c.s lewis. paul.

I was driving back to school last week to finish up classes in Minnesota. and I was stuck in slow moving traffic, but it was worth it because i saw this view



this picture was taken with a camera phone, but to see this in person made you want to stop everything you were doing and just behold it. I literally pulled over my car at the next rest stop and just stared at the sun setting. too lovely for words.

in the Magicians Nephew c.s. lewis says this:

"The earth was of many colors: they were fresh, hot and vivid. they made you feel excited; until you saw the Singer Himself, and then you forgot everything else, but Him."

in colossians Paul says: Christ...existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through Him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see...and He hold's all creation together. colossians 1:15-17

sometimes the Lord gives us breath-taking sights to behold in the middle of traffic jams to remind us that there is something far more important than this temporary life. Him. and if sights on earth are this beautiful and glorious how much more wonderful is He to behold...

octavius winslow. paul

how very precious it is to know that even when we don't understand our pain or what to pray before the Lord. He knows what we need and His Spirit intercedes for us.
The Lord who laid down His life for us, intercedes for us. He sympathizes with us. He's always there waiting patiently for our prayers and for us to seek Him in all circumstances. what a sweet Abba we have..


In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
romans 8

"Believer! Jesus loves that heart of yours. He purchased it with his own heart's blood, agonies, and tears—and He loves it. It is His temple, His home, His censer, and never can it approach Him in prayer, but He is prepared to accept both the censer and incense with a complacency and delight which finds its best expression in the language of His own word, "I will accept you with your sweet savor." And what shall we say of the fragrance of this incense? Oh, how much have we yet to learn of the intrinsic sweetness of real prayer! We can but imperfectly conceive the fragrance there must be to God in the breathing of the Divine Spirit in the heart of a poor sinner. It is perhaps but a groan—a sigh—a tear—a look—but it is the utterance of the heart; and God can hear the voice of our weeping, and interpret the language of our desires, when the lips utter not a word; so fragrant to Him is the incense of prayer. "Lord, all my desire is before You, and my groaning is not hidden from You."

-octavius winslow

leslie ludy.

"the godly young men I've spoken with believe that if young women started keeping their standards high rather than settling for mediocre men, guys would be forced to make serious changes to their masculinity. And even if you are mocked, ridiculed or ignored because of your stand, you can be sure that God will honor your decision. He paid for the treasure of your heart with His own blood. You disregard His amazing sacrifice for you when you allow your feminity to be trampled in the mud. You are a daughter of the King, so hold out for a man who has royal blood coursing through his strong veins....
Leslie Ludy"

dietrich bonhoeffer.

This is from Dietrich Bonhoeffer's book Life Together. He talks about christian community and what it really means to love one another. I can't help but completely agree...

"In their freedom from me, other persons want to be loved for who they are, as those for whom Christ became a human being, died, and rose again, as those for whom Christ won the forgiveness of sins and prepared eternal life….

Self-centered love construct it’s own image of other persons, about what they are and what they should become. It takes the life of the other person into it’s own hands. Spiritual love recognizes the true image of the other person as seen from the perspective of Jesus Christ. It is the image Jesus Christ has formed and wants to form in all people.

Spiritual love will prove successful insofar as it commends Christ to the others in all that it says and does. It will not seek to agitate another by exerting all too personal, direct influence or by crudely interfering in one’s life. It will not take pleasure in pious, emotional fervor and excitement. Rather, it will encounter the other with the clear Word of God and be prepared to leave the other alone with this word for a long time. It will be willing to release others again so that Christ may deal with them. It will respect the other as the boundary that Christ establishes between us; and it will find full community with the other in the Christ who alone binds us together. This spiritual love will thus speak to Christ about the other Christian more than to the other Christian about Christ. It knows that the most direct way to others is always through prayer to Christ and that love of another is completely tied to the Truth found in Christ. It is out of this love that John the disciple speaks: ‘I have no greater joy that this, to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” (3 john 4)

david. paul. c.s. lewis. war.

i have heard so many people telling me lately of all the lies and accusations they have been believing:
"i am worthless"
"i am not a good RA."
"i am not adequate to finish school."
"i'm an alcohalic"
"i am single and unloved."
"i'm sinful."

c.s. lewis said in the Last Battle:

"...and then she understood the devilish cunning of the enemies' plan. by mixing a little truth with it he had made the lie far stronger."

the truth is that these statements in themselves are not necessarily lies. they have a bit of truth mixed with them.
"i am worthless on my own BUT God has given me immense worth and has paid for my life with His."
"I am not a good RA BUT God is good and will do the good work He started and use me for His kingdom."
"i am not adequate on my own to finish school BUT He is so strong in my weaknesses."
"i'm an alcohalic right now BUT i have a High Priest who sympathizes and will help me even in this temptation"
"i'm single BUT i am Loved far greater than any spouse could ever love me."
"i'm sinful BUT because of Christ i am righteous!!!"


