"Love is right here, Love is alive, Love is the way, the truth, the life..."
At the center of the Christian faith is a great, deep and searching love.
We have been called out to stand up for love, to love one another, to love the gifts of life we receive and to live for Love himself. Without Him, we truly are nothing. We could possess all of the faith in this world and still come up empty if love is not at the center of our hearts.
1 Corinthians 13:2 says, ""And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all the faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing."
Sometimes for me it's easy to go through the motions of life as if checking things off a list.
Talk to this person, make friends, check it off.
Go to this class, succeed, check it off.
Write paper, work hard, check it off.
But there's a problem with living from task to task from day to day. You aren't really living.
You lose out on truly experiencing what you are doing and using that to bring glory to God.
Sometimes we forget that love is at the core of everything and anything significant in this life and we miss out on big opportunities to show that love when we let life's motions cloud our focus of what is real and true.
We mustn't let the things of this world shape our hearts because God has called us to love for Him alone. He is always with us, always watching over us. He doesn't overlook a single thing that you do in His name even in the darkness...
"For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown in his name..."-Hebrews 6:10
So take that step forward and listen to His promptings, you never know who or what God is leading you towards until you get there. Trust in His ways because they are high above our own and remember to love yourself.
Love others like He loves you.
Love the life you live.
Learn to love where you're at and what He can teach you.
He is the way, the truth and the life.
God is love.
Have a beautiful day.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Shine on, Shine on
I am majorly indecisive. I don't know about you when it comes to deciding on anything, I change my mind a million times.
Take yesterday for example. Went to go get my nails done and I sat there for a good 10 minutes just staring at the nail polish. Taking in each different color individually and trying to determine which color would be the best for me.
Fire engine red. Confident.
Royal Blue. Trendsetter.
Yellow. Risk-taker (aka not me)
Pink. Classic safety...and the one I picked!
Before I came to this conclusion I had taken multiple polishes off the shelf and thought they were the one for me...only to change my mind and pick up another. My mind changes like that...just roll with it I'm a girl.
In the end, I was very satisfied with my color, as I would have been with any of the other colors. Strangely to say, I actually felt at peace with one of my decisions for once.
Flash back to the beginning of senior year where I was faced with the biggest decision yet.
COLLEGE.
Thousands of schools all over the United States and the grand decision was up to me.
Oh shoot...you mean this girl right here who can't even pick a color for her manicure without fretting? Yep.
Oh shoot...you mean this girl right here who can't even pick a color for her manicure without fretting? Yep.
There were the big schools, small schools, state schools, Christian schools, far-away schools, community schools, party schools...the list goes on for miles and I felt like my head was ready to explode. At the time, I had no clue yet that I deeply wanted a college with a stronger Christian atmosphere than I had in my high school (which was pretty much was non-existent).
As I began to move deeper and deeper into the college application process and narrowed it down, I began to worry.
Worry that my choices weren't lining up with what God wanted for me. I began to think, what if my desire for a Christian school is selfish and God wants me somewhere else to live out His will? What if I make the wrong decision and I set out on a path I am not supposed to be on?
Then a very wise girl that I met throughout the process supplied my heart with some valuable advice.
"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." -Isaiah 30:21
So...you mean as long as I try and listen for God's voice, signs and promptings then I will be moving in the right direction for my life? 'Yes, Taylor you will', God seemed to say.
And so I listened. I listened hard and the long list of colleges didn't seem to be getting any shorter.
I began making playlists on iTunes entitled "thinking" and would literally sit in the library listening to music as I prayed and waited for God to provide me with guidance. Yes, I am that cool.
Before this though, I thought for a few months I was destined for Wheaton, which didn't end up working out when I was placed on the waiting list. Dream canceled.
I thought Trinity could potentially be it for me after feeling so comfortable and spending much of my senior year there until I did an official visit and knew it wasn't for me. Dream canceled.
I thought maybe I was supposed to go far away at a school like Baylor to get a good Christian education then the fear of being so far set in. Last dream cancelled. Where was I supposed to go from here? Am I destined to live in a box ?
Then I went on a church retreat which exploded the fear I had bubbling inside of me.
A night service made me doubt my decisions and question whose ways I had been following all along. My heart was torn. I no longer knew where I belonged and whether I was even capable of making a decision for God. This season of my life had stretched me in so many different directions and I felt hopelessly lost.
I was in need of some guidance and clear signs that God was even listening. And that's when my dad suggested I go back to visit Hope. I simply laughed.
"Not for me!" I would say with a chuckle.
Let me tell you something...I had basically set my mind against Hope the entire year, convinced I was destined for somewhere else...until I went back for a real visit.
Hope had been sitting right in front of my face for so long and I had simply overlooked it. It had every element I was looking for
1. Real Christian atmosphere
2. Small, liberal arts school
3. The people were unbelievable friendly/nice
4. Good education
It had nearly everything I had been searching the country for and it was there all along...? Really, God? Am I really that blind and oblivious?
A friend of mine, Kristin, once gave me advice that I still remember. We were talking about it last night at Starbucks and I happened to be the one to turn around and give her some of her own advice she had given to me months before.
The main point is that no matter what path you choose, God will use you in some way if you let Him. There is no "one right path" that you fall off and destroy your future in Him as long as you strive to follow Him. Needless to say, no matter which school I would have picked, it wouldn't have ever been a failure in God's eyes. He knows exactly where I am going to take my next step and every last detail that my future holds. He has created a plan for each of us long before we take our first breath.
{ "I was with you in the valley
And up upon that hill
So I take just one more step infront of you
For I am with you still, you still..." }
Something I have really learned this summer is that although we may think we know best, God's way are high above anything we can fathom. Sometimes the answer is hiding beneath the surface, waiting for us to wake up and see it was there all along.
Every dead end we come across is a bridge to something else in God's plan. Every rejection is simply leading you to a different season of life. Every relationship that dies is a stepping stone to something else, something you won't see unless you let go.
