I was planning on posting something that I'd seen on another blog. It was a survey of sorts, all about music. As a music fanatic, I couldn't pass that up. Then interestingly enough, Pastor Steven's blog the other day was about music. I thought it was an interesting little way God used to point something out to me. Pastor Steven said it so well that I'm going to quote a little bit...
"One area where you refuse to listen to God can lead to a time when you can’t hear Him in any.
One bad note can ruin the whole chord.
What’s your bad note?
Get it in tune now before the masterpiece God has composed for your life is drowned out in a cacophony of contradicting notes."
I thought that last line was BEAUTIFUL. It was also a message that I needed to hear in an analogy that I could definitely relate to and remember. LOVE it when God does that. Check out the rest of that blog and the tons of other encouraging material Pastor Steven posts at www.stevenfurtick.com. I HIGHLY recommend it. I check it out every day =)
Now, on to my songs...
01: YOUR FAVORITE SONG: SHOCKINGLY, not a Beatles song. My all time favorite song is 'Breakin' Me' by Jonny Lang (Who I get to see in concert next week!! YAY). I LOVE the song because the lyrics (included below) are beautiful and you can hear the emotion in his voice. Give it a listen here:
Every day I see your face I wish I'd stayed
Don't even know what made me run away
It's just the way I play the game
Emotional is not a word I'd use to explain myself
But now I'm down upon my knees
Baby please take me back
I don't want to be in love but you're makin' me
Let me up I've had enough. Girl you're breakin' me
Here I am just half a man standing alone
Feeling like I lost my only chance
At happiness when I let you go
I don't want to be alone thinkin' bout you girl
I got nothin' left to hold in this lonely world
The first time my heart was ever touched
Was the day I lost your love
I can feel it in my flesh and blood
My soul can only take it so much
So there it is. Why can't you give us one more try
You and I could find a way to live
If you let me in one more time
I know you lost your faith in me but I still believe
Can I make you understand, can I make you see
That I'm desperate for your love and it's breakin' me
02: YOUR LEAST FAVOURITE SONG: Leann Womack's 'I Hope You Dance' Long story as to why, but I HATE that song.
03: A SONG THAT MAKES YOU HAPPY: The Beatles "Good Day Sunshine'. These lyrics ALWAYS make me smile "I need to laugh, and when the sun is out/ I've got something I can laugh about/ I feel good, in a special way/ I'm in love and it's a sunny day"
04: A SONG THAT MAKES YOU SAD: 'Lucky' by Jason Mraz. Reminds me of a lost love... It used to make me cry, but thank goodness its not that bad anymore.
05: A SONG THAT REMINDS YOU OF SOMEONE: '45' by Shinedown (and about a million other songs) will ALWAYS remind me of Mr. Michael Miller.
06: A SONG THAT REMINDS OF YOU OF SOMEWHERE: Panic! at the Disco's "Nine in the Afternoon" reminds me of NGU.
07: A SONG THAT REMINDS YOU OF A CERTAIN EVENT: P!nk's "So What" reminds me of an amazing beach trip with my best girlfriends!
08: A SONG THAT YOU KNOW ALL THE WORDS TO: Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby". Sang it to my kids at work and they thought it was hilarious that I knew all the words!
09: A SONG THAT YOU CAN DANCE TO: I don't really dance, but in college we used to LOVE dancing to Usher's "Yeah" and Lil Jon's "Get Low" hahahhahaha
10: A SONG THAT MAKES YOU FALL ASLEEP I almost always listen to Will Hoge's "Baby Girl" before bed. I know not many people know him, but they should so listen to it here (and I was at this performance of Baby Girl on TRB. SO FUN!):
11: A SONG FROM YOUR FAVOURITE BAND: ummm any song by the Beatles. duh. (My favorite happens to be Something.)
12: A SONG FROM A BAND YOU HATE: anything and everything by Nickelback!
13: A SONG THAT IS A GUILTY PLEASURE: The biggest one EVER is Ricky Martin & Christian Aguilera "Nobody Wants to be Lonely." I LOVE that song for some reason, but I keep that info to myself normally.
14: A SONG THAT NO ONE WOULD EXPECT YOU TO LOVE: Breaking Benjamin "I Will Not Bow". LOVE that song. LOVE.
15: A SONG THAT DESCRIBES YOU: NeedToBreathe's "something Beautiful." The lyrics that follow are EXACTLY how I feel SO often! I absolutely LOVE these lyrics. They describe me and particularly my faith SO adequately!
Hey now, this is my desire
Consume me like a fire, 'cause I just want something beautiful
To touch me, I know that I'm in reach
'Cause I am down on my knees.
I'm waiting for something beautiful
Oh, something beautiful
And the water is rising quick
And for years I was scared of it
We can't be sure when it will subside
So I won't leave your side, no I can't leave your side.
16: A SONG THAT YOU USED TO LOVE BUT NOW HATE: Cee Lo 'Forget You' SOOO sick of that song!
17: A SONG THAT YOU HEAR OFTEN ON THE RADIO: Bruno Mars "Grenade" LOVE him!
