Have you ever felt all dried up? Like you've given what you can give but there is just nothing left that you can really do.
Sometimes I feel like that with my spiritual life. While there may be something that I can do about what God is convicting in me, I don't do it, and sometimes I don't even want to do it. It saddens my heart to admit it, but I know it's really true.
That's when I need to consult God and just say hey, I'm feeling all dried up, help me because I need it.
Grace. There is enough to cover me.
Nevertheless, I believe the lie that there isn't. I believe the lie that if I'm not good enough God will condemn me.
That's when I need to remember scripture.
Romans 8:1-3
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh,
It really hits home for me when I read "For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering".
Christ covers all.
Matthew 26:41
Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
Though we have been redeemed we are not without purpose. We have a job to do. Here Christ tells the disciples to be alert and aware of temptation praying to God for assistance to resist it.
We still live in a broken and sinful world, therefore we must watch and pray to avoid temptation. When we stop watching and praying that is when we fall into sin.
2 Peter 1:3-4
His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
This passage in second Peter is a good reminder that though we live in a broken world God has given us everything we need to succeed in living a life pleasing to Him.
An excerpt from Matthew Henry's Commentary explains verses 3 & 4 in more depth...
Those who receive the promises of the gospel partake of the divine nature. They are renewed in the spirit of their mind, after the image of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and holiness; their hearts are set for God and his service; they have a divine temper and disposition of soul; though the law is the ministration of death, and the letter killeth, yet the gospel is the ministration of life, and the Spirit quickeneth those who are naturally dead in trespasses and sins. [4.] Those in whom the Spirit works the divine nature are freed from the bondage of corruption. Those who are, by the Spirit of grace,renewed in the spirit of their mind, are translated into the liberty of the children of God; for it is the world in which corruption reigns. Those who are not of the Father, but of the world, are under the power of sin; the world lies in wickedness, 1 John 5:19. And the dominion that sin has in the men of the world is through lust; their desires are to it, and therefore it rules over them. The dominion that sin has over us is according to the delight we have in it.
The last sentence here is easy to overlook, but it is what stood out to me most. It says, "The dominion that sin has over us is according to the delight we have in it". Hearing myself read those words both encourages and saddens me. I am saddened by this because it means that I am holding a dominion of sin over myself and therefore keeping myself from what God has for me. On the other hand, I am encouraged because it means that the only sin which has power over Christians is the sin that I myself take pleasure in. This means that through the Holy Spirit, I have the power I need to get rid of any sin that is held over me.
The only question that remains then is how. How do we get rid of the dominion of sin we are willingly holding over ourselves. Well I guess that the easy answer is to let go of it. The more helpful answer is perhaps to watch and pray. In order to get rid of it we need to ask God for help. We also need to be mindful or in other words pay attention to what thoughts lead us into sin. Then, instead of entertaining those thoughts, we need to capture them and toss them out. We can be set free by the power of the Holy Spirit if we watch and pray.
Showing posts with label Summer 2013. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Summer 2013. Show all posts
Like That Tree
Tonight I came across this verse and it encouraged me so I wanted to share it here with all of you.
Jeremiah 17:7-8
But blessed is the one who trusts in Me alone;
the Eternal will be his confidence.
He is like a tree planted by water,
sending out its roots beside the stream.
It does not fear the heat or even drought.
Its leaves stay green and its fruit is dependable, no matter what it faces.
My prayer is to be like that tree. No matter what I face may I not fear any circumstance because I trust in God.
Lord,
Mold my heart that I may be more like you.
Summer Recap Linkup
The summer is sadly coming to a close and while I am resistant to the end of sunshiny days and summer nights it has come the time to recap my summer bucket list. So without further ado, here it is...
I finally made it to the beach! :D Beach Day
This summer I welcomed two new roommates and I am glad to say that I have made two new friends :)
3) Send Letters - I miss my distant friends and I love to write them letters. This summer I hope to send them each at least one awesome letter.
I have written One letter which is good but I don't think I can check this one off just yet.
