The Heart's Song Is Never Silent

                                                                                  A few weeks ago I was stuck in an elevator, it was only for about 15 minutes, but to me it felt like half a lifetime. As I stood in the elevator waiting -as that was the only thing I could do- I began to talk to God. I asked Him for His help, and really the only words I could muster  were "Help me Jesus."  He hears those prayers too you know, it doesn't have to be a long oration, filled with elegant words. He even answers the unspoken prayers of our hearts, the pain we think we have safely and neatly locked away, in the deep recesses of our hearts-He sees those too. We always have an Advocate praying for us,when we can't pray for ourselves. Romans 8:26 ESV "Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words." As time went by for me in that elevator a

God is love . Yes I know you've heard it before,and you know it in your head, but do you really get it in your heart? You see love is who God is, He doesn't just give love. He is the originator of love, and the best love we could ever try to give ,or have experienced in this life does not even compare to the depth of the love He feels for us. Yes it's an intense love, it's an I will die for you love. It's an I will take the punishment you deserve kinda love, an I will give up my throne, and take a lesser form -the form of man-  so that one day you can be where I am, with me forever. O how He loves us. I don't think their is any language, or words that can describe it. All I can say in response is thank you Lord for loving me! I don't deserve Your love, but I am so thankful I get to receive it. This is grace, grace is God's love in action. I call Him Jesus.

Isaiah 40:31 KJV "But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; and they shall walk and not faint." The Christian life has much to do with waiting. We wait to learn our purpose, and calling in Jesus, we wait to perform said calling and purpose, and we wait for the coming of the Lord. In all this waiting we have to be careful not to lose heart, and become discouraged, and most importantly we have to be careful to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus, the Author and finisher of our faith. The children of Israel had to wait to enter the promised land, and in the waiting they forgot Who they were waiting for. They were so focused on the promise itself, that as day turned into month, and month turned into year, they began to grow disheartened, and began to murmur amongst themselves when the promise did not readily materialize. Exodus 16:2 NIV "In the desert the whole community grumbled ag

                  I love the Olympics. I mean who doesn't right? It's watched by millions around the world, and makes for great prime time television. I don't know about you, but for me it's highly motivating seeing someone use their God given talent to the best of their ability. As I watched these great athletes cross the finish line, or step up on podiums to receive their medals, or even discuss their big win I  waited to see them  give the glory to God, and acknowledge that yes they are the best at their given sport, but only because of the gift endowed to them by their Creator : Jesus. John 1:3 KJV "All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made." Sadly, in most cases not many were willing to give up their lime light to the One who caused them to shine. As I pondered that, I started to think that  maybe I'm also a little guilty of doing the same thing.When I'm complimented for doing something well , using a t

One thing all people have in common is the problem of pain. As human beings living in a sin ravaged world with broken people, we will all experience at some time, some level of pain.  Jesus tells us that in this world we will have pain, but He doesn't just leave it at that. John 16:33 KJV "These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. " Yes He says we will have pain, not might, or hopefully not. But the thing to look at is not the problem of pain, but God's command to be cheerful. The word used in the original Greek is Tharsei, which according to Strong's Concordance is defined: I am of good courage, good cheer, am bold. In the very words of His command Jesus is giving us joy where we may be feeling sadness, courage instead of fear, and boldness where before was only timidity. This is how good our God is; He let's us know who we should have our eye

Today I mowed the yard, in my favorite pair of pink Nike's...bright pink, lime green, black, and white to be exact. I love these shoes, and though I don't wear them that often, except to the air conditioned- no speck of dirt to be found-indoor gym...I love the absolute girliness of them. Did I mention that I love these shoes? So why did I wear them to cut the grass you ask? Well it wasn't my original intention, I went to the back yard for something else, but when I saw the horror of the emerging jungle that used to be my backyard, I decided a girl had to do what she had to do. But really, I blame the pollen,and the allergy medicine I had recently taken. So fast forward, let's say approximately an hour or so, and their I am frantically scrubbing at my favorite shoes,who's pearly white bottoms are now stained a ghastly shade of green-grass green to be exact-a shade that just does not match anything I own. As I scrub vigorously,and sweat begins to drip down my bac

