invitation for revival

Our most Holy and mighty God chooses to live with us! He seeks for hearts that recognize their sinfulness and bring themselves low! To us who seek God in the remorse of our sinfulness He will invite us to live with Him so that He may bring us new life and comfort! What a forgiving and merciful God! Such a blessing we don't deserve!

When I forget who I am..

Hiking a trail, exploring the very depths of a mountain, has to be one of my favorite things to do. I love the beauty and majesty of nature. I walk in constant awe of God as I am surrounded by each changing scene. Thick green trees, intricately designed plants and flowers, unique birds and wildlife, trickling to raging waterfalls and rivers, all displaying the depth of wonder that must fill that place! Then there is the view! You climb and climb, until you reach the spot where you look out, and its more than just seeing the majesty, you feel majesty! And it is there I wonder most at the feeling of majesty that will take over me when I finally get to fall in the presence of the designer and creator of this artwork.

This verse today brought that back for me with a new perspective.

Isaiah 51:1

51 “Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness
    and who seek the Lord:
Look to the rock from which you were cut
    and to the quarry from which you were hewn;

I love this image of how we are made by God! I have never picked up a rock while hiking and thought, “Wow, this is the mountain!” because I am so wrapped up in the beauty of the mountain! When we see a huge boulder and the small rocks beside it we look at the boulder to tell us what is there! But there laying right around it are small pieces, made up of the very same material. And the rock tells a story to us of our image in God.

A small pebble from the side of a great mountain, is not a mountain, you don’t look at it and tingle in the majesty and power and awe of all that you behold. This is similar to how we are not in anyway comparable to God, or the majesty of God.  But we can pick that rock up and match it right along with the piece of the mountain that it came from! We see that in a very small way it tells of the characteristics of the mountain. Likewise, we are made by God, and God tells us we are made in His image!

We are cut from the same rock! Our search for truth, our desire for justice, thirst for knowledge and truth, and enjoyment of beauty, all speak back to our roots. Read the Bible and you will see Gods desire for truth and justice to be made known. Look around you and you see Gods love for beauty! Isaiah reminds us that when we are searching for truth about who we are, when we are seeking knowledge of how to live the righteous life, to be who we were made to be, we should turn to the one whom we were made in His image! When you learn how God wants you to live in life, when you follow the example He set, how God would live, when we follow - that is when we start to feel that fulfillment and satisfaction in who we are.  It is only when we turn to God as a guide to how to live our life that we find the contentment that comes from knowing who you are.

Remember as you live each moment who you truly are! 

Can we move mountains?

 

Honestly, this verse scares me every time I read it.
A battle of thoughts presents itself,:
           "moving a mountain is impossible..."  
                       "What would God ever want me to do that was big?.."

           "a mustard seed is ridiculously small.."  
                        "if the disciples faith wasn't big enough, how would I ever be able to.."

It challenges me every time! What might God be wanting me to do that seems impossible to me, but with the slightest bit of faith in God would be done?!

Maybe instead of searching to see what God wants me to do by looking at what I'm capable of I need to look at what seems impossible.

Moving a mountain seems impossible and ridiculous all at the same time. Human vantage point! This gets me thinking, what out there might God be laying on hearts that when first looked at we may set aside as not from God because of our human vantage point only sees it as "moving a mountain" aka "something completely impossible and ridiculous. " The question I would want us to ask ourselves is this, "is this something you know God would want?' Yes, moving a mountain may seem silly, but what if it was in the way of God rescuing someone? So challenge yourself, what do you know God wants that seems impossible?

A small mustard seed?? How can I possibly not have that much faith? I'm a God following, good Christian girl, head over heels in love with God? Of course I have that much faith, right...?
Reading the Gospel stories we continually see the disciples side-by-side with Jesus. They witness His miracles, they hear his stories, they are there learning and following Him every step! Yet, this task they were trying to do on their own and failed! Maybe it isn't that we don't logically see the facts of what Jesus can do, but more the belief in our hearts of what He will USE US to do. If we believe God can do ALL things, then He can most certainly work THROUGH US. The light at the end of this story is that we know the disciples did go on to do great works for Jesus! After Jesus has ascended into heaven He is working through his disciples to cast out Demons, exactly what they couldn't do here. So have faith in God that He would use you, and that no matter your weaknesses and failures, it isn't about what YOU can do (because most certainly then it would be bound to fail) but what GOD can do!

