Being Quiet

I have a struggle... a continuing struggle.
I am always working on it.... I am never where I want to be with it.

I am loud.

I talk a lot and I have a loud voice. Both of these tend to get me in trouble more then they help.

Isaiah 30:15
This is what the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says:
"In repentance and rest is your salvation,
in quietness and trust is your strength,
but you would have none of it..."

Where is my strength at right now? If I am quiet, and I trust in the Lord, I am sure to find it.

I need to listen to the Lord

Laminations 3:26
it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.

Job 34:29
But if he remains silent (NIV), what trouble can he get into? (KJV)


Silence is a form of worship. -Elisabeth Elliot.

What if...

What if God only gave you what you imagined?

Hebrews 11:40
God had planned something better for us so that only together with us would they be made perfect.


What did God plan for my life?

1 Corinthians 2:9
No eye has seen,
no ear has heard,
no mind has conceived
what God has prepared for those who love him.


What if God's plans fail?

Psalm 33:11
But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever.


What if I did submit to God's law and lived for Him?

Proverbs 16:3,9
Commit to the Lord whatever you do,
and your plans will succeed.
In his heart a man plans his course,
but the Lord determines his steps.


How can I live for the Lord?

1 Corinthians 16:13-14
Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in love.

The Cross

The Cross did what man could not do. It granted us the right to talk with, love and even live with God.

No wonder Jesus Christ is the Savior.

Acts 17:27
God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.

Prayer of living pure

Psalm 119:9-16
It's real simple, to live a pure life, live according to His word (v.9).
This world that we are living in is wicked. When I seek the Lord with all my heart, I pray that the Lord will not let me stray away (v.6).
He promises me that if I walk blameless, he will bless me (Psalm 119:1).
I read the Bible, meditate over what I read (v.15) and learn about God daily. I do this so that the Lords ways may be in my heart so that I will not sin against him (v.11).
I want the Lord to teach me what to do. I want to learn from the Lord. I want to grow in the Lord (v.12).
I will forever repeat his word and his ways (v.13).
His word is my treasure here on this earth. I will rejoice like it is (v.14).
But my treasures in heaven are much more then anything I can imagine here on earth. I will delight in his Word and never make it any less because it is more powerful then I can even
imagine (v.16).

Psalm 119:9-16
9. How can a young man keep his way pure?
By living according to your word.
10. I seek you with all my heart;
do not let me stray away from your commands.
11. I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
12. Praise be to you, O Lord;
teach me your decrees.
13. With my lips I recount
all the laws that come from your mouth.
14. I rejoice in following your statutes
as one rejoices in great riches.
15. I meditate on your precepts
and consider your ways.
16. I delight in your decrees;
I will not neglect your word.

The past year

I was thinking of just how much God has shown me this past year.... woah! be ready to be blown away. This is my testimony from the past 12 months.

May 2008:
-Graduation
-Stress-filled with parties, AP exams, student directing, and a break-up

June 2008:
-Working at Jones Pool
-Got connected with CF with Monica and Meredith over FB

July 2008:
-Met Meredith at Panera
-Ready for a new life

August 2008:
-Started at Drake
-Moved in to Morehouse

September 2008:
-Met all the people who I now am friends with
-Started to go to bible study and Alive on a regular basis.
-Went to Encounter

October 2008:
-Actually started to read on a daily basis
-I realize I wanted to be a light in this dark world
-Started to go to lifegroup on a regular basis

November 2008:
-Started to go to Walnut Creek on a regular basis

December 2008:
-Christmas time and fellowship was shown to me here
-Faithwalkers
-change majors?

January 2009:
-Winter break

February 2009:
-a month of one particular struggle
-Valentines Day dinner

March 2009:
-spring break
-change of majors

April 2009:
-Josh McDowell
-studying
-preparation

May 2009:
-finals
-memories
-move into house


This is only events.... I wish I could go over everything I have learned, all the things God has put on my heart, and all of those priceless moments I have had with God. This has been a wonderful school year, I would have never imagined it this way.... God has wonderful paths for us, if we trust in him.

Micah 4:2
Many nations will come and say,
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths."

