tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35105739323681825152024-03-12T18:19:03.606-05:00[Following the Cloud]Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger161125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-8964767641472509332015-08-09T13:10:00.000-05:002015-08-09T13:10:16.483-05:00tabl(escape)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Those who know me, know I have an incredible affinity for the table. In whatever way it comes, fancy or plasticware. I love the idea of pulling up a chair to stay a while. Time seems to stop for a little. I absolutely love to host, to invite. Everyone comes with a need to be fed, and a lot more happens there than just the physical. It meets needs we didn't even know we had. No prerequisites for the table, except to come, hungry... and that is a beautiful thing.</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiu7M5ul-G0rQxyIq0e5P_FOjpL9dSUINsUTk5Gf-HZUL52Z7-j_FL0NWJl7heXAAd52Z47m5qq8dRfJ1pgY2O8h2MaLe933YucQ7KQNj7NYQoqeUTCCbaHidzJY0t_vsBLDm-gHg_RGBR/s1600/IMG_8472_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiu7M5ul-G0rQxyIq0e5P_FOjpL9dSUINsUTk5Gf-HZUL52Z7-j_FL0NWJl7heXAAd52Z47m5qq8dRfJ1pgY2O8h2MaLe933YucQ7KQNj7NYQoqeUTCCbaHidzJY0t_vsBLDm-gHg_RGBR/s320/IMG_8472_2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9RiOhpDhBqXEmKLYq_iWKMXSgVY5UN8D7dRJyXz02wN9yOCF8_xGifRz_V8kShbvJ62mzxGriIIZvbzkkqCzmCV96YwBFR4os_Nsaz9NZ-6DHOSuX1EYPE9nNvseZ3FzAVH268VMPZ5bH/s1600/IMG_8475_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9RiOhpDhBqXEmKLYq_iWKMXSgVY5UN8D7dRJyXz02wN9yOCF8_xGifRz_V8kShbvJ62mzxGriIIZvbzkkqCzmCV96YwBFR4os_Nsaz9NZ-6DHOSuX1EYPE9nNvseZ3FzAVH268VMPZ5bH/s320/IMG_8475_2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-11832339022729878442015-07-31T17:20:00.002-05:002015-07-31T17:25:48.942-05:00Happy Friday!<h1 class="quoteText" style="color: #181818; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">“Everything is interim. Everything is a path or a preparation for the next thing, and we never know what the next thing is. Life is like that, of course, twisty and surprising. But life with God is like that exponentially. We can dig in, make plans, write in stone, pretend we're not listening, but the voice of God has a way of being heard. It seeps in like smoke or vapor even when we've barred the door against any last-minute changes, and it moves us to different countries and different emotional territories and different ways of living. It keeps us moving and dancing and watching, and never lets us drop down into a life set on cruise control or a life ruled by remote control. Life with God is a dancing dream, full of flashes and last-minute exits and generally all the things we've said we'll never do. And with the surprises comes great hope.” </span></h1>
<h1 class="quoteText" style="color: #181818; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">- Shauna Niequist</span></h1>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaN-KFVRZEABsD6Qz8jBRGbyfwfDv7o570D1xOtQaGbL8nKtGjbSH83X-Q2LkBnePS63gyi5MWSoDJ_WJKnjrI_d2T01X4pO74YZqI2mZbwU45aGRz6CQ573621zFa_i8mDu8hW-PI_y07/s1600/IMG_9945_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaN-KFVRZEABsD6Qz8jBRGbyfwfDv7o570D1xOtQaGbL8nKtGjbSH83X-Q2LkBnePS63gyi5MWSoDJ_WJKnjrI_d2T01X4pO74YZqI2mZbwU45aGRz6CQ573621zFa_i8mDu8hW-PI_y07/s320/IMG_9945_2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">And with surprises comes great hope. That gives forth to joyful celebration and a happy Friday, indeed!</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-75470434593242679662015-05-27T14:14:00.001-05:002015-05-27T14:14:28.168-05:00it's a family traditionSince I was a little girl, I remember getting together with my family for almost everything - family members' birthdays, graduations, holidays, Sunday night dinners, and many more. I love that my family instilled in me the art of celebrating, bringing people together to celebrate other people, for everyone to be a part. It was never out of the norm, for 20 or more people to be gathered in one of my family member's living room, with a buzz of chatter filling the room. When I think about all of the really significant moments in my life, and in my family's life, we've always all been there. In the hospital when babies are born or someone is sick, at baseball/softball games from t-ball to high school, award ceremonies, birthdays, you name it. For as long as I remember, I've always felt celebrated with or celebrating victories of the others, whether big or small.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobiv-mH_372Rd5DYv_3F27AsJJCGQ0sxNAjnRmarQ2RfI06MSNdF38JASfdSdu0Sx4nHn1Oe5z34gLokRPncR70nw2__ueNTSzmMOQuKKeTaoZAZaDKLgRVgW4gjdY0u3xxgZO-IeUzYB/s1600/DSC_0105.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgobiv-mH_372Rd5DYv_3F27AsJJCGQ0sxNAjnRmarQ2RfI06MSNdF38JASfdSdu0Sx4nHn1Oe5z34gLokRPncR70nw2__ueNTSzmMOQuKKeTaoZAZaDKLgRVgW4gjdY0u3xxgZO-IeUzYB/s320/DSC_0105.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I still to this day love GATHERING with those dear to me and CELEBRATING. I love when people come together to celebrate someone or something, whether it be the first day of a new job, new opportunity for someone, a birthday, a new house, or just for the sake of getting together. I am fortunate that along the way I have made friends that have now become like family to me. Whether we are across town, across the country, or the world, we find a way to be there for each other in the victories. <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(Even if that means we have to meet in the middle in a snuggly cabin tucked away in the Carolina mountains to do it)</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifL7lDlUuNZGo9jz7BfUabL2HUQp9Jnfl02SLcGIUFYalHKGDW_BzMvL5mbSWAtZwD2_XNB39sU8JUenErQaAK5jebYqj2TKyOZ20_5duvJxEik1DxzFuWwHq-VfygPFy3B10L2OWG6Z_p/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifL7lDlUuNZGo9jz7BfUabL2HUQp9Jnfl02SLcGIUFYalHKGDW_BzMvL5mbSWAtZwD2_XNB39sU8JUenErQaAK5jebYqj2TKyOZ20_5duvJxEik1DxzFuWwHq-VfygPFy3B10L2OWG6Z_p/s320/unnamed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
There is something powerful in showing up and saying "yes" we are with you and for you. To have a cheering section in the ups and downs of life. We were never meant to do it alone. How the Lord made community is one of the most beautiful things, everyone with their own strengths and weaknesses to come together for the greater Good.<br />
<br />
I encourage you to find someone or something to celebrate with those you love. It's one of the sweetest reflections of the Lord's heart for community.<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-9315894542711249382015-04-28T19:00:00.000-05:002015-04-28T19:15:45.501-05:00Sunday's bestSunday's have easily become my favorite day of the week. Sabbath - something that I've been learning a lot about lately. That my soul was yearning for. That it is so important to retreat and realize that our value is not in our work, but from who we are not what we do. The createdness of ourselves in view of the Creator, not the created of our human hands. I will be the first one to admit that this slips to the back of my mind way too much. So I am fighting to protect the Sabbath and learn the importance of withdrawing, retreating, and recalibrating my heart. and that is the BEST for me.<br />
<br />
My sweet friend, Christian, and I have started a Sunday tradition of cooking a meal and a fellowshipping with one another. It's good the soul and has also taught me so much - the significance of the table & community. It's not perfect and pretty hilarious, trial and error. It involves mostly lots of chips and salsa, wine, and laughs when the meals don't go exactly according to plan. Hey, but it's a process. A learning process. We also celebrate the process of life at the table. Even the little victories are worth celebrating. Ending a busy work, cheers to that. Overcoming a fear, cheers to that. Coming in to your own, cheers to that.<br />
<br />
I love when the kitchen soars with the aroma of whatever we are cooking, and lots and lots of chatter. It's my happy place.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghBRrOOeHtgayRhLnWvRi9qVqndiZ1LBQ-yZ6qaW89IZJJ9BVn4muWgYYpFm_9hmDlH6FAcVPwiTEzwIaaZkzv8cKCp0m61mmZD18H2v0QmQcTaeh_U18iHJE09OfAOWTbhTrURm8ESBhS/s1600/unnamed-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghBRrOOeHtgayRhLnWvRi9qVqndiZ1LBQ-yZ6qaW89IZJJ9BVn4muWgYYpFm_9hmDlH6FAcVPwiTEzwIaaZkzv8cKCp0m61mmZD18H2v0QmQcTaeh_U18iHJE09OfAOWTbhTrURm8ESBhS/s1600/unnamed-1.jpg" height="400" width="298" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">“The heart of hospitality is about creating space for someone to feel seen and heard and loved. It's about declaring your table a safe zone, a place of warmth and nourishment.” -Shauna Niequist, <i>Bread & Wine: A Love Letter to Life Around the Table, with Recipes</i></span><br />
<br /><i style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"></i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-48927655748898123302015-04-26T16:31:00.001-05:002015-04-26T16:31:19.737-05:00full swing It's been awhile since I have been jotting in this little space. However, I have greatly missed a creative outlet. I have had a deep desire to create things lately. What better way to express the Creator than to create things, places, and relationships. The Lord has been teaching me so much about His creative nature through birthing a lot of creativity in me.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
create: bring (something) into existence</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Lately, me and my mister, TP, have been working on some little renovation projects. It has been so rewarding to be working with my hands, to see the process in something. So often I forget that the process is what makes something so beautiful. I have seen this is parallel my life as well. It blows my mind that I can be watching the sanding on wood, and how much the Lord speaks to me about process in that moment. As the sander smooths out the rough places in the wood, so does the Lord refine us through tough times to make us more like His Son -- and that -- is a wonderful gift.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
My mom had this really old swing in the backyard that she was about to put in the trash. Over the years it had grown dingy, moldy, and honestly unusable. TP thought he would take a shot to see if there was anything he could do to help this swing.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
