Flying Away

Have you ever wanted to be a bird? I have. In fact, right now I really want to. I am listing to this song and its purely instrumental. It is simply a piano with the sound of rain and a crackling fire in the back ground. It makes me relaxed. It makes me long for the outdoors. Why is it that creation is so peaceful? And that the world we have made is so chaotic? My dad was driving me to the airport a few days ago. It was early in the morning. I was watching the sunrise through huge buildings we were passing as we drove by D. C. It was beautiful I must admit, but creations that man have made never seem to give me the peace and calmness that the creation our Creator has made. It is so beautiful. Have you ever sat outside in an old wooden gazebo in the middle of the woods? Let me paint you a picture as best as a legally blind color blind girl can.

Shut your eyes and imagine with me as I tell you what I see. I am sitting in a wooden gazebo I found while on a hiking trail. It sits on a mountain side in the woods and as I look out I see mountains and valleys filled with trees. It is as if there are waves of trees in front of me. it is spring time and the leaves are beautiful and freshly grown. Some trees have blossomed with beautiful white flowers. I stopped in the gazebo because it started to rain. The rain is creating a beautiful mist that covers the valleys with white puffy clouds. The mist dances as it rises in the air. Back, and forth. The only noise that can be heard is the sound of water trickling through the leaves. The smell of rain and Spring time fills the air. Not a person is in sight. Near by is a stream of water dancing as it flows and swerves in between one rock and another. It's about 78 degrees outside and with the spring shower came a nice calming cool spring breeze. Just strong enough to make the trees sway back and forth. small rumbles of thunder can be heard in the distance. It's so quiet, it is as if I can hear my heart beat. I stare at the trees swaying back and forth, and the streams of rain water dancing as they trickle and flow through the forest. I watch the mist as it slowly rises, dancing in the mountains. It then occurs to me, creation is dancing for its' Creator. Nothing is more pure and peaceful to me than creation. I wonder, does God let us witness these moments so that we can be reminded that we should be praising and worshiping God too? Or does He let us enjoy these moments so that we can worship God too. In the Psalms it talks about creation praising its' Creator. In one bible verse it tells us that if we do not worship God, the rocks will cry out. I've studied a bit of what Louie Giglio talks about and research shows that different stars in the universe make different noises as if the universe has its own star orchestra praising God. It amazes me how busy we get in our world, yet the creation around us is worshiping God. How can something without a soul (such as a tree, or a star) worship God, yet we who have a soul, a heart, a mind, and strength get too busy to worship our Creator? I don't want a soulless object "out-worshiping" me. (not that it's a competition but I think you get what i am saying)
I wish I was a bird. I could fly away sure(which is why most people wish they were birds), but I could also spend a lot more time in creation, being reminded to praise and worship my Living God!

"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zeph. 3:16-17

Psalm 148
1 Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights above.
2 Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
3 Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.
5 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded and they were created.
6 He set them in place for ever and ever; he gave a decree that will never pass away.
7 Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding,
9 you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds,
11 kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth,
12 young men and maidens, old men and children.
13 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.
14 He has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his saints, of Israel, the people close to his heart. Praise the LORD.

So I've Been Thinking

It has been a long time since I have wrote on here. I have so much I have wanted to write but not much time to do it. Well I am waiting for food to get done cooking so here goes some thoughts and realizations.

In my life I have had to make a lot of hard choices. I have also had to do a lot of hard things. I am sure almost everyone has. I am doing one of those very hard things right now. I am taking a break from the things I love doing most so that I can work on me. This is SO hard for me and I really can not put it into words. I love helping others and I LOVE serving God but the best way I can do that right now is by serving Him by working on me. (it's a long story and I am not going to get into it now but just understand that it is VERY hard for me but I know it is what God wants and in some weird twisted way I am really glad it is happening.) So as I was thinking about this late one night (my sleeping schedule is messed up and im having a hard time falling asleep so this happens a lot) I was thinking about hard things. I started to think, I wonder what the hardest thing God ever had to do was? I mean nothing is hard for God is it? Then I remembered something I have grown up knowing; something that now has a brand new meaning for me. God created everything. God Made the heavens and the earth. God knows and named every star in the sky! god made woman (enough said!)! I surely could not keep the world together but God can! These things must be hard. BUT, these are not the hardest things God did. The hardest thing God ever did was send His son to die on a cross for our sins! (This sounds so elementary but hang on). God can do anything and He does SO much but the hardest hting He did was seperate Himself from Christ when Jesus bore our sin on that cross. Now Jesus and God are back together obviously but it hurt God. I am sure God cried terrible tears of hurt and pain. God , big powerful amazing hold-the-world-together God cried real tears of real pain. Why would God chose to let himself hurt? Because He loves me so much! The hardest thing God ever did, He did for me!
That is so humbling yet it fills me up and motivates me to do something about it! WOW! I have always known this in my head and even a little in my heart but now i am starting to understand it with everything I am!


So unrelated to this....
I am going through a recovery program and I am studying addictions and recovery in school for my minor in Psychology. Before I even rea din a book or heard in a class about the 4 areas of healing, I had figured them out. There are 4 places in which a person needs healing in order to recover and be healthy. They are spiritual healing, mental (or psychological) healing, emotional healing, and physical healing. I was thinking about these and a verse came to my mind. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, your soul, your mind, and your strength. Could these htings be related to the healing process? I was thinking as follows:

Love the Lord your God with all your Heart (emotions and emotional healing)
With all your mind (Mental or psychological thoughts and healing)
With all your strength (Physical and physical healing)
and with all your soul (Spiritual and spiritual healing)

Could it be that in order to truly love God to your full ability, you need to be healed in these four areas? Just a thought. What do you think?

Hungry? Why Wait?

Hungry? Why wait? That was the theme of one of the dorm halls i lived on my sophomore year of college. At first I thought that the theme was kind of stupid. They took it from a candy bar and I could of cared less about a stupid hall theme. OK, so let's fast forward about two and half years to about last week.