Luke 2:25-28
David said about him:
" 'I saw the Lord always before me.
Because he is at my right hand,
I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
my body also will live in hope,
because you will not abandon me to the grave,
nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
You have made known to me the paths of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence.' "

Proverbs 4:18
The path of righteous is like the first gleam of dawn
shining ever brighter till the full light of day.

Tomorrow

James 4:14
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Tomorrow, it is hard not to look to tomorrow right now. I have seven more days, and school will be done for me for the year. My freshman year of college, and I survived.... or I will, hopefully.

Luke 13:33
In any case, I must keep going today and tomorrow and the next day....

What is my motivation to keep going? God's love. Eternal life with the one who created me. The beauty and glory in heaven that is waiting for me.

Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

It is also hard not to be anxious about the summer, finals, jobs, summer.... The world stresses out at times like these. I turn to the Lord. He has given me everything I have, and will not give me a task that is too big for me and Him to go through together. Although there is a lot going on, I try to keep my mind on an eternal perspective. What is my Chemistry exam grade going to show for when I get to heaven? Yes, it does matter right now, to pass the class, but on the eternal scale.... it is nearly a speck of sand among a beach.

John 14:14
You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Talk to God. Do it. With my relationship with God, I know he is going to guide me where ever he wants me to be. I can ask him for anything, and if it is his will.... I will receive. How wonderful!

Matthew 6:34
Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

A Clear Invitation

Jesus' invitation is clear and non-negotiable. He gives all and we give him all. Simple and absolute. He is clear in what he asks and clear in what he offers. The choice is up to us.

John 6:35
I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.

That one prayer....

Philippians 4:4
Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

When I feel like I am not moving in my walk with the Lord, I pray one simple prayer. And after I pray this, I better have my seatbelt on and be buckled up with the Lord because I know it's going to be a bumpy ride!
I pray: "Lord, help me find something I need to work on, something that will better my life so that I can live more for you and convict me of what I need to do to be more like you."

Oh boy, does the Lord answer....


So, I prayed that this week. Ha! oh I think about it now.... and ugh! honestly, I'm exhausted! I know that in the end, it will be good, I am going to use the Lord to help me get through all of this that has been placed on my heart. He will help me, I know it.

2 Corinthians 5:15
And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.

Philippians 2:5
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.

My seatbelt is on, and My God is at my right hand! (Psalm 16:8!)

Luke 22:42
Father, if you are willing.... yet not my will, but yours be done.

Class

Taking a religion class in college.... what an undertaking!
I am in a Modern Spiritual Masters Class that is centered around Roman Catholicism Masters.....
If I have learned anything in the class, it is that I believe MORE in my beliefs and have justified reasons for them. Sometime I will be reading and I will actually agree with the Masters. In the reading I have to do for class on Tuesday, I ended up actually agreeing with three things of Flannery O'Connor.

1) Acknowledgment of Christ

"To acknowledge Christ means acknowledging himself as a sinner."

Romans 3:23-24
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through redemption that came by Christ Jesus.


2) Action of Christian's life

"The creative action of the Christian's life is to prepare his death in Christ."

Luke 9:23
The he said to them all: "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me."


3) Hell

"Hell is what God's love becomes to those who reject it. Now no one has to reject it. God made us to love Him. It takes two to love. It takes liberty. It takes the right to reject. If there were no hell, we would be like the animals. No hell, no dignity. And remember the mercy of God. It is easy to put this down as a formula and hard to believe it, but try believing the opposite, and you will find it too easy. Life has no meaning that way.... "

Woah! After I read that, I ended up reading it again, and again! it just clarified sooo much! Especially since in class, with is all discussion based, we have had the debate on if everyone is going to heaven or not.... and I was like, "no!" and everyone else but one other sister of me where like, "Yes!" but after reading this paragraph, it just helps me translate so much to those who don't believe!

The question to ask the non-believers (thanks to Tom Short) : If you were wrong, would you want to know it?

The want to be poor

Proverbs 13:8
A man's riches may ransom his life,
but a poor man hears no threat.

"Rich" or "wealthy" people are living for what they have. If they were to lose it, what do they have left? Nothing but themselves. Yet, if a poor man has nothing, his heart and life are not put into his possessions. If he loses the very little he has, he has no reason to weep and mourn the loss. He really didn't lose much, just the little he had. The poor man must have his heart set on something else, like God.... With his heart being on God, if he were to loss all of his "stuff" he would still have his God. In the end, everything that doesn't believe in God burns up.... so in the end, who really wins?!