And He wants to use you!

I praise God that He uses a broken sinner like me!  I pray that He shows us what mountains He would have us move in His name!
 

For the cry babies

This is for the all the cry babies out there, those of us who feel like we are constantly getting into "emotional train wrecks," who cry at the hint of a love scene, can't stand the least bit of anger or sadness in a movie, and sob like no ones business when others may be tearing up a little. We the emotional ones, more often then not woman.
  I am one of those who seems to always be more emotional then others. I have been caught many a time crying on the couch while reading a sad, cheesy love story. For much of my life I have been at least slightly embarrassed of my emotions to downright upset at them. I have, for the longest time, felt that my emotions have been a constant struggle as I try to maintain them at a constant even level. The worst downfall of my emotions is that I have trouble, at times, controlling my anger; many times at very small things. When I was younger, believe it or not, I actually got into such rages that I would fist fight with my brother. I would break into such rages, and not be able to control myself until I had gone too far. Then I would run and cry in my shame at myself and what I had done. I have always been embarrassed when during a movie, or sermon, or book reading I would start crying and realize NO ONE else around me was! I hated it! I would fight it with all that I had. I was so embarrassed that such small sad things could move me so much. The plus side is that I can be very happy and excited about the small things in life. I can walk outside and see a small new blossom on a bush and it carry me through the rest of a hard day. I just didn't accept all that I was.

Genesis 1: 27 So God created man in his own image, 

in the image of God he created him; 

male and female he created them.

I thought that my emotions were a part of my human struggle against sin. I could never accept that part of myself. Recently God has opened my eyes a little more to who He sees me as.  God created us in His own image, and different parts of us reflect different aspects of God. God loves each of us for who we are, and He made us to be unique in many different ways!

Ps. 139:14 I praise you 

because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; 

your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Col. 1:16 For by him all things were created: 

things in heaven and on earth, 

visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities;

 all things were created by him and for him.

Yes, my struggle with controlling my anger to not lead me to sin is a huge temptation for me. Praise God that He has done huge numbers in that area of my heart! There is a wonderful truth in knowing that I am made FOR  him! He has mad me wonderfully, and I should praise Him for that! Not shut myself down in shame. But if I am to praise God with ALL that I am, then my emotions are a part of that. His works are wonderful! God has shown me that my emotions are a beautiful part of who He made me. I am created uniquely so that I can praise God in a unique way! When my heart is stirred to tears because of a beautiful sunrise, God is glorified by my hearts praise! When singing a song of praise to God for His mercy and my heart floods with tears of thanks, that is my body proclaiming to God my uttermost thanks. Every time I read the story of the crucifixion, and my heart sinks in overwhelming sadness and awe of Gods love demonstrated I am weeping with Him. I cannot be ashamed of tears for the pain Jesus spilled for us, yet for so many years I fought them with thoughts of being "a  silly little girl." God has showed me just how beautiful all of me is to him.

Ps. 29:1-2  Ascribe to the LORD, O mighty ones, 

ascribe to the LORD glory and strength. 

2 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name;

 worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness

If we are to praise Him with all of our hearts, with all that we are, that includes the parts of us that at times we are embarrassed about. God finds beauty in who He created you to be. Use your beautiful aspects to bring Him praise! I know there are others out there who have felt like I have, struggled against themselves. See your self as God does, His beautiful, unique creation, created for His special purposes and worth dying over.

Waiting for God's big plan?