Have you ever had bad cravings for food before? Like you start to think about something yummy like Coldstone ice cream or maybe a tasty sandwich from Burger King. I don't know about you but I get food cravings all the time. It isn't just wanting something sweet or salty, it is wanting something specific. Also I have noticed a common trend in my food cravings. I tend to crave food the most either when I have just filled my house with tons of food, or when I have no food left in my fridge or pantry. So this last week i have been craving ice cream, Burger King, and Domino's pizza. I probably wouldn't want that food so much if I actually had food in my house but I haven't had time or even a ride to go buy food for a few weeks now. That's probably the reason for why I have ordered from Domino's twice in the last week.



Not only do I get food craving, but I get cravings for water too! Have you ever been outside all day working hard or even just playing hard and you get so thirsty that your mouth actually feels dry? Man, when I get that thirsty i am able to drink all the water in the water fountain. (Obviously you can't do that but I think you get what I am saying.) Right now i am also trying to reduce the amounts of caffeine I have been drinking. I don't think I have ever though about going and buying a coffee beverage more than now! It seems like when I either have a lot of something available to me or none at all, I want it the most.



When I am hungry or thirsty and I have all that I want right there in large amounts it is so easy to take care of my cravings; but it is so much harder when I am craving something that I can't have. Why am I talking about this you may be asking? Well, it is because just like we have cravings for food and drink, we have cravings for God. Sometimes we don't say we are craving God but we are craving things that only God can truly fulfill.

All throughout the Psalms you read about David asking where God is and wanting God and even crying out to God. It makes me think of all the times I have craved God. My cravings tend to come pretty easily after I just had a large filling of His presence in my life. Do you know what I am talking about? It is those times when you have just come home from camp or a conference or even a really powerful worship service. Maybe you had an amazing quiet time or you read a book that just made you feel so close to God and you continued longing for that.But there are other times when I crave God. When I feel empty I tend to crave Him a lot. What happens though is that I don't recognize it as a craving for God. Normally it comes in a craving for love, or maybe a longing to be needed or desired. Have you ever wished that some one would care? Ever craved wanting some one to talk to? I have realized that when I get this way, it is normally because I have had a short supply of God in my life. Although I think I am craving something else, what I am really craving is God, His love, His care, and His attention.

A craving is normally an emotion that makes you long for something. I know that many people say you can't base things on feelings. Feelings should not dictate your life but feelings can help direct it. Sometimes when you feel things, it is your bodies way of saying you have a need. Cravings can be a feeling but if you look, even in the dictionary it says that cravings can also be needs. God gave us our feelings for a reason and He can use the to help direct us to Him

When I have no food in my house, i crave it but I can't get it. It is so much harder for me to find a way to get that food because I can't drive and I'm a college student. Some times I simply do not have the money. But if I really want that desired food enough, I will find a way. The question is, when you are desiring that love, acceptance, listening ear, friendship, etc. are you going to find a way to God? If you are Hungry for God, why are you waiting?

Draw near to God (first), and He will draw near to you. James 4:8

Pushed In a Corner

So this is a facebook note I wrote October 4th in 2007. I just read over it and I thought you may enjoy it. Let me know!

So this is some food for thought here. I'm up and it is like 3 in the morning right? I don't feel good for various reasons and i can't sleep cause I drank too much caffeine earlier at the movies. It's fall break and the campus is empty! I mean EMPTY! It's so strange being here for fall break with barely anyone around. But anyways...these last couple weeks I have really been feeling as if I am pushed into a corner and that everyone keeps walking by forgetting about me. Let me explain. No one seems to have time for me right? (by the way, this is not a note looking for pity or blaming people or saying whoa is me. Just keep reading and i think you may enjoy this) I really just want some friends and I keep talking to my friends but they are "busy"and they tell me oh i am so sorry i am busy right now but ill talk to you soon OK? I promise soon I will talk to you! I keep getting this over and over again. Even from my parents. They are both in new relationships and no one seems to have the time for me anymore, and if they do its like the let me squeeze you in cause i feel like i need to time. I feel like i have been shoved in a corner or a closet and am waving my arms and yelling HEY OVER HERE but no one sees me, or they do and say hold on ill be there shortly! Have you ever had that semi depressed feeling where you just want some one to care about you; someone who just wants to be around you cause they just enjoy being around you? No other real motivation? Have you ever just wanted some one to love you and care for you (i don't mean dating wise, i mean just friend wise) but the thing is you can't make some one care. You can't make some one love you; and slowly you watch relationships slip away and there is not much you can do but just wave your arms and say hey remember me over here? So i was down and thinking to myself, well this stinks and then I realized something! This is probably how God feels!!!! You grow close to Him but then you start to get busy and you say to Him i promise i will talk with you soon or ill spend time with you soon and you do kinda. You give him that squeeze in your schedule time and He wants you to love Him and care for Him like He does you but He isn't going to make you or else it wouldn't be real. He is waving His arms and yelling HEY I'M OVER HERE but you get to busy and slowly shove Him in the corner of the closet and your relationship with Him slowly fades away! The most important relationship in our lives is the one we have with Him so why are we shoving Him in the corner? I AM SO GUILTY of this! School has been so busy and Ive had so much to do and I find time to squeeze in my schedule but i am finding the relationship and fire I had for Him this summer is slowly heading back to a luke warm flame again. How dare i be upset that my friends don't have time for me and that I am all alone on an empty campus!! How dare I because God is giving me the opportunity to run to that corner and sit in His arms and share it with Him. He loves me more than any of you ever could and He is waving His arms at me and I've just been to busy. I'm glad i have this free time to spend with Him, my only question is, is He in the corner waving His arms at YOU??

Take My Life (A Prayer)

Have you ever taken some time out of your day to think about the words you say in the worship songs you sing? I love spending time listening to the lyrics and really dwelling on what they mean. If I'm not leading in worship I also love turning those songs into personal prayers during the service. The song Take My Life is a song that we sang at Global Youth Camps last year and I remember this week last year (on June 18th Wednesday night to be exact) we were at Eagle Eerie in Lynchburg VA for camp. After we had finished leading the music for the evening service I decided to slip outside for a little bit to spend some time in prayer. It was this very song that I dwelt on and turned into a prayer this time last year.

Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
(God, please take my life and help me to always surrender it completely to You. Please be in charge of my life and my decisions.)
Take my moments and my days,
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
(Take even the smallest parts of my day, and every single one of my days, and help me to use them as a way to bring your glory and honor and praise. May I always glorify you in everything that I do and may I never grow tired of praising You.)
Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of Thy love.
(Help me to reach out in love to people and show them You love.)
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for Thee.
(Direct my steps in the directions you wish them to go. Here am I Lord please send me out to where you want me.)
Take my voice and let me sing
always, only for my King.
(God, I pray that I will only use my voice for You. Help me never to sing to bring attention to myself but only to glorify and honor you. You are my audience of One. May I never forget that.)
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from Thee.
(God, please use me as a mouthpiece for what You want to be said. May the words from my mouth be pleasing to You and be from You.)
Take my silver and my gold
not a mite would I withhold.
(Help me to remember that my physical blessings are from You and belong to You. Help me to use them in a way that best glorifies and honors you. Show me how You want me to use them. May I never keep them for myself.)
Take my intellect and use
every power as You choose.
(As I study and learn more, God I pray that it would help your purpose for this world. Help me to grow wise in Your ways and use my intelligence for You and not myself.)
Here am I, all of me.
Take my life, it's all for Thee.
(God I surrender to You all of my life. May you take control of everything that I am. Help me to not hold on to anything of myself. Help me to see areas that I may not be surrendering to You so that I may lay them at Your feet.)
Take my will and make it Thine
it shall be no longer mine.
(May Your will be done in my life, not my own. I know that You know best God so please help me to live out what You want for my life.)
Take my heart it is Thine own
it shall be Thy royal throne.
(God, my heart belongs to You. Help me to guard it so that it will always be Your first and foremost.)
Take my love, my Lord I pour
at Your feet its treasure store
(Help me to fall more and more in love with You everyday. May I have a life that is always in love with You.)
Take myself and I will be
ever, only, all for Thee.
Take myself and I will be
ever, only, all for Thee.
(You are what I am all about. May You always be my heart's focus and desire! Be my everything and help me to always keep you as my everything in my life!)
Here am I, all of me.
Take my life, it's all for Thee.
(My heart my mind, my strength, my soul, God everything that I am including my thoughts, my time, my hands, feet, voice, lips, possessions, intellect, will, heart, love and everything else that makes up me; may it always be about You. God Here I am, make me and mold me into what You want me to be. My life is Yours. Do with it what You want.)

I hope that you will take some time aside to turn songs and even scripture into prayers yourself.

Psalm 144

1 Blessed be the LORD, my rock, who trains my hands for war, and my fingers for battle;
Ever felt like you were in some type of battle? Maybe a battle to keep your family together or a personal battle to stay focused. There are many types of battles that everyone will face in their lifetime. Whether we are going to be in a physical battle, emotional battle, or spiritual battle, we need to realize that the foundation in which we stand on should be God. What this means is that we need to trust God and focus on Him throughout the battle. We must continue to seek His face. It is easy to say that we will make God our Rock but I don't think a lot of us take the time to really understand what that even means.

2 he is my steadfast love and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield and he in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me.
Steadfast love is an amazing thing to think about. Steadfast means fixed in place. God's love for us is fixed in place meaning it isn't going anywhere. God will always love us! Isn't that a great thing to think about? God will always be there for us. It is so easy for me to find myself upset about the fact that I feel like no one is there for me. I always wish that some one would care; that some one would always love me. God is that person who will always be there for me and always care. What a great thing to think about!

3 O LORD, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?
4 Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow.
Its amazing that God loves us so much. He knows the number of hairs on our heads. He knows our every though and listens to our prayers. He ALWAYS is there for us and loves us so much! It amazes me because life is so short. Did you know that there is about 6.8 billion people in the world right now? God cares about each and every one of them! On top of that, God has cared about all of the people that lived before us and He will care about all the people who live after us! When you think about all those people, it is overwhelming to think about the fact that God still has time and even the desire to care about you.

5 Bow your heavens, O LORD, and come down! Touch the mountains so that they smoke!
6 Flash forth the lightning and scatter them; send out your arrows and rout them!
These verses remind me of watching a severe thunderstorm. I don't know about you but one of my favorite things to do is go sit on my front step and watch thunderstorms go by. If you think about it, most outdoor things shut down during a thunderstorm. Most people go inside of a building or a car. I love how the outside goes quiet and still. I mean obviously there is the noise of thunder and the wind blowing in the trees and possibly even the sound of a heavy rain or even hail. But think about it, the people and the man-made noises tend to be silenced. To me, watching a thunderstorm reminds me of God's power. This is why I love snow too! When it snows a few inches here in VA the entire state seems to shut down. I love how God can get this busy world to slow down by simply using the weather. We fill our lives with so many things that we tend to forget the most important thing; God! This is why I personally love stormy weather! it's a natural reminder of the One in control.

7 Stretch out your hand from on high; rescue me and deliver me from the many waters, from the hand of foreigners,

8 whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
We should always be on guard of the lies that are fed to us. We need to continually seek God's face and pray that He will help us to know the lies that are being fed to us. It is so easy for others to pull us down.

9 I will sing a new song to you, O God; upon a ten-stringed harp I will play to you,
10 who gives victory to kings, who rescues David his servant from the cruel sword.
I know that you have heard this and probably known this for awhile but when was the last time you really though about this. The God we sing to is the same God David sang to! We read about these characters in the Bible but how often do we think of them as real people? People thousands of years ago used to make music to the same God that we make music to. Isn't that exciting?! We sing songs to the same God the angels sing to!