This summer I have been taking a couple of classes and I lent my time to one of my classmates to help her with homework.
Success! Seizing the day.
When my BFF was here we seized the day! We spent some time at the mall cooked dinner and went to the movies! It may not sound all that different from normal but for me it really was.
I am glad to report that I have been seizing the summer days as of recent and it has been an awesome experience.
When my BFF was here we seized the day! We spent some time at the mall cooked dinner and went to the movies! It may not sound all that different from normal but for me it really was.
I am glad to report that I have been seizing the summer days as of recent and it has been an awesome experience.
Beach Day
I am proud to announce that I have FINALLY made it to the beach! This checks off the toughest goal on my summer bucket list. Yes it's sad that I thought I wouldn't reach this goal, but I am so very glad that I did.
Today my roommates and I ventured out on our mission to soak up some sun. We finally arrived at the beach after a couple wrong turns and an accidental drive down the wrong side of the highway. Oops. But it really wasn't as dramatic as it sounds because there weren't very many cars in this area and it wasn't too hard to turn back around thankfully. Today we enjoyed some quality time together laying on our beach towels catching up on some reading and of course watching the sights and sounds of the people around us. As I took in the scenery and the activity of those on the beach I observed a few funny things. I watched a young boy chase two girls around with algae that he grabbed out of the lake. I watched as a three year old boy with a cute little camouflaged hat filled his hat up with sand and then proceeded to put it back on his head which of course worked well with the sand in it. I also made a little friend today with an almost toddler boy who kept wandering over to my beach towel to say hello. I can't lie, he was super cute and I loved it.
After the beach we decided to make a stop at Walmart to pick up some hamburgers for dinner. Then, when we got home the three of us proceeded to discover the mysteries of grilling. lol Thankfully it worked out well and we really enjoyed our time cooking and eating together.
Then what better to wrap up a night than some quality time playing wii sports and watching an intense netflix series.
Beach Day = Success :)
Thank you Lord for the blessings that you have shared with us today. May I not take them for granted.
Today my roommates and I ventured out on our mission to soak up some sun. We finally arrived at the beach after a couple wrong turns and an accidental drive down the wrong side of the highway. Oops. But it really wasn't as dramatic as it sounds because there weren't very many cars in this area and it wasn't too hard to turn back around thankfully. Today we enjoyed some quality time together laying on our beach towels catching up on some reading and of course watching the sights and sounds of the people around us. As I took in the scenery and the activity of those on the beach I observed a few funny things. I watched a young boy chase two girls around with algae that he grabbed out of the lake. I watched as a three year old boy with a cute little camouflaged hat filled his hat up with sand and then proceeded to put it back on his head which of course worked well with the sand in it. I also made a little friend today with an almost toddler boy who kept wandering over to my beach towel to say hello. I can't lie, he was super cute and I loved it.
Today was a good day.
After the beach we decided to make a stop at Walmart to pick up some hamburgers for dinner. Then, when we got home the three of us proceeded to discover the mysteries of grilling. lol Thankfully it worked out well and we really enjoyed our time cooking and eating together.
Then what better to wrap up a night than some quality time playing wii sports and watching an intense netflix series.
Beach Day = Success :)
Thank you Lord for the blessings that you have shared with us today. May I not take them for granted.
I Am Grateful Linkup
Linkup with us! - http://www.agirlsmitten.com/
A Grateful heart. Tonight I am definitely feeling grateful.
I am grateful for a God who sees me.
I am grateful for a mother who loves and cares about me, who wants the best for me.
I am grateful for an amazing father who has always seen the best in me, who has believed that I can do anything I work hard towards.
I am grateful for a sister who is also my friend, who encourages me, and has demonstrated what a woman of God looks like.
I am grateful for a brother with a thoughtful heart, who is generous, and who cares about others.
I am grateful for an extended family who is kind and caring.
I am grateful for friends who encourage and support me, and are always willing to pray for me.
 |
| Picture Credit Katrina |
I am grateful for the opportunity of education and to someday work in a profession that is in the business of helping people.
