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! :)
April 19, 2012
Isn't He Faithful?
God is so faithful! I've been driving since I was 16.... just like every teenager. But unlike most teenagers, I was unable to buy my own car. After time and time again getting so close to finally getting one, that just wasn't in God's plan.
When I got home from community group a week ago, I decided to look on Craig's List to see what they had car wise. And there, at the top of the list was a 2003 Ford Focus (my "realistic" dream car since who knows how long, along with my dream car the Mini Cooper). Red, in amazing condition! I freaked!
Dad took me that Saturday to go look at it... and I knew that was gonna be a bad idea. I was trying sooooo hard to contain myself. It was in even in more amazing condition from the pictures online. And it made it worse when I found out that it got near 30 mpg in the city.
Sunday we were gonna go back, but since dad got sick we were unable to. I was pretty bummed, but I kept telling myself tat if it was the car God wanted me to have, it would still be there on Monday waiting for me.
Sure enough, Monday afternoon, there it was. The Red Focus. And hours later, I was pulling my dream car into my drive way. God is so good! I love it! It's the perfect car for me... and t didn't help that I got an amazing deal on it. I am so totally blessed! As my good friend Lydia says, "God totally loves me!" I've waited so long to have one of my own, and He blessed me with one of my dream cars. He is so totally faithful!!!
April 18, 2012
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