Tuesday, December 21, 2010

hand in hand

there is no where we can go that our God will leave us...
everywhere i go You will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.
 Psalm 139:5-12- You hem me in behind and before
and you lay your hand upon me. 
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, 
   too lofty for me to attain.
 Where can I go from your Spirit? 
   Where can I flee from your presence? 
If I go up to the heavens, you are there, 
   if I make my bed in the depths, you are there
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, 
   if I settle on the far side of the sea, 
 even there your hand will guide me, 
   your right hand will hold me fast. 
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me 
   and the light become night around me,” 
even the darkness will not be dark to you, 
   the night will shine like the day, 
   for darkness is as light to you. 
-God is never unavailable to us, always He remains at my side, always He is there for me.
when we are in great need
when we are trusting
when we are lonely
when we are impatient
when we are faithful
when we have doubts
when we rebel
when we are secure and when we are insecure
when we are in pain
when we are confident
when we push Him aside and when we praise Him
in our victories and our losses
HE IS THERE.
-He holds us tight when we mourn, He remains at our side holding our hand, He wipes our tears, He leads us blindfolded on His paths, He guides us, He satisfies us, He pursues us even into our own rebellious dark paths.
-when we rebel and doubt Him < He continues to pursue us!
         -imagine that! His grace is amazing to me in this: that while He has sent His only son to die the worst death     
          possible for our own sins, still even when the people Jesus died for dont believe in Him and dont believe
          this sacrifice, He continues to pursue them, continues to love them. that is, for lack of a better word,
          indescribable....that IS love.
-He abides in us, before us, beside us, and behind us.
-everyday He is there, it is us who dont see Him sometimes-but He is still there even when we dont see Him.
-so my prayer today would be for us to open our eyes to see Your constant presence, our ears to hear your everlasting word, and our hearts to openly receive Your unending love. that we would see You and find You in the voices around us, the hearts around us, the world around us, that wherever we are and whatever we are doing that we can see YOU. because we know you are there.  
-He is constantly there, and nothing we do can strip Him from our side.
YOU are with me.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

strength.

-i have heard many testimonies, all different but very alike in that each revolved around their uncovering of their own package of salvation in their hearts. God is so great that He has made each one of our paths to the same thing so very different and varied. this amazes me. of all the testimonies ive heard no two have been alike. 
we serve a God of creativity. 
- this summer especially, i spent a month hearing the testimonies of my work crew friends, i watched a few of them even share them with the entire camp, i watched testimonies be shared on cardboard pieces in a few simple sentences, and i became comfortable sharing mine with campers and complete strangers.
-He calls us to share our own story for many reasons- one being that there are others that can relate to each of our different journeys. 


anyways- all this being said, i have heard so many stories of abandonment and struggles and the salvation that makes all things new with LIFE, but i have never truly watched a persons testimony as it unfolds..
-until recently... i moved into college at the end of august and i met my roommate, Kaitlyn, when i moved in. we are now sisters in Christ and i couldnt imagine -a better roommate or -my life without her.
-she is now a BEST FRIEND forever. 
Kaitlyn is such a blessing in my life- she has shown me SO much. 
-i watched her leap into the family of Christ with a joyful spirit.
-i watched her be born again completely.
-i watched her relationship with Jesus evolve.
-& i am still watching her everyday..it's a blessing because i am watching her OWN testimony unfold before my very eyes..
-what makes it so amazing to watch is the fact that she is going through so much that could easily break her down and destroy her faith, but instead it is strengthening her faith..
-she is easily one of the strongest women i have ever known personally. and i know this strength is entirely because of God.
she is made strong in her pain, 
but she is guided by the light- <Psalm 27:1 the LORD is my light and my salvation, 
whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life, 
of whom shall I be afraid?> she has nothing to fear, for she has Him, 
she is guided by His light. 
i see her being guided entirely by that light as she lives each day 
and endures each trial. 
nothing can overcome her if she has Him!
-so whenever i begin to struggle or think things are tough in my life, i think of what she is faced with and how she responds..
-she conveys the strong spirit of someone chasing after Christ full speed. eyes set on the finish line (eternity) and endurance to withstand the obstacles of her race.
-i cant explain what it is like to watch someone be placed in so many trials and tribulations and to see them cling to God. i cant imagine going through what Kaitlyn goes through daily with her family, the only constant she has is God. and the amazing thing is she knows this and lives by this. 
-and this is exactly what He calls us to do, constantly cling to Him. His strength is our strength.
WOW- i get to watch her cling to God like He is her sturdy post in the middle of this hurricane!
like she is living her life by <Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. 
do not be afraid or terrified because of them, 
for the LORD your God goes with you, 
he will never leave you nor forsake you.>
-i know her trust and complete support in God will make her so incredibly strong. and will make her into a woman i am honored to know, honored to be friends with, and honored to have had the privilege to have witnessed her journey to become that STRONG woman of Christ.
-i am so blessed to be able to watch one of the most amazing testimonies i know to this day play out right in front of my very own eyes! 
you are strength, God.

Friday, December 3, 2010

forever..

i have been so impacted by reading Matthew recently, especially Matthew 6 & 7
i read them at least once a week it seems like. i just always have the desire to go back and read them because i feel like i take away more every time...
i have been especially captivated with Matthew 6:19-24 - treasures in heaven
it's been so good to my heart recently so im going to share it...
"do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 
but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 
for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
the eye is the lamp of the body. if your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 
but if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. if then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
no one can serve two masters. either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. you cannot serve both God and money."

i feel like these verses pretty much speak for themselves..i constantly need to be reminded of this..that my treasure is in heaven!!! 
everything here on earth will rot away and die. but what we have in heaven IS eternity...forever!
i strive to truly live these verses out in entirety in my life

"your hope and your future are rooted in heaven, where eternal ecstasy awaits you. nothing can rob you of your inheritance of unimaginable riches and well being. sometimes i grant you glimpses of your glorious future, to encourage you and spur you on. but your main focus should be staying close to Me."
eternity awaits.