The crazy thing about it is after one week of scraping the swing down, we found that the wood below all the grim was absolutely beautiful! I don't know how many times I count something out that is beautiful underneath -- a opportunity, a person, a situation, whatever it may be. If we had not rigged deeper we would have never known what was underneath. What we had considered a lost cause, still had so much life underneath. Sometimes we just have to take a second in our situation, in our relationship, in an opportunity were standing in, to go deeper, to not just take it at face value, but to see what is beyond.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Little did I know this little swing, that I had not even noticed in years, would minister to me so much, and now become a staple in my mom's backyard.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wV3FQgXDg-9Op9t_eU9SykKGFRzOCvl3Oo1scNp4P5IzhPk2PP5QwvhGNoW654O27fUB9amqYdavyervA_0wgbxlGcazpCQgZQzlfmqOk5JlEIJTcRMOYZ1OV7iTnOSWwIrS4xIMwBNt/s1600/Spring2015-133.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6wV3FQgXDg-9Op9t_eU9SykKGFRzOCvl3Oo1scNp4P5IzhPk2PP5QwvhGNoW654O27fUB9amqYdavyervA_0wgbxlGcazpCQgZQzlfmqOk5JlEIJTcRMOYZ1OV7iTnOSWwIrS4xIMwBNt/s1600/Spring2015-133.jpg" height="400" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I yearn to see beautiful things spring out of "dead places", to come forth and declare that all is not lost, just perhaps not found. I love to see things, people, and places come to life and life to the full.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-74657820382486564372014-03-09T18:11:00.000-05:002014-03-09T18:11:12.832-05:00Be not afraid.A phrase that I often take a deep breath even thinking about... There are so many things that we are faced with that causes fear- especially that of the unknown, the hidden. Let's be real, most of the time the future can absolutely terrify us. Many times we are plagued with the what-if scenarios swirling around our brain so violently until yes, we all know, it causes serious anxiety in our hearts.<br />
<br />
However, "Be not afraid" and "fear not" are two of the most common phrases throughout the Bible. I take it here as the Lord driving a significant point not only for our minds, but our hearts. Projecting ourselves in the future from our present place actually has no efficiency, it solves nothing. Why? We don't know exactly how things will look AND we are not there yet. We try to derive answers based on estimated circumstances and it truly can end up just being a big mess of us trying to pin point the movement of God. But guess what?<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
"Now to him who is able to do FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY than all that we ASK or THINK, according to the power at work within us," (Ephesians 3:20)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Well this sure does put a cramp in our calculations does it not? Almighty God + FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY = way above my feeble understanding. I ultimately fall to my knees thanking the Lord for that. On most days I couldn't even come up what is best for me for that 24 hours, much less my entire life time. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
He knows us so intimately and in the now He is just asking us to know Him. Not necessarily what He can do, but just WHO HE IS. He is such an incredibly good Father. Even if we are given every single blessing we are asking for, HE IS STILL BETTER. Knowing Him is the greatest reward and all else is loss. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
"Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord." (Philippians 3:8)</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
What if He perhaps is delaying our deliverance from our current situation/circumstances because He is developing a greater intimacy in us with Him? That is a game changer. A perspective shifter. To me, it's a GIFT. Thank you Lord. To know Him is the greatest reward and that is where my gaze is and should always be, even though I fall short sometimes. So I challenge myself and you to ask ourselves daily, where is our gaze?</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-17275523856861595172013-10-14T18:47:00.002-05:002013-10-14T18:47:33.029-05:00pumpkin bread Today, I made my most favorite seasonal pumpkin bread (from Pioneer Woman). It is the best intro to the fall. Perfect for breakfast, afternoon snack or dessert (or anytime, really).<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLa4oc8XtKtLCKnj439RZL3yoReSK1p4EzMkr6FbkfCU_D3ZW4fwFBDQ2bLpeA-4yHqPbq3ocZypi4dBT37nPTxn3vcPCLCuarH9IShMxwMKySQWkf3HASPozcb9TpFtaJObO0_cmlIq2/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOLa4oc8XtKtLCKnj439RZL3yoReSK1p4EzMkr6FbkfCU_D3ZW4fwFBDQ2bLpeA-4yHqPbq3ocZypi4dBT37nPTxn3vcPCLCuarH9IShMxwMKySQWkf3HASPozcb9TpFtaJObO0_cmlIq2/s400/photo+1.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-z2_D5faqV6eg2137wopkue-Mdjr_bn9VRy7nS8J_SAvBZOmRd5QywzdS_NqZKysFJQ80MyLIbUFC-YFkYMz0hCU9eUekiDJ953cC8h1Mb6OYtzbOxe7OszJIeu1RbK60o6dw1GhdSkz/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV-z2_D5faqV6eg2137wopkue-Mdjr_bn9VRy7nS8J_SAvBZOmRd5QywzdS_NqZKysFJQ80MyLIbUFC-YFkYMz0hCU9eUekiDJ953cC8h1Mb6OYtzbOxe7OszJIeu1RbK60o6dw1GhdSkz/s400/photo+3.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Recipe:</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
3 3/4 cups flour</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1 1/2 tsp salt</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1 1/2 tsp baking powder</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1/2 tsp nutmeg</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
3 whole eggs </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
3 1/2 cups sugar </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1 1/2 tsp vanilla</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
29 oz. pumpkin puree </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
1 bag semi-sweet choc. chips</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<i>Directions:</i></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
-large bowl: combine flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking powder</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
-separate large bowl: combine eggs, sugar, oil, vanilla, and pumpkin puree</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
-stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients </div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
-add chocolate chips</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
-transfer mix to greased bundt pan</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
-cook on 350 degrees 45-55 min</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-5764100930071382572013-10-13T16:06:00.000-05:002013-10-13T16:06:15.759-05:00<div style="text-align: left;">
<i>[The following is an incredible word I read today in "Experiencing God's Presence" by Chris Tiegreen. I hope this beautiful story encourages you as it did me]</i></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<i><br /></i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>"This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break." Genesis 32:24 </i></b></div>
<br />
"Jacob had issues, particularly that nasty episode with his brother that had never been resolved. Years earlier, he had tricked his father into proclaiming Esau's blessing over him instead. Then Jacob fled in fear that Esau would kill him. Now, after marriage, children, and years in a far country, Jacob was returning home. He would soon see his brother face-to-face. And he feared the prospect of his past catching up with him.<br />
<br />
Jacob was left alone in the camp, and God (as a man) came and wrestled with him all night. It's one of Scripture's strangest stories -- until we reflect on the picture and realize we've been there. There are times when we are left alone to wrestle with God, when past issues loom over our psyche and threaten to burden us with consequences and conflicts we don't want to confront. At such times, God's Presence is painful but purposeful, provoking a catharsis or cleaning from ole wounds. It can be an intense, exhausting struggle, but eventually dawn comes and we receive a blessing for having contended with God- and ourselves - face-to-face.<br />
<br />
For your relationship with God to arrive at any depth, it has to include some sort of these wrestling matches. Old wounds must be healed, and it's sometimes a messy process. When your past and your God come face-to-face, it can sometimes be an intense encounter. But it's a necessary one, and it leads to blessing - sometimes even a new a name. The struggle lasts until dawn, but only until dawn. And with it comes a new day.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i>"Then the man said, 'Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!' But Jacob said, 'I will not let you go unless you bless me.'" Genesis 32:26</i></b></div>
<br />
Some people see surrender as the purpose of Jacob's wrestling match with God - that Jacob had to come to the end of himself and submit to God's lordship. But there seems to be no surrender in this episode, or even a need for it. Jacob had already arrived at the end of himself, unable to face his brother in his own strength and willfulness. No, the "man" who wrestled with Jacob "saw that he would not win the match" (Genesis 32:25), and Jacob refused to let go until he was blessed... <b><u>No, this wasn't about surrender; this was about contending with God and knowing His heart even in the intensity of a battle. </u></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b>
God honors spiritual tenacity. His Presence can provoke turmoil within you for a time, but those who press through the struggles and hang on to faith in Him will be blessed. God has many sides to His face, and sometimes He seems to show a harsh one. But what do you really see - a harsh face or a tender heart? Whichever you see more clearly determines whether you can endure being on your back for a while, as well as what blessing you see at the dawning of the next day. Only the tenacious hold on to God in the midst of a wrestling match with Him and the relentless issues of life.<br />
<br />
Hold on. Go ahead and wrestle; God doesn't mind. But if you've been flat on your back, keep holding on anyway. Stay in close contact with God, no matter how intense, and see into His heart. He wants to bless. He's waiting for the dawn. And He wants you to wait for it too. "<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
The following is further commentary on this passage by Matthew Henry:</div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #001320;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>143</o:Words>
<o:Characters>821</o:Characters>
<o:Company>Auburn University </o:Company>
<o:Lines>6</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>1</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>963</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>14.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #001320;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"A great
while before day, Jacob being alone, more fully spread his fears before God in
prayer. While thus employed, One in the likeness of a man wrestled with him.