Sitting here on my last day before leaving for college, I can confidently say I think God had a purpose for me here in this place. Yes, I strongly disliked high school, felt left out sometimes and lost a few relationships but it brought me right here, right now. Those hurdles were shaping my heart and opening my eyes up to something beyond my knowledge at the time. I learned so much through every single one of those experiences and I truly feel that the people I have met in the past years have been put there for a reason. To help, to encourage, to love and to cherish.
And as i write this last blog here in Glenview, I am amazed at how my life is growing into something more, into something lived for something so much greater. It's completely imperfect but it's completely amazing. A deep love has grabbed my attention, held me at my weakest and given me hope no matter where it may lead; pushing me to live life helping others move forward, as well as myself.
And so the time has come, my friends. It is time to finally move on to the next chapter of life. After years of anticipation, it is finally time to close the book on middle school and high school. Time for the real deal!
I love all of you for reading this and for so many of you in the way you have supported, loved and inspired me daily. Thank you for helping me get this far, you are amazing. No experience is going to be perfect but it can be personally yours. God is going to great things with you if you decide to let Him lead your heart. Good luck to every one of you starting a new life, the best is yet to come.
Life lesson of the year: You can shine brighter than you know. You matter in this world, in the world God created for us to love.
-So shine on everyone :)
"Shine on, shine on and onto something new.
It's long and over due, I will remember you.
Shine on, shine on and let the others see You got
your victory..."
-Needtobreathe
Then a very wise girl that I met throughout the process supplied my heart with some valuable advice.
"Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." -Isaiah 30:21
So...you mean as long as I try and listen for God's voice, signs and promptings then I will be moving in the right direction for my life? 'Yes, Taylor you will', God seemed to say.
And so I listened. I listened hard and the long list of colleges didn't seem to be getting any shorter.
I began making playlists on iTunes entitled "thinking" and would literally sit in the library listening to music as I prayed and waited for God to provide me with guidance. Yes, I am that cool.
Before this though, I thought for a few months I was destined for Wheaton, which didn't end up working out when I was placed on the waiting list. Dream canceled.
I thought Trinity could potentially be it for me after feeling so comfortable and spending much of my senior year there until I did an official visit and knew it wasn't for me. Dream canceled.
I thought maybe I was supposed to go far away at a school like Baylor to get a good Christian education then the fear of being so far set in. Last dream cancelled. Where was I supposed to go from here? Am I destined to live in a box ?
Then I went on a church retreat which exploded the fear I had bubbling inside of me.
A night service made me doubt my decisions and question whose ways I had been following all along. My heart was torn. I no longer knew where I belonged and whether I was even capable of making a decision for God. This season of my life had stretched me in so many different directions and I felt hopelessly lost.
I was in need of some guidance and clear signs that God was even listening. And that's when my dad suggested I go back to visit Hope. I simply laughed.
"Not for me!" I would say with a chuckle.
Let me tell you something...I had basically set my mind against Hope the entire year, convinced I was destined for somewhere else...until I went back for a real visit.
Hope had been sitting right in front of my face for so long and I had simply overlooked it. It had every element I was looking for
1. Real Christian atmosphere
2. Small, liberal arts school
3. The people were unbelievable friendly/nice
4. Good education
It had nearly everything I had been searching the country for and it was there all along...? Really, God? Am I really that blind and oblivious?
A friend of mine, Kristin, once gave me advice that I still remember. We were talking about it last night at Starbucks and I happened to be the one to turn around and give her some of her own advice she had given to me months before.
The main point is that no matter what path you choose, God will use you in some way if you let Him. There is no "one right path" that you fall off and destroy your future in Him as long as you strive to follow Him. Needless to say, no matter which school I would have picked, it wouldn't have ever been a failure in God's eyes. He knows exactly where I am going to take my next step and every last detail that my future holds. He has created a plan for each of us long before we take our first breath.
{ "I was with you in the valley
And up upon that hill
So I take just one more step infront of you
For I am with you still, you still..." }
Something I have really learned this summer is that although we may think we know best, God's way are high above anything we can fathom. Sometimes the answer is hiding beneath the surface, waiting for us to wake up and see it was there all along.
Every dead end we come across is a bridge to something else in God's plan. Every rejection is simply leading you to a different season of life. Every relationship that dies is a stepping stone to something else, something you won't see unless you let go.
Sitting here on my last day before leaving for college, I can confidently say I think God had a purpose for me here in this place. Yes, I strongly disliked high school, felt left out sometimes and lost a few relationships but it brought me right here, right now. Those hurdles were shaping my heart and opening my eyes up to something beyond my knowledge at the time. I learned so much through every single one of those experiences and I truly feel that the people I have met in the past years have been put there for a reason. To help, to encourage, to love and to cherish.
And as i write this last blog here in Glenview, I am amazed at how my life is growing into something more, into something lived for something so much greater. It's completely imperfect but it's completely amazing. A deep love has grabbed my attention, held me at my weakest and given me hope no matter where it may lead; pushing me to live life helping others move forward, as well as myself.
And so the time has come, my friends. It is time to finally move on to the next chapter of life. After years of anticipation, it is finally time to close the book on middle school and high school. Time for the real deal!
I love all of you for reading this and for so many of you in the way you have supported, loved and inspired me daily. Thank you for helping me get this far, you are amazing. No experience is going to be perfect but it can be personally yours. God is going to great things with you if you decide to let Him lead your heart. Good luck to every one of you starting a new life, the best is yet to come.
Life lesson of the year: You can shine brighter than you know. You matter in this world, in the world God created for us to love.
-So shine on everyone :)
"Shine on, shine on and onto something new.
It's long and over due, I will remember you.
Shine on, shine on and let the others see You got
your victory..."
-Needtobreathe
Sunday, August 21, 2011
I am a dreamer.
"Love woke me up this morning with a memory. Love came and whispered a story that awakened a dream..."
Sometimes you have those services where you just know.
You just know that God wanted you personally to hear this specific message.
About a month ago, I went on a church retreat and the very first verse we studied was from 1 John and covered something I had been struggling with for some time but had yet to face.
