/laid-back driver! On my errand run to get the pudding in town, for the pudding cake, i waited behind a buggy for them to turn rather than just zooming right past them like so many of us locals do. Also just letting some ladies go out in front of me instead of just making them wait on me. I found joy in these moments. And I couldn’t help but smile and love Jesus, as “The River” was playing in my car!

      2….after eating all this junk, and sitting on a sofa all day….in my head i said how I should do some kind of exercise…but of course I am a girl with no motivation and very low self discipline majority of times. So Kellie gets home, and asks me if I want to go on a bike ride….so i say yes…..we went up a long gradual hill….was brutal…but WE WON! and the best part about hills…means that (not all the time, but usually) there is a hill down…and we sure had one. and that moment, where the wind was in my face, and my legs were just resting and i was speeding on tina’s bike……was bliss. I was loving some Jesus for the wind and some downhill time!

So don’t always be in a rush. Take your time. Enjoy things in life. and You will love Jesus more!

 

VERSE for the day:

“Bless the LORD O my soul and all that is within me…who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
Psalm 103: 1, 5

Friday, July 1, 2011

Falling in love through reading.

 

 

Today I had some free time, and I decided to finally finish the book The Mind of Christ by Dennis Kinlaw. I completed it! YAY! But as I read chapter 7, there were a few things that I just absolutely loved. The chapter is talking based on Philippians 2:3-4
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others.”

And Dr. Kinlaw brought up the point that, in verse 5, many versions use the word “only”…(look not only to your own interests…) and he did some research, asked a few high class scholars and phd’s in greek and bible, and none of them actually found that word ‘only’ in the original text. …have we americanized the bible? Do we not believe that God can cure us from our self-interest?
   We are to not look to our interests at all….but to consider others better than ourselves at all costs. Jesus’ life shows this example. Never once, did He put His own personal interest first…and how often do we live like that? putting out own interests first? before others, before God’s….He used the example of this….
                “Imagine the scene when Jairus asked Jesus to heal his daughter. Suppose Jesus had said, “Yes, I could do that. I could gohome with you and lay my hands on your daughter, and she would get well. But what’s in it for me?”

We as humans…are naturally self focused. and always want things to be about ourselves, and want to know…what is in it for me? This is completely the wrong attitude. Imagine if Jesus had that attitude….terrible…yet we have the Holy Spirit inside of us, alive in us, using us, and how often are we just like that?

”Jesus never strived to get something for himself. He did not come to protect himself; rather, he came to spend himself.”

So today, I fell in with Jesus through reading this book and once again, being reminded of how self centered man is…and how completely humble and outward focused Jesus was. and I love and admire that about Him, and I want that so much more in my own life Father. Only by your power Spirit!

 

Verse(s) for the day:

“Prove me, O LORD, and try me; test my heart and my mind. For your steadfast love is before my eyes and I walk in your faithfulness. I do not sit with men of falsehood nor do I consort with hypocrites. I hate the assembly of evildoers and I will not sit with the wicked. I wash my hands in innocence and go around your altar, O LORD, proclaiming thanksgiving aloud and telling all your wondrous deeds. O LORD I love the haibtation of your house and the place where your glory dwells. Do not sweep my soul away with sinners, nor my life with bloodthirsty men, in whose hands are evil devices, and whose right hands are full of bribes. But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity; redeem me, and be gracious to me. My foot stands on level ground; in the great assembly I will bless the LORD.” 
   Psalm 26:2-12