Learning to live for HIS glory

Me: It's been a good day. Mom: What made it good? Me: Jesus . . . and remembering Him. A simple exchange of words in the kitchen yesterday afternoon, that I've been pondering since.  Because truly, Jesus' presence with me does make a day good, no matter what it's schedule includes.  The trick is remembering He is with me.  He is always there--desiring my full attention, painting beautiful pictures in the sky, wanting to teach me from His Word, loving me more fully than I will ever comprehend--but unfortunately I don't always remember to look for Him.  I'm not constantly purposing to abide. Even the simplest, most mundane of days can be joy filled when I remember He loves me and lives inside--when I consider the fact that my life "is hidden with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3).  For "in His presence is fullness of joy; at His right hand are pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11). As a birthday approaches and a new year of life is about to begin,...

The beauty struck me as I drove through town and country.  Darkness made it hard to see anything beyond the reach of my headlights or the few streetlamps, but something in the cold wet night caught my attention.  The rain.  Tiny droplets speckled my windshield and merged to form streams on the pavement.  Alone: just wetness, but catching the gleam of my headlights, the streetlights: glistening specks that spread the light.  Their reflecting chased away the darkness and lit up the night. Enjoying the beauty, my thoughts turned to how this resembles our relationship to Jesus and the world.  Like a little raindrop, I am not much to speak of on my own.  However, He is the Light shining on my soul, and reflecting Him brings Light to the darkness of this world. Driving, on a dark night, in the rain . . . Jesus' light is shining :)

If I were to tell you the past few months have been easy, I'd be lying.  The truth is, they've been anything but.  The path that I'm walking is not one I would have chosen, in fact, if given the option I would have run as far as I could in the other direction.  However, it is the path that God has chosen to lead me down . . . and even though the way ahead continues to look dark and hazardous, looking back I can see His faithful hand guiding, protecting, and wooing.  I don't recall only sunshine when I pause to remember, I also recall pain, frustration, and tears, but weaving through all the dreariness, the gold and silver threads of God's wondrous purpose, love, and hope. There have been dark days and moments, and I'm sure there are probably more to come, but that's not what I want to focus on.  Instead, permit me to draw our attention to the theme that Jesus has drawn mine too over the past week or so: that of hope. Hope . . . it's a word that makes o...

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...