God is very capable of speaking to us everyday. Sometimes He does. But sometimes He chooses silence for a voice. Nevertheless, it doesn't change anything about the fact that He wants to constantly fill you with His Spirit every moment of every day.
Even when my world is crashing down all around me; even when everything is falling apart; when all my hopes and dreams are like ashes that scatter in the wind, help me to remember You are ALL that I need. Jesus, give me eyes to see You in my life every day that I'm alive. Even if I just see Your hand or Your foot, I just want to know that You are there.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Women's Retreat
So this weekend I went with my Mom to the Women's Retreat! It was my first time and it was fun... Chelsie and I were laughing practically the entire time... mainly at ourselves, but anyways that's a whole different story. haha. Love you, Chels! So the retreat was pretty awesome! Joana Weaver was the speaker and MAN!! She was so good! The Lord spoke to me alot through her!
But besides all of that, I wanted to show you something that happened while we were there! Last night Chelsie and I went into the hot springs and I didn't even think twice about jewelry. I have two silver rings... one being my promise ring... and well, I didn't take them off before going in.. and apparently, the sulfur in the water TOTALLY tarnished both of my rings! They looked like mood rings, I am not even kidding you!! So when I got home tonight I took out the silver polish and fixed them! Yay! Now they look new! :) Here are the before and after pics of one of the rings!
- Lar
But besides all of that, I wanted to show you something that happened while we were there! Last night Chelsie and I went into the hot springs and I didn't even think twice about jewelry. I have two silver rings... one being my promise ring... and well, I didn't take them off before going in.. and apparently, the sulfur in the water TOTALLY tarnished both of my rings! They looked like mood rings, I am not even kidding you!! So when I got home tonight I took out the silver polish and fixed them! Yay! Now they look new! :) Here are the before and after pics of one of the rings!
- Lar
Friday, March 13, 2009
Girls Discipleship Group
Three weeks ago (February 24th) was our first girls discipleship group meeting. We started going through the book of Esther the following week and it has been so awesome! The Lord's been showing me alot through it and it is so awesome! It's kinda like a bonus for my devotions too, cause since I'm asking God to show me what He wants me to tell these girls, I find myself digging deeper and looking up meanings to words and all. It's cool. I love it and I know that I'm already benefiting from it! haha. And I love to be able to share what God's pointed out to me to the girls as well.
Here is the flier I made for it! :)
Please keep us in your prayers! And pray that the Lord will continue to speak volumes to me of everything He desires these girls to know, and different perspectives He wants them to see Him from.
- Lar
Here is the flier I made for it! :)
Please keep us in your prayers! And pray that the Lord will continue to speak volumes to me of everything He desires these girls to know, and different perspectives He wants them to see Him from.
- Lar
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
L O V E .
How cool is this? So today in my devotions I was reading 1 Corinthians 13, aka the "love chapter". I love that chapter! But here is something the Lord pointed out to me today through it...
(1 Cor. 13:4-8)
Love suffers long. Jesus showed patience and longsuffering towards sinners.
Love is kind. Jesus healed the sick, made the blind men see, He reached out to all of the needy.
Love does not envy. Jesus was born into poverty after living in Heaven, yet He never once envied the comfort, positions, wealth, or possessions of the "Religious Leaders".
Love does not parade itself. Instead of waltzing around the cities and capitals Jesus chose to visit the towns and villages during His time of "popularity". Note: these towns/villages were so small they did not even have a wall surrounding them like other cities, etc.
Love is not puffed up. Jesus was always humble.
Love is not rude. Jesus had compassion for the lost and would stoop to whatever level necessary to reach them.
Love does not seek its own. Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve, that His life might be a ransom for many.
Love is not provoked. Jesus put up with the Pharisees' questioning and testing. When He was threatened, He did not throw threats back. When He was wronged, He took no action of vengeance.
Love thinks no evil. He was the only sinless Man.
Love rejoices in the truth. "For the joy that was set before Him, He endured..." Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Bringing the Truth to the lost and giving them Life was His joy.
