Learning to live for HIS glory

It's the eve of turning 22, A new year of life's about to begin! I'm ready, excited, and anticipating much. Jesus has brought me far in the year of 21 And I'm thankful for so many things. Mostly though, I'm thankful for Him, His sacrifice, New life, And the joy of each moment spent with Him! So as I turn to 22, My birthday wish would be, To grow in loving Jesus more No matter what life brings. This new year is exciting, With many corners and pages to turn. I cannot see around them, But the One who walks beside me can!   I really don't know All this year will hold, But what I do know is . . . He's doing exciting things. And so I live anticipating, Wondering, Smiling, Trusting. Days will come it's hard. I know, But I want to cling to this: My God is ever faithful. It's in His grace I rest. When I'm weak, He is strong. He is always and ever with me. Life is beautiful. 22, I'm ready for you. (But I'll e...

Tidbits from September's thoughts . . . 3~Guard me from wanting the gifts for their own sake, or loving them for their own sake, and instead ignite by Your Holy Spirit a deeper desire and love for You! Thank You for entering into covenant with me, Lord! 12~Making pleasing people my god is soo exhausting!  Thank You for saving me from having to be enslaved to that!  I pray You would give me the courage, humility, and graciousness to live for You alone . . . remind me I don’t have to make everyone happy.  In fact, if I’m living for You, I’ll probably make some people mad.  But Lord, I pray You would fill me with Your Spirit’s grace and love to such a point that my only offense would be the gospel! 14~Honestly just so many thoughts running through my head right now.  You have placed the capability to dream within me, and yet I don’t want to let a good thing become a bad thing by letting it run away with me! Lord, the burdens of family, friends, and...

Inspired by a dear friend of mine who writes over at  http://purejoyandpoetry.blogspot.com/ ... I've been reading through my journals from the past year and pulling out bits and pieces . . . remembering what the Lord has taught and done, the blessings and the struggles! 1~Jesus, may this be a year in which I seek You wholeheartedly.  Give me eyes open wide to see Your glory…I am such a human, Lord! Holy Spirit would You come and fill this life more and more? You who live to pray, would You fill me with Your life? . . . And as I pray, would You guide my praying and use my feeble attempts for the advancement of Your kingdom? Instead of focusing on how inadequate I am, Lord teach me to focus on You, and how perfectly adequate You are. 2~Thank You that I can call You Father and come to You as a child . . . Lord, teach me how to live this day. 3~ Holy Spirit, would You in me train my emotions to line up with truth? Lord, burn away the mediocrity, and gi...

Snowflakes dancing their way down from the sky send a special ray of hope into this heart of mine.  I guess you could say it all goes back to that one day . . . was it really 5 years ago now? Wow. Time does fly. In the midst of a season where joy was oh so difficult to see, filled with doctor's visits and no energy . . . I remember this like it was yesterday.  Walking out of the doctor's office one afternoon, after another session of blood work (blood I didn't feel like I could afford to lose), the first flakes of snow were beginning to fall.  And I didn't need energy to enjoy their beauty.  In that moment, my Lord whispered, I love you , and He used the snow. So I guess, for me . . . the snow is a reminder of God's love.  Why?  Oh, I could probably give you a lot of really great reasons, but it's all really quite simple . . . and profound.  He's a personal God, and one difficult day some simple snowflakes reminded me of His love.  I suspect t...

Us 9, plus 1.  The subjects needed, but in some ways dreaded.  Thankful, yet unsure of the next steps.  Change coming is always hard . . . regardless of whether good or bad.  This is good change.  Yet hard.  Selfish hearts would have things stay the same, stay comfortable and familiar.  But growth brings change, and change brings growth, and growth is good. At times the air felt tense and warm.  Heated debates?  Eh, a bit.  Much was talked through, not alot decided on.  At the end of it all, weary heads bowed to pray.  Our hearts poured out before the Lord, tensions eased away.  We told Him of our problems, thanked Him for our blessings, and then the perfect words came . . . "Thank You for Jesus."  Yes.  This is where we needed to end.  Thankful for His love and sacrifice.  Reminded of what life's all about.  

