Psalm 100

I have begun reading an online journal called She Reads Truth that my best friend introduced me to (she has a knack for finding great blogs), and I have really been enjoying what these ladies have to say! They have so many different plans that you can follow, some go through specific books in the Bible and some deal with specific topics such as prayer, thanksgiving, or even the women of the Bible. In looking through all of their plans, I have no idea which one I wanted to start with, but the one entitle "Prayer in the Bible" kept sticking out to me. This is an area in which the Lord has been convicting and refining me.

Day 2 of this plan has you read through Psalm 100 (it's just 5 verses). As I was reading through this passage, I was overwhelmed by the thankfulness that just pours out of these verses. I thought to myself... this would be a good thing to say to myself as I enter into a time of corporate/private worship or quiet time... These verses just help set my mind in the right place, giving praise to the One who truly matters, and allowing everything else to fade away. So, I am challenging myself to memorize Psalm 100. I have broken it down into 4 sections (as shown below), and I hope to memorize a section a week, in hopes of having the whole thing memorized in a month. If you have any tips on what best helps you memorize scripture, I will gladly welcome them :)

Make a joyful noise to the 

Lord, all the earth!

Serve the Lord with 

gladness!

Come into his presence with

singing!

Know that the Lord, he is God!

It is he who made us, and we

are his;

we are his people, and the

sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with 

thanksgiving,

and his courts with praise!

Give thanks to him; bless his

name!

For the Lord is good;

his steadfast love endures

forever,

and his faithfulness to all

generations.

-Psalm 100

Perfection is a Misconception

Why do we feel like we have to be perfect before we can come to Jesus? Why do we so often try to hide or cover up our cracks? What if we changed our perspective to be transparent and vulnerable about our cracks because that means that You can step in and SHINE through those cracks. If we came to You perfect and complete, that would leave no room for You to receive Your rightful glory, and we would be boasting in ourselves.  Jesus, I pray that You step into my cracks and shine Your light brightly because only by Your grace am I made perfect and complete. 
Use my cracks to bring glory to Your name.

 ^"Then this message from the Lord came to me: 'Family of Israel, you know that I can do the same thing with you. You are like the clay in the potter’s hands, and I am the potter.' This message is from the Lord." -Jeremiah 18:5-6

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."  
-James 4:10

"If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness." 
-2 Corinthians 11:30

He's making a masterpiece

Glimpses of the past keep haunting me

the pictures I see are not who I want to be

the sin I was caught up in keeps telling me I'm not good enough

BUT I am claiming the freedom that is found in the beautiful name of Jesus.

The chains that once enslaved me are now broken by the grace of Jesus.

When I sit at the feet of Jesus, broken and shattered, He whispers,

"You are Mine."

When I stand in His presence, pleading for His hands in my life, He reminds me,

"I've never left you."

When I bring Him all of my broken pieces, He takes them and creates a masterpiece.

And He's making a masterpiece out of me.

A time such as this...

If there is anything I've learned in this season of singleness, it's that Jesus truly is the only One who will ever be able to fill the void in your heart that keeps getting patched over, boyfriend after boyfriend.  My sweet sisters, Jesus is the patch that keeps healing your heart.  I pray that you acknowledge His presence IN your life and His sovereignty OVER your life.  He longs for you to claim the title as His bride and He wants to lavish you with the blessings He is eagerly waiting to show you.  BUT, you must first proclaim that He is Lord over your life, and that you trust Him and His plans for your life.  His is pursuing you... will you pursue Him?

"I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; 

my soul shall exult in my God,

for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation;

he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,

as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest

with a beautiful headdress,

and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

For as the earth brings forth its sprouts,

and as a garden causes what is sown in it to sprout up,

so the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise

to sprout up before all the nations."

{Isaiah 61:10-11}

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord,

plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me,

and I will hear you.

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.

I will be found by you, declares the Lord,

and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations

and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, 

and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile."

