The word of the Lord

Hello again!! I must say that I feel quite a bit better after my last entry, having completed several projects and given it all up to God. Lately He has been teaching me about the importance of His word. Having known many people who take the word of God and "study" it leaving the grace of the Savior out of it, I never enjoyed reading and studying it much for fear that I would gain that mindset. However, as I have studied and read I realize that the very essence of the savior is ingrained in every word. He is present throughout the entire book! On the very night that my soul seemed wakened by His grace and love I found this verse "The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul." Psalm 19:7. I was impacted by this verse and committed myself to reading everyday, not just worshipping and praying but to actually sitting down and reading the word of God. I was so surprised at what came from that. That verse from Psalms is so true! Here are more that I have found..."Your words are what sustain me. They bring me great joy and are my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty." Jeremiah 15:16 NLT, "I will write down these things as a testimony of what the Lord will do. I will entrust it to my disciples, who will pass it down to future generations." Isaiah 8:16 NLT, "For I have stayed in God's paths; I have followed his ways and not turned aside. I have not departed from his commands but have treasured his word in my heart." Job 23:11-12 NLT. As I got to thinking about what God's word had done in my life, I found an excellent parallel. When you are putting something together, wouldn't you read the instructions? Even when it seems simple don't you look at the instructions just to make sure it is done right? It's the same in life. When you lost and need direction would be better off to pull out the Bible and read it, or would you just sit there in the dark till the light comes on? If you have ever put Ikea furniture together you would understand the importance of instructions. Now, I don't know what to do about those who seem to know God's word, but it doesn't seem to seep into their heart. I don't know what to do, except to pray. Pray for those who haven't made the connection between head and heart and pray that God would bless you with ability to use that 18 inch elevator between your head and your heart. Pray that God would show you the majesty of His word and that it would fill every part of you just as He does.
Lord Jesus, your word is amazing. It contains so many promises and so many passages of guidance. It speaks of your grace and your love. It speaks of your ultimate sacrifice that no one on this earth could ever amount to deserve. Please allow it to speak to my generation. Let your words fall like drops of rain on our hearts. Give us a new understanding of your word and allow us to be fulfilled by it. Amen

p.s- this painting was painted by William Blake.

"Getting into You"

Well, I suppose it has been awhile since I have written so I thought that I would update this. My life has been so busy lately, filled with projects and studying and work. It has all been a bit crazy.
This week's song is "Getting into You " by RELIENT K











when I made up my mind
and my heart along with that
to live not for myself
but yet for God
somebody said
do you know what you are getting yourself into?

when I finally ironed out
all of my priorities
and asked God to remove the doubt
that makes me unsure of these
things I ask myself
I ask myself
do you know what you are getting yourself into?

I'm getting into You
because You got to me
in a way words can't describe
I'm getting into You
because I've got to be
You're essential to survive
I'm gonna love You with my life

when He looked at me and said
I kind of view you as a son
and for a second our eyes met
and I met that with a question
do you know what you are getting yourself into?

I'm getting into You
because You got to me
in a way words can't describe
I'm getting into You
because I've got to be
You're essential to survive
I'm gonna love You with my life

I've been a liar and I'll never amount to
the kind of person you deserve to worship You
You say You will not dwell on what I did but rather what I do
you say
I love you and that's what you are getting yourself into

I'm getting into You
because You got to me
in a way words can't describe
I'm getting into You
because I've got to be
You're essential to survive
I'm gonna love You with my life

