The New Year

When we look back at 2014, we should see how faithful the Lord has been to us. Here are a few ways He has shown His faithfulness.

1. God is faithful in sending the Saviour
2. He is faithful to complete the work of sanctification in us
3. God's work in creation reveal His faithfulness
4. God shows us His faithfulness in His tender mercies toward us
5. He shows His faithfulness by keeping His promises to His people

There are many more things that could be added to this list. To me, this is a reminder that Christ is all we will ever need. The 2015 will bring many new things our way--disappointments and joys.

The unknown can make our heart grow anxious but it shouldn't. When we see how the Lord has taken care of us and sustained us we don't need to worry. It is a great reminder for us to dwell on what is known. And above are five things we already know about the Lord.

Friends, let this be the year we keep our eyes fixed on Christ. He is the one leading and taking care of us. He is the one that is making us into the image of His son. 

Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blames a the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 1Thessalonians 5:23

Happy New Year!!

Merry Christmas

I can't believe Christmas is almost here and I'm so excited to celebrate the birth of Christ.

This one will be short but sweet. I hope.

May Christ be at the forefront of our thoughts this Christmas. And may He be at the forefront of our thoughts everyday. We rejoice in His birth, death, and Resurrection. He came to save sinners that would believe in Him.

He is our joy and praise. And He is coming back again.

Here is a great quote from R.C. Sproul

"What we celebrate at CHRISTMAS is not so much the birth of a baby, but the incarnation of GOD Himself."

Holiness

Pursuing holiness isn’t a suggestion but a command from the Lord. In the previous verses, we see that we need to rejoice in our salvation and even though we will go through trials, it is to test the genuineness of our faith. It also allows us to fix our eyes off the world and onto Christ.

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:14-16

With this knowledge, we have a race to run, a journey to go on, and a warfare to battle. So the pursuit of holiness should be our desire as we follow and emulate Christ. We must pursue holiness in all aspects of our lives on a daily basis. This isn’t an easy task as sin clings to our hearts and can makes its home there if we aren’t deliberate in uprooting it.

We must not clothe ourselves with the old way of living, the old way of doing things, and the old way of thinking. We are a new creation and being conformed into the image of our Lord.

Christ shed His blood so those that repent and believe in Him would have everlasting life.

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:1-2

We must watch and pray against the sin for which we are inclined. We must follow Christ and as stated earlier imitate Him in holiness and righteousness.

What about you? Are you pursuing holiness? Do you yearn to be more like Christ? Are you obeying the scriptures or ignoring what God has to say?

We need to wrap His written word around ourselves like a cloak. Just as God is clothed in splendor and majesty we need to clothe ourselves in the truth so our hunger is for Him and not our old way of life.

As we draw closer to the Saviour, our old way should become a distant memory. The help of the Holy Spirit can only do this and we thank the Lord that He is working in us. We will fail but as my pastor says, “It’s not the perfection but the direction."

When my friend found out she had cancer, and I gave her a hug. She looked at me and said, “I just want to be holier.”

Yes, I can’t believe she said that either. I’m sure there were moments where there was fear, anxiety, and doubt. But she still returned her gaze to Christ. When she was in pain, she would quote scripture. When I stayed overnight in her hospital room, she asked me to give her a verse. She looked like a Skeleton with skin but she still praised God. She stayed focused on Him. She pursued holiness.

And we should want this too. Whatever trials or joys that come our way our goal shouldn’t be for happiness (which isn’t a bad thing) but more importantly we should long for holiness. 

Live Out What You Believe

If you've ever read Psalm 139, there is a sudden transition in thoughts for David in the next four verses. He goes from the mind of God to the wicked. 

O that You would slay the wicked, O God; Depart from me, therefore, men of bloodshed. For they speak against you wickedly, and Your enemies take Your name in vain. Psalm 139:19-20

One commentator thinks it is because David was thinking that God is everywhere. He searches the heart of people, He knows all their conduct, and he was suddenly struck with the idea of the condition of the wicked in the presence, and under the eye, of the Lord. 

As David points out, there is no fellowship between light and darkness, between the wicked and God-fearing. The Lord has seen all the sins of the wicked, which have been done in His presence. He will punish the crimes committed before His face unless the sinner repents. 

