Fired Up in a calmed down state

TWO THINGS:

1. In thinking and talking about Jesus’ return, and eternity with Him, and our glorified bodies and the end times…sometimes, its just so surreal to think of ETERNITY. My mind cannot grasp it! It’s so weird to try and grasp, life will never end. We will one day, be in the actual presence of Jesus Christ, our Savior. All will be made right…so crazy. My mind can’t even comprehend, and I can almost make my head spin thinking about it.
   #EXCITED

p.s.
teaching these past 2days have been really rich to me. Praise You God for that!

2. Love the ‘unloveables.’ Jesus died for people, therefore we need to love people. We need to remember that people are always more important than what we THINK we need to get done, or WANT to do. We need people. They keep us humble, they challenge us, they stretch us, God uses people mightily in our lives. All sorts of people. Some people, just need us to give them a chance. Some people have just had so much rejection and hurt in their life, that all they need is people to listen and give them the time of day. What’s so wrong with that? We just want the same thing from other’s at times, so how can we expect people to give us that if we don’t give that attention and love to others?
   Im sick of being that person who is to quick to judge and just write off people. I’m sick of seeing people do that to precious children of God who just need love. We are no better. Yet we get so fixed on our own selfishness. If we only just stop looking at ourselves, and take time to actually listen to what others are REALLY saying, we will find that God brings complete blessing in those moments, and we fall so much more in love with people, and with God.

Don’t miss those opportunities. please. Don’t be quick to judge. Don’t think your own life and stuff is more important than anyone. Always be willing to give of yourself, we are not here for ourselves, we are bondservants of Jesus Christ. Therefore, we do what our Master tells us to do. We are not slaves to money, or ourselves or to others, but to Jesus Christ alone.

 

VERSE OF THE DAY:
”On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.”
1 Corinthians 12:22-26

Sing It Out!

 

I love my church. Today, for some reason, everything was so Rich for me. Sunday School Class with Don, Pastor Larry’s Sermon, and worship!

I love the times in worship, when you hear  the rest of the church singing and it just feels like you are all singing out an anthem to God and about God!

WHEN WE ARRIVE AT ETERNITY’S SHORE
AND DEATH IS JUST A MEMORY AND TEARS ARE NO MORE
WE’LL ENTER IN AS THE WEDDING BELLS RING
YOUR BRIDE WILL COME TOGETHER AND WE’LL SING
YOU’RE BEAUTIFUL

MY HEART WILL SING NO OTHER NAME, JESUS

LET YOUR GLORY SHINE UNITING US

VERSE OF THE DAY:
”He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness and to walk humbly with your God.”
Micah 6:8

Realizations Week

 

I forget that I live amongst a sinful world. All to often, I am in my own little Christian/Ministry bubble, with very little communication to the outside world. Then I talk with people amidst my christian bubble who interact with the world, and I am reminded of just how sinful this world really is, and how is just is progressively getting worse. It’s humbling in a sense, but mostly, its really sad.

I still am not sure how I feel about how little contact I have with unbelievers. Im starting to think and wish I had more….But I am also realizing, how we are called to Endurance.
Jesus told us that the world will hate us, but to remember that the world hated Him first. As well He has told us, that we are not of the world. We are different. Our morals are completely different. He also told us to not fear, because He Has Overcome The World!

Sin corrupts. And this world is deeply corrupted. Everywhere we look. There is so much desensitization to sin. Our lives seem to be filled with extremes, either in the world, or out of it, very few do well with a balance of Loving Jesus while still being in the world.

The World gives us perspective. Of just how lost people are, and jsut how blessed we are. And gives more of an urgency to us as believer’s to go out and share the Good News like we are told to do!

 

VERSE OF THE DAY:
”Let us know, let us press on to know the LORD; His going out is sure as the dawn; He will come to us as showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”
Hosea 6:3

I am Blessed

 

I love where God has my life.
I love the people that He has placed in my life.
I love girl nights. Movies.
I love hearing what God has/is doing in people’s lives.

It’s great that even when you don’t feel like doing something, how God gives you the joy to do it!

 

VERSE OF THE DAY:
”When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.”
Isaiah 43:2

Sometimes I feel like a Mom

 

Ive been staying up quite late this week. and Ive been really tired. Ive been forgetting a lot of things recently. Ive been a bit overwhelmed at moments, cuz life is expensive, being on your own and taking care of yourself and being responsible can be tough. Ministry can be tough.