18: A SONG THAT YOU WISH YOU HEARD ON THE RADIO: Anything by Marc Broussard. He's AMAZING. See below for proof!
19: A SONG FROM YOUR FAVORITE ALBUM: "Blackbird" from The Beatles' white album
20: A SONG THAT YOU LISTEN TO WHEN YOU’RE ANGRY: any hard rock... Shinedown, Rise Against, Avenged Sevenfold
21: A SONG THAT YOU LISTEN TO WHEN YOU’RE HAPPY: Boybands.... Nsync, BSB, Hanson, LFO. They all work!
22: A SONG THAT YOU LISTEN TO WHEN YOU’RE SAD: lately, this song by Hot Chelle Rae called "Bleed"... if you only watch one of these videos make it this one. I LOVE this song!
23: A SONG THAT YOU WANT TO PLAY AT YOUR WEDDING: The Beatles 'In My Life' and Hanson's 'I Will Come to You'... yes I did say Hanson. Show up to my wedding one day and you'll see that I'm totally not joking.
DAY 24: A SONG THAT YOU WANT TO PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL: John Lennon's "Imagine"
DAY 25: A SONG THAT MAKES YOU LAUGH: Bruno Mars' "Lazy Song" is SOOO funny!
DAY 26: A SONG THAT YOU CAN PLAY ON AN INSTRUMENT: there isn't one.
DAY 27: A SONG THAT YOU WISH YOU COULD PLAY: anything would be nice.. but mostly a Beatles song!
DAY 28: A SONG THAT MAKES YOU FEEL GUILTY: I don't really have one.
29: A SONG FROM YOUR CHILDHOOD: New Kids on the Block "Hangin' Tough' is the first song I ever remember listening to
DAY 30: YOUR FAVORITE SONG AT THIS TIME LAST YEAR: I'm pretty sure I was diggin' Taio Cruz's "Dynamite" around this time last year.
Thursday, March 31
Tuesday, March 29
Second Chances.
I'm sitting in my room. Just thinking. I'd REALLY appreciate some words of wisdom here.
What do you do when someone who hurts you wants a second chance?
Some people in my life are quick to say NO. Run the other way. Don't even think about it. Break all contact. I appreciate those people more than they know. Why? Because I know that they are saying those words out of genuine love and worry for me. I know that they worry for my emotional well being. I know they want the absolute best for me. I know they are trying to help me avoid getting hurt any further. I thank God for people in my life who love me so unconditionally. Such a blessing.
But... then I think about my relationship with God.
Matthew 6:14
"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you."
He's forgiven me every single time I've ever asked. He didn't have to think about it. He didn't consider. He didn't hesitate. He opened his arms and welcomed me back into his embrace. He didn't just forget about what I'd done, he restored my relationship with Him to what it was before I ruined things. And all of this in spite of the fact that I don't deserve it. Every wrong in our relationship was MY FAULT. Yet he chooses to forgive. He loves me with a limitless love. He also loves the people who wrong me with a limitless love.
All this just makes me think... who am I to refuse to extend that same forgiveness to others. I know that it might put me in a position to be hurt again. However, I also know that if I do hurt I have a God who is the ultimate comforter. I also know that I don't want to miss out on God's blessings because I was afraid of being hurt. Even so, I see my concerned friends point of view.
So, what do you think?
What do you do when someone who hurts you wants a second chance?
Some people in my life are quick to say NO. Run the other way. Don't even think about it. Break all contact. I appreciate those people more than they know. Why? Because I know that they are saying those words out of genuine love and worry for me. I know that they worry for my emotional well being. I know they want the absolute best for me. I know they are trying to help me avoid getting hurt any further. I thank God for people in my life who love me so unconditionally. Such a blessing.
But... then I think about my relationship with God.
Matthew 6:14
"For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you."
He's forgiven me every single time I've ever asked. He didn't have to think about it. He didn't consider. He didn't hesitate. He opened his arms and welcomed me back into his embrace. He didn't just forget about what I'd done, he restored my relationship with Him to what it was before I ruined things. And all of this in spite of the fact that I don't deserve it. Every wrong in our relationship was MY FAULT. Yet he chooses to forgive. He loves me with a limitless love. He also loves the people who wrong me with a limitless love.
All this just makes me think... who am I to refuse to extend that same forgiveness to others. I know that it might put me in a position to be hurt again. However, I also know that if I do hurt I have a God who is the ultimate comforter. I also know that I don't want to miss out on God's blessings because I was afraid of being hurt. Even so, I see my concerned friends point of view.
So, what do you think?
Sunday, March 27
Power.
This weekend at Elevation, Pastor Steven started a sermon series on the book of Ephesians. His first sermon was from the first chapter of Ephesians, and focused on the power of God working in our lives. I've also been reading Ephesians on my own, and recently focused some reading/study time on the same passage. Anyway, it was so good that I HAD to share a little of it with my wonderful, be it small, blog audience.
