Hard Hearts, Soft Clouds

The truth is that on some days, joy hides its face. Some days you honestly don't want to even seek it. You just want to sit on your bed and mope and be grumpy and snap at everyone who walks by. It gives you some strange satisfaction, but then deep down inside you hate it. You hate not having joy and you hate that you don't have the guts to find it. It seems to be too hard to find. A waste of time. 

But I'm starting to realize that joy is hidden in the little things. The things that we so easily skip over and don't even think to look at. 

Today, despite my unnecessary grumpiness, I'm trying to find joy behind these white, puffy clouds. And if this is you too; if you're searching, or tired of searching, or refusing to search, then hear this:
don't give up. Keep looking, Love. 

xo

Sunday Morning with my Father

I see a dad singing with his young daughter on a stage. She is shy, even a little scared. He pulls her close into his arms, singing right along with her. The simple, familiar words ringing true: "Jesus loves me, this I know."

I see a father weeping from the abundance of love and pride for his little girl. She has decided to accept Christ into her heart and follow in baptism. He embraces her, his love for her growing by the second. In his heart he knows that this precious child is a gift from above.

I see a dad twirling his daughter around and around as she grips his fingers. Her dress spins, her soft curls bounce, and the little girl throws her head back in a soft laugh. The dad watches, eyes sparkling and heart swelling with joy.

And all at once I am overwhelmed by the sudden realization.

This is how my Father loves me.

My Father draws me close, singing His truth over me tenderly.
My Father is overjoyed when I choose Him, pride and joy ringing in His heart.
My Father delights in bringing me joy, seeing me laugh, and dancing with me each step of the way.

THANK you Lord for being our Father. 

"Yet you, Lord are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand." -Isaiah 64:8

"See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!" -1 John 3:1

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom." -Luke 12:32

"A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling." Psalm 68:5

Stars in the Night

The other evening I went to sit outside and watch the stars as I sometimes do, and had my phone with me, checking it periodically. I soon came to realize that I really wasn't looking at the stars, but was mainly on my phone and the few times that I would briefly look up at the sky there really wasn't much to see. I figured it was just cloudy, and the stars were hidden.

I then decided to shut off my phone and really started looking. The longer I stared at the sky, with no interruptions and without turning on the electronic in my hand, more and more little stars popped up. Each distraction-free moment brought new stars to my vision, brighter and more twinkly than the next. The sky became darker, everything else faded away, but the galaxies seemed to roar.

That's when God spoke to me.

"Daughter, this is what happens when you focus your attention fully on Me, and Me alone. Just as looking away at an electronic makes it hard for you to see the stars that I set in place, turning your focus to distracting things in your life will make it hard to focus on Me. But when you set everything aside, and intentionally seek Me and run to Me with full force, everything else will grow strangely dim, and you will find Me like these stars in the night."

My, how that hit me. I forget how caught up I get with the distractions in my life. Friends, family, school, random activities, even church can be a huge distraction. So many times I have been so busy, not even realizing that I have stopped looking at Jesus. My gaze is no longer on Him, but on the world.

Excuses start slipping in, like "I didn't have time to do devotions because I need to get this paper done," or "I'm just so tired, I'll spend time with God tomorrow..." and then focusing on Him becomes even harder. My thoughts start getting lost in all of the tasks and activities the day holds, and before I realize it, I can't really see my Savior anymore. The world has overtaken my vision.

Here is what I am trying to say: we must daily, even hourly be intentional about drawing our gaze back to God. Just as I had to be intentional about shutting off my phone to be able to see the stars, we must make an effort to shut off the distractions that keep our attention from God.

"So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness." Colossians 2:6-7

"Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things." Colossians 3:2

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith..." Hebrews 12:1-2a 

"My heart says of you, 'Seek his face!' Your face, Lord, I will seek." -Psalm 27:8

Today, continue.
Today, keep seeking.

xo 

Remind Me

Remind me, O Lord

when my path is lonely

Remind me, O God

when my heart is heavy

Remind me that You love is true

Remind me that my worst day has hope

because in my worst day

I still have You

When others turn against me

and I feel I'm all alone

remind me that in my deepest night 

You are there

Remind me, O God

that I am Yours. 

Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing 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

Hello, 2015

Hello, 2015.


Here's to a year of more joy, and less fear;

more forgiveness, and less resentment;

more smiling, and less complaining;

more humility, and less pride;

more action, and less talk;

more loving others, and less self-centerdness;

more time with Jesus, and less time on social media;

more kindness, and less judging;

more serving, and less wanting;

more believing God's truth, and less falling for the enemies lies;

more desire to grow in God, and less desire to grow followers;

more making God known, and less wanting to be known;

more of Him, and less of me.


But He must become greater, and I must become less. -John 3:30 

xo

Tear Me Apart

Give Me your weakness 

The past you can't hide

Lend Me the strings

That hold up your pride

You fear that 

By letting go

People will see

People will know

Oh child, let them gaze

At your raw imperfection

Let them witness 

My Healing affection

For when you allow

Me to tear you apart

It is then that I

Give you a fresh start

Seek the Promises

Fear and worry drive us.

We can't go a day without it. Sure, we "bring" our fears and worries to God, but then what does that really do? Give us peace until we worry about the next thing?

Over and over and over again God gives us His promises. He promises blessings to those who fear Him, victory to the oppressed, comfort for the lonely. He is here, promising promising, "Child, just come to ME." and yet we leave Him for things we think will keep us safe.

Stop. Listen to the promises! Quit worrying for one second and study what he is telling us!

"Come to ME and I will give you rest."
{Matthew 11:28}

"Trust in ME and you will be kept in perfect peace!"
{Isaiah 26:3}

"I will FIGHT for you, you need only to be STILL."
{Exodus 14:14}

"I will SATISFY your desires with good things!"
{Psalm 103:5}


"Because you LOVE Me, I will RESCUE you!"
{Psalm 91:14}

"I will be YOUR hiding place, I will deliver you!"
{Psalm 32:7}

"I will turn your WAILING into DANCING."
{Psalm 30:11}

Stop.
Today.
Look at His promises.

xo