A Verse to Meditate On

Hey all!

I have so enjoyed

the comments your left introducing

yourselves! :)

My goal is to

get to each of your blogs

and get to know you

better but things have

been a lil bit crazy

since getting back to Fl.

so it has been taking a little

bit longer then I anticipated :)

The poll is still up for

22 more hours so if you have

not voted please vote!

I would love your opinion :)

Taken in NY at Jason's families house :)

So the point of this

post was to

share a verse with you

that has really challenged

me over the last few days.

It is found in James

(absolutely LOVE that book

I have been listening to it

over and over

today as I have been cleaning the house).

"My dear brothers and sisters,

take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,  because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires."

James 1:19-20

I took that verse

and started to try to

apply it to my daily life.

So often I am

incredibly quick to speak

and quick to become angry

and slow to listen.

But that lifestyle does

not produce the righteousness

that my God desires.

 I want to live my life to bring

honor and glory to Him.

Which means surrendering things to

Him.

Is it easy?

No.

But I have found

that since writing this

verse out,

putting it above my kitchen sink

and meditating on it

I have started to think

more before I speak.
I want to portray Jesus
especially to the ones
I love most and
spend the most time with
namely-my husband.
Am I perfect?
Uh.
No.
But God is gracious
and my husband is so patient :)
What verses have you been meditating on lately?

Beauty?

                                     

                                     "Charm is deceptive,

and beauty is fleeting; 

but a woman who fears 

the LORD is to be praised." 

-Proverbs 31:30

When you think of beauty

what do you think of?

Who is the most beautiful person you know?

Do you focus on your outward beauty

instead of cultivating your inward beauty?

"Your beauty should not come from outward adornment,

such as braided hair 

and the wearing of gold jewelry 

and fine clothes.

(Note: Not that is is wrong to look pretty and feminine,

in fact we can bring honor and glory to God in and through that, 

but that should not be the focus of our lives.

We should not be consumed with just

our outward appearence)

Instead, it should be that of your inner self, 

the unfading beauty of 

a gentle and quiet spirit, 

which is of great worth in God's sight."

1 Peter 3:3-4

New beginnings.

Hey all you fellow bloggers out there!

So, today. Well lets just say I have a lot to say to prepare yourself for a rather long post! :)

Beginnings.

New beginnings.

Ever had those? 

Where you were drifting through life and then all the sudden the Lord got ahold of you and you realized that you had been really messed up in a lot of things.

So all the sudden there was an end.

An end to old feelings.

An end to old fears.

An end to trying to handle things on your own.

An end to not trusting your Savior.

And end to the way you had been mistakenly making God out to be in your mind.

An end.

Because as we all know-before something begins most the time some things end.

Last night was an end.

Today is a beginning.

For those of you that may not know me very well-I love to journal.

There is nothing more exciting to me then ending a journal.

Each and every one that I have ever completed holds a story.

My story.

The one that the Lord has written for me.

It is so neat to be able to look back and see all that the Lord has done over the years!

I used to try to journal but would normally give up because it just seemed really 

self-centered and all about me.

Well, about six years I was inspired by a dear lady named Karen Miller

to start journaling my prayers to the Lord.

See, Mrs. Miller had lung cancer and one day the Lord decided to heal her

by taking her up to heaven to be with Him.

One Sunday her husband brought in some of her old prayer journals.

I was so young but I remember being really impressed by how she wrote

letters to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

That day she inspired me.

I haven't stopped since then.

It has been six years since I started writing letters to my Lord.

Yesterday I just completed my fifteenth journal in six years.

 It was an ending.

But not just to a journal.

To a period of my life that has stretched over the past six months.

 Here is a glimpse of what was on my heart last night:

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Dear Heavenly Father,

Well, this is my last journal entry in this journal that I started six months ago. 

I am just- in AWE of what has happened in the pages of this journal. The joy and the tears, falling more in love with You, realizing for the first time in my life that Jesus You do completely and totally satisfy and when my world is ripped apart You are there to pull me back together, meeting so many new friends, surrendering my future to You over and over and over again, the death of Mr. Clark, me passing my TEAS test and actually getting into the LPN program starting in January, work. Lord, the list could go on and on and on. You have done so much in my life in the last six months! One of the biggest things that happened in my life was I was blind (literally) but now I can see because of the Lasik eye surgery that I got January 19th. My life has truly changed forever. It was an absolute miracle that You provided for it. Thank you Jesus!