11 Rescue me and deliver me from the hand of foreigners, whose mouths speak lies and whose right hand is a right hand of falsehood.
12 May our sons in their youth be like plants full grown, our daughters like corner pillars cut for the structure of a palace;
Plants full grown and corner pillars of a palace? For a little bit I had to think about what these words meant. I finally realized what full grown plants and corner pillars have in common; they are both strong. Full grown plants have deep roots and corner pillars are sturdy and strong. As a youth worker this is my desire for the students in our youth ministry. I hope and pray that they will become strong in their faith with God.

13 may our granaries be full, providing all kinds of produce; may our sheep bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our fields;

14 may our cattle be heavy with young, suffering no mishap or failure in bearing; may there be no cry of distress in our streets!
How often do you find yourself complaining about the things you need? How often do you tell people that money is tight this month or that your fridge is empty? Now compare that to how often you pray for God's provision. Now also compare that with how many times you take aside time to seek His face. Shouldn't we be spending more time seeking God's face than asking for things from Him? And shouldn't we be spending more times asking God to provide instead of complaining about the lack of provision?

15 Blessed are the people to whom such blessings fall! Blessed are the people whose God is the LORD!
Blessed are those who choose to make God the Lord of their life. These are the people who have the heart attitude of surrender to God. They truly desire for God to direct them and have control of their life. To me this song represents what they are all about when they choose to make God Lord of their lives.

Take my life and let it be
consecrated, Lord, to Thee.
Take my moments and my days,
let them flow in ceaseless praise.
Take my hands and let them move
at the impulse of Thy love.
Take my feet and let them be
swift and beautiful for Thee.
Take my voice and let me sing
always, only for my King.
Take my lips and let them be
filled with messages from Thee.
Take my silver and my gold
not a mite would I withhold.
Take my intellect and use
every power as You choose.
Here am I, all of me.
Take my life, it's all for Thee.
Take my will and make it Thine
it shall be no longer mine.
Take my heart it is Thine own
it shall be Thy royal throne.
Take my love, my Lord I pour
at Your feet its treasure store
Take myself and I will be
ever, only, all for Thee.
Take myself and I will be
ever, only, all for Thee.
Here am I, all of me.
Take my life, it's all for Thee.

-Take My Life

Psalm 145

1 I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2 Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.
3 Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.
4 One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.
5 They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
6 They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.
7 They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
9 The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.
10 All you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you.
11 They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might,
12 so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.
14 The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.
16 You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.
18 The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.
20 The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
21 My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.

Is this the attitude you have towards God? this is the attitude of a person who has a BIG picture of God. I think a lot of times we put limitations on God and expect Him to only do small things. I hope, wish, and pray that this would be the attitude the students here in LP would have towards god. i hope that when the students leave this ministry and move on in their life they can say that they have seen God do big and great things.

Psalm 62/Exodus 4 (For those working in ministry)

Ever felt discouraged and defeated come Monday morning? It's always hard when you plan and you pour into your ministry hoping for results, but those results seem to never come. I've had a good leader and friend once tell me, "It's as if we are hitting a large bolder with a rubber toy hammer." Have you ever felt that way before? Do you feel like God is asking you to slay ten Goliaths with only three stones? I know I have!

In Exodus 4 God is telling Moses what He wants Moses to do. Basically God is letting Moses know what His will for Moses life is. I really love this one section for the chapter that says,

10 Moses said to the LORD, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue."
11 The LORD said to him, "Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the LORD ?
12 Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."
13 But Moses said, "O Lord, please send someone else to do it."
14 Then the LORD's anger burned against Moses and he said, "What about your brother, Aaron the Levite? I know he can speak well. He is already on his way to meet you, and his heart will be glad when he sees you.
15 You shall speak to him and put words in his mouth; I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do. 16 He will speak to the people for you, and it will be as if he were your mouth and as if you were God to him.

I remember reading this my freshman year of high school and realizing that I could never use my vision as an excuse for not being able to do what God calls me to do. I mean c'mon, don't you think if anyone knows what we are capable of doing, wouldn't it be God? I also remember about two years ago I was doing a study on personality traits and on spiritual gifts. Mine seem to make no sense and aren't supposed to happen. I guess I am a strange combination of things. It really was upsetting me for awhile because I felt so confused as to why I was the way I was. How could I ever do what God wanted me to do with the type of personality traits and spiritual gifts I have? I feel like one of the things God wants me to do is help the hurting and I had some one bluntly tell me that there is no way they would ever come to me with their problems and that my personality isn't the type that can help hurting people. Then one day I realized that God knows who I am and He knows what He wants me to do and He will help me! He will provide people to come along the way and help as well. God doesn't just call individuals to do a task, he calls together a team of people that He knows far better than any of us. We just need to stay faithful and not give up. Our trust must be placed in Him no matter how frustrating things can get at times. God doesn't call the equip ed, He equips the called! One day I believe that rubber toy hammer will be able to break that giant boulder just like that one little stone and sling was able to bring down a giant warrior!

1 My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
3 How long will you assault a man? Would all of you throw him down— this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
4 They fully intend to topple him from his lofty place; they take delight in lies. With their mouths they bless, but in their hearts they curse. Selah
5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. Selah
9 Lowborn men are but a breath, the highborn are but a lie; if weighed on a balance, they are nothing; together they are only a breath.
10 Do not trust in extortion or take pride in stolen goods; though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them.
11 One thing God has spoken, two things have I heard: that you, O God, are strong,
12 and that you, O Lord, are loving. Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done.

A Different Kind of Vision (Psalm 146 cont./John 20:24-31)

So for those of you who do not know me, let me first start out by telling you that I have some serious vision problems. One of those problems that get people talking the most is the fact that I am completely color blind. I have NEVER seen a color in my life! All I see is black, white, and gray. It is like watching life through a black and white movie.

