Learning to live for HIS glory

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...

What do you do when you're trying to lead and organize something and things just keep seeming to go wrong?  There's no opportunity to back out, and somehow the struggles must be pushed through.  I've been there these past few weeks.  Struggling with knowing worry won't help, but doing it anyway, then crying out, "Lord, forgive me!"  Knowing my God is always faithful, but failing to apply that fact to my thinking.  Trying to make things work, only to have them keep falling apart.  What's a girl to do? "And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."  ~Romans 8:28 Yes, we know it, but do we apply it?  Such peace is available to those of us who love Him if we will but reckon the truth of His sovereign faithfulness in our day-to-day lives!  His peace, priceless peace, peace that surpasses comprehension . . . It is exactly that kind of peace that came...

"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...

Life is about to change in some dramatic ways.  This week has been a week of tears, sadness over the fact that I'm leaving my family for two whole months, and I don't know when--here, there, or in the air?--I'll see my Bridge church family again.  Yet in the midst of the changes and tears, God is teaching me of His steadfastness. I've been meditating on Psalm 46, particularly the first two verses: "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.  Therefore we will not fear, though the earth should change and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea . . ."   These verses give me wonderful reasons not to fear.  God is my refuge, strength, and very present help in trouble!  No matter what changes around me, these are truths that I can cling to.  He is for me, I can rest in that.   In correlation with that I've come across a song that I've decided fits on the soundtrack of my life right now.  Here's the link:  ...

"The journey of life is a search for truth This journey of faith is following You Every step of the way Through the joy and the pain Right here in this moment Take my heart Take my soul I surrender everything to Your control And let all this is within me lift up to you and say I am Yours and Yours alone Completely"   ~from Completely by Ana Laura  As I was pondering what my life has looked like of late, it made me think of the words to this song.  Lately when people ask me how I am, my response has been, "life is interesting," and it is.  There are a LOT of unknowns in my life right now, and to be quite frank I don't like unknowns.   However, I'm thinking I need to change my perspective.  See, I've been looking at my  life and focusing on where it's going to take me.  When instead, I should be focusing on Jesus, following Him "every step of the way, through the joy and the pain."   Jesus is truly all we need, and He is ...

I'm exhausted.  I've been up for about 15 hours and traveling for over 12 of them.  And I still have a few to go. I feel too tired to write, but at the same time I know sometimes my thoughts come out the purest when I think I'm too tired. I miss my babies.  My arms are begging to pick one up and hold him close.  I even miss Jacob's crying when I laid him down.  I miss Fritzline and her silly faces, her patience in giving me Creole lessons.  I miss Shela who was always ready to hug me and tell me that she loved me.  I miss Venite, who facebooked me in the airport tonight!  But I miss hearing her voice and seeing the genuineness in her smile.   I miss hugging and kissing them. I miss the bond of love in Christ even though we barely knew each other.  I even miss speaking a language I hardly know!  In fact I find myself wanting to speak it to the people in the airport.  Do you think they'd look at me strange?  An Am...