David talks about accusations in the psalms...

For my enemies speak concerning me;
those who watch for my life consult together
and say, "God has forsaken him;
pursue and seize him,
for there is none to deliver him."
May my accusers be put to shame and consumed;
with scorn and disgrace may they be covered
who seek my hurt.

[He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in Him on the cross. Colossians 2:15]

But I will hope continually
and will praise you yet more and more.
I will remind them of Your righteousness
of Yours alone.
Psalm 71

David knows that he is inadequate, he is sinful, he has no good on his own. but the Spirit of God was upon him which has been freely given to us by the cross. and when the Spirit was upon him, he knew he could claim God's righteousness and God's alone. Then, all his accusors would be put to shame. put to open shame. your accusors, namely: Satan has been put to open shame by the blood of the cross. no longer fear and no longer listen to those lies. fight them with Truth. claim His righteousness not your own. but His, His will never fail in the battle against accusations...
you are bought with blood. rejoice Beloved child of God and praise Him yet more and more...

zephaniah. charles spurgeon

i was seeking advice from a friend a few months ago, having a hard time understanding that God loves me, that He died for me. with how selfish and unloving i can be, with all of my unfaithfulness towards Him. i believed that He was putting me through trials because of what a bad job i was doing at being a Christian, at being His daughter. this isn't the gospel, but i was believing lies and so she told me this: "My husband loves our one-year old daughter. sometimes our daughter can be stubborn and not want to go to sleep. she doesn't know when she needs to eat. she is rebellious and throws temper tantrums, but Paul(the husband) will always unconditionally love her." she explains further, "every night before she goes to sleep, Paul goes in to say goodnight. He makes up little songs for her every night to put her to sleep and he gets so excited to sing them for her. he gets to remind her how much daddy loves her"

the daughter doesn't understand the songs. she's only one. she doesn't understand that when her daddy tells her it's time for bed, it's because he loves her and wants her to stay healthy. just as we don't realize that our heavenly Father puts us through trials and times that seem unfair, to the point where we want to throw a one-year old tantrum, because He DEEPLY loves us. He wants to make us into what He intended us to be, 'mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. (ephesians 4:13) sometimes that means we have to do what Daddy tells us to do, simply because He is our Sovereign Father and He indeed always knows what is the very best for us.

in the midst of struggles we can remember this because of what Christ did on the cross"The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." zephaniah 3:17

How heart-cheering to the believer is the delight which God has in his saints! We cannot see any reason in ourselves why the Lord should take pleasure in us; we cannot take delight in ourselves, for we often have to groan, being burdened; conscious of our sinfulness, and deploring our unfaithfulness; and we fear that God’s people cannot take much delight in us, for they must perceive so much of our imperfections and our follies, that they may rather lament our infirmities than admire our graces. But we love to dwell upon this transcendent truth, this glorious mystery: that as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so does the Lord rejoice over us.”

charles spurgeon

tony evans.

i'm currently reading The Promise by Tony Evans. in this book He talks about the Holy Spirit's presence, purpose and provision. There is a section on the purpose of the Holy Spirit...

"The Holy Spirit has one overarching goal. if you want to sum up what the Holy Spirit is about, He is about glorifying Christ. What do I mean by glorifying christ? the Spirit advertises Christ. He puts Jesus Christ on display. The Spirit does not put Himself on display, He does not even speak on His own initiative. His job is to glorify Christ. So whenever you have anything that transcends the priority of Jesus Christ, it is not the Holy Spirit's doing. Anytime there is an emphasis on the Spirit that supersedes the crentrality and priority of Jesus Christ, it is not the Holy Spirit doing it.
The Holy spirit is not here to advertise Himself. His goal is to advertise Christ, to make us God's advertising agency by working in our hearts in such a way that our lives magnify the Person of Christ, The Spirit is busy making Jesus preeminant."
-Tony Evans

But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. He shall glorify Me; for He shall take of Mine, and shall disclose it to you. john 16:13-14

amen.

ben rector. hank

this song is just too precious not to share.
uncle ben is giving his new nephew hank some lessons on life. amen:)

octavius winslow. john.

i just can't get enough of this guy's writing.

"There is no other solution to the marvellous mysteries of His Incarnation and Sacrificial Death but this: Christ has loved us.