Those who delight in wickedness are not fit companions for those who walk with God. As we delight to have the Lord always near us, we should eagerly desire to have wicked men removed from us or not engage in what they do. 

David wasn’t in danger when he tells us about the men who shed blood. He wanted nothing to do with them, he didn’t want to partake in their conduct or share their fate.

The sinners that reject God will be called into account the words they have said against the Lord. They are His enemies and declare their enmity when they take His name in vain. They speak against His perfections, His purpose, His providence, His doctrines, His wisdom, His faithfulness, His Word, His ministers, and His people.

Some think this is a description of hypocrites. They speak and talk of God, but their hearts are far from Him. They pretend to love and obey Him, but a cloak of maliciousness covers their souls. Pretending to be His friend, they take His name in vain. They carry themselves with arrogant and false pride and utter poisonous words against the Lord.

If it is the ignorant sinner or the hypocrite, they will have to give an account to the Lord for rejecting Him and choosing to follow their own path.

It is clear that there isn’t fellowship between dark and light. And some even say shun those who reject the Lord. However, we were once the wicked. We once spoke against the Lord and rejected His Son. We once wanted self to rule in our hearts and not the Saviour. It is clear the Lord hates sin and will punish those who don’t repent. As those who fear God, we should mourn over our sin and the sin of unbelievers too. We should be different from the world.

In reality, we can’t flee the wicked and live in a bubble. There are women and men that are married to unbelievers. Some have parents or siblings that don’t know the Lord. We have people we work with that are not saved. So shunning them won’t help. We need to live out what we believe. We need to pray and be a living example to the lost. They don’t know any better and neither did we.

This quote by R.C Sproul is a great reminder of why we need to evangelize the lost. “This should be our witness. We should say, ‘I am here to show that you need a Saviour and to point you to the One you should worship.’”

We don’t have to have eloquent words but point them to Christ and let them see something different in us. Let them see Christ. May our lives, may my life be a living testimony to the world. May we never ruin our testimony by gossiping or lying. May we never ruin it by out bursts of anger or bitterness. May we never ruin it by  our lack of compassion or selfishness. My friend said it well about her mom when she was a child. "She got upset with us but the one thing she always did was ask for forgiveness and that was what I have always remembered."

That is a great testimony. We will fail but we need humility to cover our hearts not our pride. 

And remember with the Lord conversion and salvation is possible even for the darkest heart. 

Rejoice in Your Salvation

Sometimes when things are difficult, I can forget to rejoice in my salvation. I can forget what Christ has done for my soul.

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. 1 Peter 1:8-9

I love that Peter put these verses in the Bible because it reminds me of my salvation. And this salvation should bring me great joy that one day I will see the face of my Saviour  One day my faith will become sight.

I was once blind to my sin and didn’t have ears or eyes to hear or see the truth. I was once like the world without any hope. But now, that God has saved me, my hope is living. This hope comforts all distresses and allows me to get over all difficulties because my eyes are fixed on Christ. Does my gaze fall away from my Saviour? Yes, but I’m thankful that I can go to Him and repent and know that He has forgiven me.

I am going to have trouble. I’m going to get anxious and fearful. I will cry out to Him and ask why or no more or that isn't what I asked for but I have to trust Him because I love Him and I know His word is true. I’m thankful for the trials even though they are painful. Trials remind me to take my eyes off the world and onto my great Comforter. It makes me long for heaven. The trials give God the glory. It humbles me. It makes me pray. It refines me to look more and more like Christ. It makes me hate my sin so Christ becomes even sweeter to me. And it teaches me to be joyful.

My pastor said this. “True joy is a gift from God to those who believe the gospel of Christ, being produced in them by the Holy Spirit, as they receive and obey the Word, mixed with trials, and keeping their hope fixed on the glory which is to come.”

When I go through trials, I want patience to speak in my heart and not my passions. Ha! I wish I could say that I always do that but I don’t. My heart will get discouraged but I must go to my Father and ask for help.

