Hello friends. I'm asking for your prayers today. My grandfather was in a car accident last Friday and was rushed to the hospital. He's been in critical condition, unconscious and paralyzed from the neck down. They performed a surgery Friday night to fuse three of his vertebrae, but his condition has not improved. Last night they moved him to the hospital hospice; his heart is slowing down and he is dying.
I praise God my brother and I were able to see him and spend a great day with him last month, but this is really difficult to handle. I'm trying my best, but most of the time I just feel like I'm walking around with a fake smile on my face. I know in my head that God is good, but so many of my experiences make it difficult for me to believe that in my heart sometimes. In the midst of times like these, I feel so under attack.
This brings me right back to losing my mom. Those wounds have yet to heal. I hurt for my family, losing another member. I yearn for heaven, for something better than this. I long for good things in this life. I find it hard to face the days this week. Please pray for me. Pray for my family, that this would draw them closer to the Lord, and not further away. Pray for my grandfather, that God would work a miracle in the last breath of his life. That's all I have energy to write today. Thanks for reading, and thanks for praying.
From JJ Heller
Your Hands
I have unanswered prayers
I have trouble I wish wasn't there
And I have asked a thousand ways
That You would take my pain away
That You would take my pain away
I am trying to understand
How to walk this weary land
Make straight the paths that crookedly lie
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine
When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands
When You walked upon the Earth
You healed the broken, lost, and hurt
I know You hate to see me cry
One day You will set all things right
Yea, one day You will set all things right
When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands
Your hands
Your hands that shape the world
Are holding me, they hold me still
Your hands that shape the world
Are holding me, they hold me still
When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave You when...
When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave...
I never leave Your hands
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
December
Well, it's the end of the year- can you believe it? The end of the semester has rivaled the beginning in terms of busyness. I thought I would recap and fill you in. My December is broken down into four parts:
Part one: The end of my first semester at FSU.
It's hard to believe a whole semester has passed by! We have been so busy! Our Bible study concluded in summarizing what we learned and what impacted us each the most. It was really awesome to hear how the girls grew in their heart for God's word. I asked the girls to write down what they're taking away this semester from our study, and here is what Denise wrote:
“I’ve learned a lot about spending time alone with God. It’s helped me to start spending time reading the Bible and talking to God about anything.”
How exciting to labor with the Lord on campus to see these young women grow!
Our last event together was the Christmas party, and it was quite an event indeed! We had over 75 people over to our house for snacks, the Christmas story, and a White Elephant gift exchange. It was a blast! Lots of delicious food! Deb shared from the gospel of John the Christmas story. Some of you might be thinking, John doesn't include that story. Well, Deb helped us see that he does!
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it...The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God...The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."
John 1:1-5, 9-12, 14
Jesus, the Word of God in flesh, came to communicate (as words do) to us who God is. We see here that Jesus has always been, from the beginning before creation, and it was through him that all things were made. John explains here that he brought two things: light and life. He is light in a very dark world, bringing to us life abundant and life eternal. So in this it's important to realize that God, who is limitless, not confined to space or time, made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness (Philippians 2:5-11). He chose to confine himself in time and space, to a human body, prone to sin and decay (yet he was without sin). And what's wild to think about is that he didn't begin as a baby, but as a fetus! You can't get much smaller or weaker than that! But He chose to make himself nothing, out of deep love for us.
Sadly, as he came into the world, his own did not recognize him. In fact, they hated, opposed, beat, and crucified him. Yet all along he knew this would be, and he chose to come anyway. Wow. And the good news is that for those who do receive him, we are blessed to be called His children. How amazing.
So the Word became flesh, and Mary was instructed to name him Jesus, because he would save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21); Immanuel, which means "God with us" (Matthew 1:23, fulfilling the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14). He made his dwelling among us, no longer a distant God, hard to relate to and understand. A man? Yeah, I think we can all relate to that. Now that's a new perspective on the Christmas story, one to rejoice over and celebrate this Christmas! God is with us. Amen.
Part two: Back to Ft. Myers.
After things on campus were wrapped up, I headed back down to Ft. Myers to meet my brother there to work on things at my mom's house. I've explained before how much I hate going there. Mostly because it's so painful and depressing; it's like ripping open a wound again. We spent 5 long, hard, grueling days at the house. What's more, the water isn't working. No clean water. No showers. No toilet. Perfect.
