Heart Cry.

13th Official Blog Post in AU. 29 December 2011

Heavenly Father,

I so desire to be the kind of woman that is set apart from this world. The more I strive to be an incredible woman, the more I see my shortcomings. I can do no good thing apart from You, Lord. 

What will it take to be beautiful; to radiate beauty in my attitude and everyday life? I need a change of heart, God. Destroy my self-seeking state of being. Take my pride and tear it to shreds. All I need is You.

I don’t know how to satisfy these longings apart from Your presence, Father. I don’t know how to grow and feel free to be my true self without believing You when You said, “this is who I’ve created you to be.” 

I have to be confident in the way you have designed me instead of looking to the right and left and suddenly thinking I should look and act more like this girl or that I will only be attractive if I live up to men’s supposed expectations. 

All that You are and all You have done should be enough for me to want to worship you with my lifestyle. My body is a temple– let me worship You by treating it with the best of foods, drinks, and activities. My gifts and talents are given to me for a purpose– let me steward them well instead of suppressing them in fear. My relationships were given to me so that I might proclaim Your Truth into the world– may I proclaim Your glory with grace, boldness and overflowing joy. 

You love me with an everlasting love.

Tell me who I am again, God.

Tell me of all You have purposed for me to be.

Fill my heart and mind with visions of the house I am to build.

Keep me from foolishly tearing it down with my own hands.

Teach me to dream again and be free again...

I want to love You with an everlasting love.

Messiah, my Love, Great God, Holy One; The Most Faithful of All.

I just want to be the best of what You’ve made me to be.

In Jesus’ Precious Name,

Amen

Seed.

12th Official Blog Post in AU. 22 December 2011

Joseph, Mary, and Jesus.

We’ve been hearing a lot about them lately haven’t we?

Despite the fact that Australia’s atmosphere hardly carries the allure of Christmas spirit, I have been inspired by Pastor Jim Laffoon’s recent Twitter series and have gone back to scriptures about the birth of Jesus.

I have to admit that I haven’t even made it past Matthew 1 and Luke 1.

Though that may imply disinterest, I honestly cannot make it past those two particular chapters because of how much of an eye-opening affect it’s had on my life!

I definitely want to encourage you to read them for yourselves and determine how it speaks specifically to your life as well. 

Both of these chapters generally show us how Joseph, Mary, Elizabeth and Zacharias lived in faith and obedient action in response to what God had spoken into their lives. For the first time in these stories, I have begun noticing the fact that by believing what God had spoken to them, their choices defied their logic as well as the cultural expectations of the people around them.

What a sobering thought: there will be times–probably more than we expect– when we are faced with the need to discern who our loyalty belongs to. Do you know what God is leading you into? Will you walk in it or are you too concerned about the expectations of society, your culture, or the people around you? Though we are called to honor our parents, we are not worthy of God if we love them more than we love Him. If we are too afraid to take that one step into agreement as Zacharias did, we may never have our voice restored. Scripture shows how human we can be– Zacharias  asked the angel, “how will I know this for certain?” His doubts resulted in consequence (Luke 1:18, 20) Though Joseph was well-intentioned when he thought to send Mary away during her seemingly questionable pregnancy, it was actually in favor of God’s plan that he stay by her side. Even in the times we receive direct words from the Lord, it is so easy to take it and start dissecting it with logic, isn’t it? We rationalize it through, but have to reel our thoughts back into place if we want to remain obedient and in faith.

Luke chapter 1 is just LOADED with so much miraculous, faith-filled content!

Zacharias petitioned for and was granted a son from a previously barren wife.

She who was called barren is now in her sixth month.

For nothing will be impossible with God.

And Mary said, “Behold, the bondslave of the Lord...”

And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord.

God, grace us with the diligence to cling to these promises! Nothing is impossible with You! We are blessed in our persistence of petitions and unwavering faith when we receive a word from You. First and foremost, may we live as bondservants– enslaved to righteousness by choice because we know that the reward and benefits of serving our Master far exceeds any life we could create for ourselves outside of Your Kingdom. I’d rather be a doorkeeper for You, than live according to my own desires. Nothing is too hard for You. According to our faith, let it be.

In Jesus’ Mighty Name,

Amen... (So be it.)

Love is Reasonable.

11th Official Blog Post in AU. 1 December 2011

I read this blog post of my dear friend Mckenzie just after writing Isolation. and it really confirmed some thoughts from earlier that day. I just love witnessing the marriage she and David have. What seems to set them apart, aside from their obvious love for the Lord Jesus, is their attitude.

Any girl can write a blog about her life.

Any girl can talk about marriage.

But Mckenzie’s outlook on her life and marriage is what makes all the difference!

So many people in my general age group seem to get choked up with fear at the thought of marriage, loving someone fully, and allowing someone else to love them without feeling indebted or under conditions. Understandably so considering the divorce rate and dysfunctions of today’s modern family. At the same time, I think our relationships would be much healthier if we would stop allowing fear to rule over us and the decisions we make within our relationships!

We either:

1. Run away from relationships because they include challenges. Nobody wants struggles when we constantly hear Hollywood preach that everything should happen easily and flawlessly; life is lived happily ever after... Roll credits. That’s a wrap.
2. Run away because we are too comfortable with ourselves and fear the unpredictability of a relationship. Can you trust this person with your heart? How can you be sure? Do you really want to invest the time and energy this relationship would require? Especially when you have had your heart broken before. It is so easy to revert back to what experience has led us to believe. It can seem even easier to live for ourselves only.

As my last post encouraged: we need each other!

Also, life is done better together. Why? Partnership and community were God’s ideas!

Be reasonable about picking your partner. 

S/he may not be a super model or celebrity, s/he may not have perfectly airbrushed features, but can s/he do life with you on days you feel like less than a champion? Is s/he the kind of person who will love you when you are not squeaky clean? Will this person empower you to walk victoriously into all the the desires you know God has purposed for your life and see you through to its entirety? Do they carry the same conviction of commitment that you hold? Most divorces are a result of poor communication– how do you two communicate?

I know that last paragraph sounds so noble, structured and optimistic, but you come to know those things about people in the seemingly mundane details of every day life. While marriage will be an adventure, it may not be the kind of epic you envision it to be.

In the midst of what seems like a situation that counters the American Dream, Mckenzie says, 

“I love loving David. It blesses my heart, it gives me so much joy. It makes life so beautiful in the midst of the trials and tribulations that come our way... They have given us new eyes for one another, and I couldn’t be more thankful. I know this is going to be a time we’re going to look back on and remember as such a blessing. Though my heart definitely aches for the time we’re out of this valley!”

Through and through, her post gives me so much joy. Though they could easily turn on each other out of fear and stress, they cling to God’s promises and, as a result, are tightly bound to one another and filled with the joy of the Lord for strength.

Wow! Finishing up the passage in Ecclesiastes fits like a puzzle piece– how appropriate (and entirely unplanned):

Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.

But how can one keep warm alone?

Though one may be overpowered,

two can defend themselves.

A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

(Ecc. 4:11-12)

Make God that center strand and He will give you the strength to maintain a simply joyful attitude in the midst of struggles. In His love, you are able to love another with more depth and longevity than you think you are capable of.

Here’s to a reasonable kind of love. In a world of hype, instant gratification, an “all about me” attitude and short attention spans– may we love unconditionally and faithfully to no end like He first loved us.

NOTE: For the record to any speculation out there (aka my friends or family), NO I am not ready to get married; this attitude is based on season not on emotions or fear. I am a content single–thankyouverymuch– who would be equally content with a “one-step-at-a-time” level of progress. This is NOT an advertisement! Only a clarification. :)