Alicia Nicole

Thankfulness

2009-04-02T11:15:00.000-07:00

I Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

How often I forget to give thanks! How many days go by that don't include a joyful spirit and gratitude towards the God of the universe! He deserves my praise, no matter what circumstances or situations I am facing. The will of God for me is to ALWAYS be rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks. Oh how I yearn to be in God's will! And yet, I often forfeit that joy and abundant life, trading it in for the distractions, complaints, and grumblings that Satan puts before me. How miserable life can get when I don't live a life of gratitude. Even more than that is the fact that God deserves all the praise we can give and so much more. When I choose to be distracted from glorifying God, I am cheating Him out of the praise He deserves. The enemy will do whatever it takes to stop me from praising God. Father, open my eyes, make me aware of the schemes of the enemy, for You deserve ALL of the praise and the glory in every single moment of every single day. What a reminder this verse is to live a life that glorifies God. Even on the bad days, may I always remember to give thanks to my great and glorious God.

Morning Glory

2009-01-04T17:50:00.000-08:00

I took a look through some old journal entries today and found a sort of poem that I wrote almost a year ago. I'm not a very good poet, but it at least captured my thoughts at the time. It really encouraged me to look back at it, so I thought it would be a good post.

Morning Glory

Rays of sunshine reflect on panes of glass

Anticipation of a new adventure

Zeal, passion, and fervor abound at last

Refreshment and renewal begin

His strength; His power; His day

His blood has washed away my sin

Something bigger than thought before

Something beyond the wildest imagination

One step at a time, never looking at the floor

His glory dashes in

Taking up; taking over

No thought of how to win

For self no longer matters

A new perspective starts

One that overtakes the heart

Self Control

2008-12-18T11:03:00.001-08:00

So as I sit here and look out the window at the snow, wishing I could be outside playing in it or better yet at home in Grants Pass with all those I love, I am reminded of the importance for self control. It just so happens that one of my main tasks for today is preparing for a chapel service I am doing on January 7th for the elementary kids at the school. You might have already guessed what I am speaking on...self control. How ironic! The very week that I would rather be almost anywhere but sitting at a desk inside, the very moment that I struggle with not being motivated, I am looking up verses and digging into God's word on the subject of self control. Hmmm...the fruit of the Spirit is a result of a life lived in the Spirit. Because of Christ's sacrifice we have the freedom to choose such a wonderful life, but it is definitely a daily choice. The evil one is so present and astoundingly deceitful in presenting other options to us in a way that looks appealing. I need to constantly put on the armor of God and stand firm. I need to deny my flesh every single minute of every single day. The definition I found for self control is "control of one's emotions, desires, or actions by one's own will (American Heritage Dictionary)." Thank God that we don't have to do this out of our own strength. I know I would fail every time. God graciously supplies His strength and His weapons of warfare. He has overcome the world! Glory to God in the highest!!!

So often pride is the root issue of problems preventing self control. The opposite of self control is self indulgence. We think that we deserve it or that the pleasure of something is more important than anything else. How wrong we can be when we focus on self. The challenge for the Christian is to constantly die to self, pick up our cross, and follow Christ. Christ's example is one of complete sacrifice. My working on a chapel service rather than playing in the snow or being with family is NOTHING compared to the extreme sacrifice of our Savior. Oh to have this perspective all the time! I must constantly be reminded of the eternal perspective and not wallow in my limited viewpoint of the moment. According to C.S. Lewis, the enemy rejoices when we get swallowed up by selfishness and pride: "He is perfectly content to see you becoming chaste and brave and self-controlled provided, all the time, he is setting up in you the Dictatorship of Pride--just as he would be quite content to see your chilblaines cured if he was allowed, in return, to give you cancer. For Pride is spiritual cancer: it eats up the very possibility of love, or contentment, or even common sense" (Lewis 1943:45).

Satisfied

2008-12-17T16:27:00.000-08:00

All my life I had a longing

For a drink from some clear spring,

That I hoped would quench the burning

Of the thirst I felt within.

Hallelujah! I have found Him

Whom my soul so long has craved!

Jesus satisfies my longings,

Through HIs blood I now am saved.

Feeding on the husks around me,

Till my strength was almost gone,

Longed my soul for something better,

Only still to hunger on.

Poor I was, and sought for riches,

Something that would satisfy,

But the dust I gathered round me

Only mocked my soul's sad cry.

Well of water, ever springing,

Bread of life so rich and free,

Untold wealth that never faileth,

My Redeemer is to me.

~ Clara Tear Williams

No possible words

2008-12-01T17:17:00.000-08:00

I have no words to describe what God is teaching me right now...it is far beyond words. So I will resort to using the words of someone else, a missionary of the past that I love reading about.

Eyes to See

How great is His goodness

and how great is His beauty!