But, no one can steal my joy. and God loves me, and nothing will ever change that. He is my Provider, and will provide for all of my needs.

I do feel challenged to be a lot more disciplined, and less distracted. I feel a bit down-heartened for allowing myself to get so distracted, but this is where action needs to come in. Good stewardship.

Im really appreciate for people. God has been giving me laughter these past 2 days, and its been so great. Like i said previously, I miss laughing.

God is so much greater than the issues at hand.

 

I love feeling like a Proud Parent. Seeing how God is working in the lives of those I care about and work with, or have worked with. It is a great thing.
I LOVE MY WORK.

 

VERSE OF THE DAY:
”Let us know, let us press on to know the LORD; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”
Hosea 6:3

Laughter

 

I love laughing so much. And not just like any laughter, I’m talking about legit laughter that gives your stomach a work out and where you have to try to remember to breathe and where it just feels sooooo good. the good, GUT LAUGHTER! :)

This may seem quite sad, but I had one of those moments tonight, a few, a lot of laughter tonight actually, and I realized…I miss it. I miss laughing like that, a lot. I used to laugh like that all the time. But not so much anymore.

But I am so grateful, for the times, and for the people who give me those kind of laughter every now and then. I appreciate those laughs, and the feeling of good laughter! You can’t help but be joyful in laughter!

 

VERSE OF THE DAY:
”He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of His power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high”
Hebrews 1:3

im not spoiled, im loved.

 

I remember the days when I used to think that nobody loved me. I couldn’t understand why anyone would love me, and I saw no evidence of people loving me. (this was not true though, i was lost in a world of self-deception amongst other things)
Now, I know without a shadow of a doubt that I am deeply loved. I have people in my life who will do absolutely anything for me, they will bend over backwards, they would risk their lives, and give me anything I needed if they could. I have people who just want to encourage me. I am truly loved, and I see it, and believe it, and know it.

and today, I was thinking about this, I like when the Holy Spirit brings to remembrance these things for me. Because it just brings joy to my heart to see the sanctification process I have been through. and to know just what God has done in my heart and mind and the healing and restoration that He has done!

 

VERSE OF THE DAY:
” …And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”
Nehemiah 8:10

This reigns true in my life, where I’m truly finding that my strength for each day, is really found in the JOY OF THE LORD! it is such a beautiful thing!

i love weddings

 

I love watching people worship God.
I love worshipping.
I love slow dancing with Jesus to worship songs.
I love friends.
JOY.

It’s great to realize that you are controlled by the Spirit more than you used to. That sometimes you do things, that just seem so natural, that used to never be natural, and you just know that it is not you, but the Holy Spirit alive inside of you.

 

This evening, was everything I needed, and God knew it.

 

VERSE OF THE DAY:
”Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”
^{James 5:16}

I, I feel so alive…

 

So, I think I’m realizing that if I’m not blogging, there is probably something wrong, because I typically will take the time to blog, but I’ve been really letting myself slip recently, and although I have been doing really well, I just have been lazy with this, and that is never a good sign from me, even if I’m well, because I fall into lazyness quite easily and unless caught, it becomes me, which is never healthy.

But, I feel rejuvenated. I feel extremely blessed. God is SO good!?
Was really blessed and challenged by our morning Bible Study this morning with the girls. I love wednesday mornings. and the hot topic this morning was how selfish we are. I love thinking and talking about the Persecuted Church because it makes me realize how incredible blessed I am, but also how incredible spoiled I am and self-centered. All we do is complain about our lives as westerner’s, when really our problems are minute in comparison to what people are dealing with daily, and compared to what Christ endured…Endurance has been a topic coming up in my mind often recently, and I find the definitino meaning, to just be fixed on God and His purpose and will. That is how Jesus modeled endurance, especially in the garden of Gethsemane before the crucifixion.

But yeah, I was just really blessed by today, especially on the spiritual aspect! Which I needed. and then tonight just topped it all off, with worship practice, and it was rocking and great. It made me excited for what I do, and I felt really blessed and honored to be a part of leading worship and worshipping God. :) was so great to feel that!

God is good.
The joy of the LORD is my strength.