Luke 12:34
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

sins gone

The cross did what sacrificed lambs could not do.
It erased our sins,

not for a year,


but for eternity.


Hebrews 9:12
He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood.

Two Cents

At bible study last night we were talking on the topic of The World. People are all about themselves and all about the World. I saw this more and more after I came to college. Why are people at college? To get a good job, make money, and become rich.... duh!

I use to be of this world. I didn't have much growing up, and I always promised myself I would live a better life then I grew up in, and I would give my children, if that is God's will, a better life then I had growing up. Not to down play my mother, she worked extremely hard raising two girls by herself after going through the tragedy of losing her husband, she just didn't make much money. We got by, and here I am at Drake.

I wanted to be a Pharmacist because they make a lot of money and I loved Chemistry, what a perfect combination, or so I thought. I made plans.... but God changed them.

I applied to Drake with intentions of getting into pharmacy school, that didn't happen. I then thought I was going to do research, but my heart was no where in it, like I thought it was. I realized, after coming to Drake, that I loved being with people. And I always knew I loved kids, so education it is. I have changed my major for the better and it took me a long time to come to this. But no where in my thoughts was, "man, I'm not going to make as much money..."

I consider this a blessing! So many people, my mother included, asked me what I was thinking when I told them. I stood my ground, talked with God about this decision, and I believe I made the best decision that was best for me.

Luke 21:2-4
He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."

This poor woman put the only two cents she had in the offering. She gave it all to Him. What did two cents buy her? His acceptance.

No matter what we have or what we do not, we can always be sure we have one thing, and that is the Lord and salvation.

Jeremiah 10:15
They are worthless, the objects of mockery;
when their judgment comes, they will perish.

No matter how much you have, how much are you willing to give up for the Lord? Some of us, it is everything like the woman in Luke, others it is all but our "worldly" possessions.

Mark 10:21-22
"Teacher," he declared, "all these (commandments) I have kept since I was a boy."
Jesus looked at him and loved him. "One thing you lack," he said, "Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

How much are you willing to give? What will be your treasure?

1 Corinthians 3:11-13
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work.

Teenager's View on Heaven

17-year-old Brian Moore had only a short time to write something for a class. The subject was what Heaven was like. 'I wowed 'em,' he later told his father, Bruce . 'It's a killer. It's the bomb. It's the best thing I ever wrote.' It also was the last.Brian Moore died May 27, 1997 , the day after Memorial Day. He was driving home from a friend's house when his car went off Bulen-Pierce20Road in Pickaway County and struck a utility pole. He emerged from the wreck unharmed but stepped on a downed power line and was electrocuted.

The Moores framed a copy of Brian 's essay and hung it among the family portraits in the living room. 'I think God used him to make a point. I think we were meant to find it and make something out of it,' Mrs. Moore said of the essay. She and her husband want to share their son's vision of life after death. 'I'm happy for Brian . I know he's in heaven. I know I'll see him.