Zechariah 9:17

"Just now I have been seeing something of the beauty of God in His lovely flowers. 'But the Lord of beauty is more beautiful still, for He has created the flowers' (proverbs 13:3). In one of the apocryphal books it is written: 'Go your way, and see beauty and greatness...as much as your eyes are able to see.' The one speaking was referring to the beauty of the great walls, palaces and temple courts of Jerusalem - but the words come to me often, with deeper meaning. As much as your eyes are able to see. How much are our eyes able to see of our Lord Jesus? ... I want more and more to see His goodness and His beauty. Not vaguely, nor just from time to time. I want to see Him truly, continually, in His work, in those who love Him, in His Book, and in himself."

- Amy Charmichael (Thou Givest - They Gather)

Laughter

2008-11-16T21:14:00.001-08:00

Whoever came up with the statement that laughter is good for the soul was definitely right! I am so thankful for all the people that make me laugh. It is amazing how fun it is to simply enjoy the company of friends while deep in laughter. For just a few moments, I am reminded of the joys of life. Those priceless moments shift my focus back on what really matters. It doesn't matter how stressful the day used to seem, laughter always makes it better. I am the type of person that likes to plan, thrives with organization, and is very detail oriented. In other words, I very easily stress out...most of the time without even realizing that it has occured. Thank God that He surrounds me with people that remind me of joy and laughter just when I start to get too serious for my own good. Friendships are priceless, especially when I have to live so far away from my family. God is so good! He knows exactly what we need and when we need it. Today I definitely needed an evening full of laughter.

Life goes sailing on

2008-11-04T12:35:00.000-08:00

I am reminded with the chaos of the world we live in that life continues on. In the midst of trials and mountains to climb, God is still in control. As a nation, with this time of decision, there is an urgency for Christians to be on their knees and seaking the guidance of our Father and Creator. Life goes sailing on, but we need the direction of the Holy Spirit. The sail boat doesn't go anywhere without the push of the wind. What wind are we allowing to guide us? Are we simply listening to and being swayed by what our culture and media screams at us, or are we passionately and fervently crying out to our good and gracious God to lead us? This is so important! I need more devotion and more time for prayer in my life. It is essential that I make time for this, that I don't let anything, no matter how good it seems at the moment, get in the way of devotion to God. In our all-staff chapel this morning, Pastor Dale reminded us of the importance of the passion of our calling. He spoke from the book of Nehemiah, which is an amazing story of devotion to God and God's people. Stories like this inspire us because they show what happens with a life completely devoted to God. I want that in my life! I need that in my life. May we all seek the passion and inspiration of the Spirit while life goes sailing on!

My Passion

2008-10-05T20:27:00.000-07:00

I love missions week! And this isn't just a half-hearted kind of love. This is I shake with excitement kind of love. It is amazing to hear what missionaries are doing around the world and how the church can support them. I feel God telling me that although I can't be on the foreign mission field right now, He has me in a place of training and preparation. It is also my job to support missionaries in any way I can. So the times of the year that have an emphasis on missions get me really excited. This is an excitement I couldn't tone down if I wanted to. It is something that just comes out. It is the very essence of who I am...who God created me to be. Just like working with kids. If I didn't do it, I would burst. So tonight, at our missions banquet, when I got to lead the elementary kids and tell them about how they can be missionaries right now, I got so excited. My heart is pounding right now just thinking about it. As the kids sang about telling the world and thought about and discussed ways that they can do that no matter what age they are, it was incredible. They listened to a missionary from Ghana talk about kids that are hungry not only for physical food but also for spiritual nourishment. They watched him tell the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000 with just a small boys lunch and were challenged to give God all they have no matter how small it is. Then they came forward and laid hands on this missionary and prayed for him before he goes back to Ghana and the ministry that God has given him. This is what gets me excited. Not only am I able to connect with missionaries, encourage them, and support them with prayer and giving. I also get to encourage kids to do the same. I get to share with kids what God says about telling the world about Him and giving to missions. All I can say is that it was an amazing day, God is so in control, and He has amazing plans for each one of these kids!

Heavenly Father

2008-09-28T15:12:00.000-07:00

Today was pretty much amazing. God showed up in such a big way in all three kids gatherings. I had the opportunity to preach for all three today, and the lesson was on God being our perfect Heavenly Father. We've been doing a series on Family Mechanics and what to do when the family breaks down. Today we talked about dads and how earthly fathers fail us, but God will "never leave us, never fail us, and never abandon us (Joshua 1:5)." The kids really listened and prayed for God to show them what they could learn today. We talked about God's perfect love and His perfect plan for our lives. They came up with different things they could do to follow God's plan that is specifically crafted for them. We focused on God's unconditional love and how we can come to God many times a day if we need to in order to ask for forgivenes or just ask Him to help us not be distracted from His plan. So many times our own ideas get in the way of what God wants to accomplish. These kids are starting to realize that they need to completely surrender their lives to God. They are beginning to understand that only God can meet ever need in their lives and that His plan for them is better than they can even imagine. I love days like today when I can see God's hand at work in the kids gatherings and know that He is changing their lives. All the glory be to God! He is raising up the next generation of leaders. These are His kids.