But I experienced the grace of God in that house. He provided. We didn't go hungry, we had a place to shower (thanks Mr. and Mrs. Sutkowy!) and a place to sleep, and we got a lot of work done. We mostly concentrated on sifting through everything we could find. We sorted and packed up books; went through every cabinet, throwing tons of half-used products away, saving what was useful; went through basically everything we've owned, trying to decide what's worth keeping; found every receipt, every check, every tax document my mom kept (the earliest dating all the way back to 1989!) and enjoyed a warm burn pile; packed up boxes; made a couple trips to goodwill; cleaned up the garage; worked on the car left behind; and discovered and saved many forgotten treasures. We must have had nearly two dozen bags of trash by the time we left.
Once we finished our work at the house, we rented a truck and hauled all the treasures we couldn't part with up to Tallahassee. It's hard to explain how strange it is to fit your whole childhood memories, every piece left of someone you love and miss so much, into a single closet. I know it sounds crazy, but choosing what to save and what to let go was like saying goodbye to my mom over and over again. It was incredibly difficult.
But God's word was my saving grace. He pressed three passages from Luke on my heart the entire time we were there:
When Jesus called his disciples to follow him, he encouraged them not to be afraid. It's hard and scary to let go of things. Our things, our family and loved ones, our past usually bring us comfort. Jesus was calling them to follow him, which meant they had to leave all these things behind. But he said, "Don't be afraid." He was calling them to something so much greater- to go after the souls of men! For that, they trusted him and left everything, their whole lives, behind.
The next passage is this:
So first he called them, then he began training them, and now he sends them out. Again, we see a sacrifice is required. He commands them to take nothing for the journey. No money. No food. No clothes. They had no place to call home. He was calling them to step out in faith and trust him to provide everything they needed. And as we continue to read on in the gospel and the New Testament, we see that he does. I know the circumstances are different, but the principle is the same. Things slow us down; we don't needed them. Eventually, everything is going to be destroyed. What we need to be doing is trusting the Lord to provide, storing up for ourselves treasures in heaven where moths and rust do not destroy, where thieves cannot steal (Matthew 6:20).
The final passage is this:
If anything is of value, it comes with a cost. And that includes following Jesus. There are three things in this passage that Jesus says are required, or we cannot be his disciple (not that he won't let us, but that it's impossible):
1. Love him more than anyone, even family (verse 26)
2.Carry our cross and follow him (verse 27)
3. Be ready and willing to give up everything we have (verse 33)
All of these requirements call for us to trust him. One point of note here is that we have a cross to bear. This doesn't just mean that we must deny ourselves, but also that we each are given a specific cross to bear. This produces experience from which we are able to more effectively minister to others in similar circumstances. The Greek word "Hupomone" means "to remain under." Most of the time, I want so badly to leave all of this behind, escape, and start anew. But God's plan's include Hupomone, to remain under, to endure suffering. It's difficult, but it's here we experience the grace of God.
So the whole time in Ft. Myers I experienced that, constantly reminded of these verses, and heard over and over again "Trust me, Victoria. Don't be afraid. You don't need these things, you need only me."
Part three: Summit II.
We left Ft. Myers on a Thursday, spent the night in Tallahassee, and then the next afternoon I traveled to Orlando in order to fly out to Colorado Springs for Navigator Staff Training. It was a quick and emotional turn around. But boy was I excited for something good. I LOVE the Glen and I LOVE my fellow EDGErs! It was so refreshing to be in one of the most beautiful places on earth for a week, receiving training, spending time in God's word, and catching up with so many great friends. Some of the workshops we had included Asking Questions, the New Test
ament, and the Life of a Missionary. Some highlights: a dinner murder mystery, a huge snowball fight, a day in Manitou Springs, a dance party, games by the fire, exploring the castle, meeting with Cynthia from PRT, seeing REAL snowflakes for the first time, and a winter hike up to Dawson's grave. Oh, what good times. I didn't want to leave. But I had somewhere else wonderful to travel to! From Colorado I flew to Washington to spend Christmas with my brother and Heidi.
Part four: Washington.
This part is unfinished, because I'm still here! And loving it! I arrived Friday night, we drove from Seattle to Anacortes, and then the next morning they had a surprise for me. All I knew was that I had to pack an overnight bag. We left on an adventure, drove through the Cascade mountains, and arrived in Leavenworth, WA. This Bavarian town has a Christmas light festival every year, and it was so beautiful! There w
as so much to see and do: delicious food, Christmas shopping, sledding, carols, an old bookstore, and the lighting of the whole town! Somehow, the snow had perfect timing: it started once we arrived and made the festival that much more beautiful. It was a great way to start the visit.
