June 28, 2012
June 27, 2012
June 26, 2012
A Basis of His Grace Alone
I recently... as of today... came across this quote by Jerry Bridges, which I loved. Something I want to be reminded of daily!
"Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of His grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace. Every day should be a day of relating to God on the basis of His grace along."
"Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of His grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace. Every day should be a day of relating to God on the basis of His grace along."
June 23, 2012
Can You Say.... Champions?
Well... it's been that time of year for the NBA Finals... and after an up and down season... and marking my 10th year of being a fan... my Heat made it once again to the NBA Finals. What an exciting time to be a fan!!! James went into it strong, coming from an amazing series with the Celtics.
The first game verses OKC didn't end well... but I wasn't going to give up on my team this early. Game 2 came along... win! Game 3... win! Game 4... win! We entered game 5 with the series 3-1 Heat. What an exciting time!
Everyone but Josh had other obligations, so we invited Katie to join our little party. We had a blast watching the game! It seemed half of the Heat were on their 3's. Miller by the end had 7 for 8. It was crazy! And at the end, the game was a total steal, with the ending score 106-121. :)
The last time the Heat won the Finals, back in 2006, they beat the Mavs in Dallas. The stands were cleared out within 5 minutes of the game. But unlike '06, they won at home! So wish I could have been there!!! What a time to be a Miami Heat fan!!!! Can we pull off a repeat in 2013? I sure hope so!!!!
GO HEAT!!!!
The first game verses OKC didn't end well... but I wasn't going to give up on my team this early. Game 2 came along... win! Game 3... win! Game 4... win! We entered game 5 with the series 3-1 Heat. What an exciting time!
Everyone but Josh had other obligations, so we invited Katie to join our little party. We had a blast watching the game! It seemed half of the Heat were on their 3's. Miller by the end had 7 for 8. It was crazy! And at the end, the game was a total steal, with the ending score 106-121. :)
The last time the Heat won the Finals, back in 2006, they beat the Mavs in Dallas. The stands were cleared out within 5 minutes of the game. But unlike '06, they won at home! So wish I could have been there!!! What a time to be a Miami Heat fan!!!! Can we pull off a repeat in 2013? I sure hope so!!!!
GO HEAT!!!!
June 20, 2012
June 19, 2012
June 17, 2012
A Simple Formula
I recently wrote my testimony out of what God has done in the last 6 years. And how encouraging it was reading it!!! God continued to show is steadfast love and faithfulness to me, even when I wanted nothing to do with Him. How great He is!!!
It's also encouraging to look back on what He has done, and be reminded of that, and know He will continue to provide. Something I think we can all fall short of... but how kind He is to remind us.
"And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace." John 1:16
I'm currently reading the book Wild Goose Chase. Katie so kindly shoved it in my hand and said I should read it.... little did I know it was something I needed to read right now! (Thanks friend :) )
But one part in it, Mark Batterson is talking about when we have a change geographically, it can change us spiritually. And he gave a simple formula for this;
Change of Place + Change of Pace = Change of Perspective
How true that was when God moved me to Florida. He moved me from what I had known since I was 7. I went from a life full of friends, basketball, and working... to not working, no friends, but lots of time with family (which I wouldn't have traded for anything!) And I truly believe with moving to Florida and not having a lot to do, God really used that in my life. He used that time to bring me closer to Him.
Isn't He great in how He changes our life, when at times we don't really want Him to... but He uses that for our good! How awesome He is!!!
It's also encouraging to look back on what He has done, and be reminded of that, and know He will continue to provide. Something I think we can all fall short of... but how kind He is to remind us.
"And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace." John 1:16
I'm currently reading the book Wild Goose Chase. Katie so kindly shoved it in my hand and said I should read it.... little did I know it was something I needed to read right now! (Thanks friend :) )
But one part in it, Mark Batterson is talking about when we have a change geographically, it can change us spiritually. And he gave a simple formula for this;
Change of Place + Change of Pace = Change of Perspective
How true that was when God moved me to Florida. He moved me from what I had known since I was 7. I went from a life full of friends, basketball, and working... to not working, no friends, but lots of time with family (which I wouldn't have traded for anything!) And I truly believe with moving to Florida and not having a lot to do, God really used that in my life. He used that time to bring me closer to Him.