1 John 1:6 says, "If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth."
Looking back on the past few years of my life, this statement rang truer than ever. My state of happiness had rested inside empty things which left me feeling cold and alone. I was walking in the darkness, ignorant and content to live inside my own cold shell, eager to be happy when things went just perfectly (almost never). I chose to stay distant from God because I couldn't let Him see the part of me I wanted hidden from the world...
The selfish, jealous, insecure me.
The me that I didn't even want to deal with, but that kept rising up in me every time I faced a challenge, a trial or someone who bent my self-esteem with their actions.
Today in church listening to Darren Whitehead speak, I realized that although I have a heck of a lot of room for growth in my relationship with God and my faith, He truly carried me out of the darkness I had created for myself. Though I still struggle daily, I have learned to look to Jesus.
I'm learning to look to His word as my guiding light, to set aside the noise thrown at me on a daily basis and to have faith in the mission God has put before me in the coming years.
I'm learning to seek out His will for my life and to simply to listen to His voice.
In forgiveness, I surrender my pride.
In fear, I trust His rod and staff which lead me on in courage (Psalm 23:4)
In love, I look to His example as my perfect model.
In hope, I soak in the words He has written in my heart to live by and live out.
It's not going to be an easy road following God...let me tell you.
People are going to laugh at you, tell you you're crazy, you can't, that you should give up.
That'd be easier wouldn't it? Just give up.
Go back to your old life where you were 'comfortable' dwelling in the darkness, where you back down from what's right because your comfort zone feels stretched, where you actually start to listen to the voices of negativity within your own head...
You start to ignore every homeless person because you're 'busy', stop returning the calls of a needy friend because it's annoying, you choose not to forgive because their actions cut you too deep, you stop reading the Bible because it's 'too religious' for your new image, you start swearing more because your friends do it, you date somebody who doesn't value a relationship with God, you start drinking because it's accepted at your college, you tell yourself you're unworthy of love because of your weight....
The list goes on but the Living Truth counteracts every single one.
Luke 1:37 says, "For nothing is impossible with God."
Sometimes you have those services where you just know.
You just know that God wanted you personally to hear this specific message.
About a month ago, I went on a church retreat and the very first verse we studied was from 1 John and covered something I had been struggling with for some time but had yet to face.
1 John 1:6 says, "If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth."
Looking back on the past few years of my life, this statement rang truer than ever. My state of happiness had rested inside empty things which left me feeling cold and alone. I was walking in the darkness, ignorant and content to live inside my own cold shell, eager to be happy when things went just perfectly (almost never). I chose to stay distant from God because I couldn't let Him see the part of me I wanted hidden from the world...
The selfish, jealous, insecure me.
The me that I didn't even want to deal with, but that kept rising up in me every time I faced a challenge, a trial or someone who bent my self-esteem with their actions.
Today in church listening to Darren Whitehead speak, I realized that although I have a heck of a lot of room for growth in my relationship with God and my faith, He truly carried me out of the darkness I had created for myself. Though I still struggle daily, I have learned to look to Jesus.
I'm learning to look to His word as my guiding light, to set aside the noise thrown at me on a daily basis and to have faith in the mission God has put before me in the coming years.
I'm learning to seek out His will for my life and to simply to listen to His voice.
In forgiveness, I surrender my pride.
In fear, I trust His rod and staff which lead me on in courage (Psalm 23:4)
In love, I look to His example as my perfect model.
In hope, I soak in the words He has written in my heart to live by and live out.
It's not going to be an easy road following God...let me tell you.
People are going to laugh at you, tell you you're crazy, you can't, that you should give up.
That'd be easier wouldn't it? Just give up.
Go back to your old life where you were 'comfortable' dwelling in the darkness, where you back down from what's right because your comfort zone feels stretched, where you actually start to listen to the voices of negativity within your own head...
You start to ignore every homeless person because you're 'busy', stop returning the calls of a needy friend because it's annoying, you choose not to forgive because their actions cut you too deep, you stop reading the Bible because it's 'too religious' for your new image, you start swearing more because your friends do it, you date somebody who doesn't value a relationship with God, you start drinking because it's accepted at your college, you tell yourself you're unworthy of love because of your weight....
The list goes on but the Living Truth counteracts every single one.
Luke 1:37 says, "For nothing is impossible with God."
I have had so many people say to me it isn't normal to live the way I desire to.
To live by real morals, by real standards, by the Truth. To dream of a world where violence, , heartbreak, despair, hunger, and illness no longer run rampant.
My question now to myself and to you is:Why would you want to be normal? Do you really want to fit into this world? This crazy, scary, upside down place!!?
For the ones in high school and college: Do you really want to fall in step with a crowd giving pieces of themselves away to the first boy or girl who looks their way? Do you want to speak malicious words about another person that if they heard them would rip their heart straight out of their chest?
No.
I refuse to listen to those voices. They count, but not as much as the one Voice which goes above the crowd singing the most beautiful melody of grace over every single one of us who cares enough to listen.
We were born to be dreamers.
To step outside of society, to take chances, to live fearlessly, love recklessly, and to fall sometimes.
A true genuine Christian life isn't a road for the 'perfect religious folk'...it's for the dreamers.
My prayer for every single person reading this is:
Let the Truth overwhelm your heart and move you towards the life you were meant to live. We were meant to live for so much more than all of this. So speak God, draw us closer to the truth that lies beneath this broken, imperfect life. Let our hearts and eyes be fixed upon the heavens as we let your dreams fill our hearts and push us to action. When people shove aside the way we know is the right way to lead this life, remind us who is behind us watching, guiding and leading us every single day of this journey. You whisper truth into every lie, love into every hateful word, joy into every moment of despair. Help us to seek Your will in our everyday lives because Love alone is the prize we choose to chase. You've planted dreams behind our eyes and it is our choice to further the Kingdom. Heaven is the place we will envision as we live out the Love in our hearts to transform a world so far from the arms that hold it. In Jesus' name, amen.