Pastor Steven pointed out something (as he regularly does) that I know, but I've never really devoted significant thought to. We already have all of the power of God in us. As verses 7-10 in the first chapter of Ephesians say: (and I'm quoting from The Message... a modern language translation of the Bible that I like to use in my personal reading time.)
"Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for EVERYTHING WE COULD POSSIBLY NEED, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth." (emphasis there was my own.)
God provided us with all the power that we need... the same power that raised Jesus from the DEAD for crying out loud (see verse 20) but we choose to live in weakness. And yes, I say WE because I fall into this category PLENTY of times. Pastor Steven likened this to potential and kinetic energy. I googled to get a little refreshed on that as physics wasn't my best subject in high school. The fact of the matter though, is that all that power, the power that raised Jesus from the dead and sat him at the right hand of God, is just potential in our lives until we make it WORK in our lives through trust, faith, ACTION. We got all the power we'll ever need the moment we became a Christian, but we waste it and forfeit God's blessing when we choose not to act.
Here's the part of this that really gets me... Paul points it out in verse 19. I worry SO much about my strength, what I'm capable of. But it has NOTHING to do with my ability. NOTHING. It all hinges on God's authority... which we know very well never changes, dwindles, struggles. NEVER. But somehow I still worry that I can't do it. Its my perception of power and strength thats the issue. His power never changes... my confidence in his power to be exerted though me... THATS what varies, and that's what causes me to miss out on things that He has for me.
I had a professor in college who used to tell us that "God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called." Its sometimes hard for me to think this way, but when I refuse to, I'm underestimating God's power. If God can raise people from the dead, part seas, make the sun stand still in the sky, why in the world am I so arrogant to think that my issues are outside his realm of expertise? As I write that sentence, doubting sounds utterly ridiculous, and yet I find myself behaving that way more often than I care to admit. To express it a different way, as Pastor put it (after making a GREAT analogy about Apple products... which made this Mac lover smile) we use the equipment God gave us FAR beneath its potential.
After hearing about the sermon series coming up at Elevation I decided to devote my own Bible reading time to Ephesians for the next couple of weeks. Rarely do I spend so much time in one place in the Bible, so I thought it would be a nice change of pace. The thing that stood out to me initially... and then REALLY hit home after hearing Pastor's thoughts is the following...
In verses 15-19 Paul says (again quoting from The Message)
"That's why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn't stop thanking God for you—every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!"
Paul prayed for the believers that he cared for in such a beautiful way. When I read "intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally" I thought WOW, that, more than anything I could say, sums up EXACTLY what I'm looking for in my relationship with Christ. Thats just what I want. I can't think of anything better than gaining intimacy with the Father and gaining intelligence and discernment that will allow me to better love and serve those around me.
This week I'm working on tapping into God's power through my prayer, faithfulness, action. I'm praying Paul's prayer for myself... and I'm praying it for you too. I'm asking God "to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do..."
Pastor Steven pointed out something (as he regularly does) that I know, but I've never really devoted significant thought to. We already have all of the power of God in us. As verses 7-10 in the first chapter of Ephesians say: (and I'm quoting from The Message... a modern language translation of the Bible that I like to use in my personal reading time.)
"Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for EVERYTHING WE COULD POSSIBLY NEED, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth." (emphasis there was my own.)
God provided us with all the power that we need... the same power that raised Jesus from the DEAD for crying out loud (see verse 20) but we choose to live in weakness. And yes, I say WE because I fall into this category PLENTY of times. Pastor Steven likened this to potential and kinetic energy. I googled to get a little refreshed on that as physics wasn't my best subject in high school. The fact of the matter though, is that all that power, the power that raised Jesus from the dead and sat him at the right hand of God, is just potential in our lives until we make it WORK in our lives through trust, faith, ACTION. We got all the power we'll ever need the moment we became a Christian, but we waste it and forfeit God's blessing when we choose not to act.
Here's the part of this that really gets me... Paul points it out in verse 19. I worry SO much about my strength, what I'm capable of. But it has NOTHING to do with my ability. NOTHING. It all hinges on God's authority... which we know very well never changes, dwindles, struggles. NEVER. But somehow I still worry that I can't do it. Its my perception of power and strength thats the issue. His power never changes... my confidence in his power to be exerted though me... THATS what varies, and that's what causes me to miss out on things that He has for me.
I had a professor in college who used to tell us that "God doesn't call the equipped, He equips the called." Its sometimes hard for me to think this way, but when I refuse to, I'm underestimating God's power. If God can raise people from the dead, part seas, make the sun stand still in the sky, why in the world am I so arrogant to think that my issues are outside his realm of expertise? As I write that sentence, doubting sounds utterly ridiculous, and yet I find myself behaving that way more often than I care to admit. To express it a different way, as Pastor put it (after making a GREAT analogy about Apple products... which made this Mac lover smile) we use the equipment God gave us FAR beneath its potential.
After hearing about the sermon series coming up at Elevation I decided to devote my own Bible reading time to Ephesians for the next couple of weeks. Rarely do I spend so much time in one place in the Bible, so I thought it would be a nice change of pace. The thing that stood out to me initially... and then REALLY hit home after hearing Pastor's thoughts is the following...