Isn't He great in how He changes our life, when at times we don't really want Him to... but He uses that for our good! How awesome He is!!!
June 13, 2012
June 12, 2012
♫My Redeemer's Love♫
My Redeemer’s love is deeper
Than the depths of sin and hell
He who was enthroned in glory
Came to bring us to Himself
My Redeemer’s love is wider
Than the breach my sins had made
He reached down into my darkness
He alone has pow’r to save
Deeper than the rolling seas
Higher than the mountain peaks
Your love is all I need
My Redeemer’s love is stronger
Than my fiercest enemies
He will hold me in the tempest
Through the flood He carries me
My Redeemer’s love will lead me
Through the deepest valley here
He will shepherd me and guide me
He will ever keep me near
Deeper than the rolling seas
Higher than the mountain peaks
Your love is all I need
Stronger than the rushing wind
Shattering the power of sin
Your love is all I need
My Redeemer’s love grows sweeter
As eternity draws near
I’ll enjoy His love forever
At His throne for endless years
My Redeemer’s love will fill me
On the day I see His face
I will love Him back forever
And forever sing His praise
Have you ever been at the beach, and seen a 15 foot wave? Or have you ever stood at the bottom of a mountain, and tried to look up at the top? If you ever have seen these things, isn't it crazy to think that His love for you is bigger than that!
Than the depths of sin and hell
He who was enthroned in glory
Came to bring us to Himself
My Redeemer’s love is wider
Than the breach my sins had made
He reached down into my darkness
He alone has pow’r to save
Deeper than the rolling seas
Higher than the mountain peaks
Your love is all I need
My Redeemer’s love is stronger
Than my fiercest enemies
He will hold me in the tempest
Through the flood He carries me
My Redeemer’s love will lead me
Through the deepest valley here
He will shepherd me and guide me
He will ever keep me near
Deeper than the rolling seas
Higher than the mountain peaks
Your love is all I need
Stronger than the rushing wind
Shattering the power of sin
Your love is all I need
My Redeemer’s love grows sweeter
As eternity draws near
I’ll enjoy His love forever
At His throne for endless years
My Redeemer’s love will fill me
On the day I see His face
I will love Him back forever
And forever sing His praise
Lately during my quite times, books I'm reading, and songs I've been listening too, are constantly reminding me of His never failing, steadfast love.
I love it when He makes it clear what He wants to remind you. You hear about it all the time. And it's been neat to see that everything goes hand-in-hand with my current memory verse;
"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23)
Then just the other day I was reading Psalm 106, and verse 1 said, "Praise the LORD! Oh give thanks to the Lord for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!" His steadfast love endures forever. His love grows sweeter as eternity draws near. Doesn't that just make you want to bust out in song? On the day I see His face, I will love Him back forever, and forever sing His praise!!!
My hope is that I can continue to see His love through my daily life. That I'll be reminded of what He has done for me, and that I can give thanks for even the little things in my life. For He IS good!
June 09, 2012
June 02, 2012
Bi-weekly Turns to Monthly
Well... I was trying to memorize scripture on a bi-weekly cycle. And I after doing it for a while, I was memorizing them in that 2 weeks, but once I learned a new one, I lost the previous scripture.
So, I've decided to do it monthly from now on. My hope though is not to loose interest in it, and stop memorizing it becomes it becomes apart of my daily routine. But that during the month, I will be greatly reminded of Christ love for me and that His grace is sufficient for me!
Starting this new technique in June, I'll continue to do the verse I'm currently on; the one from Lamentations 3:22-23
"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
So, I've decided to do it monthly from now on. My hope though is not to loose interest in it, and stop memorizing it becomes it becomes apart of my daily routine. But that during the month, I will be greatly reminded of Christ love for me and that His grace is sufficient for me!
Starting this new technique in June, I'll continue to do the verse I'm currently on; the one from Lamentations 3:22-23
"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."
June 01, 2012
My Very First and Last NEXT
There I go again... not blogging. And I have no excuse for it.
This past weekend, Josh, Kel and I made a trip down to Orlando, FL, for the NEXT Conference. Since we moved to Florida, I was unable to go these past years. So this was my first time, and my last, as it is the last NEXT Conference Sovereign Grace is doing.