you said
I love you and that's what you are getting yourself into

I put the lyrics first in purpose for two reasons: One, to shake things up a bit and put life on its head and second to make you read them and hear what I have to say about this song. Today I don't feel so hot. I am fighting a bad mood and I just want to lie in quiet and worship God through my inadequacies. You see, I have been killer busy with work and projects and final papers at school that I haven't figured out my priorities. My Bible for the past few days has been collecting dust and I haven't put everything at His feet. I've been running like a chicken with it's head cut off and like an addict I can't cope without my next fix. I want the world to quiet down and I just want to hide under His wings. I chose this song because it speaks about the ever pressing love that the Father bestows upon us. His love is inescapable. I'm choosing Him because words can't describe how He has captured me, He has calmed my fluttering heart and has met me in the midst of my sickly sin. My experience as a Christian, if you laid it out in pro/con point form would have more "con" points than "pro" points, but I find that I don't care. Can a fish live out of water? Or a dog under the sea? Neither can survive, just as I can not survive with out Christ. Something inside me falls apart, my soul turns blue from lack of oxygen and it starts to wither and decay. I was made in His image and it is in Him that I am meant to live. I am humbled, today especially, but His abundance of love and grace. In Church today I lost my temper at least three times (that I am willing to admit) and each time He was there to catch me and show me that His mercy heals all and His love transcends every heart and every deed. I could never amount to the kind of person that God deserves to love and I have never claimed to be one, it is by His grace that I am set free and despite my attitude, insufficiencies and efforts He chooses to call me to Him and give me life. Without Him I am nothing and apart from Him I can do nothing, He is my sustainer and my life. Whoever or whatever I have lost in pursuit of Him was not in vain because He is my fortress and my shield. I abandon all to Him and no more pay heed to this world.
Lord Jesus, I ask that your love and grace would flow unceasing on me, whoever may be reading this and the rest of this world.
Lord I lay everything before you and I come back to you. I thank you for loving through every season and I thank you that all my have lost from this world, I have gained in Your holy and precious name. Lord God you are the environment I am meant to live in and I ask that you keep me from leaving. Show me your will and continue to speak to me and show me visions that even I could not dream. As I fall down at your feet I give you all of my world and myself to you. Pick me up and put me back on my feet, keep my heart filled with your law and your love.

Satisfied

Okay, so it has been a couple of days but things have been busy. Keep your shorts on, I didn't mean to abandon you I had things to do!! My throat hurts (good thing I am typing this), I lost my voice in a spontaneous attempt to conquer a carnival yesterday. I had fun, but I screamed so hard that now it hurts and I am nursing an upset stomach from the spinning monkey ride!!
Anyways...God has been so good. I haven't had much strength to do much but just sit with him because of the death of my friend, but He has been there in my silence and confusion and has given me hope and joy. My prayer is to be filled everyday with His joy and God is so faithful that I am confident that I will never be joyless again. He has given me so much hope that although I cry, I feel Him holding me and showing me that everything is alright.
God completely satisfies every inch of my soul. I am so satisfied by Him and His love that I no longer want for anything. (I mean there are things that I want, but they are worldly things and they no longer control my life as they once did.) I was talking with a friend about relationships and marriage and I was blown away with what God showed from that conversation. Although I joke about the boys I am going to marry, it no longer holds any value to me. I have no desire to look for a relationship and make one work. I'm sure that there is someone out there for me, but I have given up looking and searching because I have the love of God. I am His princess and He is everything I need. My favorite quote is from Mother Teresa she said, "You never know that Jesus is all you need, until Jesus is all you've got." How true that is. At one point in my life I had it all, I had a boyfriend, tons of friends, a great paying job and I was on my way to owning a car and having a license. I was on my way to total destruction too. Even though I had everything I wanted I had lost my connection with Jesus, I had put Him on the back burner. My days had become full of nothing but lip service to the Creator and I didn't even know it. One day my world crumbled, I lost my boyfriend, friends and my job. I had nothing, or so it seemed. But after many months of heartache and emptiness, now I walk with Jesus because He is truly all I need and through Him I have received the greatest life. Before now my mind was always full of the boy that I was crushing on and hopes of someday meeting "the one", but now I'm not centered on what could be. I'm centered on what is, and what is is the never failing love of God and the wholeness he brings me. I truly never thought that I would reach this place, oh how I will never doubt the possibilities of God again. He is the greatest gift I have received and nothing will take me away from Him.

This weeks song is "Lost in You" by drentch.


I need you like the
Desert needs the rain
I reach for you like a child wanting
To be wrapped in a fathers arms


I want to get lost in you
I'm on my knees praying to be close to you
Take me away Jesus I pray
I want to be where you are


I seek your face like the
Broken desperate for a meeting
I pray for peace like the nations
torn by war and earthy things


To your altar I come placing
my all before my first love
I cannot stand and not be moved
by the love that has found me