"I believe even if it's just a dream..."
Thursday, August 18, 2011
The Love that makes it real
"Come with Me, I’ll show you Love you didn’t know could exist..."
Before I knew God, things were a lot different.
Life was a lot more sparkly and appealing than anything related to Jesus Christ...
Religion was a nice little box I had been conveniently placed in. I couldn't escape the high walls of the church and God was no more than a big statue at the front of the church.
Unhappy, bored, and indifferent...
And then Jesus stepped in to my heart.
The camera snapped into focus and snatched away the spotlight from this mess of a girl over to the One who truly deserved the praise.
Jesus stole my heart away from the paralyzing fear this world had planted in me and swept me up into His beautiful embrace. I have discovered a calling to lead this life in a very different way than how I would have pictured it a few years ago.
To live in His Love.
To live for grace.
To live for Christ.
"You call me to walk on the edge of this world, spreading my dreams and fly..."
Jesus calls us to live in His infinite love, away from darkness that taints our spirit.
He calls us to be "unpolluted by the world" -James 1:27
This world feeds lies into our weary hearts which don't possess enough strength to fight it off. Walking on the edge with Christ is the only way to go
God is the ONLY solution to the darkness corroding our spirits. He is the healing Light which shines down on us every single day we breathe. His love shoves aside the painful lies, bathing our minds in a Truth that Never fails.
Jesus has gone before us, made a way for us to live a life as a beautiful offering to God.
To call on His name in our weakness, praise His name for the unending Love we have been given, and to love as He loved, so much that our hearts bend and break in their pain.
He awakens our spirits to open our squinted eyes to the brightest heavenly sunlight shining through our closed windows
So that we may live out the Love He has in store for His most beloved.
God created and fashioned the heart of every single person who lives. He is the Love that makes this heart, this life, our everything real.
Jesus has unlocked a door to the most beautiful and wonderful secret in this life.
"I created your heart that makes you feel, I am the Love that makes it real...."
God, I pray you would use us to spread the Love you plant in us, to shine Your light into the darkness for those stumbling towards a life that will never fulfill their longing for You. You are the Love which gives us meaning, purpose and passion in this life. Help us to see You for who You are and live in such a beautiful way that Your love is woven through the stories of our lives. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Before I knew God, things were a lot different.
Life was a lot more sparkly and appealing than anything related to Jesus Christ...
Religion was a nice little box I had been conveniently placed in. I couldn't escape the high walls of the church and God was no more than a big statue at the front of the church.
Unhappy, bored, and indifferent...
And then Jesus stepped in to my heart.
The camera snapped into focus and snatched away the spotlight from this mess of a girl over to the One who truly deserved the praise.
Jesus stole my heart away from the paralyzing fear this world had planted in me and swept me up into His beautiful embrace. I have discovered a calling to lead this life in a very different way than how I would have pictured it a few years ago.
To live in His Love.
To live for grace.
To live for Christ.
"You call me to walk on the edge of this world, spreading my dreams and fly..."
Jesus calls us to live in His infinite love, away from darkness that taints our spirit.
He calls us to be "unpolluted by the world" -James 1:27
This world feeds lies into our weary hearts which don't possess enough strength to fight it off. Walking on the edge with Christ is the only way to go
God is the ONLY solution to the darkness corroding our spirits. He is the healing Light which shines down on us every single day we breathe. His love shoves aside the painful lies, bathing our minds in a Truth that Never fails.
Jesus has gone before us, made a way for us to live a life as a beautiful offering to God.
To call on His name in our weakness, praise His name for the unending Love we have been given, and to love as He loved, so much that our hearts bend and break in their pain.
He awakens our spirits to open our squinted eyes to the brightest heavenly sunlight shining through our closed windows
So that we may live out the Love He has in store for His most beloved.
God created and fashioned the heart of every single person who lives. He is the Love that makes this heart, this life, our everything real.
Jesus has unlocked a door to the most beautiful and wonderful secret in this life.
He has shown us how to live a life that matters.
A life not lived selfishly, but in surrender to a Love so deep, so profound that it brings us to our knees.
God's love is Enough. His love is everything I need and everything I need to be chasing after with every last beat of this heart. God is Love and the Love that will touch this life, and by His grace, others in the process; making His beauty known to people who are searching for a Love that saves, heals, and transforms.
"I created your heart that makes you feel, I am the Love that makes it real...."
God, I pray you would use us to spread the Love you plant in us, to shine Your light into the darkness for those stumbling towards a life that will never fulfill their longing for You. You are the Love which gives us meaning, purpose and passion in this life. Help us to see You for who You are and live in such a beautiful way that Your love is woven through the stories of our lives. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Love letters
"Cathedrals have tried in vain to show the image of your face. But we are, by your design, the signature of divine..." -Needtobreathe
Have you ever questioned your worth? Your place in this world? If you'd ever fit in?
I have.
One of the most radical things I have come to terms with this summer is God's love. And more specifically...His love for me. I have begun to see that He loves us not for any good work, generous offering or kind word but for what He created us to be.
2 Corinthians 3:3 says, "And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."
My entire life, I have loved the concept of love letters.
Since I am a bit of an old soul...(okay a complete old soul) I absolutely adore the idea of falling in love. Not the quick summer fling kind of love...but the real thing. The kind that with effort and care could last a lifetime. Being a hopeless romantic, I love the idea of somebody being so enchanted by another that they feel compelled to pour their heart out on pen and paper. Unfortunately this society has cheapened, tarnished and tampered with the idea of love and made it into something quick and easy...and that's where God steps in to our hearts, eager to shatter a sad human misconception and write an exciting truth into our expectant hearts.
God wrote our individual story, created us, and we came to be...quite a crazy thought right?
We are His most beloved creation talking, walking, and living proof of the grand beauty of a King. Somebody who loved us so deeply that He granted life to mere dust; breathing His fire into the soul. We have the personal signature of Christ written on every single one of our six billion beating and broken hearts in this world.