The worship was AMAZING and so encouraging. One song in particularly was encouraging is the song off of the Gathering cd, Now Why This Fear.
Now why this fear and unbelief?
Has not the Father put to grief
His spotless Son for us?
And will the righteous Judge of men
Condemn me for that debt of sin
Now canceled at the cross?
Jesus, all my trust is in Your blood
Jesus, You’ve rescued us
Through Your great love
Complete atonement You have made
And by Your death have fully paid
The debt Your people owed
No wrath remains for us to face
We’re sheltered by Your saving grace
And sprinkled with Your blood
Be still my soul and know this peace
The merits of your great high priest
Have bought your liberty
Rely then on His precious blood
Don’t fear your banishment from God
Since Jesus sets you free
How sweet the sound of saving grace
What a truth we need to be reminded of daily. Something I am ashamed to say I forget. Since our time at NEXT, I have caught myself singing in a whisper, "Jesus, all my trust is in Your blood." Then I think, "Why am I whispering?" Yeah, I don't have the greatest voice, an yes I do sing off key, but God doesn't care! Sheesh! So I'll begin to sing it loader. Because how sweet the sound of saving grace! He died for ME! At NEXT and even now, those lines almost bring me to tears. Isn't it sweet???
On top of the worship, the teaching was amazing as well! Jeff Purswell did a great job explaining that we are apart of something that is way bigger than us. He took us through the whole Bible from start to finish... and you know as a kid that the Bible is one big story, but you don't actually see it until it's presented in the way he did it (unless I didn't).
I also really enjoyed Kevin DeYoung's messages as well. His one on friendship was very provoking to me. God has given me so many wonderful, godly friendships since moving back to VA, and for which I am very thankful! But his message really got me thinking... am I a faithful friend? Do I go out of my way to see how a friend is doing, and just stop right there and pray for them? No. I was really convicted.
The last two messages I LOVED. Matt Chandler and C.J. Mahaney. Matt Chandler's message was very convicting to me. Honestly, at times I'm a shamed to say that I hid from being a Christian... because I want to seem "cool". I have no problem blaring Pitbull in my car, but I do have a problem with turning Chris Tomlin up. Why? I know it's my sin nature... but I hate that. I love the verse that Tebow had on his eye blacks once, "May I never boast except in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ." (Galatians 6:14) He should be the one I boast in... not the world. One think that Matt Chandler said that keeps running through my mind is this; "When you present a 'cool' Jesus to our world, it's no longer the Jesus of the Bible, but a Jesus you created." What a convicting thought! Something I have never thought of before... it's not the same Jesus. Wow!
C.J. has always been one of my favorite preachers (followed by Aaron Campbell :) ). So this was the one message I was most looking forward too. His message was on the Church and Disappointment. He encouraged everyone to think of things that you find disappointing in your church and things that you see God at work. I have to confess that for a while there, C.J. lost my attention. I listed many things that I found God at work in KingsWay... but I couldn't find anything I was "disappointed" with. And after talking to my dad when I got home, I realized that after going to different churches in Florida, there were so many things we were without, that it makes us so much more thankful we are back here at KingsWay. The worship, the teaching, the pastors, the friendships and fellowship... everything! What a gift from God it is to me! And a job too!!! What an E.G.G. (Evidence of God's Grace).
Something else C.J. said got my attention. One is to never bring books on your honeymoon :). haha No. He shared a story of a pastor that was meeting with a man from his church. And the man was complaining about the things that he didn't like in the church... the worship, the teaching, etc. And the pastor who was meeting with this man leans forward and gave the man a 5 word antidote for this complaining. "It's not about you, stupid." Man! I couldn't find anything I was disappointed about KingsWay... but how I so often forget that this life isn't about me! It's not! There is only one who my life is about. And his name starts with a J and a C. So tell me who's in the house! J! C! (Sorry, I couldn't help myself. haha That's what you get for growing up in the early '90s I guess... :) ).
It's not about you, stupid! Those five short, little words are so grounded in truth. It's not about me, or you, but about Him who created us!!!
Sorry for this rather long post... and that I haven't posted in a while, but that's what God has been so graciously working on in my life. It's not about trying to be "cool", and it's not about me! But it's about Jesus, and all my trust needs to be in His blood.