{Jeremiah 29:11-14}

"To-do" list vs. The voice of Jesus

You know those moments when the Lord is speaking so clearly, but all you can think about is your never ending "to-do" list?  That happened to me tonight as I was trying to study for a test I have tomorrow over 6 chapters, and the Lord kept placing like 4 different thought processes in my mind.  My first instinct was "Really God, now? You know I have a major test tomorrow, right?"  But He would not relent, and it got to the point where it felt like a nagging poke in the rib... like the Lord was saying, "My dear, I know you have a lot on your plate right now, but I need you to listen to me."  Well, that definitely got my attention.  So I pulled out some paper and let the Lord's words flow through my pen.  Even though I was the one writing, the words on the page were not my own because they opened up places in my heart that I like to keep closed up and separate from everything else.  You see, this is an issue I have slowly come to acknowledge I have, and the Lord has been so gracious to help me peel back one layer at a time, ever so tenderly.  I texted the one person who knows me better than most and asked why God tends to speak at the most inopportune times, when we are trying to cross things off our to-do list.  She answered, "When He's speaking to you, you have no choice but to stop and listen."  Boy, is that such simple truth.  The Lord is not at all concerned with our "to-do" lists or the 6 chapter test I have tomorrow.  He says, "Be still and know that I am God" {Psalm 46:10}.  I guess it just goes to show that the things of this world will fade away {1 John 2:17}, and He wants us to store up our treasures in Heaven {Matthew 6:19-21}!  In other words, studying is completely insignificant when it comes to listening to the voice of Jesus.

Speak To My Soul

I pray these lyrics speak to your soul as they are mine.  Sweet friends, Jesus hears your cry and wants to carry you through to the end.  He is right there with you every step of the way.  You are not strong enough on your own, you are in desperate need of Him.  Check out these videos.

Worn - Tenth Avenue North

Carry Me - Josh Wilson

That Moment

That moment when you realize that you've been fighting on your own
That moment when you realize that you've been pretending all along
That moment when you realize that you've been carrying the weight on your own
That moment when you realize that you've reached the bottom of the pit
That moment when you realize that you are crying so hard you can't breathe
That moment when you realize just how weak you are
That moment when you realize that you can no longer keep pretending that everything is okay
That moment when you realize that you can't fight this fight on your own
That moment when you realize that you are not strong enough and you never will be
That moment when you realize that there is no where to turn but to the cross
That moment when you realize how desperately you are in NEED of Jesus
Jesus, help me to constantly turn to you in prayer and thanksgiving.
Jesus, help me to never forget that moment.
Jesus, help me to live in that moment.

Puzzle Pieces

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose." -Romans 8:28

The Lord works our life like a puzzle; each piece uniquely fits somewhere and has a special purpose - each trial, each struggle, each heartache, each joy, each accomplishment, each success.  They all come together to create something beautiful.  God wants to use each and every piece to show you His masterpiece, but that requires us to surrender every "piece" of our lives.  Yes, even the "pieces" that show our struggles, trials, and heartaches.  When we keep some pieces to ourselves because we are too ashamed, too embarrassed, or think it's too big for God to handle, we are robbing ourselves of the opportunity to see God's grand masterpiece.  He so desperately wants us to surrender every "piece" of our lives to Him.  NOTHING is too big or small for Him.  He has already overcome.  God can and desires to work everything for our good, but we must first trust Him with every "piece" of our lives, and believe that His masterpiece is far more beautiful than anything we could "piece" together on our own.

*gives a whole new meaning to puzzles*

Jesus, be my Security

Here lately, I have found myself wishing that things could go back to the way they used to be.  I like the way things used to be.  But the Lord has been trying to shake me of the desire to want to go back in time.  He is desperately trying to show me something more, but I won't be able to see that until I completely surrender the past to Him and trust Him with my future.  By holding tightly to my past and the way things used to be, I am not allowing God to work in and through me.  The Holy Spirit is constantly trying to make us a new creation in Christ, by stripping us of our old selves (2 Corinthians 5:17).  As humans, it is so easy to get caught up in our predictable, routine-oriented lives, and forget that Christ is constantly calling us to place EVERYTHING before Him at the alter.  We get so used to things being one way, that when that gets changed, it completely rocks our world!  We tend to find our security in routine because it is predictable, but if that is where we place our security than we are ultimately placing God in a box because we are not allowing Him to do things in our lives that are far greater than our finite minds can comprehend.

Jesus, be my Security.

Dependent on Him

The world tries to convince us that we need to be independent in order to survive, but in reality we are created to be completely dependent on Jesus!

Learn to be thankful and find JOY even in the midst of struggles, because that is when we become aware of the goodness of God!