Once back in Anacortes, we found a Christmas tree, brought it home, and decorated it. She's a gorgeous tree. And we had a couple days to finish our Christmas shopping. My brother and I headed into town in his VW Bus; now that was a blast! He loves this thing, and it was so fun to ride with him, receiving glances, and getting compliments from strangers. More than that, it was just great to spend the day wit
h him :) We took our Christmas photo, wrote out our Christmas cards, and wrapped presents.
So far, it's been very busy but good. The past two days have included camping out at Starbucks, getting a lot of much needed work done, and getting ahead for next semester. Christmas hasn't even arrived, but I don't want to leave! Stay tuned for more updates! And thanks for reading :)
Part one: The end of my first semester at FSU.
It's hard to believe a whole semester has passed by! We have been so busy! Our Bible study concluded in summarizing what we learned and what impacted us each the most. It was really awesome to hear how the girls grew in their heart for God's word. I asked the girls to write down what they're taking away this semester from our study, and here is what Denise wrote:
“I’ve learned a lot about spending time alone with God. It’s helped me to start spending time reading the Bible and talking to God about anything.”
How exciting to labor with the Lord on campus to see these young women grow!
Our last event together was the Christmas party, and it was quite an event indeed! We had over 75 people over to our house for snacks, the Christmas story, and a White Elephant gift exchange. It was a blast! Lots of delicious food! Deb shared from the gospel of John the Christmas story. Some of you might be thinking, John doesn't include that story. Well, Deb helped us see that he does!
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it...The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God...The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth."John 1:1-5, 9-12, 14
Jesus, the Word of God in flesh, came to communicate (as words do) to us who God is. We see here that Jesus has always been, from the beginning before creation, and it was through him that all things were made. John explains here that he brought two things: light and life. He is light in a very dark world, bringing to us life abundant and life eternal. So in this it's important to realize that God, who is limitless, not confined to space or time, made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness (Philippians 2:5-11). He chose to confine himself in time and space, to a human body, prone to sin and decay (yet he was without sin). And what's wild to think about is that he didn't begin as a baby, but as a fetus! You can't get much smaller or weaker than that! But He chose to make himself nothing, out of deep love for us.
Sadly, as he came into the world, his own did not recognize him. In fact, they hated, opposed, beat, and crucified him. Yet all along he knew this would be, and he chose to come anyway. Wow. And the good news is that for those who do receive him, we are blessed to be called His children. How amazing.
So the Word became flesh, and Mary was instructed to name him Jesus, because he would save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21); Immanuel, which means "God with us" (Matthew 1:23, fulfilling the prophecy in Isaiah 7:14). He made his dwelling among us, no longer a distant God, hard to relate to and understand. A man? Yeah, I think we can all relate to that. Now that's a new perspective on the Christmas story, one to rejoice over and celebrate this Christmas! God is with us. Amen.
Part two: Back to Ft. Myers.
After things on campus were wrapped up, I headed back down to Ft. Myers to meet my brother there to work on things at my mom's house. I've explained before how much I hate going there. Mostly because it's so painful and depressing; it's like ripping open a wound again. We spent 5 long, hard, grueling days at the house. What's more, the water isn't working. No clean water. No showers. No toilet. Perfect.
But I experienced the grace of God in that house. He provided. We didn't go hungry, we had a place to shower (thanks Mr. and Mrs. Sutkowy!) and a place to sleep, and we got a lot of work done. We mostly concentrated on sifting through everything we could find. We sorted and packed up books; went through every cabinet, throwing tons of half-used products away, saving what was useful; went through basically everything we've owned, trying to decide what's worth keeping; found every receipt, every check, every tax document my mom kept (the earliest dating all the way back to 1989!) and enjoyed a warm burn pile; packed up boxes; made a couple trips to goodwill; cleaned up the garage; worked on the car left behind; and discovered and saved many forgotten treasures. We must have had nearly two dozen bags of trash by the time we left.
Once we finished our work at the house, we rented a truck and hauled all the treasures we couldn't part with up to Tallahassee. It's hard to explain how strange it is to fit your whole childhood memories, every piece left of someone you love and miss so much, into a single closet. I know it sounds crazy, but choosing what to save and what to let go was like saying goodbye to my mom over and over again. It was incredibly difficult.