When the spirit helpeth our infirmities, and our earnest and vast desires can
scarcely find words to utter them, and we still mean more than we can express,
then prayer is indeed wrestling with God. However tried or discouraged, we
shall prevail; and prevailing with Him in prayer, we shall prevail against all
enemies that strive with us. Nothing requires more vigour and unceasing
exertion than wrestling. It is an emblem of the true spirit of faith and
prayer. Jacob kept his ground; though the struggle continued long, this did not
shake his faith, nor silence his prayer. He will have a blessing, and had
rather have all his bone put out of joint than go away without one. Those who
would have the blessing of Christ, must resolve to take no denial. The fervent
prayer is the effectual prayer."</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Trebuchet, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #001320;">
<!--EndFragment--></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-91007308170027398882013-10-12T23:31:00.001-05:002013-10-12T23:31:28.048-05:00Often times we forget or lose sight of our initial prayer. <div>
<br /></div>
<div>
I am immediately reminded of the Israelites in the desert, and immediately reminded of how similar I can be to them. They had been praying for years and years <b>for deliverance </b>from the oppression and rule of the Egyptians. Simultaneously during those years the Lords provision had already been set in motion, which is one of the coolest things to me. He had been raising up someone, Moses, through whom He was going to bring about that very deliverance. It's amazing to me looking at the details of Moses life in retrospect and being prepared for this instance. God is Provider. He was absolutely hearing them and working on their behalf, even in advance, without them even being aware of their prayer. He goes before, always. Even before what they are about to endure in the desert.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
After the Israelites left Egypt before they even cross the Red Sea, Pharaoh and his army are quickly approaching. Their whole idea of deliverance is threatened, and they are becoming doubtful and fearful by the second. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #674ea7; font-family: inherit;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Exod-14-10" id="en-ESV-1900"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;">10 </sup>When Pharaoh drew near, the people of Israel lifted up their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians were marching after them, and they feared greatly. And the people of Israel <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 0.65em;"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-1900L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></sup></span>cried out to the <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Exod-14-11" id="en-ESV-1901"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;">11 </sup>They <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-1901M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></sup>said to Moses, “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt?</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Exod-14-12" id="en-ESV-1902"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;">12 </sup>Is not this what <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-1902N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></sup>we said to you in Egypt: ‘Leave us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Exod-14-13" id="en-ESV-1903"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;">13 </sup>And Moses said to the people, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-1903O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)"></sup>“Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the<span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span>, which he will work for you today. For <sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-1903P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)"></sup>the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Exod-14-14" id="en-ESV-1904"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;">14 </sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 0.65em;"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-1904Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)"></sup></span>The <span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span> will fight for you, and you have only <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 0.65em;"><sup class="crossreference" style="font-size: 0.65em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-1904R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)"></sup></span>to be silent. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: 0.75em; line-height: normal; vertical-align: top;">15 </sup></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">The</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="small-caps" style="font-variant: small-caps;">Lord</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;">” Exodus 14:10-15</span></b></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Exod-14-14" id="en-ESV-1904"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Exod-14-14" id="en-ESV-1904">Wow. Humbly, how many times is this us? This is shockingly me far too often. Things maybe don't go as we expected and we oh so quickly cry out, why Lord did you even bring us here if this was going to be how it ended? We want to jump ship. This isn't what we were imagining, why didn't you just leave us where we were? I didn't ask for this. I know so many can empathize with those thoughts and questions. However, and I love saying however here. This is not the end. This was and never is how He set it up to end. I love how He sets the atmosphere here for entering the desert. "The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be silent...Tell the people of Israel to go forward." </span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Exod-14-14" id="en-ESV-1904"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><span class="text Exod-14-14" id="en-ESV-1904">Sometimes when unexpected things come at us or deserts are asked of us to walk through, the Lord simply just asks us to rest, trust Him, and go forward. Forward to what? That may be unsure, but what we do know is, forward IN His perfect provision and sovereignty, knowing that He will be faithful and it will come to fruition. There is reason for the desert, always. Nothing is wasted in the sovereignty of God, Hallelujah! We often want to DO something to make the uncomfortableness of the desert go away, but that's not what gets you through. </span></span></span>God is constantly trying to instruct the Israelites (and us) to rest in the beauty of surrender, and trust and understand the perfect mesh of our weakness and His amazing strength.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
The past year of my life has been some desert area, but amidst the struggle I forgot my initial prayer before the desert was even in sight, was for the Lord to give me deep roots of faith. I hungered for this deeply. I am not exactly sure if I thought it was going to be this magical movement and poof there I was deep rooted, faithful and strong, but roots don't grow deep and strong without the weather and storm. I at times because of the pain of the moment became so focused on the struggle that I lost sight that the Lord was working & accomplishing what I asked Him to do, which is so sweet to me now. I can look back through and see threads of His grace & provision the entire way.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Here's the beautiful thing to me - regardless of the Israelites doubt, forgetfulness, or maybe at times extreme stubborness (guilty); it did not disqualify them for the redemption and promise the Lord set out to fulfill and accomplish from the very beginning. He never wavered. He did and will bring it to fruition. It is a promise. He works all things for good. Like the Israelites, we so often forget our initial prayer when the steps in desert aren't what we expected. But the desert is the process. The promised land is our destination. He will bring whatever He is working in you to fulfillment.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Hold the vision, trust the process.</div>
<div>
It's a daring adventure that is incredibly worth it. Every step.</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-35396405908967696012013-07-21T13:33:00.000-05:002013-07-21T13:33:28.658-05:00<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The following excerpt was taken from "Experiencing God's Presence" by Chris Tiegreen: </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"As the waters fill the sea, the earth will be filled with an AWARENESS OF THE GLORY of the LORD." Habakkuk 2:14</span></div>
<br />
Scripture is filled with majestic, sweeping verses like this one. Some of them envision nations streaming to Jerusalem for worship or every knee bowing before Jesus. Many portray a level of victory for God's Kingdom that, in light of the headlines we read, seems hopelessly far-fetched. So what do we do? We take the really good promises and defer them to that "one day" after Jesus comes back - the millennial kingdom or the heavenly city. We modify an old adage with a spiritual twist" 'If something seems too good to be true, it probably is - this side of heaven.'<br />
<br />
We've been conditioned to not believe extravagantly. We've been disappointed too often, even by other Christians and our own perceptions of God. So if an extravagant declaration from Scripture doesn't seem realistic to us, we assume it belongs to another age. The problem is that in doing so with something God plans for this age, we forfeit any meaningful participation in it. To be specific, we don't pursue great manifestations of His glory because we don't believe He will give them now. In our beliefs, we default to the status quo.<br />
<br />
Do you really want to experience God? Then have big vision - a vision that honors what He has said prophetically and that fits His heart for the world. Small visions don't capture his heart and don't reflect who He is. He doesn't fill nearsighted hearts with faith because they don't really need it. But those who lift up their eyes and envision God's victories in this world will find HIs strong support within and around them. He Presence accompanies His agenda.<br />
<br />
<i>Father, I not only want to see Your glory fill me, I want to see it fill the earth. Increase my vision to believe such things and to pursue them. In my lifetime, let me see Your Kingdom advance in ways I never imagined.</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-67956976266447274292013-07-16T21:06:00.002-05:002013-07-16T21:06:20.630-05:00a call to a community of unity.