In verses 15-19 Paul says (again quoting from The Message)
"That's why, when I heard of the solid trust you have in the Master Jesus and your outpouring of love to all the followers of Jesus, I couldn't stop thanking God for you—every time I prayed, I'd think of you and give thanks. But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!"
Paul prayed for the believers that he cared for in such a beautiful way. When I read "intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally" I thought WOW, that, more than anything I could say, sums up EXACTLY what I'm looking for in my relationship with Christ. Thats just what I want. I can't think of anything better than gaining intimacy with the Father and gaining intelligence and discernment that will allow me to better love and serve those around me.
This week I'm working on tapping into God's power through my prayer, faithfulness, action. I'm praying Paul's prayer for myself... and I'm praying it for you too. I'm asking God "to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do..."
Saturday, March 26
Quenched.
I read a lot. I really like to read Christian nonfiction. One book that I go back to again and again is "My Utmost for His Highest" by Oswald Chambers. It is a years worth of devotionals that was published in the USA in 1935. I've read all of the entries multiple times. I pull it out when I need a little word from God, a little inspiration, a little encouragement. Anyway, today I flipped to one that I really like, and I wanted to share it... everything after are Chambers' words.
"Do not quench the Spirit —1 Thessalonians 5:19
The voice of the Spirit of God is as gentle as a summer breeze— so gentle that unless you are living in complete fellowship and oneness with God, you will never hear it. The sense of warning and restraint that the Spirit gives comes to us in the most amazingly gentle ways. And if you are not sensitive enough to detect His voice, you will quench it, and your spiritual life will be impaired. This sense of restraint will always come as a “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12), so faint that no one except a saint of God will notice it.
Beware if in sharing your personal testimony you continually have to look back, saying, “Once, a number of years ago, I was saved.” If you have put your “hand to the plow” and are walking in the light, there is no “looking back”— the past is instilled into the present wonder of fellowship and oneness with God (Luke 9:62 ; also see 1 John 1:6-7). If you get out of the light, you become a sentimental Christian, and live only on your memories, and your testimony will have a hard metallic ring to it. Beware of trying to cover up your present refusal to “walk in the light” by recalling your past experiences when you did “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7). When-ever the Spirit gives you that sense of restraint, call a halt and make things right, or else you will go on quenching and grieving Him without even knowing it.
Suppose God brings you to a crisis and you almost endure it, but not completely. He will engineer the crisis again, but this time some of the intensity will be lost. You will have less discernment and more humiliation at having disobeyed. If you continue to grieve His Spirit, there will come a time when that crisis cannot be repeated, because you have totally quenched Him. But if you will go on through the crisis, your life will become a hymn of praise to God. Never become attached to anything that continues to hurt God. For you to be free of it, God must be allowed to hurt whatever it may be."
If you want to read more of these timeless, inspirational words, check out www.utmost.org
Thanks for reading. xoxo
"Do not quench the Spirit —1 Thessalonians 5:19
The voice of the Spirit of God is as gentle as a summer breeze— so gentle that unless you are living in complete fellowship and oneness with God, you will never hear it. The sense of warning and restraint that the Spirit gives comes to us in the most amazingly gentle ways. And if you are not sensitive enough to detect His voice, you will quench it, and your spiritual life will be impaired. This sense of restraint will always come as a “still small voice” (1 Kings 19:12), so faint that no one except a saint of God will notice it.
Beware if in sharing your personal testimony you continually have to look back, saying, “Once, a number of years ago, I was saved.” If you have put your “hand to the plow” and are walking in the light, there is no “looking back”— the past is instilled into the present wonder of fellowship and oneness with God (Luke 9:62 ; also see 1 John 1:6-7). If you get out of the light, you become a sentimental Christian, and live only on your memories, and your testimony will have a hard metallic ring to it. Beware of trying to cover up your present refusal to “walk in the light” by recalling your past experiences when you did “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7). When-ever the Spirit gives you that sense of restraint, call a halt and make things right, or else you will go on quenching and grieving Him without even knowing it.
Suppose God brings you to a crisis and you almost endure it, but not completely. He will engineer the crisis again, but this time some of the intensity will be lost. You will have less discernment and more humiliation at having disobeyed. If you continue to grieve His Spirit, there will come a time when that crisis cannot be repeated, because you have totally quenched Him. But if you will go on through the crisis, your life will become a hymn of praise to God. Never become attached to anything that continues to hurt God. For you to be free of it, God must be allowed to hurt whatever it may be."
If you want to read more of these timeless, inspirational words, check out www.utmost.org
Thanks for reading. xoxo
Friday, March 25
Fun Friday #3!
