His Beauty Unmatchable

All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord,and all your saints shall bless you! (Psalm 145:10 ESV)

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, (Acts 17:24 ESV)

O Lord, how manifold are your works!
In wisdom have you made them all; the earth is full of your creatures. (Psalm 104:24 ESV)

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. (Psalm 19:1 ESV)

Contentment

Verses that stir my heart to trust God, find satisfaction in him, and to take the focus off of me by focusing on Him:

- Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, (1 Timothy 6:6 ESV)

- Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me
shall never thirst. (John 6:35 ESV)

- Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5 ESV)

- So we can confidently say, "The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:6 ESV)

- Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain! Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things; and give me life in your ways. (Psalm 119:36, 37 ESV)

- "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:10, 19-21 ESV)

- "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. "Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:25, 31-34 ESV)

- Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy." (1 Peter 1:13-16 ESV)

- Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (James 1:17 ESV)

- For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. (James 3:16, 17 ESV)

- Delight yourself in the Lord,and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4 ESV)

- Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail,but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:25, 26 ESV)

- Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8 ESV)

- Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God's sight is very precious. (1 Peter 3:3, 4 ESV)

- Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15-17 ESV)

- But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. (1 Corinthians 1:27-29 ESV)

- For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10 ESV)
I'm certain I will be adding more to this list!

Rantings of a Psychologist

I read a book today and it just reminded me of the need to inform any woman who is pregnant or planning to be pregnant one day that they need to protect their child from harmful substances.  I'm saying all of this is in love so please consider the risks of certain substances while you are pregnant.  The consequences are not worth it.  I work with children everyday who having learning issues, behavioral problems, attention deficits, and more problems than you could ever imagine.  I know this is a rant but I have to get it out there.  I've noticed that the only time I blog is when I have information I'm passionate about and I need to be heard and no one is around to rant to...so I'm blogging :) 

So, if you are planning on being pregnant one day or are now please research how to protect your child prior to, during, and after your pregnancy.  First thing, please do not drink while pregnant.  There is so much research that shows alcohol intake adversely affects the fetus; even alcohol intake 10 days before conception.  Alcohol can cause developmental issues, learning issues, behavior disorders, miscarriages, etc.

Anyway, there are so many other things that can affect your child including smoking, medications (even over the counter), stress, drugs of course, anemia, etc.  If you suffer from Anemia please take a multi-vitamin, eat your spinach and red meat occasionally and even take an iron supplement if needed.  Anemia has been linked to severe learning issues, executive functioning deficits, and attention deficits in children.  Smoking can has also been linked to learning disabilities, behavior disorders, attention deficits, breathing disorders such as Asthma, etc. 

There are many doctors out there who will say a glass of wine is okay while you are pregnant I have to say, has your doctor read the recent research?!  Visit this website: http://www.fetalalcoholsyndrome.org/ 

Anyway....my rantings are done for now. :)

To All The Single Ladies

This is just a word for the single ladies out there from someone who simply had no clue on how to live a christian life being single and how to do it with class and grace.  I wish someone would have told me then what I know now.  I know how the journey of singleness feels...endless.  Now that I am on the other side and finally married I look back at all of the stupid mistakes I made and I simply want to put out there some things I learned and things I wish I would have known or done differently.

I fell in love with being in love probably before I was in the 4th grade.  I remember being in Kindergarten and having five boyfriends at one time.  Also, throughout my teenage years and adulthood, I use to dream up every possible scenario with every guy I met that vaguely met the profile I had "chosen" for my future husband.  (My so called "profiled man").  Just in case you aren't sure, that is on the list of things you shouldn't do.  It is so easy for our minds to wander and scenarios to unfold as we imagine being with the potential candidate in front of us but often times we end up disappointed and confused as to why nothing panned out the way we imagined.  "I thought I was going to marry him".  A statement I made way too many times following a breakup. 

If you haven't read the book Captivating you should totally go and buy it right now.  To terribly summarize, the book states that we are born to fall in love.  We are created to fall in love with God our father and creator.  However, because the world is messed up with sin we try to fall in love with everything but God.  God finds us captivating while we find everything else captivating.  We go about searching and trying to fill our void with anything that we can grasp; even if it is an imagined scenario.  (e.g. Wedding bells ringing in our mind's ears before the end of the first date).