Nothing of this world can tear an unbreakable, indestructible Love from our hearts.
Not devastating heartbreak, the darkness of death pending in our futures, or a twisted society hell-bent on making this life into a lie.
Romans 8:38-39 says, "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to s e p a r a t e us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
We are a signature of the Divine.
A signature that may fade and weather on Earth with time, but remains forever inscribed inside the everlasting promise God has made us towards a beautiful Kingdom.
He has chosen us to awaken us, to carry out a mission so far outside of ourselves for Him.
"You whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, "You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off"; fear not for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." -Isaiah 41:9-10.
Carry that treasure of information with you today and I'm convinced you'll begin to see yourself differently..
As a letter of love from Love himself.
Have you ever questioned your worth? Your place in this world? If you'd ever fit in?
I have.
One of the most radical things I have come to terms with this summer is God's love. And more specifically...His love for me. I have begun to see that He loves us not for any good work, generous offering or kind word but for what He created us to be.
2 Corinthians 3:3 says, "And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts."
My entire life, I have loved the concept of love letters.
Since I am a bit of an old soul...(okay a complete old soul) I absolutely adore the idea of falling in love. Not the quick summer fling kind of love...but the real thing. The kind that with effort and care could last a lifetime. Being a hopeless romantic, I love the idea of somebody being so enchanted by another that they feel compelled to pour their heart out on pen and paper. Unfortunately this society has cheapened, tarnished and tampered with the idea of love and made it into something quick and easy...and that's where God steps in to our hearts, eager to shatter a sad human misconception and write an exciting truth into our expectant hearts.
God wrote our individual story, created us, and we came to be...quite a crazy thought right?
We are His most beloved creation talking, walking, and living proof of the grand beauty of a King. Somebody who loved us so deeply that He granted life to mere dust; breathing His fire into the soul. We have the personal signature of Christ written on every single one of our six billion beating and broken hearts in this world.
Nothing of this world can tear an unbreakable, indestructible Love from our hearts.
Not devastating heartbreak, the darkness of death pending in our futures, or a twisted society hell-bent on making this life into a lie.
Romans 8:38-39 says, "For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to s e p a r a t e us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
We are a signature of the Divine.
A signature that may fade and weather on Earth with time, but remains forever inscribed inside the everlasting promise God has made us towards a beautiful Kingdom.
He has chosen us to awaken us, to carry out a mission so far outside of ourselves for Him.
"You whom I took from the ends of the earth, and called from its farthest corners, saying to you, "You are my servant, I have chosen you and not cast you off"; fear not for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." -Isaiah 41:9-10.
Carry that treasure of information with you today and I'm convinced you'll begin to see yourself differently..
As a letter of love from Love himself.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
"Won't you be My love"
"Won't you be My voice calling, won't you be My hands healing, won't you be My feet walking into a broken world..."-Mercyme
For so long I thought I could get away from it.
I thought I could live my life with decent morals and get by just fine...
You want to know the truth? You can get by just fine...but do you want to?
Or would you rather live the fearless Christian life God calls us to that allows the treasure inside of you to light the flame of another?
In "Embracing the Love of God", Smith says something that really got me when I read it.
It explained how giving away the treasure of Love that the Lord has bestowed on you doesn't diminish what is within you, but allows it to grow. Being a very selfish person sometimes I had a hard time understanding this until I really took it to heart.
For so long, I have dwelled inside the warm lights of my own home and have shuddered at the thought of following a prompting from God. This entire summer He had been poking and prodding me to give in to what He wished for me. Songs, messages at church, studies at the Plunge, and books I read all pointed me towards these two things I knew deep down I was supposed to do...and finally I couldn't ignore the blaring signals anymore.
Soo I listened to Him. The result...
The Lord is beyond amazing. The first prompting I followed through with is something that had been eating away at me for some time and I wanted it to be resolved so badly...but I was relying on my own strength, my own way of thinking.
Giving forgiveness to this person has restored a better sense of peace in my heart and an understanding of the amazing things God could do in my life if I just let Him lead me completely. It can be so scary to surrender your will to something out of your sight, but I promise you there is nothing like it in this world.
I can't even begin to understand how He weaves our brokenness into healing and peace because the end result is something I never would have pictured...but then again that's God for you.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways My ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are My ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
(Isaiah 55:8-9)
The second prompting I have always wanted to do, but have been to afraid to do it on my own. This summer has really spurred me to serve God out of Love and thankfulness for what I have because He has blessed me in more ways than I can count. The Lord has visibly shown up in my life, begun the process of turning my heart around and has ignited a new understanding of this life through different eyes. God has shown me to view every day as an opportunity to live out the Love he plants in each of our lives. He gives us time as a gift to explore the deep Love in our lives, to let it flourish.
James Bryan Smith says,
"We were created because we were loved, we were created so that we could experience that love and we were created so that we could be a symbol of that Love."
So why are you waiting? If God has written something into your story, don't hesitate to live out that love. He gives you signs so that you can trust Him and show others the beauty God has given you personally. You have no idea what tomorrow could bring. The only guarantee we have is this very moment. Death is the only thing separating us from Him and when you live your life following His light, it can blossom into something greater than our wildest imagination.
At a concert recently for Taylor Swift, the beginning of her concert included an intro revolving around the idea of "Speak Now" and it really hit me then.
Life is fleeting. We write of the times when we know we need to say something. When we need to forgive and release a weight of the past. When we need to apologize. When we feel prompted to say "I love you". When God so clearly whispers to us to serve those who are crying out for help and for Love.
The reason is that we are Afraid. In our heart of hearts, our fear can dictate how we live. Fear of what people think is something I have struggled with for many years and still deal with.
But tell me this,
"...if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?"
The answer...
Nothing in this world can stop you. There is nothing holding you back from leading the life God desires for you...except YOU. God is so much greater than any person or group that shoves you down and says you can't.
You stand in the way of surrender by the walls of fear you build that strike away the God-given courage waiting for you on the other side.