Ok, here's my fun post. Thanks to my roomie/BFF April for the little survey. Steal it, answer the questions, and comment here so I can go read yours! =)
A-Z SURVEY
A. Age: 25
B. Bed size: KING
C. Chore you dislike: CLEANING THE BATHTUB. GROSS.
D. Dogs: FINN AND ATICUS. MINIATURE SCHNAUZERS. THEY LIVE WITH THE PARENTALS.
E. Essential start to your day: COFFEE COFFEE COFFEEEEEE!
F. Favorite color: YELLOW
G. Gold or silver: SILVER I SUPPOSE. I ACTUALLY PREFER COPPER.
H. Height: 5'5'' ISH
I. Instruments you play(ed): I TOOK PIANO AS A KID
K. Kids: NOT FOR A LOOOOOONG TIME.
M. Mom’s name: VICKY
L. Live: ROCK HILL
N. Nicknames: STEPH, POAG, STEFFIEFRESH, FRESH, FRESHIE, FRESHUMS (FRESHUMS - FROM JEREMY- HAPPENS TO BE MY FAVORITE)
O. Overnight hospital stays: NOPE. (KNOCK ON WOOD)
P. Pet peeves: PEOPLE WHO STOP TEXTING IN THE MIDDLE OF A CONVERSATION!
Q. Quote from a movie: "YOU'RE NOT PERFECT, SPORT. AND LET ME SAVE YOU THE SUSPENSE. THIS GIRL YOU MET, SHE ISN'T PERFECT EITHER. BUT THE QUESTION IS: WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER. THAT'S THE WHOLE DEAL. THAT'S WHAT INTIMACY IS ALL ABOUT. NOW YOU CAN KNOW EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD, SPORT, BUT THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE FINDIN' OUT THAT ONE IS BY GIVIN' IT A SHOT" -ROBIN WILLIAMS (SEAN) IN GOOD WILL HUNTING
R. Righty or lefty: LEFTY
S. Siblings: ADAM, ROBIN, BEN (IN LAW... BUT HE STILL COUNTS) AND LEESA
T. Time you wake up: AROUND 6 USUALLY
U. Underwear: YEP. THEY ARE IMPORTANT!
V. Vegetables you don’t like: PEAS AND LIMA BEANS
W. What makes you run late: HITTING THE SNOOZE BUTTON ON MY ALARM CLOCK
X. X-rays you’ve had: HMM. I'VE HAD A CAT SCAN BUT THATS ALL.
Y. Yummy food you make: ANY BREAKFAST FOOD.
Z. Zoo animal favorites: POLAR BEARS AND ELEPHANTS!
A-Z SURVEY
A. Age: 25
B. Bed size: KING
C. Chore you dislike: CLEANING THE BATHTUB. GROSS.
D. Dogs: FINN AND ATICUS. MINIATURE SCHNAUZERS. THEY LIVE WITH THE PARENTALS.
E. Essential start to your day: COFFEE COFFEE COFFEEEEEE!
F. Favorite color: YELLOW
G. Gold or silver: SILVER I SUPPOSE. I ACTUALLY PREFER COPPER.
H. Height: 5'5'' ISH
I. Instruments you play(ed): I TOOK PIANO AS A KID
K. Kids: NOT FOR A LOOOOOONG TIME.
M. Mom’s name: VICKY
L. Live: ROCK HILL
N. Nicknames: STEPH, POAG, STEFFIEFRESH, FRESH, FRESHIE, FRESHUMS (FRESHUMS - FROM JEREMY- HAPPENS TO BE MY FAVORITE)
O. Overnight hospital stays: NOPE. (KNOCK ON WOOD)
P. Pet peeves: PEOPLE WHO STOP TEXTING IN THE MIDDLE OF A CONVERSATION!
Q. Quote from a movie: "YOU'RE NOT PERFECT, SPORT. AND LET ME SAVE YOU THE SUSPENSE. THIS GIRL YOU MET, SHE ISN'T PERFECT EITHER. BUT THE QUESTION IS: WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE PERFECT FOR EACH OTHER. THAT'S THE WHOLE DEAL. THAT'S WHAT INTIMACY IS ALL ABOUT. NOW YOU CAN KNOW EVERYTHING IN THE WORLD, SPORT, BUT THE ONLY WAY YOU'RE FINDIN' OUT THAT ONE IS BY GIVIN' IT A SHOT" -ROBIN WILLIAMS (SEAN) IN GOOD WILL HUNTING
R. Righty or lefty: LEFTY
S. Siblings: ADAM, ROBIN, BEN (IN LAW... BUT HE STILL COUNTS) AND LEESA
T. Time you wake up: AROUND 6 USUALLY
U. Underwear: YEP. THEY ARE IMPORTANT!
V. Vegetables you don’t like: PEAS AND LIMA BEANS
W. What makes you run late: HITTING THE SNOOZE BUTTON ON MY ALARM CLOCK
X. X-rays you’ve had: HMM. I'VE HAD A CAT SCAN BUT THATS ALL.
Y. Yummy food you make: ANY BREAKFAST FOOD.
Z. Zoo animal favorites: POLAR BEARS AND ELEPHANTS!
Prayer and trust.