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:DocumentProperties>
<o:Revision>0</o:Revision>
<o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime>
<o:Pages>1</o:Pages>
<o:Words>736</o:Words>
<o:Characters>4200</o:Characters>
<o:Company>Auburn University </o:Company>
<o:Lines>35</o:Lines>
<o:Paragraphs>9</o:Paragraphs>
<o:CharactersWithSpaces>4927</o:CharactersWithSpaces>
<o:Version>14.0</o:Version>
</o:DocumentProperties>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>JA</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="276">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]-->
<!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Cambria;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<!--StartFragment-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">We were made for
COMMUNITY</b>. We were meant for a shared journey with one another. We are a
body. We can’t do it on our own. We need each other. There is a reason why we
gather as believers. There is a reason why we share testimony to build up each
other’s faith in what the Lord is doing. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Traveling here there and everywhere over the
past year (or being out of college for that matter) has made the word
“community” translate something in my heart like never before. It has bubbled
up a thankfulness in my heart from a deep deep well for the people that I’m
surrounded by and live life with. He has entrusted something beautiful to me. Community
- It makes you come alive. We all ache for real community that knows us, that
understands us, encourages us, and yes pushes us. Believe it or not, we want to
be pushed and challenged. We want MORE. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“Let us hold fast the profession of our
faith without wavering (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider
one another to <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">PROVOKE</b> unto love and
good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner
of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day
approaching.“ [Hebrews 10: 23-25 KJV]<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I love the word provoke here. It’s edgy. It pushes. It
challenges. By definition it’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">to stir
up, or call forth (feelings, desires, or activity), to give rise to, induce, or
bring about. </i>In essence, to leave the so-called vision state we are in for an
expanded vision of another.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>Provoke
each other to what? To love, and yes good works. I know a lot of us think good
works, and our mind immediately goes to service projects, or have like a “good
deed” mentality. However, there is more here than just meets the eye. I learned
something here going over this text. By the original Greek translation the word
used for works here is “ergon” and is translated in this passage into “God
works.” Wow. SO…. Let us provoke each other into God works. Amazing. This altered
my thinking all together and dropped something in my heart that just stirred me
to overflow. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">God works --- the kind of
things that ONLY GOD CAN DO</b>. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Let us
provoke each other into things that only God can do. </b>To push each other
past ourselves and to things that there is no way we can do in and of
ourselves; things that if God doesn’t show up will not happen. This takes big
faith. And even just saying that makes me want to jump out of my seat with
excitement. We all want to be apart of something we cannot do on our own -
something far greater than ourselves. It’s exhilarating. However, this cannot
happen on our own. This takes other people coming along side us, to join us in
vision and faith. To provoke us. There are times when I can’t believe, when I
am filled with doubt, or quite frankly scared out of my mind. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">We need each others’ faith.</b> We are a
line walking together as a community toward a goal and when I weaken and fall
behind I need someone to push me back to the line, and not only to the line but
forward. I need someone to provoke me. There is a beautiful responsibility we
take on for each other as a community of believers - it’s about the physical
representation of the church, CHRIST, on this earth – His glory; His renown,
and that is our united aim. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What is our expectation? What is our vision? What is your
God given calling? The questions arises shouldn’t our aim be high, our vision
be huge if we know and understand we have the spirit of God that raised Christ
from the dead and that that same power resides in and is working through us?
And not only if we understand that individually, but take hold of that corporately–
the power in that to do the immeasurably more He promises in Ephesians 3:20-21
astounds me. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We need to leverage our faith for each other. In moments
when one can’t see what’s ahead, we can be their eyes. In moments when someone
can’t believe the capacity of what the Lord has called them to, we can believe
for them. When someone can move anymore, we can be their legs. It is more about
awakening each other to what is already in us: what He has spoken- calling out
gifts in each other to use for the kingdom, reminding each other of the
authority we have in Christ and ultimately pushing and helping each other grow
into the likeness of Christ.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Going back to the Hebrews 10 verse above, I love the mention
of encouraging the body as well as provoking the body. We need to be
encouraged, but we also need to be pushed for more… into a fullness of life
that we could not attain without the power of Christ. As a community, as a
body, we are entering a new frontier of risk and faith. Let us take the safety
net out of our prayers and pray boldly, believing and trusting the Lord to do
what He has promised. Let’s in unity spur and provoke each other into things
that only God can do. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">“<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">But </b></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;">we</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 16.0pt;"> </span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">are not of those who shrink back</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> and are destroyed, <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">but of those who have faith</b> and preserve their souls.” [Hebrews
10:39]<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-67440429948447215092013-05-19T16:52:00.001-05:002013-05-19T16:52:31.872-05:00hunker down.Wow, have I been learning a ton lately about the character of the Lord. Gut check rather. However, He is good. He is faithful. Always. He does not delay. He always comes through and YES regardless of whether we can or cannot see. And YES whether we can see Him moving or not. <div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;"><br /></span><div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #45818e;">"Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the <u>conviction of things not seen</u>." [Hebrews 11:1]</span><br /><div>
<br /></div>
<div>
However, we know that deep roots come with trials. Come with lots of gut checks. And "because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance." [James 1:3]. Which way are you going to go? Are you going to stand in the way of faith? or Are you going to give up and leave what you know because it is not looking like He is coming through or maybe for that matter doing anything? A lot of us could probably be able to stand before the trial and of course pick standing in the way of faith, but it's in the wind and the waves were this becomes so crucial, co critical, on which everything hinges. </div>