But God's word was my saving grace. He pressed three passages from Luke on my heart the entire time we were there:
Jesus Calls His First Disciples
One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret, the people were crowding around him and listening to the word of God. He saw at the water’s edge two boats, left there by the fishermen, who were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little from shore. Then he sat down and taught the people from the boat.
When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.”
Simon answered, “Master, we’ve worked hard all night and haven’t caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets.”
When they had done so, they caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them, and they came and filled both boats so full that they began to sink.
When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at Jesus’ knees and said, “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!” For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken, and so were James and John, the sons of Zebedee, Simon’s partners.
Then Jesus said to Simon, “Don’t be afraid; from now on you will fish for people.” So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him.
Luke 5:1-11
When Jesus called his disciples to follow him, he encouraged them not to be afraid. It's hard and scary to let go of things. Our things, our family and loved ones, our past usually bring us comfort. Jesus was calling them to follow him, which meant they had to leave all these things behind. But he said, "Don't be afraid." He was calling them to something so much greater- to go after the souls of men! For that, they trusted him and left everything, their whole lives, behind.
The next passage is this:
Jesus Sends Out the Twelve
"When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.”
So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere."
Luke 9:1-6
So first he called them, then he began training them, and now he sends them out. Again, we see a sacrifice is required. He commands them to take nothing for the journey. No money. No food. No clothes. They had no place to call home. He was calling them to step out in faith and trust him to provide everything they needed. And as we continue to read on in the gospel and the New Testament, we see that he does. I know the circumstances are different, but the principle is the same. Things slow us down; we don't needed them. Eventually, everything is going to be destroyed. What we need to be doing is trusting the Lord to provide, storing up for ourselves treasures in heaven where moths and rust do not destroy, where thieves cannot steal (Matthew 6:20).
The final passage is this:
The Cost of Being a Disciple
"Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’
“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.
“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? 35 It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out.
“Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
Luke 14: 25-35
If anything is of value, it comes with a cost. And that includes following Jesus. There are three things in this passage that Jesus says are required, or we cannot be his disciple (not that he won't let us, but that it's impossible):
1. Love him more than anyone, even family (verse 26)
2.Carry our cross and follow him (verse 27)
3. Be ready and willing to give up everything we have (verse 33)
All of these requirements call for us to trust him. One point of note here is that we have a cross to bear. This doesn't just mean that we must deny ourselves, but also that we each are given a specific cross to bear. This produces experience from which we are able to more effectively minister to others in similar circumstances. The Greek word "Hupomone" means "to remain under." Most of the time, I want so badly to leave all of this behind, escape, and start anew. But God's plan's include Hupomone, to remain under, to endure suffering. It's difficult, but it's here we experience the grace of God.
So the whole time in Ft. Myers I experienced that, constantly reminded of these verses, and heard over and over again "Trust me, Victoria. Don't be afraid. You don't need these things, you need only me."
Part three: Summit II.
We left Ft. Myers on a Thursday, spent the night in Tallahassee, and then the next afternoon I traveled to Orlando in order to fly out to Colorado Springs for Navigator Staff Training. It was a quick and emotional turn around. But boy was I excited for something good. I LOVE the Glen and I LOVE my fellow EDGErs! It was so refreshing to be in one of the most beautiful places on earth for a week, receiving training, spending time in God's word, and catching up with so many great friends. Some of the workshops we had included Asking Questions, the New Test
ament, and the Life of a Missionary. Some highlights: a dinner murder mystery, a huge snowball fight, a day in Manitou Springs, a dance party, games by the fire, exploring the castle, meeting with Cynthia from PRT, seeing REAL snowflakes for the first time, and a winter hike up to Dawson's grave. Oh, what good times. I didn't want to leave. But I had somewhere else wonderful to travel to! From Colorado I flew to Washington to spend Christmas with my brother and Heidi.Part four: Washington.