There is not a circumstance of our Lord’s history which is not another form or manifestation of love.

His incarnation is love stooping.
His sympathy is love weeping.
His compassion is love supporting.
His grace is love acting.
His teaching is the voice of love.
His silence is the repose of love.
His patience is the restraint of love.
His obedience is the labor of love.
His suffering is the travail of love.
His cross is the altar of love.
His death is the burnt offering of love.
His resurrection is the triumph of love.
His ascension into heaven is the enthronement of love.
His sitting down at the right hand of God is the intercession of love.

Such is the deep, the vast, the boundless ocean of Christ’s love!”

octavius winslow

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through Him. 1 john 4:9

brooke fraser. paul.

And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 corinthians 3:18

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 1 corinthians 13:12

He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! revelations 22




some mornings i wake up and just can't wait to see Jesus. don't get me wrong i'm not always perfectly awaiting Jesus return but today i did. if now we see in part and with unveiled faces, how much greater must He be when we finally SEE Him. the Lover of our souls.
one day on the beach, with a girl i was discipling this summer, we were talking about heaven and how lovely it will be. she was coming up with multiple ways that this world is a shadow to heaven. then she stuck out her arm and said "you see the shadow of my arm? it doesn't really look like my arm does it. you can kind of tell but it doesn't look like an arm." i looked in the sand, and didn't see her arm but a very vague line that was a little distorted. she opened my eyes that day. i realized how this world really is just a shadow. like her arm, it doesn't look like it's supposed to. but one day we will see the substance. that is Jesus Christ...
soon and very soon...

paul. the verdict

So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me..
Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have become kings..
1 corinthians 4:1-5,8
And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Beloved Son; with whom I am well pleased." Matthew 3:17

sometimes i feel like i'm in a court room and i look to everyone else to fill me or judge me or tell me who i am as a woman. this verse reminds us not to live that way. don't let others view of you matter. don't even let your view of yourself matter. let Christ's view of you matter. become like Paul whose "concience is clear but that does not make him innocent." His concience is clear not because he is perfect and righteous but because He only cares how the Lord sees Him, through the work of Christ...forgiven, Beloved, a "king"(or queen) and co-heir with Christ. let the Lord's verdict on you matter above all else..

so what's the verdict? according to the sufferings of the most loving Man who ever lived around 2000 years ago. you are His beloved.
court adjourned..

You've been wandering so long
Looking for Me in all that you see
It's all a shadow sweet child
you're longing for My glory
You have an emptiness in you
only your Creator can fill
you see I knit you together
so you could know My love and fulfill My will
My will is your sanctification
to become a new creation
to trade in those ashes for beauty
oh if only you knew Me
and how I intercede daily
asking that My Father would reveal to you His glory
How He sent me
He loved Me, don't you know
but He knew I had to go
leave My throne
My Home
and come in the humblest form
to a land that was ravished and torn
I went into the river
He said He was pleased
so I willingly went
set My face like flint
to the sacrifice before Me
I joyfully went to set you free
I knew at the end you'd be gathered to Me
oh how I yearn for you to see
He's no longer angry
He looks at my blood and sees you as righteous
I loved you enough to be forsaken by Him and say it is finished
so come bring your broken and dirty self before Me
even if your dirty self is the deeds you're performing
I died for that too
oh how i wish you knew
I am so endlessly in love with you

octavius winslow

i'm slowly learning writing could possibly be my get away. which could be a good thing or a bad thing. all i know is words are the only thing that remain the same. in a crazy and hectic world. that's always changing. His Word is the only thing that eternally stays the same. just like it says in Isaiah 40:8 the grass whithers and the flowers fade but the Word of our Lord stands forever.
my life is changing in multiple ways right now. school is done, for a while. i'm no longer an RA as of today. my last girl has left and checked out. i'm leaving a staff of wonderful men and women on SoMo, and now in approximately one week i will be driving down to South Carolina to disciple three girls for a summer. i told my friend anna two days ago.

"i feel like my life is some quirky indie movie and it's on fast forward"
she said
"thats ok, it's an exciting movie and the ending is amazing"

true.

in all of this changing He remains the same. His Word remains the same when our words fail. He's faithful when we're faithless. He's loving when we're wayward. He's so strong when we are so weak. so i'm going to rest in His unchanging grace. it really doesn't matter if i was an amazing RA or fail at discipling these girls. either way it's Him who reveals His grace for them. my works are filthy rags and He's already paid it all. all i know is i get to spend the rest of my life loving and being loved by my Savior. and honestly, that's more than ok with me...

“there existed no love but the love of Jesus equal to the work of salvation.