Brian's Essay: The Room...
In that place between wakefulness and dreams, I found myself in the room. There were no distinguishing features except for the one wall covered with small index card files. They were like the ones in libraries that list titles by author or subject in alphabetical order. But these files, which stretched from floor to ceiling and seemingly endless in either direction, had very different headings. As I drew near the wall of files, the first to catch my attention was one that read 'Girls I have liked.' I opened it and began fli pping through the cards. I quickly shut it, shocked to realize that I recognized the names written on each one. And then without being told, I knew exactly where I was.This lifeless room with its small files was a crude catalog system for my life. Here were written the actions of my every moment, big and small, in a detail my memory couldn't match. A sense of wonder and curiosity, coupled with horror, stirred within me as I began randomly opening files and exploring their content. Some brought joy and sweet memories; others a sense of shame and regret so intense that I would look over my shoulder to see if anyone was watching.A file named 'Friends' was next to one marked 'Friends I have betrayed.' The titles ranged from the mundane to the outright weird 'Books I Have Read,' 'Lies I Have Told,' 'Comfort I have Given,' 'Jokes I Have Laughed at.’ Some were almost hilarious in their exactness: 'Things I've yelled at my brothers.' Others I couldn't laugh at: 'Things I Have Done in My Anger', 'Things I Have Muttered Under My Breath at My Parents.' I never ceased to be surprised by the contents.Often there were many more cards than I expected. Sometimes fewer than I hoped. I was overwhelmed by the sheer volume of the life I had lived. Could it be possible that I had the time in my years to fill each of these thousands or even millions of cards? But each card confirmed this truth. Each was written in my own handwriting. Each signed with my signature.When I pulled out the file marked 'TV Shows I have watched', I realized the files grew to contain their contents. The cards were packed tightly, and yet after two or three yards, I hadn't found the end of the file. I shut it, shamed, not so much by the quality of shows but more by the vast time I knew that file represented.When I came to a file marked 'Lustful Thoughts,' I felt a chill run through my body. I pulled the file out only an inch, not willing to test its size and drew out a card. I shuddered at its detailed content.I felt sick to think that such a moment had been recorded. An almost=2 0animal rage broke on me. One thought dominated my mind: No one must ever see these cards! No one must ever see this room! I have to destroy them!' In insane frenzy I yanked the file out. Its size didn't matter now. I had to empty it and burn the cards. But as I took it at one end and began pounding it on the floor, I could not dislodge a single card. I became desperate and pulled out a card, only to find it as strong as steel when I tried to tear it.Defeated and utterly helpless, I returned the file to its slot. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I let out a long, self-pitying sigh.And then I saw it. The title bore 'People I Have Shared the Gospel With.' The handle was brighter than those around it, seemed newer, almost unused. I pulled on its handle and a small box not more than three inches long fell into my hands.. I could count the cards it contained on one hand.And then the tears came. I began to weep. Sobs so deep that they hurt. They started in my stomach and shook through me. I fell on my knees and cried. I cried out of s hame, from the overwhelming shame of it all. The rows of file shelves swirled in my tear-filled eyes. No one must ever, ever know of this room. I must lock it up and hide the key. But then as I pushed away the tears, I saw Him.No, please not Him. Not here. Oh, anyone but Jesus . I watched helplessly as He began to open the files and read the cards. I couldn't bear to watch His response. And in the moments I could bring myself to look at His face, I saw a sorrow deeper than my own.He seemed to intuitively go to the worst boxes. Why did He have to read every one? Finally He turned and looked at me from across the room. He looked at me with pity in His eyes. But this was a pity that didn't anger me. I dropped my head, covered my face with my hands and began to cry again. He walked over and put His arm around me He could have said so many things. But He didn't say a word. He just cried with me.Then He got up and walked back to the wall of files. Starting at one end of the room, He took out a file and, one by one, began to sign His name over mine on each card.. 'No!' I shouted rushing to Him. All I could find to say was 'No, no,' as I pulled the card from Him. His name shouldn't be on these cards. But there it was, written in red so rich, so dark, so alive. The name of Jesus covered mine. It was written with His blood. He gently took the card back. He smiled a sad smile and began to sign the cards. I don't think I'll ever understand how He did it so quickly, but the next instant it seemed I heard Him close the last file and walk back to my side.He placed His hand on my shoulder and said, 'It is finished.'

So I read this and at first I was thinking it was another silly email, but in the end I loved it! I made me stop and think about all my files of my life. Thank the Lord I have Jesus, or I would be condemned to hell.... Praise the Lord.

Prayer

Prayer: the act of communicating with a deity or spirit.

To me, prayer is the communication I have with the God of this World, of this City, of Me. God loves me and he also loves everyone else the exact same. He is my God, my Father, my lover, my bridegroom. To maintain a real and good relationship with my God, I must communicate with Him. Just like anyone would do to keep a strong relationship with anyone else in their life, they must communicate. I want my relationship with God to be the tightest, most closest knit relationship I have. Why? Well, when I go to Heaven, it is me and Him and that is it.

Mark 11:23-25
"I tell you the truth, if anyone says to this mountain, "Go throw yourself into the sea" and does not doubt in his heart but believes in that what he says will happen, it will be done for him. Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your father in heaven may forgive your sins."

Reading this reminds me of what Mr. Bridges told Coach Taylor in Facing the Giants. He read this passage to the Coach to encourage him.

Revelations 3:7-8
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.