This part is unfinished, because I'm still here! And loving it! I arrived Friday night, we drove from Seattle to Anacortes, and then the next morning they had a surprise for me. All I knew was that I had to pack an overnight bag. We left on an adventure, drove through the Cascade mountains, and arrived in Leavenworth, WA. This Bavarian town has a Christmas light festival every year, and it was so beautiful! There w
as so much to see and do: delicious food, Christmas shopping, sledding, carols, an old bookstore, and the lighting of the whole town! Somehow, the snow had perfect timing: it started once we arrived and made the festival that much more beautiful. It was a great way to start the visit.Once back in Anacortes, we found a Christmas tree, brought it home, and decorated it. She's a gorgeous tree. And we had a couple days to finish our Christmas shopping. My brother and I headed into town in his VW Bus; now that was a blast! He loves this thing, and it was so fun to ride with him, receiving glances, and getting compliments from strangers. More than that, it was just great to spend the day wit
h him :) We took our Christmas photo, wrote out our Christmas cards, and wrapped presents.So far, it's been very busy but good. The past two days have included camping out at Starbucks, getting a lot of much needed work done, and getting ahead for next semester. Christmas hasn't even arrived, but I don't want to leave! Stay tuned for more updates! And thanks for reading :)
Monday, November 15, 2010
Oh, how He loves!
Every time this song comes on Pandora, I have to stop and listen. It causes me to praise God, how he loves us with a sort of love we would never understand apart from him. My heart jumps inside me as it longs for that day heaven meets earth! The Lord grabs my heart through the lyrics, and I just want to share it with you. Take a moment to stop and listen, and praise God.
He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.
And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh! how He loves us,
Oh! how He loves us,
Oh! how He loves.
We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If His grace is an ocean, we're all sinking.
And Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don't have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way
He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.
And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh! how He loves us,
Oh! how He loves us,
Oh! how He loves.
We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If His grace is an ocean, we're all sinking.
And Heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don't have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
What Makes a House a Home
In all my life I never thought I would be living in a house with 8 people. I grew up with an older brother, but he moved out when I was only in 8th grade. After that, it was just me and my mom until I went off to college and shared a tiny dorm room with a different girl for 4 years on campus. Then I moved into an apartment with 4 other girls, hoping to experience community that I'd heard about from friends or read about in Acts. Unfortunately, it just didn't happen.
When I was told that I would be living with 7 roommates (two of whom are my bosses!), I was nervous. I am definitely an introvert, being recharged by time alone and reflection, so the thought of not only sharing a room with someone else (and for a while it looked li
ke there was going to be 4 of us in one room!), but knowing that there would almost always be someone home, didn't really excite me. In fact, I wasn't looking forward to it.
But one thing I have been learning in this season is how awesome and full of surprises the Lord is! His plans are so far beyond mine, sometimes I wonder why I even bother planning at all! Living in a community of people who are loving, encouraging, uplifting, and genuinely interested and concerned for you is so amazing. I love each of my roommates so much! Honestly, it's been so encouraging to gain a better understanding of what the author was writing about in Acts about the early church:
perience in humility, service, love and grace. We all left so much behind for this. Taking 8 people and all their things and putting them together in one house, there were many sacrifices we each had to make, but I don't regret it for a second. What I have gained is so much greater. We share stories, encourage each other when we're struggling, hold one another accountable, and give hugs when they're needed! One of my favorite things is when we somehow all manage to gather around the table together for a meal. With such busy and conflicting schedules, it really is a special time! I can speak from my own experience, it sure does make my heart glad and sincere and obviously causes me to praise God and enjoy these people!
Even closer still is my roommate, Lauren. Oh what a blessing it has been to share a room with her. I have never loved having a roommate before, but I do now! It's honestly weird when she's not home. I can't fall asleep! We share life, secrets, and funny stories. I have lost count of all the times we have almost died from laughing so hard! And we are so similar it's crazy how God has brought us together. We're both introverts, so at night it's just comforting to know she's on the bunk below me, reading as well. Or to encourage one another when we're believing lies about ourselves. Or on our days off, to have someone else with whom to indulge in my guilty pleasure: ice cream and America's Next Top Model :) I love her!
So what makes a house a home? I haven't felt this way in a long time, and it is so refreshing. I think above all else, what makes a house a place you can call home is that you look forward to walking in the door, knowing that you are about to walk into an environment of love and support. I have that here, and I am so thankful for it.
That's all for now! Thanks for reading!