Love less divine, less strong, less gentle, could never have won your heart, uprooted your enmity, tore you from your idols; enthroning Christ, all of Christ, Christ only, Christ supremely, Christ forever!

Beloved, nothing shall take the love of Christ from you, or separate you from it. It does not ebb with the ebbing of your feelings; it does not chill with the chill of your affections; it does not change with the changing scenes and circumstances of your life.”

octavius winslow

shelly moore band

i should be studying for my first final write now. but sometimes i can't help but write. i've been thinking a lot about Spirit and Truth lately i'm learning, as stressful times slowly come upon me, especially this week, the Enemy has the strongest foothold when it comes to my emotions. they ebb and flow from day to day, trust me. but when i remember the basic truths of our faith Satan has no place. as it says in Ephesians stand therefore having fastened on the belt of truth at the end of the verse it says and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word.
i do not think that when it comes to worshipping in Spirit and in Truth as it says in John 4:23. that one is more important than the other. but rather one flows out of the other. it says in John 4:24 that God is Spirit...not our emotions or feelings...

our emotions will change from day to day we will one day "feel" the Lord near and the next He will seem unreachable. i just want you to know that in the midst of finals He is the same God today as He was the day you were born. ever loving and ever pursuing your heart. just as the day He laid down His life on the cross for you. don't let finals affect your relationship with the Lord. stand on the TRUTH of His unchanging grace and love.

paul and john

so we're going through Philippians this summer while i'm down in South Carolina.
i really wonder how i'm going to live this verse out?

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Philippians 2:1-4


Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross! Philippians 2:5-8

so we love because He first loved us as john always said time and time again. i just wish i could daily remember this.

Abba help us love like you love. humbly, passionately, and self-sacrificially...

zephaniah

so two days ago. i stole some toilet paper. Haha it seems harmless but the fact is. it was pre-meditated theft. i knew Caribou had extra toilet paper(i could possibly get in trouble if any Caribou workers are reading this..) i knew we needed some for our dorm so i went there and took a couple rolls for our room. i walked away feeling some guilt but acting as if it was a small sin. the truth is it would be the same thing as grand theft auto. in both situations my heart is in the same state: selfish and unrepentant and not listening to the Lord's gentle Spirit telling me to stop and follow Him. my roomate convicted me. overall i don't think i'll steal toilet paper anytime soon again. but the Lord reminded me of Jeruselam and how they daily kept turning from the Him whether it seemed small or big. they were unrepentant and unbelieving. somedays, actually most days I am like Jerusalem...

"She listens to no voice; she accepts no correction.
She does not trust in the lord; She does not draw near to God."-Zephaniah 3:3

but this verse brings hope...

"The Lord within her is righteous; he does no injustice; every morning He shows forth His justice; each dawn He does not fail..."Zephaniah 3:5

because of Jesus' blood we can say...

"The LORD your God is with you,
he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17


what a beautiful picture of His love.

He will rejoice over you! just like Jesus said in Luke 15 Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost.' Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.


i listen to no voice, i except no correction and yet You forgive. thank you for Your unfathomable grace oh Lord.

I long to see You in every morsel of creation
In ever glimpse of Your design may I ponder Your love
So unconditional
So constant
So steadfast
So perfect
I see You in the clouds the way You rain down on our souls
I see You in the stars the way You shine even while our eyes are diverted
I see You in the thunder Your powerful hand making my heart fear leading me to love
I see You in a mother the sincere gentleness You possess
I see You in a father the wondrous ability to display Your abundant strength
I see You in a baby’s eyes seeking the love of humankind
I see You in a lover’s face jealous for our affection
I see You in a field laden with snow clothed in white perfection
I see You in an evergreen it’s scent filling our senses when all should be dead
I see You in a lively daffodil the beauty You possess
I see You in the wild the risk and freedom of the wilderness
I see You in a sunrise the hope of today
I see You in a sunset the mystery of the night

I see You on a tree laying down Your life
Oh Lord may I ponder Your love…

tim chester

this is definitely the time of year i notice birds the most. the beauty and freedom they have. sometimes i get jealous. seriously.

“Telling a slave to be free is to add insult to injury. But telling a liberated slave to be free is an invitation to enjoy his new freedom and privileges.”

