Fly!

    The soft glow of candles and a desk lamp fills my room. A light scent of cinnamon and sunflowery-soap swirls with the current that my fan is creating. It's almost eleven at night and I'm exhausted, but there's studying and worrying to do. Worship music is playing on my laptop as my pencil scratches useless numbers and symbols on my paper.
     Oh what a sad attitude I have! This is how I felt before I heard God whisper through those melodies on my laptop. A soft "carry me on your back through the storm, Lord," broke my heart and my attitude as I hopelessly wondered why quadratic functions existed to torture me. Then I remembered that I had prayed for God to test me, to let me "prove" that I could take anything. I wish I understood God's faithfulness in answering prayers like this. But I am so very thankful that this testing arrived according to God's answer.
   This overwhelmed attitude is so tempting because a crazy busy schedule was suddenly implemented in my life. A new job, tests and essays, not to mention music and church all flooded my life with expectations that I felt I certainly could not meet. But how sad is it for me to worry when the God I serve clearly says to "be anxious for nothing" (Philippians 4:6)? Well I had to re-learn an important lesson.
    A few years ago on a missions trip to Honduras I learned the meaning of "be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). Everyday I've had to apply that, whether or not I've chosen to. The last couple of days I've been attempting to apply this with my own power. I find myself saying, "Lord, I'm being still; I'm knowing that you are God"! And each time I've been more and more overwhelmed with the amount of tasks I have to complete. God keeps saying, "Let go... Let go, my child." And I keep replying, "I am, aren't I"? Oh how finite and weak we humans are! Especially me!
     Yesterday I read a devotional from Warren Wiersbe about the very subject of being still before God. He says that the phrase "be still" literally means, "take your hands off." That was an ouch moment for me. I kept hanging on and hanging on to the insane schedule that I suddenly had thrust upon me; I kept wondering if it was humanly possible to do so many things. I was mostly whining though. I don't think there will be any whiners in God's kingdom. He reminded me of his promise in 2 Corinthians 12:9, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." If only I could remember and apply this all the time! But that's why his grace is so beautiful, because in my insufficiency he is perfectly sufficient. He is all I need; He is all I want; He is everything.
     Even now I cannot even think of anything else to write because God's supernatural peace has flooded my once worried night. Like the light chases away the darkness, his love chased away my worries. I am content with my God; his banner over me is love.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.Philippians 4:4-7

 

Though the butterfly doesn't know where the wind will take her, she flies anyway. ♥

The Pearl of Great Price

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Matthew 13:45-46

Ahh this is such a simple parable with such great meaning!
The other day in my English class we were discussing an essay, and the topic of absolute truth came up. My teacher basically said that everyone has to find their own truth, and that the only absolute truth is that there is no absolute truth. I simply could not agree with this and I asked what the point of living was without a Truth to live for.
So, back to the parable. In this case, I see the many beautiful pearls that the merchant is searching for as all the religions and philosophies in this world. Each man is a merchant searching for "truth", and when he finds the greatest pearl he gives his whole life to it.
This world is full of deception! How can anyone be sure if his or her own "truth" is truly worth living for? If there is no such thing as absolute truth then why should any of us search it out? As a Christian I know Truth personally and his name is Jesus Christ. Jesus said in John 14:6, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."
In a college setting it's really hard to argue that my truth is the Truth, but I am thoroughly convinced that it is. Jesus Christ has proven himself to me in so many, many ways, and I cannot deny his words.
I am no longer a slave to sin. Whose truth can set people free? I am going to live forever with my God and Savior. Whose truth can promise eternal life? My Jesus is alive! He was crucified and then rose from the grave! Whose truth has ever conquered death then promised victory to those who would do no more than believe on his name? I have never seen a truth with that kind of power before. I have never seen a truth that contains so much love, hope, or grace. This truth is the only one that is not just the Truth, but also the Way, and the Life. I want to live for something like that.

I have found my Pearl of Great Price, his name is Jesus Christ, and I will give all that I am for Him.

Ahh... Life :)

Well, I am quite overwhelmed right now. Lots of stuff is going on and its crazy! Good crazy, but still crazy.
I'm graduating from high school this Saturday!
I just got a job! Praise God!
I'm working on an album with my friend Kat :)
I'm going to Honduras this summer!
Ahhh its alot!
But each day God reminds me that he is in control of my life and he knows all the little details that I sometimes worry about.
God showed me Isaiah 12 which says:

In that day you will say:
“I will praise you, O LORD.
Although you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away
and you have comforted me.
Surely God is my salvation;
I will trust and not be afraid.
The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation.”
With joy you will draw water
from the wells of salvation.

In that day you will say:
“Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done,
and proclaim that his name is exalted.
Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things;
let this be known to all the world.
Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion,
for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”

God is so good and so faithful. Praise his name!

Epiphany!

God gave me an epiphany tonight!
I've been so torn with what my future holds--what college I'll go to, what I'll study once I'm there, what I'll be doing or who I'll be with in ten years (if Christ doesn't return before then!), just questions that I simply can't answer now. Then, almost this instant God reminded me that he is the Author and Finisher of my faith(Hebrews 12:2), he is the One who began a good work in me and will carry it on to completion (Philippians 1:6); I am only supposed to humbly obey him and live a quiet life (1 Thessalonians 4:11). Ahh I could go on and on about who God is and what he's done in my life, but there wouldn't be enough time or space!
I encourage all of you (whoever reads this) to read Psalm 37; it says very succinctly what I would take many, many words to say.
Ultimately, God is my future, he is my goal, he is my everything. ♥

When I Awake

Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure. Psalm 16:5-9 
And I—in righteousness I will see your face; when I awake, I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness. Psalm 17:15

God is so good! The other night I was having a pretty rough time and God showed me these verses. They are so perfect. Life is full of uncertainties, and difficult situations, and bad days but the God we serve has given us the blessing of confidence that our "boundary lines have fallen in pleasant places." God laid out our boundary lines as he does for the nations, let us not try to conquer other people's boundaries or lay new boundaries of our own. God knows what he's doing and we must "be still and know that he is God" (Psalm 46:10).
I know that when my life is overwhelming He is always there; "even at night my heart instructs me." I love how David says, "I have set the Lord always before me"; we are not ahead of God even though we try to be sometimes. I have tried to set myself before God, but it never works. Ever. Then David says, "because he is at my right hand I will not be shaken." To me, this evokes the image of a little child holding on to Daddy's hand. I imagine the little kid walking along pulling on his Father and then tripping, Dad is right there to hold him up.
So... after a hard day and a breath of fresh air with this passage I can say confidently that, "my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure. And I will see your face; when I awake I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness." Ahh it is good to wake up in the presence of God! ♥

First Post!

Welcome to my new blog! I'm new at this and still learning the details but hopefully it will be a blessing!

I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord. Psalm 27:13-14

This is the namesake for my blog. I am, indeed, confident that I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living and I will write about his unceasing goodness. I'm looking forward to the many posts that will end up here!