Trials are good things. Even though it may look ugly to me, it is a beautiful gift from the Lord. When I open the box, I see His grace, mercy, kindness, love, sovereignty. When I open the box, I know He will comfort me with His word though it can take time.  I know He will heal the hurts, disappoints, and anger. He will heal the wounds. And when I open the box, I know it is the voice of God speaking to me.

He is telling me through the pages of scripture to trust and cling to Him. He is telling me not to fear but be strong and of good courage. He is reminding me to hide His word in my heart. He is showing me how faithful He is and has been over the years. He is rooting out the sin in my heart that the trial exposes. He is the one holding my right hand and He is the one that will always help and guide me.

This is something that I struggle with daily and I hate it. ButI have to trust Him daily, I have to worship Him daily, I have to give him thanks daily, and I want to love Him more than I did yesterday.

Trials can scare me or the what if’s. But I can rejoice in my salvation because the truth is I don’t want a shallow faith or a shallow joy. I want a deep faith and a full joy. I want to come out looking more like Christ and less like myself.

Friends, may we let His word strengthen our souls each day. May we remember the patience to endure the trial only comes from Him. May we remember He is our joy and praise. May we always thank the author, perfecter, and giver of life. Me we remember the nearness of God is for our good. May we tell those who fear and don’t fear the Lord what He has done for our souls. And may we never forget that He redeemed us, called us by name, created us, and is with us.

We are His and He loves us.

Hospitality

Hospitality as defined by Dictionary.com is: the friendly reception and treatment of strangers or guests. 

When I think of hospitality, my thoughts drift to a home and food looking like a photo from Pinterest or Instagram. Everything on the table is perfect and the sun's rays capture the orange tulips on the table just so. The tablecloths are perfect without messy little fingerprints making their marks on them. The food looks so good that you want to stick your hand through the screen and grab a drumstick or two. And maybe the cookie. ;)

But God's idea is different from my idea. Who doesn't want a clean house when someone comes over? Oh, the shame if they see a crooked place mat or dishes in the sink or mouth prints on the stainless steel appliances that let people know children live here. 

I love God's idea better. If you look at 1 Peter, he was telling the fellow believer to show love to strangers or be hospitable to those they didn't know. This is so easy to do when we know the people and invite them into our home. It can be hard when they are strangers or neighbors we don't know well, they go to a different church, or they look and smell different from us.

Those things shouldn't matter. The Lord placed a neighbor on my heart a few days ago. And I do think she is having some problems. I wrote her a note to say that the Lord has put her on my heart and that I am praying for her. She sent me a text telling me thanks for the note. She finally opened up a little that she is having a tough time right now. 

Ladies, the clean house (which is good since I'm sort of a semi neat freak) isn't that important, the perfect house isn't that important or the size isn't that important. What is important, what will always be important is to show the love of Christ to those in the faith, and to those you aren't saved. 

Let those who fear the Lord and those who don't fear Him know what He has done for your soul. It is about encouraging the body of Christ and it is about pointing those who don't know the Lord to the only one that can save. 

When someone comes to your home they should feel loved. When someone is sharing with you, put the phone down and look them straight in the eye. When someone is sad, put your arm around them and let them know you care. We rejoice with those who rejoice and we weep with those who weep. 

By praying, encouraging, and serving the body of Christ and family or friends who don't know Christ, we are showing hospitality. We are showing them the Saviour. 

May those around you see that joy that is in you. May you remember it isn't about you but it is about Christ. May you remind others that He is your joy and your God. And may you remember to show hospitality without grumbling or complaining. Others may not see your heart but God does.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your friends and family.

Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. 1 Peter 4:9

Anniversary

Budapest Summer 2014

Today marks fourteen years that I've been married to this wonderful man. He is my best friend and takes such good care of our family. He is a hard worker, loves me, loves his kids, and loves Christ.

I'm thankful for him and our sweet family. Even though today is a special day, my husband is working out of town. This year we won't spend our anniversary together or celebrate my birthday together in two days. It breaks my heart because I do miss him. But his job takes him away for weeks or months at a time.

But God.

