i run to You first.

isaiah 32:21:

whether you turn to the right or the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "this is the way, walk in it."

proverbs 1:33:

but whoever listens to me will dwell safely, and will be secure, without fear of evil.

i am surrounded by people: friends, great friends walking with Christ, family, protecting loving parents, mentors, teachers, tons of people looking out for me, for my best interest. and although they have the best wishes at heart, i know You, God, are the only one who truly knows whats best for me and my life here on earth. i find myself looking to others for advice, asking for help with decisions from my great friends. when i NEED to be running to You, always You, You first, You in the highest. i will only fall deeper and deeper into darkness if i listen to this world and not You first. instead of running to others, turning to others, listening to others, or acting because of others, i will act only in Your perfect Holy Will. i'll pray first, lifting everything to You. i will listen to You and hear You in the silence, i will make time for you FIRST, and i will be guided by You instead of the glamours of this world. while i try to look to other to fit my needs, You are the one that fits EVERY need! and while others may only want the best for me, NO ONE knows our unique relationship. Your perfect guidance will NEVER fail, all i have to do is come to you with everything, and hear Your voice in the crowd of this world. and the closer i am with You, God, the clearer Your voice seems to be to me. You are my Father, my teacher, and my best friend. You created me in beauty, You sent Your son to die for all of my sins, You created a perfect path for my life to glorify You. so who will i listen to? how can i go on not listening to You before anyone else. You know, You love, only You perfectly! so i turn to You with everything, You will not fail, guide me, uphold me in Your hands God, i love You, i need You. no one knows whats best but You, not me, not anyone else in this world, i surrender it all to You!


Psalm 73:24
YOU guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into GLORY.

perseverance.

i am lovin' reading from James today... faith and deeds, the words of our tongues, wisdom, about tomorrow, humbling yourself...but especially about patience & perseverance..
James 1:2-8
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
& verse 12 says:
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.


-God continues to bless me through His word. i've gained so much wisdom and strength in the word this week, its as if He is guiding me to and through each book i read...i know He has a purpose for each word and the exact time i read it. and i aim to get everything He has intended for me to out of the words i read.
-we need the trials He places in our paths. -i know this very well. but that is much easier said than truly believing and grasping. 
-you can say those words as much as you want and think you believe in them but until you are placed right in the middle of a struggle, a trial you cant face alone, you cant completely believe the words that we NEED trials. 
-trials test our faith, which we need constantly as humans. 
-but its hard to think that we would consider it joy to face trials of many kinds, im at a place where i do consider the trials i face joys...
-i find myself at a place of growing right now, i know God is putting me through pain and pretty tough trials that are producing great perseverance in me.
-im giving this time completely up to God, right now and the future, His marvelous plan includes my pain right now, it includes alot i dont understand. im not praying that i would understand this time, or anytime to come, but praying for complete trust, surrendering it all to my God, who holds my world in His hand!
-i believe in God's plan for me and everything that is included in that path, i have no doubts that His plan is much much greater than my own. "you must believe and not doubt"
-to be stable we must not doubt, we cannot doubt in this walk with our Father
-those who persevere through all the trials they are given has stood the test. they will receive the crown of life!
-but to persevere through any trial means realizing that we have no other constant in our lives, or in this world, than our God.
-He is the only thing in our life that wont change, that wont leave us, He will never leave our side. we must realize how crucial that is in our lives.
-CRUCIAL!! its so crucial to realize that we need that constant to hold on to when things change, when there is nothing else we can hold onto without losing it at some point.-YOU CANT LOSE GOD, it isnt possible. so why would we ever attempt to hold on to anything else if it wont hold us up forever?....we have a constant -and it is God...a constant love. a forever. a promise. hold on to that!
-and that is where you find perseverance-in your only constant. 
-i have found so much joy in my trials through God's love for me, the wisdom He gives me in these verses that shine a light through these momentary struggles i am facing. i have patience in His timing, knowing that patience is also trust. which builds our faith!
-patience knowing that my God is shaping me in these trials to become a stronger woman of God, with greater perseverance. 
-"blessed is the one who perseveres under trial" 
-i thank my God for the trials He faces me with, for i can feel the growth and perseverance shaping me as i walk with my Father through each day..


YOU are my constant.