so. i honestly have no idea what to think or feel at all right now.
there is a lot going on in my life, mind, and heart. so much that i can’t begin to put it into words.
the Lord is doing some crazy awesome things, and i now more than ever can tell that His plans are far greater than my own. i don’t know what they are, but it’s gonna be so good.
“Your works are wonderful, i know that full well.” – psalm 139.14
i was so majorly encouraged tonight. i went to sr. high [the high school dept at my church] because it was senior celebration night AND freshmen move-up night, and since i have both, i went. and it was a huge celebration of what God has done, is doing, and will do through the youth ministry. i just finished my 5th year of leading a small group of young girls. and it’s so amazing to me. it’s hard, don’t get me wrong, but it’s such an honor and a privilege.
it was also an INCREDIBLE time of worship. michael flowe [he's played in Holiday Parade - check them out] lead worship just like he used to when i was in HS. it was so stinkin amazing. it’s been a while since i’ve really felt like i was free, so to speak, in worship. and i was tonight. totally uninhibited in my worship. and it was so refreshing and encouraging to my heart. i wish i could do it more, it justs seems like those times get fewer and farther between as i get older. i don’t know. it’s strange to me. and i have been really, really discouraged lately, but tonight, none of that mattered. it was just me and God and He met me in a room with hundreds of other celebrating people. and it was refreshingly awesome. He rocks.
ok – so i know this is very long. but i did this on a retreat that was all about addressing the lies that we believe about ourselves and trading them for HIS truth about us – and this was our quiet time activity. your name goes in the blank AFTER you go and read the verse about the TRUTH of what He thinks of you. remember, “the truth will set you free!” <3 rach
_____________ is accepted – Ephesians 1:6
_____________ is adequate – 2 Corinthians 3:5
_____________ is alive – Ephesians 2:4-5
_____________ is an ambassador of Christ – 2 Corinthians 5:20
_____________ is anxious for nothing – Philippians 4:6
_____________ is the apple of His eye – Zechariah 2:8
_____________ is the aroma of Christ – 2 Corinthians 15:58
_____________ is not ashamed – 2 Timothy 1:12
_____________ is beautiful – Psalm 149:4
_____________ is a believer – Romans 10:9
_____________ belongs to God – John 17:9
_____________ is blessed – Ephesians 1:3
_____________ is bought with a price – 1 Corinthians 6:20
_____________ is cared for – 1 Peter 5:7
_____________ is changed – 1 Samuel 10:6
_____________ is a child of God – John 1:12
_____________ is cherished – Ephesians 5:29
_____________ is chosen – 1Peter 2:9
_____________ is clean – Ezekiel 36:25, John 15:3
_____________ is complete in Christ – Colossians 2:10
_____________ is confident – 1 John 4:17
_____________ is controlled by the love of Christ – 2 Corinthians 2:10
_____________ is created in Christ for good works – Ephesians 2:10
_____________ is created in His image – Genesis 1:27
_____________ is dead to sin – Romans 6:11
_____________ is desired – Psalm 45:11
_____________ is filled with the fullness of God – Colossians 2:9-10
_____________ is filled with joy – John 17:13
_____________ is forgiven and redeemed – Ephesians 1:7
_____________ is free – John 8:36
_____________ is gifted – Romans 12:6
_____________ is God’s child – John 1:12
_____________ is guarded by God – 2 Timothy 1:12
_____________ is holy – Ephesians 1:4
_____________ is included – Ephesians 1:13
_____________ is inseparable from His love – Romans 8:35
_____________ is an instrument of righteousness – Romans 6:13
_____________ is known – 2 Timothy 2:19
_____________ lacks no wisdom – James 1:5
_____________ is a light in a dark place – Acts 13:47
_____________ is loved – John 3:16
_____________ is made by Him – Psalm 100:3
_____________ is near to God – Ephesians 2:13
_____________ is not condemned – Romans 8:1
_____________ is no longer a slave to sin – Romans 6:6
_____________ is being perfected – 1 Peter 5:10
_____________ has power – Acts 1:8
_____________ is protected – Psalm 91:14
_____________ is reigning with him – Romans 5:17
_____________ is secure – Deuteronomy 33:12
_____________ is sharing His glory – John 17:22, 24
_____________ is strengthened in Him – Ephesians 3:16
_____________ is transformed – 2 Corinthians 3:18
_____________ is treasured – Psalm 83:3
_____________ is the salt of the earth – Matthew 5:13
_____________ is standing firm in Christ – 2 Corinthians 1:21
_____________ is understood – Ephesians 1:8
_____________ is unafraid – Isaiah 44:2 & 51:12
_____________ is unblemished and blameless – Colossians 1:22
_____________ is useful for His glory – Isaiah 43:7
_____________ is valuable – Luke 12:24
_____________ lives in victory – 1 Corinthians 15:57
_____________ is walking in His light – 1 John 1:7
_____________ is a warrior – 2 Corinthians 10:4
_____________ is welcome – Luke 11:9
_____________ is being made whole – Mark 5:34
_____________ is wise – Proverbs 2:6
_____________ is worthy – Revelation 3:4
_____________ is heaven bound, guaranteed – 1 Peter 1:4
so, i’m re-reading “life as a vapor” by john piper. and it’s most excellent. go read it.