Thank you Lord for all the blessings in my life
Though I don't always show it, I am grateful.
A Virtual Book Tour
Bloggers Note: Today we have a guest post! I would like to introduce you to Livy Jarmusch, an accomplished 19 year old who has made it her mission to inspire young Christian women. You can check out her new e-book When Life Feels Like a Taylor Swift Song: A Girl's Guide To Boys, available as a free download HERE.
Boys, Beauty and Disney Princesses
“Sometimes I think God sprayed me with a huge bottle of boy repellent, just for the fun of it.” Ally's quirky comment reminded me of her single status.
My reply was just as single, yet not quite so humorous. “God must think really highly of my future husband, because He hasn't let any boy come near me with a ten-foot pole!” I sighed wistfully,
“I hope he appreciates it.”
Conversations like this happen every few weeks when I ask Alyssa if she has any secret admirers hiding love notes in her cubby at work, or hunky guys on the block writing her love songs.
Her response is always the same, then it's her turn to ask me about my lack of love life. We joke about becoming old, senile cat ladies who will wear polyester pants and date imaginary boyfriends who don't exist.
Choosing not to date was exciting at first. It was rebellious and gutsy. Proudly sporting our Barlow Girl T-shirts in middle school was almost the cool thing to do. In high school, we joined forces in support of our No Dating Campaign.
But now, as many of our friends are inviting us to watch them slow dance with Prince Charming at their weddings, we can't help but glance at one another, and wonder if there's something wrong with us.
Hidden Treasure
Do you ever feel invisible to the guys in your life? Maybe you feel like you're the only girl without a prom date. Sometimes I feel like a weary Rapunzel, locked up in an intimidating tower of stone, which keeps my Flynn Rider far, far away.
Sneaky lies pounce on every opportunity of doubt to whisper things like, “You're unattractive. You're a major dork. All your friends have someone special to hold hands with on the Fourth of July. You dream of fireworks, sparks and romance, but you've never even been asked on a date before! You don't get special attention from guys, because you're not worthy of it.”
Do these words sound familiar? Lies attempt to disguise themselves in sneaky shades of truth. If we're not careful, we can easily slip into a place of discouragement. Magazines, music, Hollywood, and movie screens tell me that without a guy on my arm, I'm painfully pathetic. What good am I if I don't have what it takes to capture his heart? Isn't that what it's all about...beauty?
Sweet sister, don't believe these shadowy words to be true. If we strike a match on the stone of Jesus, and light the candle of God's Word, these darkened lies will suddenly be illuminated with a dazzling truth.
In Job Chapter 28, Job talks about a deep, dark place. He speaks of hidden treasure buried underground. A mine of glorious, priceless jewels are hidden, but the sparkling diamonds resting there are not for the eyes of man. Only God sees “the place where gold is refined.” (vs 1).
Verse 10 says,
“He tunnels through the rock; His eyes see all its treasures, He searches sources of the rivers, and brings hidden things to light.” (vs 10)
My favorite verse in this passage is verse 6,
“Sapphires come from its rocks, and its dust contains nuggets of gold.”
One might look at these verses and say, “What kind of injustice is this? Why are those lovely pieces of gold, silver, and sapphires forced to live in the dirt where no one can see them? They should be honored and adored, noticed and cherished! Why would God hide them away like that?”
These treasures would only be found by those who would seek them out. God didn't make these treasures obvious and place them on a display table. He knew that lazy men would never dive into the depths of the earth. He knew that only those men who truly desired and valued the treasure would seek it. The men who would humble themselves and be willing to get a little dirty...those are the guys who are forever rewarded with the prize.
