Thursday, February 17, 2011

have you been disciplined recently?

it's been a stressful week in my world. work has been crazy this week with seeing over 70 patients each day that i have worked. so, i'm very grateful that i have today off. i have been able to rest, a little bit, and just take my time with everything i do. i like to have an agenda and get things done but when i'm off work, i realize how exhausted i am and i just want to rest. i wonder if God does that to me on purpose... to teach how to rest, because i honestly don't know how to do that very well. but i'm trying...

on another note, i have been reading a One Year Devotional book. all the youth leaders received one as a Christmas gift. it has been a blessing for me to read it everyday. i don't get much time in the mornings to read my Bible so reading this book has helped me start my day off right. God is so good and i get to accept his grace, love, and mercy every morning when i read each verse of the day. here is one verse that really stuck out to me this week:

My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD,
Nor detest His correction;
For whom the LORD loves He corrects,
Just as a father the son in whom he delights.
Proverbs 3:11-12 (NKJ)

a couple of weekends ago i went on a retreat with the young adults group from my church. i had a great time. i seriously love the group of people the Lord has brought to my church for this new season. it really is an answer to prayer and a blessing. i tell them all the time too. anyways, we had a great time but i was not able to spend hardly any alone time with the Lord. after we got home and got back into my somewhat work routine, i felt ashamed. i felt guilty for not making time to spend with Him over the weekend and it took me days to really let that go. i really came to terms with my guilt and shame when i read these two verses. i need to be disciplined for not spending time with Him when i have time too. these verses are actually comforting to me. As we let Him discipline us, we then let Him mold us into His image. Then, once we are shaped in the liking of Jesus we start to become like Him. His light and love comes through us and His glory is shown through us. i absolutely love how the Lord wants to mold and shape us into His liking. it's comforting that He wants to be with me. the feeling of acceptance is wonderful.

Daddy, You are so loving.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

guard your heart

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life. Put away perversity from you mouth; keep corrupt talk far from you lips. Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths fr you feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

Proverbs 4:23-27

As kendall and i were talking on our way from ttown, i just kept remembering this passage. it is for us. to keep our hearts guarded from the world and to just gaze on the beauty of the Lord. as we guard our hearts and gaze to the Lord, purity comes from His love. We start to look like Him and become like Him. we start to walk the narrow path. we no longer want the things of the world; we only want Him. We then encounter the goodness of His presence and the side that we never see of Him. I love sitting in His presence because everything i know and hear from the world fades and i get to rest in Him. I love praising Him. I love that i get to love Him. I am honored that He wants to be with me even in my lowest times and my worst times. I become joyful because of Him and i am able to love others because of Him.

i encourage anyone who reads this to learn how to guard your heart. if you don't know how to do it, ask the Lord. He will show you how to guard your heart and every thing else. let Him guide you on the path that you are destined for. He's see the potential you have. He is great; He is glorious; He is wonderful.

joyful

here is a long over due update on life.

God is soo good! there is nothing better than having a relationship with Him.

This last weekend i was able to have 3 days off from work (which is awesome) and to start it off right, i went to ttown and surprised some of my favorite people... Dunamis. kendall and i drove there right after i got off work. we both realized how much we miss spending time with each other and the Lord has been growing us individually. we got to catch up and share our hearts once again. i absolutely loved seeing my friends. The Lord has truly blessed me with them.

Friday was great as well. i got to spend time with a friend for the afternoon and talk about the Lord. That night was filled with even more joy with more friends. The Lord is restored my joy for Him and i'm in awe of Him. He is wonderful!