~Be Still~

Today, I feel as if we could all use some encouragement, some little glimpse of hope. I have been in need of this for a little while. I have decided to turn to the one Person I know provides hope, and more than encouragement, He fills the soul. So, instead of just me writing a bunch of stuff about me and my journey, I thought we'd join His today. Let's listen to Him as He speaks truth over us. Are you with me?

I chose you and have not rejected you.
Isaiah 41:9

I have called you by your name; you are mine.
Isaiah 43:1

Since you were precious in my eyes, you are honored, and I love you.

Isaiah 43:4

Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being praise His holy Name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits-

Who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases,

Who redeems your life from the pit

and who crowns you with love and compassion,

who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Psalm 103:1-5

She is clothed with strength and dignity.

Proverbs 31:25Remember Susan, from Narnia? If anyone from those stories/movies is a picture of being clothed with strength and dignity, it's her. She was afraid of everything, until Aslan empowered her and showed her her value and when she believed what she was capable of, she who once was timid became a mighty warrior.

Last night, I was watching "The Chronicles of Narnia: the Voyage of the Dawn Treader", the 3rd movie, and it's like parts of it were written for me, but especially this part:

"You doubt your value; don't run from who you are."I have chosen you and have not rejected you.

Isaiah 41:9 (Yes, I know I already wrote this one out, but it bears repeating after that great scene with Aslan, don't you think?)

You will increase my honor and comfort me once again.

Psalm 71:21

A friend posted a quote from John Piper on Facebook today and it ministered to me so much, I wrote it down and want to share it with you now:

"God is plotting for your joy."

I LOVE that!! My last thing I want to leave you with, and it's something I've been pondering ever since last night, is:

Think like Edmund.If anyone knew what it was like to give into the temptations of evil, it was Edmund. But once he got it, he never backed down and he was the quickest to dispel evil because he recognized it. I have been working through some lies I have believed all my life and Edmund to me is a picture of how we fight lies. Once we taste truth and the freedom therein, we cannot back down. We must stand up and not let the enemy of our God, who prowls around like a lion, we must not let him win any strongholds in us. We must recognize him and live like the royalty we are and proclaim victory for ourselves. It's ours. So let's take it.

I don't know what your struggle is today, but I know what mine is. And I know that the only way to win the fight for our lives is to follow Jesus. Do what He does. Fight the way He fights. Live the way He lives. And rebuke His enemy the way He rebukes His enemy. Wield the Sword (His Word) the way He does.

I have put my words in your mouth and and covered you with the shadow of my hand.

Isaiah51:16

"No weapon forged against you will prevail and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me." declares the LORD.

Isaiah54:17

Did you catch that? That's our heritage!!! No matter what our history is, no matter the mistakes we've made, we have a new heritage. Narnia is just a picture. You and I have our own Kingdom and our God lives there. Until He takes us to be with Him forever, He lives in us. Even Aslan wasn't that close!

Are you tired? Worn out ? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me- Watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly.

Matthew 11:28-30

Be Still. Don't worry, you'll get everything done in life you need to. But, in your soul, in your mind, in your heart, be still. Everything falls into place.....don't trust me, I'm still working on believing that!! But trust Him. He says so, and what He says, we can trust.

Jesus replied, "Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

Matthew 22:37

"Both Sides Now"- Cilla's Sun Version

The sunset last night was fabulous. As I watched it, I realized something; it keeps moving. I know that's not a novel thought. Rather how it's supposed to be, right? But something cool happened as I was pondering the sun moving. If it didn't move, it'd be the worst natural disaster ever. Chaos would ensue. Everything in the world be off the Richter scale because the sun is our source for heat, it's pretty much everything to us. I watched it move and become more and more beautiful and with my camera on my phone, I stopped the action.
But it never stopped. It just kept going down. And as it went down, it got more beautiful, more radiant. And that's when it hit me.....I want it to stop so I can just take in it's beauty and just let it beautiful there for just a moment......