</div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">As of lately I have been sticking around 1st and 2nd Kings. These books are so rich; it's packed full. In 1 Kings 18, there is a story that comes to my mind often here lately. Let me kind of hash out what's going on here. The people<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> of Israel had began to worship other gods other than the Most High God. They were praying to the god Baal. However, there was severe famine in the land and they were praying to both God and Baal for the famine to lift and rain to come, going back and forth (being half-hearted). </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> The word of the Lord came to Elijah the prophet saying, "go show yourself to Ahab (the kind of Israel) and I will bring the rain upon the earth. Elijah went to Ahab stating he had abandoned the commandments of the Lord and told him (in a summary) we will test your god against mine. Elijah said to the people, "How long will you go limping between two different opinions? if the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.' (v.21) </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;">Oh goodness the significance of this statement is great. When we find ourselves in the middle of just going with faith and then second guessing in our flesh. It can be so weakening. We start limping. We are not strong either way. This is what Elijah was trying to convey to the people of Israel.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"> Elijah challenges the people of Israel to make a decision, but they did not say a word. Then Elijah says okay lets prepare a sacrifice and the let you call on your god and I will call upon the name of the Lord and whichever one answers by fire, he is God. the people agreed. They cried to Baal and nothing happened and Elijah cried out to the Lord and the sacrifice was consumed by the Lord by fire. (<i>something interesting I thought that was as they prepared the sacrifice before they were about to cry out to the Lord after nothing from Baal, Elijah had them fill 4 waterpots with water to pour on the sacrifice to show he was requiring more of the Lord than from Baal. He was confident that not only would the Lord consume the dry sacrifice with fire but they he could consume and wet sacrifice with water - trying to make a deep impression on the people that the Lord is mighty. So neat.</i>)</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #222222;"><div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">... After the Lord showed Himself, Elijah said to Ahab, "Go up , eat and drink, for there is a sound of the rushing of rain." (v. 41). He knew what the Lord had said, <u>he knew </u>He would send the rain like He promised. <b>He knew not because he was confident in his knowing, but confident in the one that he KNEW.</b> He knew the fulfillment of the drought (hard time) was over. Elijah then went up to the top of Mount Carmel and he bowed himself down on the earth and put his face between his knees." (v.42)... Okay, so he sent Ahab about his business and then Elijah got to his business and put himself in a posture of praying. I find it so interesting the posture Elijah is in because he is not standing, kneeling or sitting but rather in a position that in that day was for child bearing. Women would sit in that position to have babies. It is so cool because it signifies Elijah was birthing something, he knew something was to come out of this. He believed it. He HUNKERED DOWN in prayer. So Elijah says to his servant, "Go up now, look toward the sea (to see if the rain was coming). And he went up and looked and said 'There is nothing.' And he [Elijah] said, 'Go again.' seven times. Seven times he sent his servant back. However, that means that six times he was heard nothing, saw nothing. Right here in this little moment is where so many people can identify. With disappointment, feeling forgotten, not understanding what the Lord is doing and maybe doubting whether or not He will come through. However, the seventh time after sending the servant, he [servant] said, 'Behold, a little cloud like a man's hand is rising from the sea." OKAY... this is incredible interesting and neat to me. Elijah KNEW the Lord had promised rain and was going to send rain. The persistency and fervency of the prayer of Elijah here, it's obvious He knows what the Lord said will NOT take no for an answer. He stays hunkered down in prayer until he sees the promise of the Lord come to pass. </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When Elijah hears word of the "small" sign of rain, he says to his servant, "Go up, say to Ahab 'Prepare your chariot and go down, lest the rain stop you.' And in a little while the heavens grew back with clouds and wind, and there was a great rain." (v. 45) .... I think it is amazing that after the sight of only a small cloud the side of a man's hand rising Elijah knew the torrential downpour was coming and told Ahab. He was so confident. He was bold. I don't know if I with just seeing one tiny cloud would be as bold to say oh YES the rain is coming I am confident of this. I wonder how many times I question the little clouds asking for the Lord to show me more, or maybe wait around longer to make sure I see other clouds. Elijah's faith is so honorable.</span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Charles Spurgeon used this text when he was describing "<b>certain signs and tokens for good, which prayerful faith clearly perceives when an awakening, a genuine revival is about to come.</b>" He goes on to say that we should make note of the little clouds in our lives to not take them likely. </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">How many times have I missed little clouds? We so often see HUGE movements and so often take the little clouds for granted that lead up to these moments to those things. It's those moments of hunkering down in prayer and rooting in & trusting the promise of the Lord to come to pass before the rain comes - those make a person. It weaves something beautiful in a person. </span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Lord is FAITHFUL. That is who He is. He doesn't have to prove Himself faithful because that's just who He is. You cannot add or take away from Him. But He chooses to reveal and show Himself to us because of His great. So do not lose heart because He WILL COME THROUGH. He always does. Keep pressing in and keep trusting Him. He is for you. He hasn't forgotten or looked away from you for one second. </span></div>
<div style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<br /></div>
</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-19571801705137842412013-03-13T07:29:00.004-05:002013-03-13T07:29:48.033-05:00Ephesians 4:1-3Thankful to a sweet friend for sharing this timely Word from Ephesians this morning,<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">"In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk - <u>better yet, run!- on the road God called you to travel</u>. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline - not in fits and starts, <u>but steadily</u>, <u>pouring yourselves out</u> for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences." </span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-44382071898331121972013-03-12T15:51:00.004-05:002013-03-12T15:51:58.837-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXhQfKZLERiYSvpv3dreTUMm-wgPeUPboO1L-ErZVYUSjRM1r3PcHPMyD-CGjlQZmKXcRsL7TNt28EtmiyspwpM2RIxTFUG4Xvls0_w6RJ-cMENqtuxdEnbSFY50S7ojSY4oUZFflKVzx/s1600/tumblr_ma4m0qy7WG1qzod87o1_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoXhQfKZLERiYSvpv3dreTUMm-wgPeUPboO1L-ErZVYUSjRM1r3PcHPMyD-CGjlQZmKXcRsL7TNt28EtmiyspwpM2RIxTFUG4Xvls0_w6RJ-cMENqtuxdEnbSFY50S7ojSY4oUZFflKVzx/s640/tumblr_ma4m0qy7WG1qzod87o1_1280.jpg" width="424" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Even when it's hard, I pray this is always my prayer.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-21693816793226199922013-03-11T14:12:00.000-05:002013-03-11T14:12:19.513-05:00ENOUGH for today.I recently listened to an incredible podcast by Louie Giglio titled, "Enough for Today" (if you have a chance, listen to it <a href="http://www.passioncitychurch.com/watch#PCC-030313-V3">here</a>.) It was an incredible teaching. I realize how quick we are to jump to future things and not rest in just today. We can say yes Jesus is enough for today AND tomorrow, or today AND forever. It's like we bust at the seams to put that "and" in there. Yes He is enough always, faithful always, good always, but we are only promised when we wake up what He has for us in this day now and so often we miss it because we are anxious about the next day or the next month. We cannot access those promises yet. We cannot access tomorrow's promises today. He is sufficient for the day. Just like the manna He gave the Israelites in the desert, He told them He would supply all they needed for the day. However, some of them stored up to make sure they had enough for the next day and "it bred worms and stank" (Exod 16: 20). How often are we like these Israelites? I am guilty of this often, wheeling my mind over and over trying to plan this and that and get things done, get ahead. When the Lord is saying to me, "Be still, daughter, I am working on your behalf. Trust me. Depend on me, not your own strength. I am here today. Present with You now."<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
