Life is not "The Bachelor." I will not compete with any other woman for a guy. I will not chase after a guy's attention. I will not like every single thing he posts on facebook even if I actually do like it. I will not sit around trying to figure out what I can do to impress a guy, I will simply be me. I will not pretend to like every movie and hobby that he does if I actually don't. I will not come up with clever plans to "be memorable," or wear a low cut dress or too-small of a bathing suit, or say bad things about other girls I think he might like, or steal him away when he's talking to someone when I'd wish he was talking to me instead.
I'm sure this is what life looks like to some people. I am so sorry for those people. I'm sure it's extremely stressful. And backwards. I mean, guys should be the ones wearing the too-small of a bathing suit. Kidding.
Friday, March 27, 2015
Thursday, March 12, 2015
Looking at Him
"Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him." - Philippians 3:8-9a
"For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." - 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
It's hard to imagine the people of the Old Testament not having the Holy Spirit in them or much scripture to rely on, and the only way to communicate to God was through priests who could go into the holy of holies to talk to God. I am thankful for scripture and the Holy Spirit in me for the comfort, peace, and hope they provide. And prayer that lets me directly communicate with God.
We fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. I will turn away from what looks like waves to swallow me, lightening bolts to strike me, and wind to keep me from standing up. I will turn away from shaking my fist as God, questioning His timing or reasoning, and hiding in an emotional cave. Peter saw the storm, but Jesus saved him. Job questioned his punishment, but God reminded him of just how in-control and powerful He is. Maybe I am the child crying that my ice cream scoop fell on the ground, but God is walking with me to the entire ice cream store where I get way more than the one scoop that fell, but I just feel like that was the last chance in the world.
"You have so little faith," Jesus said. "Why did you doubt me?" (Matthew 14:31 in response to Peter's sinking.)
Then the Lord said to Job, “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?” (Job 40:1-2)
Faith - believing without seeing. I have faith that God has a good plan for my life, even though I don't know what it is. I have faith that He will put me where He wants me at the right time, even though I have no clue what that looks like. I have faith that He will use me to reach others and bring others to know Him more, even on days where I fumble around and mess things up. I have faith that He pursues me, fights for me, defends me, and speaks to me, even when I lose battles, turn away from Him, and sadness clouds my vision. His greatness outweighs my small problems, and yet He is in the trenches with me.
Heaven will be so great, where life and all it's problems will be like a dream that is soon forgotten! And we will celebrate and praise the God who is so merciful and loving beyond all measure! Those are things to fix our gaze upon.
"For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever." - 2 Corinthians 4:17-18
It's hard to imagine the people of the Old Testament not having the Holy Spirit in them or much scripture to rely on, and the only way to communicate to God was through priests who could go into the holy of holies to talk to God. I am thankful for scripture and the Holy Spirit in me for the comfort, peace, and hope they provide. And prayer that lets me directly communicate with God.
We fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. I will turn away from what looks like waves to swallow me, lightening bolts to strike me, and wind to keep me from standing up. I will turn away from shaking my fist as God, questioning His timing or reasoning, and hiding in an emotional cave. Peter saw the storm, but Jesus saved him. Job questioned his punishment, but God reminded him of just how in-control and powerful He is. Maybe I am the child crying that my ice cream scoop fell on the ground, but God is walking with me to the entire ice cream store where I get way more than the one scoop that fell, but I just feel like that was the last chance in the world.
"You have so little faith," Jesus said. "Why did you doubt me?" (Matthew 14:31 in response to Peter's sinking.)
Then the Lord said to Job, “Do you still want to argue with the Almighty? You are God’s critic, but do you have the answers?” (Job 40:1-2)
Faith - believing without seeing. I have faith that God has a good plan for my life, even though I don't know what it is. I have faith that He will put me where He wants me at the right time, even though I have no clue what that looks like. I have faith that He will use me to reach others and bring others to know Him more, even on days where I fumble around and mess things up. I have faith that He pursues me, fights for me, defends me, and speaks to me, even when I lose battles, turn away from Him, and sadness clouds my vision. His greatness outweighs my small problems, and yet He is in the trenches with me.
Heaven will be so great, where life and all it's problems will be like a dream that is soon forgotten! And we will celebrate and praise the God who is so merciful and loving beyond all measure! Those are things to fix our gaze upon.
Tuesday, March 3, 2015
The God of angel armies
I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side
And nothing formed against me shall stand
You hold the whole world in Your hands
I'm holding on to Your promises
You are faithful
You are faithful
"Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” - Deuteronomy 31:8
"You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head." - Psalm 139:5
"O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, what joy for those who trust in you." - Psalm 84:12
"Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will!" - Psalm 103:20-21
"I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me." - Psalm 16:8
"But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one." - 2 Thessalonians 3:3
"Yes, and the Lord will deliver me from every evil attack and will bring me safely into his heavenly Kingdom." - 2 Timothy 4:8
"The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm." - Exodus 14:14
"The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you. He drives out the enemy before you; 'he cries out, ‘Destroy them!’" - Deuteronomy 33:27
"For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him." - Psalm 34:7
"Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers?
Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?" - Isaiah 40:12
"Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise." - Hebrews 10:23
"You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas." - Psalm 65:5
"When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. 'Oh, sir, what will we do now?' the young man cried to Elisha. 'Don’t be afraid!' Elisha told him. 'For there are more on our side than on theirs!' Then Elisha prayed, 'O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!' The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. As the Aramean army advanced toward him, Elisha prayed, 'O Lord, please make them blind.' So the Lord struck them with blindness as Elisha had asked." - 2 Kings 6:15-18
I know who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side
And nothing formed against me shall stand
You hold the whole world in Your hands
I'm holding on to Your promises
You are faithful
You are faithful
"Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.” - Deuteronomy 31:8
"You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head." - Psalm 139:5
"O Lord of Heaven’s Armies, what joy for those who trust in you." - Psalm 84:12
"Praise the Lord, you angels, you mighty ones who carry out his plans, listening for each of his commands. Yes, praise the Lord, you armies of angels who serve him and do his will!" - Psalm 103:20-21
"I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me." - Psalm 16:8
"But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one." - 2 Thessalonians 3:3
"Yes, and the Lord will deliver me from every evil attack and will bring me safely into his heavenly Kingdom." - 2 Timothy 4:8
"The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm." - Exodus 14:14
"The eternal God is your refuge, and his everlasting arms are under you. He drives out the enemy before you; 'he cries out, ‘Destroy them!’" - Deuteronomy 33:27
"For the angel of the Lord is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him." - Psalm 34:7
"Who else has held the oceans in his hand? Who has measured off the heavens with his fingers?
Who else knows the weight of the earth or has weighed the mountains and hills on a scale?" - Isaiah 40:12
"Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise." - Hebrews 10:23
"You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas." - Psalm 65:5
"When the servant of the man of God got up early the next morning and went outside, there were troops, horses, and chariots everywhere. 'Oh, sir, what will we do now?' the young man cried to Elisha. 'Don’t be afraid!' Elisha told him. 'For there are more on our side than on theirs!' Then Elisha prayed, 'O Lord, open his eyes and let him see!' The Lord opened the young man’s eyes, and when he looked up, he saw that the hillside around Elisha was filled with horses and chariots of fire. As the Aramean army advanced toward him, Elisha prayed, 'O Lord, please make them blind.' So the Lord struck them with blindness as Elisha had asked." - 2 Kings 6:15-18
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