The Lord is so good. I could wallow in a bag of gummy bears and cry but I choose to be thankful. I choose to rejoice. I choose to fix my eyes and heart on the Lord. He has taught me over the years that He is faithful and will always be faithful. He has taught me to rest in Christ. He has taught me that He is in control of all things. He has taught me to cling to Him. He has shown me His kindness, mercy, and love which I don't deserve. He has taught me that He is better than anything this world has to offer. I am joyful because my hope is in my Saviour.

Am I sad? Of course. Something would be wrong with me if I wasn't. But I am full of joy and that only comes from the Lord and abiding in His precious word. I love and adore my husband but I love and adore my Saviour more.

He is my joy and praise. I desire to please Him in everything.  Do I do it perfectly? Uh, no, but I'm pressing on to be more and more like my Saviour.

May my life be a sweet aroma to those around me so they ask about the hope that is in me.

So to my husband. I love you and thanks for being my best friend.  To my Saviour, continue to teach me to walk in a manner worthy so I never forget that you are my first love.

Show Me Your Glory

Creation declares the glory of the Lord. 

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. Romans 1:20

His handiwork is on display daily. From the menacing storm clouds that consume the sky to drops of rain that water the earth. From the sun in the sky to the stars that twinkle in the night. 

We don't need to visit the Louvre in Paris to see beautiful art. We can step outside and see the Master artist show us the beauty of a sunrise and sunset. The awesomeness of lightening bolts striking the ground. 

His creation is beautiful but there is something even better. We can see His glory as we leaf through the pages of His holy word. We see the beauty of Christ from the Old Testament all the way to the New Testament. When we ask God to show us His glory, we only need to open His book. 

We need to plant our faces in His word. Our feet need to stand firm on the Rock. Our hands needsto dig deeper into the depths of the scriptures. 

But this isn't always easy. There are seasons of plenty and seasons of droughts in the time we spend with Him.  Life can and will get busy. But we need our Saviour. We need to cling to Him because He is our joy and praise. 

It takes the discipline of an athlete, the patience of a farmer, and the courage of a soldier. 

Friends, reading blogs and books about God are good. We are encouraged when we know someone understands. We are strengthened by others words to continue to press on. But the best thing is spending time with Him.

That quiet time when it is just you and the Saviour. Your tears may bleed into the pages from joy or sorrow but He is wiping them away. That quiet time where you can here the gentle whisper of the Lord saying, "Be still, and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10a


Thank you to all the brave men and women in Canada and the USA who served and continue to serve. 

The Liebster Award

I was nominated by Sarah at Life With The Casterlines for the Liebster Award.I have to admit I'm not good at these things but it was sweet that Sarah thought of me. Thanks, Sarah. I hope I do this right. 

The Liebster Award is for smaller blogs only (less than 200 followers) and is just a way for readers to discover up-and-coming blogs. Here are the rules:

1. Post 11 random facts about yourself
2. Answer 11 questions asked by the person who nominated you
3. Nominate bloggers (with less than 200 followers) to do the same
4. Let the bloggers you have nominated know they have been nominated

Part One:

1. I love bacon
2. I've learned to love California. Canadian girl for life. :)
3. I ran in two Olympics
4. I've been in a hot air balloon
5. I didn't know what smores were until I came to the States
6. I'm in my schools Hall of Fame
7. I could wear PJ's all day
8. I used to do air bands with my friends in high school. Oh, the shame
9. I would love to go to a U2 concert
10. I want to line dance but I might lose my black card with that tidbit. :)
11. I'm a bit clumsy. 

Part Two:

1. What is your favorite book? Jane Eyre
2. What inspired you to start blogging? The Lord and I wanted to be encouraged and encourage other saints
3. If you could do anything right now, what would it be? See my husband. He works out of town.
4. What is your favorite song? Wonderful, Merciful, Saviour
5. What are you reading right now? The Knowledge of the Holy
6. What career are you in, and do you like it?I serve my family.
7. What is your favorite TV show? House Hunters
8. What is one goal you hope to accomplish within the next year? Finish this YA book I'm working on.
9. What is the best movie you’ve seen lately? I love the Christmas movies.
10. What is one item on your Christmas wish-list? To eat Christmas dinner after gall bladder surgery. Gallstones suck!!
11. What do you love most about fall? If I were home in Canada, they red, yellow and orange leaves. The cooler weather and soft scarves. In California, it is harder since it was 89 yesterday. But their our moments of fall here and I thank the Lord for it.