I love the story of David. A young man plucked out of a field to be a hero for Isreal. He is a hero that gives all glory to God, and displays His might through the battles he faces. David is seen as a tender heart for God as you read through the Psalms. David makes his mistakes too, but each time they are followed by a resentful, sorrowful, humble heart towards God. As I'm nearing the end of Chronicles I am reading of David and his passion to build the temple for God. David sees a need, and a noble deed that can be done in honor and glory of God. David sees a good plan, that he can accomplish with his God given resources and blessings. He even asks advice from the prophet Nathan, and he sees it as a good thing too! But what happens next is surprising! God says no! God goes to David and tells him that the temple is a good thing, and that it will come, but in God's time and God's plan. He tells David that his son will build the temple. He tells David his own purpose. He reminds David of all that God has planned for him to do. David was made as fighter. He has fought and conquered all around Isreal and kept the lands at peace. He has fought and won battles that show of God's might and strength and blessings in Isreal. David's purpose from God was as a fighter. This also meant that he had blood on his hands and therefore God would not allow him to build the temple. The response here from David could have been immense sorrow, displeasure, a feeling of inadequacy. But David was humble. He praised God for who He was was and His and recognized that God and His plan are sovereign. Then in the next chapter he is back to fighting and conquering again! He is showing off God's plan for him as a warrior for God.
I think this can be a great example in our life. David had a plan for a very noble job! Which seems like the more Godly career or task, fighting and slaying or building a beautiful place of dwelling and worship for God. I can tell you what everyone can day! But God's plans are higher then ours. God said He had His own special purpose for David, and God didn't place David's task of being a warrior any lower then His temple. God had purpose and timing. David showed the appropriate humility when he rejoiced in God and just being a part of God's plans and perfect timing. I know I personally have dreamed big dreams for God! I have had such glorious ideas of ways God could use me to do big things for Him! I've gone through the disappointment when it doesn't work out for me but it does for others. I have been so focused on the future and waiting and waiting for God to give me that "Big" job that is his "real" plan for me. Not this day to day work I've been stuck in.  But God is there next to me saying, where you are and what you are doing is big! It's exactly where I want you! You are in my plan right now, because I always have the perfect plan! I need to react like David and rejoice that God is an amazing God and knows best! God knows what He wants me to do and He has me where I am for a reason. Instead of waiting for something more noble or God-like to pop up for me to do I need to focus on what God is already calling me to do! David was thrown into the title of warrior. He didn't start out that way. He was a shepherd boy! But his first battle with Goliath he stepped into because he was defending God! I need to focus my everyday actions on just answering the little calls and jobs of God around me, because that is where He wants me. Like David  I need to be satisfied and rejoice knowing that God knows me,  I am in His purpose right where I am, and focus on the right now to show His glory with where I am.
I hope you can find the satisfaction of knowing you are in His plan now! And instead of worrying about the "Big" plan you want to do someday, will react like David and get back out there doing the job God has called you. Because if God called you to it - it is the most noble and Godly plan!

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven

      I've had a season change in my life. School has started, church groups have kicked in,  and my life has exponentially gotten busier! In the blissful quiet of Summer I knew this would eventually come. My one to two hour quiet times have become nonexistent, but this year I have been able to stay consistently spending time praying and reading in the morning with God before the rush of my day. What I have learned from this change is that it is ok for your God time to change as your life changes, as long as the one thing that remains the same is your search in your heart after a deeper relationship with Him.
      I have consistently struggled with the "good enough" and "doing enough" feeling in my life. As I transitioned in my life I began to struggle again as I reflected on my time with God and wondered, is it enough? Thankfully a wonderful friend, and accountability partner reminded me as I was rehashing my time with God over the week and wondering if I was doing good enough, that it wasn't about being good enough and with different seasons in our life it's ok to do things differently. That was when God stepped in and reminded me of the wonderful new experiences I have had since everything has been changing. I truly have been enjoying my new morning experiences, and with them God is teaching me new things! These  new things would never have come about if I hadn't undergone a change. Now in my time I read less, but mull over it more. I have been reading more Psalms( because they are short) and have grown my spirit of praise! I have started coloring words in my bible which is a quick way to pick out details. The biggest change is my prayer. Now I am praying a lot more for people instead of myself, and my prayers into humble please for help. My summer turned from a time of comfort and reflection where I searched myself daily with God, into a Fall with constant prayer to God for total reliance to make it through my day and prayers of God using me in every life I come across, which is a lot at school. These changed prayers have opened new ways of seeing my heart, life around me, and new ways of God's amazing grace and mercy.
       My life changed, and so did my time with God, and so did what I have seen and learned about Him. I had started to fall into the temptation of "its about me and me doing enough" which would have sucked me into feeling bad and focusing on myself, instead of reflecting on the amazing mercy and ways of God. Different ways of being with God build the relationship in different ways, much like it does any relationship. These shorter times have taught me more focus and to reach out and make more of the special moments with God. So no matter what season you are in life, its not about are you doing enough, the important thing is to remember to make it a consistent priority of always putting God first and desiring to know Him first.

