I look to you

Yes. Another Sunday.

I wonder what Sundays would look like to someone who had no sight? How do you describe Sunday? B/c for me it’s an affirmation that Christ is my rest…even though it’s one of the busiest days of my week. I find gratitude and love and hope in where I see God working. In how I see His love even though I may have heartache dwelling inside. He ALWAYS shows Himself to be the One that I need. Small ways that are very big ways to me.

So, yes. I look to Him. I was one of the many who was pretty excited about Whitney Houston’s interview and ‘come back’ on Oprah’s season premiere. I saw part 2 of the interview! It was awesome. Imagine, a woman who has been through hell and came out of it to say, Lord, I look to you. She is just every woman. But saved by the grace of God and so…what a testimony.

Tonight, the close of a day full of life and work and joy…and a little sadness…I sing. Jesus, through it all, I look to you.

Amen

I Look to You by Whitney Houston

Breathing Life

There’s this beautiful song by the Christian band, Salvador called “Breathing Life.” You should definitely Google it. The gist is that God breathes new life into our veins and it’s so true. 

This morning my devotional was so on target that I think God was just breathing new life into me even though I’m still the same old person, same problems, same situation. 

We go through a lot during a day and lately I’ve been trying to go through less and less. Less preparation for class, less preparation for myself, more sleep. I’ve been letting myself become less involved with my work and actually being downright annoyed. What’s worse, I’m learning that I’m a pretty good complainer. That’s horrible! What a trait to have so young. It’s like I’m going through high school all over again. That wasn’t the most uplifting time for me and so it was convicting to read 2 Peter 1:3-4.

“His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

I have this phrase in my mind a lot because Christ has conquered the world: “God has already defeated this.” Whatever I let drag me down (and I’m realizing that ‘down’ really has no depth, it can just get lower and lower, as low as you want to go), God has already defeated it. I have to live as a conqueror if I have faith in the Lord because He has conquered my sins and He has conquered my life. Amen!

So I’ve basically got to wake up. Just get out there and not act so defeated. And God shows me in little ways that He’s right.

Example 1: I got to go to the Ladies Retreat and on the way there (I was actually pretty excited about it) I saw eagles flying overhead. Eagles! They were BEAUTIFUL! And I recalled how God allows us to soar on His wings in those times when we need someone to carry us. Thank you God.

Example 2: I was running around on Sunday, trying to get myself to be friendly, catching up with friends at church, saying goodbye to a really sweet family that’ll be leaving because of a great job the Lord has given them, and I got caught up in the happiness of what was going on around me. I was doing my thing and never knew an old friend/boyfriend was at the same church the whole day. Crazy (b/c he lives in another country). Imagine me running into him without being prepared…I really have no idea how I’d react. God has a way of keeping us in the shade of His hand when we aren’t ready for the sunlight. Amen.

So I read on. “If we were to take each phrase of these verses to heart, our lives would have absolutely no room for worrying or fretting, no room for complaining or for feeling inadequate in our Christian life, no room for laziness or depression. God’s provisions are perfect and always on time for His children.” Hm…He’s always on time. That was good stuff.

The Lord knows His child and I can’t testify enough of how much He still cares for His child. Our God is SO loving! He knows my desires and what I cry to Him. He cares daily. But He doesn’t stop there. He will meet our needs. I don’t have room for worrying or feeling inadequate or…ok I’ll say it…being lazy. He has already met my need. There is no one and nothing else so above and beyond what we seek in life. He is the breath itself.

Excerpts from Henry & Norman Blackaby “52 Week Devotional: Called & Accountable, Discovering Your Place in God’s Eternal Purpos

I AM

Hope for those who need it now

The promise from God to everyone who believes in Him…

I Am by CeCe Winans

I am the one yes I created the whole universe
Greater than anything in heaven and in all the earth
It’s my air you breathe so I’m the one that you should please
I am the one you need why should you be alone?

I am that I am
I’m all that you need
I can yes I can
no it ain’t too hard for me
Do you know, really know, do you really believe
Every day, every night of your life
I am

It hurts my heart indeed to see those whom I love in need
Knowing all I wonder why they never call on me
If you just ask and I can satisfy you with the things
I’ll give you everything, yes you can have it all
I tell the sun to rise, the wind to blow, the rain to fall
I move the mountains and the oceans rivers great and small
Yes everything I made I want to hear them give me praise
Especially you my children each and every day

I am that I am
I’m all that you need
I can yes I can
No it ain’t too hard for me
Do you know really know
Do you really believe
Everyday
every night
of your life

I am…

 

Waiting

Been thinking about waiting. I was reading 1 Kings 8 and remembered a talk a while ago. It was about the resurrection of Jesus and the point was made that Mary, in all her helplessness, simply waited for Him at the tomb. I can imagine the hopelessness, the worry, the exhaustion. But God asks us to wait. He went through the same thing. He goes through it everyday – with me, with everyone. Just wait for me, I can imagine He insists. I have a plan. I am better. I have called you out and separated you. Wow.

Happy Easter! Hope (with lyrics)

Because it’s Easter and the lyrics flow so well, here’s a great example of hope and grace. It’s a great song, too. You can listen at http://www.myspace.com/jeremycamp.   

“Let it Fade” – Jeremy Camp… 

Have you been walking on a surface that’s uncertain?
Have you helped yourself to everything that’s empty?
You can’t live this way too long.
There’s more than this, more than this.
Have you been standing on your own feet too long?
Have you been looking for a place where you belong?
You can rest, you will find rest.
You can rest, you will find rest.
Let this old life crumble, let it fade.
Let this new life offered be your saving grace.
Let this old life crumble, let it fade, let it fade.

Have you been holding on to what this world has offered?
Have you been giving in to all these masquerades?
It will be gone, forever gone.
It will be gone, it will be gone

Let this old life crumble, let it fade.
Let this new life offered be your saving grace.
Let this old life crumble, let it fade, let it fade.

He is Risen!

 ”What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?” – Matthew 8:27

For Christians, today is the best day of the world really.

This morning I woke up to hear the bells pealing, and the birds singing. My dad was playing Easter hymns at full blast. It was beautiful. The Christ-child that was born has gone through a lifetime of living on this earth the way everyone has experienced it. He’s dealt with family life with siblings and all. He’s grown up knowing the difference between the haves and the have-nots. He’s been acquainted with disappointment, health, death, and sadness. He’s had some cuts and bruises along the way – experienced the pain of hunger. He knows what it is to live in a fallen world.  He’s seen the ups and downs of having friends who are on some days, and off the next. He’s had everyone leave Him when He’s needed it most. This guy seems a lot like me. Except…He was God. 

Christ – the Emmanuel that the angels sang to in a manger so long ago – has taken on the world without giving in to its temptations and sins. Today we celebrate the fact that Jesus conquered death for life. 

Jesus doesn’t walk among us anymore, but reigns over us. He stays with us because He walked the same road. For others the story is pretty interesting, but without faith that Christ was also God in flesh, the truth is missed completely.

What kind of God would come down to earth and live here?

What kind of God would be so bold as to die here and let it go down in history?

What kind of followers would tell the whole world the story so others could believe the same?

It’s crazy but this Christ whom Christians deify is truly an amazing God. Happy Easter, and God bless you! Christ is risen!