My One Desire

This chorus from a Kari Jobe worship song has captured my heart longing in prayerful way! Been soo encouraged and blessed as the songs of her second album that just came out has been pouring over my heart and mind. Kari is a Godly woman with a huge heart for the Lord and worship! It's people like her, songs like these, truths from Gods Word, and Christ Himself who cause me to strive after God!!


" In your presence Lord let me find my strength. Your the breath in me, my everything. With heart bowed low and my hands held high, all consuming fire be my ONE desire. May my heart always sing I love You, I love You!"

What A Friend!!

These beautiful old hymn lyrics have been playing in my head lately.....thought I would some of the encouragement that the Lord has blessed me with. We have such a friend and hope in our Lord Jesus not like those in this world. We have someone to believe in and place all our trust in, someone who provides is faithful and has a plan.

What a Friend we have in Jesus, 
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry 
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit, 
O what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry 
everything to God in prayer. 

Have we trials and temptations? 
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged; 
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Can we find a friend so faithful 
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness; 
take it to the Lord in prayer.

Are we weak and heavy laden, 
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge, 
take it to the Lord in prayer.
Do your friends despise, forsake you? 
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In His arms He’ll take and shield you; 
you will find a solace there.

Blessed Savior, Thou hast promised 
Thou wilt all our burdens bear
May we ever, Lord, be bringing all to 
Thee in earnest prayer.
Soon in glory bright unclouded there 
will be no need for prayer
Rapture, praise and endless worship 
will be our sweet portion there.

Words: Joseph Scriven (1857)

Your Peace

Gods Word is soo true and perfect. And how many times a day, a month, a year do I fail, doubt, worry, and stress about life and all the joys and struggles that it brings. Life is such a precious gift and all that I have been given is because of the Lords immense love and mercy towards me. While getting ready this morning I had Pandora on and the hymn came on, "How Deep The Fathers Love For Us". That one sentence alone holds so much meaning and depth of truth. The nature of the God we serve is all loving 100% and at the same time through that love forgiving and righteous and holy not wanting that any perish but that all believe for the salvation of their souls. This love of God brings peace in the storms, comfort in hard times, and constant hope in the midst of battles when we remember that Jesus has overcome. 

How blessed am I to the point that if I never got married, never had kids, lost everything and anything in this life I could still stand secure in the hope of my salvation. I am a child of the King and my greatest reward is not in this life but in eternity with my heavenly Father. It is this truth that has kept me sane, content, at peace and rejoicing. This season of life has brought frustration, despair, discouragement, exhaustion, and some tears. 

I thank God that He knows the beginning from the end and the end from the beginning, that God holds my every moment and day in His hands orchestrating my life for His purpose and pleasure. I thank God for His continued faithfulness in my life as I wake up everyday and with His help and strength strive to keep a right perspective on life and all the hard times that have come about. May we never loose sight of the cross and the life changing work that was accomplished there in the midst of a life that may not be going exactly as planned. When we put Jesus as FIRST in our lives EVERYTHING else will fall into place at the proper timing.

"And I am confidant in this that ALL things work together for good for those who are called according to His purpose" Romans 8:28

Why I Hate Religion, But Love Jesus || Spoken Word

Here is a really cool video that some friends shared with me on facebook so I am passing it on to my Blogger friends as well!!

Mysterious Ways!!

This past sunday I attended Sunday morning church service at Shadow Mountain with Kevin since his family was in town for the week. I alway miss my church family at Grace whenever I am not there and usually have this attitude that Grace is the only church that I can grow in and be convicted and taught the Word. Hahah hahah, is what God was whispering in my ear it seemed like as I was sitting listening to Dr Jeremiah's sermon. How easily I completely doubt God!!!!! I doubt His goodness, His sovereignty over all things, His love, His mercy, His faithfulness, and His complete control and protection of my heart and life. Yet, in the midst of all that failure, and utter sinfulness God reaches down and uses all things in my life for my best interest. WOW............once again I am humbled and stand in awe of God, all He has done for me and all He is working out for the future. 