The same is true with you. You are beautiful. You're a dazzling diamond. The Bible says that you were woven together in the depths of the earth. Because you are so valuable and lovely, the Lord has hidden you in the shade of His right hand. You're under his covering, and you may feel as though you're locked in a tower. You are tucked away, but not to rot. You've been hidden so that your beautification process can continue, without being tainted by the fingerprints of man. You shine like stars in the universe. You have an expensive price tag on your soul, that could only be matched by Someone so priceless as the King of Kings, the Majesty of Heaven, God's only son, Jesus. Be encouraged sister. God does have a man for you! He won't be a selfish, shallow jerk who only takes what is free and easy. If you stay hidden in God's presence, this man will set out on the greatest adventure of his life, as he humbles himself and travels through the deepest places of life...just to find you, his eternal treasure.
Cinderella was hidden for a purpose. A parade of guys didn't pound on her door. Gentlemen callers didn't fill up the parlor. We all know that Cinderella wasn't ugly, socially awkward, or unattractive in any way...she was glorious! She was a Princess, hidden until the perfect time for love to awaken.
Do you remember that magical scene when Cinderella entered the ball room for the first time? Every jaw dropped and Prince Charming stared at this mysterious girl. Who was she? Where had she come from? Charming was suddenly hit with an astonishing realization... he didn't know anything about this girl, but he wanted to know everything. She was like nothing he had ever seen.
Some say Charming fell head over heels because of her sparkly blue dress or luxurious blonde hair, but I believe Charming saw something beyond sparkles and glitter....
Do you ever feel invisible to the guys in your life? Maybe you feel like you're the only girl without a prom date. Sometimes I feel like a weary Rapunzel, locked up in an intimidating tower of stone, which keeps my Flynn Rider far, far away.
Sneaky lies pounce on every opportunity of doubt to whisper things like, “You're unattractive. You're a major dork. All your friends have someone special to hold hands with on the Fourth of July. You dream of fireworks, sparks and romance, but you've never even been asked on a date before! You don't get special attention from guys, because you're not worthy of it.”
Sweet sister, don't believe these shadowy words to be true. If we strike a match on the stone of Jesus, and light the candle of God's Word, these darkened lies will suddenly be illuminated with a dazzling truth.
In Job Chapter 28, Job talks about a deep, dark place. He speaks of hidden treasure buried underground. A mine of glorious, priceless jewels are hidden, but the sparkling diamonds resting there are not for the eyes of man. Only God sees “the place where gold is refined.” (vs 1).
Verse 10 says,
“He tunnels through the rock; His eyes see all its treasures, He searches sources of the rivers, and brings hidden things to light.” (vs 10)
My favorite verse in this passage is verse 6,
“Sapphires come from its rocks, and its dust contains nuggets of gold.”
One might look at these verses and say, “What kind of injustice is this? Why are those lovely pieces of gold, silver, and sapphires forced to live in the dirt where no one can see them? They should be honored and adored, noticed and cherished! Why would God hide them away like that?”
These treasures would only be found by those who would seek them out. God didn't make these treasures obvious and place them on a display table. He knew that lazy men would never dive into the depths of the earth. He knew that only those men who truly desired and valued the treasure would seek it. The men who would humble themselves and be willing to get a little dirty...those are the guys who are forever rewarded with the prize.
The same is true with you. You are beautiful. You're a dazzling diamond. The Bible says that you were woven together in the depths of the earth. Because you are so valuable and lovely, the Lord has hidden you in the shade of His right hand. You're under his covering, and you may feel as though you're locked in a tower. You are tucked away, but not to rot. You've been hidden so that your beautification process can continue, without being tainted by the fingerprints of man. You shine like stars in the universe. You have an expensive price tag on your soul, that could only be matched by Someone so priceless as the King of Kings, the Majesty of Heaven, God's only son, Jesus. Be encouraged sister. God does have a man for you! He won't be a selfish, shallow jerk who only takes what is free and easy. If you stay hidden in God's presence, this man will set out on the greatest adventure of his life, as he humbles himself and travels through the deepest places of life...just to find you, his eternal treasure.
Do you remember that magical scene when Cinderella entered the ball room for the first time? Every jaw dropped and Prince Charming stared at this mysterious girl. Who was she? Where had she come from? Charming was suddenly hit with an astonishing realization... he didn't know anything about this girl, but he wanted to know everything. She was like nothing he had ever seen.