"Even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me."  -Psalm 139:10
**Jesus is using one hand to lead me through this crazy thing called life, and the other to hole me tight every step of the way.  He will never leave me!**

Trials (testing of my faith) + steadfastness (loyalty to God) = JOY

-James 1:2-

Faith like Job

God is the Author of my life.  Let Him write the pages.  No matter how painful it is, God is in the midst of creating something beautiful!  In the midst of my pain, God is there, holding me tight.  God is trying to get my attention, and I have to make the choice to choose JOY.  In the midst of my struggle, I need to choose JOY.  I also need to be patient with myself.  My head may be tired of all this mess, but my heart is still an emotional wreck.  It is going to take time, and in that time I need to tune into God's voice and listen because He is clearly still trying to use this process to teach me something.  I need to be asking, daily, "God, what are you trying to teach or reveal to me?"  Jesus, I need to hear from You or feel You!  I need Your Spirit to penetrate and move in my heart and guide my steps.  Lord when I begin to waver and wander away from You, remind me of the faithfulness of Your servant Job.  Job had everything stripped away from him, yet He still adored and worshiped You!

"Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head and fell on the ground and worshiped.  And he said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return.  The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.  In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong."  -Job 1:20-22
**The Lord strips us of our flesh, so He can be glorified**

"Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty.  For he wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal."  -Job 5:17-18
**God may break us down, BUT that is only to make us realize how desperately we NEED Him**

I wanna be lost in You

Jesus, I wanna be so lost in You that You're guiding my every step.

When I waver and begin to think I can do it on my own,

bring my heart back to You.

I wanna be so lost in You that You're the light that leads my path.

I wanna be so lost in You that You're my strength when I want to give up.

When I question the plans You have for me,

remind me of Your sovereignty.

I wanna be so lost in you that You're love is enough for me.

Spirit Move!

Jesus, help me to allow Your Spirit to move in my heart and reveal my areas of sin.  Help me to trust that You will be there to pick up the pieces that I am afraid will come crashing down.

"For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."  -2 Corinthians 4:6

His Love

Why do we stray from the One who holds us together in the midst of our brokenness?  His love for us is CONSTANT; we need to receive what He died to give us!

"The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.  And he thrust out the enemy before you and said, Destroy."  -Deuteronomy 33:27

"But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation."  -Psalm 13:5

Self-Control

Jesus faced the ultimate battle of self-control when HE was being mocked and shamed on the cross (Luke 23:35-37).  He could have called upon a band of angels to come and free HIm from His suffering and torment, but He knew He had to fulfill and be obedient to His Father's plans, so that we could have a personal relationship with Him! How deep is Jesus' love for us, that He would be willing to sacrifice His own life!  Jesus overcame the battle of self-control, because He had complete faith that God would never leave or forsake Him, and would see Him through to the end when His name is glorified!

Dear Beloved

A dear friend of mine gave me a letter that is to be my constant reminder of the love that Jesus has for me. I pray that it blesses you as much as it has/is me.  It reads like this:

Beloved,

I know everyone longs to give themselves completely to someone; to have a deep soul relationship with another; to be loved thoroughly and exclusively. But I tell you, not until you are satisfied, fulfilled, and content with being loved by Me along, having an intensely personal and unique relationship and discovering that only in Me is your satisfaction to be found, will you be capable of the perfect human relationship that I have planned for you. You will never be united with another until you are united with Me, exclusive of anyone or anything else, exclusive of any other desires or longings. I want you to stop planning and wishing, and allow Me to give you the most thrilling plan existing-the one I have for you. I want you to have the best. Please allow Me to bring it to you. You just keep watching Me, expecting the greatest things. Keep experiencing the satisfaction that I am. Keep listening and learning the things I tell you. You just wait. That's all.

Don't be anxious. Don't worry. Don't look around at the things others have, or the things you think you want. You just keep your eyes on Me or you'll miss what I want to show you.

And then, when you're ready, I'll surprise you with a love far more wonderful than any you would dream of. You'll see; until you are ready, you are both satisfied exclusively with Me and the life I've prepared for you; until then, you won't be able to experience the love that exemplifies your relationship with Me, and thus the perfect love.

And, dear one, I want you to have this most wonderful love. I want you to see in the flesh a picture of your everlasting union of beauty, perfection, and love that I offer you with Myself. Know that I love you utterly. Believe it and be satisfied.