He is perfectly provisional for the day.</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"Give us this day our DAILY bread." Matthew 6:11</b></div>
<br />
Instead of manna, we now have the bread of Life. By His son. His blood covers everything that happened and we get to stand a new every single morning, and so often we do not claim that. So often we do not operate in the promises the Lord has for us in the day. It is so important to remember that we have a Father that knows what we need BY day, BY moment. I pray that we SHIFT our mindset to instead of worrying about how things will work out tomorrow, or next week to saying I KNOW You, Oh Lord, will provide for me today; I need not worry about tomorrow - You WILL be faithful - You WILL come through. Let us rest in that the Lord is fighting on our behalf in our stillness (Exodus 14:14).<br />
<br />
When I fail to let Jesus be enough for me today, I fail to reflect His sufficiency to others.<br />
<b>Let us live in all the fullness He grants today. </b>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-47751426715630092532013-03-05T11:40:00.001-06:002013-03-05T11:40:21.825-06:00In the wait.<i>In the wait.</i><br />
<br />
Something our generation hates to hear. Wait. We can hardly stand commercials, or a website loading, much less an entire season of "wait"appointed from the Lord. We are used to having everything at our immediate request. Honestly, I am guilty of liking everything to be done efficiently and quickly. However, that's not exactly how the Lord operates all the time.<br />
<br />
For instance, King David was no stranger to waiting. He was anointed to be king by the prophet Samuel, as the youngest of his father Jesse's sons. Instead of rushing to take the throne, it would be years before he was set to be king. The Lord had to prepare him to be king. David was a shepherd boy, and that's what he did day in and day out. David waited on the Lord to take him from the pasture to the palace. Even though David was appointed and anointed didn't mean he didn't have to wait for the right time. His waiting was a extremely important intimate time with the Lord that would set the stage for the rest of David's life. Even in the wait the Lord was moving on David's behalf. He does not delay.<br />
<br />
To feel, doubt, or not trust the Lord is faithful or that He will not provide is denying that He has done it in the past. The Lord is who He is all the time, never changing, without shadow. He is FAITHFUL that is WHO HE IS. He is a PROVIDER, that is WHO HE IS. He does deliver. He is a DELIVERER. He did not leave Jonah in the whale. He did not leave Hannah barren. He did not leave Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the fire. He did not leave David stranded when fighting Goliath. He did not leave Moses and the Israelites staring at the Red Sea not knowing how to cross, when the Egyptians were approaching. He did not leave His only Son in the grave. HE PROVIDES, HE IS FAITHFUL, and HE DOES DELIVER. We can't stand here now and doubt His faithfulness now because we would have to say He wasn't faithful then. He is the same today, yesterday, and forever. We have to remember His faithfulness. Feed on faithfulness like it says in Psalm 37:3. Just because He has spoken something into our life that we have not seen come to fruition does not mean it won't. There is a time. There is a season. He will come through.<br />
<br />
We also have to give up "trying to help God out" in our own flesh because it accomplishes nothing and may even prolong the time until the promise is fulfilled. We need to just receive from Him, which is often much easier said then done, which of this I am guilty myself. We must rest in the fact that He has it, always has, and always will.<br />
<br />
It's hard in waiting seasons to see the purpose, especially if it feels like it has been dragged out. However, we must rest assure the Lord is weaving something incredible. He is always working things together for our good. Our best. Refining us to depend on Him, alone. Trusting Him with everything we've got. Persevering. Continuing to know WHO He is and what He says. Even through the heat of the process it is such an incredibly beautiful thing - and the coolest thing, the Lord never lost sight of the beauty that is coming. It has always been His focus and will remain until we see it fulfilled.<br />
<br />
<b>We must<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> HOLD the VISION, </span>and<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"> TRUST the PROCESS.</span></b><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ." Philippians 1:6</i></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-44601533514143368682013-01-24T10:03:00.001-06:002013-01-24T10:03:12.434-06:00Passion 2013 WOW, words can't describe how epic <a href="http://www.268generation.com/">Passion 2013</a> was. The Lord met us in extravagant ways. I was overflowed to the brim, just spilling over. We believe the Lord for IMMEASURABLY MORE and it's incredible to still see the ground shaking in the days after...asking for more.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_rqST0jcOF33nXfplIBa8E2OhKRfCF1ayK0TE_kgYrcULvY40vv8M7V954i-SoZcLzKZgrILDlUVYYHz9SksMvqEHLMPTR95obIU2B5SuMglYXJ4B97_Wg7VaQmACvFC4VK4FvDF4loao/s1600/IMG_7884.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_rqST0jcOF33nXfplIBa8E2OhKRfCF1ayK0TE_kgYrcULvY40vv8M7V954i-SoZcLzKZgrILDlUVYYHz9SksMvqEHLMPTR95obIU2B5SuMglYXJ4B97_Wg7VaQmACvFC4VK4FvDF4loao/s320/IMG_7884.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhE3HOcRtVyoXSqL7KZs-dyXqS4fQ3wTzw7yz4ABVnHdGsyD_p92qaybWcn_TpbznNE2ZbGtnnPD_95lfTcljSY_Mz_frnTDMevY6aP0sKzKBbv2cMDG5foCTQSCBFSPKe0hAsnDukH1U6/s1600/IMG_7889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhE3HOcRtVyoXSqL7KZs-dyXqS4fQ3wTzw7yz4ABVnHdGsyD_p92qaybWcn_TpbznNE2ZbGtnnPD_95lfTcljSY_Mz_frnTDMevY6aP0sKzKBbv2cMDG5foCTQSCBFSPKe0hAsnDukH1U6/s320/IMG_7889.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WyUx8z-Um6M4j29K74c0NhYA-GtfrN7ajsm6C4JttAbbd8VoJ1TFlwYDcJ_pEcjwAAbkhn678z7s7Nyrn5a-VXdjotPaoWcTP1peMQjgJH3sP9IW3IgsOHn08tqJ5ALPjfd0xpxvimzj/s1600/IMG_7891.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-WyUx8z-Um6M4j29K74c0NhYA-GtfrN7ajsm6C4JttAbbd8VoJ1TFlwYDcJ_pEcjwAAbkhn678z7s7Nyrn5a-VXdjotPaoWcTP1peMQjgJH3sP9IW3IgsOHn08tqJ5ALPjfd0xpxvimzj/s320/IMG_7891.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigEY9tfZg3icuUVbuzrroxEz7QInsERGr_xerFpIMdTI5YXBrI3lYjbj5qAxywFkmlHVqEqx-YqlDThtO1CgViwdI4zgdX8pxQ4EUoRrZ1sp-H0l-Du4uLjPRvLHstyXhSvt-G3k0ljqnX/s1600/IMG_7907.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigEY9tfZg3icuUVbuzrroxEz7QInsERGr_xerFpIMdTI5YXBrI3lYjbj5qAxywFkmlHVqEqx-YqlDThtO1CgViwdI4zgdX8pxQ4EUoRrZ1sp-H0l-Du4uLjPRvLHstyXhSvt-G3k0ljqnX/s320/IMG_7907.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirct-QnLYDDsetKn0vOognReo6qSbg6Putm0oZjF-W0OmiPESburLvVXXgsN7r9Y5ae3Spuuh6pPZpU2SLVCVuRPn5nkqiXzprQCsf2mIzjteiiQGDmUHQWw_6Zyz-ACS7WolSPcQTf3a9/s1600/IMG_7901.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirct-QnLYDDsetKn0vOognReo6qSbg6Putm0oZjF-W0OmiPESburLvVXXgsN7r9Y5ae3Spuuh6pPZpU2SLVCVuRPn5nkqiXzprQCsf2mIzjteiiQGDmUHQWw_6Zyz-ACS7WolSPcQTf3a9/s320/IMG_7901.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtc97Zr_bJIxHffTF31pDdr_8jFPrpPzEn306mzzGA2AZW5gPtYbB75df8wnnTynjFv1yaztoZTqxK8Q1HJ_tG2CLDfpMqAWjC6r1bUbwmF4vI4KQpkpmuNAAoy0hAhFNTXr4frBcrQYm5/s1600/IMG_7922.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtc97Zr_bJIxHffTF31pDdr_8jFPrpPzEn306mzzGA2AZW5gPtYbB75df8wnnTynjFv1yaztoZTqxK8Q1HJ_tG2CLDfpMqAWjC6r1bUbwmF4vI4KQpkpmuNAAoy0hAhFNTXr4frBcrQYm5/s320/IMG_7922.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-23007301477948070492012-12-20T09:54:00.003-06:002012-12-20T09:54:47.066-06:00reunion trip to NYC <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1k8QyvYnE5tq-ZZrV1fivoLLGLf7hpP4wLZVKz0BddaECseKyE_oz65clY2dZKlvHm7yNh6u-tS9szeFKO5US5MMMhw9BqIljwNlR7jyCMb2-dLiLHMbdNBW4phm17Qce3kbu1jwscoU/s1600/NYC+12-8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc1k8QyvYnE5tq-ZZrV1fivoLLGLf7hpP4wLZVKz0BddaECseKyE_oz65clY2dZKlvHm7yNh6u-tS9szeFKO5US5MMMhw9BqIljwNlR7jyCMb2-dLiLHMbdNBW4phm17Qce3kbu1jwscoU/s320/NYC+12-8.