In the Midst of Nature

2008-09-21T16:45:00.000-07:00

So I found a most amazing park about 10 minutes from my apartment. It is right on the water, and there is a beautiful flower garden. I also discovered hiking trails, picnic benches, and logs to sit on by the water. It was so incredibly gorgeous. I walked through the trails, surrounded by trees, and wonderfully enjoyed my time in the midst of nature. What a breath of fresh air to simply breathe and know how incredible my God is. How peaceful to sit in the stillness of the morning and look out over the water. I loved it! I think I am going to have to visit this park on a regular basis. God is so good! He knows exactly what we need and when we need it.

Celebrating God

2008-09-18T12:07:00.000-07:00

Today is just a shadow of what tomorrow holds. It is this anticipation, this joy in following Christ, that carries us onward to deeper truths and fuller joy in His presence. John Piper states that God is the most glorified when His people are the most satified in Him. God is so good! There are no words to describe what He is doing and the joy that He brings to each and every life...joy that can withstand the trials and temptations of this world. When we are satisfied in Him, the temptations of this world are no longer appealing. Nothing matters as much as spending time in His presence. Praise in the midst of the storm restores our perspective. No matter what comes our way, God is good. He is faithful! He alone brings the victory. And He will accomplish the good works that He has started in our lives. What cause to rejoice and to celebrate His great and glorious works.

Just this week I have seen God's hand at work in so many areas. I have witnessed a junior high leadership class of students that desire to step up to the plate and serve God with all they have. Praise God for the next generation of leaders! I have seen answered prayer in my life and personal relationships. I watched a room full of preschool children aged 3 to 5 worship God with all their hearts, listen intently to a Bible story, and learn and apply a Bible verse. Smiles, laughter, kids working together, kids drawing closer to their maker...this is what life is all about. Thank you Father for your hand in our lives! Thank you for the many victories, the lessons learned, and the joy that you bring in every day life. Keep working in our lives!

Wait Earnestly

2008-09-07T21:23:00.000-07:00

Somehow the beach always reminds me of the promises of God. I think it is because of the power held in the waves and the sheer beauty of this part of creation. It boldly demonstrates God's power and His glory. So I had to have a picture of the waves as I talk about waiting on God's promises. This is something God has been impressing on my heart for the last few weeks. This time of transition has been good but really hard at the same time. God has been reminding me of the promises that He has not only for my life but for the lives of the kids that He has me here for. Even though it is hard to be away from family and friends, God has me here for a reason. I may feel unworthy and incapable, but it is not me He is counting on. His power and His glory bring His promises to fulfillment. I just have to be willing to let Him work through me. I have to surrender my life completely. The hardest part is that I have to wait earnestly, even when I don't see how He is going to do it. I don't have to see Him at work to know He is. His promises are true. He has plans are beyond my imagination for each of the kids that I work with. I just have to be a willing vessel. I pray that God would take over my heart completely and get rid of anything and everything that distracts me from His purposes.

"And the Lord answered me and said, Write the vision and engrave it so plainly upon tabltets that everyone who passes may be able to read it easily and quickly as he hastens by. For the vision is yet for an appointed time and it hastens to the end; it will not deceive or disappoint. Though it tarry, wait earnestly for it, because it will surely come; it will not be behindhand on its appointed day."

Habakkuk 2:2-3

Baby Fears

2008-09-07T21:09:00.000-07:00

The "Baby Fears" came to visit me this weekend. It was so much fun to see them. My Aunt and Uncle and cousins made the long trip to see me and my new home. We went to the water front and a couple different parks. The boys also got to be in one of the classes I taught on Sunday. They were the best behaved kids in there!

Me and the boys at the water front

Bobby is almost 5 and Jack is 6 - it is amazing how fast time goes!

These boys bring God's joy everywhere they go. The weekend was full of laughter and fun. I am so glad I get to see them again real soon for Bobby's birthday party.

Company!

2008-08-29T18:15:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I had a wonderful visit with my Grandma and my Great Aunt Jo. It was so much fun! They came over to my apartment for breakfast. Then I got to show them the church and some areas in town. It was amazing to be able to see them and show them a little piece of Olympia and what I do here.

These were the beautiful flowers at the Capitol Building. It was a beautiful garden!

Grandma and I on the steps of the Capitol Building.

Here we are in my apartment. What great fun!

Next Level

2008-08-29T18:02:00.000-07:00

There is always a next level...for my walk with God, my personal education, my creativity, my stewardship of resources and time, and much more. Life is about learning and broadening my perspective while at the same time caring in a very unique way for every person I come into contact with. I pray that God would open my eyes to His perspective. I yearn to see people and situations the way that He sees them. There is so much to do and so much to learn, but ALL of it comes from Him. God deserves ALL of the GLORY. I want to take my life to the next level. I desire to connect with people, every person, that I come into contact with. I want to learn more about leadership and children's ministry. I yearn to dig into God's word with passion and purpose. But, in the end, the right desires and motivations that lead to the right actions all come from Him. Only God can take my life to the next level. Everything has to come from Him and His power and His glory. It is He who created the Heavens and the Earth, and He has promised that He has good plans for my life. It is in Him that I must trust. I must rest in His presence in order to take things to the next level.