I can't tell you how many times I have heard people say the reason they do not believe in God is because they can not see Him. They believe that people have been fooled into believing in an imaginary God. They believe this for the simple fact that He can not be seen. I have heard people try and explain how this isn't true with many different arguments including the one where you can't see the wind but you can see its effects. Many Christians will say that just as you can see the effects of wind in the trees, you can see the effects of God in people's lives. Most non-believers claim that those people are just fooled. Well, I'd like to ask them to prove to me that color exists. Is it possible that the entire world is trying to fool me into believe that color exists when in all reality it was just made up to make them feel better and have fun? Of course not!

John 20:24-31
24Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.
25So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."
26A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!"
27Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."
28Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"
29Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
30Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.
31But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

I know so many people who have also told me how sad it makes them to know that I have never seen a color. I mean, I can't even imagine what a color looks like. But just as it breaks their hearts that I have never seen a color, it breaks my heart to know that they will never see God. Just as I can not imagine a color, and have no idea what I am missing, there are people who have no idea of the type of relationship they could have with a loving God. At least I know that one day I will get to see colors in heaven. There are people who will spend an eternity without knowing God and to me that should break every one's heart more than not seeing color!

In Psalm 146:8 it talks about how god gives sight to the blind. I feel like God has certainly given me sight' a different kind of vision. I have a vision to see the lost hurting people come to have a relationship with a loving, forgiving, and holy God.

Psalm 146

1 Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. Praising God from our soul means to praise Him from the very inner-most part of ourselves.
2 I will praise the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. This verse talks about praising God ALL of our lives, not just when things are going well. Every day we need to make it our goal to continuously praise God.
3 Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. It is not our friends and family who will ALWAYS be there for us; it is God! God knows all and sees all and it is in Him that we should place our trust.
4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. People will pass away but God will never die. His plans will happen because He knows all.
5 Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God,
Our help and hope should come from God.
6 the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— the LORD, who remains faithful forever. God will always be faithful.
7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, God provieds and protects His children.
8 the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. God will change the way you see and think. God will raise up the humbled and bring down the proud.
9 The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. God watches over and take care of those who have no one to take care of them. He is our true Father.
10 The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD. The Lord will always reign!

Psalm 150

1 Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.

The word praise is used 13 times in this section of scripture alone. I know that whenever a word is used repetitively it means that it's important. It is important to praise our Lord. I love all the instruments in this psalm. I even love the word dancing used! I know in a baptist church the word dancing does not go over well but there are forms of dancing that i believe can be used to praise the Lord. When reading this passage one of my favorite songs came to mind. I hope you enjoy these lyrics and I hope you will check out this song.

Hallelujah from the heavens
Hallelujah in the heights above the earth
Hallelujah all His angels
Hallelujah for the last will be first
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord
Hallelujah in the morning
Hallelujah for the beauty of His scars
Hallelujah in the twilight
Hallelujah sun and moon and shining stars
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord
When the night seems so long (throw your hands to the sky)
You can sing a new song (wipe the tears from your eyes)
When you're weak, He is strong
He can heal your wounded soul
And calm the storm inside
For all your times of laughter
In every hopeful prayer
When the world weighs on your shoulders
Through sorrow and your despair
With everything, with every breath, praise the Lord
Let everything, let every breath praise the Lord
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord
Let everything, let every breath praise the Lord
When the night seems so long (throw your hands to the sky)
You can sing a new song (wipe the tears from your eyes)
When you're weak, He is strong
He can heal your wounded soul
And calm the storm inside
-With Every Breath by Sixpence None The Richer

Psalm 149

1 Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of the saints.
2 Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King.
3 Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with tambourine and harp.
4 For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with salvation.
5 Let the saints rejoice in this honor and sing for joy on their beds.
6 May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands,
7 to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples,
8 to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron,
9 to carry out the sentence written against them. This is the glory of all his saints. Praise the LORD.


The theme in this psalm can easily be summarized in one word; praise. I thought it would be interesting to do a word study on the word praise. One of the definitions I found for the word praise was "to express approval or admiration of." Then I decided to look up the word admiration and I found this:

"1. a feeling of wonder, pleasure, or approval.
2. the act of looking on
or contemplating with pleasure: admiration of fine paintings.
3. an object of wonder, pleasure, or approval: The dancer was the admiration of
everyone.
4 Archaic. wonder; astonishment."

What does it mean to stand in astonishment of God? Here is what I found:

"1. overpowering wonder or surprise; amazement: He looked with astonishment at his friends.
2. an object or cause of amazement."

Then I decided to look up the word amazement and it said "overwhelming surprise or astonishment."


I realized a common theme in the definitions and that was that it was a strong feeling of wonder. When looking up the synonyms for the word wonder I found the following:

"conjecture, meditate, ponder, question. marvel. surprise, astonishment, amazement, bewilderment, awe."



I know that was a lot of definitions but I know I have heard the word praise so many times that i rarely take the chance to even think about what that means anymore. We need to all take more time out of our day to praise God for the things He has done.

I love how this psalm starts out with singing a new song to the Lord! Find a new song to refresh your heart's focus on the Lord today.

Psalm 147

1 Praise the LORD. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!
2 The LORD builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel.
3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
4 He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.
5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.
6 The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground.
7 Sing to the LORD with thanksgiving; make music to our God on the harp.
8 He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills.
9 He provides food for the cattle and for the young ravens when they call.
10 His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse, nor his delight in the legs of a man;
11 the LORD delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.
12 Extol the LORD, O Jerusalem; praise your God, O Zion,
13 for he strengthens the bars of your gates and blesses your people within you.
14 He grants peace to your borders and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.
15 He sends his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly.
16 He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes.
17 He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast?
18 He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow.
19 He has revealed his word to Jacob, his laws and decrees to Israel.
20 He has done this for no other nation; they do not know his laws. Praise the LORD.

From this psalm you can see so many important things about God!