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_InjJP0T4bUK4XWRhs1ioySN_s-mLsrQTIw0FAnPrS0KFCeonkP2T6ReZ5u44gWKyVkkK6mWmV7SDwkjBzrbU9YHQhw4CEyDw0zHtu_P8Oi_GIHPQRZDSn9LHghK1cAUaR6fbkhBById6/s1600/NYC+12-10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_InjJP0T4bUK4XWRhs1ioySN_s-mLsrQTIw0FAnPrS0KFCeonkP2T6ReZ5u44gWKyVkkK6mWmV7SDwkjBzrbU9YHQhw4CEyDw0zHtu_P8Oi_GIHPQRZDSn9LHghK1cAUaR6fbkhBById6/s320/NYC+12-10.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6scUUXAOPK7dZdx9oXeN1bW34V6meRxqV4GKa3TqMQZs3ZR4lGkCPvfoHj8bd-zHgcmUsfo_R8Elius8uQ9Ez7Niv_Hk7aZaXd-4ahutzB8-qtRMLuviHhgtQBYMcCgzH3VJULS3cXLy9/s1600/NYC+12-20.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6scUUXAOPK7dZdx9oXeN1bW34V6meRxqV4GKa3TqMQZs3ZR4lGkCPvfoHj8bd-zHgcmUsfo_R8Elius8uQ9Ez7Niv_Hk7aZaXd-4ahutzB8-qtRMLuviHhgtQBYMcCgzH3VJULS3cXLy9/s320/NYC+12-20.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWWLGwzWWSq-U_fJPPjanS7B2L1ZK3yZX-77DZTD7kSc49ysR6NB9zPkG5VNwyfcnoKZdxYspq4WjvDYTRK4Dv7ZGt_RHXBNSnAj939on_hwjSaWGwhmgFpPims7xlnTpH7spogm7EoT_/s1600/NYC+12-38.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBWWLGwzWWSq-U_fJPPjanS7B2L1ZK3yZX-77DZTD7kSc49ysR6NB9zPkG5VNwyfcnoKZdxYspq4WjvDYTRK4Dv7ZGt_RHXBNSnAj939on_hwjSaWGwhmgFpPims7xlnTpH7spogm7EoT_/s320/NYC+12-38.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVxh_9coSGlKASGqcv6_7f3A_itz3TVs3mdAdF04XiU6ih-dPXcpWmGwd8KLAlKz2ySDMOxbiJlAGYX6Cs6N5CEwrX06934YGUC6gsuXIwLOYvZdf1YC9fAVL3xCc4TV9sPAoTWkrxoqF3/s1600/NYC+12-83.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVxh_9coSGlKASGqcv6_7f3A_itz3TVs3mdAdF04XiU6ih-dPXcpWmGwd8KLAlKz2ySDMOxbiJlAGYX6Cs6N5CEwrX06934YGUC6gsuXIwLOYvZdf1YC9fAVL3xCc4TV9sPAoTWkrxoqF3/s320/NYC+12-83.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvfZ9oSZtkYAXSzW8l5peFQSp0GMDRf9rOmvAm5hfZlB6KIgdtKRNFk5SVD27rm5Puo_PEXaUIU32UBcrQY4z-tJKXCZS9AGgl2ATJamPz3K9lPxnCQl8-5t2p84gJKVsNBAhEr7gnz0i/s1600/NYC+12-95.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimvfZ9oSZtkYAXSzW8l5peFQSp0GMDRf9rOmvAm5hfZlB6KIgdtKRNFk5SVD27rm5Puo_PEXaUIU32UBcrQY4z-tJKXCZS9AGgl2ATJamPz3K9lPxnCQl8-5t2p84gJKVsNBAhEr7gnz0i/s320/NYC+12-95.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0ertmBht2MkEGUQelJU574dr0Bz_FjJkkt7TugyIgzyhwYaYN6YP-psxJyUQKJLJUrNSij13QIQHXXWj8jQDmqH3yBWNtvoZXcJ-YyDvAaPtBsPI5z64rWKNasifT7mvubk8xmK2jNny/s1600/NYC+12-201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjC0ertmBht2MkEGUQelJU574dr0Bz_FjJkkt7TugyIgzyhwYaYN6YP-psxJyUQKJLJUrNSij13QIQHXXWj8jQDmqH3yBWNtvoZXcJ-YyDvAaPtBsPI5z64rWKNasifT7mvubk8xmK2jNny/s320/NYC+12-201.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpGQtmptJ921pd1rgyA5s_sVZqG7YaKqysHOJh5sNmpY-xB1mTiV99Uf4BZjwGCps8A3WSs3ptLXRz8GHX5Pj1UimaBq1OQGidZTGTjWD6vo2nx82tjz-ckJ-XQBFrXmoz8spkoZyk4CP/s1600/DSC_0463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihpGQtmptJ921pd1rgyA5s_sVZqG7YaKqysHOJh5sNmpY-xB1mTiV99Uf4BZjwGCps8A3WSs3ptLXRz8GHX5Pj1UimaBq1OQGidZTGTjWD6vo2nx82tjz-ckJ-XQBFrXmoz8spkoZyk4CP/s320/DSC_0463.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
We went to NYC a couple weekends ago to visit our precious little New Yorker, Becca, and it was such a blast. Of course, you get all these lovely ladies together and it's always going to be a blast. I treasure these sweet friends from college, they mean so much to me and have been such a blessing over the years. We spent the weekend bee-bopping around NYC seeing everything from a local standpoint and that was so much fun! Of course, we went to the tree --- Christmas in NYC, can you get any better?Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-18055763425117387802012-11-26T22:00:00.000-06:002012-11-26T22:00:01.768-06:00Tis the season<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBD5cfMvFQn-Ji63_Dpjp_RFfJmPdHxLTKsHaZ_EOur5tCPPr9QC_lQJf7LIt-XCLzY65fUQqJfXulCitrkKnTdbDRqs1_pUpH0D6g_XeU2ZH3ymN4ox46UF00sWNm3-G25Qf1hRuxu3pl/s1600/111956740708220474_KFgGS9pc_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBD5cfMvFQn-Ji63_Dpjp_RFfJmPdHxLTKsHaZ_EOur5tCPPr9QC_lQJf7LIt-XCLzY65fUQqJfXulCitrkKnTdbDRqs1_pUpH0D6g_XeU2ZH3ymN4ox46UF00sWNm3-G25Qf1hRuxu3pl/s640/111956740708220474_KFgGS9pc_c.jpg" width="426" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-32612516464364717782012-11-25T20:13:00.003-06:002012-11-25T20:13:30.426-06:00shadow of potential I was on a walk and the sun was setting behind me. It was so funny because the shadow in front of me looked about 9 ft tall. I started kind of laughing because myself as a 9 ft tall person is kind of funny and awkward looking. Then I started thinking... this is probably how the Lord sees us. He sees our potential as being so far greater than we see ourselves. I look at myself walking and all I can see as my feet but when I look at my shadow I see this 9 ft giant ahead of me that doesn't look what I think I should look like at all. He doesn't see limitation in me. He doesn't see where He has fallen or fallen short. He sees His Son. He sees greatness and far more abundantly than I could ever imagine or deserve. He sees the things coated with grace that He is going to do through me and the things He wants to develop in me. Then the thought arose in me, what if I saw people I met like that or the people I live life with? What if I saw the potential in them and what the Lord wanted to do in and through them rather than just what and where they were right then. I think this is a lot of how the Lord wants us to love people. To see where they are headed and what they are capable of and speak into that! To love them forward kind of. To encourage them to reach their potential. It would be an incredible picture of the Gospel if we saw the shadow of potential in everyone, the shadow of Christ - Christ in us, the hope of glory. I bet we'd love people a lot better.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>"Now to Him who is able to do FAR MORE ABUNDANTLY than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21</b></div>
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-48987221887730837912012-10-29T21:41:00.002-05:002012-10-29T21:41:47.107-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fEaiCm0l1jqZK5hVgevmCEH_jIIYtGNgmlxp1ZMi4zhuVAjQhG2j2CGyTbdXBg-OHvcibPZEH_YzeJ-BO2z_Xd289z0WB6VLsiMWVeOWHz6039sXGGvGxxNA2nWmKO-obS512t18Ma7Q/s1600/200550989627166426_TF3hRXE9_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2fEaiCm0l1jqZK5hVgevmCEH_jIIYtGNgmlxp1ZMi4zhuVAjQhG2j2CGyTbdXBg-OHvcibPZEH_YzeJ-BO2z_Xd289z0WB6VLsiMWVeOWHz6039sXGGvGxxNA2nWmKO-obS512t18Ma7Q/s400/200550989627166426_TF3hRXE9_c.jpg" width="313" /></a></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-75765405471410689092012-10-17T11:08:00.000-05:002012-10-17T11:08:18.865-05:00love, it's a powerful thing. it is.This morning I had to leave super duper early, even before the sun to make it to Georgia for work. I secretly love these times because everything is so unbelievably quiet and still. So therefore, I had a full day by 10AM. I was so humbled and felt so blessed when I got out of the hospital to all the messages I had received from my sweet and treasured friends for my birthday. Just felt so overwhelmed in a sweet sweet way by their love. Thankfulness overflowed my heart.<br />
<br />
Then, when I was driving back to Alabama I passed this man standing on the side of the road, trying to get a ride, with just a small bag, not much with him. I started thinking... I have this cellphone that people have called this morning to tell me they love me and I have a car to take me to those friends and am so blessed to be around them often -- but here this guy stood, with no one and not much of anything. Tears started rolling down my face. It truly broke my heart. As loved as I feel, so many people feel so alone.<br />
<br />
We have no idea what the power of love does in someone. I know many times how it has completely changed me. Let us be on the look out for the ones that may feel unloved today - even a simple smile or wave. Love is an incredibly powerful thing.<br />
<br />