While praying, I must prepare for my prayers to be answered. This has really been hitting me hard, because I want my prayers to be answered but sometimes I don't believe it is ever going to happen. God's timing is defiantly tough to understand but I have to trust in the Lord. I need to start "preparing my field" for when the Lord sends me rain.

Hell

From my daily Calander:

Hell is the chosen place of the person who love self more than God, who loves sin more than his Savior, who loves this world more than God's world. Judgment is that moment when God looks at the rebellious and says, "Your choice will be honored."

And the Angels Were Silent.

Joel 2:13
Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.

Salvation

Psalm 37:39
The salvation of the rightous comes from the the Lord.

This one verse sums up so much. We cannot just do good works and be able to get into heaven, our salvation, your salvation, my salvation, it depends on the Lord. Not ourselves, but the Lord.
This has been very hard to explain to those who do not believe. God has really put this struggle in my life recently. How do you explain that all the good works in the world mean nothing in your way to heaven? And to simply get into heaven, you have to believe in and put your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Not so simple....

Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no one can boast.

We are saved by God's grace.
According to the Merrium-Webster online dictionary:
Grace: 1.unmerited divine assistance given humans for their regeneration or sanctification. 2. a virtue coming from God.

So God saved us by his grace.... not bad, eh? Now, all we have to do is accept it! Just because Jesus died for all of us doesn't mean that we all get to go to heaven.
I love this analogy, let's say we are all just kickin' it at a coffee shop. Someone (Jesus) comes in and pays for the next $1,000 of drinks that are going to be purchesed. Now, just because we are sitting and chillin' in the coffee shop doesn't mean we get a free latte, we must go to the counter and order it. If I choose not to order a cup of coffee, I don't get one free, and if you choose to go and order your latte, you will recieve it for free. That is exactly what God did for us! He sent his only son to come to the earth, live as human, and die for us (prepay for our coffee) so that we can go to the holy heaven God has created (enjoy our coffee at no cost). So, therefore, to go to heaven and live with Jesus after we die, we must accept his free gift!

A gift from God, who could have imagined?!

Acts 10:43
All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

Captivating Part 2

This one little part of a prayer really summed a lot up for me. It was just like the prayer I have been praying to God for the past month or so. It is just.... soooo.... great!

"I gird up my desire to offer life through my gifting, the beauty You have bestowed on me. I ask You to continue to reveal and confirm what You desire to do through me and all You have given to me. I trust that You have called me by name and have given me love, a beauty, a gift to pour out on my family, my friends, and those You bring to me. May this day be an offering of love poured out before You on the alter of my life"

I feel like I have shared this with so many girls today! but I love it!!!

Everyday

Lately, I have been thinking of the daily routine. How does my daily routine please the Lord? I read daily, talk to others, go to bible study, go to church.... blah, blah, blah. But am I living for the Lord when I am doing my homework, in class, talking with unbelievers? I know the Lord is with me, but I need to live for Him every second of every day.

1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing have you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

Whatever I do for the Lord will make Him joyful. Why would I not want to do all I can for Him at anytime of the day? Going to school, I am around unbelievers in my classes, in group projects, in my dorm, it is very possible that once a day I will be hearing or I will be part of a conversation about the Lord. Why do I not speak up and tell them the truth? Unbelievers talking about God shows me that they want the Lord, they are searching for that "something." I should be there to help them find the Lord! Not just show them His love but really talk with them, share the gospel, tell them the truth. By doing that, I would make the Lord oh so happy.

Proverbs 10:1
A wise son brings joy to his father;
but a foolish son grief to his mother.

I need, I want, to bring joy to my father in heaven! How do I do that?

Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish on another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Fully and completely live for the Lord, that's how.

Willing

Exodus 36:6-7
Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: "No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary." And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.

Building a sanctuary, or even a building, is a huge undertaking! Moses had the Isrealites giving their finest to him so that the sanctuary could be built in God's name. After they started collecting, there was just too much stuff, so Moses had to tell the people to stop bringing items. How wonderful to be so on fire for the Lord that you just want to give up everything you have all for the Lord.

Are we as a church today THAT on fire for the Lord? Would we give up our finest to build a church, go reach out to the lost, save a soul?

Would you be willing to give up the best thing you own for the church? Your car? Your laptop? Your education? Your life?