Many people bash romance movies and novels but I'm not going to do that.  The passion and emotion in those movies and novels is and can be real in the right context.  The world distorts the context and the verb of love.  The book Redeeming Love is an amazing depiction of a romance that can resemble our relationship with Christ and with a man who loves Christ.  The Bible states it ever so clearly here:  "Wives, submit to your own husbands as to the Lord, for the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the Church.  He is the Savior of the body.  Now as the church submits to Christ, so wives are to submit to their husbands in everything.  Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her with the washing of water by the word.  He did this to present the church to Himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or anything like that, but holy and blameless".  Ephesians 5:22-27.  Our relationships are to resemble Christ's relationship with the church.  Just remember, your savior is Jesus, not your boyfriend. 

The main advice I have is this:  wait.  Wait and don't pursue some man or strive to make yourself into something that you think is lovable.  While you wait however, pursue the Lord.  Seek the Lord wholeheartedly with the passion and desires that you could so easily channel towards finding the "one".  If you wait you will be amazed at what God does in you and for you.  His blessings and love are far more romantic and thrilling than what any man can provide you. 

I didn't figure this all out the easy way.  I experienced way too many broken hearts and tear filled nights including so much lost time and effort, so much striving, so many mistakes and regrets.  However, I did learn a lot through it and I'm hoping that I can pass those lessons on.  God finally got my attention and when I finally submitted everything to him and sought his love alone he brought about so much change in my heart.  He changed my desires.  He changed my perspective of love and marriage.  He changed my "profiled man" into the man who sacrificed it all for me, Jesus.  Then suddenly I started noticing characteristics in men who followed the Lord that I had never listed as a priority in my profiled man.  I specifically noticed the man who is now my husband.  Wow, he was and is beautiful inside and out.  God led me straight to him right when I wasn't looking for my "profiled man" but when I was looking for Jesus. 

Get busy waiting.   :)

2012

This blogging thing just doesn't work out well for me apparently.  My most recent post was last January!  Well, I tried.  I guess I will just post when I really have something intriguing or important to say.  By the looks of it this doesn't occur often.  So I guess this is what this is. 

I really wanted to post some goals for myself for 2012.  Maybe this way I will be held more accountable for them since I'm "putting them out there" in a way.   This weekend and today in church I prayed that God would reveal to me some areas in my life that I needed to give over to Him and goals I needed to set.  So here is what God spoke to me and what I wrote down:

• Less of me, more of God.
• It's not about comfort, it is about being obedient.
• Read through the bible.
• Memorize more scripture.
• Intentional journaling and prayer.
• Listen. More.
• Esteem Christ more than I esteem anything else in my life.
• Don't wrap yourself up in things that have no eternal significance.
• Have a teachable spirit.
• Slow down.  Make everything intentional.  Don't be careless, thoughtless, or hurried.   Be intentional.

The Lord wants to work in our lives.  He wants to speak to us.  We (I) are so busy and wrapped up in things that do not matter.  I often wonder why I get into such a tizzy about things.  Then I realize how silly and trivial the matters really are.  Then I forget and fall into another tizzy.  

Following Christ is bold.  It takes a bold move where you are deemed separate, different, not of the world.  In the world, not of the world.  This is one of the hardest things for me.  Please pray for me and these goals and that I will simply be a servant of Christ concerned with his kingdom and nothing more.  Oh and I need a lot of prayer.  Thanks :)

What I'm Learning Lately

These are just a few things I have written in my journal lately that God is teaching me and I thought I would share.