Love bears all things. He bore the weight of our sins.
Love believes all things. He had faith in His Father's plan of redemption. He said, "Not My will, but Your will be done."
Love hopes all things. He died for ALL to have a chance.
Love endures all things. He endured the cross, despising the shame.
Love NEVER fails. He is our God. The God who saves, the God who redeems... the God who never fails.
- Lar
(1 Cor. 13:4-8)
Love suffers long. Jesus showed patience and longsuffering towards sinners.
Love is kind. Jesus healed the sick, made the blind men see, He reached out to all of the needy.
Love does not envy. Jesus was born into poverty after living in Heaven, yet He never once envied the comfort, positions, wealth, or possessions of the "Religious Leaders".
Love does not parade itself. Instead of waltzing around the cities and capitals Jesus chose to visit the towns and villages during His time of "popularity". Note: these towns/villages were so small they did not even have a wall surrounding them like other cities, etc.
Love is not puffed up. Jesus was always humble.
Love is not rude. Jesus had compassion for the lost and would stoop to whatever level necessary to reach them.
Love does not seek its own. Jesus did not come to be served, but to serve, that His life might be a ransom for many.
Love is not provoked. Jesus put up with the Pharisees' questioning and testing. When He was threatened, He did not throw threats back. When He was wronged, He took no action of vengeance.
Love thinks no evil. He was the only sinless Man.
Love rejoices in the truth. "For the joy that was set before Him, He endured..." Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Bringing the Truth to the lost and giving them Life was His joy.
Love bears all things. He bore the weight of our sins.
Love believes all things. He had faith in His Father's plan of redemption. He said, "Not My will, but Your will be done."
Love hopes all things. He died for ALL to have a chance.
Love endures all things. He endured the cross, despising the shame.
Love NEVER fails. He is our God. The God who saves, the God who redeems... the God who never fails.
- Lar
Monday, March 9, 2009
God is Amazing
I love how God chases us down and rescues us from drowning in our sorrows. I love how He answers our calls to act, how He intervenes on our behalf... simply because He can't stand there and do nothing. I absolutely love that character trait in Him. To think that He is constantly, actively pursuing us. And He will never grow tired or weary in doing so. There is a song by a band called Red and it describes this attribute of God so perfectly. Here are the lyrics... I hope they inspire you as they did me!
"Forever"
I try to run, I try to hide from a voice I couldn't satisfy / That was me, Always needing more / And letting go of all I had before / Cause it feels like the end / A wound that I can't mend / I just can't fight fight any longer / You waited 'til I sobered / You came when You knew that the game was over / I didn't even want to be found
But you chased me down and broke in just when / I was done believing / Spun me 'round so close now / I can feel you breathing / Sunlight burns inside and / I feel so alive and / Help me now, tell me how / How can this last forever, forever
I ignored the signs, opened every door / But I couldn't find what I searched for / I try to fight but I turn and run / Every move I make is the wrong one / You patiently wait for my next mistake / I know it won't be much longer / You waited 'til I sobered / You came when You knew that the game was over / I didn't even want to be found
But you chased me down and broke in just when / I was done believing / Spun me 'round so close now / I can feel you breathing / Sunlight burns inside and / I feel so alive and / Help me now, tell me how / How can this last forever
You gave me so much more / Than I could ever ask for / But I turned and followed / A road that left me hollow / And still you waited for me to come back home / You brought me home....