Some say Charming fell head over heels because of her sparkly blue dress or luxurious blonde hair, but I believe Charming saw something beyond sparkles and glitter....
He saw the defining element, the one thing that set her apart from every other pretty face in the room.
He saw a beautiful heart. Patience and kindness were glowing from her eyes.
She didn't flaunt and strut into the room...instead she gracefully walked in thankfulness. Her humble heart posture enabled her to be exalted to the high place of Princess. Charming knew that this was his future Queen.
In order to walk in the heavenly splendor of a Princess like Cinderella, we must first allow ourselves to be humbled and changed in the hidden, secret place. Dirt is the place where diamonds are discovered.
She didn't flaunt and strut into the room...instead she gracefully walked in thankfulness. Her humble heart posture enabled her to be exalted to the high place of Princess. Charming knew that this was his future Queen.
In order to walk in the heavenly splendor of a Princess like Cinderella, we must first allow ourselves to be humbled and changed in the hidden, secret place. Dirt is the place where diamonds are discovered.
Let God use your season of hidden singleness to create something breathtakingly beautiful.
Livy's Website: http://www.
Livy Jarmusch is a nineteen-year-old author, singer, songwriter, and creator of an online magazine for girls, Crown of Beauty Magazine. She loves golden retriever puppies, ice-cream cones, and changing the world. Check out her new e-book When Life Feels Like a Taylor Swift Song: A Girl's Guide To Boys, available as a free download for girls of all ages! :)
http://www.Livy's Website: http://www.
Liebster Award!
I have
awesome news friends! I have been nominated for a Liebster Award!!! :D Thank
you Ellie for the nomination! For those of you who don't know, Ellie is a
blogger at Choosing
Peace. She is also our facebook page helper for The Quiet Place and I
have appreciated her assistance SO much. She is wonderful.
The Rules of the Liebster Award
1. Link
back to the person who nominated you.
2. List 11
facts about yourself.
3. Answer
the 11 questions posted by the person who nominated you.
4.
Nominate up to 11 other blogs with 200 followers or less.
5. Ask 11
new questions for the nominees to respond to.
11 Facts
I LOVE Country MusicI am an MSW student
I want to be a school social worker
I love my friends
Italy is one of my favorite places
I can flare my nostrils
I laugh at my own jokes (even when no one else thinks they are funny)
I live in a small town and LOVE it!
I sing all the time
I have a Godson who is the cutest :)
People are my passion
11 Answers
1. How
long have you been blogging?
I have
been blogging since Sunday, January 31, 2010
2. What
inspired you to begin blogging?
Jesus
inspired me to begin blogging :)
3. What TV
show from your childhood would you love to see come back on the air?
Boy Meets
World, Hands Down, THE best show of my childhood.
4. Name 3
things you can’t live without.
Jesus,
Oxygen, People
5. What
was the last vacation you went on?
My last
vacation was many years ago. It was a family trip to Florida to visit my
Grandparents.
6. What’s
your favorite beauty product?
I don't
really have one.
7. What
are your top 3 favorite websites?
Pinterest
:)
Bloglovin'
Facebook
8. What’s
your favorite holiday and why?
Christmas
because that is when my whole family is able to be together.
9. What’s
something cool you did last weekend?
Went to an
excellent Italian restaurant on the river.
10. Would
you rather be stuck on a broken elevator or a broken ski-lift?
Ski-lift,
Much more to look at. Plus you can always jump right? lol
11. What’s
one thing you would tell your younger self?
Get out of
the house and try new things, even if you fail or dislike them.
Nominations
Brooke
from Living
as a Single Gal
Katrina
from More Than
Just An Art Teacher & Musings of a Chocolate
Lover
Kiki from In
It's Time
11 New Questions
1. WERE
YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
2. DO YOU
UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF?
3. IF YOU
WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE AND WHY?
4. WHAT
BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW?
5. DO
YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT?
6. HOW
LONG HAVE YOU BEEN BLOGGING?