Its friday, which means I would normally be making a fun post. I think I'll get around to that in a few minutes, but first I just wanted to post something that I read the other day and have been thinking about since.
“One evening I left my office in New York, with a bitterly cold wind in my face. I had with me, (as I thought) my thick, warm muffler, but when I proceeded to button-up against the storm, I found that it was gone.
I turned back, looked along the streets, searched my office, but in vain. I realized, then, that I must have dropped it, and prayed God that I might find it; for such was the state of the weather, that it would be running a great risk to proceed without it. I looked, again, up and down the surrounding streets, but without success.
Suddenly, I saw a man on the opposite side of the road holding out something in his hand. I crossed over and asked him if that was my muffler? He handed it to me saying, ‘It was blown to me by the wind.’ He who rides upon the storm, had used the wind as a means of answering prayer.” — William Horst
I've been thinking over this a LOT. I've been praying over things a lot. A lot of my prayers have been answered. But with each answer comes something else to ask for. I got into grad school. Now time to pray about paying for it. School's payed for. Now time to pray about time for studying, passing tests, etc.
So what have I been learning lately? Prayer doesn't stand alone. Like in the little story above... God uses natural circumstances to supernaturally answer prayer. Prayer isn't an isolated duty or independent principle. It lives in association with other Christian duties, is wedded to other principles, is a partner with other graces. But to faith, prayer is indissolubly joined... to steal a line from Mr. Frank Sinatra, "They go together like a horse and carriage... can't have one without the other." Faith gives it color and tone, shapes its character, and secures its results.
So, my prayers don't seem to have the substance they normally do at times. The problem, I've come to realize... faith. Sometimes my faith feels flat, like its just not working... the problem there I'm beginning to see... prayer. For one to work, the other needs to be working too. This seems to be the biggest struggle in my walk with Christ at the moment.
Trust. It is faith become absolute, ratified, complete. There is, when all is said and done, a sort of risk in faith and its exercise. But trust is firm belief, its faith in full flower. And, to be honest, I (and I'm sure plenty of other believers) often times pray without really having that trust. Trust is a conscious act, a fact of which we are aware. It is a feeling of the soul that has to do with trust. How luminous, how distinct, how conscious, how powerful, and more than all, how Scriptural is such a trust!?! I'm beginning to think of this trust as an act of obedience to God. It really seems to be a way to worship him. Its one of the ways of worship that I struggle with most, but still... worship.
How different is this from many forms of modern belief that are so feeble, dry, and cold. So many beliefs bring no consciousness of their presence, no “Joy unspeakable and full of glory” results from their exercise. They are, for the most part, rules and regulations. There is no safe, sure trust in anything. The whole transaction takes place in the realm of maybe and perhaps and possibly. As Christians though, we don't HAVE to deal with that. And yet, sometimes we choose to anyway. So senseless.
Trust sees God doing things here and now. It rises to a lofty eminence, and looking into the invisible and the eternal, realizes that God has done things, and regards them as being already done... it recognizes that the battle has already been won. IT doesn't worry over things that God has already conquered. Trust brings eternity into the annals and happenings of time, changes the substance of hope into the reality of fruition, and changes promise into present possession. We know when we trust just as we know when we see, just as we are conscious of our sense of touch. Trust sees, receives, holds. Trust is its own witness.
Yet, quite often, our faith is too weak to obtain God’s greatest good, immediately; so it has to wait in loving, strong, prayerful, pressing obedience, until it grows in strength, and is able to bring down the eternal, into the realms of experience and time.
To this point, trust masses all its forces. Here it holds. And in the struggle, trust’s grasp becomes mightier, and grasps, for itself, all that God has done for it in His eternal wisdom and plenitude of grace.
In the matter of waiting in prayer, mightiest prayer, faith rises to its highest plane and becomes indeed the gift of God. It becomes the blessed disposition and expression of the soul which is secured by a constant intercourse with, and unwearied application to God. Jesus Christ clearly taught that faith was the condition on which prayer was answered. If I don't trust, then my prayer isn't going to be answered. When God had cursed the fig-tree, the disciples were much surprised that its withering had actually taken place. It was then that Jesus said to them, “Have faith in God.”
“For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore, I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”
Trust grows nowhere so readily and richly as in the presence of prayer. Its development is rapid and when a prayer life is well kept. When these engagements with God through prayer are hearty and full and free, trust flourishes exceedingly. The presence of God gives vigorous life to trust, just like presence of the sun make fruit and flower to grow... a cheesy, but nonetheless, true metaphor.
Ideas like “Have faith in God,” and “Trust in the Lord” form the keynote and foundation of prayer. Primarily, it is not trust in the Word of God, but trust in the Person of God. Trust in the Person of God, I've found, must precede trust in the Word of God. The trust which God points to as a condition of effective prayer, is not of the head but of the heart. It is trust which “doubteth not in his heart.” Such trust has the assurance that it shall be honored with large and satisfying answers. The strong promise of our Lord brings faith down to the present, and counts on a present answer.