Lately the Lord's been working on getting to the heart issues behind a lot of the struggles in my life. He's doing it by revealing to me the adulterer I am . . . "You adulteresses , do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."  ~James 4:4 That verse always gets me.  It makes me stop, and usually groan!  Because for me, the idol that probably creeps in to the place God should have in my life most frequently, is a desire for the approval, affirmation, & acceptance of other people.  Sound anything like being a friend of the world? Yeah..... Know what though?  Living life with pleasing people as my motivation is exhausting and frustrating. Sure, I get those high moments.  When someone notices I did a good job and points it out, when a friend or parent agrees that I made the right decision, or when someone who's usually annoyed gives me a g...

Singleness.  Surprised? I am.  See, if I were to be honest, I'd have to tell you that one of the dearest dreams of my heart is to one day be a wife and mom.  And yet, I really, truly am thankful for my singleness.  I realized that just recently.  Actually, just last week, maybe. So for those of you who are walking the single path right now, can I just offer some positive thoughts of encouragement? (those of you who are married, please stick around . . . I'd like to share something with you too.) I know this path can be rather frustrating at times.  I've been there, trust me, I get it.  But you know what?  What a tremendous gift we've been given in this season of life!  The concerns of a marriage and taking care of little kiddos don't have claim to our time, so instead we are free to focus on loving and investing in a variety of other people, learning new things, growing in our love for the Lord, and going on adventures! Now don't ge...

I've been reading through Psalms lately, and really been challenged with how much the authors purpose to give thanks and tell of the wonderful things God has done.  But it's not just something they did back then . . . it's also a command from God's Word for us today!  So with that said . . . let me recount and give thanks for some of the things God has done. Every day, without fail, He paints beautiful sunrises and sunsets!  Making the colors in the sky almost dance sometimes, as they swirl together in patterns sometimes intricate, sometimes simple and serene.   He has grown my horizons and worldview in some crazy ways through experiences I never expected.  Who knew this Lancaster County girl would spend most of her teen years less than an hour from the city of New Orleans?  And yet, through that experience He has grown and changed me in many ways!  How amazing is my God, and how truly incomprehensible are His ways! He has changed my he...

"Because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight: for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.  But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe; for there is no distinction; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;" ~Romans 3:20-24 While reading this passage during my time with God the other day I was freshly struck by the fact that my righteousness and justification are a gift from God.  Doing works of the Law does nothing to make me justified in His sight: the only thing that the Law is there for is to show me that I sin.  However, in God's eyes, even though I don't measure up to the Law, I am righteous and perfect.  Why?  Because of my faith in Jesus.  That faith mea...

While at Ellerslie I started studying all that we are given IN CHRIST . . . what a list!  I have not even come close, I'm sure, to the fullness of this, but it has so blessed me that I wanted to share it.  :)  So this is just a taste of all that those who have accepted Christ as their Lord and Savior are given! In Christ, we are given . . . ~Freedom from condemnation (Rom. 8:1) ~Freedom from the law of sin and death (Rom. 8:2) ~Every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Eph. 1:3) ~Holiness and blamelessness in His sight (Eph. 1:4) ~His grace freely bestowed on us (Eph. 1:6) ~Redemption (Eph. 1:7) ~Forgiveness of our sins (Eph. 1:7) ~Knowledge of the mystery of God's will (Eph. 1:9) ~An inheritance (Eph. 1:11) ~The seal of the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13) ~A seat in the heavenly places (Eph. 2:6) ~The love of GOD (Rom. 8:39) ~Unity/oneness with other believers (Rom. 12:5) ~Wisdom from God (1Cor. 1:30) ~Righteousness (1 Cor. 1:30) ~Sanctification (1 Cor. 1:30) ~Life (1...

It's Thanksgiving week, and as I think over the things that God has blessed me with, these are a few that come to mind: A Clear Conscience Jesus' precious and unconditional love for me Friends: The ones that challenge me, the ones that talk to me about everything, the ones that make me laugh, the ones that just like to give me a hard time (sigh . . . I guess I'm thankful for them ;), and the ones that do life with me . . . particularly them.   My senses, especially the ability to hear and see.   The color G R E E N !  :)   Actually, all colors for that matter.   My amazing family Music The B-I-B-L-E My job The challenges God puts in my life to help me grow. A God who invites us to participate in His Story Warmth that comes from within and also from blankets, sweaters, heat, etc.   Eternal Life, and the anticipation of it . . . The list could go on and on, but that's just a few of my favorites =)