6.30.2014

Fighting Your Battles

I have forgotten what it is like to be in the woods. To be completely engulfed and surrounded in green. Sometimes that’s all I want, it just takes actually sitting here to remind me. I just look out, see the sky through green leaves, green murky water and green leafiness all around me. This is one of the things that I know God made with me specifically in mind. It’s one of my favorite gifts from Him.

Anyway, I wanted to mention what my devotional talked about this morning. Letting God fight your battles. So many times we give up and surrender to Him in the times where it’s clear that you can’t do it yourself, but what about the daily things that you ignorantly think you can do own your own. God fighting your battles
is such a different way of thinking about your to-do list, tasks in front of you and even your relationships. It almost sounds like we are burdening God, but that’s not the case at all. Instead, we are letting Him do His job—being in ultimate control and weaving our path and purpose, while we do ours—depending, loving and focusing on Him.

Knowing this, I want Him to fight my battles, I want Him to fight them for me. Doesn’t His workmanship always turn out better anyway? This, however, does not mean not doing any work, you have an excuse to be lazy or that you should roll over.  Nowhere in scripture does it say to do that. Also, remember to be still and rest in Him so that He can take this from you.
Be thinking and prayerfully pursue what specific battles you need to step back from and let God take the reins.


 





6.29.2014

Reminders of Joy

 



This mission team from good ole TN came to help my church in our journey to change Shelbyville--one person at a time.

I was busy this week preparing things for them, so I didn't get as much time serving with them as I would have liked, but I do have some take aways from their visit.

1--I was reminded what it is like to serve on a team--hands and feet being the body of Christ and how when working together you can be super productive.

2--I got to see something that I have slightly stopped embodying--the pure joy of living!
*Note: Somehow coffee is usually involved in this discovery.

3--It just takes doing it. Pull on God's strength and let his Grace cover you every day--because He moves every day.

4--I was reminded what youthfulness looks like.

5--Real service is cleaning toilets.

6--I have a twin. Who knew?













A Deep Breath of the Spirit-I Want More



It's funny how God answers prayers.
It's really in a million different ways.
The answers look so different each time.

My Lord has been answering my prayers to be broken, to learn about humility and see Him working more.

God has completely transformed me this month. There have been lots of trials and adjusting and confusing-heart-tangle moments where I struggled to find myself and His Presence.

He is the one who completely holds my heart no matter how stupid or selfish or demanding or misunderstanding I am.


Sometimes hashing out things is just what needs to be done. After the struggle, there is peace.

Sometimes you are not exactly what was or went wrong in the first place, and that's okay.

Sometimes, you don't even know what you're feeling until you begin to actually feel it when it comes to the surface. Who knew you were so broken when even you didn't know?

Sometimes you don't have all the answers, and that's okay. Sometimes (most of the time) you don't need to.


 
I have been drained of my energy slowly ever since I left school. I now see that God was using my slower pace to get me to the spot where I was desperate for Him again--where I realize that I don't have enough of Him and every single day,
 
                                                                                                             I
                                                                                                   want
                                                                                                MORE.












More Insights from Honduras

Wednesday of That Week

I'm sitting here writing for the first time since the plane ride (which I'm kinda glad is over!). There is so much to take in, I mean, a whole other culture. God is serious when He talks about making people unique and special and different.





Thursdays Thanksgiving

Thank you for providing uneven days, days when there is often too much help. Thank you for transformation and change.





The Next Sunday

So it's nothing to say that Honduras was epic. But now I'm back in the states. The evil one threatens to erase my memories, since I am now distracted by a queasy stomach and the fact that I am so happy to be back in America I could cry. Honduras was hard. Harder than expected. It's one of those times when you have so much to take in all at once that you have no time to evaluate it all before you leave. I am so tired.











6.27.2014

Being Made Who You Are


“The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. The vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as seemed good to him. Then the word of the Lord came to me; Can I knot do with you, O house of Israel, just as this potter has done, say the Lord. Just like the clay in the potter’s hands, so you are in my hand, Oh house of Israel.”

Jeremiah 18:1-6

Often I have a hard time discerning what is an accident, coincident or what is actually the Holy Spirit. I stumbled upon this verse the other day as I was flipping through and the more I think about this verse’s direct application to my current stage in life, the more I am convinced that it doesn’t matter if it’s divine discovery or not, God can still use it to speak to me.

This verse really helps me make sense of simply the question about the quality and quantity of things that I’m learning and why. God is shaping me. And sharpening me. In another post I mentioned that I thought that this summer would be one that would help prepare me for the rest of my life. I guess I can see that now. I’m pretty excited about it all, even if real learning may not come in the easiest of ways. I am especially appreciative of people who can help me work through all of these things—those people are the best. Overall though, it is clear that God is doing something big in me, and this verse is my proof.




 

6.23.2014

The Property

 Ever go somewhere where you can just feel the potential? That is Sparrow Mission's property for their orphanage. You can check out their full vision at  http://www.sparrowmissions.com/. It's pretty epic.

One day a group of our team went to the property to do some dirty work. As I walked across the property, I just got this feeling from the ground and surrounding area that God wanted the vision of the orphanage to happen. The ground has been, and is, very well prayed over. I could tell because of the almost tangible power of activity that is soon to be tapped into.

When we were there doing yard work, it was hot. Hotter than normal, for Honduras in the mountains. I'm convinced that someone prayed for the day to be overcast and cloudy, because that is soon what happened. Thank you to whoever prayed that :) And thank you for God for answering and honoring that prayer :)


By the way, the two guys at the bottom are trying to get mangos out of a tree by throwing sticks. Just so you know.