• He is worthy to be praised! (We should praise Him with a thankful heart)
• He is Healer! (We should turn to Him for physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual healing)
• He knows all! (We should trust Him because He knows the entire picture and we only see what is in front of us.)
• He is Great! (We should realize that nothing is better than Him!)
• He is Mighty! (We should respect Him as a Mighty King)
• He is Powerful! (We should acknowledge His power in and around our lives)
• He understands all! (We should understand that He knows us better than we know ourselves)
• He is the Sustainer! (We should rest in Him.)
• He brings down the wicked! (We should repent from our wicked ways.)
• He enjoys music! (We should enjoy the gift of music and use it as a way to praise our God.)
• He is Provider! (We should rely on Him for our needs.)
• He is Creator! (We should embrace creativity because we serve a creative God who made us in His image.)
• He is Hope! (We should rejoice in the hope that He brings.)
• He is Love! (We should embrace the love He offers us.)
• He is to be feared! (We should respect His authority and power.)
• He is Holy! (We should recognize His bigness and perfection and understand that He is separate from us.)
• He is our Defender! (We should move out of the way and let Him fight the battle.)
• He is our Strength! (We should find our strength in Him.)
• He is Peace! (We should relax in the shadow of His wings.)
• He satisfies! (We should seek Him for He satisfies our every need.)
• He is Ruler! (We should submit to His ways and leading.)

Man! That encourages me so much! I can't tell you how much I enjoyed just writing that out! God truly is my everything! I think I could write an individual blog on each one of those points! Isn't our God truly great?!

Psalm 63

1 O God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in the sanctuary and beheld your power and your glory.
3 Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you.
4 I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.
5 My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you.
6 On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night.
7 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.
8 My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.
9 They who seek my life will be destroyed; they will go down to the depths of the earth.
10 They will be given over to the sword and become food for jackals.
11 But the king will rejoice in God; all who swear by God's name will praise him, while the mouths of liars will be silenced.

Can you hear the cry of David's heart in this psalm? He hungers and longs for God with all that he has! He knows that through every trial and difficulty that God is there and that the best place to always be is in His presence. For some reason when I read this I think of ministry and how easy it is to get caught up in serving the Lord that we forget to spend time just sitting in the presence of the Lord. That, and how easy it is in ministry to get discouraged and lose that hunger and thirst for God.

God, I pray that in the ministry you have placed me to serve at, that everyone involved in it and serving in it would seek you with all they have. God i pray that our inner-most being would long for and thirst for you! I pray that we would see your power and glory in this ministry! I pray that You would move in such powerful ways that no one would be able to doubt you are here doing things! God, I pray that we would be able to see you do BIG things here! I pray that the students and even the leaders would realize that Your love truly is better than anything life has to offer us! I pray that we would fall in love with You and that we would praise You for all that You have done! As You move in the lives of this ministry God, and as You bring life change, may we come together and lift up your name in praise! May we worship You in spirit and in truth lifting up Your name with all that we have in us. When troubles and temptations come I pray that You would help us remember to turn to You. I pray that we all would cling to You knowing that our help comes from You and only You! When we feel discouraged and down I pray that we all would turn even more to You and thirst and hunger for Your presence! Please move in this ministry! Please stir up a fire and a passion in the heart's of the students and leaders that desires You with everything that is in them! In Your Son's name I pray these things. Amen!

Psalm 1

I think one of my favorite psalms is psalm 1. One of the main reasons it has so much importance to me is because it was one of the first passages of Scripture that I ever memorized. There are so many important lessons that can be gained from this passage.

1 Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.

This specific verse was the inspiration for a Casting Crowns song that I absolutely love called Slow Fade. In this verse at first the man is walking, then standing, and then sitting. I think the words of this song are so true and great to consider!

Be careful little eyes what you see
It's the second glance that ties your hands as darkness pulls the strings
Be careful little feet where you go
For it's the little feet behind you that are sure to follow
It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
It's a slow fade, it's a slow fade
Be careful little ears what you hear
When flattery leads to compromise, the end is always near
Be careful little lips what you say
For empty words and promises lead broken hearts astray
It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
The journey from your mind to your hands
Is shorter than you're thinking
Be careful if you think you stand
You just might be sinking
It's a slow fade when you give yourself away
It's a slow fade when black and white have turned to gray
Thoughts invade, choices are made, a price will be paid
When you give yourself away
People never crumble in a day
Daddies never crumble in a day
Families never crumble in a day
Oh be careful little eyes what see
Oh be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
Oh be careful little eyes what you see

I love how the song talks about the things you see, hear, say, and the places you chose to go. All of those things are things that we choose. It amazes me at how the enemy will get you to rationalize the smallest of things and that it will build and build until you find yourself doing things you never even imagined you'd do. It really is a slow fade into a life that you do not want to live.

2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

If we want to avoid falling in to sin and out of a life lacking passion and love for God, than we must be grounded in His Word! The law of the Lord is in His written Word. We can't just read it; we must delight in it. We need to read it with a desire to grow and learn.

One time when I was sitting on a porch in the mountains of GA, God gave me this hypothetical situation that I could never forget. It was as if He said to me, "Lynsey, what if I bring the guy that you are going to marry into your life? What if I put him right before you and what if I am physically there with the two of you so that I can tell you that you will marry each other? Then you will know that it is my will." I was thinking wow! That would be amazing!!! Then He said, "But after you two meet, I am going to take him away form you for two full years and you will not be able to talk to each other at all for those two years." Man! That would be two hard years for sure! Then He said, "But I will give you a stack of letters from him, and in these letters you will have all the information you would ever want to know about him. You can read about what he likes and what he does and who he is." Oh wow! If that were to happen I would love those letters! I would read them all the time! I would memorize them and share them with others and carry them around with me all the time! And after those two years, I would run into his arms; so excited that i finally get to be with him! And then I heard God say, "Isn't that how you should feel about My letters to you?" Can I just say talk about a slap in the face?! Why is it that we tend to have more passion for the one we will end up with than a passion for the One that we are with and live for? If that isn't convicting than I don't know what it! I hope and pray that I will have that passion for God's Word where I delight in it and desire to meditate on it day and night!

3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.