• Choose joy daily - Live above difficult circumstances.  Re-focus on what is most important in life...your purpose, God's purpose for you; and find joy in the fact that this life is temporary and we will spend eternity in Heaven!
• Walk with the Lord - Remain in His presence all day long - this can be done!  Ask for strength, reduce distractions, and be mindful of the Lord as he works in every detail and moment of your day.  He wants in on the details...talk to Him.  When things don't go as you planned...realize that it was what HE had planned.
• Pray aloud to the Lord - I immediately feel the Lord's presence when I speak his name aloud and lift up praises to him aloud. 
• Be expectant for the Lord to speak - I open up my journal ready to hear a word from the Lord each morning during my quiet time.  He wants to speak to you.  Listen.
• The Bible is drenched in wisdom. I need to read it more and more. 
• I am so blessed -  My dark past is a blessing - God has taught me so much through it and is using it for good...never thought I would say that.
• God's timing is PERFECT
• Trust is a daily decision..a moment to moment decision.  Trust is believing God is who he says he is.  This helps with choosing joy.
• My God is more amazing than I can, ever, or will fathom.  The more time I am with Him the more he reveals himself to me.  The more I learn of his works through his word the more in love with him I fall. 

I am so thankful that the Lord is teaching me so much.  I just need to remember them.  I can't believe the Lord chose me to save but I am forever grateful that he did.  I am nothing without him.  The God of the universe wants to speak to you and me; with whom he has chosen to have a relationship.... that is so exciting!

Tassels

Okay, so this blogging thing is not as easy as I thought.  When do people have time to blog? Ha ha. Now I'm going to make time because I have this urge to share my thoughts.  :) 

I've been reading through the Bible chronologically.  I was in Numbers and I ran across the following verses:  Numbers 15: 37-41.  In this scripture God is giving Moses a command for he and the Israelites and for generations to come.  He commands them to make tassels for the corners of their garments with a blue cord on each tassel.  These tassels were to serve as reminders of the commands of the Lord so that they would obey them and not "prostitute themselves by going after the lusts of their own hearts and eyes".  So at this I began to wonder what exactly serves as my tassels? 

I could actually sew blue cords and tassels on my clothes and this would likely lead to some interesting conversations.  Some of the tassels in my life may include the numerous bible verses written on my mirror and shower, index cards in my car, and on the refrigerator.   I have accountability through friends and family who also follow Jesus.  I go to church on Sundays and Tuesdays.  I go to a bible study every Monday night.  I pray often and spend time with the Lord every morning.  Yet I still forget!  I lose focus!  My mind turns to worldly things that pale in comparison to following my Lord God, my Adonai.  I forget what sacrifice he has made for me and how pitiful my flesh is compared to his glorious and holy existence.  I forget that this life isn't about me. 

Yet I think it is way more than doing these things.  In Hebrews 10:16 God proclaims that his laws will be in our hearts and written on our minds and this is through the Holy Spirit that lives in us.  Yet he also calls us in Ephesians 6 to put on the armor of God and go to war against the devil's schemes.  In verse 12 it says for our "struggle", our struggle, not our safe, comfortable, soft, cozy, latte drinking, hot tubing, vacationing, self-involved lives!  Life as a follower of Christ calls for more action than what many of us have been willing to put forth.  This includes myself.  I know this is true and I feel the conviction in my heart...so why do I keep turning back to the chocolate cake that is staring at me telling me that I need that piece of cake and that I just need one more bite, and then one more piece.  And by the way, I love lattes and I want a hot tub!  Also a vacation to Italy. 

It is not wrong to want these things or to enjoy them.  I'm just trying to make the point that this struggle against flesh is not easy.  We need reminders.  We need tassels and lots of them.  We may have to be tacky at this point in the struggle.  We have got to look different from the crowd and "shine as stars in the universe as we hold out the word of life".  Philippians 2:15-16.  We can't let "resting in his grace" be our excuse for continuing in a sin.  We can't allow "resting in his grace" to be our excuse for not fighting or taking action against the devil's schemes.  There is an unrest inside of me when my focus changes from the Lord to worldly things I feel like Paul when he describes his flesh.  "I know nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature.  For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.  For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do - this I keep on doing."  Romans 7:18.  However, later in the passage he praises the Lord for sending Christ who has redeemed us from this flesh and sin.  Praise the Lord for rescuing me from this body of death!  This is where our tassel comes in.  We must continue striving towards the Lord, working out our salvation, and putting on the armor of God every day.  So let's get tacky and put on those tassels.  Lord, help me to remember how you have redeemed me and where you have brought me from.  Lord, don't let us forget!