Joy in Beginnings

2008-08-17T22:05:00.001-07:00

I love this picture of our family dog, Ruby. She is so full of energy and excitement. She is ready for anything. Do you ever feel like the adventure is just beginning, like there is so much more to discover? It's like the anticipation of the sunset around the next bend or not knowing what is just over the next hill. God has been showing me so much joy in each day. Each new task, every discovery, all the minutes of conversation and getting to know people...they are all so precious. I don't want to miss a single moment! What joy in fresh mornings and new discoveries. I can feel God's love everywhere I turn. Every little thing reminds me of it: the sunrise driving to church this morning, a smile on a child's face, the smell of the air right before a storm, the laughter of a friend. God is so good! He has proven Himself faithful in good times and bad. Through every moment of every day, He is right there with me. Each challenge that I face and everything that brings me laughter does not escape His notice. To feel this incredible love of our Saviour makes me want to burst over with excitement. I yearn to see the joy in each and every day and take advantage of every beginning. May I have the same excitement that Ruby does on the beach when I wake up each morning, no matter what comes my way.

Special Plans

2008-08-08T08:59:00.001-07:00

This last Sunday I had the opportunity to teach a preschool class and help with another one. The preschool children blow me away. Each one is so precious in their own way. The volunteers that work with them are amazing teachers. Every volunteer that I have had the opportunity to meet and talk with has a passion for kids and for this ministry. I am so excited to see what God is going to do not only with the preschool but with every aspect of this ministry. There is so much going on, and every single event and activity has huge meaning and purpose behind it! May God transform the lives of these kids and their families! May they never be the same.

The lesson that the preschool kids learned on Sunday was about Esther and the special plans that God has for each of us. Oh how the took off with this message! They dressed up as kings and queens, listened intently to the story, and sang songs about God's plans. It fills my heart with joy to see the smiles on their faces and imagine where God will take them. Each one is so different. Each one is so unique. They all have talents and abilities that God is going to use in mighty ways. Watch out world, for God is raising up the Next Real Generation!

These kids know how to have fun! :)

Passion that overwhelms

2008-08-05T21:10:00.000-07:00

Tonight I was out at McCleary, which is a satelite church for Evergreen Christian Community. McCleary is a small town about 20 to 25 miles west. It is a completely different culture from Olympia, like stepping into a different world. For those of you that know Southern Oregon, McCleary is like a Williams atmosphere but not as spread out in geography. The kids that I have seen there deal with a lot of the same issues that I have encountered in the past with Royal Family Kids Camp...so many barriers...so many walls. I have been impressed with an overwhelming sense to get to know people out there and try to invest in their lives. Every single time I drive out there I hear the words of Leeland's "Tears of the Saints" song pouring through my head. My heart is overflowing with passion for these kids and the love that God has for them. I so wish I had more time to go out there. God is so amazing! He can do anything. My heart's cry is that He completely transforms the lives of the people of McCleary.

Olympia, WA

2008-07-31T17:20:00.000-07:00

Kids playing in the fountains

Boats on the Sound

Capitol Building

So it has been a couple weeks now. I am enjoying life up in Olympia, Washington. The last couple weeks have been filled with meeting lots of people and discussing many things in regards to children's ministry. I am very excited for what God is going to do in the children's ministry at Evergreen Christian Community! There are some amazing people already in place, and I know more people will join the team as the months go on. I am constantly looking for ways to get to know people and connect with kids, parents, and volunteers. It is going to be a process to get to know all the names. With 1500 people in the church, there are a lot of names to learn! It is quite a transition to go from working in a church that I grew up in with under 800 people to a completely different church with 1500 people. But God is good! He knows what He is doing, and I am thrilled to be a part of this ministry.

I am finally all the way moved in with two of the most amazing roommates! Seriously, I don't think I could have imagined better women of God to share a home with. Anna is a chaplain at the school that is a part of the church. So we work at the same place. :) She is originally from Salem, OR. Amanda is a high school English teacher in Lacey. Her brother is the worship and creative arts pastor at Evergreen. Both of my roommates are a blast to be around!

All this to say that God is faithful and definitely knows what He is doing! All of the Glory goes to Him alone!

Change

2008-07-21T14:39:00.000-07:00

The wind blows, seasons turn

Days become weeks, weeks become years

How quickly the time burns!

Growing up, things change

From the known to the unknown

Following my Maker to where nothing's the same

Excitement, anticipation, adventure is here

New ideas, new place, a clean slate begins

Sorrow, mourning for the the old, surrounded by fear

Changes come and go

Circumstances big and small

But in the midst of it all, one thing I know

My life is surrendered to my Maker

I do wherever He leads

And though I can't see like my Savior

On His love alone will I lean!

purNRG- pray performance

2008-06-12T10:52:00.001-07:00

Pure NRG does a great job of putting a passion for prayer to words, song, and dance. Prayer - our constant communication to the God of the Universe. How often do we forget that we have access to the very throne of God? How many times a day do we fall into the trap of depending on ourselves instead of the all-powerful God. We need prayer! It is for our benefit to communicate with the awesome Savior that created all that is and all that will be. May we stop depending on ourselves and gain communication with our glorious Redeemer and Friend!