Honestly, I'm still struggling to put all this into practice. I'm praying. I'm trusting. I'm exercising faith. I read a quote recently that I think is a great closing thought...
"When our wagon gets stuck in the mud,
God is much more likely to assist the man who gets out to push
than the man who merely raises his voice in prayer
—no matter how eloquent the oration."
I don't recall who said that... but In "Sun Stand Still" Pastor Steven shared the same sentiment, saying that we should push while we pray. Or, As one of my favorite authors Hunter S Thompson said... "Call on God, but row away from the rocks..." In addition to all that other stuff, we've got to act. (I discussed this in a previous post called Help... look back a few posts for that one.) And I'm finding that the acting... the stepping out in faith is what reinforces the trust. When I step out and push while I pray, God moves. Then I trust him a little more. Its an amazing (yet at times, terrifying) process.
“One evening I left my office in New York, with a bitterly cold wind in my face. I had with me, (as I thought) my thick, warm muffler, but when I proceeded to button-up against the storm, I found that it was gone.
I turned back, looked along the streets, searched my office, but in vain. I realized, then, that I must have dropped it, and prayed God that I might find it; for such was the state of the weather, that it would be running a great risk to proceed without it. I looked, again, up and down the surrounding streets, but without success.
Suddenly, I saw a man on the opposite side of the road holding out something in his hand. I crossed over and asked him if that was my muffler? He handed it to me saying, ‘It was blown to me by the wind.’ He who rides upon the storm, had used the wind as a means of answering prayer.” — William Horst
I've been thinking over this a LOT. I've been praying over things a lot. A lot of my prayers have been answered. But with each answer comes something else to ask for. I got into grad school. Now time to pray about paying for it. School's payed for. Now time to pray about time for studying, passing tests, etc.
So what have I been learning lately? Prayer doesn't stand alone. Like in the little story above... God uses natural circumstances to supernaturally answer prayer. Prayer isn't an isolated duty or independent principle. It lives in association with other Christian duties, is wedded to other principles, is a partner with other graces. But to faith, prayer is indissolubly joined... to steal a line from Mr. Frank Sinatra, "They go together like a horse and carriage... can't have one without the other." Faith gives it color and tone, shapes its character, and secures its results.
So, my prayers don't seem to have the substance they normally do at times. The problem, I've come to realize... faith. Sometimes my faith feels flat, like its just not working... the problem there I'm beginning to see... prayer. For one to work, the other needs to be working too. This seems to be the biggest struggle in my walk with Christ at the moment.
Trust. It is faith become absolute, ratified, complete. There is, when all is said and done, a sort of risk in faith and its exercise. But trust is firm belief, its faith in full flower. And, to be honest, I (and I'm sure plenty of other believers) often times pray without really having that trust. Trust is a conscious act, a fact of which we are aware. It is a feeling of the soul that has to do with trust. How luminous, how distinct, how conscious, how powerful, and more than all, how Scriptural is such a trust!?! I'm beginning to think of this trust as an act of obedience to God. It really seems to be a way to worship him. Its one of the ways of worship that I struggle with most, but still... worship.
How different is this from many forms of modern belief that are so feeble, dry, and cold. So many beliefs bring no consciousness of their presence, no “Joy unspeakable and full of glory” results from their exercise. They are, for the most part, rules and regulations. There is no safe, sure trust in anything. The whole transaction takes place in the realm of maybe and perhaps and possibly. As Christians though, we don't HAVE to deal with that. And yet, sometimes we choose to anyway. So senseless.
Trust sees God doing things here and now. It rises to a lofty eminence, and looking into the invisible and the eternal, realizes that God has done things, and regards them as being already done... it recognizes that the battle has already been won. IT doesn't worry over things that God has already conquered. Trust brings eternity into the annals and happenings of time, changes the substance of hope into the reality of fruition, and changes promise into present possession. We know when we trust just as we know when we see, just as we are conscious of our sense of touch. Trust sees, receives, holds. Trust is its own witness.
Yet, quite often, our faith is too weak to obtain God’s greatest good, immediately; so it has to wait in loving, strong, prayerful, pressing obedience, until it grows in strength, and is able to bring down the eternal, into the realms of experience and time.
To this point, trust masses all its forces. Here it holds. And in the struggle, trust’s grasp becomes mightier, and grasps, for itself, all that God has done for it in His eternal wisdom and plenitude of grace.
In the matter of waiting in prayer, mightiest prayer, faith rises to its highest plane and becomes indeed the gift of God. It becomes the blessed disposition and expression of the soul which is secured by a constant intercourse with, and unwearied application to God. Jesus Christ clearly taught that faith was the condition on which prayer was answered. If I don't trust, then my prayer isn't going to be answered. When God had cursed the fig-tree, the disciples were much surprised that its withering had actually taken place. It was then that Jesus said to them, “Have faith in God.”
“For verily I say unto you, That whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed and be thou cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that those things which he saith shall come to pass, he shall have whatsoever he saith. Therefore, I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”
Trust grows nowhere so readily and richly as in the presence of prayer. Its development is rapid and when a prayer life is well kept. When these engagements with God through prayer are hearty and full and free, trust flourishes exceedingly. The presence of God gives vigorous life to trust, just like presence of the sun make fruit and flower to grow... a cheesy, but nonetheless, true metaphor.