- Tim Chester

But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. Galatians 4:4-7

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1



....i dare say, like an untamed bird, He wants you to fly. fly in the freedom of His grace and love for you at the cross. perhaps then we will be most motivated to live a life worthy of the calling we have received (Ephesians 4:1)..when we know how very much our savior loves us and has freed us...let's fly..

viktor frankl

so that the tested genuineness of your faith-more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire- may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:7

what is to give light must endure burning- viktor frankl

john and peter

'for they loved the approval that comes from man more than the approval that comes from God.' John 12:43
'and YOU are her children if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening.' 1 Peter 3:6

HE conquered the 'fear of man' on the cross. He has defined you as His adopted child.

let nothing and no one else define you. seek the approval that comes from God. He approves of you because you are covered by the blood of Christ. THIS approval is more beautiful and eternal then any person could ever give you.

india

this is just a follow up to the last entry, the extra $47.50 went to my friend jess
she is going to india this summer! they are going there to spread the gospel at college campuses and raise up leaders. Not only will they disciple students in india to be firm in their faith and the finished work of Jesus Christ. but they will help to teach the students how to disciple others. so that grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. (2 Corinthians 4)

they'll make disciples who make disciples who make disciples... how beautiful. all of this by the grace of God.

if you feel lead to support jess or pray for her this is her e-mail. jaschrock@students.nwc.edu

nick. jess. anna. and the rest of the body of Christ.

so i have a sweet short testimony of God's amazing grace and goodness that i just have to share. my brother, Nick, was in a car accident a few weeks ago. a very severe one, they said none of them should have lived. he had a collapsed lung and dislocated hips and a few other injuries. nick has always been so strong and wise and it was hard to know he was hurting. i instantly wanted to be home. but the Lord said i had a job to do at school, because i'm an RA and had a couple tests that week. so i remained in Minnesota while my brother was in Wisconsin. i hated it. probably the hardest couple of weeks i've been through in a while. obviously i was very excited for Easter break, to see Nick. then, this monday, my friend Nina and i were driving and i, irresponsibly and foolishly, was not wearing my seatbelt. a cop pulls us over, comes around on to the passenger side and said "you need to stop fooling around and wear a seatbelt" then he handed me 120 dollar ticket.

that night, i called my mom and knew i had to suck it up and take my consequences. i knew i couldn't go home for Easter and had to stay in the cities to pick up a couple of hours at work. i was able to pick up enough that would get me $112.50. i cried for hours that night, knowing i wouldn't be able to go home and see my brother and in anguish with what the Lord was trying to teach me, knowing He is always a loving and gracious Father but at this point not quite believing it. i believe i even threw a couple swear words into that prayer. i think the Lord thought that was funny..knowing the plan He had...
two days later i got several messages telling me to check my mailbox at college. i was worried it would be some weird note or some other fine i'd have to pay for the school, almost believing that God would keep showering me with disciplines. i opened my mailbox and saw a white envelope. i opened it up and read this short and beautiful note:

"God loves you
and so do we

buckle up
and go home."


in the envelope was approximately $145.00: money for gas and money for the ticket. (the givers of this money continue to remain anonymous but i do have a few hints...)

the next day Anna gave me an extra $22.50 to pay for gas.

the driver, my friend Jess, would not take any money for gas.


i have $47.50 left from these anonymous givers. i can't wait to see who the Lord wants me to give it to....


i'm home now and spent the day with Nick. i had a day full of texas hold 'em poker, the final four tournament, and action films. haha. Nick is healing up and sleeping soundly on the couch.

trust me, God is good.
money or no money, no matter your circumstance He will use whatever He needs to to show you how very gracious and loving He is. but if you really want to see the pinnacle of His love...look at the cross.

while we were driving home, I said to Jess, "it's so hard to accept this free gift of money. i want to find all of these people and pay them back. otherwise i feel so shameful that i'm in debt."

my wise friend Jess responded "isn't that such a reflection of how hard it is to except God's free gift of grace."

yes, it is. thank You Jesus.

paul

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with ever spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. IN LOVE He predestined us for adoption through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of His will to the praise of His glorious grace, with which He has blessed us in the Beloved.
In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He LAVISHED upon us, in ALL WISDOM AND INSIGHT making known to us the MYSTERY of His will, according to His purpose, which He set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Him, things in heaven and things on earth. Ephesians 1:3-10

let Him love you..

for this reason I bow my knees before the Father...so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith-that you being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the BREADTH and LENGTH and HEIGHTS and DEPTH and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Ephesians 3:14-19

tift merritt

i'm loving the weepies and tift merritt lately. amen:)

stp. michael horton

so here goes. i've learned a little taste of what discipleship looks like this year being an RA but very little... nothing like Paul was to Timothy . probably won't get even a glimpse of that kind of discipleship 'til I'm a 90 year old grandma and on my deathbed. i know the Lord calls us to it, actually it's the Great calling..commission. (Matthew 28:19). but i sure don't know how to do it.