 

VERSE OF THE DAY:
”When anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.”
Galatians 6:3

i love sundays

 

I have been reading through Revelations this past week, and absolutely loving it. I love reading fiction books, and I get the same excitement with Revelations as I do with my fiction books. So it’s really exciting to me, only sometimes when I stop reading and think about what I just read, I get a bit overwhelmed and realize that THAT IS MY FUTURE! Seems so unreal, because it is all we read about, all the beasts and crazy looking creatures and insane things are to happen, its going to be real.
Makes me think of Narnia, only Narnia on steroids. :)

And I love all the worship that goes in Revelation. It’s just all about Jesus, as is the whole Bible, but I think you get my drift. and it just excites me!

 

Also this morning, I was just extremely blessed by my church. It’s so great to be apart of something incredible that God is doing in growing and molding our church. I’m excited to see where He takes us, and how He continues to unite us and grow us as His body of believer’s, His bride!

 

VERSE OF THE DAY:
”But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life…”
Jude v.20-21

11:11

 

It’s amazing  that you can learn anything, in any moment. In a meeting that you least expect to get anything out of, in the hard times of life, in frustrations, in quiet times, in worship times, in busyness, any time.

God is everywhere. In everything.
  Sometimes I think we allow ourselves to complain to much about life. I fall victim of this all to often. but we have no right. for there is a lesson in everything. and God is so much bigger and so Worthy.

I also love that God honors those who stay obedient to Him.
and that Jesus endured suffering.

 

VERSE OF THE DAY:
”Do not fear what you are about to suffer. Behold, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and for ten days you will have tribulation. Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
Revelation 2:10

Down on The Farm

 

I have been slacking with blogging. and there are numerous things i could share to catch up with, but I originally wanted this blog to be a daily thing, so I’m going to stick with today’s.

This morning Tina and I went to breakfast with a friend of ours at Bob Evans, and beside us was a Father and Son. the son was real young, younger than 10 i would say. My heart broke, because the whole time in like 30-40 min, I maybe saw the father say about 2 sentences to his son. The rest of the time the father was either on his phone or reading the paper while they ate breakfast. and the kid just kept looking at us girls, and you could tell just wanted his dad to show an interest. It broke my heart, and frankly just really upset me, because how many kids are out there who just want their fathers to pay attention to them. To not just be with them physically, but to be with them in heart and in mind.

It made me just want to sit down with this kid and just talk to him about his likes and interests. it made me want to have my own kids and to spend quality time with them without letting them sit there in silence all through breakfast.

It makes me grateful, that my Heavenly Father is never to busy or to concerned with His own interests over me. His delight, is to have my obedience, my attention, and will do what needs to be done for me to have that, in a loving way this world cannot understand. It makes me grateful for an earthly Father who will take time and talk to me and listen to me.

There have seemed to be a lot of different themes coming up in my life recently. and one of them, is Gratitude. A heart of gratitude is a beautiful, wonderful place to be.

 

VERSE OF THE DAY:
”Praise the LORD! Praise the name of the LORD, give praise, O servants of the LORD.”
Psalm 135:1

Party Rock Is In The House

 

I love laughing hysterically. I love fun times with friends.
I love re-appreciating people, seeing what God is doing in and through them
and getting excited about that.
I love singing loudly old childhood songs with friends in the car.
I love reliving my childhood of hand motions and clapping games!
I love time spent with Jesus.
I love my community.
I love what God is doing. and that He is able and Bigger than our problems and in control!
I love the Psalms. and the Joy of the LORD. and That He has done wonders in this age and the past ages and the ages to come.

 

VERSE OF THE DAY:
”Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”
Jude 24-25

hot blackcurrent at hand!

 

Today was not all that I had expected it to be, it was great.

We need to be okay with interruptions to our ‘schedule, or plans.’
We need to make sure that we have our time with Jesus.
We need to make sure that people are more important than our tasks.
We need to be willing to do whatever we need to, to honor/bless other people. (to be a Servant, no matter what it costs you (like having to face a fear))
We need to not take ourselves so seriously, and just be able to laugh at our mess ups and imperfections!

I can honestly say that for the last couple weeks, I have been extremely grateful for my life and thanking God for my life. This is a great, joyous place to be spiritually and emotionally!

 

VERSE OF THE DAY:
(2 Corinthians keeps showing its face to me recently, and I absolutely love it.)
”So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:16-18