When I was told that I would be living with 7 roommates (two of whom are my bosses!), I was nervous. I am definitely an introvert, being recharged by time alone and reflection, so the thought of not only sharing a room with someone else (and for a while it looked li
ke there was going to be 4 of us in one room!), but knowing that there would almost always be someone home, didn't really excite me. In fact, I wasn't looking forward to it.But one thing I have been learning in this season is how awesome and full of surprises the Lord is! His plans are so far beyond mine, sometimes I wonder why I even bother planning at all! Living in a community of people who are loving, encouraging, uplifting, and genuinely interested and concerned for you is so amazing. I love each of my roommates so much! Honestly, it's been so encouraging to gain a better understanding of what the author was writing about in Acts about the early church:
"All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."We share just about everything! From food to bills, living space to chores, having everything in common actually is a learning ex
~Acts 2:44-47
perience in humility, service, love and grace. We all left so much behind for this. Taking 8 people and all their things and putting them together in one house, there were many sacrifices we each had to make, but I don't regret it for a second. What I have gained is so much greater. We share stories, encourage each other when we're struggling, hold one another accountable, and give hugs when they're needed! One of my favorite things is when we somehow all manage to gather around the table together for a meal. With such busy and conflicting schedules, it really is a special time! I can speak from my own experience, it sure does make my heart glad and sincere and obviously causes me to praise God and enjoy these people!
Even closer still is my roommate, Lauren. Oh what a blessing it has been to share a room with her. I have never loved having a roommate before, but I do now! It's honestly weird when she's not home. I can't fall asleep! We share life, secrets, and funny stories. I have lost count of all the times we have almost died from laughing so hard! And we are so similar it's crazy how God has brought us together. We're both introverts, so at night it's just comforting to know she's on the bunk below me, reading as well. Or to encourage one another when we're believing lies about ourselves. Or on our days off, to have someone else with whom to indulge in my guilty pleasure: ice cream and America's Next Top Model :) I love her!
So what makes a house a home? I haven't felt this way in a long time, and it is so refreshing. I think above all else, what makes a house a place you can call home is that you look forward to walking in the door, knowing that you are about to walk into an environment of love and support. I have that here, and I am so thankful for it.
That's all for now! Thanks for reading!
Monday, November 1, 2010
Ministry of Reconciliation
A couple weeks ago as I was reading through Romans, the concept of reconciliation had been on my heart (now I'm beginning to understand why), so I spent my extawG reading about it. So what exactly is reconciliation?
I kept seeing it come up in the Scripture God was bringing me to, especially as we studied Genesis 1-3 as a staff team, I saw our desperate need to be reconciled to God. So let's go back to the beginning. These first three chapters of Genesis paint the picture of who God is, his desire for relationship with us, man's freedom to choose, Satan's craftiness, man's disobedience, and the entrance of sin and separation from God.
It wasn't meant to be this way! God created all that is good, and he created man for a relationship with Himself. In his love, he created man with the freedom to choose, for what kind of love forces or controls? He gave us the ability to choose to love him in return. But when man chose not to listen to God, to disobey his command, he chose not to love God:"Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me." John 14:21
With this choice, our relationship with God forever changed. Sin entered and separated us from an intimate relationship with our Creator. Instead of becoming like God (Satan's lie- Genesis 3:5), we became unlike him: sinful and unholy. There was a sudden and obvious difference, thus creating a need for reconciliation.
It is there in the Garden this drama begins to unfold. All along God knew this would happen if he created man with the freedom to choose. But because he is loving, he did. And because of this great love, he made a way to restore our relationship to reconcile us to him. We had no power to make right this union, so he took it upon himself to do it- that's how much he desires us! Again, this thought hits me: Perhaps God created us just so he could save us! So how was this done? How was reconciliation between God and man made possible? We were in opposition with God; his enemies. We needed a neutral party, a mediator to help us make right this special relationship. Enter Christ:
So we now have a third party, neutral, both God and man, to bring reconciliation. And I find myself still in Romans 5, where Paul writes about this. We see in I Timothy 2:3 that God desires all men to be saved; and it is through Christ this is made possible.
Paul concludes this thought:
Reconciliation: "to make oneself or another no longer opposed; to become friendly with someone after estrangement or to re-establish friendly relations between; to settle a quarrel or difference; to make two apparently conflicting things compatible or consistent with each other; to bring together again."
I kept seeing it come up in the Scripture God was bringing me to, especially as we studied Genesis 1-3 as a staff team, I saw our desperate need to be reconciled to God. So let's go back to the beginning. These first three chapters of Genesis paint the picture of who God is, his desire for relationship with us, man's freedom to choose, Satan's craftiness, man's disobedience, and the entrance of sin and separation from God.
