Isaiah 43:25

This was such a beautiful reminder to me:


"I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again." --Isaiah 43:25

Converstaions.

Today was full of wonderful, insightful conversations with some very lovely people. They were full of gabbing about God, love, and the future.  There is nothing better than having a conversation and leaving, knowing that you feel hopeful, inspired, and better about yourself because of what the other person just shared.  I walked away from each conversation today feeling exactly that. :)

Family.

The family. We were a strange little band of characters trudging through life sharing diseases and toothpaste, coveting one another's desserts, hiding shampoo, borrowing money, locking each other out of our rooms, inflicting pain and kissing to heal it in the same instant, loving, laughing, defending, and trying to figure out the common thread that bound us all together.
-- Erma Bombeck

What is more important to you than God??

At my woman's Bible study this evening, this question was posed: "What is more important to you than God?  What is something, that if God took it away from you, that you don't think you could get over or forgive Him for?"  As this question was being asked, I was completely taken aback.  I had never really thought about it before.  There are certain things that would be really hard for me to give up; my dog being a very good example.  But what is the one thing in my life that is more important to me than God?  And why?  I am called to love my God with complete abandonment, but how often does that really happen?  How often am I really pouring myself, all of me, into the God that loves me so much?  All those questions make me really uncomfortable because I know my shortcomings and the struggles I face.  I use those, all too often, as a way to keep from giving my everything to my King.  I don't want to live that way; instead I want to live with abandonment and without reservation to love the Creator with all my heart; not putting my family, friends, or even my dog first.  I want to know, that if asked by the One, that I could walk away, not without great, great sadness, and reach out my hand to Him so He can lead me towards Beautiful.  


So my question for you, my friends, is, "What is more important to you than God?  What things in your life do you need to give to God?"  Remember what a mighty God we serve.  :)

Rock Chalk Jayhawks.

I love me some Jayhawks :)

Romance.

I am in a small group that meets every Tuesday.  Currently we are reading the book "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge.  Tonight's topic was about romance.  Many times we think of romance being between two people in love, a husband and wife.  The book made some very valid points about how we are romanced by God.  He wants to chase after us, and call us His own.  He is jealous for a relationship with us, an intimate relationship.  One of the questions posed tonight was, "How does God romance you?"  Many of the answers were, "through nature, the sunset/sunrise, the stars."  And good answers they were because I KNOW that God uses many of those things to win me over.  But I also think that God uses normal, everyday people to romance us.  He uses them to show us things about ourself that we would not of discovered has we not meet them.  Many times I think that they only way God can get through to us is through our interactions with those around us. We all go through seasons when we struggle, or may not feel up to par.  I have been in a season for awhile now where I struggle to see myself through God's eyes.  I long to see myself as He does: beautiful. worthy. beautiful. forgiven. beautiful. unique. beautiful. loved. beautiful.  Both inside and out.  Lately, I have never felt more beautiful and wanted by the Creator of the universe.  The only way He could reach me was through another person believing that I am beautiful.  I have learned that God will continue to seek me, love me, and stop at no cost to get His point across.  He will even send a much needed, undeserved blessing to demonstrate His love for me.  

How is God romancing you??

Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing

I keep thinking about a hymn that we sang in church on Sunday.  It is very rare that you mind me humming a hymn while doing the dishes, or driving to work, but this has been stuck in my head.  The words are so powerful and true.  It incredible that a song can be penned in 1757 and still ring true in my life today.  God is the same today, yesterday, and tomorrow.  Below are the lyrics to verse 3 and 4.

Jesus sought me when a stranger,

Wandering from the fold of God;

He, to rescue me from danger,

Interposed His precious blood;

How His kindness yet pursues me

Mortal tongue can never tell,

Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me

I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.

I think about how many times my heart wants to wander from the God I love.  Why would I ever want to leave my King?  He is the fount of every blessing.  Here's my heart; take and seal it.