So tonight-I fell apart. I think that exhaustion makes everything worse. Little things but they have just been building and fears about...I don't know-getting hurt again and then I see SO many shortcomings in myself and I just hate it! It is like I try and try and try but I just can't change! And I have started looking to God in fear in a way just waiting for something bad to happen. I had a long talk with Dad and I know that is wrong! I just I am just...I have this mindset that nothing good should or could happen to me and last because I am completely undeserving which I am undeserving, but I know God isn't like that. These past two years have been so hard and sometimes I just get this mindset that things won't get better because I am not good enough or doing enough or serving God enough. Which is stupid. But that is why I fell apart.

Oh Lord, I was an absolute and total mess! But a friend just pointed me back to You. To Your greatness and to the fact that everything all goes back to YOU. 

You are great Lord! You are the greatest!

Forgive me for...thinking of You as anything but a loving Heavenly Father. Forgive me for being fearful of You but not at all in the right way.

Lord, I allowed fears to completely overcome me. I allowed doubts and insecurities to take ahold and in the end-my eyes were so focused on me that I was barely even looking at You. Forgive me Lord. Thank you for not only being the God of second chances but being the God of one zillion chances. You are so good Lord!

This is the end of this journal but also of this chapter in my life.

Honestly, I am sort of scared as I look ahead. Please replace that fear with joyful, trusting anticipation in what You are going to do next. Help me to trust in the fact that You are GOOD.

Lord, I just surrender future to You. I surrender my fears. 

Lord, I truly want to bring You honor and glory in everything that I do and say and think.

You are worthy!

I love you so much Lord! Thank You for loving me in spire of me.

In Jesus Precious name I pray and surrender myself to You Lord,

Amen

As soon as I had finished writing that journal entry I opened my Daily Light devotional that is just selections from scripture split up into morning and evening selections.

You know those times when the Lord uses His Word to speak to you in such a direct and clear way? This is what I read:

Daily Light-June 30, 2010

Morning Selection

“Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline.”

“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”—As a father the son in whom he delights.—He wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal.—Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.—“I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.”

He does not willingly afflict or grieve the children of men.—He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust.

Rev. 3:19; Heb. 12:5, 6; Prov. 3:12; Job 5:18; 1 Pet. 5:6; Isa. 48:10; Lam. 3:33; Ps. 103:10-14
(Source) 

Wow, Wow, WOW! Talk about absolute PERFECT TIMING! I was talking to Dad about how I just seemed to be waiting for God to send something bad in my life because I wasn't as close to Him as I should be and Dad was saying the exact same thing these verses are saying. How God is a loving Heavenly Father Who is looking out for our good and yes, He does need to discipline us at times, but it is never out of spite or because we aren't "performing" like we think we should.

To have Dad talk to me about it is one thing but to be reminded and told again by my Heavenly Father through His word. Wow! I do not need to fear anymore! 

I need to just trust in my God. That He does all things for m good and not just to make me miserable or spite me.

Thank You Lord for this precious reminder and second chance! 

 Last night was an end.

Because of last night today to me marks 

a new beginning.

One in which I am not ruled by fear but instead just look to my Savior in absolute trust and utter dependance KNOWING that no matter what may come my way

He is in control.

What freedom I have found in getting my eyes off of myself and instead

focused back on my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ were they need to be.

Have I mentioned lately that we serve and AWESOME God?

To Him alone be all the honor and glory and praise.

I am so thankful for new beginnings.

I am so thankful for my Savior.

Blessings to you all :)

Failures.

 

Do you ever feel like a failure?

Do you ever feel like no matter what you do 

or how hard you try you just can not meet expectations

or fulfill duties that you feel you need to?

Do you ever have a time when the Lord seems far away?

He is still right there beside you but it just seems as though you can't reach Him?

Do you ever wake up one day and get a good look at yourself 

and realize that you are needing to get some new priorities.

Do you ever get tired of always appearing like things are fine

but in reality you are struggling?

Do you ever get tired of you?

Last night night I was in tears and as I started praying

all the sudden I stopped and looked at myself.

