"God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him." John 3:17
One of the many things I love about my Lord and Savior is that he is a loving Father. I can picture him holding me close as we walk side by side. There is more than just one story in the Bible that paints the picture of a lost child coming home to the open arms of Abba Father- and you know what's so amazing about those loving arms? They don't condemn.
One thing I've been learning recently is that I need to be pursuing the qualities of Jesus everyday. I shouldn't be choosing which ones are the easiest to follow but working towards attaining the hardest. For some people, acceptance of anyone and everyone comes easy for them, and I admire that. I believe that sometime we get a little too high on the pedestal of life and forget to check our attitudes and actions.
We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God- every one of us- but you know what's amazing?
"Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us...he did it on his own, with no help from us!" Ephesians 2: 4-5
If God can do that and we call ourselves "Christ followers", than we should walk in that way also.
Friday, May 21, 2010
Monday, May 17, 2010
Hope is a Good Thing
"God's loyal love couldn't have run out, his merciful love couldn't have dried up. They're created new every morning. How great your faithfulness! I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over). He's all I got left.
God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the women who diligently seeks. It's a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God. It's a good thing when you're young to stick it out through the hard times.
When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions: wait for hope to appear. Don't run from trouble. Take it full- face. The "worst" is never the worst.
Why? Because the Master won't ever walk out and fail to return. If he works severely, he also works tenderly. His stockpiles of loyal love are immense. He takes no pleasure in making life hard, in throwing roadblocks in the way."
Lamentations 3: 22-33 (The Message)
God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the women who diligently seeks. It's a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God. It's a good thing when you're young to stick it out through the hard times.
When life is heavy and hard to take, go off by yourself. Enter the silence. Bow in prayer. Don't ask questions: wait for hope to appear. Don't run from trouble. Take it full- face. The "worst" is never the worst.
Why? Because the Master won't ever walk out and fail to return. If he works severely, he also works tenderly. His stockpiles of loyal love are immense. He takes no pleasure in making life hard, in throwing roadblocks in the way."
Lamentations 3: 22-33 (The Message)
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Words of God
Utter peace. Silence. I wait in a meadow of calm- waiting for someone to meet me. Although I am alone- feelings of loneliness retreat. Streams of love surround me as I am warmed by unique rays of sun. This warmth doesn't retreat but fills me, leaving me satisfied. I can hear sweet symphonies rustling through the breeze, songs of hope. I feel like a curious child waiting to see what will happen next.
I doze from the complete exhaustion I'm facing and I fall; I fall into darkness where the loneliness and insecurity sets in again. The sky above is no longer visable and I'm desperately crying out for someone- anyone to hear my cry; my cries fall of the world's deaf ear.
Then through the darkness, I see a light coming towards me. I fall on my knees, but before I hit the ground I am captured and carried in the strongest arms I have ever felt before. These arms hold me close to a steady heartbeat and the comfort is unfathomable. He wipes away my tears and says, "Child, I'll never let you fall. I'll hold you so close for my eyes are upon you." He hid me under his wings and I listened to his beautiful voice as he comforted me over and over again.
I doze from the complete exhaustion I'm facing and I fall; I fall into darkness where the loneliness and insecurity sets in again. The sky above is no longer visable and I'm desperately crying out for someone- anyone to hear my cry; my cries fall of the world's deaf ear.
Then through the darkness, I see a light coming towards me. I fall on my knees, but before I hit the ground I am captured and carried in the strongest arms I have ever felt before. These arms hold me close to a steady heartbeat and the comfort is unfathomable. He wipes away my tears and says, "Child, I'll never let you fall. I'll hold you so close for my eyes are upon you." He hid me under his wings and I listened to his beautiful voice as he comforted me over and over again.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Storms
Have you ever experienced a struggle in your life?
Recently my family and I have been experiencing a tough storm. Storms can be dark, cold, miserable. You feel like you can't see in front of you and if you call out, who will hear?
Storms can be overwhelming.
Throughout this time, feelings of loneliness, insecurity, anger, and sadness have crept up on me. Where do you go when you feel alone? Where do you go when you feel God is a million miles away?
That's when I would open my Bible and cry out to God to grant me comfort. Every time- he would answer my cry.
Psalm 63:5-8 "I hold on to you for dear life, and you hold me steady as a post."
Psalm 46:1-3 "God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him. We stand fearless at the cliff edge of doom, courageous in sea storm and earthquake, before the rush and roar of oceans, the tremors that shift the mountains."
He gave me faith, hope and trust.
Things that I never thought would happen to our family were happening. I experienced weeks of darkness. I felt so alone.
The only place that I could run was to the open arms of my heavenly father. I would picture him carrying me when I had no strength and holding me close when I was alone. He gave me comfort to move on.
He gave me strength to forgive. He gave me strength when my dad had to leave our house. God carried me 100% through.
He started us on this spiritual journey and will continue to til the end. God is showing me to surrender completely to him- because he knows what he's doing.
"Lord, take it all because I can't take it any longer. All I have, I can't make it on my own. Take the first, take the last- take the good and take the rest. Here I am, all I have- take it all."
It's not if storms will approach but rather when and they may last a while but God is in control and will carry you through if you put your trust in him.
Recently my family and I have been experiencing a tough storm. Storms can be dark, cold, miserable. You feel like you can't see in front of you and if you call out, who will hear?
Storms can be overwhelming.
Throughout this time, feelings of loneliness, insecurity, anger, and sadness have crept up on me. Where do you go when you feel alone? Where do you go when you feel God is a million miles away?
That's when I would open my Bible and cry out to God to grant me comfort. Every time- he would answer my cry.
Psalm 63:5-8 "I hold on to you for dear life, and you hold me steady as a post."
Psalm 46:1-3 "God is a safe place to hide, ready to help when we need him. We stand fearless at the cliff edge of doom, courageous in sea storm and earthquake, before the rush and roar of oceans, the tremors that shift the mountains."
He gave me faith, hope and trust.
Things that I never thought would happen to our family were happening. I experienced weeks of darkness. I felt so alone.
The only place that I could run was to the open arms of my heavenly father. I would picture him carrying me when I had no strength and holding me close when I was alone. He gave me comfort to move on.
He gave me strength to forgive. He gave me strength when my dad had to leave our house. God carried me 100% through.
He started us on this spiritual journey and will continue to til the end. God is showing me to surrender completely to him- because he knows what he's doing.
"Lord, take it all because I can't take it any longer. All I have, I can't make it on my own. Take the first, take the last- take the good and take the rest. Here I am, all I have- take it all."
It's not if storms will approach but rather when and they may last a while but God is in control and will carry you through if you put your trust in him.
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