The Holiness of God

2008-06-05T11:12:00.000-07:00

This just completely blows my mind. God is Holy. He is the definition of Holiness. Scripture is filled with examples of God's Holiness and the awe that it inspires. Person after person that had encouters with God were completely overwhelmed by the magnitude of His Holiness. Isaiah stood undone, Moses glowed with His glory, David danced in the streets...it goes on and on. I read something today that showed me more about God's Holiness and the understanding that the Israelites had on reverence for God. I wanted to share it because it was amazing. So here it is:

God's wold is great and holy. The holiest land in the world is the land of Israel. In the land of Israel the holiest city is Jerusalem. In Jerusalem the holiest place was the Temple, and in the Temple the holiest spot was the Holy of Holies... There are seventy peoples in the world. The holiest among these is the people of Israel. The holiest of the people of Israel is the tribe of Levi. In the tribe of Levi the holiest are the preists. Among the preists, the holiest was the High Priest... There are 354 days in the [lunar] year. Among these, the holidays are holy. Higher than these is the holiness of the Sabbath. Among Sabbaths, the holiest is the Day of Atonement, the Sabbath of Sabbaths... There are seventy languages in the world. The holiest is Hebrew. Holier than all else in this language is the holy Torah, and in the Torah the holiest part is the Ten Commandments. In the Ten Commandments the holiest of all words is the name of God... And once during the year, at a certain hour, these four supreme sanctities of the world were joined with one another. That was on the Day of Atonement, when the High Priest would enter the Holy of Holies and there utter the name of God. And because this hour was beyond measure holy and awesome, it was the time of utmost peril not only for the High Priest but for the whole of Israel. For if in this hour there had, God forbid, entered the mind of the High Priest a false or sinful thought, the entire world would have been destroyed.

Jeseph Telushkin. Jewish Literacy. NY: William Morrow and Co., 1991

Exciting Times

2008-05-20T13:16:00.001-07:00

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up, but pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be over powered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Ephesians 5:31-33
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

My brother's wedding was beautiful! His marriage is such a picture of Christ and the church. These verses remind me of the awesome, unfathomable love of our Savior. His Bride, the body of Christ (the church), will never come to complete understanding of the magnitude of His love. I pray that each and every day I may come to understand this love more and more. It is an endless sea of love that we can swim in for eternity and still have more to learn. How great the Glory of our God!

Beautiful Feet

2008-05-15T10:54:00.000-07:00

Romans 10:14-15

"But how are people to call upon Him Whom they have not believed [in Whom they have no faith, on Whom they have no reliance]? And how are they to believe in Him [adhere to, trust in, and rely upon Him] of Whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without a preacher? And how can men [be expected to] preach unless they are sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of those who bring glad tidings! [How welcome is the coming of those who preach the good news of His good things!]"

The need is evident. People all around us are without the life-saving knowledge of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The Bible says that they will know we are Christians by our love. It says that if we move mountains, but have not love, we are nothing. Father grant me the faith to see more and more of your love, power, and glory. May your love overflow from my life so that others can see how great you are. May my number one priority be to spread that awesome, breath-taking love that I am just beginning to experience and discover, that love that we can never fully understand. Grant me the opportunities to share Your light with the people around me and the courage to take those opportunities.

A Lilly Among the Thorns

2008-04-22T11:36:00.001-07:00

God, our all glorious and powerful Savior, calls us a Lilly among the thorns. I cannot get my mind around the significance of that. A Lilly is pure and white. A Lilly is beautiful to behold. Everything, not just some things, but everything beautiful within in me is because of the Grace and Mercy of my King! He is the Rose of Sharon. He is the Lilly of the Valley. He is the Bright and Morning Star. And yet...He calls me beautiful! He calls me beloved! How awesome is the love of our King! No words can describe it. This love is all-consuming. It is never-ending. It overflows in Glory. When I take the time to rest in His love, I am filled. I start to see the world through different eyes. His love begins to come out as a light to those around me. This is what ministry is all about. His love. Basking in His love. Resting in His love. The natural outflow of that is investing in His Kingdom Business. Because we love Him, we obey His commands. If we do not obey, we do not love. Some things so simple are so hard to understand, to grasp, to live out. It is not within me to do ministry. It is the overflow of His love that allows me the privilage of partaking in Kingdom Business. What trust! What love to allow us to share His love with others!!!
In this place of rest, of love, I keep coming back to the words in Psalm 45. This psalm speaks of the love of marriage, which is an earthly symbol of Christ and the church. The love of marriage compels a person to abandon other pursuits, other earthly ties or relationships, for the sake of that one person.
Listen, O daughter, consider and give ear: Forget your people and your father's house. The king is enthralled by your beauty; honor him, for he is your lord.
Psalms 45:10-11
Forget my people? Honor Him, for He is my Lord? That right there is the key. That is how I want to live my life. Abandon everything I hold dear in this life out of love for my King. This is not easy, but it is done out of love...out of passion and zeal for our God and His glory. May I be able to say as Paul did that "For me to live is Christ and to die is gain." Nothing else in this world matters. No other concerns even compare. To live is Christ. To die is gain.

