Represent - Get Krunk

Turn it up.

Pump up the jam!

I have been trying to wield the Word and arm myself with scripture.

For several reasons.

Sometimes its hard to focus on what pleases the Lord.

Sometimes I just get frustrated.

Sometimes I'm just downright human.

When I first came to Living Hope, one of the VERY FIRST things that caught my attention was that as we sang our songs, our awesome worship-leader, Aaron H., would cite the scriptures.

This was revolutionary to me as a lost person.

You mean, there is actually a reason, and a reference to why we sing these songs?

This blew me away.

So, the Lord invaded my head and my mouth and my heart with snippets of worship songs.

I say snippets because I just sing the parts I remember.

Majesty, worship his majesty.

Thats it.

Or~

He is the Lord the Famous one, the famous one, great is your name in all the Earth,
The heavens declare your Glorious, Glorious, great is your name in all the earth.

Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Eph 5:19-20)

Lately, this has been true again.

Over the summer I went to Brandon & Bethan's wedding, and I have since kept their little booklet with the lyrics to 'In Christ Alone' and 'How great thou art.' I carried that puppy everywhere with me last semester.

You would think I would have them memorized like the back of my hand, and that people would be begging me to leave CS and try out for American Idol.

You would be mistaken.

Anyways.

All of this to say, that there is some awesome free music I have been jamming to this week.

I would love for my joy to be yours.

Check it.

http://www.hopeforthehokies.com/


Its my Joy to Worship you!

This is your life, are you who you want to be?

I must confess.

I have not been thankful.
I have not delighted myself in who the Lord made me to be, and what he has done so gracefully.

But he is still good and worthy.

Lets start out.

I have so easily forgotten what precious eternal life the Lord has given me today.

Do you rest?

Do you stop and literally smell the roses in your life?

Who were you made to be?

Not so long ago, I was DEAD in my sins.
I mean that.

I was walking around in depression, and darkness.
My life was fairly hopeless.
I was stuck in Romans 7: I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. (verse 15)

I had no clue why I couldn't do the things I really wanted to.
I felt like I owed everyone something.
I felt like I was trapped.
Trapped by my stuff.
Trapped in my relationships.

Enslaved.

But there is and was and will be a King who is So worthy.

He set me free.

From my stuff, from my relationships.

He set me free from my self-made fears.

And wow, were they ridiculous!!

Redonk.

I praise the Lord for pursuing my heart to give me a GIFT of eternal life.

Yes, thats right.

A gift.

THere is nothing I did or can do to earn this or be worthy of.

It is a free, irrevocable gift.

And what a sweet gift it is.

Ladies and Gentlemen, the Eternal life starts TODAY.

Eternity is FOREVER.

That means that at this very second I am free to live for the Lord.

I am free to delight.

I am free to serve.

With that being said, I want to tell you a little bit about what my eternal and abundant life looks like now.

It is definitely in stark contrast to what it was only a year-and-a-half ago.

At least, I hope.

Today, at this moment, at this very second I have life.

I have been jarringly reminded this year that our lives are SO short.

Sadly, it took losing a friend, Ryan Rogers, to get this.

The Lord is SOOO Sovereign. I cannot repeat this enough.

All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

Our days are numbered.

He can do with them what he pleases.

I have also seen this so evidently in an old friend's life as well.

Aaron, who not so recently was rolling around in the muck of sin with me.
It has been so beautiful to watch you fall in love with the Lord.

And then, because he is SO jealous for our hearts, the Lord SOVEREIGNLY and lovingly
revealed to Aaron that he has cancer (probably for 2 years) now.
How perfect is his timing in Saving Aaron, and giving him the amazing, sweet life, so that when he did find the cancer he could praise the Lord and walk around with such sweet life, here and now.

And thats right, I said life.

Life or death has nothing to do with the body.

It has everything to do with our hearts.

I love that Aaron has a weak body with cancer, but has more life than he has EVER had.

Mmmm.

Ok, so my life right now.

Here is your update.

I am living in College Station and working.

Ok thats boring.

I never plan out my days.

I wake up and spend time with the Lord at Starbucks, or go swing in the park.

Wait on the Lord, and Keep his way, and he will make your righteousness shine like the dawn.

I have just graduated from college.

I have always wanted to go to Europe.