Have I mentioned I am so thankful for a gracious Heavenly Father?

Have I mentioned that we serve an awesome God?

Have I conveyed lately the depth of my appreciation for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Have I told you how in awe of the fact I am that He loves me in spite of me?

I have been sick and discouraged lately so that is what the lack of posts is all about.

Last night I had a revelation (once again) and it was this:

It is not about me.

That's it.

End of story.

Or at least it should be.

And yet, it is a lesson I have to learn over and over and over again. 

So what is the point of the rambling, not really making sense, random post that is late.

I want you all to stop and take a look at Jesus.

No really.

Have you really considered Him lately?

Have you taken the time to just go and spend time communing with Him?

Have you told someone about Him lately?

Not out of a sense of duty but just because you can not keep your love for Him in?

Do people see Jesus in you?

I have been convicted once again by the fact that it is so easy to become self-absorbed and introspective. 

Jesus needs to be first! 

Then others.

Then me.

Last.

So yeah, that is a little bit of what has been going through my head lately.

Please pray that I would keep Jesus the center of my life.

That I would surrender my all to Him everyday.

He is worthy!

Fear.

An excerpt from my own personal journal-Wednesday, March 17,2010

*This time period of my life was when I was going through one of the hardest things I have ever had to go through. One day I just decided to start going through the Bible and claiming promises that would apply to me. I was so blessed by this passage in Psalms and shared it with my girls in Bible study tonight and thought I would share it with you all:

"'The LORD is my light and my salvation—

whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life—

of whom shall I be afraid?'

Psalm 27:1

Right now -the path ahead of me seems so dark, scary, and unknown. I am so scared when I think about the possiblity of being alone like I was at camp. So afraid of living a life were it is just me in charge ministering but with no one to minister to me. I fear myself. I fear people. I fear the thought of ever being able to trust a guy again. I fear, I fear, I fear...so much FEAR!

Yet, this very very clearly reminds me that the LORD is my strength! That I don't need to fear...in a way it is worded as though it would be crazy to fear because the Lord is the strength of my life. Can I not trust Him to be my strength?

'For in the time of trouble

He shall hide me in His pavilion;

In the secret place of His tabernacle

He shall hide me;

He shall set me high upon a rock. "'
Psalm 27:5

I am HIDDEN in Him. I am guarded by Him. I mean that much to Him! If that isn't reason to trust-I don't know what is...If only I could take that and transfer it from head knowledge to heart knowledge. Lord, that I would willingly hide myself in YOU trusting YOU to help me...heal...please help me Lord!

'Hear, O LORD, when I cry with my voice!

Have mercy also upon me, and answer me.

When You said, “Seek My face,”

My heart said to You, 'Your face, LORD, I will seek.''

Psalm 27: 7-8

Lord, please help me to seek Your face. Please help me to run to You for comfort BEFORE people. Lord, I DO want to seek You. Please hear my voice! Please teach me to seek You. Please take these horrible fears away and replace them with a complete confidence in You as I seek You on a deeper and more intimate leval.

'When my father and my mother forsake me,

Then the LORD will take care of me. '

Psalm 27:10

In the margin of my Bible, right next to that verse, some time ago I had written "Or when I am all alone". Lord, I have never felt more alone in my entire life. That is were the fears come in. Of being alone like this for the rest of my life. I am so SO afraid that I will never find someone who loves me enough. Then, I think of the fact that someone already does and that someone is You. You are there taking care of me. Please Lord! PLEASE help me to know that in a deeper sense than I have ever known it before. Please help me to trust You in a deeper way than I ever had/have before. Please help this fear of never having someone again be obliterated because I DO HAVE SOMEONE and that SOMEONE IS YOU LORD!

'Wait on the LORD;

Be of good courage,

And He shall strengthen your heart;

Wait, I say, on the LORD!'

Psalm 27:14

That is it.

THAT IS MY ANSWER!

Help me to wait on You Lord. Help me to be of good courage. Please, please strengthen my heart as I wait on You to heal my broken heart and to give me hope in You and confidence in You once again Lord.

Please help me to WAIT on You and Your timing. Lord, that You will would be done in and through this difficult time Lord.

Jesus, I do just want to serve You. Please strenthen my heart that is so shattered and broken right now. I love you so much Lord!"

