Saturday, January 29, 2011
It's on it's way!!
I ordered my book today! It should be here mid-February, but that shouldn't stop you from checking it out ahead of time! Feel free to browse the preview, and order one for yourself if you feel so led! :) I can't wait! It's so exciting to share this with you!
Friday, January 21, 2011
Sunrise to Sunset
 | |
| I am the LORD, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me, 6 so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me. I am the LORD, and there is no other. --Isaiah 45:5-6 |
This morning, as I do many mornings, I watched the sunrise develop into something exquisite over the frozen lake. It shone bright orange, purple & blue streaks which each contrasted with the others so vibrantly. I'm not sure why, but watching a sunrise or sunset like the one this morning always reminds me of God's faithfulness. It's like he's there, trying to remind us that from beginning to end, He is there. He will be faithful. Though the day might bring hardship, toil & pain, He remains. He draws us towards him, to find beauty within his creation, to find beauty within the day He has created for us. He wants us to know that He is bigger than whatever is out there, whatever we go through, whatever we face....He is with us. He is in the dark, in the light, in the wind and in the calm. He is there and will always be pursuing us to bring us towards His loving arms. The colors of this sunset are like the many facets of God's character. He is both loving, just, compassionate, holy, gentle & yet we should fear Him. Oh how all those facets and colors come together to form such a wonderful picture of who God is, and that we can be reminded of it every morning and every evening....that God is faithful.
Friday, January 14, 2011
New Year, New Day
Well here we find ourselves in a new year, a new day, thinking about what it will bring and what last year left behind. The new year is a time of new beginnings, and sometimes bitter ends.
I think about this time last year, and how I had so many hopes for the year, so much ambition. Many of those things came to fruition, and many of those slipped silently into the forgotten places of life. There were a lot of things last year that happened unexpectedly. No matter how I might have planned for the year, I wouldn't have guessed certain things, both good & bad. I put together some resolutions, and stuck with them for the most part....but this year I've come to a new "resolution" of sorts.
I'm not going to make a resolution, since most of them get broken anyway. What I do want to do though, is to live each day. That's it. Simply try to be present to each moment that presents itself. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6) I'm going to try not to be anxious about what is up ahead.
"...As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Joshua 1:5b) I will try to remember that God is with me, even when it seems like I'm alone.
"You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me." (Psalm 139:2-5) I will try to rest in the knowledge that each moment is held by my Father above.
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace." (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) I will try to understand that everything will come in time.
This year above all, I need to learn to rest in Him. Take each and every day in itself, seeking how I can best serve God, seeking ways that I can honor Him and make choices to lead others closer to knowing Him. As I try to grow closer in that relationship this year, I want to keep His words close to my heart. Hudson Taylor said it well...read this & remember that while we continue to walk this life, do not forget to rest. For it is by Christ's power that we will survive this year....."But how to get faith strengthened? Not by striving after faith, but by resting on the Faithful one: As i read, I saw it all! 'If we believe not, he abideth faithful!' I looked to Jesus and saw (and when I saw, oh, how joy flowed!) that He has said, 'I will never leave Thee!' 'Ah, there is rest!' I thought. I have striven in vain to rest in Him. I'll strive no more. For has not He promised to abide with me--never to leave me, never to fail me?"
I think about this time last year, and how I had so many hopes for the year, so much ambition. Many of those things came to fruition, and many of those slipped silently into the forgotten places of life. There were a lot of things last year that happened unexpectedly. No matter how I might have planned for the year, I wouldn't have guessed certain things, both good & bad. I put together some resolutions, and stuck with them for the most part....but this year I've come to a new "resolution" of sorts.
I'm not going to make a resolution, since most of them get broken anyway. What I do want to do though, is to live each day. That's it. Simply try to be present to each moment that presents itself. "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (Philippians 4:6) I'm going to try not to be anxious about what is up ahead.
"...As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Joshua 1:5b) I will try to remember that God is with me, even when it seems like I'm alone.
"You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, LORD, know it completely. You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me." (Psalm 139:2-5) I will try to rest in the knowledge that each moment is held by my Father above.
"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace." (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8) I will try to understand that everything will come in time.