Possibilities

2008-03-18T12:49:00.000-07:00

Possibilities

All things are possible with Christ

POWER; DOMINION; RULE AND REIGN

What a POWERFUL God!

The POSSIBILITIES are endless

TRUST; SURRENDER; ABANDON

Taking one step at a time on the Adventure

New things around the next bend

The past left far behind you

THIS MOMENT; THIS TIME

Don't let possibilities slip on by

Live completely in each situation

While wholeheartedly SEEKING His will

PROMISES FULFILLED; POSSIBILITIES REALIZED

An abundant life filled to the top

Overflowing with passion and zeal

God's glory displayed and never stopped

The POSSIBILITIES are endless!!!

Position

2008-03-04T11:13:00.000-08:00

POSITION - Placement; where God has placed me.

God has me in a certain position,

certain surroundings,

certain experiences...

for a reason

His timing - not my own

His control; dominion; Lordship

My life is not my own

Something BIGGER than myself

Showcasing HIS Glory

Purpose; Direction; Vision; PASSION

Good plans (Jeremiah 29:11)

Perspective - May I see Your way

Open eyes

Open ears

Fresh, new attitude

POSTION

Wherever you are, be ALL there.

Pressing On

2008-01-31T12:16:00.000-08:00

What is limiting you from pressing on in your walk with God? So often we accept the things that He has done for us in the past. We know that He died on the cross, rose again, and completely changed our lives. And yet, we have a hard time pressing on into the next thing He has for us. Why is the future so hard to let go of? How can we believe and trust that God is who He says He is and still clasp onto our future? We want control. We want to know what tomorrow will bring. We are comfortable with the expected. But God is an unchanging God. He is all powerful. He alone can handle our future. If we press on, surrender our lives to Him, and simply let Him take control, we will be blown away by His complete faithfulness. He does not leave out ANY details. He knows what we desire better than we ourselves do. He created our passions for His purposes. Trust. Surrender. A life not our own. Will we press on?

Are you agreeing with God on what He can accomplish with your life from this day forward?

Are you evaluating if God's plan will work, or do you really trust Him not only for what He has done but for what He can do?

Behold, the Lordy thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath said unto thee; fear not, neither be discouraged.

Deuteronomy 1:21

God bless my agenda

2008-01-17T10:07:00.000-08:00

Oh Father, keep me away from this attitude that creeps up so easily! May I have ears to hear what you have for each moment of every day. Prevent me from taking control. Stop me from trying to do it my way. Keep me from rushing ahead. Show me how you want me to live. May I be still and know that you are God. Help me to rest in the fact that you are in control, and your plan is a lot better than I can even imagine. Guide me by your Holy Spirit.
Oh how easy it is to want to take things over! How tempting to know what is going on and what will happen next. I once heard a very wise statement..."If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans." Why is it so hard for us to give up control, to surrender to the One we know will take care of everything? Why do we feel the need to be in charge of our lives when we know we will just mess it up in the end? May we know the joy and contentment of rest in the Father's strong and capable arms. May we surrender our agenda for each day instead of asking God to bless what we already have planned.

Jeremiah 29:11

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future."

Layers of Scripture

2007-12-20T10:56:00.000-08:00

The greatest love letter ever written...the best map for life...layers upon layers of life! God's word to us, His beloved, is so incredibly rich with truth, wisdom, understanding, symbolism, and pure life. The more I read God's word, the more I want to read it and study it. It is such a grand adventure! I have realized the depth of God's word so much this Christmas season. As I teach kids the story of God's birth, I see things in a whole new perspective. No matter how many times I read a story from scripture, there is still so much more to discover. There are always more layers to uncover. It is a treasure that we dig for...and oh what joy in the discovery! What joy in the process of finding truth in God's word! The story of Jesus' birth is something to get excited about. I have to fight tears as I tell the kids the greatest story ever told...and it is not just a story. The very author of life wants a relationship with them...with us...there are no words to describe the magnitude of His love. There is such a temptation to go through the Christmas season and not even pause to reflect on the incredible story behind it. The Incarnation...God humbling Himself and becoming one of us. Why? To come to this dark world and bring light. To come and die...for us...out of His great love for us. In Ephesians chapter one, Paul reminds us that God LAVISHED His love on us with ALL WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING. He didn't love us a little bit. He didn't send us a gift to fulfill an obligation. He LAVISHED His love on us. That is what Christmas is all about. And He KNEW WHAT HE WAS DOING. He knew the sacrifice. He knew the pain. He knew who would still reject Him, even after the sacrifice. So many layers to what can appear to be a simple story that has been told for ages of time. It is not just a story...it is life! It's the story of true love demonstrated for us.

Breath-taking Sunsets

2007-11-19T17:29:00.001-08:00

Joyfully, she walks outside. With the days work almost done, there is a sense of accomplishment in the air. Clouds fill the sky. There is a slight chill. The smell that comes after the rain greets her as she opens the door. The seasons are changing. As she rounds the corner of the office building, the most beautiful sight greets her hungry eyes. Light, color, beauty...a masterpiece. She takes a deep breath. Praises burst forth uninhibited for the Creator of the Universe that painted such a glorious sky. Sunsets communicate such a deep sense of His love for her. She rests in the knowledge that she is not alone...that a perfect God would take the time to show such an imperfect person how much He loves her. Who else could create such a display of extravagent love?