Captivating part 1

I am currently reading Captivating by John and Stasi Eldredge. This book is great! It has taught me so much about myself, about my love for God, and about His love for me. I am going to sum up four points that I think God has put it into my heart with this book.

1. God made women for a reason.
God made man out of His image, but

Genesis 2:18
"It is not good for the man to be alone, I will make a helper suitable for him."

Guess who that helper is? yup, the women! Eve was the first one to help out the first man. We are to be there to help our brothers, husbands, and other men in our lives. God made women for a specific reason, not just to give rise to the nations but to be here for those men in our lives.

2. Every woman WANTS to be beautiful.
God made this longing in women's hearts to be beautiful, to be captivating. From the age of three or younger we were trying to capture the attention of those around us. I have alwaysed loved being the center of attention and so I can see this so clearly in my life. In class in elementary school, I loved being the one who was always chosen, in high school I loved to be the one who the teachers would call out for praise, and I can see how I long for God's attention to. I remember when I just started realizing the Christian life asking for a sign from God. Now I don't remember if God actually gave me a sign at the time or not, but I longed that He would give me attention enough so I could know He was real.

3. God wants our whole heart.
God told us He wants to get to know us.

Jeremiah 24:7
I will give them a heart to know me, that I am the Lord. They will be my people, and I will be their God, for they will return to me with all their heart.

He wants our whole heart! Not just a little piece of our heart on Sunday mornings, but really all of it!

Mark 12:30
Love the Lord your God with all your heart.....

He wants us to give Him our whole heart! God doesn't want us to give our hearts half to Him and half to this world! He wants the whole darn thing! He is just waiting for us to give Him our whole heart as well. He waits for us and is patient.

Revelations 3:20
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

He is waiting for us! What are we waiting for, an invitation in the mail? He is knocking on that door of everyone's hearts. He will return the favor to, He loves us! Not just that "Jesus loves me this I know....." but really loves us!

Jeremiah 31:3
The Lord appeared to us in the past saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness."

I am loved! Really loved, by our God! How great?!

4. I want to captivate His heart
I understand God loves me. He loves me like NO ONE here on this earth can! He loves me so much, I cannot fathom it! I don't just want to love Him because he commanded it by loving God being the greatest commandment

Matthew 22:37
Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and all your mind.

But I want to love God because He loves me! How great is it to know that you are loved so dearly and you are wanted so badly by your God?!

While learning this, I dug out an old CD of mine that I was going to give to a friend to listen to. I instead popped it in and gave it a whirl before handing it over. The CD is this whole story all over again! Here is what I have learned from four of the songs on Bethany Dillon's CD, Bethany Dillon:

Aimless: I think this life here on earth is great... heaven is going to be so much better.

Beautiful: I long to be beautiful! He is the one who makes me so beautiful.

For My Love: I want to be captured by His love! Fall completely in love with Him.

Are All I Need: God is all I need. Period.

Totally recommend listening to this CD, love it!

In the End

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth...... (fast forwarding)......

Matthew 24:14
And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Okay, so the end is coming! Let's rejoice! We do not know when it is coming, the angels don't know when the end is coming, and Jesus doesn't know when it is coming, only the Father himself. (Matt 24:36).

So what should we do to prepare for this? Well... live life, love the Lord, and be ready to go at any moment. (Matt 24:44).

Living in Iowa this summer with all the flooding, I saw first hand what it meant to "be ready at any moment." Thankfully my family never had to "be ready to leave at any moment" but I had friends and family members of my church have to go through this. They got a warning that they might have to evacuate their homes at any moment because the water in Cedar Rapids was rising way too fast. Within days, sometimes hours, they had to get out of their house. Many people put furniture and valuables on top floors of their homes and gotten around important documents to take with them, and a couple sets of clothes. That was if they were lucky. Once evacuated, it was a waiting game until the water receded and they could get into their house again.

If we somehow got a warning from God saying, "Hey, the end is going to come in approximately 48hours" what would you do? Would you continue on daily life? Would you praise the Lord for everything that has happened or for who He is? Would you repent? Would you go and make last apologizes and make all well between you and those in your life? Would you go to tell others that the end is coming?

If you would do any of these things with only 48 hours to live.... why are you not doing it now? Jesus told us to be ready for the end at all times, so are you ready now? What are you waiting for?! The end is near, and I know once the end comes, I will go to heaven and worship God for all of eternity. I can hardly wait!