Have you ever thought of your spiritual life as a tree before? I read this story once that had to do with crops. It mentioned how most people think that when we have a season of heavy rains that it would be good for crops. That actually isn't true. See what happens is when it rains a lot, the roots of the crops don't need to grow deep into the ground in order to get nourishment. Then when a period of drought follows, all of the crops end up dying from a lack of deep roots. Crops must have deep roots in order to survive dry spouts. If our spiritual life is like a tree, the question to ask is how deep are our roots? The second question to ask is how can we deepen our roots? I believe that when it comes to growing deeper roots, it all depends on how much you are feeding yourself compared to how much you are being fed. Feeding yourself is the way to grow the roots deeper and being fed is more like the rain. We need a healthy amount of rain but if it is all we depend on we will not have deep roots.

4 Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

Chaff is the stuff that is blown off of wheat when it is thrown in the air. It's the unimportant stuff.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.
6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

Isn't it great to know that the Lord will watch over those who chose to live a righteous life? To live a righteous life takes work. It takes realizing that even the little decisions we make can affect us in big ways. It's the little decisions that can slowly take us away from living right and it can keep us from growing our deep roots in Christ.

Worry

(This is a note i wrote on facebook in November. I hope it is encouraging to some one!)

So a lot of my friends have been telling me all these different things going on in their life right now. Things about job hunting and stress, lack of money and a need for God's direction in their life. A lot of my friends are pretty worried lately and have a lot on their mind. And you know what, a few days ago I was right along with them. If I rewind to a few days ago, all I can remember is being really stressed and feeling like a chicken with my head cut off. I was running around being pulled in a million directions trying to get way too much accomplished. I mean, all the things I was doing were all good things that would glorify God, but were all of these things really what God wanted for me or what I wanted for myself to give to God? All I can say is I was incredibly stressed and the fact that for the last few weeks in October I had no money, and the first week in November I lost the card which is attached to all my money, all just added more to my stress. I pretty much had no food in my house and I had no way of buying any, and I had loads of work to do which were physically impossible to finish. I wasn't getting sleep and I wasn't taking care of myself and finally not only had my body had enough, my heart had enough too. I was feeling overwhelmed and I was certainly being attacked by the enemy. Worse of all, I didn't want to admit it to any one. If I had too much on my plate and had to take some off, all I would here from friends and family is I told you so. But finally, I remembered, who cares what others think, what does God think? I turned to Him and with some advice from people that I respect, I decided to drop a class that I was taking for fun. In dropping it I was able to free up time to become more productive in my other classes, more productive in my ministry, and finally i was going to have more time to spend with God. I was still worried about the money situation and all but at least I wasn't feeling so stressed anymore. I finally had a good amount of time I could spend with God and that is when I sat down and I came to what I am about to share with you....

In Matthew chapter 6 it says the following...25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]? 28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

I LOVE these passages. How easy it i to get caught up in the worries of everyday things. It is so easy to start worrying about the future even. It is good to plan and think ahead but that doesn't mean we should worry and fret about it. God has much bigger and far greater plans for us than we could ever imagine. Instead of worrying we just need to trust in Him. If He will take care of a tiny little bird, then don't you think He will also take care of us? He will provide and take care of you in ways you never even think to imagine. He has been providing for me in such random ways. Simple little things like some one buying me a drink or a meal. Most of those people who did that didn't even know I had no money currently. It was crazy. That and conveniently I had all these events to go to that provided food when i had none. But God knew that way before I did. It was cool how everything worked out. God spoke to me in these words in the Bible. He reminded me that I do not need to worry about how things will work out and what will happen and what people will think. Instead I just need to focus on Him. He is with me.

I love this verse I ran into the other day in Isaiah 41:13 that says... For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.

I love that verse! When i read it I get this picture in my head of a little girl walking with her Daddy on a beach. She is looking up at him and He is looking down to her while holding her little hand. I know for me, when I was younger I used to always hold on to some one's arm. Specially if I was outside. It made my mother nervous because she thought that when I got older I would not be able to go places by myself. It wasn't that I needed to hold on to some one's arm in order to walk outside. It was simply that if i held on to some one Else's arm then I knew i did not have to worry about running into things and I would not have to worry about paying attention to things. I could focus on that person and our conversation or I could simply just walk along with out having to worry. This hit me. I can certainly try and live life without holding on to God's hand. A lot of times I unintentionally think that I do not need to hold His hand. But I do. See, when I am holding on to His hand, I can focus on His conversation, or I can simply walk along without having to worry. The key to not worrying isn't to just say to yourself "well..i know God is in control so I shouldn't worry." The key to not worrying is giving your heavenly father your hand and saying "take my hand Abba(daddy) and let's go for a walk." Trust Him and let Him lead you. Listen to what he has to say and talk to Him and just keep walking along knowing that He can take care of all the little details. God is SO much bigger than we are. He can take care of everything for us. If he cares and provides for the little sparrow...how much more He will care and provide for YOU!

Psalm 148

(This is yesterday's post! My Internet was down)

Have you ever sat to watch the sun set or laid out in the grass at night to gaze at the starts? Ever been awestruck by flowering mountainsides or blown away by the beauty of the ocean waves? man! I don't know about you but I love the outdoors! i love gazing at creation in order to praise the Creator! There is nothing like going on a hike through GA mountians in the spring or canoeing on a lake on a warm summers day. Its so amazing to feel the fesh automn breeze and to watch it dance in the trees as they shed their colored leaves! How beautiful MN is in the winter when the land, trees, fences and houses are covered in white fluffy snow! How beautiful God's creation is! It shows us just a small glimpse of his beauty and glory!

1 Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD from the heavens, praise him in the heights above.
2 Praise him, all his angels, praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
3 Praise him, sun and moon, praise him, all you shining stars.
4 Praise him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.
5 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded and they were created.
6 He set them in place for ever and ever; he gave a decree that will never pass away.
7 Praise the LORD from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths,
8 lightning and hail, snow and clouds, stormy winds that do his bidding,
9 you mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars,
10 wild animals and all cattle, small creatures and flying birds,
11 kings of the earth and all nations, you princes and all rulers on earth,
12 young men and maidens, old men and children.
13 Let them praise the name of the LORD, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens.
14 He has raised up for his people a horn, the praise of all his saints, of Israel, the people close to his heart. Praise the LORD.

