Monday, August 15, 2011
REACH students 2011!
Thursday, June 23, 2011
God is an artist
I am not a huge blogger/writer but I wanted to create this blog for my family and friends to read and have an insight as to what I am doing. In 8 short days I will be traveling to Limpopo, South Africa. I hear I will be in the middle of nowhere and it really is God's country. While there I will be staying on a game farm, surrounded my wildlife! woot! woot! I look forward to what the Lord has in store! I am really, really excited about the night sky. Any one who knows me, knows I LOVE the stars and enjoy star gazing. I hear the sky is beautiful and different than ours. Living in the city there are a pollution of trees,smog, buildings, unfortunately we cannot see and appreciate the night sky because our view is blocked.
Don Miller (one of my favorite authors) writes about the night sky in his book, Through Painted Deserts. Don and his friend Paul take a road trip to the Grand Canyon. Toward the end of their trip they stop and end up relocating to Oregon. While in Oregon they camp out at Black Butte Ranch (I want to go!) and Don begins to see God in a different light:
![]()
"I start realizing that this is the first time I have encountered beauty in nature. I've read poems that have made my heart race. I've read scenes in novels that have caused me to close the book, set my head in my hands, and wonder how a human could so brilliantly orchestrate words. But nature has never inspired me until now. God is an artist, I think to myself. I have known this for a long time, seeing His brushwork in the sunrise and sunset, and His sculpting in the mountains and the rivers. But the night sky is His greatest work."
I love how Don puts it. We serve an articulate, creative, beautiful God! There is none like Him. Thank you Lord for giving me sight to see your master piece in nature. Thank you Lord for giving me the opportunity to travel to South Africa. I love you and will serve you all the days of my life.
Don Miller (one of my favorite authors) writes about the night sky in his book, Through Painted Deserts. Don and his friend Paul take a road trip to the Grand Canyon. Toward the end of their trip they stop and end up relocating to Oregon. While in Oregon they camp out at Black Butte Ranch (I want to go!) and Don begins to see God in a different light:
"I start realizing that this is the first time I have encountered beauty in nature. I've read poems that have made my heart race. I've read scenes in novels that have caused me to close the book, set my head in my hands, and wonder how a human could so brilliantly orchestrate words. But nature has never inspired me until now. God is an artist, I think to myself. I have known this for a long time, seeing His brushwork in the sunrise and sunset, and His sculpting in the mountains and the rivers. But the night sky is His greatest work."
I love how Don puts it. We serve an articulate, creative, beautiful God! There is none like Him. Thank you Lord for giving me sight to see your master piece in nature. Thank you Lord for giving me the opportunity to travel to South Africa. I love you and will serve you all the days of my life.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
To All my:SINGLE LADIES!
As many of you know I am ecstatic about meeting my husband! However, I know I need to stay focused on Christ and he will introduce me to my life partner. I want to use this note to encourage the single women (and men) out there!
All women deserve a man who has one thing on his mind: doing God’s will. Therefore, wait for a guy whose intention is to love you purely and lead you to God. Do not settle for less. Put the matter in God’s hands. Take this time to give yourself unreservedly to the Lord to build up his kingdom. Let Him worry about building up yours. Too often people are so concerned with finding Mr. or Miss Right that they miss the opportunity to serve God in their singleness. As women our job is to give our singleness to Christ. Keep your eyes on him instead of on positional future spouses.
I firmly believe that the strongest marriages are those in which both the man and the woman, prior to marriage, embraced the gift of singleness. Often we do not accept this gift because we are waiting for the gift of marriage or exhausting ourselves maintaining passing relationships. (GUILTY) Before we can be happily married, we need to learn to be happily single.
**The best husband and father will be a guy who is single-hearted for God. So be two of a kind. If you want a man of God, become a godly woman. Set the standard high. Look for a guy who takes the initiative to set pure guidelines for the relationship.
Pray for your future spouse and for discernment in your vocation. Be at peace, and know that God cares about the desires of your heart. He who shaped the universe has not overlooked the smallest details.
Girls you are His precious daughter! Get excited for WHO God has in store for you!
"To be pure, to remain pure, can only come at a price, the price of knowing God and loving Him enough to do His will."
-Mother Teresa
All women deserve a man who has one thing on his mind: doing God’s will. Therefore, wait for a guy whose intention is to love you purely and lead you to God. Do not settle for less. Put the matter in God’s hands. Take this time to give yourself unreservedly to the Lord to build up his kingdom. Let Him worry about building up yours. Too often people are so concerned with finding Mr. or Miss Right that they miss the opportunity to serve God in their singleness. As women our job is to give our singleness to Christ. Keep your eyes on him instead of on positional future spouses.