I am going to Europe for a month in about2 weeks.

I LOVEEE to go outside. I get to take walks to the park almost every day.
And swing.

And what happens? I get to hang out with cool little kids, and appreciate the cool air, the beautiful greenery.

Rest.

Just sit still on the swings, walk through the Hydrangeas, and be silent.

That is life.

One more example.

ANd really this is my favorite.

RARELY, VERY RARELY do I have days anymore where I want to shove my foot into my mouth.

Oh, they still come.

But praise, the Lord, he is moving me on to Romans 8: The mind of sinful man[e] is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;

But praise the Lord that he is renewing me.

I am so thankful that he is transforming into his image, so that I don't have to be stuck in those old patterns of opening my mouth and wanting to run and hurl.

That used to happen a lot.

Life starts TODAY folks.

As the Lord allows, I pray that my life will be even further testament that there is nothing to wait for.

DO not wait another second to start your life.

Do not wait until you retire.

Do not wait until it is too late.

Live your life today.

Delight yo bad self in the Lord! (turned out to be a word-study on Joy)

So, I have struggled with what to name this blog.

I love reading other people's blogs and I enjoy commenting.

I want you all to know, that I sincerely CANNOT write anything on this blog to make me famous.
The Lord will absolutely not let me.
Nothing comes out.

I have been so struggling with "finding" and knowing the Lord's will for my job situation and where I should serve, and what happens when you graduate and life does not turn out like you had always planned (see not getting married, or have boyfriend).

Last semester was filled with fun and joy. I was madly in love with the Lord. I hungered for His Word, I looked forward to hopegroup ALL week. Attending church on Sunday was the ABSOLUTE highlite of the week. I would rearrange my schedule all week, adjust my sleeping time, so that I would be ready in every sense of the word for the message.

Julie Weddle (J-wed) and I had dance parties, slumber parties, and pretty much an absolute blast all-the-time.

In so many ways, it was a semester of truly tasting and savoring and living the goodness of the Lord. Wow.

And then graduation hit and it seems like its all down-hill from there.
Priority #1: Get job.

Ok, so this sounds fairly simple, right?
Well, not if your parents are still supporting you.

Yeah, I know. So I dragged my feet in finding a job.. even a sub job.
But the Lord really convicted me of honoring my parents, which meant that as a college graduate I could no longer financially depend on them AND honor them at the same time.
Ouch.

So, I now sub for a living. My parents do not support me. It has been very rough "scaling down". Life would be SO MUCH easier if I got a check every month from my parents, and be able to go shopping with all the free time and money.
I would have almost twice as much money as I am making now. Which is not very much.

So, there you have the background info.

I do now in fact have a long-term sub job, which pays about 3 cents more than a regular sub-job.
Sweet.

I work in an area where I do in fact use my major.
I don't love working.
I have gotten unbiblically frustrated with my job a lot lately.
I sometimes wonder what the Lord's will for my life is.
I wonder what ministry I am supposed to be involved in.

But Paul exhorts us MANY times that he does it for the joy.

First lets define joy. (5 references)

1.The Bible-New King James Version
Habakkuk 3:18: A Hymn of Faith

17 Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail,
And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from the fold,
And there be no herd in the stalls—
18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
19 The LORD God [a] is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer’s feet,
And He will make me walk on my high hills.

2. And according to the Word Wealth at the bottom:Joy, gil (geel) To joy, rejoice, be glad, be joyful. Gil contains the suggestion of "dancing for joy," or "leaping for joy," since the verb originally meant "to spin around with intense motion." This lays to rest the notion that the biblical concept of joy is only "a quiet, inner sense of well-being." God dances for joy over Jerusalem and because of His people (Is. 65:19; Zeph. 3:17). The righteous Messiah shall rejoice in God's salvation with an intensity that the psalmist cannot find words to describe (Ps. 21:1). In turn, His redeemed citizens are joyful in their King; they praise HIm with dances, with instruments, and with singing (Ps. 149:2,3). Although everything is wrong in Habakkuk's external worlds, he is leaping for joy over his fellowship with Yahweh.


3. Mr. Dictionary.com:
1.the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation: She felt the joy of seeing her son's success.
2. a source or cause of keen pleasure or delight; something or someone greatly valued or appreciated: Her prose style is a pure joy.
3. the expression or display of glad feeling; festive gaiety.
4. a state of happiness or felicity.