We have been asked to be a symbol of Love in this short life and my challenge for you is to follow through with something big or small that God has sketched in your mind. Regret for things you don't do is far greater than what you do. It is very painful to let God-given opportunities slip right through our fingers because of the stone-cold fear that freezes our courage.
Don't ever doubt the power you have as an individual to show God's love in your relationships, with strangers on the street, weaving through the hallways of school or in the way you carry yourself for others to see. You have a reason and that reason is Love. God has prepared a well-lit way for you to walk in with Him all the days of your life.
"Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you" -Matthew 11:10
For so long I thought I could get away from it.
I thought I could live my life with decent morals and get by just fine...
You want to know the truth? You can get by just fine...but do you want to?
Or would you rather live the fearless Christian life God calls us to that allows the treasure inside of you to light the flame of another?
In "Embracing the Love of God", Smith says something that really got me when I read it.
It explained how giving away the treasure of Love that the Lord has bestowed on you doesn't diminish what is within you, but allows it to grow. Being a very selfish person sometimes I had a hard time understanding this until I really took it to heart.
For so long, I have dwelled inside the warm lights of my own home and have shuddered at the thought of following a prompting from God. This entire summer He had been poking and prodding me to give in to what He wished for me. Songs, messages at church, studies at the Plunge, and books I read all pointed me towards these two things I knew deep down I was supposed to do...and finally I couldn't ignore the blaring signals anymore.
Soo I listened to Him. The result...
The Lord is beyond amazing. The first prompting I followed through with is something that had been eating away at me for some time and I wanted it to be resolved so badly...but I was relying on my own strength, my own way of thinking.
Giving forgiveness to this person has restored a better sense of peace in my heart and an understanding of the amazing things God could do in my life if I just let Him lead me completely. It can be so scary to surrender your will to something out of your sight, but I promise you there is nothing like it in this world.
I can't even begin to understand how He weaves our brokenness into healing and peace because the end result is something I never would have pictured...but then again that's God for you.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways My ways,”
declares the Lord.
“As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are My ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
(Isaiah 55:8-9)
The second prompting I have always wanted to do, but have been to afraid to do it on my own. This summer has really spurred me to serve God out of Love and thankfulness for what I have because He has blessed me in more ways than I can count. The Lord has visibly shown up in my life, begun the process of turning my heart around and has ignited a new understanding of this life through different eyes. God has shown me to view every day as an opportunity to live out the Love he plants in each of our lives. He gives us time as a gift to explore the deep Love in our lives, to let it flourish.
James Bryan Smith says,
"We were created because we were loved, we were created so that we could experience that love and we were created so that we could be a symbol of that Love."
So why are you waiting? If God has written something into your story, don't hesitate to live out that love. He gives you signs so that you can trust Him and show others the beauty God has given you personally. You have no idea what tomorrow could bring. The only guarantee we have is this very moment. Death is the only thing separating us from Him and when you live your life following His light, it can blossom into something greater than our wildest imagination.
At a concert recently for Taylor Swift, the beginning of her concert included an intro revolving around the idea of "Speak Now" and it really hit me then.
Life is fleeting. We write of the times when we know we need to say something. When we need to forgive and release a weight of the past. When we need to apologize. When we feel prompted to say "I love you". When God so clearly whispers to us to serve those who are crying out for help and for Love.
The reason is that we are Afraid. In our heart of hearts, our fear can dictate how we live. Fear of what people think is something I have struggled with for many years and still deal with.
But tell me this,
"...if our God is for us, then who could ever stop us
And if our God is with us, then what can stand against?"
The answer...
Nothing in this world can stop you. There is nothing holding you back from leading the life God desires for you...except YOU. God is so much greater than any person or group that shoves you down and says you can't.
You stand in the way of surrender by the walls of fear you build that strike away the God-given courage waiting for you on the other side.
We have been asked to be a symbol of Love in this short life and my challenge for you is to follow through with something big or small that God has sketched in your mind. Regret for things you don't do is far greater than what you do. It is very painful to let God-given opportunities slip right through our fingers because of the stone-cold fear that freezes our courage.
Don't ever doubt the power you have as an individual to show God's love in your relationships, with strangers on the street, weaving through the hallways of school or in the way you carry yourself for others to see. You have a reason and that reason is Love. God has prepared a well-lit way for you to walk in with Him all the days of your life.
"Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you" -Matthew 11:10
Monday, August 8, 2011
The kingdom is here
"The Kingdom is God's serenity enfolding us" -Evelyn Underhill
Open your eyes.
It's here.
You may be wondering what I'm talking about but the answer is right outside your window.
In the beautiful clouds. The growing trees. The kind souls we interact with without a second thought. The beautiful friendships we possess and sometimes take for granted. The stillness of water stretching far beyond the horizon. The sunlight breaking through our windows to open our eyes.
God is all around us. His beauty is a reminder of the deep love He created us to find.
He invites you to notice Him with each stroke of unnoticed beauty that flashes across our paths with each minute that ticks by.
Lately, God has enstilled a flame inside of me that cannot be contained. The verses I read from His word put a spark in my heart with each passing day that I get to know Him more. I find myself living more purposefully, speaking kinder, and with an other worldly sense of hope straight from above. It has lit my purpose-driven heart to experience a new fire in this life.
My way of sight is being elevated.
Elevated to a way of seeing where this reality is but a flash in eternity.
Being changed into seeing things for what God does and not this world.
Transformed to a way of trusting Him at His word instead of a fleeting, yet beautiful world.
An agnostic teacher I once had in highschool told us a quote from a philosopher once when we debated the topic of God in philosophy that has always stuck with me.
"What if the line between this universe and the next is only a thin line? Do angels fly in the air right before our eyes and we never really realize it because we have yet to open our eyes?"
Luke 17:21 says something revolutionary which goes along with this.
"Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, "nor will they say, 'Look here it is!' or 'There!" for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you." -Luke 17:20-21
The kingdom is among us. Whether we believe it or not, the establishment of Heaven is working its way through this broken place we call our temporary home. Anything deemed beautiful in creation or good in God's eyes is thanks to Him. The beauty of the sky proclaims his handiwork and sings His praises. The beauty of a human heart searching Him out and finding. The beauty in a person dedicated to a life of pursuing His heart through helping desperate children find a home.