Part three- For the bloggers I am nominating, here are your questions:

1. What is one thing God is teaching you during this season? 
2. If you could travel any where tomorrow, where would you go and why?
3. What is your favorite Christmas movie?
4. Team Edward or Team Jacob?
5. What are you currently reading?
6. What is your favorite time of year?
7. What is one goal you hope to accomplish this next year?
8. Where and who will you be spending Thanksgiving and Christmas with?
9. What inspired you to start blogging?
10. Who inspires you the most in life right now?
11. Who is your favorite author? 

I now nominate the following bloggers for the Liebster Award:

Victoria at Through*For* By
Martha Kate at Seasons with the Strattons

If you choose to accept the award,  please come back and comment with your post link so we can all
get to know you better!

He Knows Us Well

O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. Psalm 139:1-2

When we leaf through the many psalms David wrote, we see how personal and intimate they are. He knew his God and God knew him. It is no different here. David understood as he penned these words that the Lord knew him.

The Lord had searched him and search here references searching the earth by boring or digging for water or metal. God isn’t looking for something. He examines the thoughts and feelings of our hearts. He knows us better than any family, friend, or acquaintance as they can’t see our heart.

But God can.

Our soul is transparent to His piercing glance and He sees the sin that dwells in our hearts. We can hide it from others but not God.  Psalm 44:21 Would not God find this out? For He knows the secrets of the heart?

The Puritan A.W Pink says this. “The natural man cannot endure the thought of being thoroughly searched by God. The last thing he desires is to pass beneath the all-seeing eye of His maker and Judge, so that his every thought and desire, his most secret imagination and motives stands exposed before Him.”

We our observed by God whether we sit down or rise up. Our simple tasks, our most needful movements are noted. When we cling to pride, the Lord sees it. When anger or bitterness gets comfortable in our heart, He sees it. When we are sad and lonely, our great God sees it all.  This is a truth to remember, if we are sitting down to think or rising up to act, we are still seen, known, and read by our Lord.

So, because of this He understands our thoughts from afar, and He understands our thoughts of Him. He won’t misjudge or wrongly interpret us; our inner thoughts our perfectly understood by His impartial mind.

On one hand, it should restrain us from sin and when we do sin, we should repent. Our soul is transparent before the living God every minute and hour of the day. Man looks at the outward appearance but the Lord see the heart. On the other hand, God sees us, puny us, and knows us. We need to mediate on the truths that come our way. This is a beautiful contrast between the observer and the observed. The Lord and us. This is an intimate connection that exists, and therein lies our hope.

The Lord isn’t far away from us. We can boldly go the throne of grace with confidence. He hears our prayers, cries, joys, and sorrows. He is the one that will comfort our soul and hold our hand. 

Because He is faithful. 

Run With Endurance

We have a race set before us that is taking us to Christ. On the way home, there are smooth paths, bumpy one, dark days, sunny days, sin that hinders are race, etc.

Every day we have a choice to either obey the Lord or disobey. Every day we must deny ourselves, take up the cross and follow Him. Every day we must fix our eyes on Christ the authour and perfecter of our faith. It isn’t easy and that is why we have the Lord. We need Him every moment of every day.

Patience is the key to running this race. We have a race to run, a race of service and a race of sufferings, a course of active and passive obedience. So, we must run with patience and perseverance. We need patience to deal with trials and disappointments. Faith and patience are the conquering graces we must cultivate always. 

We must lay aside every encumbrance and sin that so easily entangles us. Get rid of those sins that hinder the race. We have an example in Christ and when we let sin remain subdued, it will hinder us from running the race, as it takes from us every motive for running, and gives power to every discouragement. We need to fix our eyes on Christ when we are weary, faint, or joyful.

Isn’t that the point. We can’t do anything without the Lord and when we take our eyes off Him (His word) we sink so to speak. We need to fix our hearts and thoughts on Him and His ways.