Ephesians 3:19

May you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Abandon

2007-11-15T11:17:00.000-08:00

The one thing He looks for in a disciple is abandon. Abandon to God is of more value than personal holiness. Personal holiness focuses our eyes on our own whiteness; when we are abandoned to God, He works thorugh us all the time.

Oswald Chambers

That says it all. You know those days when you feel like you don't measure up? Like you just can't reach what God wants you to be? There is a reason for that. It is because our personal holiness is not enough. We can not do it on our own. It is ok to admit your failure. But, you don't have to stay in that place of defeat! This is the good news of the gospel! Jesus did not die on that cross so that Christians could walk around defeated!!! He died so that we could be freed of ourselves. Abandon. Picking up our cross and following Him. We have to die to ourselves. Not only the parts that we don't like and are despised of. Abandon. Everything has to go. What do we gain? We pick up our cross and follow Him. We follow Him into a resurrection of a new life...a life that is no longer our own. Everything that we do is no longer us. It is Him. His power. His glory. His honor. Every success is not our own. It is His. Freedom. Complete freedom. We don't have to measure up. Why? Because He does.

The Pursuit of Righteousness

2007-10-25T09:58:00.000-07:00

"For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven."

Matthew 5:20

The Pharisees and teachers of the law knew righteousness backwards and forwards. They even created their own laws to make it even harder. They depended on themselves and their own strength to accomplish righteousness. This is the key to their failure. Their actions did not measure up because it was of their own power. No human being can measure up to the law. We cannot do anything to be saved. But, even further than that, once we come to this realization and accept the gift of salvation, we cannot even live the essence of Christianity on our own. How many times do we try? How many days do we take decision after decision and try to accomplish righteousness on our own?

"We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. and if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature."

Romans 7:14-17

Paul shared in this struggle with sin - this gap between what we want to do and what we actually do. So how can we live the essence of Christianity? How can we pursue righteousness? First we need to realize the impossibility of it. We cannot live a righteous life. It is impossible. We, as humans, always want to rescue ourselves. The truth we need to realize is that we are absolutely powerless in this pursuit.

"Do you desire to subdue sin? Would you be holy? Would you imitate your Master? Do you desire to rise to superlative heights of spirituality? Are you wanting to be made like the angels of God, full of zeal and ardor for the Master's cause? You cannot without the Spirit: 'Without Me you can do nothing.' Oh branch of the vine, you can have no fruit without the sap! Oh child of God, you have no life within you apart from the life which God gives you through His Spirit!

Charles Spurgeon

This is the secret to the essence of Christianity. It is impossible with us. That is why we must die to ourselves. It is a complete surrender. When we give up eveything, completely everything, and let Christ take over, when we allow His Holy Spirit to completely control our lives, only then are we living the essence of Christianity. Only then can we pursue righteousness. Because only then, in complete surrender, is it not of ourselves. It is Christ living through us. In surrender we are able to see God's grace. His glory surrounds us. He takes us to places we have never been and works through us to accomplish things we have never done or ever dreamed we could do. Now that is worth living for! It is not of ourselves. It is way bigger. Only when we live in surrender can we showcase God's glory and be about our Father's business. This kind of life requires sacrifice at the highest level, a sacrifice of ourselves. Our dreams, pursuits, and passions die to be replaced by God's dreams, pursuits, and passions. But this is life abundant! This is the life we were created for! Oh that we would die to ourselves every day and take up our cross and follow Him - that we would know the joy of an abundant life on earth!!!

Interruptions

2007-10-15T16:26:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a day where you felt like you didn't get anything done? You know, those interruptions that keep coming up and messing with your plans for the day. Yeah, I've been there. Looking back on those days can be very depressing. Well, my mom taught me a valuable lesson a while ago about giving the day to God. She said that if you give God the day in the morning and He is in control of everything, then you know that your day was productive whether you feel like it was or not. We tend to have agendas of our own that sometimes get messed with by our Heavenly Father who ultimately knows what is best. If we know that He is in control...really in control...then why do we question the interruptions that come our way? A book I was just reading had this amazing quote: "Our interruptions are God's invitations." So it seems like an interruption...the phone rings in the middle of a big project, someone needs help right when you think you should be doing something else, or your errands end up taking twice the amount of time that you had planned for them. Who are you coming in contact with as a result of that interruption? Who is God inviting you to minister to? I so often forget that it is not about me and my plans. I get caught up in what I have to do and what I have to get done. Lord, remind me that You are the one in charge and You direct my steps in the way that You think they should go.

Satisfied?