I am planning on attending something called summer training project this summer. for the second summer in a row. never thought God would call me to go back down to Garden City, South Carolina again. This summer I will have a different position however. i will be leading and discipling a group of 3 to 4 girls. i would like to start using the blog to update people on how this process is going. i'm planning on raising about $1500 to cover expenses for the summer. i know that the Lord is going to provide. He is so good. i'll be writing more later. would love any prayer and support.

the thought of this exhausts and scares me. first, raising the money, than learning how the heck to be selfless enough to think and care for 3 girls intentionally for a whole summer. i feel like i'm going to south carolina to be a mom. i know the Lord has plans for these girls and for using me as a vessel of His infinite grace and love towards them. all i need is to rest in and be refreshed by is that He died for my sinful self and that now His steadfast love and His covenant of peace will not be removed from me (Isaiah 54)..whether i go to myrtle beach or China. i'll need a daily reminder of the gospel and His beautiful love at the cross just as much as these girls i'm discipling will.

"Our whole life as Christians is a process of sailing confidently into the open seas, dying down in exhaustion, and having our sails filled again with God’s precious promises…

No less than when we first believed, we must always attribute to the gospel the power that fills our sails with gratitude....At the beginning, in the middle, and at the end, the gospel ‘is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes’ (Rom. 1:16).”

- michael horton

paul. isaiah. the old has passed the new has come.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17

"preach the Good News...
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified." Isaiah 61

"If you read the Bible from cover to cover you realize that it narrates (proclaims!) a true and cohesive story: the Good News that through Jesus Christ God has entered history to liberate and renew the world from its bondage to sin and suffering. This is the story of God, who pursues the restoration of his creation at the cost of his own life. He is making all things new (Rev 21:5)! That’s the simple and yet profound, life- and world-altering plotline of the Bible.”

- Michael R. Emlet, CrossTalk

pleasure. st patrick. cs lewis. david

"there are many good reasons for drinking,
one has just entered my head.
if a man doesn't drink when he's living,
how in the hell can he drink when he's dead?"

irish saying

st. patricks day makes me think of my half-blooded heritage. i really do love it. but i do have some of that irish blood that seeks pleasure and the pursuit of happiness sometimes, no often, above the Lord's will. the Lord wants to offer a pleasure far more beautiful than any earthly pleasure. i like the way c.s. lewis puts it. just remember he was irish too:)

"It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

C.S. Lewis (Weight of Glory and Other Addresses)

...in Your presence there is fullness of joy at Your right hand there are pleasures forevermore..."
Psalm 16:11


Christ came and died to give you life, life more abundant, and sweet sweet joy forevermore...

kari jobe

apparently in Judaism, tradition was for the potential Bridegroom to offer the girl, he wants to make his wife, a cup of wine. if she drinks than she is excepting his offer and deciding to spend a life of commitment, respect, love, and fidelity to him.
then, at the wedding the two would share a cup of wine together...

on the last night in that upper room of Jeruselam, Jesus knew that he was not just drinking wine but was about to drink of the cup of taking on the sin of the world on the cross. He's offering His cup to us, though sinful and broken, His bride, His church...He drank of the worst cup any human will ever have to. because of His steadfast love and mercy He offers us this cup of salvation freely...what a beautiful merciful Savior.


i want to sit at Your feet. drink from the cup in Your hand. this Love is so deep...

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c. j. mahaney

"Don’t buy the lie that cultivating condemnation and wallowing in your shame is somehow pleasing to God, or that a constant, low-grade guilt will somehow promote holiness and spiritual maturity. It’s just the opposite! God is glorified when we believe with all our hearts that those who trust in Christ can never be condemned. It’s only when we receive his free gift of grace and live in the good of total forgiveness that we’re able to turn from old, sinful ways of living and walk in grace-motivated obedience."


-c.j. mahaney

Dark is the stain that we cannot hide.
What can avail to wash it away?
Look! There is flowing a crimson tide,
brighter than snow you may be today.


Marvelous, infinite, matchless grace,
freely bestowed on all who believe!
You that are longing to see his face,
will you this moment his grace receive?