He is our great example and He is our great encouragement; we must look to Him for direction, for assistance, and for acceptance, on all our sufferings. Consider Him. Mediate on Him. When we compare our suffering to Christ’s, it exceeds our own. His patience excels our own and He is the perfect pattern for us to follow.

He will give us the comfort we need. When you are going through something difficult, and the word says, “Rejoice in the Lord always.” We have to ask, “Lord, teach me how to do that?” And He will. He is never going to leave us because He is always and will always hold our hand as we run this race home.

Ladies, when you are weary fix your eyes on Christ. Call out to Him for help. Seek a friend that will pray and encourage you. We don’t have to run it alone. We have our Saviour and He has provided saints that love the Lord and they will carry the load with us. We have a great and faithful God who will provide for us.

Therefore, since we have so great a could of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith. 

Hebrews 12:1-2

Worry Strangles Our Joy

I love and hate Psalm 139:23-24. I love it because I need God to search my heart and pull out the weeds that take root there. I hate it because it is hard to see the sin He has found. The sin I try to hide. The sin I try to ignore. The sin I try to justify.

He searches the secrets of my heart not that He may  know what is there but that I may know and see the swarms of microscopic sins that are minute but mighty in their ability to destroy my soul. To destroy my joy. To destroy my relationship with my first love: Christ.

One of those sins is worry.

I worry about what may happen and my wanders down a path it shouldn’t go down. A friend said it well. “God doesn’t give grace for imaginary trials.”

Amen. He isn’t giving me grace for something I made up in my head.  And it is dumb for me to think that He would. Worry distresses the mind and wearies the soul. Worry is debilitating. Worry strangles the joy. It becomes a fixed habit. A sort of drug we can’t live without.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Matthew 6:25

Yes, there will be trials in our lives and we can cling to worry or anxiety instead of Christ. We can let our minds go down a dark road until we have lost our way. We can let it suck the life out of us until it depresses us, discourages us, and weakens us.

The peace of Christ needs to rule in our hearts not our sins. The truth of His word has to dominate our lives daily. When we trust God, it gives us confidence, not in ourselves, but the one who redeemed us from the pit. Trust whispers in our ears that there is no cause for worry because the Lord will take care of everything.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us. Psalm 62:5-8

We all have hidden sins that the Lord needs to yank out. It can be painful and difficult to see but we need to explore the deep recesses of our hearts. It takes courage to do this and ask God to show us our blind spots and to show us our pride. We need to be courageous and ask the Lord to search our hearts, so we can become more like our Saviour. Each day should show us our need for the Lord. Each day should show us that we can’t boast in anything we do but we need to boast in the Lord. Each day should bring us to our knees in awe, praise, gratitude, and confession.

We can’t let our sin dwell in our minds or hearts. Instead, we must put on Christ and make no provisions for flesh in regards to its lust. Romans 13:14

This isn’t easy but it must be done and the Lord is faithful to help us.

How?

We need to make it a habit to be in the word. We need to plant our face and hands into His word so He can teach through the pages or scripture how to walk humbly and confidently with Him. May we let the word of Christ richly dwell within our souls. 

This is a great quote from Charles Spurgeon.

"We do not stand or fall according to our personal merit; but because Jesus lives we live, because Jesus is accepted we are accepted, because Jesus is beloved we are beloved: in a word, our standing is not based upon merit, but upon mercy; not upon our changeable character, but upon the immutable mercy of God."

The Best Words

I want to write.

I want to write words that speak loudly and whisper in your ear.

I want to write words that make you think

long after your eyes have left the pages.

But your mind is still there, lingering, wondering.

I want to write so your heart aches or

brings a smile to your face.

I want to write to encourage you if you’re holding on by a

thread.

Or if you only need a gentle nudge.

I want to write so a tear glides down your flushed cheek.

I want to write to make you laugh aloud

and

you

don’t

care

who hears you.

I want to write words that make you scream

at a character or makes you whisper in your

heart,

“I’m rooting for you.”

I want to write words that you fall in love with at

every page.

I want to write.

But

my

words

aren’t  the best.

Another has words better than mine.

I borrow His words but He doesn’t borrow mine.

His words are

the way

the truth

and the life.

His sheep hear His words.

His words restore the soul and are sharper

than

any two-edged sword.