This year above all, I need to learn to rest in Him. Take each and every day in itself, seeking how I can best serve God, seeking ways that I can honor Him and make choices to lead others closer to knowing Him. As I try to grow closer in that relationship this year, I want to keep His words close to my heart. Hudson Taylor said it well...read this & remember that while we continue to walk this life, do not forget to rest. For it is by Christ's power that we will survive this year....."But how to get faith strengthened? Not by striving after faith, but by resting on the Faithful one: As i read, I saw it all! 'If we believe not, he abideth faithful!' I looked to Jesus and saw (and when I saw, oh, how joy flowed!) that He has said, 'I will never leave Thee!' 'Ah, there is rest!' I thought. I have striven in vain to rest in Him. I'll strive no more. For has not He promised to abide with me--never to leave me, never to fail me?"
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
A Christmas Hope
This past week, my Papa & I were asked to sing Christmas carols at a local assisted living home. We accepted the invitation, and began to choose songs that we wanted to share. He would play the mandolin, and we would both sing. We thought how nice it would be to have my younger brother play his guitar with us, and thought he probably wouldn't want to but we asked anyway. You see, because my mom was such a support to Tyler & his music, he hasn't really wanted to pick up his guitar since she passed away. It was an absolutely delightful shock to me to hear that he wanted to play with us! I was so happy!
We stood up in front of the older crowd of residents, barely having practiced singing together except for the five minutes prior, and began to sing. My dad would tie in meanings of Christmas and thoughts from the carols we'd sing. During one of the first songs, we sang something about the angels singing with us, or seeing us from afar. At that moment, I imagined my mom crying in heaven, not with sadness but with delight, to see the three of us together, singing & playing music together. I thought about how happy she would have been to hear us all together, and how pleased she would be that we didn't pass on singing.
This all led to another thought....one of hope. I wanted to have my mom with me so quick right then, pinching back tears that screamed to be set free from the confines of my eyes. Yet in that same instant, the hope arose that I will see her again soon, and it is because of the birth that we were singing about that I could have that hope. It was a future hope of a fulfilled promise. A promise God revealed many thousands of years ago, that was brought to fulfillment through the birth of Christ.
Through the Spirit, Mary a humble girl said "yes" to doing God's will, for waiting on Him to provide a miracle through her. An unsettling situation to be sure, she waited with hope that God would be true to His word once again. When Jesus was born a joy filled her & spilled out to each of us through the Son. We can have joy in the hope that His birth proclaims. There is now a way for us to be joined to the Father. What a thing to celebrate, what an act of love, bringing joyful hope to a people stirred with unrest.
His birth brought love to the world, joy to the heart, hope to the mind and peace to our soul. Though some days we all feel unloved, discouraged, defeated & distressed, we can know that God LOVES us, and because of that love we can find JOY because God gave PEACE to our tormented souls, which reminds us of the HOPE that Christ's birth brings. So this Christmas, let's celebrate, I mean REALLY celebrate, not only the birth of Christ, but everything that His birth represents!
We stood up in front of the older crowd of residents, barely having practiced singing together except for the five minutes prior, and began to sing. My dad would tie in meanings of Christmas and thoughts from the carols we'd sing. During one of the first songs, we sang something about the angels singing with us, or seeing us from afar. At that moment, I imagined my mom crying in heaven, not with sadness but with delight, to see the three of us together, singing & playing music together. I thought about how happy she would have been to hear us all together, and how pleased she would be that we didn't pass on singing.
This all led to another thought....one of hope. I wanted to have my mom with me so quick right then, pinching back tears that screamed to be set free from the confines of my eyes. Yet in that same instant, the hope arose that I will see her again soon, and it is because of the birth that we were singing about that I could have that hope. It was a future hope of a fulfilled promise. A promise God revealed many thousands of years ago, that was brought to fulfillment through the birth of Christ.
Through the Spirit, Mary a humble girl said "yes" to doing God's will, for waiting on Him to provide a miracle through her. An unsettling situation to be sure, she waited with hope that God would be true to His word once again. When Jesus was born a joy filled her & spilled out to each of us through the Son. We can have joy in the hope that His birth proclaims. There is now a way for us to be joined to the Father. What a thing to celebrate, what an act of love, bringing joyful hope to a people stirred with unrest.
His birth brought love to the world, joy to the heart, hope to the mind and peace to our soul. Though some days we all feel unloved, discouraged, defeated & distressed, we can know that God LOVES us, and because of that love we can find JOY because God gave PEACE to our tormented souls, which reminds us of the HOPE that Christ's birth brings. So this Christmas, let's celebrate, I mean REALLY celebrate, not only the birth of Christ, but everything that His birth represents!
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
We have a Winner!!!
Drumroll please.........