I firmly believe that the strongest marriages are those in which both the man and the woman, prior to marriage, embraced the gift of singleness. Often we do not accept this gift because we are waiting for the gift of marriage or exhausting ourselves maintaining passing relationships. (GUILTY) Before we can be happily married, we need to learn to be happily single.
**The best husband and father will be a guy who is single-hearted for God. So be two of a kind. If you want a man of God, become a godly woman. Set the standard high. Look for a guy who takes the initiative to set pure guidelines for the relationship.
Pray for your future spouse and for discernment in your vocation. Be at peace, and know that God cares about the desires of your heart. He who shaped the universe has not overlooked the smallest details.
Girls you are His precious daughter! Get excited for WHO God has in store for you!
"To be pure, to remain pure, can only come at a price, the price of knowing God and loving Him enough to do His will."
-Mother Teresa
I wonder how a human could so brilliantly orchestrate words. Please view the link above. It is a poem titled "I will wait for you" very good!!
Monday, March 7, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
HEAVEN
SEARCHING FOR GOD KNOWS WHAT is ONE of my favorite books. I really enjoy the way Don Miller writes and his witty/sarcastic thoughts. He is a man after Gods own heart and uses his talent of writing to bless the world. Here is a little blurb from the book where Don paints a picture of what he thinks Heaven will be like:
"I go back to Eden, in my mind, to imagine what it is going to be like for you and me in heaven. I suppose it will be a new marvelous paradise, where love will exist in its purest form, where the beauty of diversity will be understood for the first time, where self-hatred will fade into an agreement with God about the splendor of His creation, where physical beauty will no longer be used as a commodity, where you and I will feel free in our sincere love for others, ourselves, and God. And I suppose it will be in heaven that you and I actually understand each other, all the argument we had seeming so inconsequential, and the glory of God before us in all His majesty, shining like sunlight through our souls. This will be a good thing, my friend.
To me, it is more beautiful to trust Christ, deny our fathers and refuse our names, die to ourselves and live again in Him, raised up in the wave of His resurrection, baptized and made new in the purity of His righteousness. I hope you will join me in clinging to Him."
What a glorious day that will be, when we FINALLY see our Savior face to face! :)
Saturday, January 22, 2011
~Strong Women Vs. Women of Strength~
A strong woman works out every day to keep her body in shape ...
but a woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape...
A strong woman isn't afraid of anything ...
but a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of her fear...
A strong woman won't let anyone get the best of her ...
but a woman of strength gives the best of her to everyone...
A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future...
a woman of strength realizes life's mistakes can also be God's blessings and capitalizes on them...
A strong woman walks sure footedly ...
but a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls...
A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face ...
but a woman of strength wears grace...
A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey ...
but a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong...
but a woman of strength kneels in prayer to keep her soul in shape...
A strong woman isn't afraid of anything ...
but a woman of strength shows courage in the midst of her fear...
A strong woman won't let anyone get the best of her ...
but a woman of strength gives the best of her to everyone...
A strong woman makes mistakes and avoids the same in the future...
a woman of strength realizes life's mistakes can also be God's blessings and capitalizes on them...
A strong woman walks sure footedly ...
but a woman of strength knows God will catch her when she falls...
A strong woman wears the look of confidence on her face ...
but a woman of strength wears grace...
A strong woman has faith that she is strong enough for the journey ...
but a woman of strength has faith that it is in the journey that she will become strong...
Monday, January 17, 2011
The Master Plan
My Beautiful friend and sister, Jen :)
Today we were able to catch up and grab brunch and I am always so grateful for our time together. We traveled to South Africa and Cambodia together and have had some unforgettable memories! God is good! Over brunch she told me she was engaged and would be getting married in September 2011 (fingers crossed) naturally I was filled with JOY and ecstatic for her and Corey. However, I will be in Africa. And I am just sad. There is no other word but sad. She had plans on asking me to be one of her bridesmaids too. Double bummer.
A few days ago I had dinner with another one of my best friends, Lauren. I am her maid of honor for her wedding in May 2012. I was truly honored when she asked me and was sooooo excited to plan all our festivities! (this is another thing i love to do) THEN....she broke the news that while I am doing God's work and seeing The Kingdom advance in Africa she will be picking out her wedding dress along with the bridesmaids. Once again, sad. But I was reminded of God's masterful plan. He has been there and knows what it feels like to be sad and it is okay to be sad. He is holding me every step of the way. I can rest in his care, what a glorious place to be!
He's prepared and preparing me always.
Laus Deo.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)