Jesus

Ladies. Hold out for the MAN that Jesus has created for you. 
You are worthy. 
You deserve to be pursued. 
You deserve to be fought for. 
Believe that in your heart! 
Jesus has such a beautiful plan for your life - let Him show you! Surrender your desire to control your own life because it is NOTHING compared to what Your Creator has in store for you! Find your satisfaction in Him alone. Let His love sweep you off your feet! 

Bitterness be gone, in Jesus' name!

"But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hears, do not boast and be false to the truth. This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 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. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." -James 3:14-18

Jesus, rid my heart of all bitterness and jealousy.  My flesh is so quick to want to take control.  Help me to surrender control.  There is freedom in surrendering at the cross.  Fill my heart with Your LOVE and JOY!  Jesus, I trust You.

Daily Reminder

What's meant to happen, will happen in God's time! 

Don't rush it. Be patient. Surrender control.

I am in NEED of Jesus

Meditating on this verse:
"He saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life." -Titus 3:5-7

We are all so weak, and in desperate need of His mercy! We are all broken, and in need of His grace! We have all sinned and fallen short, but praise Jesus that He did not come to condemn us! BUT even though condemnations are removed, the consequences are not. We all must face the consequences of our sins. It will most likely be hard, and it may not be pretty, but only God can create something beautiful from ashes! We must allow the Lord to come in clean out the places of sin in our hearts, so that we can be filled with the Holy Spirit. He so desperately wants to bless us out of the mess we are in, so that His name can be glorified! 

Overwhelmed by Your Faithfulness

Jesus, Your faithfulness never ceases to amaze me! Here lately, my life has been a whirlwind of emotions. Many times, I have doubted Your presence, not being able to feel You in the midst of it all. But the Holy Spirit kept reminding me of the promise found in Joshua 1:5 "I will not leave you or forsake you." The Lord promises never to abandon us. Even when we feel like no one else understands the pain and hurt we are going through, there is One person who does. Jesus. (Isaiah 53)

A couple of nights ago, I broke out into tears because I just felt so alone in this circumstance that the Lord is bringing me through. This has been nearly a month long journey, and I thought I had run out of tears about it, but I fell guilty to the Author of Doubt once again. I allowed Satan to make me question the Lord's presence and control over this situation. My cry that night was that that Lord would reveal Himself to me in a mighty way because I was just not feeling His presence. He gently reminded me: "I am in control. Trust me." I could literally feel a spiritual warfare going on inside of me because every fiber of my fleshly being wanted to take complete control of the situation. I wanted to take matters into my own hands. This situation has caused me a lot of pain, both physically and emotionally, and I just wanted it to end. How selfish of me to think that I could have handled this better than the Almighty One. Again, a gentle whisper: "Patience." 
The very next morning, I received a phone call that I had been earnestly praying for. One of the people who played a large role in the emotional pain I was going through, called me and apologized over and over for all the pain he had caused me. He said that the Lord finally opened his eyes to everything that was going on. In tears, he told me that he is taking full ownership for his action and has no one to blame but himself. He explained that he has a lot of surrendering to do before the cross, and hopes that one day I will be able to forgive him.

TALK ABOUT AN ANSWERED PRAYER! After I hung up the phone, I was overwhelmed with joy because of the Lord's faithfulness to my prayers! He hears us, even when we feel so alone.

Prior to that phone call, I had lost all trust and respect for him, but the Lord is slowly and tenderly allowing me to gain that back with him. Am I there yet? No. Have I forgiven him? Not completely. But remember the second whisper? Patience. It is going to take a lot of time to gain back trust and respect for him, and the Lord still has a lot of healing to do in my own heart before I can truly forgive and forget. I am confident that the Lord will be faithful to this process, because who am I to keep a record of someone's wrongs? That is not my job, my job is to continue to love him as my brother in Christ, no matter what. That is what I am called to do. Is that an easy task? No. But with the Lord's strength, He will allow me to see him just as He does, and allow me to forgive and forget. Not only must I be patient with the Lord, but I must be patient with myself. I know my flesh is going to want to try and speed up this process, but I have to remember that the Lord is in control, and everything is going to happen according to His will and not my own. I must trust that the Lord knows exactly what He is doing, and He will continue to be faithful. Jesus, thank you so much for revealing Yourself to me in a mighty way. I love you.


The road to forgiveness begins, and I'm confident the Lord will reveal His faithfulness in this journey.