Ideas like “Have faith in God,” and “Trust in the Lord” form the keynote and foundation of prayer. Primarily, it is not trust in the Word of God, but trust in the Person of God. Trust in the Person of God, I've found, must precede trust in the Word of God. The trust which God points to as a condition of effective prayer, is not of the head but of the heart. It is trust which “doubteth not in his heart.” Such trust has the assurance that it shall be honored with large and satisfying answers. The strong promise of our Lord brings faith down to the present, and counts on a present answer.
Honestly, I'm still struggling to put all this into practice. I'm praying. I'm trusting. I'm exercising faith. I read a quote recently that I think is a great closing thought...
"When our wagon gets stuck in the mud,
God is much more likely to assist the man who gets out to push
than the man who merely raises his voice in prayer
—no matter how eloquent the oration."
I don't recall who said that... but In "Sun Stand Still" Pastor Steven shared the same sentiment, saying that we should push while we pray. Or, As one of my favorite authors Hunter S Thompson said... "Call on God, but row away from the rocks..." In addition to all that other stuff, we've got to act. (I discussed this in a previous post called Help... look back a few posts for that one.) And I'm finding that the acting... the stepping out in faith is what reinforces the trust. When I step out and push while I pray, God moves. Then I trust him a little more. Its an amazing (yet at times, terrifying) process.
Monday, March 21
Fun Friday #2!
Yes, I realize that its Monday.I intended to make a fun post on Friday, but we had friends in from out of town and LOTS of stuff going on. As such, I'm just now getting around to my 'fun' post. Anyway, what I really enjoy is when my readers steal my question or topic and answer them on their own blogs.... so copy, paste, and tell me whats going on in your world. You'll be hearing more from me about life this week (whenever I get over this bout of cold), but for now on to fun Friday... I mean Monday. =)
My fun about me post this week was inspired by my wonderful older sister Robin. Upon hearing that I was sickly, she encouraged me to feel better, noting that I couldn't possibly feel too bad when the love of my life, Mr. Justin Timberlake, was newly single. As such, I decided to devote my fun post to filling you in on my life long obsession...
In case you didn't know (though I'm not sure how you might have missed it) I think JT is the PERFECT guy. haha. Laugh, but I'm serious. Here's why.
1. N'sync. I was a DIEHARD fan. Justin and I grew up together. =)
2.He cracks me up on SNL. The Target skits, Omletteville, The Barry Gibb Talk Show, and of course:
3. He was the first guy Ashton Kutcher punked. He got a little teary eyed and called his mom on TV... and yet he was still a good sport. Gotta love a guy who loves his momma and can take a joke.
4. 6 grammys, 2 emmys, and a in a movie that got an oscar nod. Now thats talent.
5. He dated Britney Sears... and I LOVE her.
6. He's freakin hot... come on you KNEW that one was coming!
Exibit A (I was hesitant to use this picture, but DANG):
Exhibit B: (The glasses KILL me. So adorable.)
7. Have you seen this guy dance?! HELLO!
8. He's a southern boy. Gotta love that.
9. He has a freakin clothing line!! What woman could resist that?!
10. and OF COURSE, saved the best for last... the voice! Just take a listen to this...
So, who is your celebrity crush? Everyone has one, and I think it says a lot about a person. So, leave a comment and tell me yours! =)
My fun about me post this week was inspired by my wonderful older sister Robin. Upon hearing that I was sickly, she encouraged me to feel better, noting that I couldn't possibly feel too bad when the love of my life, Mr. Justin Timberlake, was newly single. As such, I decided to devote my fun post to filling you in on my life long obsession...
In case you didn't know (though I'm not sure how you might have missed it) I think JT is the PERFECT guy. haha. Laugh, but I'm serious. Here's why.
1. N'sync. I was a DIEHARD fan. Justin and I grew up together. =)
2.He cracks me up on SNL. The Target skits, Omletteville, The Barry Gibb Talk Show, and of course:
3. He was the first guy Ashton Kutcher punked. He got a little teary eyed and called his mom on TV... and yet he was still a good sport. Gotta love a guy who loves his momma and can take a joke.
4. 6 grammys, 2 emmys, and a in a movie that got an oscar nod. Now thats talent.
5. He dated Britney Sears... and I LOVE her.
6. He's freakin hot... come on you KNEW that one was coming!
Exibit A (I was hesitant to use this picture, but DANG):
Exhibit B: (The glasses KILL me. So adorable.)
7. Have you seen this guy dance?! HELLO!
8. He's a southern boy. Gotta love that.
9. He has a freakin clothing line!! What woman could resist that?!
10. and OF COURSE, saved the best for last... the voice! Just take a listen to this...
So, who is your celebrity crush? Everyone has one, and I think it says a lot about a person. So, leave a comment and tell me yours! =)
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