His words comfort. His words will never leave you.

Nor forsake you.

His words disciple you.

His words conform you into

His

image.

His words are beautiful.

His words endure forever. They are

timeless.

His words should be your first thought when you wake

and your last when you sleep.

His words are calling you.

His word is unchanging.

But His word will

change

you.

I want His words to consume me like a blanket.

I want His words to pin me down like a dagger.

His words are the best.

I want His words to penetrate the depths of my heart.

I want His word to change, convict, and comfort me.

I want His words to search me

and root out the

sin.

I can’t live without His words.

I need His words.

I adore His words.

Because they bring me joy.

I want to protect His words from thieves.

His words strengthen our faith in Him.

His words should make us long for heaven.

His words will bring you to your knees in repentance.

His words will harden a heart.

His words will take a heart of stone and turn it into a heart of

flesh.

His words expose the soul of sinful man.

You can’t hide from His words.

You can’t run from His words

His words will wipe your tears.

His words will make you worry less

pray more

worship more

 and repent quickly.

His words are faithful

His words cannot lie.

You can trust His words.

Because He is the

Word.

You need His words.

His words make you submit,

trust,

and obey.

His words bring life to those who believe.

His words bring death to those who don’t.

Don’t reject His words.

His words will make you less fearful.

His words are better than anything

this

life

has

to

offer.

His words will not bow to an

anyone or anything.

But every knee will bow down

to Him.

And His words bring you to the foot of the

cross.

Because

His words are the best.

Ladonna

Psalm 63:1-4: My Soul Thirsts For You

Our family had the opportunity to go to Europe this summer. We had the chance to visit relatives in Scotland. I love this picture of the countryside and if you look really, really close you can see the sheep. Or at least I think they're sheep. They could be goats. :)

I can say this is a place where I can find some rest. It is quiet, tranquil and a great place to write and think without the noise of life. But I know my soul can't find rest here.

And David knew he could only find rest in the Creator. This psalm was probably written when he was fleeing from his son Absalom in the wilderness of Judah. He knew God was the only true and living God, the author and end of all things, the Governor and Judge or men and angels and the sole object of his worship. His allegiance was to his Redeemer.

I am amazed how David could write this when his son wanted him dead. Why didn't he say, "Lord, get me out of this situation." "Lord, this is horrible."

But those aren't the words he penned. He wrote something that convicts my soul. "My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for you."

Wait! His son was trying to kill him, he was in the wilderness, and he was probably cold and hungry. But David's soul thirsted for God. It thirsted for His Creator. He had an insatiable longing for Jehovah. And he knew only God could satisfy the craving of a soul. The poet was in a weary place with a weary heart and this made the presence of God even more desirable to him.

He knew God's lovingkindness was better than this temporal life and he praised God with joyful lips.There wasn't a complaint or a grumble coming out of his mouth. If I was cold, hungry, and a fugitive I would probably complain and whine, which makes me sad. I want to long for the Lord like David. I want His word to clothe me like a cloak since God is clothed in splendor and majesty.

David was in continual danger and fear held him and gave him some wearisome nights but he comforted himself with the thoughts of God. And I. And we need to do the same. We need to saturate ourselves with His word. We need to memorize and mediate on the word. His word is our strength and will comfort our weary souls as it did for David.

I think the trials draw us closer to Christ. It reminds us that the best place to sit is at the foot of the cross. It reminds us that only God can restore our souls. It reminds us to cling to Him and remember He is our joy and praise.

Charles Spurgeon said this.
"To dwell with God is better than life and its best; life at ease, in a palace, in health, in honour, in wealth, in pleasures; yea, a thousand lives are not equal to the eternal life which abides in Jehovah's smile."

David didn't long for food or to get out of this situation. His soul thirsted for God. He longed for more of God and not the things of the world.

Yes, we should go to Him in prayer. Yes, it is okay to say, "I'm scared." And the Lord will give us comfort.

But we need to take our eyes off the world and fix them on His word. May we desire this more and more as we walk with our Saviour. May the truth of scripture knit its way into our hearts. And may we remember that Christ is better than anything so we will praise Him.