You chased me down and broke in just when / I was done believing / Spun me 'round so close now / I can feel you breathing / Sunlight burns inside and / I feel so alive and / Help me now, tell me how / How can this last forever, forever
"Forever"
I try to run, I try to hide from a voice I couldn't satisfy / That was me, Always needing more / And letting go of all I had before / Cause it feels like the end / A wound that I can't mend / I just can't fight fight any longer / You waited 'til I sobered / You came when You knew that the game was over / I didn't even want to be found
But you chased me down and broke in just when / I was done believing / Spun me 'round so close now / I can feel you breathing / Sunlight burns inside and / I feel so alive and / Help me now, tell me how / How can this last forever, forever
I ignored the signs, opened every door / But I couldn't find what I searched for / I try to fight but I turn and run / Every move I make is the wrong one / You patiently wait for my next mistake / I know it won't be much longer / You waited 'til I sobered / You came when You knew that the game was over / I didn't even want to be found
But you chased me down and broke in just when / I was done believing / Spun me 'round so close now / I can feel you breathing / Sunlight burns inside and / I feel so alive and / Help me now, tell me how / How can this last forever
You gave me so much more / Than I could ever ask for / But I turned and followed / A road that left me hollow / And still you waited for me to come back home / You brought me home....
You chased me down and broke in just when / I was done believing / Spun me 'round so close now / I can feel you breathing / Sunlight burns inside and / I feel so alive and / Help me now, tell me how / How can this last forever, forever
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Darkness is Light
"Even the darkness is as light to You, my Lord..." (paraphrased from Psalm 139:12)
I read the study notes in my Bible today about this verse and it said: "...even though God is opposed to all darkness, God would turn the darkness into light in order to find His servant. As in Psalm 18:7-19, the Lord would overturn the structure of the universe to save the person who worshiped Him."
When I read that I thought to myself, "What?!?! Are you kidding me? WHY?... how can someone love me THAT much?" Think about this today. Ponder it, meditate on it... God is so in love with us and yet we so often miss that realization as we go about our own ways and concern ourselves with our own desires.
I read the study notes in my Bible today about this verse and it said: "...even though God is opposed to all darkness, God would turn the darkness into light in order to find His servant. As in Psalm 18:7-19, the Lord would overturn the structure of the universe to save the person who worshiped Him."
When I read that I thought to myself, "What?!?! Are you kidding me? WHY?... how can someone love me THAT much?" Think about this today. Ponder it, meditate on it... God is so in love with us and yet we so often miss that realization as we go about our own ways and concern ourselves with our own desires.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
The Woman at the Well
I'm sure most of you are familiar with the story about the woman at the well whom Jesus went out of His way to meet in Samaria. A long while back Brian Brodersen gave a message on this story in the Bible that touched me and inspired me to write a poem of some sort about this woman. Maybe a month or so later, my Uncle was put back into prison, but this time for life. At the time he said he couldn't believe in a God and my heart was broken! My heart went out for him and after visiting him in Virginia as my Dad testified for him in court, I began to write him a very long letter. In it, I included this poem/story that the Lord gave me about this woman on our plane flight to Virginia, before we ever saw him. Little did I know God gave it to me to share with him... because this is not only this woman's, but my Uncle's testimony as well. God is so faithful! Anyways, please read this if you have the time. (This is written from the woman at the well's perspective):
I’ve tasted of every possible delicacy the world could ever offer me. At first it was just a game, then the consequences came. I should have taken a second thought’s advice, but I’ve already rolled the dice. I never imagined such a high would ever bring me so low. I wish so badly now that I had said no. It all seemed like a harmless fantasy, but it has all become so real to me.
Shame is the cloak I hide behind, now that my dirty secrets have been exposed to all mankind. They see me only through eyes of condemnation, locking the door to future restoration. They shun my very presence, as though I have become evil’s essence. My own thoughts betray me, as all those regrets endlessly taunt me. I am the disgrace of society, something they never fail to see in me. I do what I can to get by, but at this point, I question my reasoning in bothering to try. I’m slowly losing any motive I have left. Is there anything remaining that I haven’t wrecked?
Always wanting, craving, but the list never ending…
I long for a way out, but I seem to have lost my way to any other route. From one experience to another, I seek a remedy, but everything turns out to be just another enemy. No matter how much I hope, I’m always being let down. I have to find a way to cope, the answer must be found. Was the cost worth my reputation? It has only brought an abundance of devastation. I’m absolutely empty. Can there possibly be any refuge in this tragedy?
