♫Times♫

July? Oops! And it's now October....

Where to begin.... My life has been a bit crazy, most nights I get home from work, drink a cup of coffee, and crash. So what's new...???
So last weekend I went with Tammy and Katie to the VMI vs. Navy game. SO much fun! And since my whole family were out of town, on Sunday night I went with Tammy and Shaina to VMI to drop Caleb off. It was so good to see him that weekend! He's been greatly missed!

Since July, my family has "adopted" our friend Tj. He goes to Richmond U., which is less than 15 minutes from our house... so he often comes over for movie nights a few times a week. With a few late night runs to Taco Bell...

And most of you know that we moved into our new house... LOVE IT! It's so big, we can't yell down the hall to find someone. We actually have to call each other on our cell phones. And since we moved, Snuggs has been very vocal. He often sits at the top of the stairs calling for me... and once he hears where I'm at, he comes running. We've also been able to have people over! Finally! For Labor Day, we had around 50 people over for a BBQ. And we still had room! God is so good :)

Also, I began working at the church office full time in August, and I'm loving it! It makes my job a little easier now, in that I don't have to try to remember where I left off on Tuesday, when I come back in Thursday. When 5:00 rolls around on Tuesday, I know on Wednesday morning I'll be able to pick up where I left off. Due to being alone most of the time at work, I've started to have a daily goal. Kinda making a game out of it. For example, last week's goals were the following:
Tuesday - Have less than 10 emails in inbox before 5.
Wednesday - Have ALL Tuesday and Wednesday's todo's checked off by 5.
Thursday - Have less than 5 emails in inbox before 5.
Friday - check off EVERYTHING by 5.
This past week I got everything done... but the week before I "failed" one of my daily goals. And since it's like a game, I don't let it get to me. I just move that goal to the following day.

Also at work... Pandora is my friend :) I put on my Jeremy Camp radio station, and let it play. This has really helped me to be reminded of God's grace in my life throughout my day. Lately life has been a little down... and this has really kept my eyes on what life is all about. It's not about having a job, going to school, being in a relationship, etc... it's ALL about Him. Yes, life does have all those things, but we don't need to live for them; We need to live for Him who created us.

If you know me well, you know that I tend to get stuck on one song that I can really relate to in the season I'm going through. Right now, that song is "Times" by Tenth Avenue North. Though, the last verse has really been encouraging. They wrote it as if God is saying it to you. It says;

I hear You say,
"My love is over. It's underneath.
It's inside. It's in between.
The times you doubt Me, when you can't feel.
The times that you question, 'Is this for real? '
The times you're broken.
The times that you mend.
The times that you hate Me, and the times that you bend.
Well, My love is over, it's underneath.
It's inside, it's in between.
These times you're healing, and when your heart breaks.
The times that you feel like you're falling from grace.
The times you're hurting.
The times that you heal.
The times you go hungry, and are tempted to steal.
The times of confusion, in chaos and pain.
I'm there in your sorrow, under the weight of your shame.
I'm there through your heartache.
I'm there in the storm.
My love I will keep you, by My pow'r alone.
I don't care where you fall, where you have been.
I'll never forsake you, My love never ends.
It never ends."

How true this is! He is there through our pain, through the storms we face, and He will never forsake us! This last week was really hard, and I really was tempted to slip into dispare. But I fought for joy! Well I should say, HE gave me the strength to fight for joy! I wrote this song in my journal a few weeks ago, and this past week I kept going back to it. Reminding myself that He is always here... He is never going to leave me... no matter what I'm going through.

Another thing that has really been cool to see, is that everything I've been reading... in my Bible, Morning and Evening, and even songs that have been on Pandora, there has been a theme; Wait for the Lord. Don't you love it when He does that? :) It's times like these that I know He is here with me. He's on my side. Even when I don't like the path He has set me on... He did it for a reason. And I'll be able to look back in a year or two, and see His faithful hand in it all. I love this verse in Psalm right now... which is my current memory verse; "Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!" (Psalm 27:14) Wait for the Lord!!!

♫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! 

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! 

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."

Week Two of the Second Term

Today concludes my first week of the 2nd term. I must say God has defiantly given me peace this semester. I finished the last term with 2 B's, and only by His grace, I was ok with that. My Theology class was out of my hands. My teacher didn't quite see eye to eye with what I have been taught over the years, and because of that he took points away for things He didn't agree with. Even though they said in the beginning of the class to speak freely on what you believe. The book we were reading was a lot on what we do as Christians, rather than the work of Christ on the cross. And in my papers and discussion boards, I spoke freely. But it was clearly not what he wanted to hear.