Be a Good Friend to Your Husband

Our women's bible study had a wedding shower for a lady in our group. And the leader of the study asked us to give her some wisdom.

When she had said this, the first thing that came to my mind was be a good friend. But what does that look like? There were things going through my mind and I came up with ten. 

1. Pray for him
Pray that your man will be a man after God's own heart. He will grow and fruit will bear in his life.

2. Let him know you will walk through fire with him
Sometimes things will get hard in your marriage and difficult decisions will be made. If he knows you support him, it will encourage him to press forward.

3. Let him know he is Superman
In year one or two of marriage, we will have sweet things to say. But, at times, we can forget to encourage him because we are busy or we have a honey do list for him that is endless. We need to take the time to remind them that they our are superheros.

4. Encourage him
Let him know how much you love and our proud of him. Those words can go a long way for a man. We need to be women that build our houses up and not tear them down because our words can make or break our spouses. Our words need to be seasoned with grace.

5. Let him lead, and let him fall
This is a hard one because, if you're like me, you like to control things. However, our pastor said it well. "Ladies, you got to let us lead, and you have to let us fall." Ouch! That's not what I want to hear until a friend told me about her parents. Her dad wanted to start a business and her mother thought it was a bad idea. Finally, she let him do it and they ended up losing everything. But my friend told me her dad wouldn't be the humble man he is today if that hadn't happened.

Yes, we should confront sin but we also have to remember God is in control and we have to let the Lord work in their hearts in His time and His way. We are not the Holy Spirit.

6. You're not his momma, mummy, mom, mum, ma
You're his wife, lover, and friend.

7. Intimacy
I think sex is important to a man. And there are some wives that love it and others that don't. If it is something you don't love, I would encourage you to ask the Lord for help. I was taught it was nasty and horrible and that mindset transferred  to my marriage. Thankfully, the Lord helped me through my wrong view and allowed me to show intimacy to my husband. As a reminder though, we need to teach our spouses that timing is everything. :)

8. Hold hands
I love when I see older couples holding hands and loving each other. It is such a sweet moment and very encouraging to my own heart. As younger women, we need to do the same even when we may be upset with him. It may be hard but it speaks volumes.

9. Be quick to forgive and quick to ask forgiveness
This can be hard one but we really want to clothe ourselves in humility. And learn to walk humbly with the Saviour because pride will kill a friendship.

10. Pray
Keep praying for him. Pray that he will do things for you and the family because those are good things to pray for. However, the most important thing is to pray that his heart is inclined to Christ. That Christ is and will be his first love. Byron and Robin Yawn said this in their book What Every Woman Wishes Her Father Had Told Her:

"In a mysterious way, consistent with the rest of  Christianity, she does not need him to pay more attention to her, but to Christ more desperately. This prayerful desire honors God, demonstrates respect for her husband, and keeps the focus off of self. But reciprocally, an increased devotion to the risen Lord in him results in an increased devotion to her."

I'm sure I'm repeating what many of you already know. But I know I need to remind myself about this on a daily basis. I love and adore my husband and I want him to know it all the time through my actions and speech.

May we pray for our spouses faithfully and may we saturate ourselves in the word daily. And let us watch as the Lord changes not only our husbands but us into the image of our sweet Saviour.

Fall Favourites

This is where I would love to be. With a pencil in my hand and notebook so I could write. There is something special about fall. The cool air, the smell of the leaves, the scent of warm cider, and the autumn spices that linger in a coffee shop.

I love this season but living in southern California you don’t get that fally feel. Instead, it’s in the nineties and the palm trees don’t seem to take on the same beauty as maple leaves changing. But you can find some places where the leaves are raining down golden colours that make my heart happy.

So here are some of my favourite (Yes, I’m a Canadian exiled to California J)  things about fall:

·         Soft scarves

·         Apple cider with whipped cream on top.

·         Running

·         Banana Bread

·         I hate coffee so I’ll take the candy. I prefer Gummy Bears but I guess that isn’t a fall thing.

·         When it is cool outside, I love the scent of the leaves and rain.

·         Canadian and American Thanksgiving.

·         It’s hot here. 

And as I always remind myself the best place to be is at the foot of the cross.