7. WHAT
INSPIRED YOU TO BEGIN BLOGGING?
8. IF YOU
COULD GO ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WHERE WOULD YOU GO?
9. WHAT IS
YOUR FAVORITE FLOWER?
10. WHAT
IS YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF
11. WHAT
ARE YOU PASSIONATE ABOUT?
Burning the Midnight Light
Tonight the Lord has spoken into my heart and here is what He shared with me...
Psalm 119:130
New International Version (NIV)
130 The unfolding of your words gives light;
it gives understanding to the simple.
it gives understanding to the simple.
Matthew Henry's Commentary
Verse 130
Here is, 1. The great use for which the word of God was intended, to give light, that is, to give understanding, to give us to understand that which will be of use to us in our travels through this world; and it is the outward and ordinary means by which the Spirit of God enlightens the understanding of all that are sanctified. God’s testimonies are not only wonderful for the greatness of them, but useful, as a light in a dark place. 2. Its efficacy for this purpose. It admirably answers the end; for, (1.) Even the entrance of God’s word gives light. If we begin at the beginning, and take it before us, we shall find that the very first verses of the Bible give us surprising and yet satisfying discoveries of the origin of the universe, about which, without that, the world is utterly in the dark. As soon as the word of God enters into us, and has a place in us, it enlightens us; we find we begin to see when we begin to study the word of God. The very first principles of the oracles of God, the plainest truths, the milk appointed for the babes, bring a great light into the soul, much more will the soul be illuminated by the sublime mysteries that are found there. “The exposition or explication of thy word gives light;” then it is most profitable when ministers do their part in giving the sense, Neh. 8:8. Some understand it of the New Testament, which is the opening or unfolding of the Old, which would give light concerning life and immortality. (2.) It would give understanding even to the simple, to the weakest capacities; for it shows us a way to heaven so plain that the wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err therein.
Matthew 6:32-34
New International Version (NIV)
32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:18-20
New International Version (NIV)
20 To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God.
Romans 8:27-29
New International Version (NIV)
28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.
Read This Too :) - Make You Feel His Love - Sweetness Itself
Brokenness
Brokenness. I guess that is a good word for what I have been experiencing lately. I think that for me the term brokenness is a state of being. Feeling broken. It's a feeling of inadequacy, vulnerability, rawness.
Maybe brokenness is just a realization of present reality, like the present reality that this world is a messed up place.
I don't know what being broken or brokenness means or feels like for you, but for me that is how it feels.
This isn't the type of brokenness that feels hopeless though. It's more of the type of brokenness where I realize my vulnerabilities and thus my deep and daily need for God. God makes my weaknesses okay. Yes, I am inadequate. Yes, I don't always do the best things, but with God none of that matters because he is adequate and without flaw. His perfection fills my imperfect places and makes me whole again.
Maybe brokenness is just a realization of present reality, like the present reality that this world is a messed up place.
I don't know what being broken or brokenness means or feels like for you, but for me that is how it feels.
This isn't the type of brokenness that feels hopeless though. It's more of the type of brokenness where I realize my vulnerabilities and thus my deep and daily need for God. God makes my weaknesses okay. Yes, I am inadequate. Yes, I don't always do the best things, but with God none of that matters because he is adequate and without flaw. His perfection fills my imperfect places and makes me whole again.
The old hymn says it best...
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
T'was Grace that taught my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear
The hour I first believed.
Through many dangers, toils and snares
I have already come;
'Tis Grace that brought me safe thus far
and Grace will lead me home.
The Lord has promised good to me.
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.
Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease,
I shall possess within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.
When we've been here ten thousand years
Bright shining as the sun.
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.
Summer Bucket List Update
Hello Friend remember me? I'm your summer bucket list.
So, Since it has been almost a month since our bucket list link up. I thought I would share with you an update of how I am doing on mine. For a refresher here are my goals.
1) Go to the Beach - I haven't been to the beach in probably at least five years. So I think its about time to get myself there.