Colin Vint

Today was a hard day, I found out that my favorite teacher passed away. I don't even know what to say. He was such a dear man. I will always remember the support he gave me and how he made my years at senior high school fun. I will always look to him as a pillar of love and genuinelaughter. He taught me how to play and that it is okay to be myself. He was there for me when no other teachers were. We have all lost a jovial and wonderfully caring man.
It is so fitting too. Today I was reading and the chapter that I was reading was about loss and having hope. The chapter talked about the hope that could be mine if I followed Christ, and how I wouldn't have to mourn with hopelessness again. I told God that I was ready, ready to stand firm in his hope and that he could test me. Well, I think he has answered that request. Although I am deeply saddened and shaken by this loss, my heart is stayed with the hope of Christ. I pray for Mr. Vint's family, and for all of those affected by this tragic loss.
Lord God, I lift my sorrow to you. I ask that you would comfort me and those who are mourning. I pray that you would send a blanket of hope to cover the North Delta community. I thank you for the man that Mr.Vint was, and thank you for all the memories that are shared. I pray that we would learn that life is short, but that you are always at work within us. Lord Jesus, I just give you all the emotions and all of the people who are on their knees in bewilderment tonight, hold them and speak words of comfort into all of their hearts. You are a great and wonderful God, I have faith that you will provide. Amen.

I will miss you MV, we all will. Thank you for all the memories. Rest In Peace, dear friend.

~Good night sweet prince, may flights of angels sing thee to thy rest~

Darkness

Well, lets see. Not much has happened since my last post. I watched TV, ate dinner (I made it- It was sooo good!! There is some left over in the fridge so if you want to come over it can be yours!!), spent some time with God and slept. Right now I am neglecting my Fashion Design homework and my Art History reading...I will get around to them today or tomorrow. I was reading in my book last night and for some reason I can't remember the Psalm but the concept was about darknesss. The author was writing about how darkness is isolating but we are never alone in the dark-there is always someone else there. The author wrote about how watching the Babylionians destory the Temple would have plunged Isreal into utter darkness. Much like how watching our world collapse and watching friends, lovers and dreams abandon you is enough to make any of us doubt (in some capacity anyway) the majesty and love of a God we had been trying to follow. The author wrote about even though these traumatic events destroyed Isreal (and whatever you have been through, may have destroyed you as well), some of the greatest Psalms were penned. I think that you can do likewise, I do remember my days in the desert and I remember not even having the energy to even whisper my pain to God, but I remember just a flickering of hope when I tried to whisper. That is all God wants, whatever you can give Him. It doesn't matter if it tears, screams or whispers and one day when you are looking down at the desert you have just left you can see the places where God nudged you and slowly you moved to meet Him on the hilltop.

Welcome...

Well, welcome to my blog!! I'm not too sure what I will be putting up here, seeing as I'm not off on some crazy, amazonian, life on the edge adventure....There will probably just be comments about my life, about the little adventures that I have day to day.
Okay to start off, lets find something fun to talk about.
Well..hmmmmm...God has been so good to me lately (he has been good to me from the beginning), but lately He's been really close. It's like if I close my eyes and just reach out He is right there. I've wanted to get out of bed and just jump into His word. I remember Him feeling so far away and being so lost and desperate. I remember crying all night after everyone had gone to bed and turning to things that harmed my body while I tried to find so fix that would help me out of this mess. Then I remember the feeling of coming out of a coma one night as I sat in the big chair in the TV room listening to God telling me that He loved me and wanted to restore me and breathe life in my heart. I remember being overwhelmed by Him and Him filling my senses. I remember going up to my room after that and dancing with God and not being distracted by boys or by sin or by life. Now all is know is His joy and that His hand is on me. I am no longer annoyed by the Church or "christian" music and by praying. I love to be in His presence, I take Him everywhere. I know what it is to laugh and be joyful. I know what it is to sing His praises at the top of my lungs and all of it is because He has restored me!! He truly has.

The song of the week is Facedown by Matt Redman!!
This song is amazing...please read and think about the lyrics..

Welcomed in to the courts of the King
I've been ushered in to Your presence
Lord, I stand on Your merciful ground
Yet with every step tread with reverence

And I'll fall facedown
As Your glory shines around
Yes, I'll fall facedown
As Your glory shines around

Who is there in the heavens like You?
And upon the earth, who's Your equal?
You are far above, You're the highest of heights
We are bowing down to exalt You

So let Your glory shine around
Let Your glory shine around
King of glory, here be found
King of glory


Well, I think that is all for now...please check regularly for updates!!