If you know me at all, you know I hate the thick clouds that cover the sky and make my head miserable. But as I watched the sunset last night, I realized that no matter what the sky looks like to me, the sun is still moving. Sometimes I want it to race ahead of the clouds so that I can see it again, and sometimes I want it to be still so I can just watch what it does in it's magnificence. But no, it just slowly keeps marching on.....

And I realized, I sometimes do what I wanted the sun to do last night: I sometimes pause and want beautiful moments to last forever, or at least longer than than they do. Or sometimes when moments are really awful, I want to speed right through them. But it doesn't work like that. Just like the sun, life marches on, sometimes it seems slowly, sometimes it seems too fast, but in reality, it's a slow steady pace. I came across this quote a few days ago....

Right on, Jessica, and your friend Paul!! If we avoided parts of life, sped thru them, or if we paused too long on the parts of life we want to linger on, chaos would ensue, just like if the sun sped up or stopped.

I think I want to be more like the sun. Have you noticed from my pictures that as it goes down, it becomes more brilliant?

And that is what make me see that I don't really want to speed thru hard times or even stop on the beautiful parts. Because what I think is beautiful doesn't come close to what is next. I can't even dream up the beauty awaiting the next bend. All I can do is move steady with the sun.

And trust my Creator, just like the sun.

"I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectiation for the sons of God to be revealed. "
Romans 8:18-19

"....For you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall."
Malachi 4:2




I really don't know life.....at all. But I know the Author of Life and I know I can trust Him to lead me, just like He leads the sun.

The 7th is Unlucky....

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.
Psalm 68:19

Haha, I know this is a weird song for me to start with, but bear with me, ok?

Today is the 7th, and it's a hard day for me for @ least two reasons.

Reason #1: My grandpa died in my house 7 months ago today. I've been drawn to his kinda music lately, partly because I just saw "Coal Miner's Daughter" with Sissy Spacek, and I've wanted to hear some real Loretta Lynn. So today, as I was scanning his photos for the family, I indulged in a little Loretta,

a little Patsy, (if you lived in my house for the past year, you knew how OFTEN we heard this song!!)

a little of the Judds,

and I realized that I kinda like his kinda music. Grandpa would be proud.

Reason #2: I had a boyfriend 2 months ago today; now I don't; enough said.(Don't worry,I won't post a song for this reason that I'm blue.....even though one by the Judds does come to mind.)

Death, life. It's all hard sometimes. Haha, and the sun is even shining and it's still a blue day for me.

Hope. I had some yesterday, and because I had it yesterday, I have no doubt but that it will return. God always comes thru.

Summon Your power, O God; show us Your Strength, O God, as you have done before.
Psalm 68:28

I have thought so much that I want a new life. But this life is mine. And it is mostly good: I have my family, a job that looks promising, my friends,and most importantly, I have my God. I also have my pride, and my dignity. Life may have not turned out the way I wanted it.....yet. It's still not over. Yes, my grandpa is gone, and the era of being a caregiver's daughter (Loretta is still in my head, can you tell?) is over. Yes, I no longer have a boyfriend, and the dreams I had are put on hold in a whole new way, but my dreams still exist, just not with him. Today is rough, but tomorrow will be easier, and next month will be another month past all my grief. Sorrow is a part of life. It expands the heart to make room for joy. I will be one heck of a joyful person someday.

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Psalm 34:18

I know this to be true. I don't know what's going on in your life if you're reading this right now. Maybe you're in a season of grief, too. I only listed 2 reasons it's my season right now, believe me I could list more. I'm sure you could, too. The Lord knows what you're going thru and I want you to know, because He wants you and me both to know: He loves you, Dear Heart. He is on your side. He wants you to turn to Him in your grief and pain. He wants to walk with you and talk with you, cry with you even. Let's let Him in, Love. He might not take the pain away quite yet, but He makes it bearable. This time in our lives might be rough, but someday when we look back, they will be the sweetest we've ever had if we let Him in and be the Savior He gave up Heaven to be.

Those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

Psalm 34: 10

LORD, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, O LORD. Renew them in my day, in my time make them known.

Habakkuk 2:2 (emphasis and personalization are mine)