I have not made it to the beach yet but I am still hoping too :)
2) Make a new friend - I have recently relocated to a new town near Grad school and have had to leave my friends behind. So this summer I would like to make a new friend here.
I think I can almost count this one checked off. This summer I have had the opportunity to get to know my roommate better. It has been really nice spending time with her. Also, this week two new girls moved into our house and I look forward to getting to know them as we adventure through grad school.
3) Send Letters - I miss my distant friends and I love to write them letters. This summer I hope to send them each at least one awesome letter.
Today I wrote a letter! Now I need to write a couple more and send them out! yay!
4) Lend my time - I would have said volunteer, but I'm not sure i'll do that. So I'll keep it real and say lend my time. This summer I want to lend my time to someone or something of good cause.
I still need to work on this one.
5) Seize the Day - Sometimes being here in my school housing, it is easy to waste the day away doing meaningless things like watching television. This summer I want to get away from the television and my computer and spend my time doing other things that involve enjoying the outdoors.
Success! Seizing the day. When my BFF was here we seized the day! We spent some time at the mall cooked dinner and went to the movies! It may not sound all that different from normal but for me it really was. I plan to continue seizing the day as I spend my summer taking classes and enjoying the sunshine :)
Why Do I Do It?
Some of you may be wondering why I even care to share my life anyways. Well, I do it for days like today. For days when I feel like a hot mess and I buy into all of the lies that the world shoves in our faces. It's when I have these days of brokenness I really need encouragement and truth spoken into my heart.
That is why I blog.
I want to write to encourage others on their hot mess days, to remind readers like yourself of God's faithfulness and promises. Just when I thought today might be a lost cause, God came and met me at my level to remind me that I AM HIS.
When I read these two blog posts, my savior spoke truth into my heart and it was exactly what I needed.
"Who I AM" by Amy @ Sweet Home Santa Barbara
"Having One of Those Days?" by Holly @ hollywagner.com
That is why I blog.
I want to write to encourage others on their hot mess days, to remind readers like yourself of God's faithfulness and promises. Just when I thought today might be a lost cause, God came and met me at my level to remind me that I AM HIS.
When I read these two blog posts, my savior spoke truth into my heart and it was exactly what I needed.
"Who I AM" by Amy @ Sweet Home Santa Barbara
"Having One of Those Days?" by Holly @ hollywagner.com
An Honest Prayer
Quiet. It has been a long time since I have had
some quiet time. A few moments to collect myself and to rest. I am forever
grateful for these quiet moments. It seems that God speaks most often when I am
finally quiet. Not just silent, but quiet, steadfast, at rest. Thank you Lord
for quiet moments.
Lord,
I know it has been a long time since I have last
been in your word you left for me. It seems that I have found myself a little
lost on the map that you have given me. I am sorry that I have not been paying
much attention to your direction and prompting. I hope you will forgive me
Lord. I have been feeling frustrated with myself for not changing the things
that you have called me out of. Tonight I ask that you would provide a way out
of those things for me. Please help me to follow the map you have given me. I
know I will never be the perfect sojourner, but do not give up on me just yet. I
still have a lot of exploring to do with you right by my side. I want to
discover whatever it is this path has for me. I do not want to let you down. I
hope that I do not miss the things along the way big and small that you want me
to experience. I cannot promise that I will not get lost every now and then,
but I hold on to your promise to never leave me on my own when I do. I hold on
to your steadfast love and guidance. I rely on your patience with me and your
strength that holds me up when I am weak. I am very grateful for your
faithfulness to me. Help me to better understand your grace. Thanks for not
giving up on me.
Your daughter & fellow sojourner, Hillary
The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His
mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your
faithfulness."
Lamentations 3:22-23
"I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be
shaken, for He is right beside me."
Psalm 16:8
Psalm 16:8
"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!)"
Ephesians 2:5
Ephesians 2:5
New Tools!
I have great news friends! I've just discovered bloglovin'. It's an awesome website that makes it easy for you to follow all of your favorite blogs. I have just added ryhilllove to the sight. So stop on over and check it out! :D
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)