God needs us, and we need Him... what a relationship.

I am getting baptized this Sunday and I have been focusing on it in the wrong way. I knew I wanted to get baptized and went about it the right way (by having it be between me and God), then "when all my ducks were in a row" I sluffed the whole thing of God and I off and used it to get people to come to church. What a great way to invite people to come but I feel that inviting people has been my focus. Today I read Psalm 28 and it was convicting.

Psalm 28:7
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.
My heart leaps for joy
and I will give thanks to him in song.

This was convicting because I was using His works and pulling in my own joy. I am joyful when people say they are going to come to church, but I needed to realize they are coming to church because of Him.... not me! My heart is completely intrusted in the Lord, and however He uses my baptism for others salvation is wonderful! It is all in His plan!

Getting myself back on focus, I need my baptism to really be about me and God. I am getting baptized to show that I have given up my life for the Lord to use in whatever ways that will advance His kingdom. I pray to God that He uses me, and I have now doubt that He will. While I was journaling about this, I was listening to Shawn McDonald, and his song Take My Hand came on.

Take my hand to the promise land
And on You I want to stand
‘Cause I cannot do it on my own
You're what I need and I need to be
Right by Your side ‘cause I cannot hide
Lord, I know that I need You
Na na na na na na na na na, I need You
Na na na na na na na na na, I need You
Without You I'm so alone
I am weak but You are strong
You pick me up when I'm falling down
And I am crying
Out to You inside of my heart
I need You, Lord, oh so, for the part
I want You to have my life, Jesus
I fall to my knees
And I'm begging You, please, oh, Lord
Won't You change me
Make me new from the inside out
I want to shout out Your name

I thought this song was great to be listening to at this time. I was confessing to God how much I wanted to be used by Him for Him, and in song, He was sharing with me how much I need Him! This is just sooo great! Really the last part of the song is great, Won't you change me, make me new from the inside out.... just really, really great!

We all need God in our lives. Period. And how great is that?!

God's Plan

God created us. God created us just the way we are, and to Him we are beautiful. He has plans for us, and He knows what the future is to bring. All we must do is follow His path.

Psalm 27:11
Teach me your way, O Lord;
lead me in a straight path
because of my oppressors.

The Lord will lead us in a straight path, if we let Him. He gives us the gift of free will, so our path may veer sometimes. Who wants their path to be crooked? What we must do is to trust in the Lord with our lives.

Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own
understanding.

He does know what is best for each one of us. And that, is truly amazing to me.
God knows the best paths for everyone here on Earth, what a great God!

Everyone

Reading today, all I kept getting reminded of was how much God loves and how he loves everyone. Not just those who love Him back, but really, everyone! How amazing! Reminds me of the lyrics of Mighty to Save by Hillsong United:

Everyone needs compassion
A love that's never failing
Let mercy fall on me.

Everyone need forgiveness
The kindness of a Savior
The hope of the nation.

I am in love with the Lord. I can begin to understand His love He has for me. But others who don't even know him, they don't know how much the Lord loves them. Our God is awesome and He is bigger than anything we can imagine. He can love everyone and still have an intimate, individual relationship with each and everyone of us. How Great!

This gives me a whole new reason to go out sharing and to tell those I love about the Lord. The Lord didn't just save them from eternity in hell, He is there to love them for eternity! For everyone needs to be reminded that "People will fail you, God won't." He loves you and me, and He will for eternity!

Starting a Media Fast

So, I decided at the beginning of the year I was going to do a media fast... never done one before. What it is, is I will try to refrain from "feeding" myself with anything that isn't good for me. We do this for food, why not do it for our souls?

These are my rules:
1. No secular music (so only Christian artists, singing for the Lord).
2. Facebook for only 30 minutes a day to answer wall posts or messages. Before going on, I must have a reason to go on as well.... I cannot go on looking for something to write.
3. No TV.
4. Christian movies (Facing the Giants, Narnia...) with a G or PG rating.
5. Text books, Christian books, and the Bible are the things I may read.
6. I can only text to communicate necessary items.
7. On the Internet, I must only read Christian based articles.

I know this month is going to be hard. But I can't wait to see what the Lord is going to teach me through this. I am doing it to get closer to Him. And I can't wait!