My education class I finished with 89.5. Just .5 points away from an A. With everything that is going on in my life, I had peace with receiving that grade. Though I do wish it could have been an A, I mean who wouldn't?

So far my new classes have been going great! I am taking Bible and English, and I'm really enjoying both of them. This will be an easier term for sure! The first day my teacher said for us to start reading right away since there was a lot of it. When I looked at the assignments, I was required to read 30 pages for the week. Compared to the 100 I was reading for my Education class last term.

God has been very kind to me this year, giving me the strength he has for everything that has been going on from work and church, soccer, friends, family, and school. At times I don't feel like I'm gonna be able to get it all done, but some how, every week, I do. How kind He is!

Little did I know, my current memory verse was perfect for this past week. "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." - Joshua 1:9

Hope you are able to see God's amazing grace in your life at the moment! Because He is an awesome God. Thanks for reading!

Keep Moving!

Like I mentioned a few posts ago, I have been reading an amazing book for my Theology class called, Found: God's Will. Find the Direction and Purpose God Wants for Your Life by John MacArthur. An amazing little book! It was definitely a gift from God in this time in my life! Throughout the book, MacArthur tells us that in order for us to know God's will we must be saved, Spirit-filled, sanctified, submissive, suffering, and to do whatever you want.
I loved the whole book, but chapters 6 and 7 I really enjoyed. 6 was on suffering. MacArthur says,
"In the will of God, greatness follows along behind suffering, often far behind. And if a man signs on with Jesus with greatness in mind, he better be aware that suffering comes first. Otherwise, the will of God may begin to look pretty undesirable to him after he's been on the way a short time..... You may say, "But I don't suffer any persecution." Then maybe you're not living a godly life in the face of the world. But if you do suffer, it is a wonderful thing. The Spirit of grace and glory rest on you (1 Peter 4:14)."
To me that is such a comfort. At times, I feel like I have struggled way more than anyone else my age... I look at my siblings, and they seem to be living a "perfect" life. None of us have a "perfect" life. I realize that God used those times to teach me, to challenge me. "Suffering is linked with faith", MacArthur said. I wish I would have been walking in the light during those dessert times... but I hate to say I wasn't. And I wish I could say those suffering times are over. But they aren't. I did fall from God during those times in '07-'10... but what's different from then to now, is that now I'm walking in the light. Now, God has given me a hope, peace, and has opened my eyes to truth. I'm able to see Him at work, when during those 3 years, I couldn't. I still suffer. But God uses these times to make me stronger.

In chapter 7, keep moving (do whatever you want), is the last principle MacArthur talks about in knowing God's will. He says;
"So many people sit around waiting for that celestial crane to move them and saying, "I don't know what God wants me to do." They need to start moving so God can steer them to that area of service He has planned. Knowing God's will may mean pushing down a narrow line until you hit a dead end. At that point, God will open a door so wide, you won't be able to see around it - only through it!... You may bounce off a lot of closed doors but that is God's way of forcing you into His open one. Get rolling! Be persistent."
Keep moving! When suffering comes, don't stop! God is good, and I'm pretty sure He knows what is best for you.
It's sweet how God does things! Chapter 7 led me to my new memory verse, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (ESV) What a great God He is!

♫Your Grace is Enough♫

Don't you wish you could just totally depend on God all the time? Where you had no questions in your mind on what lies ahead. No fear in your heart on the road that is at your feet. Where you could totally say, "God, you are in control, do Your will!" And that was the end of it. I know I do! But that's not how He does things. Because through those hard times, He wants to teach us to put our life totally in His hands. He is so kind though! He promises never to leave us!

Right now, my favorite song is by Chris Tomlin, Your Grace is Enough. 

Great is Your faithfulness, oh God
You wrestle with the sinner's heart
You lead us by still waters and to mercy
And nothing can keep us apart


So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise, oh God


Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me


Great is Your love and justice, God
You use the weak to lead the strong
You lead us in the song of Your salvation
And all Your people sing along


Yeah, Your grace is enough
Heaven reaching down to us
Your grace is enough for me


God, I see Your grace is enough
I'm covered in Your love
Your grace is enough for me, for me

Something I need to be reminded of daily. His grace is all we need! Funny thing is, I googled to see if there was a verse that went with this song, and the verse that came up was the very verse I have been memorizing! "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." (2 Corinthians 12:9) 

What a God moment! Don't you feel God is speaking to you in those moments? When you are reading, or in my case, listening, and God keeps showing you things one after another that goes right along the same line. What peace that brings to my wondering heart!!! He leads us by still waters, and nothing can keep us apart! Your grace is enough for me!!!