prayer from the book:
“Gracious Father of Light, give us eyes to see Your worth. Heal our blindness. Save us from the deadly disease of seeing the world as worth more than its Maker. Restore the capacity of our hearts to cherish infinite beauty and savor infinite sweetness. Deliver us from the deadening effects of thinking this short life is the main thing. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.”
so, lately, my heart has been learning a lot, actually.
this is going to sound strange…but i’ll make myself vulnerable and say it anyways.
i really learned something spiritual at the keith urban and carrie underwood concert last week. i don’t know. i just love both of those artists for their music, yes, but now for this lesson i have learned.
most often times, music expresses exactly what i’m thinking or feeling at a given moment. so at the concert, carrie was singing “so small” which i have heard thousands of times, but something hit me; the line “what you’ve been searching for forever was right there in your hands”. and i just in that moment realized, as i was singing along with thousands of people, that i do that SO often with my relationship with Christ. it seems that sometimes He is the last one i resort to when something is happening…and He should be the first. so, no shocker, i show up to church service today and it’s about the passage of the feeding of the 5,000 today…and they are talking about how Jesus satisfies every possible need you could ever have.
amazing. He is amazing.
watch this — it’s my heart.
“If Jesus gives us a task or assigns us to a difficult season, every ounce of our experience is meant for our instruction and completion if only we’ll let Him finish the work. I fear, however, that we are so attention-deficit that we settle for bearable when beauty is just around the corner.”
-Beth Moore
in my life right now, i know God is working in mighty yet subtle ways. i guess you could say i’ve been in a “dry” season in my relationship with Him these days. i know that He is doing something amazing, but i feel like my life is worthless and that i am not accomplishing anything in this season i am in, which is really discouraging to me. i often find myself wondering what my life means, who i am influencing, my purpose, who i am. i feel like i have no direction lately. which is scary. but i am learning to trust. and i am learning that my life is not my own. and that He is in control of whatever happens in my life. but i am finding that it is an interesting balance of “letting go and letting God” and actually striving my best, doing everything for His glory. it’s been weird. and i’m being vulnerable and weird saying that i have no idea what my life is shaping up to look like or who i am shaping up to be. i simply know that i am completely His, loved by Him, under His guidance and grace, and redeemed by Him. i know that His will won’t lead me where His grace can’t cover me. even though i have been having these thoughts, i have never felt more like living for something greater than myself, something bigger than the here and now. i am living for something much more than that. and it’s exciting, and it’s scary.
my dear friend krissy leigh recently wrote a note about the charlie hall song “we are yours” and i so echo everything that song has to say in my life right now.
We are Yours,
We are Yours,
We are Yours,
We are Yours, We are Yours, We are Yours
We are Your sons and daughters
You are our holy Father
All our fountains are in You, Jesus
We open wide our mouths and You fill us
We are a generation
Touched by Your salvation
Made by You and for Your glory
You’ve marked us here to alter history
so, this weekend was life-changing. for me. and my best friend.
my best friend megan erika kimbrel married tyson james faulk.
the Lord has taught me so much through watching both of them…from the beginning of this beautiful love story. their love for one another is such a reflection of God’s love and passion for us individually and their marriage is a testimony of His great faithfulness to us.
megan and i have grown up together since we were little…and i know her heart’s desires. her greatest desire in life is to live completely for Jesus in every single aspect of her life, and she strives to do her best in everything to give Him all the glory. megan has the most beautiful heart of anyone i have ever met, and she is truly my dearest friend. she is beautiful from the inside out… and it has been so encouraging to watch how her desire and thirst for her Saviour has allowed her to completely trust Him in all things, including the man she would marry. watching this come true for her has been such a blessing. and all along the way she and ty have desired and placed Christ at the center of their relationship – the way He designed it. the way that megan and ty love each other is such a beautiful replication of the way that Christ loves and forgives His church. they truly see each other the way that Christ sees them; healed by His grace and redeemed from the past. He is greatly pleased. and i am so blessed to be a part of this.
not only am i happy for her as her best friend, but i have a renewed sense of faith. until then, i wait.
If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails…And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. [[1 Corinthians 13:3-8a & 13]]
so, i’ve read this passage more times than i can remember. and i’ve quoted it almost daily. but today, it struck a different cord in me.
if i don’t have love, i have nothing.
love is patient.
love is kind.
love is not jealous and does not envy.
love does not brag or boast.
love is not arrogant or proud.
love is not rude.
love is not self-seeking or selfish.
love is not easily angered.
loves keeps no record of wrongs or hold grudges.
love does not delight in evil.
love rejoices in the truth.
love always protects.
love always trusts.
love always hopes.
love always perseveres.
love never fails.
Let us love one another, for love comes from God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. [[1 John 4:7a & 8]]
Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. [[1 John 4:11b-12]]
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. [[1 John 4: 18]]
He is love.
He loves me.
I am loved.
“it’s hard to wait around for something that may never happen…but it’s even harder to give up. especially when it’s everything you’ve ever wanted.”
amen.
this passage is ROCKING my world right now:
Ephesians 2:1-10
“Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) For He raised us from the dead (we are ALIVE in Him!) along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all He has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”
i am ALIVE in Christ. He is my identity. when i ask “who am i?” He says, “I AM THAT I AM.” i am not, He is. i strive to live this out in my life…and when i do, i am FREE. and i am His. and nothing else matters to me.