Just When I needed it most

You know those times when the Lord surprises you?

Frankly, the last two weeks have been such a struggle for me emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and yes even physically (gotta love food poisoning) and I was completely drained. Friday night I had absolutely no idea what on earth I was supposed to be sharing in my girl's Bible Study. As the day went on I started to get some idea of what I wanted to share so ,once I got home, I ended up getting on my blog and printing off an excerpt from a post I had previously written. As I started to share it with the girls it really hit home for me as well so I thought I would share it with you once more:

"Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity."

1 Timothy 4:12

As young people this verse is exhorting us to be an EXAMPLE to the believers. How? Well the verse tells us exactly how:

~In word: Ok so what have the words from your mouth been like lately? Do they mirror the Lord? Do they build others up or do they tear others down? I was told once that people can tell what is the most thing in our lives by what we talk about. Yeah...that can be a good or bad thing.

~In conduct: So how do you act? I mean do you believe that how you act is a reflection of what is in your heart? Now that can be a good or a bad thing? Do your actions show that Jesus is the most important thing in your life or do they show the opposite?

~In love: So do you love people? I mean, really love them? Do your actions prove it? I am not talking the gushy, romantic, head-in-the-clouds kind of love; I am talking about a sacrificial, putting others first, unconditional, Christ like love. What kind of love do you have?

"Our society confuses love and lust. Unlike lust, God's kind of love is directed OUTWARD toward others, not inward toward ourselves.

It is utterly unselfish. This kind of love goes against our natural inclinations. It is impossible to have this love unless God helps us set aside our own natural desires so that we can love and not expect anything in return.

Thus, the more we become like Christ, the more love we will show to others."

~In spirit: What consumes you? I don't mean the outside...I mean the real you. Who is the master of your soul? Jesus or the deceiver? I love this saying that character is who you are in the dark...who are you in the dark? Who are you when there is no one else around? Who are you?

~In faith: What are you putting your faith in? In yourself? Your own works and the things you have accomplished? Or in Jesus?

~In purity: Ok, so I know that people are always saying that physical purity is important and DON'T get me wrong-I am not saying that it isn't- BUT have you ever thought about what it means to be emotionally pure? What about mentally pure? How many times have we given our hearts away in useless flings and/or crushes? I don't think that we realize it but that part of our heart/emotions we gave away we can never get back...

So what do you think? What is your example like? You never know who may be watching you. You may never know how a word or an action could effect someone for good or bad.

So there are some things that I have been thinking about lately. Love especially. Truly, I desire that when people look at me they would only see Jesus shining out of me. I am learning that that means people like my family and close friends as well.

I am so thankful that we serve a loving and merciful God!

The fact that He loves us in spite of us is so wonderful!

He is worthy!

Meditate on this

"The ultimate example
of true love
is in Jesus Christ.
His love for others,
even those who rejected Him,
led Him to endure this world's trials
and die a cruel death on a rugged cross.
His wasn't a convenient love,
but a genuine love to all."
-Paul Chappell

I got this in my daily email devotional and thought I would share it with all of you. Definitely something to meditate on as you start your day (like me LOL) or are in the middle of your day (you know those early birds).

Blessings to you all :)

So it is Christmas...

Today is Friday, December 25, 2009.

Today is Christmas.

Notice the first part of that word:
Christmas.

I was reading in my "Daily Light" and was reminded
once again how blessed I am to have my Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ in my life!

I thought I would share these verses with you.
(For those of you who don't know-the "Daily Light"
is a devotional that is only a morning selection
and evening selection of verses from the Word of
God.)

"The kindness and the love of God our Savior toward
man appeared.
I have loved you with and everlasting love.
In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh.
As the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy Him who had the power of death, that is, the devil.
Thanks be to God for His indescribable gifts!
Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
He...did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all.
Therefore still having one Son, His Beloved, He also sent Him.
Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name.
My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior."

(Titus 3:4, Jeremiah 31:3, 1 John 4:9-10, Galatians 4:4-5, John 1:14, 1 Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 2:14, 2 Corinthians 9:15, Psalm 100: 1-2, Isaiah 9:6, Romans 8:32, Psalm 107:21, Psalm 103:1, Luke 1:46-47)

Ponder that for awhile...WOW. Talk about Love that blows your mind!!