From His heart, all wonderful and beautiful things flow and will forevermore.
Those working to bring God's kingdom here to combat the evil ravaging this world are planting their stakes in the ground. Driving a nail through the efforts of Satan and working to bring more people to bask in the beauty of a life with Christ. We are a symbol of Christ's love and His love is pushing us to action on a daily basis. Action to seek Him, love Him, serve Him and above all, SEE Him.
I once heard a sermon from Darren Whitehead from Willow Creek which was quite a challenge for me at the time. He drove home the importance of being a "Kingdom Bringer" and challenged those who loved Christ to do something to impact this world; in a small or big way. This faith, after all, is about a faith in God coupled with glorifying Him and serving the world in His name.
We have a chance in this life to not only live a life believing in God but letting Him lead us.
We have to allow our eyes to be lifted up to Heaven, so we may bring some of that beauty down for others to see.
We have the power to enstill Heavenly beauty into our own life and the lives of others.
The kingdom of God is among us and is waiting for people to notice.
Love beckons for us to lift our eyes to a God constantly whispering His great love each and every day.
Push back the curtain in this life. You will be bathed in a Heavenly light bright enough to transform your heart and your spirit.
Open your eyes.
It's here.
You may be wondering what I'm talking about but the answer is right outside your window.
In the beautiful clouds. The growing trees. The kind souls we interact with without a second thought. The beautiful friendships we possess and sometimes take for granted. The stillness of water stretching far beyond the horizon. The sunlight breaking through our windows to open our eyes.
God is all around us. His beauty is a reminder of the deep love He created us to find.
He invites you to notice Him with each stroke of unnoticed beauty that flashes across our paths with each minute that ticks by.
Lately, God has enstilled a flame inside of me that cannot be contained. The verses I read from His word put a spark in my heart with each passing day that I get to know Him more. I find myself living more purposefully, speaking kinder, and with an other worldly sense of hope straight from above. It has lit my purpose-driven heart to experience a new fire in this life.
My way of sight is being elevated.
Elevated to a way of seeing where this reality is but a flash in eternity.
Being changed into seeing things for what God does and not this world.
Transformed to a way of trusting Him at His word instead of a fleeting, yet beautiful world.
An agnostic teacher I once had in highschool told us a quote from a philosopher once when we debated the topic of God in philosophy that has always stuck with me.
"What if the line between this universe and the next is only a thin line? Do angels fly in the air right before our eyes and we never really realize it because we have yet to open our eyes?"
Luke 17:21 says something revolutionary which goes along with this.
"Being asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, he answered them, "The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed, "nor will they say, 'Look here it is!' or 'There!" for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you." -Luke 17:20-21
The kingdom is among us. Whether we believe it or not, the establishment of Heaven is working its way through this broken place we call our temporary home. Anything deemed beautiful in creation or good in God's eyes is thanks to Him. The beauty of the sky proclaims his handiwork and sings His praises. The beauty of a human heart searching Him out and finding. The beauty in a person dedicated to a life of pursuing His heart through helping desperate children find a home.
From His heart, all wonderful and beautiful things flow and will forevermore.
Those working to bring God's kingdom here to combat the evil ravaging this world are planting their stakes in the ground. Driving a nail through the efforts of Satan and working to bring more people to bask in the beauty of a life with Christ. We are a symbol of Christ's love and His love is pushing us to action on a daily basis. Action to seek Him, love Him, serve Him and above all, SEE Him.
I once heard a sermon from Darren Whitehead from Willow Creek which was quite a challenge for me at the time. He drove home the importance of being a "Kingdom Bringer" and challenged those who loved Christ to do something to impact this world; in a small or big way. This faith, after all, is about a faith in God coupled with glorifying Him and serving the world in His name.
We have a chance in this life to not only live a life believing in God but letting Him lead us.
We have to allow our eyes to be lifted up to Heaven, so we may bring some of that beauty down for others to see.
We have the power to enstill Heavenly beauty into our own life and the lives of others.
The kingdom of God is among us and is waiting for people to notice.
Love beckons for us to lift our eyes to a God constantly whispering His great love each and every day.
Push back the curtain in this life. You will be bathed in a Heavenly light bright enough to transform your heart and your spirit.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
The release 7x70
"God picked up my heart and helped me through, and shined a light on the one thing left to do and that's forgive you, I forgive you..."
Ok. First off, let me say this...
I have never felt God more present in my life than I have in this past month.
Just a few minutes ago, He showed me yet again that He has been listening all along even when I felt alone.
Just as I had begun writing this blog on forgiveness, a song came on called "7x70" by Chris August. This particular song has been a very emotional one for me throughout this year. A lot has changed in my life...relationships have ended, been broken and as a result so have I. My self-esteem has slowly chipped away with every disappointment, every tear, every death of a relationship. I turned the blame on myself, sure it was my actions causing people to act in such a way...
I stored up all the bitterness, resentment, sadness and brokenness into little pockets of my heart, until it began to pour out of my words, my thoughts, my actions, and I began to become a girl I didn't recognize anymore. Someone I hated to see looking back at me with darkness shining in my eyes. I knew I needed to change things but I struggled with how.
You see, I've had trouble getting over my pride. Plainnnn and simple.
God's been pointing me towards forgiveness for days. Months. But my stubborn heart has shoved the notion of surrendering my pride aside every single time...until very recently.
"Embracing God's Love" is a book that I have become completely enthralled with in the past week and it has captured my heart in so many ways (thank you Sara!).
Last night as I was reading, a chapter on forgiveness struck me so hard and I literally couldn't stop thinking about what I had been doing to myself... I had been internalizing the scars on my heart and shielding them from God's healing
"When you forgive a person, you set a prisoner free, but you discover that the real prisoner was yourself..." -Corrie Ten Boom
I was the prisoner.