Dr J was preaching out of Hebrews, the hall of faith chapter and we were studying Sarah's life. Clear as day reading the passage I saw myself over and over again. It never ceases to baffle my mind how God chooses to use characters in the Bible that are just like you and me. Imperfect, unfaithful, complainers, unholy, sinful humans like us. Christ has given us people who we can relate to who we can sympathize with, who we can point at and say "YES thats me"! God made a promise to Abraham and Sarah that took 24+ years to fulfill. In the midst of this prolonged period of waiting, Sarah did her share of doubting, laughing, manipulating and questioning for sure. Does that sound farmiliar? I know it sure sounds alot like me.
Over the course of the past 6 months or so I have found myself in Sarah's shoes alot. When you have a direction from the Lord, when you have received a promise that you have desired for along time it is in that time of waiting and trusting the Lord to bring it to pass that is the most difficult. Those times when you believe what the Bible says is true and that the Lord has you and your life in the palm of His hand but at the same time the things you most desire in life seem so far out of reach. I believe it is in those times of desperation and great need that we can stop and see Christ the most. We are forced to trust Him completely, we are forced to surrender and give up complete control. You have to move past your plans, ideas,  and reasoning to come to a place of total joy, peace, and contentment. God is on the throne and still in complete rule of all life throws your way, what He has spoken He will do, and what He and what He promised will be fulfilled. This is the God that I am proud to serve, worship, and honor with my life till the day I die. No I am not perfect, no I don't always have happy days, but yes I am still being sanctified and matured daily by the person and work of my Savior Jesus Christ. I hope that this is encouragement to you as you continue to fight the good fight and walk the walk.

Knowing And Believing!

Recently on Ophra's Network she has been going around and interviewing different people. Last night she was on talking to Joel Osteen and his wife Victoria. I clearly do not support either parties for obvious reasons both in character and doctrine, but I was interested what questions were going to be asked and how they would responded to. As I was sitting there listening and watching I was so moved and convicted between feelings of sadness and immense gratefulness. As I was listening to this man who is so confidant, well spoken and loved by millions. A man who is being used by the Devil to lead people astray with his audience catered and performance like church service. To not once mention sin and the justifying side of God but only focusing on the love of God and His goodness, he was saying that it is the believers fault if they are poor or suffering or not living with the fullest blessings possible. Pastor Joel stands in front of his congregation and on national TV weekly preaching that God just wants to bless and make all people wealthy, healthy, and well off in all aspects of life if we just believe and trust in the Lord. He stands and tells his audience that as a Christian if you pray enough and have a right relationship with the Lord that you will never have to suffer, go through a trial and can have anything that you want in this life. I was so saddened by this as I was listening to him telling the world that the Word of God is not important in its whole, that you don't need to read Scripture in context that you can throw out the Word as long as you can take a verse at a time and make it applicable to life. 

I cannot help but question how it is possible that as a man who claims to follow the Lord can be so blessed and successful in his ministry as he clouds the Word and who Christ really is. It really made me think how extremely important it is to so sooo careful in our study and interpretation of the Word of God and how we display Christ to this hurting and desperate world. Yes God is loving, yes God is gracious, yes God is full of mercy and faithfulness, but God is also a God who cannot tolerate sin and wickedness. He is a God who demands justice, who demands our worship, dedication, our repentance and our servant hood. Yes we are messed up humans but there hope and forgiveness in the person, work and blood of the Lamb. Christ died and completely gave His life for so that we can live for eternity and live a life on this earth to bring glory and praise to His name and His name alone. It is so true that we are loved that God desires to bless His children for their obedience to Him but there is also consequences for our disobedience and unfaithfulness. Trials and hardships, those places that God places us all have a purpose and reason and are used for our good as we are told in Romans. The Christian life is not an easy one it is not one full of flowers and rainbows, it has its share of rain, wind and thunder, but at the end of it all it is so rewarding. In the midst of trial we have the greatest joy and hope to hold onto because we live in the palm of Christ hand if we are children of the King. 

Praise God for His saving grace, for opening my eyes to the truth of His Word and character and for continuing to teach and grow me. Let us not become discouraged but be praying for those who twist the Word and who are not living and walking according to Scripture and the way Christ desires for us to.