Grace, grace, God's grace,
grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
grace, grace, God's grace,
grace that is greater than all our sin

suffering and paul and cs lewis

as many others, i've dealt with my share of suffering in my life. in all honesty. the last time i shared my testimony in a group one of the girls came up to me and said "I hope you know you never deserved that form of suffering."

she's sweet and you could tell she just wanted to encourage me but it didn't land on me right.

now i know my Father does not want me to suffer He does not want any of His creation to suffer. but to say i don't deserve suffering?

as i remember "the wages of sin is death, but the FREE gift of God is eternal life."-Romans 6:23

because of my sin, i deserve suffering, more than that...i deserve death.


the truth is i have always claimed to be the victim, forgetting that all my sin victimized my Savior and put Him on the cross to carry the whole weight and sin of the world to be seperated from His Father.

this is weighty but this is true. we are entitled to nothing. i am entitled to nothing. i was not entitled to a pleasant, safe, beautiful life. i am grateful for the suffering i've been through, it makes me ever more joyful for all the blessings He graciously daily gives me and it makes me see His love for me even stronger...all that He endured for this fallen broken girl...what a Savior.

i was reading A Grief Observed this morning, which is C.S. Lewis' writings of grief and pain after his wife died. i read:

"Yet this is unendurable...[referring to pain and suffering]...but is it ever allowed?
It was allowed to One, we are told, and I find i can now believe again, that He has done vicariously whatever can be so done. He replies to our babble, 'You cannot and you dare not. I could and I dared.'"-C.S. Lewis

Christ allows some of us to suffer in different ways. but we will never fathom the suffering He endured for all of us.
so let's be rid of our sense of entitlement please. and be so joyful and thankful for the One who paid it all...so we wouldn't have to...

david

How long must i take counsel in my soul and have sorrow in my heart all the day?...But I have trusted in Your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me. Psalms 13

bountifully: free in giving, liberal in bestowing gifts

in crappy times He is being ever gracious and loving. no matter my circumstance whether life sucks to the point that i want to swear really loud, whether i am abundantly happy, or whether my heart is in a pit of sorrow. in His salvation He has dealt EVER bountifully with me...

cs lewis and brooke fraser and john piper

one of my favorite writers inspired one of my favorite musicians. amen:)

"i will sigh and with all creation groan as i wait for Hope to come for me. Hope He's coming for me."

For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? Romans 8:22-24

"The whole creation groans. It is a general divine decree on the whole world. And Paul's point is: even the precious children of God must suffer with Christ in it.

So let us humble ourselves and take our share of suffering with patience and hope. Because we consider with Paul that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that will be revealed to us." -john piper

michelle kwan or sasha cohen

Watching these winter Olympics makes me think of being a child. When I was five I was unwaveringly positive that I would one day be one of those competing ice skaters. In my 5 year old mind Sasha Cohen would go out and perform, next up would come Michelle Kwan then I would hit the ice and figure skate with such flow and perfection that I would win the gold of course. I also knew I would fly a plane. I would be an ice skater by day and fly people all over the world at night, (because of course planes only fly at night). I had faith though. One day all the dreams I dreamed would be true. Somewhere along the line life hit. Life hit me hard. Those goals weren’t quite as real and my faith dwindled into a distant hope.

haha sad sad story right. but seriously somedays I wonder if our faith in the Lord is not one bit different. We see His unfathomable grace and mercy in our lives. We realize how dead and sinful we are and how much we need a Savior so we call out. We ask Him to forgive us our sins and come save us. Our joy is full and we are resting in His unchanging grace. Years go by. Life hits hard. We forget the cross. We forget our testimony of grace. We forget His love. We lose faith. Then we read verses like Come to me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest take My yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your soul. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11: 28-30 and we no longer have faith that we can find rest in Him. when I read that sometimes I think, oh that’s nice and find temporary rest in it. But what does this verse even mean? How do we find rest in His yoke and why is it lighter than our own?

I forget what Jesus said before this verse I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Matthew 11:25-27

Just like when I was five years old and had unpenetrating faith that i would be a figure skater. Jesus calls us to have the same faith that He is who He says He is. He is the one who came to take on your burdens. Oh and what burden it was. It was the burden of the sin of the world He who knew no sin was made to BE sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21

I could talk about the verses in Matthew 11 for hours and probably never understand the real riches of all that Jesus was saying. He says that little kids get this, this unique faith that believes beyond question. Believes that the Father sent His son to become flesh for you and to reveal to the world that He is the Savior. It was His “gracious will” to do so. Now that we know this we can come to Him, with child-like faith saying “I am weary and I am heavy laden. I have been striving for years and trying to please you, but I’ve forgotten that Your yoke is easy and Your burden is light.” His yoke and His burden is what He bore for you at Calvary. Jesus paid it all that's why we no longer have to take on other yokes of our own righteous works or be burdened by our inability to please the world or please the Lord. He's pleased with You because He sees His perfect Son when He looks at you. In that we can rest and believe like a little child that our Daddy is a good Daddy and has more steadfast love and graciousness towards us then we can ever fathom. So come to Him…the one who laid down His life for you…He’ll give you rest.

this truth is way better than flying a plane or years of olympic figure skating...

peter mariani

just a hilarious conversation i had over the phone with the Mariani's today. it brought me joy so I thought I'd share...