Glory in his holy name;
    let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice.
4 Look to the Lord and his strength;
    seek his face always.
Psalsms 105:3-4 

Praise is not just for the end

When I'm happy and things are going right in my life I am constantly smiling and singing. My heart is so light and happy I can't help but sighing happy praises and adoration of God in every breath I breathe. Throughout the Bible you read stories of God's amazing victories, of His mighty deeds to save his people in the Old and New Testaments.  Many of these stories end with praise being given to the amazing, living, all powerful God who has saved them from their enemy. This is because God is a rescuer, savior, and worrier! God does save and when He does we praise him and Thank Him! But what about when He isn't "saving" us? What about when are right in the middle of the darkness in our life?
As much as I love singing praise to God, praying to Him and laying my love before Him, I never thought it would be hard to praise Him. As of a few weeks ago all turmoil has seemed to break out. The end to my blissful love relationship with summer has come to a close. The bliss ended much before my intended due date, which is what is typical. Nothing can ever be as planned, not if God has something to teach you, which He always does! Recently added responsibilities, incidences relating to a huge issue in my life right now has ended up adding much stress. Not only is work back and starting, and the routine of life, but this extra issue as well, which has drained me almost completely causing me to no longer be able to to all that I was able to do. Chores, work, sleep,  and parts of life are being thrown on the back burner. There is a constant struggle with figuring out priorities and what will survive without being done. Through all this I started off handling it like I have been - Praying! And not any ordinary praying, this situation calls for 24/7 every time stress comes at me, desperate pleas to God to take this away and make it all better.
As I prayed and battled for my time with God through everything I remembered to stop and listen as well. When I did all I heard was "Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say rejoice," but this didn't seem the right time to do that! I needed to pray for help! Then I stopped and listened again, "'do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving"(emphasis was heard in my head!) "let your requests be known to God." I knew I had been praying, I was really, honestly TRYING not to be anxious, but I hadn't added any thanksgiving... Then I read Psalms 26 and 27. I was reminded as I have been reading through the Psalms, even as many times as David is calling out to God to be rescued, to be helped, to be remembered, he always entwines praise throughout it all. Here I was challenged with my heart. Doesn't God deserve praise from us no matter what is going on in our lives? God is still the same God whether we are in our green pastures or walking through our valley of the shadow of death. God is not changing, only where we are and what we are dealing with is changing. So why should God deserve any less praise? If we are to praise and glorify Him why should that stop when we want Him to remove us or help get us out of a situation? It shouldn't! God deserves to continually be praised!
Working on that part of my heart has been hard. It is not natural for me, when I feel the weight of burdens becoming too much to start telling God how amazing He is instead of asking to be instantly rescued. My first words in many of my prayers start with " help" and "please." I am now working on starting my prayers with " God you are.." and praising Him for how mighty, loving, and wonderful He is. This is really hard, but it has honestly worked to bring "the peace of God that surpasses all understanding that will guard your hearts and minds. " When we praise God for who He is, it reminds us of the truth, and that truth has an effect on your heart and mind that is so troubled because you start to see, God is more and over any burden.  It helped me to write my praises out to God. I wrote a list of what I knew of God and who He was and is. Then when I start to become overwhelmed I remind myself of what I wrote, and read it, and pray those back to God.
Because praise is not just for the end of your troubles when He has rescued you, helped you, lead you through them, but is to be in every breathe that you breathe.

Philippians 4:4-7

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.