It wasn't meant to be this way! God created all that is good, and he created man for a relationship with Himself. In his love, he created man with the freedom to choose, for what kind of love forces or controls? He gave us the ability to choose to love him in return. But when man chose not to listen to God, to disobey his command, he chose not to love God:"Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me." John 14:21
With this choice, our relationship with God forever changed. Sin entered and separated us from an intimate relationship with our Creator. Instead of becoming like God (Satan's lie- Genesis 3:5), we became unlike him: sinful and unholy. There was a sudden and obvious difference, thus creating a need for reconciliation.
It is there in the Garden this drama begins to unfold. All along God knew this would happen if he created man with the freedom to choose. But because he is loving, he did. And because of this great love, he made a way to restore our relationship to reconcile us to him. We had no power to make right this union, so he took it upon himself to do it- that's how much he desires us! Again, this thought hits me: Perhaps God created us just so he could save us! So how was this done? How was reconciliation between God and man made possible? We were in opposition with God; his enemies. We needed a neutral party, a mediator to help us make right this special relationship. Enter Christ:
"This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time."
~I Timothy 2:3-6
So we now have a third party, neutral, both God and man, to bring reconciliation. And I find myself still in Romans 5, where Paul writes about this. We see in I Timothy 2:3 that God desires all men to be saved; and it is through Christ this is made possible.
So what does this say? We were God's enemies, in opposition with him because of our sin, but there has been reconciliation through Christ's sacrifice: his death. What's more than this, not only is our relationship with God set right again, we are saved because he lives to intercede for us!
"Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."
~Romans 5:9-11
"Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them."We can now rejoice because we have been forgiven, justified, saved and reconciled! Praise the Lord! On top of that, it doesn't end here- the drama continues! Once we ourselves have been reconciled to God, we are called to join with him in helping others find reconciliation through Jesus as well. Paul writes of this Ministry of Reconciliation in II Corinthians 5. He begins:
~Hebrews 7:25
"Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men."We have our testimony, which is powerful ("They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony" Revelation 12:11), to help convince others of their need for reconciliation, and the Mediator who makes it possible. Christ's love compels us (II Corinthians 5:14) to share. God chooses men to join with him in this ministry. Wow. What a ministry! This awaits on campus! Oh how I love these freshmen girls! This ministry is a gift. Paul writes,
~II Corinthians 5:11
"All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God."So God has given this ministry to us! He calls us to join with him to tell others that he has done all that is necessary to reconcile the whole world, all men, to himself- through Christ. Our sins are not held against us; they are forgiven. We are messengers, Christ's ambassadors, his representatives. God is making his appeal through us, as if to say, "Look what I've done! Look how I have changed this life, how I have set our relationship right. I can do that with you too, if you'd let me." It is our ministry to share this, but it is God's to change hearts.
~II Corinthians 5:18-20
Paul concludes this thought:
"As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says,“In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.”I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation"
~II Corinthians 6:1-2
I love that God considers me his fellow worker. What he has been at work doing since before the creation of the world, man, even time, he invites me, all of us, to join in to help others accept this reconciliation, this favor, this salvation. Because it is now! Today is the day of salvation! Be reconciled to God.
Reconciliation doesn't end here either. I've also begun to see that this is God's desire for all relationships! He intends all relationships to be made right. Relationships only bring glory to him when there is peace, when they have been reconciled. That I am still processing. Stay tuned.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Prayers Please!
Hey all! Just a quick prayer request! All of the Florida Nav girls (and Valdosta State!) are heading to Gainesville for a Woman's Retreat this weekend :) Pray for:
- A safe trip
- Quality conversations (especially in the car!)
- Deep and meaningful experiences for the students
- A hunger to grow in relationship with God and for his Word
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Hope does not disappoint
A few more words from Paul from my reading through Romans:
Conclusion: Justification, peace, grace, and joy through faith Christ!
Also,
suffering --> perseverance --> character --> hope
And hope does not disappoint! "Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed." ~Isaiah 49:23
That's all for tonight. It's been a long week, and another long one awaits. I will post more updates soon!
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."
~Romans 5:1-5
Conclusion: Justification, peace, grace, and joy through faith Christ!
Also,
suffering --> perseverance --> character --> hope
And hope does not disappoint! "Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed." ~Isaiah 49:23
That's all for tonight. It's been a long week, and another long one awaits. I will post more updates soon!
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