4.D.L. Moody:
"I think there is a difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is caused by things which happen around me, and circumstances will mar it, but joy flows right on through trouble; joy flows on through the dark; joy flows in the night as well as in the day; joy flows all through persecution and opposition; if flows right along, for it is an unceasing fountain bubbling up in the heart; a secret spring which the world can't see and don't know anything about; but the Lord gives His people perpetual joy when they walk in obedience to Him."

5. Thesaurus.com:

Synonyms: alleviation, amusement, animation, bliss, charm, cheer, comfort, delectation, delight, diversion, ecstasy, elation, exaltation, exultation, exulting, felicity, festivity, frolic, fruition, gaiety, gem, gladness, glee, good humor, gratification, hilarity, humor, indulgence, jewel, jubilance, liveliness, luxury, merriment, mirth, pleasure, pride, prize, rapture, ravishment, refreshment, regalement, rejoicing, revelry, satisfaction, solace, sport, transport, treasure, treat, wonder



Since this has popped up so much in the Word, it is of no coincidence that the Lord exhorts me to do it as well.

Rejoice always! I will say it AGAIN, rejoice. (Phili. 4:4)

2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb 12:2)

You mean he suffered for our joy?

If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. (Phili 2:1-2)

If there is even a hint of good things and promises, then He is telling me that he will rejoice with me!

Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thess 16-18)

So, you mean, its not God's will for me to be frustrated and hate what I am doing right now?

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the Desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)

His purpose for me today is to take delight in him and what he is doing?

So, if any of you were wondering, Joy is a commandment, not a duty.

So, I challenge you all ( if you have read this far) to:

Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will be the Desire of your heart!

I stinkin love this song: In Christ Alone p.s. its true!

I would like to make some shout-outs.

1. Jesus - Holla.

2. Brandon and Bethan - for introducing me to this song (thanks for the free booklet) and showing me what this actually looks like.

3. The Texas Panhandle - I took this picture near Amarillo.

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
'Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost it's grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Brought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
'Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

More than Conquerers!

Uber conquistadores.
Over-and-above championship.
Super-winners.
Victorious and then some.

My sweet Savior is all of these things and more. He has so graciously and lovingly taught me about his over-abounding Grace and Kingship.

He has taught me about his love.
He has taught me.

My sweet Savior has shown me what love is. To show someone something you don't just say the word, "Yay!" You show them how excited and "yay" you are by how you show them and how you say it. It means nothing if we fail to say it with enthusiasm. "Yay" would be just another random, perhaps mispelled Olde-English vocabulary word.

The Lord didn't just prophesy that He would send His Son.
Nope.
He didn't leave it at the miracles and the amazing ministry here on Earth.
Uh-uh.
He send His Song, His ONLY Son, to Die.
On a Cross.
He sufferred a lot.
He bled and died.
Ouch.

The Lord really loves.
He doesn't just tell us he loves us.
He shows us.
What a powerful example of of love.
I can't think of anything that can compare.

And then, as if that isn't enough, he so faithfully pursues us.
He knows our hearts, he knows our dreams, wants and needs.
Afterall he did create them.

Romans 8:31-39
What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:
"For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered."[l] 37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[m] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

random.. because thats how I roll

This is me working with what the Lord brings,

and working with what http://juliecaroline.blogspot.com Hulie was saying.

So.

Basically, I try to write good posts, and nothing comes out.

I think, and think and think some more.

Rarely does something good come of it.

And then, I read Julie's post about writing what the Lord brings up.

What a great point.

I can't conjure how to praise God.

He taught me that a while ago.

His thoughts are higher than our thoughts.

It is beyond me to imagine how I can plan, and schedule and make anything that comes out of my flesh that would please the Lord.

Hmm.

He definitely takes my hangups and uses them for his glory, don't get me wrong.

But I can't sit here and think of my favorite thing, and say, hey, I should use the two-birds-with-one-stone principal and maybe I can twist it so that it will look like God thought it up in the first place.

I feel like that makes no sense.

But also, I pray that the Lord would blind me to myself. That I would become less, that he might be more.

Thats why there are glasses up there.

I can't see anything of any value without Him and His word.

Its true.




El Fin.