Jenny H!!!
Somehow, this seems fitting. I had another friend draw from the names, and Jenny's name came up! This is fitting because she & I have spoken many times about writing books & about our life stories...Jenny herself is putting together a book & I cannot wait to read it. So. Congratulations Jenny on winning a copy of my soon to be book!
To everyone else, please keep going through this journey with me, as you include me in your journey as well!! Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!
--A
Jenny H!!!
Somehow, this seems fitting. I had another friend draw from the names, and Jenny's name came up! This is fitting because she & I have spoken many times about writing books & about our life stories...Jenny herself is putting together a book & I cannot wait to read it. So. Congratulations Jenny on winning a copy of my soon to be book!
To everyone else, please keep going through this journey with me, as you include me in your journey as well!! Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!
--A
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
First EVER "Walking Stumbling" CONTEST!!!
There's a contest a'brew'n & you can be a part of it! Prompted by many of you, I've decided to put together a bunch of my "best" or favorite blog posts, and make a book out of them! And one lucky reader will get their own copy!! Lucky you! ;)What I need from YOU are your opinions & votes!!
Here are the rules for this contest---
1. Become (if you're not already) a follower to the blog....if you want to win, I have to know who you are!
2. Comment on this post with the title of the blog or blogs you enjoyed the most (or made you think the most)
3. Watch for an update on December 1st to see if you've won!!!
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Deep love, Deep hurt
The past few months, the thought of a deeper love equaling deeper hurt, has been on my mind. This is not to say that deeper love inevitably hurts, or that you shouldn't be willing to love deep, but that when you are vulnerable to deeply love, that same vulnerability opens yourself to be feel much more pain if & when you are hurt by something or someone.
This happens to us as people, but it also intrigues me in our love relationship with God. "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) "My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them."(1 John 4:16)
If God loved us THAT much, that He would give us His only son, that He would live in us, that God is synonymous with love in the way that if we love, we are in Him, that's powerful. That's a deep love, that's an amazing love. "This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." (1 John 4:10)
So can you imagine with me then, that through God's love for us, incomprehensibly deep & devoted, that when we hurt or when we turn from Him, either way....just think of how much He must hurt with us & for us. "In all their suffering he also suffered,..." (Isaiah 63:9) It says in the Bible how God suffers with us...and if the greater the love the greater the pain can be, I can only imagine that God suffers greatly over each & every one of us, longing for us to come near to Him, to dwell in Him, to be comforted by Him & to understand His love for us. He mourns with us, but doesn't stay inactive...He comes after us. Isaiah goes on to say "...and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years."
Through all the years....forever, ....loving us deeply, holding us in our pain, hurting for us when we walk away, His love never fades. "The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease." (Lamentations 3:22) This gives me hope, confidence & full assurance that when I hurt, I am not alone. It also reminds me that as much as I am able to love, He is able to love more fully, more completely, more intimately than I will ever understand, and that through our doubt, questioning, longing for answers, that He loves us still. Be confident in this: "Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." (Ephesians 3:17-19)
This happens to us as people, but it also intrigues me in our love relationship with God. "For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16) "My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)"And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them."(1 John 4:16)
If God loved us THAT much, that He would give us His only son, that He would live in us, that God is synonymous with love in the way that if we love, we are in Him, that's powerful. That's a deep love, that's an amazing love. "This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." (1 John 4:10)
So can you imagine with me then, that through God's love for us, incomprehensibly deep & devoted, that when we hurt or when we turn from Him, either way....just think of how much He must hurt with us & for us. "In all their suffering he also suffered,..." (Isaiah 63:9) It says in the Bible how God suffers with us...and if the greater the love the greater the pain can be, I can only imagine that God suffers greatly over each & every one of us, longing for us to come near to Him, to dwell in Him, to be comforted by Him & to understand His love for us. He mourns with us, but doesn't stay inactive...He comes after us. Isaiah goes on to say "...and he personally rescued them. In his love and mercy he redeemed them. He lifted them up and carried them through all the years."
Through all the years....forever, ....loving us deeply, holding us in our pain, hurting for us when we walk away, His love never fades. "The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease." (Lamentations 3:22) This gives me hope, confidence & full assurance that when I hurt, I am not alone. It also reminds me that as much as I am able to love, He is able to love more fully, more completely, more intimately than I will ever understand, and that through our doubt, questioning, longing for answers, that He loves us still. Be confident in this: "Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." (Ephesians 3:17-19)
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