2007-10-09T08:36:00.000-07:00

I was reading this morning in Psalm 119...yeah that really, really long chapter. I keep coming back to it because it has so much to say. The passion and excitement that David has for the law and the truth are things that I long for. I get satisfied too easily. I settle for where I am. Oh I don't mean to. I start out the day praying fervently that God would guide my every step, that I would know more about my Savior at the days end. But then routine settles in. Tasks take over. I start to lose my focus. It doesn't happen suddenly. It is a gradual change in focus. Pretty soon I find myself satisfied when I didn't want to be. I wanted to pray unceasingly, but then I find my mind crowded with distractions. I wanted to take every opportunity, but I find myself walking right on by them because I am too busy. Reading words like those of David keep me focused. They remind me of why I should be passionate about my relationship with God. They keep me from being satisfied. Oh how I long to put everything aside and follow Christ with abandon. To have nothing else in the entire world matter to me as much as seeing the Glory of my God. So, am I satisfied? I want to join Andrew Murray in saying, "You will ask me, are you satified? Have you got all you want? God forbid. With the depest feeling of my soul can I say that I am satisfied with Jesus now; but there is also the consciousness of how much fuller the revelation can be of the exceeding abundance of His grace. Let us never hesitate to say, 'This is only the beginning.'"

Abraham Lincoln

2007-09-28T14:13:00.000-07:00

Ok...last post for the day - I promise! I admit I got a little carried away for my first day of posting, but there is always so much to say.
Abraham Lincoln - president during the Civil War. I came accross a writing of his the other day as I was reading for one of my classes. It amazed me. I really cannot do it justice without quoting the entire thing. So hear goes. It really is worth the read. Believe me on this.

A PROCLAMATION FOR A NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER

Whereas, the Senate of the United States, devoutly recognizing the supereme authority and just government of the Almighty God in all the affairs of men and of nations, has by a resolution requested the president to designate and set apart a day for national prayer and himiliation.

And whereas, it is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God: to confess their sins and transgressions in humbles sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine reprentance will lead to mercy and pardon; and to recognize the sublime truth, announced in the Holy Scriptures and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord:

And insomuch as we know that by His divine law nations, like individuals, are subjected to punishments and chastisements in theis world, may we not justly fear that the awful calamity of civil war which now desolates the land may be but a punishment inflicted upon us for our presumtuous sins, to the needful end of our national reformation as a whole People? We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of Heaven. We have been preserved, these many years, in peace and prosperity. We have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown; but we have forgotten God. We have forgotten the gracious hand which preserved us in peace, and mutiplied and enriched and strengthened us; and we have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessing were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own. Intoxicated with unbroken success, we have become too self-sufficient to feel the necessity of redeeming and preserving grace, too proud to pray to the God who made us:

It behooves us then, to humble ouselves before the offended Power, to confess our national sins, and to pray for clemency and forgiveness:

All this being done in sincerity and truth, let us then rest humbly in the hope authorized by the divine teachings, that the united cry of the nation will be heard on high, and answered with blessing no less than the pardon of our national sins, and the restoration of our now divided and suffering country to its former happy condition of unity and peace.

My Best Friend's Wedding

2007-09-28T13:53:00.000-07:00

You know you are getting old when your friends start getting married. I think it hit me that I was no longer a kid when I had my twentieth birthday. Those teenage years seem to drag on and on. As a teenager, you feel like you will always be young. Then you hit twenty...and twenty-one...and twenty-two. The time starts to go by faster and faster. Each year goes by a little faster than the last. Ok...so I am not that old yet. But it has started to sink in that each moment is a gift. That time is limited here on earth. What if I don't take advantage of the time that I have? What if I waste time thinking about myself and my desires rather than the people God has placed me with? What if I allow myself to become distracted? When I do become "old," will I have regrets about today? These questions are running through my mind, and I hope and pray that I will take full advantage of every moment and every opportunity that the Lord gives me to minister to the people around me. For, as Paul said, my life is not my own. It has been bought with a price. That means that the only thing that matters is giving everything over to God. Giving Him every moment of every day - His agenda, not mine. That can be hard because it is giving up control...we don't like to give up control. We like to think that we can handle it. I say "think" because the very moment we have that thought we are driving our lives into a ditch.

Ok...so back to my best friend's wedding. My goodness! I can get off into tangents so quickly. Jonell Rose McBriety...what a beautiful name. My best friend is now married, as of July 7, 2007. This was one of the best days of our lives. To see my best friend get married to a man that will love and honor her all the days of her life. It was truly amazing! And to think that God had them picked out for each other while Jonell and I were little girls running through the woods or playing in a creek or making pillows to give to our favorite Sunday school teachers. All of those memories and so many more to come. God is good! He definitely knows what He is doing. A marriage is a time of celebration and praise to the one who created marriage! It is such a beautiful picture of God's relationship with the church. I want to learn more about the God who gives such joys to His children.

Why do a blog spot?

2007-09-28T13:45:00.001-07:00

Ok...so I am finally joining the technical world of staying touch. It is amazing what you can do to keep in communication these days. This blog spot will have a two fold purpose for me. For one, I can keep in touch with friends and family that I do not see on a daily basis because of the craziness of life. And, I can chronicle what I am learning in my relationship with God. I have heard from a very wise person that in order to get to know the character of God, you need to hear the testimonies of other people...because God is way bigger than your experience alone. So, I would love to hear from other people about what God is doing in their lives as well.