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Monday, 02 November 2009
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What Do You Have?
One very memorable message in my life & walk with Christ was by DP in Spain, summer of 07. He shared about feeding the 5000. Jesus asked the disciples what they had... bread and fish. He asked them what they had, not what they didn't have. DP talked about using what God gives us. God doesn't ask us what we don't have or have the ability to do, He asks what we do have.
At that moment I looked around, up until then I looked at the group I was traveling with and asked myself why I was there, why did God tell me to go? I had nothing to offer, I was quiet, I didn't know Spanish and I couldn't play the guitar or help out in worship. On a trip full of outreaches, I felt helpless. But God didn't call me to go to fill those spots, they'd already been filled. If 2 people were the exact same, 1 wouldn't be needed. He called me to step out of my comfort zone, to trust Him with the gifts He has given me. To love others, to pray, to encourage, and to be a witness.Last wednesday night the Pastor of my church was teaching out of 2 Kings 4:1-7, Elisha and the Widow's oil. She's in debt, her husband has died, and they're coming to take her sons to be slaves to pay off the debt. Elisha is called for and when he comes he says "Tell me, what do you have in the house" (v.2). God performed a miracle with what she had, a small jar of oil, multiplying it to sell and pay off the debt.Too many times I think about what I don't have and not what I do have. What do you have?
Currently
Beauty Will Rise
By Steven Curtis Chapman
Heaven is the Face
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Wednesday, 28 October 2009
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meditate on these things
Not everything I do at work is exciting... ok so most of the stuff I do isn't very exciting... Often I'll remind myself of something I learned in the Dominican 2 years ago - I do my job that others can do theirs better. Lord, continue to work in me a servants heart...
Currently... I'm stuffing envelopes. It's an all-store mailing, meaning I am putting (in this case) 1 laminated paper into an intercompany envelope, closing it, and labeling it to a store (and don't worry, I have printed labels for each store). I have to send 1 to each store. So there's time for my mind to wander and think. And today, it's been going down all of these trails, these thoughts, these ponderings about the future and so many things that I'm unsure about.
I quickly saw that these weren't the true, pure, noble, just things that we're told to meditate on in Philippians 4:8. And as I sit here, putting pages in envelopes and fastening the ties I have to readjust the focus of my mind and my heart.
Instead of giving my mind room for more doubts, fears, and insecurities, I'll fill it with truth - God's word. I'll use this time to meditate on His words. After all: it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. Psalm 118:8
...and immediately, His words comfort my heart.

Currently
The I Heart Revolution: With Hearts as One
By Hillsong United
There is Nothing Like
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Monday, 26 October 2009
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The Earth Trembled and Shook
Earlier today I was thinking about the voice of God and what it must sound like. And I don't mean the still small voice, I mean the audible voice of God, and I don't think my human mind can fathom the sound.
But this is what I've come up with. It's powerful, mighty, booming, yet quiet, gentle, and loving... all at the same time. Able to make you feel extremely loved and at peace, while at the same time fearful.
I read this in Psalms yesterday:
Psalm 77:16-18
The waters saw You, O God;
The waters saw You, they were afraid;
The depths also trembled.
The clouds poured out water;
The skies sent out a sound;
Your arrows also flashed about.
The voice of Your thunder was in the whirlwind;
The lightnings lit up the world;
The earth trembled and shook.The waters were afraid, the thunder of His voice... the earth trembled. We serve a mighty & powerful God.
Thursday, 22 October 2009
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Oh the depth of His love...
Life has seemed a bit crazy over the last few weeks.I traveled to potsdam 2 weekends ago for a college student reunion at the Church. It was incredible, uplifting, encouraging, and just wonderful to catch up with people so close to my heart. The days were filled with great conversations. It was a quick saturday morning to sunday night, but completely worth it!
This past weekend was a trip to Boston to visit my dear friend Becca, and I was so thankful for my awesome friend & traveling buddy Steph! We had a great weekend. I'm still trying to recall all of the places we went and things we saw!I'm being challenged.I'm being challenged to go deeper in my knowledge of God and it's amazing. I want to be quick to recall scripture and the things God has shown me and taught me. To be ready, in all situations.I'm being challenged to watch my words and to use them to speak life... always. To use discretion with the words I choose, and to whom I speak them to.I've been thinking about how this world is broken. We all have struggles, we suffer, we face hardships. Often we have no idea what others are going through as we sit and talk with them, and pour out our pain. I vividly remember sitting on my RA's couch freshman year, crying, talking of all the brokenness around me, in my life, and as he sat there, crying with me... he told me how much God loved me (2 years before I came to Christ), and how everyone has a story that will break your heart. He was in remission from leukemia.Maybe our words need to be seasoned more with love and grace. We can easily be quick to judge and have no idea what is going on, what issues they're dealing with.I've been thinking about sacrifice, saying no to what is good in order to say yes to what is right. People around me are loving me & challenging me to press on. I'm so blessed.This isn't even half of what is going on, but I'll stop for now. Where are you in life and with God, are you where you want to be, or more importantly, where God wants you to be?Currently
Love and the Like
By Scott Phillips
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Wednesday, 07 October 2009
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Someone Else's Prayer
After service at my church on Wednesday nights, the Pastor encourages us to stick around and pray. It's great.
Tonight, as I sat there, praying for my unsaved family... praying for their salvation, praying that God would use me and bring other Christians across their path to share Christ with them as well... it hit me. That stranger, that coworker, that person you have an opportunity to be a witness to, is someone's mother, sister, dad, brother...someone else could be praying the same prayer - that God would bring a Christian across their path, and you... are that Christian. I am that Christian...
I've prayed this so many times but tonight... it was so clear. If we want God to use others... we have to let Him use us!
So here's to letting God use me and you, to answer other people's prayers.
Think about it.
Currently
We Shall Not Be Shaken
By Matt Redman
This Is How We Know
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