I’m miserable beyond description with an unquenchable thirst that I can no longer deny… or defy. High hopes sent crashing to the ground…
Been longing to satisfy… now I’d rather die. In the end everything’s the same; I’m left with only me to blame. I want but can’t keep. I need but can’t have. My soul is dry. My heart is black. Everything I can’t live without, I lack. I work to gain, but only seem to lose. I have written my future in permanent ink.
If anyone could make a long story longer, it was me. I’m sick of redundant. I need revival; I seek refreshment. “God, if You’re real, save me.”
That day my doubts were overpowered when He met me in my depravity. The Lord of Heaven left eternity… to come and save a wretch like me. When I found a temporary way to satisfy, He showed me the way to rectify. When I questioned, He answered.
How can it be that You would come and rescue me? I deserve to suffer, You desire to cover. What love is this? How can it be that You would come and rescue me?
You offered Your hand, and I took hold of it without hesitation. Without You, Jesus, there could be no restoration.
Savior, would You be my All in All? Redeemer, would You catch me when I fall? You are the only One who answered me when I called…
Father, would You be my number One? Defender, it’s nice to know the battle is already won.
His gift is available to everyone. Jesus, the patient and kind, Your love has healed me from being blind. Your love remains, O Lord, undefinable, and without a doubt, it’s undeniable! Lord, You are able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think. It was Your sacrifice that paid the price to erase that permanent ink.
I’ve tasted of every possible delicacy the world could ever offer me. At first it was just a game, then the consequences came. I should have taken a second thought’s advice, but I’ve already rolled the dice. I never imagined such a high would ever bring me so low. I wish so badly now that I had said no. It all seemed like a harmless fantasy, but it has all become so real to me.
Shame is the cloak I hide behind, now that my dirty secrets have been exposed to all mankind. They see me only through eyes of condemnation, locking the door to future restoration. They shun my very presence, as though I have become evil’s essence. My own thoughts betray me, as all those regrets endlessly taunt me. I am the disgrace of society, something they never fail to see in me. I do what I can to get by, but at this point, I question my reasoning in bothering to try. I’m slowly losing any motive I have left. Is there anything remaining that I haven’t wrecked?
Always wanting, craving, but the list never ending…
I long for a way out, but I seem to have lost my way to any other route. From one experience to another, I seek a remedy, but everything turns out to be just another enemy. No matter how much I hope, I’m always being let down. I have to find a way to cope, the answer must be found. Was the cost worth my reputation? It has only brought an abundance of devastation. I’m absolutely empty. Can there possibly be any refuge in this tragedy?
I’m miserable beyond description with an unquenchable thirst that I can no longer deny… or defy. High hopes sent crashing to the ground…
Been longing to satisfy… now I’d rather die. In the end everything’s the same; I’m left with only me to blame. I want but can’t keep. I need but can’t have. My soul is dry. My heart is black. Everything I can’t live without, I lack. I work to gain, but only seem to lose. I have written my future in permanent ink.
If anyone could make a long story longer, it was me. I’m sick of redundant. I need revival; I seek refreshment. “God, if You’re real, save me.”
That day my doubts were overpowered when He met me in my depravity. The Lord of Heaven left eternity… to come and save a wretch like me. When I found a temporary way to satisfy, He showed me the way to rectify. When I questioned, He answered.
How can it be that You would come and rescue me? I deserve to suffer, You desire to cover. What love is this? How can it be that You would come and rescue me?
You offered Your hand, and I took hold of it without hesitation. Without You, Jesus, there could be no restoration.
Savior, would You be my All in All? Redeemer, would You catch me when I fall? You are the only One who answered me when I called…
Father, would You be my number One? Defender, it’s nice to know the battle is already won.
His gift is available to everyone. Jesus, the patient and kind, Your love has healed me from being blind. Your love remains, O Lord, undefinable, and without a doubt, it’s undeniable! Lord, You are able to do exceedingly abundantly above all we can ask or think. It was Your sacrifice that paid the price to erase that permanent ink.
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