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.