Drowning in my own pool of hurt.
I was letting it control my thoughts and strike down hope.
Yes, people have left me, turned away and have left holes in my heart, but I had refused to lift up my hurt to only One who could heal it...
"We end up hiding from the One who longs to heal us and in fact, is the only One who can heal us..."-James Bryan Smith
We always think we can take things under our own wing, until it all comes crashing down and we're left to pick up the scattered shards of glass. Forgiveness is one thing I chose for such a long time to grip so tightly and to keep separate from my relationship with God. That is until I began to remember something quite important..
7x70.
Sound familar?
It's because that is a symbol for the unlimited forgiveness in the Bible that we've been called to grant for those who have hurt us.
Doesn't matter what the crime is because as James Bryan Smith says,"Christianity separates the crime from the criminal."
Doesn't matter if you didn't deserve to be treated a certain way.
If they were in the wrong.
You were in the wrong.
God doesn't count those things as valid reasons to withhold forgiveness. We are to keep forgiving until it is completely settled in our hearts, and only then will peace quiet the roaring waves of hurt welling up in you.
Forgive. Forgive. Forgive.
Not so easy to do when our natural tendency as humans in this world is to seek out justice for ourselves and other people...not always the healing God longs for us to recieve. For so long, this was the outlook I took on...convinced my road was the right was to take (for those of you who know me well I'm notoriously horrible at directions ;) ). I chose to venture down this dangerously rocky road without headlights instead of letting God show me His well lit path to healing.
Forgiveness is a releasing act and although you may not recieve the response you desire from someone, you'll be able to move forward. God has shown me that I can rest in knowing that I did everything I could to let that person know I've forgiven them.
To release the crushing weight of blame.
To set things right in God's eyes and in my own heart.
To grant forgiveness and strive towards an unconditional love God shows us every day we are alive.
In the way that we condemn or judge, forgive or don't forgive, is the way God shall handle us. We are no better than any other person on this Earth no matter what great things we have done. Sin is all the same in the eyes of God.
"For with the judgement you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you." -Matthew 7:2
Always forgive. Give it over to the one who is stronger.
That is never something you will regret in a life that is never fully guaranteed another tomorrow. God longs for us to release our fears and cast our cares onto Him, and to be honest, that is the only way to truly live.
Ok. First off, let me say this...
I have never felt God more present in my life than I have in this past month.
Just a few minutes ago, He showed me yet again that He has been listening all along even when I felt alone.
Just as I had begun writing this blog on forgiveness, a song came on called "7x70" by Chris August. This particular song has been a very emotional one for me throughout this year. A lot has changed in my life...relationships have ended, been broken and as a result so have I. My self-esteem has slowly chipped away with every disappointment, every tear, every death of a relationship. I turned the blame on myself, sure it was my actions causing people to act in such a way...
I stored up all the bitterness, resentment, sadness and brokenness into little pockets of my heart, until it began to pour out of my words, my thoughts, my actions, and I began to become a girl I didn't recognize anymore. Someone I hated to see looking back at me with darkness shining in my eyes. I knew I needed to change things but I struggled with how.
You see, I've had trouble getting over my pride. Plainnnn and simple.
God's been pointing me towards forgiveness for days. Months. But my stubborn heart has shoved the notion of surrendering my pride aside every single time...until very recently.
"Embracing God's Love" is a book that I have become completely enthralled with in the past week and it has captured my heart in so many ways (thank you Sara!).
Last night as I was reading, a chapter on forgiveness struck me so hard and I literally couldn't stop thinking about what I had been doing to myself... I had been internalizing the scars on my heart and shielding them from God's healing
"When you forgive a person, you set a prisoner free, but you discover that the real prisoner was yourself..." -Corrie Ten Boom
I was the prisoner.
Drowning in my own pool of hurt.
I was letting it control my thoughts and strike down hope.
Yes, people have left me, turned away and have left holes in my heart, but I had refused to lift up my hurt to only One who could heal it...
"We end up hiding from the One who longs to heal us and in fact, is the only One who can heal us..."-James Bryan Smith
We always think we can take things under our own wing, until it all comes crashing down and we're left to pick up the scattered shards of glass. Forgiveness is one thing I chose for such a long time to grip so tightly and to keep separate from my relationship with God. That is until I began to remember something quite important..
7x70.
Sound familar?
It's because that is a symbol for the unlimited forgiveness in the Bible that we've been called to grant for those who have hurt us.
Doesn't matter what the crime is because as James Bryan Smith says,"Christianity separates the crime from the criminal."
Doesn't matter if you didn't deserve to be treated a certain way.
If they were in the wrong.
You were in the wrong.
God doesn't count those things as valid reasons to withhold forgiveness. We are to keep forgiving until it is completely settled in our hearts, and only then will peace quiet the roaring waves of hurt welling up in you.
Forgive. Forgive. Forgive.
Not so easy to do when our natural tendency as humans in this world is to seek out justice for ourselves and other people...not always the healing God longs for us to recieve. For so long, this was the outlook I took on...convinced my road was the right was to take (for those of you who know me well I'm notoriously horrible at directions ;) ). I chose to venture down this dangerously rocky road without headlights instead of letting God show me His well lit path to healing.
Forgiveness is a releasing act and although you may not recieve the response you desire from someone, you'll be able to move forward. God has shown me that I can rest in knowing that I did everything I could to let that person know I've forgiven them.
To release the crushing weight of blame.
To set things right in God's eyes and in my own heart.
To grant forgiveness and strive towards an unconditional love God shows us every day we are alive.
In the way that we condemn or judge, forgive or don't forgive, is the way God shall handle us. We are no better than any other person on this Earth no matter what great things we have done. Sin is all the same in the eyes of God.
"For with the judgement you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you." -Matthew 7:2
Always forgive. Give it over to the one who is stronger.
That is never something you will regret in a life that is never fully guaranteed another tomorrow. God longs for us to release our fears and cast our cares onto Him, and to be honest, that is the only way to truly live.
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