                        Via Andy Danzler How do you view yourself? When you're getting to know someone new what words do you use to describe yourself? When you look in the mirror what thoughts come to mind? Like most people when I meet someone for the first time I have a propensity to tell them what I do for a living, or what ministry in church I serve in. While these things are great, and good works, they don't define me. When I look in the mirror the answers of my worth aren't found there either, but where I can find the truth about who I am, and what I'm worth is from the One who created me. You see society has many labels, and many voices that would like to tell you who you are, what you should look like, who you should emulate, and what new products will make you feel better about yourself. But if you listen long enough, you'll find that those voices are filled with confusion, and you'll find that those things don't really satisfy. The place where

                       image via: harimsahai Being a Christian does not exempt one from heartaches, and the sting of life , but it does mean that in the storm you will have a sure anchor . At my church the current sermon series is about storms, and the moment I identified my storm, and asked God to make me a water walker is the moment I felt the most liberty, and a few days later the most alarm. This week I've felt like I've been In the  choppiest waters, but instead of turning to my natural bent of wanting to run away, I've  stayed in God's word regardless of my feelings , and I began to praise Him in the midst of the storm. An amazing thing happened, He didn't just keep me afloat, He made me walk on water. Suddenly that thing I was so concerned about became miniscule in the light of His face, the certainty contained in His word concerning His promises for His people, and in His immutability. Hebrews 6:18 ESV "So that by two unchangeable things in which

                        via: feel-planet.com Their is a perfect rest that remains for the people of God. A perfect peace in the midst of storms. An anchor in the eye of the storm. His name is Jesus. You see when He stretched His hands out on the cross, and declared it was finished, He meant it. So now, we who are in Christ no longer have to strive, and strain for acceptance from God. Now we get to come freely as children, because as Jesus is so are we in this world. 1 John 4:17. We all have those days where we fall short : lose our temper in traffic , harbor unforgiveness-whatever that purported failure may look like in your life-and the enemy likes to run in like a flood and happily point out all our flaws, but their is something we need to remember, and engrave on the tablets of our hearts : our righteousness is of Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21. Because of Christ's finished work-it is not of ourselves, therefore no man may boast-we can stand confidently before the throne of God. H

              Image via : indescribable love.com One of my favorite characters in the Bible is Joseph. He was known as a dreamer, and the dreams he had were God sized dreams. Dreams which were bigger than his current circumstances, dreams which would follow him for years without bearing fruit, but like all God given dreams in the end, at their proper, appointed time they would have to come to pass. Do you have any God given dreams? Maybe ones that are so huge that when you share them with others they laugh ? Or maybe like the case of Joseph's brothers they become envious to the point of plotting your down fall? You see , what Joseph's brothers did not understand- and what Joseph himself did not recognize-was that this dream did not speak about God lifting Joseph up just to be honored , and glorified above his brothers. No, God was going to use Joseph on the platform he would be given to save a nation.   The thing about God given dreams is that they make room for you. Jose

As a new believer one of the things I struggled greatly with was the idea of affliction, the idea that God would place me in a test, a trial, even a season of pain. After all He is Lord of all, and He loves me right? Yes, enough to die for me, to even take my place on the cross. So, it didn't add up to me why sometimes it seemed like my prayers were bouncing off  heaven's walls, why I had people leave, so called friends betray me, and my world turn upside down. What I didn't realize during those seasons was that I wasn't so much afraid of the trials, and tests but I was more concerned with being uncomfortable, placed outside my comfort zone, and having to walk outside the orderly lines of the cookie cutter life I had designed for myself in my mind. But how can God truly love us and leave us as we are? You see, He sees me not just as I am now, but He sees the me He created me to be, He sees my possibility. James 1:4 says "Let perseverance finish its work so that you