Take time today to go outside and join creation in praising our Lord!

Go outside And praise the God who mapped the stars out in the sky
Gather ‘round with those who love and sing
He is our King
No one should be left out
No one should be left out
No one should be left out
No one should be left out
If you have air to breathe
Hear your call to sing
-"Go Outside by Robbie Seay Band
(To hear the song go to http://www.lyricsmania.com/lyrics/robbie_seay_band_lyrics_41115/give_yourself_away_lyrics_72788/go_outside_lyrics_723544.html)

Psalm 18/ 2 Samuel 22

So I was reading through 2 Samuel a few months ago and I realized that the same scripture verses were in psalm 18. I love several of the verses in these passages. Here arethe ones I underlined in my Bible.

2 He said: "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
3 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation. He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior— from violent men you save me.
4 I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise, and I am saved from my enemies.
5 "The waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
6 The cords of the grave coiled around me; the snares of death confronted me.
7 In my distress I called to the LORD; I called out to my God. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came to his ears.
17 "He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters.
18 He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me.
19 They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support.
20 He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.
21 "The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness; according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
22 For I have kept the ways of the LORD; I have not done evil by turning from my God.
23 All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees.
24 I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin.
25 The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness, according to my cleanness in his sight.
26 "To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
27 to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
28 You save the humble, but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low.
29 You are my lamp, O LORD; the LORD turns my darkness into light.
31 "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is flawless. He is a shield for all who take refuge in him.
32 For who is God besides the LORD ? And who is the Rock except our God?
33 It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.
47 "The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior!
50 Therefore I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations; I will sing praises to your name.

All I can say is WOW when i read those verses! How awesome to know that our God is our Rock and in Him we find our strength and because of Him we can stand strong against the enemy. He will direct our steps and be a light for us as long as we keep to His path! What an awesome promise! I hope these verses encourage you as much as they do for me?

Psalm 27

So for awhile now I have been really struggling with different temptations and spiritual attacks. I was telling a friend recently about some stuff I had been dealing with and he suggested i read psalm 27. The verses in this psalm really struck the chords of my heart.

1 The LORD is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?
2 When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. (Everlasting God, My Hope's In You)

It amazes me how much confidence David had in the Lord. It reminds me of when David fought Goliath. He was so angry at the giant for bashing the name of his Lord. He knew that his God was big enough to take care of a giant and he went out in battle to slay him. I have started wondering a few things about myself when reading these first few verses. First of all, how upset would I be if I heard some one bashing the name of the Lord? Would I be upset enough to take action? Would I be willing to at least say something? Second of all, do I have the kind of confidence in God that David did? Sometimes I feel like giving in to the attacks and temptations I have been facing and i wonder if it is because I do not have a big enough picture of who God is.

4 One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. (Better Is One Day)

I love that part that says "to seek him." I can hear David's heart longing to be in the presence of the Lord. Man how I long to just sit in God's presence. I hope that all Christians do. I have heard time after time people talking about wanting to feel the presence of God. I think the important thing to realize here though is that if you want to feel the presence of God you have to seek after Him. Just like it says in James 4:8 "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you." It takes action on our part before it takes action on His part. I think many times we get upset because we can't feel the presence of God in our lives, yet we are sitting around doing nothing about it. We sit and wait for God to take action when we need to take action first.

5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his tabernacle and set me high upon a rock. (Your Love Oh Lord, Jesus Lover of My Soul)

I love this verse because it gives me the picture of God as my protector. I love how it talks about God setting us on a rock. God is our firm foundation. If we build our house upon the sand, it will come crashing down. If we build our house upon the Rock, it will stand strong. If I want to stand strong against the things I am facing then I need to seek after God and build my life upon His truths.

6 Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the LORD. (Sing, Sing, Sing, Sing to The King, We Win!, Shout Unto God, Make A Joyful Noise/I Will Not Be Silent)

I love verses that talk about making music to God! This verse gives us the idea of music being a sacrifice to God. Because I love music so much and I believe it is an amazing way to connect with God, I put songs in parenthesis that would go with the different Scripture verses from this psalm.

7 Hear my voice when I call, O LORD; be merciful to me and answer me.
8 My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek. (Came to My Rescue, Rescue, The More I Seek You)

These verses talk about calling out to the Lord. It reminds me of the importance of prayer. When your heart longs for God, you need to take time and seek God through His Word and through prayer. There are so many different ways to seek God and spend time with Him! I know as crazy as this may sound, I love to go sit on the swing set near my townhouse and listen to music. I can stare at God's beautiful creation and spend time just praising Him for what He has done. It's one of my ways of getting away from the world for a little while and taking time to just spend with God.

9 Do not hide your face from me, do not turn your servant away in anger; you have been my helper. Do not reject me or forsake me, O God my Savior.
10 Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me. (Take My Life, Mighty to Save)

David recognized an important truth; God is the only one who can truly be our helper. People will always let you down, but God will always be there for you. He is our Savior!

11 Teach me your way, O LORD; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors.
12 Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence. (Search Me O God)

David realizes how easily he can get distracted from following what God wants for Him. That is why he is asking God to teach him how to follow God. In order to learn the ways of God we have to spend time reading and learning about God. The best source for this is Scripture. The best way to stand strong against our enemies is by knowing the Word of God which cuts like

13 I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. (Hungry, Lord You Are Good)

David ends this psalm by stating his confidence in the fact that he will see the goodness of the Lord. Sometimes when things are going bad it's hard to see how they will be used for God's glory but Romans 8:28 says "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." The main point of this entire psalm is to realize that if we want to see this happen, and if we want to feel God's presence, then we must wait on Him and seek His face!