He DOES!!!!!

"Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires

of thine heart." ~Psalm 37:4

I posted not too long ago about how trusting God to take care of my future is hard. It' just a matter of letting go and letting God. Well, I decided to put that into practice. I decided that I was just going to let go and give everything to Him. Since then I've been a lot happier and content with my life. Life has been really good for some of my friends and family, and I've been so thrilled for them that I can hardly contain myself. I quickly discovered that in order to be happy life doesn't have to be going perfect...it's what you make of what God has given you. Joy is a choice that you have to make day in and day out, and often several times a day.

While I was busy just taking everything day by day and not worrying too much about what's next (although I must admit I've had my moments), God was (and still is) busy working on my future...and fulfilling one of my dreams...one I hadn't given much thought to lately simply because I didn't think it was possible anymore. This morning I paid my registration for next school year. Tonight after I got off work I had a text message from the Dean of Women asking me to pray about being a prayer leader (same thing as a room leader)!! After I read that I was debating whether or not I should laugh or cry...this is a dream come true for me, and one that I no longer was demanding from God! Isn't He wonderful! He has so many blessing in store for each one of us if only we'll give Him everything we have!

I'll be honest, I was kinda dreading going back to college. I wasn't sure yet if I could handle more. However, in the past couple of days God has put a few subtle things in my life as if He was nudging me saying, "Hey, it's all right to go back...you started, now finish what I planned for you!" This last little, or rather huge, nudge was just the push I needed! I'm now officially excited about the school year! It can't come soon enough!

Ray

I've written in the past about my friend, Ray, who is in the Army. I've asked prayer for his Salvation, and for his protection as he's been in Iraq once and Afghanistan twice. Well, he was home for 2 weeks of leave and I got to see him several times, so I thought I'd post a picture that way you can put a face to his name. Please continue praying for his Salvation...he's still not very open to Christianity at all. He's getting ready to be transferred to a unit in Alaska, and will probably be going back to Afghanistan by the end of the year! I'll keep everyone posted.

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Be Still, My Soul

The other night my cousin, Megan, and I went to a praise and worship service. One of the songs we sang is a hymn that used to be one of my favorites...I haven't sung it in ages, and then while singing it tonight I remembered why I loved it so much. I actually broke down crying in the middle of it, so I thought I'd share...(I switched the order of some of the verses to the way I would sing them if it were up to me).

Be Still, My Soul

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side.

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain.

Leave to thy God to order and provide;

In every change, He faithful will remain.

Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heavenly Friend

Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: when dearest friends depart,

And all is darkened in the vale of tears,

Then shalt thou better know His love, His heart,

Who comes to soothe thy sorrow and thy fears.

Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay

From His own fullness all He takes away.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake

To guide the future, as He has the past.

Thy hope, they confidence let nothing shake;

All now mysterious shall be bright at last.

Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know

His voice Who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hastening on

When we shall be forever with the Lord.

When disappointment, grief and fear are gone,

Sorrow forgot, loves purest joys restored.

Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past

All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

Be still, my soul: begin the song of praise

On earth, be leaving, to Thy Lord on high;

Acknowledge Him in all thy words and ways,

So shall He view thee with a well pleased eye.

Be still, my soul: the Sun of life divine

Through passing clouds shall but more brightly shine.

~Katherina von Schlegel

Often in the rush of life I forget to be still and listen to God. I find myself trying to fix my own problems and figuring out my life my way. It is only when I quite my soul and turn to God that I realize He is on my side and He can fight my battles for me so much better than I ever could on my own, and He alone is faithful through everything.

The second verse I had never heard before, but as we sang it, I broke down crying. I think the hardest thing ever is to lose a good and dear friend. Whether it be through death, over a specific issue or two, or just a gradual drifting apart, it's never easy and tears are a natural part of grieving. However, I know from personal experience, that when I watch a friend leave God proves to me every time that He is there to comfort me. In fact, John 14:18 says it best, "I [Jesus] will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you." I guess the biggest part of the song to me is the last phrase, "Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay from His own fullness he can repay." His repayment is so much more than I ever deserved, and I've found it to be beyond my wildest imaginations. One of my friends recently put it to me this way: "Life is like a puzzle, we only see the mixed up pieces, but God has the box and He alone knows how everything is going to turn into a beautiful picture."

"Be still and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah." -Psalm 46:10-11

Each Step

Have you ever come to a point in your life when you have *no* idea whatsoever what you’re going to do next, you don’t even know what you want to do in life, and pretty much life seems to have no direction? Maybe it seems as if all of your carefully laid plans no longer are going to work out, and you wonder “What is the point of even trying?” Life just seems to be a humongous black hole of uncertainty and doubt. To be blatantly honest, that’s how I feel at the moment…I’m no longer certain of anything in my life. However, I’ve decided that rather than sitting back and wondering what the big plan for my life is, to instead take life day by day, trusting God to lead me in each step that I take. “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 hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity” (Jeremiah 29:11-14, NIV). God has a plan for each one of us, but the only way the “big” plan can take place is if we follow in His “little” daily plans. “Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.” (Matthew 6:34 KJV)

Personally, it’s *very* hard for me to trust God with my future. I like to have everything planned out in advance, and when I have to give it over to Him I tend to do it with a *LOT* of reluctance. I have to remember that God had a plan for me before I was even born and He has bigger things in store for me. “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5 NKJV)

One of my favorite passages in Scripture is Isaiah 55:8-9 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” Every time life doesn’t go “my way” (which is quite often) I have to remind myself that God’s way is higher than mine. He alone sees the big picture and He guides and directs my accordingly. I cannot questions Him; all I can do is sweetly submit to whatever He chooses to bring into my life. I must wait upon my Lord, and He will lead me in the way I should go.