"Do you swear in italian dad?- Nina Mariani
Sometimes when I get upset at your mother.-Peter Mariani
Dad, that's awful- Nina Mariani
well sure, But what your mother doesn’t know doesn’t hurt her. -Peter Mariani
Hi peter.- Me
Happy Valentine's Day to you Gwen.-Peter Mariani
You're the first guy to tell me that today Mr. Mariani -Me
well sure, the Lord's saving a good one for you ...tenere i suoi occhi aprono.-Peter Mariani
what does that mean?-Me
Keep your eyes open, even at night. Stay on your gaurd Gwen.-Peter Mariani
Ok I will Peter.-Me
I could get a doctor for you but he'd work late hours. you wouldn't want that.- Peter Mariani
Dad, I had a dream that i got engaged but the guy was a jerk but the diamond on the ring was really big so i didn't know what to do. - Nina Mariani
Nina, you ever have a problem with a guy, send him over here and i'll punch him in the nose."-Peter Mariani

moral of the story: keep your eyes open, even at night. thanks Dr. Mariani

northern ireland

somedays i wish i could get away to here, preferably with gaelic music playing in the background...
but i'll be content in all circumstances. it's just so darn pretty. i'm probably just longing for heaven...

c.h. spurgeon

"if the people do not like the doctrine of grace, give them all the more of it."


c.h. spurgeon

i truly do get discouraged when i think of a life sharing the gospel of grace with people. people will reject it. it's a promise.

2 corinthians 3:14"...for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away."
i hope the truth of His grace remains on my tongue until the day i die. i hope i never exhaust it's riches. i was dead. He gave me life. i was blind. He lifted the veil. i was wretched He made me His righteousness.

2 corinthians 3: 16 "For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. So we do not lose heart...as we look not to things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."


so we are looking to things that are eternal...thanks for the reminder spurgeon.




and He's offering His grace freely to you. that's it. He died to give you
life...

mark driscoll

i like humor, actually somedays i think it determines a lot of what i do or don't do. which might be a heart issue. i just know i love to laugh.
i'm sure of it that Jesus was a funny man and people enjoyed being around Him. just like all the little joys of life, i know the Lord created humor to display some of His glory...
Here's driscoll's take on it.

sharedhope

" ... to preach the Good News to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound. To proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn to grant those who mourn in Zion to give them a beautiful headdress instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning the garment of praise instead of a faint spirit; that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord that He may be glorified." -Isaiah 61

the point of this is not to have a "feel bad" mentality or a temporary emotional reaction, but you can do something by signing a petition on this website to fight against this injustice:

arithmetic

love song to the Lord.

"i won't find what i am looking for if i only see by keeping score. i know now You are so much more than arithmetic.
if i add, if i subtract if i give it all try to take some back, i've forgotten the freedom that comes from the fact, that You are the sum. Lord You are the One i want..."

tim keller

i'm in a small discipleship group and we're going over the 'promises of God'
we talked about the foundation of our study and that is the gospel. we went over Tim Kellers vision statement for his church out of New York city called Redeemer. in his vision statement he has 6 gospel-centered parts to being part of a community.


it's pretty amazing. oh for grace for the Body of Christ to look like this...

"1. an accepting community that reflects the grace we've been given from Christ.
2. a holy community that urges one another to live God-pleasing lives.

3. a truth-telling community that is free to repent, and free to allow others to repent, because of the gospel.

4. an encouraging community that builds one another up.

5. a sacrificially generous community that spends its life and wealth on the needs of others.

6. a suffering community that loves and forgives others even when it harms us."

rock of ages.

i've been thinking about grace and how often i say i understand it but ignorantly go day to day thinking that somehow I can add to the gospel of Christ crucified, by things I do for the Lord. bah. isn't that so much like a finite creation.
but He is well pleased with me only because He is well pleased with His Son...not in anything I do. that means anything!
You are the righteousness of God in Christ. That's your new identity...

" I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing! Galatians 2:17-19


no act of worship
no tears of repentance
no bible memorized
no confession to others
no beautiful prayer
no steps of faith
no finite love for others
no amount of hall ministry
no good discipleship
no selfless deed
no evangelizing
no blog entry
no law followed...will ever add to the cross of Christ. In this I will place my trust and will I glory.
His blood alone can atone...It is finished.

the ferryman

i cannot get enough gaelic music:)amen.