Thanks for reading! :)
This past weekend, Josh, Kel and I made a trip down to Orlando, FL, for the NEXT Conference. Since we moved to Florida, I was unable to go these past years. So this was my first time, and my last, as it is the last NEXT Conference Sovereign Grace is doing.
The worship was AMAZING and so encouraging. One song in particularly was encouraging is the song off of the Gathering cd, Now Why This Fear.
Now why this fear and unbelief?
Has not the Father put to grief
His spotless Son for us?
And will the righteous Judge of men
Condemn me for that debt of sin
Now canceled at the cross?
Jesus, all my trust is in Your blood
Jesus, You’ve rescued us
Through Your great love
Complete atonement You have made
And by Your death have fully paid
The debt Your people owed
No wrath remains for us to face
We’re sheltered by Your saving grace
And sprinkled with Your blood
Be still my soul and know this peace
The merits of your great high priest
Have bought your liberty
Rely then on His precious blood
Don’t fear your banishment from God
Since Jesus sets you free
How sweet the sound of saving grace
How sweet the sound of saving grace
Christ died for me
Christ died for me
On top of the worship, the teaching was amazing as well! Jeff Purswell did a great job explaining that we are apart of something that is way bigger than us. He took us through the whole Bible from start to finish... and you know as a kid that the Bible is one big story, but you don't actually see it until it's presented in the way he did it (unless I didn't).
I also really enjoyed Kevin DeYoung's messages as well. His one on friendship was very provoking to me. God has given me so many wonderful, godly friendships since moving back to VA, and for which I am very thankful! But his message really got me thinking... am I a faithful friend? Do I go out of my way to see how a friend is doing, and just stop right there and pray for them? No. I was really convicted.
The last two messages I LOVED. Matt Chandler and C.J. Mahaney. Matt Chandler's message was very convicting to me. Honestly, at times I'm a shamed to say that I hid from being a Christian... because I want to seem "cool". I have no problem blaring Pitbull in my car, but I do have a problem with turning Chris Tomlin up. Why? I know it's my sin nature... but I hate that. I love the verse that Tebow had on his eye blacks once, "May I never boast except in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ." (Galatians 6:14) He should be the one I boast in... not the world. One think that Matt Chandler said that keeps running through my mind is this; "When you present a 'cool' Jesus to our world, it's no longer the Jesus of the Bible, but a Jesus you created." What a convicting thought! Something I have never thought of before... it's not the same Jesus. Wow!
C.J. has always been one of my favorite preachers (followed by Aaron Campbell :) ). So this was the one message I was most looking forward too. His message was on the Church and Disappointment. He encouraged everyone to think of things that you find disappointing in your church and things that you see God at work. I have to confess that for a while there, C.J. lost my attention. I listed many things that I found God at work in KingsWay... but I couldn't find anything I was "disappointed" with. And after talking to my dad when I got home, I realized that after going to different churches in Florida, there were so many things we were without, that it makes us so much more thankful we are back here at KingsWay. The worship, the teaching, the pastors, the friendships and fellowship... everything! What a gift from God it is to me! And a job too!!! What an E.G.G. (Evidence of God's Grace).
Something else C.J. said got my attention. One is to never bring books on your honeymoon :). haha No. He shared a story of a pastor that was meeting with a man from his church. And the man was complaining about the things that he didn't like in the church... the worship, the teaching, etc. And the pastor who was meeting with this man leans forward and gave the man a 5 word antidote for this complaining. "It's not about you, stupid." Man! I couldn't find anything I was disappointed about KingsWay... but how I so often forget that this life isn't about me! It's not! There is only one who my life is about. And his name starts with a J and a C. So tell me who's in the house! J! C! (Sorry, I couldn't help myself. haha That's what you get for growing up in the early '90s I guess... :) ).
It's not about you, stupid! Those five short, little words are so grounded in truth. It's not about me, or you, but about Him who created us!!!
Sorry for this rather long post... and that I haven't posted in a while, but that's what God has been so graciously working on in my life. It's not about trying to be "cool", and it's not about me! But it's about Jesus, and all my trust needs to be in His blood.
Thanks for reading! :)
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