Let people know us by our love.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-44025628393068282752012-10-05T16:23:00.001-05:002012-10-05T16:23:13.355-05:00reCreate: Women's Conference 2012Last weekend was such an incredibly blessed time. We jotted off Friday afternoon to reCreate Women's Conference in Birmingham, AL. It is one of my most favorite weekends of the year. The teaching is always so rich and worship is splendid. Of course this weekend proved again to be just that! With Darlene Zschech leading unbelievable worship, teaching and <a href="http://www.godchicks.com/holly-wagner/">Holly Wagner</a> bringing the Word, it all just left my heart so so incredibly full. Even the last night was such honoring time being a part of the live recording of Darlene Zschech new album with Israel Houghton and Kari Jobe. I learned so much and just soaked up everything like a sponge. Here's a few snapshots from the weekend!!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wCItoKwUWJHAhFBGHbbvSalSfu2u7YEulLu0DmflSkZMXEmgVp8nhlcWlz2qnylAx0fewDxxMv1VLrcxqLNxaooB3cazGbBXlv_kjRvegH1n4TGSHBxowAyU75mA18crmoLNqdE2eB3V/s1600/IMG_5831.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3wCItoKwUWJHAhFBGHbbvSalSfu2u7YEulLu0DmflSkZMXEmgVp8nhlcWlz2qnylAx0fewDxxMv1VLrcxqLNxaooB3cazGbBXlv_kjRvegH1n4TGSHBxowAyU75mA18crmoLNqdE2eB3V/s320/IMG_5831.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjUocMkwNz5qZvUplYxhtRRF-MyGp278TZHGANvPvuNu0FA6lglHfKb_ygc-2HQ_R6TULALHsSBNXsUPqCPHo_jEoHzMRKsAm8HCjtda2i_byOVaRXyPUE84Sw8QaA7axyUsyxcCS3l2_/s1600/IMG_5832.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQjUocMkwNz5qZvUplYxhtRRF-MyGp278TZHGANvPvuNu0FA6lglHfKb_ygc-2HQ_R6TULALHsSBNXsUPqCPHo_jEoHzMRKsAm8HCjtda2i_byOVaRXyPUE84Sw8QaA7axyUsyxcCS3l2_/s320/IMG_5832.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnzyigBIpzWJTfwSb6eaBRO3R-uFtZQKoEo-VSIcIrLwWdxc-igIW28y70IzfolFT8SL6C6sqnLZQnTado9dNZB5R0eMWiiAtE_78kVmtG_U5L8YhtIKHYeG8TW35v_GmePy8xE_P_hL4/s1600/IMG_5842.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLnzyigBIpzWJTfwSb6eaBRO3R-uFtZQKoEo-VSIcIrLwWdxc-igIW28y70IzfolFT8SL6C6sqnLZQnTado9dNZB5R0eMWiiAtE_78kVmtG_U5L8YhtIKHYeG8TW35v_GmePy8xE_P_hL4/s320/IMG_5842.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-35496264986768406532012-09-26T19:15:00.001-05:002012-09-26T19:15:09.141-05:00Miracle in the MundaneWelcome to the most scattered of life 101, Taylor!<br />
<br />
With my new job (which I absolutely love!) I have been working crazy different hours and traveling sometimes states within a day. This fits my little adventure hungry heart. No day is the same for me. It's definitely keeping things interesting. I'm being stretched and learning so much. Good laughs along the way. However, let me tell ya - at times it can wear a girl out. I have mastered twenty-minute power naps whenever the time presents itself. Four AM and and Six PM have become some of my most favorite of hours, the stillness, so peaceful. Four AM I'm propped up big coffee in hand praying, jotting, reading, in the quiet I hear so much. Six PM, you better believe I'm on a porch of some sort or outside somewhere welcoming this beautiful and long awaited fall into my arms (did I mention, we are about to enter my most favorite times of the year).<br />
<br />
This morning, another early one, the sweet Father just blew me away with something, something small suddenly became huge, don't ya love it when that happens. I was praying about the day and my job and just asking Him to help me see the Kingdom even in the smallest of things, to see Him in my work. The people. The verse came to my mind from my devotion by Jon Courson (whom might I add, is legit), "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for men." (Col 3:23) This verse hit me in a completely different way today. He knows we work everyday, it's something we have done from the beginning in the Garden and still are, whatever that may be. Then, a flood of things just started coming to my mind. In the Word, the Lord reveals Himself so often in the normal day. For instance, take Saul traveling on the road to Damascus on a normal "work" day, going there by orders from the high priest, Jesus appeared to him on the road and changed Saul's life as he knew it. I think it very interesting that Jesus appeared to him on a road -- in transit, moving, not sitting still, walking. Andrew and Peter, just fishing a way on a normal "mundane" day, when Jesus asked them to be fishers of men, and they dropped their nets, and life changed in an instance for them. Moses, tending sheep, then boom God appears to him in a burning bush. Elisa, was plowing -- I mean that is hot, hard, not fun, and monotonous -- and it was then Elijah revealed his call to ministry.<br />
<br />
God meet this average people in an average day for them. On their own "road" per se, performing the tasks they were supposed to do. It was in the mundane, that He revealed himself. I so often think I am going to "miss it". What is that exactly? I don't know, just it. I feel like I am going to miss a certain road or way, or opportunity, or whatever it may be. But the Lord does not just appear to us in this glorious occasion that is like beaming with light and angels singing the hallelujah chorus. He does not need for us to make an environment for Him to enter in. Sometimes we think, "Oh I need to read and pray and go to this or that conference to meet with the Lord,' and I feel so often we can miss Him in the mundane. He can meet us and reveal Himself to us at any given time, in any given way. When we let Him completely have our mundane days, the day shifts to something sort of miraculous. Perspective changes and every little thing just seems to be weaving into this giant masterpiece that you have no idea what the finished product is or looks like, but you're just delighted to be a part that day. Its humbling and joyous all at the same time.<br />
<br />
But we say sometimes - Oh, my life is too chaotic for me to really hear from/see the Lord right now, too messy, too busy, too monotonous, too boring, too chaotic. Well, how messy and chaotic was the manger? He was born into chaos. He transformed the chaos into a glorious moment. A moment that changed every single one of our lives.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">He makes messy things beautiful. He makes messy glorious. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">He makes mundane miraculous. </span></div>
<br />
{Look for Him in your road}<br />
<br />
<i>Thank you Lord, that you meet us every single day, and are available for us every moment.</i>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3510573932368182515.post-63340625912024672512012-09-17T20:28:00.002-05:002012-09-17T20:28:20.813-05:00Kristen + William: Engagement <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit18lGnZjw-375daL-daon9ZRwq_DDTZ4ZlytFq3I5iKkaKAz_WhGXq44UNgxnAp8zANJq-rfMq0V7qaNypDfeUgheBIwcOaG5NTG73CuDH_vtn68Q0YytEkILBANCrRTFAuWe4OUG4Ga-/s1600/William+++Kristen+Engagement-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit18lGnZjw-375daL-daon9ZRwq_DDTZ4ZlytFq3I5iKkaKAz_WhGXq44UNgxnAp8zANJq-rfMq0V7qaNypDfeUgheBIwcOaG5NTG73CuDH_vtn68Q0YytEkILBANCrRTFAuWe4OUG4Ga-/s400/William+++Kristen+Engagement-3.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVKQbk128u_Zu6ihM14N1UXKZ0YXpR0KwLtjY0K6DlKbOFr2qzQlNrQG0KBF4x74Z2URvGj6QsNDzqa12wYSfR6yfBKbrO62R3Lhf8vVWB5G8whnKJmT_LItm4l7JchJ8y5ofmjSlgubb/s1600/William+++Kristen+Engagement-5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlVKQbk128u_Zu6ihM14N1UXKZ0YXpR0KwLtjY0K6DlKbOFr2qzQlNrQG0KBF4x74Z2URvGj6QsNDzqa12wYSfR6yfBKbrO62R3Lhf8vVWB5G8whnKJmT_LItm4l7JchJ8y5ofmjSlgubb/s400/William+++Kristen+Engagement-5.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMDtTWQFFFH9BNn3JMR7hzgv3C6MGoCNUrb6dhMP0ZeqvIczbEJH37iqRvzilDhchh6ycongVkKZzCx29nbKGEQjUMKbyfzkajj8VEpLCsW7U1Qa-gLDy0LAfptPtxPXu5s92bFGDeLzC/s1600/William+++Kristen+Engagement-63.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFMDtTWQFFFH9BNn3JMR7hzgv3C6MGoCNUrb6dhMP0ZeqvIczbEJH37iqRvzilDhchh6ycongVkKZzCx29nbKGEQjUMKbyfzkajj8VEpLCsW7U1Qa-gLDy0LAfptPtxPXu5s92bFGDeLzC/s400/William+++Kristen+Engagement-63.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixAzMfCGHc5KlCjU4n7j554D_IVtAPxer_EEs1lCg2CSmnCFjN-SIbHKn9LpOzGmvLfkxsw629v9Tjvor6IRMxD1EoayRJpz-lOfSZtKe_uaTdDnYelkunseWlG-GGEO-rzizChfLhyvE/s1600/William+++Kristen+Engagement-67.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjixAzMfCGHc5KlCjU4n7j554D_IVtAPxer_EEs1lCg2CSmnCFjN-SIbHKn9LpOzGmvLfkxsw629v9Tjvor6IRMxD1EoayRJpz-lOfSZtKe_uaTdDnYelkunseWlG-GGEO-rzizChfLhyvE/s400/William+++Kristen+Engagement-67.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
I have such a blast editing pictures for these wonderful two people. What a beautiful engagement at a farm with perfect lighting coming through the trees. Such an all around sweet sweet time for these two. Praying many blessings on their engagement and marriage. Happy Engagement Kristen + William!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0