What is Love?

Let me preface this with the fact that this is not aimed at anyone at all. Some recent events in my life have caused me to want to come up with my own definition of what love is really about, and these are my findings and my opinions. So, with that being said, after much thought and research, here is my definition of love.

I did quite a bit of research, reading, and deep thinking to come up with this definition. I read Bible passages and articles people had written, as well as looking up definitions of numerous words, and I have formed my opinion on this topic from all of the digging I have done.

True love is not an object to be thrown away when imperfections are found. True love is a commitment to be there when the other person falls. It's a promise that no matter what happens you will always be there for each other, it is also a partnership of two people united together to face the world as one and sticking together in joy and sorrow. True love asks not, "What can I get?" but rather, "What can I give?" True love never fails.

True love sees past the imperfections of a sin cursed human being, to the real inward beauty of the other person. Love accepts the person as they are – not as they want him or her to be. It doesn’t try to change the person into what they should be; rather it strives to build the other person up, to help them grow on their own.

When thinking of love I also thought of the word “devotion.” Miriam Webster defines devotion as “the fact or state of being ardently dedicated and loyal.” When one is loyal he never wavers from his belief. Therefore, when one is in love and dedicated they never leave their partner in the good times as well as in the bad. This makes me think of the movie, “Fireproof,” and the main theme, “You never leave your partner, especially in a fire.” The apostle Paul said it well, “Love suffers long and is kind…” (I Corinthians 13:4a) Solomon, in all of his wisdom, wrote, “Love is as strong as death.” (Song of Solomon 8:6). In other words, love is being faithful to your partner. The Marines have as their slogan, “Semper Fidelis” which in English is translated, “Always Faithful” and so it should be with love.

Love is a perfect trust in an individual. It has no fear of anything happening in the future to possibly change how the other partner feels about them. I John 4 says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear…” An Irish saying goes something like this, “When mistrust comes in, love goes out.” To be fearful is not to love.

Love is the ability to watch someone fall and instead of saying, “I told you so,” or, “Why did you do that again?” it simply reaches out and picks the loved one up, dusts them off, and moves on. “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (I Corinthians 13:4-7)

Probably the thing most longed for in the world is love. Everyone is looking for it, but the only way it is going to be found is through Christ, for it is only He Who holds the key to everlasting and perfect love. Jeremiah 31:3 says, “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee.” By looking to Jesus we will find the perfect example and only by following Him will we in turn be able to truly love others.

Always Now

"We...beseech you that ye recieve not the grace of God in vain." II Corinthians 6:1

The grace you had yesterday will not do for today. Grace is the overflowing favour of God; you can always reckon it is there to draw upon. "In much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses" --that is where the test for patience comes. Are you failing the grace of God there? Are you saying--Oh, well, I won't count this time? It is not a question of praying and asking God to help you; it is taking the grace of God now. We make prayer the preparation for work, it is never that in the Bible. Prayer is the exercise of drawing on the grace of God. Don't say,--I will endure this until I can get away and pray. Pray now; draw on the grace of God in the moment of need. Prayer is the most practical thing, it is not the reflex action of devotion. Prayer is the last thing in which we learn to draw on God's grace.

"In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours"--in all these things manifest a drawing upon the grace of God that will make you a marvel to yourself and to others. Draw now, not presently. The one word in the spiritual vocabulary is Now. Let circumstances bring you where they will, keep drawing on the grace of God in every conceivable condition you may be in. One of the greatest proofs that you are drawing on the grace of God is that you can be humiliated without manifesting the slightest trace of anything but His grace.

"Having nothing..." Never reserve anything. Pour out the best you have, and always be poor. Never be diplomatic and careful about the treasure God gives. This is poverty triumphant.

From "My Utmost for His Highest" June 26th, by Oswald Chambers

How Dare I Go SOOOO Long??!!

So, I've waited almost 2 weeks to post these pictures! :O Now I'm finally going to post from when Kyle was at my house for Memorial Day (now that it's almost time for me to go to his house again!) I hope you guys don't mind seeing sooo many pictures...but I'm still having a hard time writing at will, so bear with me, please. Anyways, now presenting: "Pictures from Memorial Day."

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*****Kyle's birthday was on June 2, the 2 days after he left, so we gave him his gifts early ;)*****

This was from my parents, and it's kinda an inside joke as to why he got that particular shirt...it's a long story....

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*****TOOOOO MANY PICTURES!!!!!!!!*****

*****Family Devotions*****

We had a pretty nasty storm on Memorial Day, but it cleared up in the evening so we went outside and took some pictures...

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*****One of the cheesiest grins. ever.*****

*****Ummmm.....*****

*****Peek-a-boo...I see you!!!*****